VX52 goes north

After 90,000 largely happy and memorable miles across England, Wales, Scotland and much of Ireland, VX52 has left BS5 for pastures new.

I bought him 6 years and 4 jobs ago. He had 34,000 miles on the clock back then and this morning when he left, it was around 124,000. I kept him on for a few months whilst having a new company car, but with the tax and insurance due this month, it was time to part company. I was much more sad than I ought to have been for a machine, but he served me well and with many a memory of love, larks and happy holiday journeys!

I had been reluctant to get into gumtree and trade it and other such sites to shift VX52 but a pal urged me on and placed ads for me - the phone rang off the hook with about 18 offers in the first day alone, half of them for the asking price. In the end it was the ubiquity of Facebook that found VX52 a new home, and then from an ex BSFiver, my very good pal Walshy. I gave him mates' rates, a touch below asking price and it was a pleasure to sell that way, with a continued acquaintance, which is pleasing. Walshy came down last night from Manchester, we got the battery going this morning (it had drained charge these last weeks and the RAC helped out), and off he went today. Insurance cancelled, new Merc' behind VX52 in this first shot, and a pint raised his way later. The new one has a very big act to follow to give rise to such affection.

Farewell VX52 but not, I hope goodbye.