Event For Chod & Ulster: Local Auctions for Local People (Nordie Shiter Events)

[Faker]

Fantastic report as per usual D.C. My sincere apologies folks, I was not able to grace ballyclare chod disposal auction this time around... work commitments and all that... have we a preliminary date in mind for the next extravaganza?!

[Datsuncog]

^^^ Cheers dude - I've gone back and actually finished the write-up now! Dozed off at my laptop, what a wuss.

Could try and look towards the middle of next month, maybe - say Wednesday 17th October, just to stick a pin in the calendar? I'm easy, sure let me know what works for everyone.

I'm happy enough to return to Ballyclare, but for the sake of variety other suggestions would be welcome too! I know GLTease advised Wednesdays were no good for him, so maybe another day might get a better crowd out? Auctions or even meeting for coffee, anything's good.

Also - Hairnet's asked for a date in the spring, which he's happy to work to. Might be nice to get something a bit special to work towards?

Opinions? Let's hear 'em!

[Faker]

Carryduff is still a good shout. There's mid Ulster and enniskillen too... just if we fancy a run out.

[chaseracer]

...and quite possibly the same bastarding cars as last time, since the hapless purchasers have by now owned the buggers for a full four weeks, and so have probably twigged that their fine steeds are utterly and irredeemably shagged.

 

Amateurs.

 

At Cannock, what staggers through the Shed of Shame on Tuesday often goes over the block again on Saturday.  And vice versa.  

 

Sometimes without external assistance.

 

[hairnet]

 and enniskillen too... just if we fancy a run out.

cavan

 

uncle shays been buying stuff from there and killen for longer than ive been alive

[They_all_do_that_sir]

It's best you lot go ahead and organise dates that suit, as my calender at the minute is extremely child focused.....

 

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[The_Equalizer]

A most enjoyable part two. I'm up for another trip out and Carryduff sounds like a good jolly (I've not been to one there). Also, more than happy with Ballyclare and Wilson's. TADTS, are you sure you don't fancy escaping? As an aside, I now have a MoT on the Land Rover (which was a bit of a surprise). Datsuncog, I managed to get a friendly tester at Mullask.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

A most enjoyable part two. I'm up for another trip out and Carryduff sounds like a good jolly (I've not been to one there). Also, more than happy with Ballyclare and Wilson's. TADTS, are you sure you don't fancy escaping? As an aside, I now have a MoT on the Land Rover (which was a bit of a surprise). Datsuncog, I managed to get a friendly tester at Mullask.

I definitely fancy escaping, and I'll do my best but was just suggesting you don't move dates to suit me as my diary changes by the minute most evenings!!

 

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[The_Equalizer]

TADTS, just bring the family. I once took the family to Ballyclare - they loved it (half of this sentence is obviously a lie).

[Datsuncog]

On 9/20/2018 at 7:05 PM, hairnet said:

cavan

uncle shays been buying stuff from there and killen for longer than ive been alive

Cavan - and Leitrim - certainly have their opportunities...

[Datsuncog]

On 9/21/2018 at 9:42 AM, The_Equalizer said:

I'm up for another trip out and Carryduff sounds like a good jolly (I've not been to one there). Also, more than happy with Ballyclare and Wilson's. TADTS, are you sure you don't fancy escaping? As an aside, I now have a MoT on the Land Rover (which was a bit of a surprise). Datsuncog, I managed to get a friendly tester at Mullask.

Mega congrats on the Land Rover pass! All that work's paid off - so that's a full two-thirds of the fleet now mobile? Superb stuff... look forward to seeing it around!

 

On 9/21/2018 at 9:46 AM, They_all_do_that_sir said:

I definitely fancy escaping, and I'll do my best but was just suggesting you don't move dates to suit me as my diary changes by the minute most evenings!!

 

On 9/21/2018 at 10:11 AM, The_Equalizer said:

TADTS, just bring the family. I once took the family to Ballyclare - they loved it (half of this sentence is obviously a lie).

As it happens, MrsDC is also interested in attending one of these here events, mainly as she's never been to a car auction before... although I fear that my write-ups may have given her an erroneously optimistic view of the entertainment afforded...

