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| My first van purchased in 1971 when we lived on the steepest street in the world. |
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| "Blue Bess" an old Dodge ambulance we towed our 25ft caravan with. I loved her! |
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| A little Toyota Lite Ace the fire fighters and brewery workers bought, cleaned up and presented to me. |
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| Our purchase last Thursday night - I enjoy driving her. |
For much of my driving life I have had a van of some sort. Recently I have been "vanless" just driving in civilised fashion in sedans. I began to think that my van days were over, now I was a sedate old man. But after our accident earlier this year, our Toyota Corrolla got written off by the insurance company and we had a generous pay out. We wanted a reasonably powerful vehicle to tow the little caravan when I retire at the end of the year. So the other day we branched out and purchased another old van. My wife was keener than I to get it for some reason. Last Monday we checked out a van we had seen in this place that auctioned off vehicles. We went for a drive in it and my wife was still keen, though I was a little hesitant. On the Thursday night we attended the auction, sitting in this freezing big warehouse space where the vehicles were auctioned off. It was a new experience for us both. Anyway we got the van for the reserve price, and I drove it home, a little concerned about the way it ran. It is a 1996 diesel powered Nissan with an automatic gearbox. (I prefer manuals) On the Saturday, a freezing day, it would not start so I took the battery out and put it on the battery charger. On Sunday afternoon I replaced it, got the van started and went for a drive in it, again not totally happy with its performance, but I did think we would get our money's worth out of it. On Monday morning we took it for a drive over a big hill to a township about 11 miles north of Dunedin and stopped for a cup of coffee. We then drove into Dunedin via the normal highway, really trying it out. Somewhere in that drive it all came right. It changed to running smoothly and sounding good. (mechanics often call this "The apprentice's tune up" - a good blow out after a vehicle has not had much running) I have driven it a few times since and it is fast becoming my preferred vehicle. There is just something about a van! It is a bloke's vehicle! I like this one, it is high, long, (it has a back seat and is set up with a queen size mattress behind that.) has a biggish steering wheel, big mirrors, a rumbling diesel motor, bull bars and a massive great windscreen through which you can see the world. I just love the feel of it, you can imagine you are driving a truck. It will be a versatile vehicle. I really am a van man. It was cheaper than usual because it has a dented front to it, but that does not worry me. My cars are definitely not status symbols. This van just feels like it fits me!
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