h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I put my car in for it's MOT test today (explanation for USAnians: A12921581)...and it's been declared dead. Big Eddie from the garage says it's not worth repairing.

I'm not at all sentimental about cars (It was a Fiat Tipo, if you're interested). It's just a tad inconcvenient because it means I'll have to schlep on trains and buses until I can find a suitably affordable replacement. We were going to replace it next year anyway, and Big Eddie's looking out for something at around £200 to get me through until then, at which point I can re-sell for the same (old cars don't depreciate ).

No surprise, I suppose. I've been driving it for the last six months with a noisy exhaust. The car's most notable feature - besides doubling as a mobile compost heap and newspaper recycling facility - was it's paint job. A few years ago I parked it under a sycamore tree and it got coated with a varnish-like resin that's imposible to remove and which became encrusted with dirt.

My rust bucket is in for its MOT on friday. I am not confident.

Commiserations - I've just booked mine in for next week.

Ours just barely passed its emissions test last year. We'll need to replace an exhaust pipe before the next one, as well as having a complete tune-up. I've spent the past year explaining to K that now that the car's paid off (it's a 2000 Ford Escort), a bit of routine maintenance might be a Good Idea.

What is it about some guys and their cars? K's is a rolling trash barrel/compost heap/newspaper recyclery as well. Don't even get me started on the trunk...

Good luck with finding a an affordable replacement car!

Maintenance? What's that? Never look under the bonnet! (USAnian = hood )

I guess 11 years was a decent age. I don't know what that is in dog years.

Bloody cars...sore point for us at the mo....Geo has spent a few bucks *over 1000 of them* to put his right...and the same for mine - give or take a few of em...just these last few months..grrr....and then the bloody mower peeps go and break a window on his subaru outback today....ahhh well...

Sorry to hear about your MOT, those were the bane of my life every year...till I got the peugeot...but I sold that coming over here...hope you find something suitable to tide you over.. here's some wishes...

I've got a $1400 repair estimate on my hands just now, but the bill is being footed by some idiot's insurance company. Meanwhile my wife is convinced there is something wrong with the way the car turns, so I get to drive the good one for a change.

Welcome back, Mugwump. People have been leaving in droves, and I'd thought you might have. There's a chance for some intelligent conversation now.

I'll be posting more on my car woes shortly / have already posted more on it (depending on whan you read this) on http://bonoboworld.blogspot.com

I have left, more or less. My participation has become marginal at best.

http://raysweb.net/poems/articles/berry.html