[The_Equalizer]

Cheers Datsuncog. I was rather pleased to say the least when the MoT tester told me. Poor bloke. It's still a beast to drive and makes all sorts of noises of which I am not sure all are factory standard.

 

It sounds like you have a very understanding wife and by all means bring her. Perhaps we will have to buy something to add a bit of extra excitement! I took a ex-girlfriend of mine to a Barons' auction back in 2006 which ended up her egging me on to buy a Bentley T1. It was a lovely car although the drive back to my parents' house through South London traffic was a bit fraught. I would imagine buying anything from Ballyclare would make for an interesting journey home. Perhaps this is where Faker would step in with that lovely car transporter/trailer.

[Datsuncog]

Looking forward, it seems that Carryduff Auctions has now rebranded as part of the City Auction Group, which comprises three sites in Carryduff, Omagh and - wait for it - Rockingham, Northamptonshire (???)

 

City Auction Group Belfast

10 Comber Road
Carryduff

Belfast BT8 8AN

That does rather explain why I couldn't find much in the way of web info for Carryduff Auctions anymore. The premises are branded as Belfast City Auctions. Hmm. From the same creative consultancy that brought us London Luton Airport, seemingly.

It appears that they hold their general vehicle auctions on Monday and Friday evenings from 7pm, plus a Fleet Auction on Thursday mornings and a commercials auction on Thursday afternoon and all (which is maybe of lesser interest to us shiters).

Their website is intimidatingly flash, reminding me more of Wilsons online offering.

http://www.cityauctiongroup.com/belfast/

We get loads of 'negative space' that's bordering on whiteroom, and plenty of somewhat wanky corporate references to their "state of the art auction complex in South-West Belfast".

Well, I suppose it kind of is SW Belfast - if you accept that you have to leave Belfast in a south-westerly direction in order to travel out to Carryduff.

Anyone would think they were mildly ashamed of their culchie roots... and, by way of comparison, I doubt Ballyclare could really term their tin shed as "state of the art" - although I do have to confess my ignorance as to the exact state in which the art of tin sheds happens to be in right now.

It also lists pics of the cars booked into upcoming auction events, together with an auctioneer's estimate - which does rather eliminate the 'lucky dip' element which Ballyclare excels in.

http://www.cityauctiongroup.com/Belfast/stock/vehicle-search/?act=4366&type=general&location=41&branch=Belfast

Well, okay... for tonight's auction there seems to be 54 entries so far, the vast majority of which are lurking in that 7-12 year old danger zone, with many others well into their teens and the oldest a 1995 Mazda Bongo... the X-Type Sport and Saab Aero V6 look quite interesting, too.

I note that many of the vehicles here listed come with a 'City Assured Mechanical Report' giving an 18-point list rundown of things like whether the EML is lit, and what have you; some go one further with a NAMA Inspection Report (not the Irish 'bad bank', this is the motor auction inspection bods).

Let's take a closer look at this here Jaaag...

http://www.cityauctiongroup.com/belfast/stock/vehicle-detail.aspx?ref=3532FBW0&location=41&act=4366&lot=3

Right, so it's got turbo issues, engine issues, suspension issues, oh, and a week's MOT left. The auctioneer's estimated price is £840.

Is it Autoshite?

HELL YEAH.

So maybe the premises and website are a notch above Ballyclare's charmingly last-chance saloon vibe - but who's to say that a rake of godawful part-ex's aren't dragged down on the end of a rope behind mud-spattered LDV Convoys by various small-time hick dealers on a Friday afternoon to take their chances?

Any place that plonks a thoroughly snookered ticking time bomb of a Mondeo in a frock, front and centre on their listings page, clearly has promise...

You can announce your partnership deals with TrustFord and Peugeot Assurance all you like, align yourself with outfits wearing meaningless management-babble names like Motiva and Aspiritus, but at the end of the day it seems your customers will still come down the hill from Purdysburn in a fucked 406 TDi clabbered in sheep shit and looking a bit like this:

"Hi bai, where's yer bargins?"

