We have had rather a torrid week with car issues, and I have been worried sick. I have been driving a Golf Hybrid very happily for several years but recently it has let me down refusing to start not once but twice, and I have had to be unceremoniously delivered home on a low loader.
The first occasion was after a very productive trip to Ikea, and I returned to the car full of anticipation (lots of nice bits from my workroom) and it was completely dead. The first rescue person opened his conversation with, and I quote “I hate bloody electric cars” and was unable to help me. The second took me to our electric car specialist car park on a low loader and Bill had to come and get me. I didn’t get home until just after midnight.
Our expert warned me that he thought that the hybrid battery was on the blink and told me frankly to get rid of the car as soon as I could. Now that put me in a tricky position as who would want a car that may need loads of money spending on it?
I could not sleep thinking that my car was going to be scrapped but the new batteries (the big one in the boot) can cost thousands.
The little normal battery under the bonnet was changed and all seemed well and we were out with our three-year-old granddaughter when the same thing happened again. Bless her, she piped up in the back “was it my fault, nana?” which brought a tear to my eye.
We were jump started by yet another rescue man and he advised getting home before turning off the ignition.
To cut a long story short, we took the little one home, drove to VW in Swindon with me in such a hissy fit that I was immediately offered coffee, a seat and the comforting phrase, “I am sure we can sort you out, madam”.
VW were excellent. My ailing car was whisked out of sight, I explained that I did not want it back and that there was a tight budget for anything new. The result was that I now have the prettiest VW Polo, almost new, with all the knobs and whistles and I am so relieved. These electric car batteries can cost thousands, and the car was not worth anything like that – it did feel as if I was driving a time bomb.
The only thing is that my nearly new car has a manual gearbox which has caused some confusion. It is years since I had a car with a gearstick and the first few days were challenging to say the least. How nobody had bumped me up the rear when I stalled is a mystery, but I am so pleased with the outcome.
