Adios Fiona! Hello Sophie!

It was only the 6th October that I wrote Car Decisions, a post about my car Fiona's future prospects. Now, on 23rd October, I am writing to introduce her successor. Fiona has had a long and successful run: thirteen years and 194,500 miles. But the time has come to buy another car.

As you might guess, a new component is needed, and it costs way too much. I came back from my recent West Country holiday with too many 'Transmission Service Required' messages  - and an 'abnormal emissions' warning light - showing up on my dashboard display. The auto gearbox was clearly overheating when hauling the caravan up hills, or in slow traffic. It must be pretty worn. I've been here before, in 2015, 110,000 miles ago, and recognise the signs. I had a new gearbox back then. My prognosis now, in 2023: unhitched from the caravan, Fiona will soldier on adequately for the time being; but I dare not go on a caravan trip in case a growing problem suddenly becomes a crisis. 

Anyway, I put Fiona into my usual Volvo dealership (Caffyns Volvo Worthing) a few days back, for a proper diagnostic check. They confirmed it was the auto gearbox - its oil was black and showed signs of burning. They offered to dismantle it, in case replacing an internal part would restore normal performance, but I said no: it would be a waste of time and money. The box was failing, and the best solution for several more years of demanding motoring - towing included - would be a new gearbox. 

How much? £9,418. Two-thirds of that was the part cost. Volvo no longer made pure diesels, certainly not ones with the five-cylinder engine that Fiona had. Nor the gearbox to go with that engine, although there would still be a dwindling stock of them in store around the UK - and of course in Sweden. But at double the price they had been when a current part. 

What to do? If I didn't get a new gearbox, Fiona was finished as a towing car. So I reluctantly asked when could they get hold of a new gearbox, and fit it. Not before December. But the main branch at Eastbourne might well be able to do the transplant sooner. They phoned Eastbourne; yes, next week. All right, I said, book me in. I had to take Fiona to Caffyns Volvo Eastbourne on Thursday 26th October. I would get an email confirmation.

While waiting for that email over the weekend, I began to have second thoughts. I was very fond of Fiona - our long association since 2010 and our many shared adventures formed a strong bond.  She had been made at the Volvo factory to my personal specification, another personal bond, as if I were (in a way) Fiona's mum. Furthermore, she had been paid for with inherited money, and was in essence a monument to my late Uncle Des. But, I now told myself, sentiment must be put aside. I'd stumped up for many an expensive repair or replacement part over the years, but this latest one was far too costly. It wasn't sensible to pay so much. It was time to consider another car.

Studying the used diesels Caffyns had on their website, I spotted a 2016 Volvo XC60 at the Eastbourne branch. It looked nice, was low-mileage, and cost about £19,500 if paying cash. Or if using a Volvo Purchase Plan, £600 a month for 36 months with a deposit of £2,500 up front. It was doable. I simply had to reduce my monthly savings by £600, and service the purchase plan instead. My savings for a new car in 2030 would slow down for three years, but then pick up again. Meanwhile, I'd have a decent car for caravanning. As for the deposit, I might persuade Caffyns to give me something on Fiona, despite her failing gearbox. But I could easily come up with £2,500 cash regardless. 

I slept on it, but this morning (Sunday) the idea still seemed good, so I drove down to Eastbourne early to see the car I was interested in and to explore a deal. 

Well, the early bird caught the worm.

This was what I saw, before having a test drive. The car was a late example of the first version of the XC60, with a better specification than Fiona had, and further safety refinements, although its shape and controls were similar. It was however an 'R-Design' model, which had a stiffer and sportier suspension, and all sorts of special style points. It would have been sold at a premium price when new. Its exterior colour was Osmium Grey, and it had first been registered in April 2016. The KR in the plate indicated Northampton as the first place of registration. However, the plates, which seemed original, were supplied by Doves, the Volvo dealer at Horsham in north Sussex.   

Very much like Fiona, but in grey, and with numerous small styling differences. Still attractively sleek. I prefer this kind of styling to the angular look presently favoured by Volvo. 

