I don't think anyone subscribes to this blog any more but I write to remind me of my own story - because to tell you the truth I forget my life once it is past. There always seems to be another level to deal with and get involved with.

It's been a car year, the 1986 Camry Hatch seemingly falling to bits in front of my eyes yet still running a good motor and believe it or not - it's original Air Denso Air Con which I have NEVER needed to regas. So the search began for a replacement but the first contender failed miserably mainly because it was a Magna, but also because I hardly ever drove it even with its persistent miss. I reregistered it for 6 months till Oct only because I thought it was going to replace the Camry. But that delusion did not last for long. A couple of months ago, I decided to go into credit card debt in order to have a reliable car for getting away in. I want to go camping and I began looking at 4 cylinder Korean wagons. In fact I put a deposit on a Hyndai Lantra Sportswagon and was very close to putting another deposit on a second one but Vehicle Inspections suggested that the second one may have been prone to motor problems because of sludgey oil - yet now I find out that Repco Inspections in Caloundra as opposed to Clontarf, do not reject a car because of that saying that all old cars get that way. We are talking 1996 - 2000 models cars (13 to 9 year old cars). I was influenced by the report that cost $150 and advised me by voice only that "I would not buy that car even at $4000". The report itself simply had a cross against condition of oil and transmission fluids. There were also many lights out but they got fixed under the replacement safety certificate inspection. Anyway, it sold on ebay to a happy buyer - it was a nice car to drive but it could have been prettier on the interior.

The Daewoo Nabira Eurowagon at $7000 with trade was unbelievably immaculate with low miles, so low as to be new, was a big temptation but at the time I was worried about Daewoo going under and the availability of parts. The cost was going to mean 2 credit card debts maxed out at first, but I also knew that I could get the same wagon for a lot cheaper but could never figure out how many kilometres equaled how many extra thousands taken of the price. You could buy a high km used 1998 model for $4000 at Warana but I did not like the feeling of the steering. In fact all the cars I was interested seemed to feel not quite right because i was sensitive to every noise or clunk or movement. There seems to always be something to fault in a used car. The Mazda 323 was my first experience with all the mod cons but there was no way you could sleep in the back of one stretched out. The Commodore 4 cylinder wagon belonging to Pelican Motors was the cheapest but it had a knock in the rear shockies. The Kia Rio Hatch I also could not lay a matress in and it was also a manual but it was nice to drive at back up at $7000.

Then I discovered 4 cylinder 4wds especially the reliability of the Toyota Rav 4 but I never found an auto locally and there was again no room in the back even with the seats down. So I thought I would pick the more adventurous option the Ssangyong Musso but the Mercedes driveline meant expensive parts and ofcourse it was a V6. I actually changed my mind after my day dreaming of joining a 4 x 4 club because of the costs and I found the Toyota Camry Sedan Csi 1996 with a not so bad 118, 000 on the clock. I could actually sleep in the back via an opening through into the boot when the seats were laid down but it's test drive revealed brake shudder which lead to another inspection which discovered unattended to road worthy items that would have cost me $1000 to fix. It was going to cost $5680 with my hatch as a trade-in - a whole $200 off. That hatch was certainly worth more than that to me - I have had from 1997 to yesterday, 2009.

Anway I enjoyed that car's solid feel and was advised by Caloundra Suspension Centre's new owner Max to buy the car if the dealership would fix the fluid leaks and machine the brake rotors to get rid of the shudder. Pacific Ford made me wait 2 days before they decided whether they would come to the party or not, or rather, they kept me waiting 2 days which did not really matter because I was once again too crook and tired to care about doing anything but sleep for the next 2 days. I suspected that they would be like Sunny Coast Auto Auctions and say "we can't afford to fix it, come get your deposit back so we can wholesale it after the last day of the month."

However, in the meantime, Marina from Harvey Bay offered a really tempting deal including carrying me interest-free for some, on an A1 1997 Ford Explorer 4wd and once again I dreamed of camping in it with its extra space and totally flat seat fold downs allowing for the best mobile bed I could hope for. I knew I could get out of the Camry contract since they had already said I could have my deposit back if I did not want to wait for their verdict from their mechanic. But I had said that I wanted the car fixed. After all, it was a Toyota Camry and it would last and it would be economical to run - but since I was not likely to get it now, I allowed myself to dream of the Ford Explorer and was very close to taking it as a gift from the Universe and once again, Rob was pushing me into taking on the added expense of a 4wd by saying at the least "I can see you in one of those - eg Toyota Rav 4 or the Ssangyong and now the Explorer). But once again my research revealed a big drawback - if the Ford Explorer turned into a Ford Exploder which seemed to be common (at least under Australian conditions) then it would cost $4000 for that one repair. Bugger it, if I want to sleep on a flat mobile bed, I now may have to get a camper trailer.

Yesterday I picked up the Camry after its repairs from Pacific Ford and took it back to Cal suspension centre and waited for a free, post-repair follow up vehicle inspection. He gave me the OK to buy this car I now own as long as it had a steam clean of the engine to remove the oil still left over from the tappit gasket replacement - the same thing my Hatch Camry needed. while the engine was getting cleaned, I came back home for a couple of hours and arranged my fully comprehensive insurance changeover and chatted with Debbie on gmail chat or google talk about the car. Back at the car yard there was more paper work, more signatures, and this time the money, registration and car keys changed hands. I also received wads more to read about what is covered by middle of the road extended warranty and road side assist for 3 years. Their dealings were the most professional I had come across so far but they were not easy to convince into getting the car up to scratch. Unless that was part of the game.

If it was a game and in fact I did pay too much for the car with all the extras including registration until April next year (which is a good month for getting bonus dollars), I am now glad it is over and done with. My car buying experience was so stressful and so unfathonable as to what and how the force of bestowal was playing itself out in my life. Well this is where I am and this is what I have been given - a nice clean, white, 2.2 litre Camry sedan that has cruise control, central locking and an immobiliser key system. I have a tow bar and tinted windows and so far the only thing I do not like is the rear tinted window seems blurry to me and seems to shake. Hoperfully my upcoming wheel alignment at Cal Suspension Centre will fix any rear vibration.

Rob is stuck with saying again that "She decided without my advice" but once again I suspected that his advice was more to his benefit than mine and I hope he pays back the $200 he owes me tomorrow for that stupid purchase of a Toyota Tarago that is going to cost heaps to road worthy and sits out the front of my house despite it now being unregistered. I reckon it should end up as a permanent camp site at Imbil or Donnybrook rather than a car or turn it into a trailer but Rob has it advertised in tomorrow's paper to sell unregistered and i hope for Flora's sake as well as mine that it is sold.

I'm going to have to do the same thing with the Magna - advertise it unregistered but right now Scott has it because he cannot pay his road worthy. Tina also needs to borrow a car for a couple of weeks while her car gets something done but I am not sure Scott will be finished with it by then. But as it stands, A got the most benefit out of that car and but it's involvment with the neighbouhood backyard mechanic who gave me the long-term flu (yes him still too) , was probably the worst thing that could happen because I lost a friend. I'd already lost respect in A. long before that when it came to other people's property. Actually, I suck as much as A. in other ways but I have friends who will give me every opportunity to join with them changing our suckfulness into something that is going to benefit the evolution of mankind and the planet. They are the most important influence i can have but I still have to keep reminding myself that. I would recommend this mutual benefit society to anyone and A. needs a good influence in her life too and joining a group of people who agree not to do those sort of usery things with each other is a good place to start. Bnei Baruch is such a group. Google it.