So … some 3 years and 4 months after I embarked on this project … I have finally reached the end of it, temporarily at least.
Car 21, and my current car, is a 2003 Volkswagen Golf 2.0 Sport, Reflex Silver in colour. The Sport model adds to the more standard Golfs some wonderful sports seats, 16 inch alloys, Climatic air, cruise and colour coded door handles etc. This car came to me brand new in September 2003, a bloody whopping 5 years ago almost to the day! Cost was very close to $34,000 on the road.
The fact that I have driven this thing for 5 years, and 64000 kms, is testament to the finesse shown by VW in this model Golf. Of all the cars to date it is certainly the most balanced vehicle … it’s just a great thing to drive. It sits the road better than anything I have had, with the possible exception of the Lancia Beta Coupe years ago. Its superbly comfortable, well appointed and as tight in the body and trim today as it was back in 2003.
With only 85 killer-wasps it is certainly not the most powerful vehicle in its class, but the lack of power is somewhat overshadowed by an incredible amount of torque. The motor pulls the car along so effortlessly that the shortage of power is never noticed. I regularly get on the freeway, drop it into 5th, set the cruise to 115 kph and don’t touch anything other than the steering wheel until I exit the freeway at Murray Bridge.
It has been the only car for more years than I can remember to have let me down on the road however, breaking a water pump late last year. The only other issue has been a problem with the engine control computer that took a little while to rectify during its first year.
Strangely, for something that is so nice to drive, I am all but positive the furthest it has ever been from Adelaide is the Clare Valley … but it has been there a number of times! The photo above is outside Mitchell Wines.
Many of you will know that there is a new car on the way for me … but we have enjoyed this car so much that we are keeping it for Hedy to use once her car is out of lease.
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