Betsey is gone

I need to end this blog,  The car was finally sold last week.  I wasn't that sad to see her go.  She had cost a lot of problems and pain.  The pain of paying out £645 then finally selling it for £670.  Although I had put a sign in the window, which attracted a lot of attention unfortunately the wrong kind,  my neighbours children .  I couldn't sell to anyone local and then there was the first time buyer.  No definitely couldn't do that.  So eventually contacted my handy broker Mo, who I sold a car to a couple years ago.  He deals with me straight, he also offered to take me auction so I could do what he does.  How sweet if only I didn't have a conscious and didn't need to sleep at night .

so thats it BETSEY is GONE !

Car Still being held

OK I haven't updated this blog for quite some time.   As I really cannot classify what has happened.  First I need to state the mechanic one moment "The Mechanic" has Betsey, he isn't communicating .  I am confused yet whenever I ask my partner I just get fobbed off with at least you have a car to drive. Hmm lets discuss my car.  I arrived outside my sister's house a few weeks ago with said "Courtesy Car" only to be told .  "You Can't park that thing outside my house"  She was deadly serious.  Now this Courtney car as we will call it is . black 'Y' reg 5 door fiesta.

It isn't something I would choose by choice.  It drives nicely takes diesel which I thought was unusal.  Now with the petrol prices moving around so much I have complete lost track and I now realise each time I put fuel in her.  I pull up to the forecourt, completely transfixed on the Petrol price.  Habit I guess.  Don't ask me what she does per litre gallon etc .  I just dread the fact that I have put fuel in her on 3 separate occasions cautiously putting in £10, reasoning. 'Not sure how long I have her for'

She is no Betsey she lacks style , character and personality she cannot begin to replace My Betsey well My Daughter's Betsey but you know what I mean.

Should I file a missing persons file?   I have no idea what to do,  it's as if she never existed or that's what I am meant to be convinced of.
Now that measly offer from webuyanycar.com is looking appealing.

Is this normal? can mechanics do this?

Betsy Being Held for Ransom

Betsy Still not Back

Moody emotional Mechanics what’s that about?  I know so many mechanics take your car then turn into some possessive monster.  So we handed the keys over said we needed to get it up a running, as I need it for the daily commute to the station.  Not sure what was understood by this 3 weeks on still waiting for car to be returned.  That’s 3 weeks paying for insurance, road tax no MOT coz as I understand it still doesn’t have one.  He is behaving as if he is doing us a big favour.  

I should have known something wasn’t right I felt like how I normally feel when I go to the hairdressers and they begin chastising you like a naughty school girl.  Ok so my hair is really thick and go on say it unruly, so I have come to you to state the Bloody obvious, no just get on what I am paying you to do.  Make me look more beautiful.  

So we pull up into the garage which is just a drive in the side of a long expanse of wall, they get to work excitedly.  They seem to be excited by the juddering of the engine. He quickly disappears then returns with a Pencil Coil, yeah I had read about this component being the most likely cause for juddering on VW Polo’s ( Ok I am impressed he knows his stuff).  Unfortunately I haven’t forgiven him for wanting to charge me £30 to fit a side panel window on my Nissan when I accidently locked my keys in the car.  He was charging £20 for panel and £30 to fit it not likely needless to say we didn’t use his services.  I personally vowed to never use his services again.  Well anyhow here we are and they are buzzing around the car excitedly the way it was looking I thought we maybe able to get it back straight away.  I know crazy talk. well at least that week.

After a week of letting him get on with it.  He explains that only 2 of the cylinders in the 3  cylinder engine is working apparently this is a bad thing.  To get a replacement engine would be in excess of £1000.  Am I going to spend over £1000 on a car webuyanycar have just valued at £350.  I know they didn’t want this particular car.  He then continues on to explain that unless the engine is changed the car won’t pass MOT.  Also it was noted the engine was flooded with oil.  I personally think it was when we recently gave into it’s whimpering and complaining with oil symbols popping up one too many times and not going away.  So we somehow crammed 6 litres into the car.  Not sure where it went still no signs of leaks.  So my car is being held to ransom unless I agree to have the engine replace, refurbished or whatever I won’t be getting my car back.  Is this legal?  I know it is common it is what Mechanics do.

