06 March 2011
FAREWELL DISCOVERY!
06/03/11 18:00 Filed in: Mick's Blog
Its gone!After 13 years of comfortable cruising and 1/4 million kilometres, the Land Rover Discovery has gone to a new home - and the possibility of new life!
We had grown quite attached to the old dear, though she had become, in some respects, a little cantankerous with age - and certainly rather costly to keep her in the manner to which we had become accustomed!
Well, that last statement may not have told the whole story. After all this was an "off-road" vehicle. The issue now was that it was spending about 50% of its time off-road, and in the service bay getting fixed!
Sadly it all came to a head - almost literally - on new year's eve, when on a 42 degree day near Kilmore in Victoria she ruptured a hose and cooked spectacularly, cracking the block. Interestingly the head did not warp, as so often happens in these vehicles.
So we had a 4WD worth $6,500 in the market, with an insurance value of $4,000 needing repair amounting to $10,000.
One good car with a bad engine, needed one good engine needing a car! It was a long chance, but eBay did it!
The advertisement was placed to sell the wreck for $1,700, and it was snapped up by the best new owner it could have asked for! Someone who knew Land Rovers inside out, and could fix anything! He had a motor looking for a car, and we could bless him with a car.
The new life Discovery will be the first car for his daughter to drive. We wish her well, and many happy travelling days - just as we had.
The picture above is the last thing we saw of the Discovery. For me it is poignant, and evocative as it moves away on its new journey to be loved into life. There were feelings of grief as 13 years of travelling together have ended. However, we will get over it.
In the meantime we still have our even older Mazda 121 'Bubble', and my scooter.
We are presently unable to afford a new car until our debtors settle up and/or we sell a house near the beach north of Coffs Harbour.