What do we all reckon? Carryduff next month, for the sake of variety? Any preferences pro or anti Monday or Friday - for example, has anyone got football practice/salsa dancing/chess club or owt on a certain night? I'm good either way.

Since Wilson's open their Mallusk doors at 6pm on Tuesday and Thursday for cars, it appears that we could potentially head over to an auction in the Greater Belfast area pretty much any night of the week that folk happen to be free...

Mon: Carryduff, 7pm on

Tue: Mallusk, 6pm on

Wed: Ballyclare, 7pm on

Thur: Mallusk, 6pm on

Fri: Carryduff, 7pm on

[The_Equalizer]

Just to make it difficult (or easy depending on your view point!) I could make all evenings with a bit of warning. Carryduff would be a new one for me. Anyone else fancy going and have a preference to where and when?

[Datsuncog]

Rightyho, let's get this one pencilled into the diary: what say folks for Belfast City Auctions (Carryduff) on Monday 15 October at 7pm?

Yes, this is effectively a random date plucked out of nowhere, so rest assured it can be moved and grooved as the need arises. Carryduff also has a car auction on Friday nights too, should that prove more shiter-friendly (I'm easy either way).

Shall we?

 

I'll also PM some of the recent local sign-ups, such as GLTease and JoeBai, in case they've missed this thread and can perhaps make it along to a Monday night event more easily than those on Wednesdays.

As always, real life has a habit of intruding on the best-laid plans, so no-one's gonna get a carpeting if they can't make it along!

[The_Equalizer]

I do like your enthusiasm. Count me down for starters. It looks like this one is slightly more civilised what with it having a 'proper indoor bit'. Oh the luxury.

[Datsuncog]

I do like your enthusiasm. Count me down for starters. It looks like this one is slightly more civilised what with it having a 'proper indoor bit'. Oh the luxury.

 

Yaay! Looks like a meet, then, as long as that doesn't interfere with your house-moving activities?

 

I'm hoping that the indoor bit will make photography a smidge easier, since it's gonna be getting a touch dark outside by mid-October...

 

How's the Land Rover been progressing since the GREAT SUCCESS with MOTing?

[warninglight]

I doubt I'll be home for this, but I will get to one before long! A Christmas one should be doable, a week either side of it.

[Datsuncog]

On 9/26/2018 at 2:19 PM, warninglight said:

I doubt I'll be home for this, but I will get to one before long! A Christmas one should be doable, a week either side of it.

Duly noted! I'll check their assorted websites in advance, just to make sure the auction-houses keep pushing these old nails through the ring, even in the deep midwinter. If not, then I'm sure we can find somewhere else to just go and guzzle hot chocolate or summat.

Hopefully we can find a date that works; would be great to get a bit of a meet-up!

[The_Equalizer]

Yaay! Looks like a meet, then, as long as that doesn't interfere with your house-moving activities?

 

I'm hoping that the indoor bit will make photography a smidge easier, since it's gonna be getting a touch dark outside by mid-October...

 

How's the Land Rover been progressing since the GREAT SUCCESS with MOTing?

 

There's always time for a jolly and we don't thankfully have to move on the day of exchange as I've still got to finish doing up the current place before we sell or rent it. Hopefully (for you!) they'll be some other Autoshitters coming too.

 

I'll try and remember a camera or get myself a half decent phone that has the ability to take photos without having a meltdown.

 

Oh and the Land Rover has only just been taxed about an hour ago. I was attempting to be a tight so-and-so and wait until the first of October thereby saving £20-ish, but I need to collect house moving boxes tomorrow. It still quite nerve wracking going out in it despite it getting the thumbs up from Mallusk. 

 

Anyway, back to the voyage of discovery that is Carryduff. Any more for any more?

[R9UKE]

Just catching up on this, so sorry I've missed you at Ballyclare the last few times, Tim.

 

Wilsons is where I buy quite a bit of stock so I'm there pretty much every Tuesday and Thursday.  Ballyclare, which I'm sure most have learnt from your epic write up and pics, is where our country's "Terry Tibbs'" send their utterly shagged and totally unsaleable trade ins.  City Auction Group is a funny one..... "cheap" cars end up not so cheap after adding on their buyers premium, VAT on that, paying for their wanky "mechanical inspection", VAT on that.  A £200 car quickly becomes close to a £400 car.  

