I finally managed to sell my Italian Stallion over the weekend. It's been advertised for four months with barely a whisper of interest apart from one text, quickly followed by another to tell me he'd found something better.

Being a Fiat it didn't go quietly. Having been sat in a garage for four months without being started or charged very often I felt certain that we'd be playing warning light roulette on the morning of the sale. Strangely after being on trickle charge it lept into aciton with the first turn of the ignition. Shortly after it was left ticking away on the drive to re-charge before sitting there anxiously waiting for the next idiot who fancies some budget hot (well warm) hatch diesel fun.

The viewing went fine with the guy crawling all over the car and not raising a single problem. That was until he asked me how to open the bonnet. Previously (on return from 6 months of fun) I'd found my Dad had managed to spring the cable from the release handle. It took a lot of cursing in the foot well but eventually in a cramped dark garage I had it back on and we were in business. Knowing all too well that it was a Fiat, I finger tightened the bolts as they were obviously going to need taking off sometime again.

I cursed some more, but no sweat this was a quick task out in the open and in less than 5 minutes the cable was re-attached. I pulled it. Nothing, pulled harder. Nothing, removed cable, used big pair of pliers. Nothing. Sent the viewers in for Coffee while I tried desperately to spring the bonnet to no avail. In the end it was a test drive (thank goodness it started) to the local garage who heaved on the cable whilst wrenching the bonnet upwards, managing to spring it. Phew. By this time I was heavily p*ssed off as my hopes of achieving a good price had evaporated. Suprisingly however they were in love with the little Italian despite its obvious quirks and only negotiated the negligibe cost of the cable from the price. Result.

So now we're left with this:



It has nearly a 100k on it and Nat has in her wisdom decided that the train is not for her and she's going to drive again. That amongst other things makes the van an impractical single vehicle. Its a shame really as it does look very nice. I'm trying very hard to pick a practical vehicle that we won't need to change for a while (it seems like I've bought and sold a lot of vehicles over the last 2-3 years). Despite this there's an Alfa on the list.