Swappage

Incorrect titling there, it's not actually under Vauxhall's Swappage scheme, which is Very Good in normal circumstances, but when you're getting a car for nearly free, you don't necessarily qualify for other discounts. Yes, thank you for buying a new car, we shall now credit you with £3000.

Anyway. Today, at 5pm, as just triple confirmed, I shall be exchanging the old car (not pictured, just the same):

Vauxhall Vectra 1.8 LS, Satin Red
First registered: 15 September 2001
Mileage: 100,500.
Brakes: intermittent
Drivers window: opens 4 inches.
Suspension: does not appear to be present
Insurance group: 9
CO2 emissions: 178 g/km
Fuel consumption (combined): 38 mpg
Output: 113 bhp
0-60: 11.5 sec
Torque:170 Nm 125 lb-ft Nm
Cylinders: 4
Valves: 16 
NCAP rating: ***
Airbags: driver and passenger


I shall be leaving with the following:

Vauxhall Astra 1.4 Active, in Sovereign Silver
First registered: 31 March 2010
Mileage: 0
Brakes, windows & suspension all under 3 year warranty and presumed to work. Brakes have cornering control (!)
Insurance group: 5E
CO2 emissions: 146 g/km
Fuel consumption: 46.3 mpg
0-60: 12.8 sec

Output: 90PS 

Torque: 125 Nm 92 lb-ft Nm    

Cylinders: 4

Valves: 16

NCAP rating: *****

Airbags: Driver, passenger, side impact and full size curtain.

Nifty stuff not present on old car:

RAIN SENSITIVE WIPERS!!!!!!!!! Old car doesn't even have variable intermittent wipe. I get mildly psychotic about any raindrops on my windscreen. And yes, that is important. 

Aux input! although I will probably still use iRiver as, erm, haven't got a wire. May get wire. Also has MP3 CD player so may just use that. The choices!

Automatic lights: because it's very hard to differentiate between light and dark.

I am also hugely excited about the windows having one-touch-up, but the old car has that, it's only down it has issues with. Still: exciting.

Multi function trip computer: so I can be a proper pleb.

Steering wheel mounted controls: admittedly present on old car but disabled due to replacement stereo 

Foldable key. No, I don't get it either. Ooh, wouldn't scratch phone/make holes in pocket. Yeah, good. 

Other stuff like aircon, remote central locking, power steering, ABS and stuff are all present on the deathtrap and still function. Nice, but not new. Despite maintaining that all cars should be black, and decreeing that the other car in the household MUST be black, this is now my 4th non black car (satin red, admiral blue, satin red, sovereign silver)

And so ends another yawnsomely tedious post. I do apologise.