Saturday, June 21, 2008

New Arrival (mark I)

Ask me anything, anything at all about a Volkswagen Passat Estate 2.0TDI 170 Sport and I will be able to tell you the answer.That is because for weeks, quite literally weeks, my other half has been doing extensive research into the car with a view to buying one, and I have been subjected to listening to his every finding.

For example, did you know that some models do not have a traditional handbrake, but a button? This caused great consternation, because we were unable to establish whether or not I would be able to push the required button, should the need arise. Mind you, there have been a few other buttons I very obviously have been able to push this week.

Anyway, at the heels of the hunt, after a day in a dealers and several heated, loud and very frusrated phonecalls, we are now the proud owners of said motor.

Two points:

1. next time the car is up for renewal, I will either be on an extended holiday or divorced
2. I can promise that the next new arrival to this family will be much more blog-worthy ;-)

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Despite my dear wife's expertise on all things VW, she doesn't seem to know the difference between Reflex Silver and Steel Grey, though :-)

Anonymous said...

Tip to pass to G for the pushbutton handbrake: Should this fail in the "on" position rendering your new pride and joy to be a very stationary two tonne object: Disconnect car battery, count to 30, reconnect battery, type in PIN codes for radio etc and all should be well. This tip was from the VW mobile mechanic who fixed mine. It does happen. :-)

Ali said...

dear anonymous

thankyou for visitng my blog and in particular this post.

can I advise that your decision to remain anonymous is well placed, very well placed!

Anonymous said...

Really scratching my head now as to who we know with a VW.
In any case, whoever you are, thanks for the tip :-)
G

Anonymous said...

Actually there is more....
Same thing also happened to a colleague who was planning to set off in his pride and joy on a family holiday. A ferry had been booked to the IoM and time was tight. Handbrake failed on and the car rendered immobile. With the added aspect that their perfectly servicable second car was parked in a garage - blocked in by the immobile passat parked in front.

Enjoy :-)

Ali said...

Dear anonymous

do you have a death wish??!

Cosmo said...

Umm....Are you saying what I think you are saying?

Forget the push-button handbrake, did you get a new car because you will be needing an extra seat???

Ali said...

O crumbs Cosmo, I see where you are coming from, but I should tell you that, as I had a hysterectomy last summer, that would require a miracle of biblical proportions!

Dana said...

Well it is good to know that I am not the only woman in the world who hates, absolutely loathes car shopping with her husband. The only thing worse than that is shoe shopping - shoes for him! Seriously. I hate it. It is a long, drawn out tortuous event which - some 50 stores later - usually has us winding up at the very first location where the nightmare began.

And if Cosmo hadn't posed "the question" I would have. And since you answered him already I now remember how impossible my assumption was...but it was cool to think!

Ali said...

Oh Dana - I know the 50 store thing by heart. Now I just wait in the first store for him to eventually return ;-)

Cosmo said...

Opps. How embarrasing of me! (Perhaps you should change your current music - Baby, you can drive my car!!!)

Ali said...

Not at all Cosmo, I think thats hilarious :-)