It's not just about new cars...

No manufacturer-supplied test car for the last week, so have been driving around in the family Ford Focus estate. I generally only do local mileage in it and don’t go any distance that often. When I do, it always reminds me what an excellent car it is. It’s still a surprisingly good performer, despite being a 55-plater with 70k on the clock. I wish I could get better than 38mpg from the 1.6-litre petrol engine, but it seems impossible. Also been using the ageing Jeep Wrangler, which spends most of its time sitting in the garage on a trickle-charger. It’s still an unsurprisingly appalling performer, with attrocious body roll through corners and fuel economy of around 18mpg from the 4.0-litre petrol engine. Thing is, it puts a smile on my face everytime I take it out. And you can’t put a price on that. Can't wait for some warmer weather so I can get the roof off.