Punto - "The End is Nigh

The Punto was born in Italy in 1994 and was registered in the UK in the early part of 1995. Over the years it has had a few owners, the last two being my Mum and then me. I inherited it from her when she gave up driving as she approached her 78th birthday.

Although the best part of eighteen and half years old (measured from registration not falling off the end of the production line in Turin or somewhere around there) it has managed just over 50000 miles. In the UK the average miles per year has hovered around 12000 miles per year.

She had it serviced regularly and with the low mileage I have been bad and not bothered.  It suffers from a kind of vehicular acne with a disease of the paintwork; where a white coating flakes off. Added to a little bodywork damage to the nearside front after an excursion off-road; her not me, it paints a sorry picture.

Today it has been in the garage for a pre-MoT check.  I called them today and it's not as bad as I thought. It needs a track rod end, and it will past the MoT.  

It's a patch up job. It leaks oil from a few places around the engine bay plus there are a number of "advisory" notices that it will have marked that will need looking at but don't stop in being legal.

It is on its last legs to be honest and whilst it is "unlikely to burst into flames", it's not going to last long and will be fit for short journeys to the station etc.

Time to start looking for a replacement.

With Claire's car being a little restrictive being a coupe, something a bit bigger with luggage space and maybe more comfort and maybe luxuries like cruise-control and a CD player!