The last call we tentatively made to him the bill was at £5 -600.  Most of my cars normally cost this so this is a new phenomenon being expected to pay out this kind of money just to keep a car on the road.

I will look into if I can postpone my car insurance for the time it will be at garage.....

Webuyanycar only use in emergency

Betsy Fights Back

Webuyanycar what can I say?  Don’t get me started firstly I had allowed the first quote of 825 to expire damn.  I was thinking this was a bad thing, turns out it wasn’t.  I put in my details again shazam it pops up with a new quote of wait for it 895 huh! ???? I don’t understand, let me quickly make the appointment before they realise their mistake.  

Gave Betsey yet another clear out prised the stereo out.  (that should have been far easier than it was).  I remember when stereo’s would regularly get stolen.  I have had my stereo stolen out of a car.  ANyhow took two screwdrivers and at least 15 mins.  

So we drive to webuyanycar office and we meet Sylvia (If that is her name).  She is bubbly and very likeable from her high heels and overpowering celebrity  perfume.  Anyhow she explained she had to appraise the car.   oh oh my heart sank.  I was hoping to come in and just be handed a cheque.  I am joking, I had heard they beat you down.  so I was ready for a fight.  So we both went out to Betsey.  Hey she could hold her own in a car showroom or maybe a parking lot anyhow the T Cutting two weeks ago definitely paid off.  She looked around a joke about the missing grilles in the front.  sometime last year when it was parked somewhere someone helped themselves to the grilles did they have lamps I don’t know not sure,  don’t ask me.  

These were all minors oh yes there is the issue of the the MOT expired only 7 days ago.  SO £100 off for that then there is the light you know the light that looks like an anvil apparently it represents engine problems.  so a staggering £200 pounds off the original price, I do hope you are paying attention the offer now stands at wait for it £350 shocking.  I know she is in a bad way but she is still a car with steering wheel seats etc starts in the morning.  I quickly indignantly picked up my documents which I had scattered on the desk and promptly left their tacky makeshift office with that cheap overpowering perfume and left.  The unfortunate thing we now had two cars to drive around.  Our family routine seems to be Mc’ Donalds on Saturday while we sit in the car.  which I know is more than the other half can bare.  He HATES any form of food consumption in his precious car.  Betsey what can I say I have all my meals in Betsey Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.  So I know this is killing him.  The only reason we have done this for the past two weeks are due to the vouchers in the Metro in the week.  He is so organised I scan through the paper every morning,  more doom and gloom more scandals I see the vouchers I don’t have the scissors the gaul or the tenacity to get them out. I recently picked up  a discarded Sun on the tube the other day , how lucky am I?  I was appalled that the person who had discarded it had torn out half of a page, bloody cheek.  I had no idea what the offer was, and I had no way of finding out.  I quickly handed it to my colleague who happily read it.  So the missing section didn’t bother him.  It was incomplete it was imperfect.  I don’t do imperfect.

Back to Betsey.  Took Betsey to garage for make over or exchange whichever one makes sense .

Cold Car Won't Start

I think Betsy knows

Why is it the temperature rises, I don't have to scrape the car in the morning and Betsy doesn’t want to start.  She is sounding sad and is begging to be put out of her misery.  I guess it is something to do with humidity, whatever it is it catches me unaware.  When I am rushing to the station, thats all I dear do with her a little jaunt to the station aprox  3 miles away.  

There are so many webuyanycar offices I am spoilt for choice.  Why so many that is suspicious is the really the way to get rid of your car.  Last year I had a car with a faulty gear box, don’t judge me I bought it  from someone who was travelling, it was to help her out I guess anyhow I paid 300 for it then was offered 140 for it from a firm that promised to recycle it responsibly.  I was shocked because everyone around me kept telling me as it was a non runner firms would charge me to to tow it.  Not that I received my 140 ‘apparently’ there was some mix up in the inputting of my bank details and the allegedly paid the money into another account.  I know ‘How dumb am I?’   I believed them unfortunately for them I also believe in karma.  So I expect the company to crash about..........Now.  I really needed that money.  I felt cheated.

So once I have decided which webuyanycar office I will go to and receive my measly 825 minus 50 from I will book it close my eyes and part with Betsy.

Meanwhile the weather has suddenly got better decided to have a hang out time with myself and my daughter in the car before she leaves.  Gorgeous you really should try it.  Although as a black Polo yes it did get very hot.   The only thing missing were the snacks.

