So today is a really sad day for me.

15 years ago today, I brought my first car, and although very basic its was everything I wanted in a car.

When looking for my first car, I really didn't know what I wanted, and I had 6 on my list, all different but appealed to me for various reasons.

And as I couldn't decide I left it for a year, when I got a job and at that point i knew I needed a car for the daily motorway commute to Stockport.

So it was onto Autotrader, where I saw my future baby, a Suzuki Vitara Soft Top, fell in love, and brought it!

I don't even think I took it for a test drive, I just knew she was the one for me.

It had everything I wanted, a soft top, high driving position, 3 years old with only one careful lady owner and only 17,500 miles on the clock, but most of all she was compact, but inside was a tardis!

I didn't care that she didn't have all the latest gadgets, such as power steering and electric windows, she was mine, and I had the biggest smile on my face when I got in her the first time to drive her home.

Although the next morning when I saw her parked, I did freak out and was scared to drive her, just encase I scratched or hit something.

I made the decision that I would keep this car until it didn't work anymore, was to uneconomical to repair or I couldn't get it through its MOT.

I  remember having to phone the car sales place to ask what type of fuel she took, as it was one of those important questions I kinda forgot to ask in my excitement of getting her home.

Even with her 1.6 litre engine, I was not really prepared for the powerful response to my foot on the pedal, and am surprised even to today how I never managed to get a speeding ticket on my way home.

All drivers have that special relationship with their first car, I was lucky that as an older driver I started off with a pretty decent one to cut my driving teeth on.

Don't get me started on my relationship with NCP car parks, as I managed to hit two of their posts in the matter of minutes will trying to park, resulting in me loosing my front bumper.

As the years went by there was never a time that I put the key in the ignition and I didn't hear the roar of her engine first time, even after being buried in snow over the winter for 3 weeks, always dependable, which was really comforting and even when I did silly thing she was so forgiving.

Three years ago my mechanic, Terry, said that the body was beginning to go, so I should start thinking of getting another car, what sacrilege!

But everytime I put my baby in for her MOT I would cross my fingers and say a prayer, that she would pass, and we would get another 12 months of driving fun together, and I knew that my mechanic, who fully understood my relationship with this little car, would do everything legally possible to make this happen.

The last time I saw Terry, was to sort out some window screen wipers, with his Mcgyver ways, when I switched on the engine, he said

"You need a new body" I

thought cheeky b&*&#!d and smiled sweetly, before he said

"I meant your car not you!"

Not really sure which way to take it, but I always knew that the body of the car would go way before the engine.

I then got the devastating news that Terry had died in May, and from that point on I knew that I had a limited number of days with my 1st car, that has taken me all over the UK, without grumbling, or any major problems, and brought a smile to my face everytime I drove her.



Just looking at other cars made me feel like I was cheating on her, after 15 years together, that has to be the longest relationship I have ever had!

And how I didn't deck the salesman selling me my new car, that

"I deserve better!"

Obviously my guardian angel was working overtime today.



So it's with a truly heavy heart that I have say good bye to an old friend.



Joolz xx

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September 19, 2015