Inside, a sea of dark grey leather with black and chrome accents. All-digital displays, apparently with different themes. A lovely green - almost turquoise - was set; but I knew there was for instance a red theme I could use. It was all clean, with no tears or other damage to the leatherwork, even though this was, after all, a seven year old car that had probably experienced children. Some brown stains in the back carpet suggested that small feet with muddy wellies on had clambered in on a regular basis, and had left their mark. But a valet or a good shampoo would sort that out. The interior smelled fresh - no tobacco or doggy odour.  

Those R-Design sports seats were very comfortable! The special stitching was quite a feature. The carpets had it too.

I was glad to see that the four tyres were nearly new. As with Fiona, there was an actual spare tyre in the boot, albeit a space-saver one. The alloy wheels would be easy to clean. Some of the wheel nuts had lost their plastic caps, but that was only a small blemish.

It was as immaculate as you could expect a seven year old high-spec Volvo to be. So not pristine, but still an attractive car with plenty of life left in it. It had done only 58,500 miles - just over 8,000 miles a year. So indeed a low-mileage example, taking 10,000 to 12,000 miles per year as 'average'. (I do 15,000 miles annually in Fiona). I saw no sign of a towbar ever being fitted. So the engine and gearbox ought to be in extra fine fettle.

The test drive with the salesman was a success. No funny noises or unusual behaviour. Plenty of poke, yet (for a diesel) pretty quiet. It was like driving Fiona, and just as easy. I enjoyed the experience. I decided to buy it. Used Volvo diesels with big engines and all-wheel drive were becoming rare beasts - I'd better snap this one up.

So back to the showroom. I wanted a Volvo towbar fitted, something for Fiona, and then jiggle the figures around so that I would have an affordable £600 a month to pay for three years. 

Fitting the towbar upped the cost by £700 to £20,200. I paid a holding deposit of £1,000. That left, in theory, £1,500 to pay - or to be covered by a trade-in allowance on my car. A problem there. The salesman needed his manager's input on what might be allowed on Fiona. The obvious issue was that while the 'official' trade-in value for a 2010 XC60 in average condition would be £1,500 to 2,000, the cost of fixing the ailing gearbox - even limited work at trade cost - would be higher, effectively reducing Fiona's trade-in value to nil. I said I'd nevertheless expect something off, and got the distinct impression that something would be done to clinch the deal - a towbar at a big discount perhaps. 

I will hear more shortly. I'm sure a fudge of some kind will be done. 

Meanwhile I have a new car waiting in the wings, and must make my fond farewells to Fiona. Oddly enough, I don't feel too sad. Fiona has served me well, and will never be forgotten - she is the star of many a photo - but the right time has now come to buy a car that will fill the gap until I buy an all-electric chariot in or after 2030. 

And the name of that replacement car? Sophie.

And her registration? There's nothing wrong with KR16 WFX, but I have SC10 SHE ready to transfer onto my new companion. 'SC10' for some continuity. 'SHE' to refer to Sophie herself - or possibly to her driver!

One nice footnote. Sophie is green enough to be exempt from the London ULEZ charge. So now I can visit my nephew and his family without paying an arm and a leg.

SEQUEL

Next day I agreed to a £200 reduction in the purchase price, to take Fiona off my hands. I can't look for a private sale without first having the gearbox fixed, and that would leave me paying out much more than I could hope to make. I save money and trouble if Caffyns buy the car from me. They'll put her straight into a car auction, to be bid for 'as seen'. Fiona might well sell on her still-good looks and spec, and if so they'd make a few hundred. But if there's no bid, the next step would be a disposal to a scrap dealer. So my £200 really represents a share of the auction or scrapping proceeds. 

It would be nice to encounter Fiona in new hands one day. But that probably won't happen.

AN INSIGHT

Now I see why cars generally tow caravans at modest speeds. It's not because the car lacks pulling power: it's because the driver wants to be kind to the gearbox. Keeping up a moderate but steady forward momentum is the thing. I always liked to tow with rather more pace, and not hold people up. But fast and spritely towing clearly wears out gearboxes prematurely. So I'll try to avoid that with Sophie.

A CONSOLATION

Throughout Fiona's life, I kept a 'Car Diary' and made notes of each event. I see that the opening essay in 2010 on why I was buying her, and what I was hoping for, mentions that I expected to keep her for thirteen years. I'd forgotten that. Well, expectation fulfilled!