Sunday 3 March 2013

The Agony And The Ecstasy

Heating update, there isn't any, we are still cold. Getting a might fed up now.

When it comes to making a big decision I am an absolute nightmare. I will agonise over the smallest thing and pick the pros and cons to pieces. I over think things to such a degree that I become almost catatonic and then suddenly the answer arrives in a flash of inspiration and everything is OK again. I've said it before and I will say it again, I am my own worst enemy.

So the angonising started yesterday afternoon after I'd test driven the Mito. I was really surprised at how nippy it was and the handling was superb but did I really like it? Unfortunately the salesman came with me so I was unable to drive with my usual verve and therefore test it, in my mind, properly. One thing I really didn't like about it was when you brake really hard the hazard lights come on, very strange and very off putting I must say. However I loved the overall look and feel of the car and to be honest by the time the drive was over I was smitten. All I had to do now was convince myself to go for it. I immediately came up with all sorts of reasons why I shouldn't go for it, which is what I always do in any situation. No one would every accuse me of impulse buying. Back home I sat down and wrote out a list of pros and cons to getting a new car.

Pros

Reliability - my 156 has never let me down yet but it is getting to that age when things start to go wrong.
Lower fuel consumption - my 156 eats fuel.
MOT, servicing and insurance all covered - again these cost a fortune on my 156
RAC breakdown cover included, another thing that costs a lot but I dare not do without. There was a time I could change my own wheel, but not anymore.

Cons

Cost - not that much extra when you take into account what it costs to keep my 156 on the road.
Selling the 156 - things will need doing before I can sell but this cost will be recovered when sold.
Storing the 156 until sold - a minor consideration but I don't want to upset the neighbours
I won't own the car - this is a hire arrangement via the motability scheme, whilst I own the 156 outright.
Saving for the next deposit - I can put some aside from the profits of selling the 156 and to be honest it is three years away and my life could be very different by then, so not really worth worrying about now.

However the most important factor was for once doing something for me. Not wishing to be morbid but if I don't get a transplant I may not be here this time next year and if I am there is no guarantee that I'll be well enough to drive. And if I do have a transplant I may never again get the chance to have a brand new car sitting in the drive so why wait? I've spent my whole life considering others, putting things off until a better time, maybe now I need to think of myself for once and be a bit selfish. Surely there isn't any reason to deny myself this one little pleasure, is there? So this morning I went out and did what I had to do and with a bit of luck I will be driving my new car in three weeks time. It was the most exciting thing I've done in ages. There was a brief twinge of guilt but I forced that away and am now looking forward to taking delivery.

This afternoon I have snuggled up under the duvet, with Tarmac for company, and watched a lot of Sunday afternoon rubbish while dozing off now and then. It is back to work tomorrow and as always I'm having mixed emotions. I'm quite looking forward to being warm I must say and it will be nice to have a bit of a gossip with the girls. On the other hand the thought of getting up and showering in a freezing cold bathroom at six o'clock in the morning, or returning to a cold house after a busy day, is one I dread. Though in fairness the engineers might have sorted it out by the time I get home, here's hoping.

In the meantime it is lots of hot milky drinks and a fan heater turned up to full blast that will keep me going.

Next blog Wednesday when hopefully my house will resemble the tropics.



1 comment:

  1. Glad to hear that you have opted for the car:) Motability are great, before my Tx it took a lot of weight off my mind that the car would be fixed and serviced if it needed to be and that I would be provided a car while repairs were done.
    I could then concentrate on keeping well,a reliable car is a must if you get the call! Then you will also be ready for the visits after the Tx which are quite frequent at the start.

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