At least I now know that if I can source a replacement I can fit it, but my natural pessimism when it comes to things mechanical suggests that it still won't work. Unfortunately, actually laying hands on a replacement is proving difficult.
One small disaster I had was that one of the locating pegs for the fuse cover lid snapped off when refitting everything, but for the first time in years I seem to have managed to effect a successful repair with glue. In general I find that glues never do what they are supposed to, but on this occasion I was able to leave the repair undisturbed for 36 hours and a strong bond seems to have resulted.
Regarding our other cars, I have sorted out some errant external trim on the Boss's Multipla and cleaned up and repainted some rusty metal from under the bonnet that I had noticed when replacing the battery and connector recently. Our most recent addition is a Renault Megane Coupe Fidji that I purchased to be a "popping to the village" car for everyone in the family to make use of as required. It was rough when cold so I got a diagnostic done that suggested a faulty bit of wiring that was sorted by the independent I took it to, but blow me two days later it blew a coil and so that led to more expense. At the moment all my cars seem to be causing me grief.
Trawling around Ebay as one does, I've come across a couiple of motors that have stirred my interest. The CX Turbo2 that Patrick Rugg is selling is almost persuading me to replace the XM and I thought that would never happen.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111067115859? ... 768wt_1328
His cars are always so well presented and well advertised too. Perhaps its a good job it's the price it is and that I am a pensioner...
At the other end of the scale and at the other endo of the country (well abroad really
) is a very tidy looking ZX special edition diesel in East Kilbride. A much more suitable runabout than the Megane in my opinion and at a very affordable price.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321118035122? ... 539wt_1328
One of my daughters was having a night out in Middlesbrough yesterday, so I dropped her off and continued on to Redcar to give the dog a run on the beach (in the approved area); it was quite quiet really:
Rob
and that zx.....won't comment, already forget about that 
A 110 HDi will tick every box..
A mate thought it would have been good fun to pull up outside old people's homes in it 
but I wasn't so cruel!