 

Definitely up for that date and whatever else follows, I'll try to bring something different each time, it'll be a good excuse to blow off the cobwebs with half of the collection. 

[Datsuncog]

Not a meet-up as such, but I agreed earlier today that I'd take MrsDC for a promenade through Ballyclare Auctions tonight so she can:

a] experience the thrills and spills (mostly spills, of many varieties) of the genteel and refined world that is near-end-of-life motor vehicle auctioneering;

b] share common interests as part of a healthy, respectful, mature relationship;

c] establish that I'm not sloping off to some seedy strip club with a bunch of sexual deviants every fourth Wednesday (this hasn't been explicitly stated, but it's a working theory nonetheless)

I may take a few pics for this here thread if anything absolutely heinous makes itself apparent.

Should any of you happen up there anyway and you see us (probably not going to be hanging around, just long enough for a brief coughing fit in the ring and a couple of near-misses from BMW projectiles with bollocksed shocks in the line-up outside), do come over and say howdy!

[Faker]

Looking forward to carryduff. Did Mrs dc enjoy her time at ballyclare?

[The_Equalizer]

Looking forward to carryduff. Did Mrs dc enjoy her time at ballyclare?

 

Just what I was about to ask. Point c about sloping off to dodgy venues made me chuckle. I am pretty sure my missus attempted to carry out a subtle once over before I departed for our last Ballyclare jolly. Her theory being that men get dressed up/make an effort when they are up to mischief. 

 

Any photos of tonight's outing? How was it on the shite scale?

 

P.s. Forgot to say congrats on the MoT front.

[Datsuncog]

We did have a pretty good time, as it happened - not a massive amount of chod as we know and love it, and we only hung around for a bare half-hour, but a couple of absolute hum-dingers all the same...

The nights drawing in prevented much in the way of extensive photography, as it was already rather dark by the time we rocked up in the thumpity-thumpity legal but not entirely happy-sounding Subaru around 7.30 - but I'll review those snaps I did take and post a few up...and yes, some familiar sheds were indeed putting in an encore performance!

More to follow...

[Datsuncog]

Well, I hadn't exactly planned a mini-excursion to Ballyclare last night, but it'd cropped up in conversation a few weeks back that MrsDC had never been to a car auction. Never. Not once.

Since her family apparently tended to view people who buy used cars as roughly akin to people who buy used underwear, I can only imagine the conversations that may* have occurred when I rocked up in the early stages of our relationship in a scabby Escort that looked like it'd been hit by a train, which I then 'upgraded' to a Cortina estate which required regular bump-starting and never quite managed to resolve the exhaust blow at the manifold.

So I can only assume that they'd view people who acquire used cars from venues such as this to be equivalent to people who steal used underwear from clotheslines, or perhaps hoke them out of bins. Or find their 'new' undercrackers in the bushes in the park.

She's been to yer regular household auctions before, yes (with me) but she'd never experienced that intoxicating smoky motor auction fug of burning motor oil, burning cooking oil and burning Lithuanian tobacco that brings me home once a month smelling of WIN. So much win, in fact, that my coat may well benefit from being hung in the greenhouse for a day or two to get all the win out of it. You know how it is.

With last night otherwise unallocated, the suggestion to attend was floated sometime after lunch... and a few hours later we were thumpity-thumping up the New Line to Ballyclare.

Summer is now well and truly behind us, with the last light having fled the sky by the time we arrived. The clatter of Vauxhall tappets and graunch of recalcitrant gearbox linkages serenaded us as we arrived, and there was a Jack Russell scuttling about between the boots of men with character-actor faces and mobile phones perma-glued to their ears.

Oh look, here's a familiar snout.

Why, if it isn't our old friend, the EmGeeBeeGeeTee slushbox that apparently sold for a mere three-and-a-half bags only a fortnight ago. No longer enjoying a position of privilege beside the auctioneer's podium, I note, and instead crammed in very tightly between a Transit and a Shogun, making viewing its flanks a smidge tricksy.

