40 reasons I’m thankful I broke down

This week, on the way back from a business trip, my car broke down.  It's now sitting in a garage, waiting to be taken apart and fixed.  I missed an important meeting, I had to spend about £250 getting my car towed home, and I haven't yet found out how much the bill will be …

The car I didn’t buy

I'm in the market for a second car at the moment.  A classic Mini would be my preference, but that's out of my price range at the moment, and after a lot of research I'm more or less settled on a Corsa 1.2 SXi.  I won't bore you with the logic that's led me to …

BMW, you are forgiven

Something has changed within me.  Something small that is also big.  Something largely irrelevant yet hugely significant.  Apparently I like the BMW Mini. Those of you who know me will appreciate that this is a big deal.  I have been an avid enthusiast of the classic Mini since I was a nipper, and for several …

It rained, it poured, it wrote off our car.

Yes, dear readers, our car is no more.  After many years of successfully avoiding things, our insurance policy is finally being put to use.  The Zafira is dead. It was one of those stereotypical nights that would feel right at home in a Hollywood movie - the sky was black, the wind howled menacingly, the …

Shiny and new (part 1)

One of the nice things about bank holidays is that you get a little more time.  Not a lot, necessarily, but some.  And that can make all the difference.  For instance, the bank holiday last Friday (for the Royal Wedding) meant that we got to do a few things that would ordinarily have had to …

Relinquishing responsibility

I'm home alone right now.  I say "alone", technically Samuel is in the house too, but he's blissfully drifting through slumberland right now so I'm not sure that counts.  My wife, on the other hand, is out.  With another man.  Thankfully this isn't an affair I've suddenly unearthed, but it's arguably worse.  She's having driving …

Time for a drink. And a smoke.

My car has been making an odd noise for the last couple of weeks.  We first noticed it on the way back from my cousin's wedding (congratulations Mel and Lal!), when we stopped at some traffic lights in Castle Cary and heard a faint ticking noise coming from the engine.  My wife described it as …

Moving up in the world

Astute readers will recall that on Saturday I went to see a Zafira, which I had decided was the next type of car we needed.  It's a logical progression really.  The first car I owned was a Ford Fiesta.  I wanted a Mini, but I was fresh out of uni and couldn't afford one, so …

I didn’t buy a car today

As many of you will probably know, I'm a bit of a Mini fanatic.  My darling Lulu, the little red Mini City I learnt to drive in, was an inspiration.  Neddy, the little blue Mini Sidewalk, was a joy.  Sad was the day when I said good bye to the days of carefree invigorating driving …

Idea: game style driving licenses

I was out driving the other day, and someone overtook me in a lovely Porsche 911 Carrera S.  I looked across as it glided past, and at the driver at the wheel, and thought "what have you done to deserve that car?"  Not in a judgemental way, mind you, but it got me thinking.In many …