Regular visitors to the blog will have been assailed with various automotive related tales for some time now. Rest assured this situation will continue, even though the fleet is nearly complete. For now that is.

The sensible family car arrived on Friday in the form of a Jaguar X type SE estate. Diesel powered, so 50 mpg (I just can't do litres per 100km's) is possible and it is far too grown up and sensible for us. We had an argument with the Sat-Nav on the way home from the pub on Friday as it took us a most circuitous route, but with eventual success. You just enter the postcode and a map coupled with a (slightly) patronising voice tells you where to go. Over time I have a feeling we will have to do something about the voice.

But here's the thing. I've owned heaven knows how many cars, almost as many maps and I've managed to get from A-B with a reasonable (ok, 100%) degree of success.. so do I need the Sat-Nav? Sure, it's a nice toy and we'll probably have lots of fun with it, but you have to ask yourself how many of these features are really necessary? And, as there are more toys on this car than all the cars I have ever owned, and the manual is about 500 pages long, I guess we'll just have to wing it.

On Saturday Noodle and I went to Devon to collect the Midget which now sports a new gearbox - the old one was whining inconsolably - sorted brakes and a gleaming engine bay. Trevor the Morris did a splendid job. The trip home was uneventful save for a moment, speeding along a deserted and very unlit country lane, when the lights went out. Lucas, Prince of Darkness strikes again. They were on full beam and once dipped functioned perfectly, but the full beam isn't playing. A heart in mouth moment for a moment. I do dislike all repairs / faults of an electrical nature on the basis that I barely understand them and they are invariably a nightmare to trace. Better pick Big Mike's brains.

Finally I've just heard that the MX-5 is here in one piece and going for it's MOT this week. Splendid, just in time for the indian summer.