What's that, Lassie? The new owner's twigged that it's mostly made of cornflakes boxes wobbed over with extra-thick custard, providing less structural integrity than a clingfilm crash helmet, and has fucked it straight back through the ring again?

Why, this isn't a car at all! It's merely some carefully-sculpted Isopon with some scabby bits of chrome stuck in it!

The roaming Jack Russell paused to cock its leg against a crumbling tyre, too. Sometimes it takes a dog to spot a dog.

 

Further across the yard, there was another fine* MG sportscar up for grabs:

The handwritten card on the screen boasted that there was a full three weeks' MOT on this one, too, indicating the level of confidence the previous owner placed in its longevity. Said owner had clearly spared no expense in preparing it for auction either, treating it to a full platinum-grade valet and machine polish at the Peters & Lee Auto Detailing Centre (though apparently Dianne Lee was away at the hairdresser that afternoon).

Cheers Lenny, top job mate.

I was shocked to discover that MrsDC hates the MG ZS with a passion; although the outside is reassuringly bland in its proportions and Rover 400 heritage, the lairy paint and wacky spoilers reminds her of a history teacher who's gone a bit over the top at the TK Maxx clearance rail; it looks ridiculously ungenuine in its efforts to look sporty.

Verdict: "I'd buy this just to drive it into a wall, again and again."

Evidently, someone had already beaten her to it.

JDM Mitsubishi Pajero LWB looked fairly clean, it has to be said.

I didn't see an awful lot of total rubbish out in the yard this week, to be honest. Not sure whether there's been a glut of dealer trade-ins at the end of August, meaning that there's a enough reasonable stuff in circulation six weeks later to keep small-time dealers bobbing along while reducing borderline cars to T-Met fodder...

So then we headed into the maw of the beast itself - the auction ring.

[TBC!]

[Tadhg Tiogar]

.....full platinum-grade valet and machine polish at the Peters & Lee Auto Detailing Centre (though apparently Dianne Lee was away at the hairdresser that afternoon).

 

20181003_193840.jpg

 

20181003_194007.jpg

 

Cheers Lenny, top job mate.

 

Peters & Lee.jpg...

 

"....but then he went and spoilt it all

By saying somethin' stupid

Like I wob you...."

[Datsuncog]

[Continued...]

So we elbowed our way into the tin shed fine modern premises, which was a good bit busier than previously - probably due to the darkness outside and occasional splithers of rain falling. In fact, with a roaring and potentially lethal looking space heater fired up nicely, it appeared to be one of the more convivial places to gather in Ballyclare on a dark October evening.

Already in the ring was a hot mess of a Mazda 5; dings, dents and grubby gremlin handprints aplenty but, as the auctioneer kept pleading, a full seven-seater.

The hammer fell at £325. Bargain? Who knows. But someone's about to find out.

Following right behind the Mazda sprog-lugger came an LDV Maxus - LWB and semi-hi-top (is that even a thing?)

Plenty of surface scab and paintwork nicely faded, so the ghostly vinyl from the now-defunct Banbridge District Council could be easily read. Probably not one for Kiltox, in fairness.

Out it went for £675, after some fairly enthusiastic bidding.

Next up, one with genuine appeal to me - a 2005 Citroen C3 Pluriel. In eye-fizzing heliotrope orange. It actually looked extremely clean, with no rust or scratches or anything in evidence.

I really liked these when they came out, as did MrsDC who was just starting her driving career when they launched in '03. The practicality of having a car that was both a convertible and a pick-up seemed to make the sky the limit with these, and MrsDC is a practical sort...

Of course these leak like a proverbial sieve and no-one in their right mind could possibly want one... but I kind of do.

The hammer fell at £375, which seemed like quite the bargain. I really had to steel myself not to wave my hand in the air. Ah now...

MrsDC's verdict: "At least they'll have change from £400 to buy a decent tarp to throw over it."

A nasty looking (and sounding) Passat was up next, whickering and squoinking into the ring... I mean, the bodywork looked okay but there was just something about it that seemed off... threatening, almost.

