So the end of 2017 saw a mixture of emotions when it came to my love of motoring and my classic car (and yes, I maintain it is a classic!). As I hit the 1 year anniversary of purchasing my gorgeous Ford Sierra, I'd like to start by taking you back over last year of ups and downs with, starting with introducing the lady herself:
February 4th 2017 saw me fly up to Scotland to retrieve her, and she was faultless and a joy to drive on the 500 mile return journey. However, as with any classic that had been stored under a cover in a shed for 5 years, she had a few mechanical hiccups to overcome, which saw her sidelined from a number of shows. She did however manage to make the Isle of Wight Takeover which was a bonus. Then came December 2017, and my big plans for the 2018 show season with my much loved and admired car which had gained attention. It was while discussing these plans on the way to a golf day when it happened:
Needless to say, gutted wasn't the word. Livid only just about covered it, but this time heartbreak was more appropriate. Mechanical parts are being reproduced on a daily basis but panels are far harder to come by, especially ones in good condition, and this was her first accident in 28 years of being on the road. I was advised to go through an accident management firm, which has had its ups and downs. The upside is speed of response, great service, and a hire car to tide me over, albeit the first was a Mini Cooper, this was soon replaced by a much more suitable Volvo S60 R-Design (both of which I will review on future posts). The downside to this was my preferred garage losing 20% of the repair value of the car which has meant I needed to pitch in with buying parts to avoid it being written off.
So after one year, I've only covered 4000 miles, spent nearly 6 months off the road in repairs which have totalled nearly £1500 prior to the accident, and yet I still haven't lost any love for my car, and it pains me not having her outside ready to go at a moments notice. They hope to have her done in time for this years Takeover, but it'll be touch and go to the finish. Fingers crossed!