Tai
Member
So after a long seven year stint, my trusted petrol SE is about a day away from reaching 250k miles! Unfortunately it's also about a day away from being handed over in exchange for a brand new car.
For four of those years this little Audi ferried me up and down the M20 from Monday to Friday. A 160 mile daily commute from Sandgate in Kent to North London where I then worked. Only broke down once, which turned out to be a minor electrical issue. Started every single time!
Then when we relocated to Denmark, instead of buying a new car I decided to bring it along. We hired a 7.5 tonner and driver, but still had the last of the books, 2 bicycles and some odds and ends to carry. The car did the 700 mile trip, fully (perhaps slightly over) loaded without a hiccup.
I freelanced home based for my first two years here in Denmark, so it had a well-deserved hiatus. Then last year I took a job and it went back to grafting: a 100 mile daily commute. Hasn't broken down. Still starts every time, on what I think is the original battery.
But in recent months it's started sounding old and wheezy. And lacks the 'grunt' of its youth. It's also sporadically misfiring on random valves, every few hundred miles or so. I think the sound is a broken manifold and leaky exhaust. And perhaps the valve issue could be repaired but with this age, mileage and, to be frank, mediocre spec, I can't really justify pumping more money into it.
So it's with a heavy heart that I'll start it up tomorrow. The good news is the dealer says he might push some money into it and get it back on its feet for resale. So it might not be ready for the scrap yard just yet.
In any case I can honestly say, this little Marmite Audi has been the best car I've owned...without doubt! And it will be missed.
Oh and the car I'm buying? Yes, I'm afraid I'm getting another Marmite. A new all black Cactus, on 17" black alloys.
For four of those years this little Audi ferried me up and down the M20 from Monday to Friday. A 160 mile daily commute from Sandgate in Kent to North London where I then worked. Only broke down once, which turned out to be a minor electrical issue. Started every single time!
Then when we relocated to Denmark, instead of buying a new car I decided to bring it along. We hired a 7.5 tonner and driver, but still had the last of the books, 2 bicycles and some odds and ends to carry. The car did the 700 mile trip, fully (perhaps slightly over) loaded without a hiccup.
I freelanced home based for my first two years here in Denmark, so it had a well-deserved hiatus. Then last year I took a job and it went back to grafting: a 100 mile daily commute. Hasn't broken down. Still starts every time, on what I think is the original battery.
But in recent months it's started sounding old and wheezy. And lacks the 'grunt' of its youth. It's also sporadically misfiring on random valves, every few hundred miles or so. I think the sound is a broken manifold and leaky exhaust. And perhaps the valve issue could be repaired but with this age, mileage and, to be frank, mediocre spec, I can't really justify pumping more money into it.
So it's with a heavy heart that I'll start it up tomorrow. The good news is the dealer says he might push some money into it and get it back on its feet for resale. So it might not be ready for the scrap yard just yet.
In any case I can honestly say, this little Marmite Audi has been the best car I've owned...without doubt! And it will be missed.
Oh and the car I'm buying? Yes, I'm afraid I'm getting another Marmite. A new all black Cactus, on 17" black alloys.
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