Five hundred and fifty squids, to someone. Maybe it's worth it, maybe not.

A little later MrsDC opined that there was something animalistic about the car auction; these aging vehicles stripped of all their showroom glitz and glamour and now just in the ring for survival. As someone who'd only ever been used to new cars until she met me, it was kind of a strange sight to see so many aging vehicles, all damaged to a greater or lesser extent - no longer sleek and identical, but sporting unique scars, dings, cracks, scuffs. And for some, the next stop is the undoubtedly the recycling yard.

The Passat was one that came across to her as a wounded animal - wary, not wanting to show its infirmity, and still dangerous - but at the same time needing someone to take it on and make it better, otherwise it would die. Watchful. Still able to bite. But treading a very delicate line to try to survive.

Hey, she'd previously considered veterinary medicine as a career, so I guess she's better placed than I am to spot such nuances... and I agree that there's definitely something about certain cars. This one had a whiff of danger about it, for some indiscernible reason.

 

This one, coming through immediately after, didn't - it was just an old Merc C-Class. Looked okay, pretty much, with nowhere near as much panel corrosion as these often boast.

Bidding stalled in the low £400s and it exited the ring, but a late spurt right at the end took the price northwards and the hammer fell at a nice round £500.

 

A real old nail then appeared, also conforming to MrsDC's animalism theory - a right royal mess of an old Jaaaag.

Clearly, this was some senior director's flash chariot back in 2004 - cream leather, sports pack,  AWD, that 3.0 V6... but now, on ragged aftermarket rims, clabbered in birdshit and conifer clippings and with the bonnet badge clumsily removed, it was now in a sad way.

Its one saving grace appeared to be a full year's MOT, and there were clearly enough people in the hall suffering the effects of early-onset carbon monoxide poisoning to bid this one all the way up to a dizzying £675.

 

This KA looked plenty crispy around the fuel filler, and even more hastily touched-in rust was evident creeping from behind the bumpers, yet was quickly bid up to £550 too. Minilites and lashings and lashings of tyre shine may have helped boost the value, mind. Don't worry about the rust, just look at how shiny the wheels are!

Presumably the Post-It ^TM note in the windscreen advising "Excellent Driving Ka" was good enough to satisfy the most sceptical and hard-nosed of punters. I must try that trick, next time. Definitely not totally fucked. That might have helped me get shot of the green Laguna, anyway.

 

Aside from the fact that some pics didn't come out, there wasn't a great deal else of particular interest to us. I couldn't get very excited about a grey 2008 Focus, or a couple of decent-looking Octavias that managed around a grand each. A big BMW X5 with obligatory M badging cracked three grand mark, while a reasonably tidy-looking SWB Mitsubishi Shogun only topped out at a smidge over £800, to our astonishment.

I was impressed* at the extraordinarily narrow tyres fitted to a 2011 Chevrolet Spark, and also the gruesomely crusty state of the front calipers and discs. Underneath looked a bit murky, too.

MrsDC had attempted to buy one of these new in 2009 (as the Aveo) for about £5,995, so managing to realise £1100 on a seven year old car that was cheap and very nasty when new came as a surprise.

 

One of Ulster's foremost Kings of Shite came over to say hello; yup, the same guy who turned up in his beige Lada Riva at the last auction I attended here, and twice-owner of my old Volvo 240. He'd accepted a lift over this time, hence nothing amazingly droolsome parked out the front.

He and his chum had also noticed the Pluriel, and had been a little bit tempted, but were not the buyers, regrettably.

 

With time moving on, we said our cheerios and went out for a last wander around the yard.

The MG ZS and equally barried Passat (documents lost, said the screen card) hadn't moved and, interested though I was to see who might want to take this septic boil of a car home with them, no-one seemed interested in bringing it through the ring anytime soon.

I was quite surprised just how much I liked this Pluriel. Clearly, I have a hitherto unknown itch needing scratched.

Either that, or I could just twat myself around the head with a piece of fence post. Probably less painful in the medium/long term - and cheaper, too.

 

Lawks-a-mercy, a sixteen year old Disco and an eleven year old Rangie. At a budget-conscious provincial auction. In the dark.

