Good things come to those who wait

… and indeed… I have waited! My long-serving Jetta has been decommisioned, partly the result of ever-increasing maintenance bills, and partly the result of reliability-neurosis. No longer a confident travelling partner, our holidays were becoming a concern, and we’ve opted to replace. However, before a final signoff, I must pay tribute to a vehicle which cost me only R31000 and gave us more-or-less 9 years of more-or-less trouble-free motoring. Many-a-time I enthused about the power, the space, the relative fuel economy – and it afforded us countless holidays with significant toy-space in it’s ample boot. It served us well…

However, I have a feeling that this new member of the family might just do the same. After much head-scratching, late-night feature-comparisons and discussions with used-car-salesmen, I opted to purchase a heavily discounted but brand-new X-Trail – a 2.0 diesel which promises safety, comfort and packing-space – perfect for the next 10 years of holidays. I am obviously elated, as it’s been a long time in coming, and so far, so flippin’ good! It’s a fantastic vehicle! 10 points to William Simpson in Tokai – great service and a very pleasant experience. (PS: The sad-looking picture is my final goodbye to the Jetta… I’m not bleak about the new one!)