OneAndOneIs2

So I've had the new car a week now. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with it: It performs well, corners well, and everything important works fine.

There are a few minor annoyances, tho. For starters, the cigarette lighter socket is permanently powered, even with the key not in the ignition. Since I have a 3-from-one adaptor plugged into mine, to power my phone, PDA, and GPS, this can lead to a bit of a battery drain if I'm not careful.

The instruments aren't backlit, so in the dark you can't see any of them. I figured out a cunning way of fixing this: My 3-way power adaptor also has a USB socket to power things like MP3 players. So I figured one of those USB LED lights on a flexible arm could be plugged in there, and solve all problems.

And it would have worked, too, if not for those meddling ki.. I mean, for the shoddy workmanship in the adaptor making it far too easy for the light to slip out of the socket. I'll have to figure out some way to wedge it in properly...

Lastly, it appears that either there's no backlight, or there is but it broke, on the fuel gauge. This I know from experimental verification, AKA running out of petrol.

I knew I was getting low, since I was watching the gauge and all. But I wanted to get the tank pretty empty because I have this Redex fuel additive stuff for cleaning out the system and you're supposed to mix it with a full tank. So I was thinking that as soon as the "almost empty" light came on, I'd refuel.

Yes...

The needle was getting worryingly low, so I was getting a little paranoid, but fairly sure it was good for a bit longer.. and then when I tried to accelerate around a corner there was a sudden loss of power. Which came straight back a moment later.

You don't have to be a genius to know that if the engine dies like that, it's because the tank is so low on petrol that the G-forces have made it surge away from the pickup.

Oh dear oh dear.

There as a petrol station just up the road from there, but on the other side of the dual carriageway, so no help there. I just had to hope that I could keep going long enough to get up the hill if I didn't try to accelerate too fast.

The lights, for once, went green as I approached them. The cars in front didn't slow me down too much, and we made it to the mini-roundabout at the top of the hill. They took their time at this point, but at last I was around it and starting to relax: From here, it was downhill all the way.

Coasting along, I started to think all would be well, then as the slope got a little steeper the steering suddenly got very heavy, the oil light came on, and the engine coughed into silence.

Struggling a little with the unpowered power steering, I managed nonetheless to freewheel down the hill, up the ramp, and onto the forecourt to the one free pump in the place.

Perfect timing or what? :o)

And I can now report that the tank is definitively of 42-litre capacity. And I'm averaging a little over 8 miles per litre (around 35mpg)