I got my silver Aygo back in September 2014. I do not change cars very often - every ten years or so. The Aygo replaced the blue Daewoo Matiz.
On Thursday the Aygo went in part exchange. I was sort of hoping I could make it last till April but it really had lost the plot somewhat
- The bodywork was not good, [inc. a phantom ding in the carpark ]
- The wiper blade needed replacing
- The brakes & other parts would need serious attention at the next MOT
- The door seal was not watertight so after heavy, driving rain, the interior became damp SO...
- ...the rear footwell became a paddling pool
- ...there was a rusty "blister" forming in the front footwell
- ...when it froze, there was ice inside the windows and outside
- ...mould kept growing on the steering wheel
- ...the dampness had turned my road atlas to papier mache.
- ...it always felt cold and musty
So here it is! I am very excited to own a vehicle that is reliable, warm and dry! I said to a friend "It was at the top end of my budget, but I thought it better to buy the best I could afford. After all, this is likely to be my last car - I am 70 next year" to which she replied "Are you? You don't act like it!" I'm still wondering what she meant by that...
Like you 70 next year here too of course and thank goodness most 70 year olds don't act like grans in the past when 70 was really really old.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to hold onto my car -17 reg. for longer too as it has no car tax and it will be a shock when that will need paying again.
Enjoy your new car - hope the switches and dials are not too different!
The dashboard on the Kodiaq is very similar, so that's a bonus
DeleteMould on the steering wheel would do it for me! My friend has a Fabia like yours and loves it.
ReplyDeleteGood to know
DeleteCongratulations on your new car! I bought my current car in 2014, too! In August! It is a Toyota. Maybe your friend meant you are young at heart and have the energy of someone much younger. :)
ReplyDeleteMy Toyota was very good until it got old, and was in an accident!
DeleteEnjoy your Skoda, I had mine for 13 years, no real problems, swapped it for a Vauxhall which I hated, bought a 2021 plate Skoda last year, its like having an old friend back.
ReplyDeleteThis will be the 4th Skoda in the family. We find them to be very reliable
DeleteCongrats on your new car, I know about damp cars having had a few over the years. I would like to think your friend meant you do not look 70 (or approaching 70) and that you lead a busy life and are full of energy and enthusiasm! That's my take on it anyway. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue
DeleteA good choice. My Skoda Fabia estate in 16 years old and just passed the MOT with no problems.
ReplyDeleteWe had a new seal on the rear doors about four years ago which resolved the wet rear car mats and condensation.
I like the fact that it fits in small parking spaces yet had room inside for four beehives.
I love the idea of a honeypot Fabia!
DeleteLovely reliable car Ang-well spotted! And a good size for transporting your grandchildren when they are with you. Happy driving.Catriona
ReplyDeleteYes - unifix points for child seats, and a boot big enough to take the buggy & more
DeleteEnjoy your new car. Your old one certainly had lots wrong with it so it was definitely time toreplace. My last car was with me for ten years but at its last MOT with me the chap at the garage said it really was time to replace her. So I did, secondhand but so far good and reliable. It was very wet inside once after heavy rain but just maybe it was because I had left the back window open? !!
ReplyDeleteMine was never the same after the lady drove into it. But we didn't discover about the dodgy doors until a few months after the incident when the rains came!
DeleteHi, Angela! I love your new car! Isn’t there something really nice about the feeling of security you get when everything is working properly and, yes, dry! 70? Just a number, dear, just a number.
ReplyDeleteThanks M. It's just a number, as you say
DeleteHow nice to have a new car, warm and reliable. We have a Skoda and love it. It's a fact of life , but still rather poignant, when folk of our generation find themselves saying things like " it'll probably be my last car" mind you, my m in law didn't give up driving until she was 84 - gives me hope 😀 X
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Looking at the comments above, there are a lot of happy Skoda friends out there. Not sure I'll want to drive when I'm 84.My daughters are under strict instructions to take away my keys if they think I'm no longer reliably safe on the road
DeleteReading what was wrong with your old car, I agree I think you needed a new one and the new looks very swish. We make our cars last 10 yrs too..and I think our present one will be our last.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly very comfortable and pleasant to drive
DeleteI am so happy to hear about the new car! I renewed my license last year and it lasts until I shall be/could be 83. I think that will be the end of driving for me, cannot imagine taking a test again then and, if I move states, I would have to do it earlier. My driving days are mostly behind me.
ReplyDeleteHope the new car brings a smile to your face every time you drive it! JanF
Thanks Jan
DeleteI love my 16 plate Fiesta and hope to keep it going for a while longer. 70 is the new 50. Having grandchildren and lots of things to do keep us young. 71 next birthday and the last couple of days I've felt it as my back is bad, but I shall keep keeping on! Hugs Xx
ReplyDeleteThey have stopped making Fiestas, haven't they? Yes, the grandchildren keep us young [but also wear us out]
DeleteSo glad you have a lovely, dry new-to-you car! I had to chuckle at your remark about it probably being your last car. We'll turn 73 in a few months and often mention we've bought a "lifetime supply" of this our that!
ReplyDeleteMy mother was so very angry with me when I moved her into assisted living and took away her car when she was 85 and had had 3 fender-benders in 3 months. I even called her car mechanic and told him not to fix her car if she called him! He was so kind.
Hugs!
Giving up your car equates to giving up your independence for many people, so I understand why they are reluctant. But our reactions do slow down with age, and cars now are much faster/more powerful than when our parents started driving
DeleteGlad you've got a cosier new car!!! Kxx
ReplyDeleteMe too
DeleteI'm amazed at the problems with dampness in cars in England! I thought we were the only ones with problems but ours are dry inside but the bodywork rusts horribly with the road salt in winter. By the way, 70 isn't bad, but there is something about seeing 80 on a birthday card that sounds really old! However, life goes on and one forgets the numbers.
ReplyDeleteSalt is not good for the bodywork!
DeleteIn London so many friends and acquaintances are having to scrap cars that are perfectly reliable and undamaged with the arbitrary ULEZ regulations, widely regarded as a TfL fundraiser. Almost all the roads in our borough are 20 mph to prevent accidents, I find I’m watching the speedometer rather than the road, the fines are £100, doubling for non payment even if one is travelling at 21 or 22 mph.
ReplyDeleteVery pleased that this car has cruise control, so I can set it within the limit. I actually drove through a town with a 20mph limit this morning. I set the CC to 19mph [but there was nobody about, I felt I could have got out and walked quicker!!]
DeleteUsed to love driving my ex-boss's Skoda Yeti. So comfy being higher up than my normal Polo and much more reliable than the old charrabang which has never once gone through an MOT unscathed. Last year's MOT came in at £905, the fiver being charged to fill up my windscreen washer bottle which wasn't even empty! I'm on the lookout for another car but prices have shot up drastically since the pandemic. My Mum's still driving at 93!I was 70 last Thursday and still can't believe the cards on my mantlepiece with that number on them are for me!!I feel very blessed to be here since I have 16 years on my poor father.Stark realisation of how much he's missed these past 37 years, especially all the new additions to the family, who he would have adored and they him. Anyway, I've had a belter of a birthday week and been spoiled rotten and just one last celebratory family lunch out today then it's back to old clothes and porridge tomorrow!! I hereby declare 70 is the new 50!Better acting your shoe size than fitting into any ageist stereotype and acting on that, I say.x
ReplyDeletePs love the new car!
ReplyDeleteGlad you had such a wonderful time! And how lovely to still have your mum. Hope you can find a new car soon - it's awful when they get "beyond economic repair"
ReplyDelete