Women and Size Matters

Firstly size matters

Do you know how big your car is? This is essential for better driving know your dimensions the width is essential for passing and overtaking.  The length is essential for perfecting parking.

I don’t mean measure your car check your wing mirror observe the proximity of other vehicles when you go past them,

Mirrors are your friends

They are not just good for applying makeup.  Mirror Signal Manouvre.  This term gets you through your driving test then it is forgotten as soon as  you  receive your pass certificate.   This is not a good attitude, once you have adjusted your mirrors you will experience a better confident drive.  You will be more observant and observe more things, with less things just suddenly appearing on your inside or overtaking.  That cyclist you just didn’t see until it was too late.  That boy racer overtaking you and you only being aware when they are in front of you.  This is not good and undermines your driving ability.

Junctions

Know where you are going, position yourself correctly if you are turning left, position yourself to the near side (left of the road, near the kerb).  This way you will be naturally in the best position for turning left.  Similar to turing right or going straight ahead you will get the best visibility to do you manoeuvre if you have positioned yourself correctly.  

Hesitation don’t do it, My father once said' Hesitation causes more accidents' and he was a good driver. If you can see and it is clear to do pull out, go ahead do it don’t delay, this causes more accidents involving women.  Know where you’re going, position yourself right, make your move.

Overtaking

If someone is annoying you, don’t stay behind them, in my experience whenever someone is dithering or irritating I will find that either they are on the phone or are just an incompetent driver.  So once you have made the decision to overtake.  Hold back a little then once you have a clear view go for it, just do it.  Watch a male driver when it comes to overtaking they just get on with it.  

Parking

Women on a hold find this manoeuvre very difficult, the concept of reversing is also a difficult one to master.  Practice makes perfect.  I personally prefer to reverse parking, I like the idea of driving past the space getting a chance to assess the size.  Not that actually helps.  This is where your mirrors are your friends they tell you where your car is in proximity to the kerb and more importantly other cars.

Girls What Not to do When Driving

Things to never do -

Toot your horn unnecessarily - If you find yourself in a sticky situation, or just a build up traffic, do not join the bunch of Morons who find it necessary to toot their horn as a driver either attempts a difficult manoeuvre unless, they have been caught in the yellow box and are now blocking your way then toot away and also you can be satisfied that a ticket for violating the yellow box rules is whizzing its way to them right now.

Tooing just adds to the din, of the city and doesn't tell the person anything that driver doesn't already know

Mobile Phones

Mobile phones, do not send texts, do not read texts whilst driving, do not make and receive calls, unless the car is stationary or you have a hands free kit.  You can even get bluetooth and look Over cool, or just get  a Bluetooth gadget for the car which fits on the sun visor, costing around 20 pounds (So there is no excuse)

Driving and alcohol -

Do not drink and drive, know your personal limit a unit is equivalent to 1 glass of wine or 2 pints of weak beer.  Do not exceed this.

How drink affects you whilst driving - it impairs your vision (Sometimes causing double vision) it slows down your responses.

Driving and class a,b and c drugs -

The question is why take drugs then drive, isn’t the point of taking drugs to alter your state to allow you to experience something new exciting ? Why take said drug then get in the car? drug taking doesn’t make much sense but now to be driving after taking said drugs, not knowing what the exact effect on your body will be. Some drugs cause hallucination, disturbed vision, paranoia ...I was once told by a driver when you smoked cannabis you saw ‘A lot of roads’ Not sure what he actually meant but I found it a little amusing as this was a minicab driver friend of mine.

So there you go do you really need to see a lot of roads when driving down one road?

Driving and prescribed drugs  -

Always read the warnings on the packet, I once took sudafed, then read the panel on the side, Now sudafed is just a cold treatment, at the time I had a Ear? nose and Throat thing going on, so I pooped in two pills then waited, waited for the hallucinations and nightmare, and dizzy spells to start oh yes don't for get the nausea.  I sat on the edge of the bed imaging seeing pixies and elves not sure why but I was if I started hallucinating, I wanted to know about it.  So I sat up bolt upright on the edge of the bed for the next three hours waiting for the side effects to kick in.  Well not sure if they did  I eventually fell asleep woke feeling better, and vowed never to take Sudafed again. So one reported side effect was paranoia