so I agree with Ray that for eating up motorway miles and for getting to your destination without worrying too much about breakdowns you can't beat a bit of modern metal, even though it pains me to say so..........
I think that's why I'm gently upgrading the minor. I've been admiring my housemate's seats (in her fiat....they just bolt in to that fiat donchaknow. Funnily enough, she's stopped leaving the keys around ;-) ). With better seats, and some soundproofing (my mog is completely devoid of soundproofing material except for the bit across the bulkhead) the car would be perfect..... But then as I've said elsewhere my car sits quite happily around 80mph (if, obviously, I were to consider doing such speeds, which, quite obviously I wouldn't).
The only thing that's a bit wearing is the 3k service interval. But that said, I think I'm doing 4 services to my housemates 1, and it still works out way cheaper. That and I'm already bored of the putting additive in the car game, and realised that it's only 200 tanks of petrol before I would've paid for an unleaded head so I think that's going to have to move to pretty high up my shopping list.
In the last 20k miles she broke down, I think, once. That was that god-forsaken fuel pump; a device I've come to hate with a passion. But then I am a bit obsessive about servicing (always have been)*. But that is a mix of motorway and town; and the next lot I get to play at being a District Nurse (take your Gladys Emanuel comments and stick them somewhere.... okay?); so there'll be very little motorway in it, which may be why my minor doesn't really mind. In fact she seems to object to just sitting around and pottering around town.
Still I woudn't drive a modern car as an every day car. I had one for 6 days when I was in Ireland and I hated every minute of it. It was about as fast as the minor, and yet seemed gutless, slow, dull and for all it's ergonmically-designed-interior I was and am more comfy in my moggie.
* The guy in the auto-factor thought it was very funny, the look of distain on my face when I realised that the only 20W-50 oil they'd got was "Motorway" brand. In the end I went for some Comma 15W-40. My normal auto-factor has Duckhams !, but this place has the advantage that they keep Minor Air and Oil filters in stock. Even if it is very dusty stock
Pyoor Kate
The Electric Minor Project
The Current Fleet:
1969 Morris 'thou, 4 Door. 2010 Mitsubishi iMiEV. 1920s BSA Pushbike. 1930s Raleigh pushbike.
The Ex-Fleet:
1974 & 1975 Daf 44s, 1975 Enfield 8000 EV, 1989 Yugo 45, 1981 Golf Mk1, 1971 Vauxhall Viva, 1989 MZ ETZ 125, 1989 Volvo Vario 340, 1990, 1996 & 1997 MZ/Kanuni ETZ 251s
Desires:
Trabant 601, Tatra T603, Series II Landy, Moskvitch-401, Vincent HRD Black Shadow, Huge garage, Job in Washington State.
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