I usually look at my expensive life decisions as an education fee. With that mindset, it is easier to find positive aspects even when life gives you lemons. To become an owner of an old classic car was one of the best decisions of my life. Apart from the obvious economic savings, I have learned several important lessons. The most unexpected one was how much nicer it is to be a customer at a generic workshop instead of a brand-specific one.
Read MoreThe last time I moved, I found some moving boxes that hadn’t been unpacked…since the previous time I moved! This is obviously one of the most pointless things ever. If the contents were so unimportant that you haven’t used them in years and honestly forgot about them, chances are they belong in the trash or the 2nd hand market. However, sometimes there can be exceptions.
Read MoreJust after 15:00, a beautiful autumn sunset, perfect traffic conditions and around 4 hours on the Swedish main road E4. A full tank of diesel and two nights of proper sleep. It doesn’t get much better than that. I was just smiling in a state of total relaxation. This is what driving is all about. And I haven’t felt it this strongly in years. The W124 has finally arrived in my garage.
Read MoreNowadays, all cars have electronic parking brakes. This makes me worried, when I consider the declining birth rates and the threat of population collapse. Up until the turn of the millennia, the handbrake was an important component in human reproduction. When a male identified an attractive female, he would usually engage the handbrake and slide the car. This manoeuvre was very effective in attracting female attention, and usually resulted in 2,5 kids and a Volvo on the driveway some years later.
Read MoreI recently sold my Kodiaq L&K SUV, and now I plan to replace it with a 31-year-old classic W124. It all started out as an obvious way to save money because my wife is not commuting while on parental leave and it did not make sense to have two expensive cars rusting away in the carport. We decided to try and get by with only one car. Before long, we realized that a 2nd car is indeed a very good idea when you’re living in the countryside. But it does not have to be anything fancy if you only need it a couple of times per month. I then remembered that my grandfathers very nice W124 has been collecting dust in a garage for at least a decade. Is this a proper barn find perhaps?
Read MoreThe Swedish government introduced a “scrapping bonus” in august, for those who want to replace their old car with an EV. A whopping 10 000 SEK in bonus and the requirement is that the car must be road-worthy, and you must have owned it for more than a year. Apparently, almost no-one has taken them up on the offer, what a shocker. During the first month, only 28 bonuses had been paid out of the 250 million SEK. It is moving a bit slower than expected, because the original plan was to do during 2024-2025. At first, I had to double-check whether I had read correctly. Unfortunately, I did, and this might be the most out-of-touch idea I have heard in a long time. But it gets worse…
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