Some photos I took when I first got the car home.
Monthly Archive for March, 2010
Page 2 of 2
Well it’s here and this is what it looks like on our driveway with both the RX-8s together:
RX-8R3 and RX-8 40th Anniversary
I picked the new one up this morning from Nunns of Grimsby with just 3 miles on the clock. Lovely!
A day of mixed feelings: after almost 132,000 miles, I had to take the ST200 in to the dealers, Nunns of Grimsby, who will be scrapping it as part of the Government’s scrappage scheme.
So it averaged 25.8mpg over the last few years of my ownership and – other than the little issue of the under-bonnet fire – it’s been … emotional. Worse then that, though, is that in a couple of days’ time, someone will wind down the front windows, run some chains through and then use them to hoist it onto either a skip wagon or on top of another car and away to grave.
The Lincoln office of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office have apparently built up a backlog of registrations, etc. Which means that due to their incompetence and inability to cope with what should be planned demand, I cannot get a tax disc or get the personalised registration number for my new car. And that means that I cannot pick up my new car.
So I thought I’d ring them to find out the status. The website for the Lincoln DVLA local office says:
“For enquiries about vehicles: 0300 790 6802 (Textphone minicom users 0300 123 1279).
For enquiries about driving licences: 0300 790 6801 (Textphone minicom users 0300 123 1278).
Please note, all calls are handled initially by our call centre based in Swansea.”
Which would be fine, if DVLA Swansea actually answered their calls. The recorded message I got today says that due to high call demand they cannot answer my call and so it hung up the call.
This is getting beyond a joke. This evening I had a call from the salesman at Nunns who’s been dealing with us and going the extra mile for me, Gerry.
It now seems that there’s no sign yet of the tax disc as – apparently – the Local Vehicle Licensing Office at Lincoln is building up a backlog of registrations/licensing and there’s no tax disc for my RX-8 yet.
Great! Let’s hope it’s there by Friday.
In the meantime, it just makes me think I won’t bother buying a new car again: too much like hard work!
…over Cleethorpes Country Park (of all places!)
I hadn’t realised that Mazda offer seven days insurance cover for you – their “driveaway” scheme – when you buy a Mazda from one of their dealers:
“What’s more, most new and used private car purchasers benefit from seven days free insurance. So you can drive away from our dealerships safe in the knowledge that you’re covered. Conditions for this free cover may apply.
“All you need to do is call us on 0800 048 0962 for a no-obligation quotation.”
Now, it also turns out that Mazda’s policy offers what is called “RTI” cover which is:
“Mazda Return to Invoice (RTI)
“Mazda Return to Invoice will either pay you the difference between your Motor Insurance settlement figure and the outstanding Early Settlement Balance due to your Finance Company, or pay you the difference between the Net Invoice Price of your Insured Vehicle at the Start Date and your Motor Insurance Company’s settlement figure. Your claim will be settled based on whichever is the greater amount.”
And what’s more they were very competitive on their premium, coming in at the lower end of the quotes I’d received from price comparison websites and then – after haggling – knocking off 10% so as to come in second lowest. I will be going with Mazda for the insurance because of the RTI cover benefit.
I had the delivery date confirmed to me today: the car is available for collection on Wednesday, 17th March but because that would mean me driving up to Grimsby and back the same midweek day to collect it, I’ve postponed collection until the 19th. D-8 days and counting!
In the meantime, however, I’d better get used to being pulled by the police with threats to impound the ST200 as for some reason it isn’t showing up in the MID as being insured even though it’s currently on the dealer’s insurance policy.
Run on 1 February 2012 7:00 pm
1.28 mi in 00:13:23 (10:30 min/mi)
HR 158 bpm - Burned 164 C
