After 8 happy years I had to scrap my Toyota Rav4 Freesport. By far the best car I've owned, and I've owned many over the years. Mini (mark1), Fiesta (mark1), Hillman Avenger, Hillman Avenger Estate, Capri Ghia, Triumph 1500, Datsun Pulsar (import from South Africa), VW Polo, Citroen BX (another favourite), Escort 1800 deisel, Renualt 9 automatic to name a few. The Rav4 was a brilliant wee car. I'm 54 BTW.
The local backstreet garage that I get to do any work happened to have a 2004 Almera S sitting outside. The guy who owned it had it there because the mechanic's brother in law was looking for something cheap. At £300 it was cheap!! As a 3 door, it didn't suit him, although the mechanic had done work on the car before, and said it was in great nick for it's age. 71,000 miles on the clock. The interior was pretty shabby, as the owner obviously had dogs in the car (very hairy dogs). I'd never have thought in a million years that my next car would be an Almera, but after I scrapped the Rav4, my options were to get a loan and buy something "decent", or get a cheap runabout. A couple of weeks later, I decided to have another look at the Almera. Initially I thought I'd run it until the summer, then get something "decent".
Once it had a valet, and I'd been driving it for a week, I changed my mind about a number of things. I'm really beginning to like this car. The only thing I don't like is the low driving position. I do realise that I've been driving from a very high position in the Rav 4 for the last 8 years. The noise from the engine when you gun it, is incredible. It's not as powerful as the 2 litre Rav 4, but it purrs in a way that I didn't get from the Rav 4.
MOT due next month, so if that isn't too painful, I'm now thinking I've already got something "decent". I think I made a good decision to buy this car. You guys have obviously have made that choice, and I'm happy to join that band of brothers and sisters.
The local backstreet garage that I get to do any work happened to have a 2004 Almera S sitting outside. The guy who owned it had it there because the mechanic's brother in law was looking for something cheap. At £300 it was cheap!! As a 3 door, it didn't suit him, although the mechanic had done work on the car before, and said it was in great nick for it's age. 71,000 miles on the clock. The interior was pretty shabby, as the owner obviously had dogs in the car (very hairy dogs). I'd never have thought in a million years that my next car would be an Almera, but after I scrapped the Rav4, my options were to get a loan and buy something "decent", or get a cheap runabout. A couple of weeks later, I decided to have another look at the Almera. Initially I thought I'd run it until the summer, then get something "decent".
Once it had a valet, and I'd been driving it for a week, I changed my mind about a number of things. I'm really beginning to like this car. The only thing I don't like is the low driving position. I do realise that I've been driving from a very high position in the Rav 4 for the last 8 years. The noise from the engine when you gun it, is incredible. It's not as powerful as the 2 litre Rav 4, but it purrs in a way that I didn't get from the Rav 4.
MOT due next month, so if that isn't too painful, I'm now thinking I've already got something "decent". I think I made a good decision to buy this car. You guys have obviously have made that choice, and I'm happy to join that band of brothers and sisters.
enjoy.