What's the collective noun for 'absolute fucking liabilities'? Anyone?

 

Upthread, I'd earlier prophesised that we might expect

Quote

a couple of near-misses from BMW projectiles with bollocksed shocks in the line-up outside

Well, close. This E46 had comically wheezy PAS that sounded rather like a mandrill farting into an empty Toblerone tube each time the wheel was turned, and the child driving it seemed to be having significant difficulty in selecting reverse. After nearly flattering us after exiting the ring, it took at least five attempts to get it to go backwards, each time jerking forwards instead.

pIn fairness, I don't remember BMW ever trying to market their wares as The Ultimate Reversing Machine. Hopefully the new owner doesn't plan on doing too much in the way of going backwards.

And just as we were heading towards the gate, another familiar shape caught my eye...

Well well well, if it wasn't the massively banjaxed Citroen C5 from the September auction, although now sitting considerably higher on its suspension and with its tyres inflated. Still utterly rancid, though, with its creepily flesh-coloured leather seats and an interior that resembled a crime scene (the hinges were still there), and an exterior of peeling lacquer and extravagant scrapes.

MrsDC was not consumed by attraction to it, funnily enough.

 

So off we went, bidding cheerio to the Jack Russell still pottering around.

On the way back to the Subaru, we walkd past a parked Audi 80 estate, but the lighting was too non-existent to procure a decent pic. I've seen this one around before; rather unsually, it not only wears an old Belfast registration from 1979 as a cherished plate - UOI 777 - but it's the actual original plates fitted, aluminium with raised plastic letters, front and rear. Impressive stuff.

MrsDC also spotted a non-sc3n3 Skoda Felicia pickup parked up in Asda, but again photos were not really worth the candle.

 

So... a successful visit, all-in. At least MrsDC now knows what I'm up to when I slope off every now and then wearing my Autoshite tee... I lightheartedly suggested that she may have had some concerns that I was off engaging in activities of a nefarious and lascivious nature, and hoped that this evening might have put her mind at rest...

"Mmm... you know, I've never actually thought that about you, that you might be off doing something like that. I don't know what that says about you, it probably sounds like I'm knocking your masculinity, but - whenever we're out and I'm talking to you and I can see you're distracted and not listening, I know it's never that you're looking at a woman or anything like that - I know if I look round, there's bound to be some ratty old Vauxhall that's caught your attention..."

Ah now. She knows me too well.

 

So! Monday week, all being well?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

... MrsDC opined that there was something animalistic about the car auction; these aging vehicles stripped of all their showroom glitz and glamour and now just in the ring for survival. As someone who'd only ever been used to new cars until she met me, it was kind of a strange sight to see so many aging vehicles, all damaged to a greater or lesser extent - no longer sleek and identical, but sporting unique scars, dings, cracks, scuffs. And for some, the next stop is the undoubtedly the recycling yard.

 

The Passat was one that came across to her as a wounded animal - wary, not wanting to show its infirmity, and still dangerous - but at the same time needing someone to take it on and make it better, otherwise it would die. Watchful. Still able to bite. But treading a very delicate line to try to survive.

 

Hey, she'd previously considered veterinary medicine as a career, so I guess she's better placed than I am to spot such nuances...

I'd be calling it barrel arse-scraping at the Last Chance Saloon. This is Club Depreciado.

 

I was impressed* at the extraordinarily narrow tyres fitted to a 2011 Chevrolet Spark, and also the gruesomely crusty state of the front calipers and discs. 

 

20181003_201412.jpg

 

....I think the oul renault 5s used to go around on tyres at least that narrow.

[Datsuncog]

....I think the oul renault 5s used to go around on tyres at least that narrow.

Oh, they absolutely did - and I remember referring to the tyres on low-powered Mk1 Fiestas as 'bike tyres', but in this modern world of sooper-low-profile-sport-OMG wheels being bolted onto the most basic of boxes, I found it refreshing that skinny-sections still exist on more recent tin... ffs, the tyres on my oul ma's Fiat 500 shopping trolley are wider than those on the Forester!