My New Car!
TS Holden
Astra 2004 CDX
 
I know getting a new car may seem a commonplace occurence to you
all, but after having my poor little car for 19 years, its heartbreaking to
discard the old faithful, but i guess also about time i entered into the world
of...
 
v     
windows that dont have so much bubbling of the window tint that
you cant see out of them.
v     
climate control as opposed to 4x100 (four windows down and
travelling at 100km/hr).
v     
leather seats as opposed to seat covers over ripped vinyl padded
down with your 35+ year old nappies.
v     
a hatch that doesnt fall on your head when you are putting your
groceries in the back cause the struts are sadly passed on from this world.
v     
a CD player with 6 speakers that has steering wheel controls
(something unusual in australia, but something i coveted from my time in the
uk) as opposed to a tape deck that has "1989 with a bullet" stuck in
the tape deck (i did manage to get it out once and was excited that i thought i
had fixed it...so i put it back in...hmmm).
v     
an instrument panel that inter alia can tell me how far till i run
out of petrol, my average fuel consumption, as well as my instanteous
consumption -- which will be handy as i have been known to run out of fuel a
few times, most notably on thomas rd, subiaco on the way to a play at his
majestys theatre only to be saved by a motorcyclist demi-god who got off his
bike, walked to me in slow-mo whilst taking off his helmet to the sounds of the
hallelujah chorus! (but of course this predated shaunie!!!)
v     
crumble zones AND six air bags - which im really looking forward
to going off - not!! if you know how nervous i am, i will probably have heart
attack thus negating any added safety benefits of the new car. i did hit a roo
at 120km in 1996 just outside of broken hill, NSW on my way to esperance from
sydney, which did quite a bit of damage to my poor little car. since i was off
to live and travel in the uk the next week, it had to recuperate in my parents
garage for 4 years or so until i got it panel beaten etc. which was a good
opportunity to get the rust cut out as well - so it didnt "rain"
through the top of the windscreen anymore.
v     
low profile tyres as opposed to "low pressure" tyres, apparently i routinely
drove around with PSI of 10 or so in "the bees knees".
 
There are many other advantages of course of driving a 2004 car
over a 1983 car, but i will certainly miss my yellow bomb....RIP "the
bees knees" 1983-2006.
 
photo circa march 2003