60,000 miles: Wet footwells & dodgy geezers selling very dodgy motors

60,000 miles and several days relentless rainfall has induced a soggy driver's s side foot well. Now long past warranty and with middling balance sheet, my fingers took a quick wander around the web in search of inspiration and dare I say, a Haynes manual. This is a fault common (but not exclusive) to the breed emanating from a myriad of possible sources. Casual conversation and forum topics implied leaves could be blocking the water drain-off, thus channeling water through the point of least resistance...A good purge here didn't betray anything obvious but engendered a more intimate understanding of the Ka's geography.

Enlisting the help of my long suffering mother, several buckets of water were poured continuously around the bulkhead while I turned contortionist and looked for moisture... faint traces around the brake and accelerator pedal assembly but nothing conclusive-the idea being to pinpoint the region so the offending area could be treated with mastic or substitute automotive sealant.

Two hours' diagnosis led me to the conclusion it ranks as an irritant as removed from serious fault- water entering through the dash and contaminating the electrics would be an entirely different(not to mention expensive) proposition. Spraying some of my home brewed corrosion inhibitor around the suspect areas seems to have formed temporary barrier while the search for a cost effective cure continues.

Elsewhere, the inclement conditions and layers of road grime aren't particularly kind to the bargain basement "lick and a promise" finish but regular Waxoyling of the chassis components and nourishing wash and wax formulas have kept the livery lovely and Joe rot firmly in the shadows. The close of January cold snap rendered central locking and boot closure mechanisms temporarily arthritic but liberal squirts of Teflon based water displacer provided easy remedy.

Having run a few cars and discovered the motor trade's darker side on the seamy streets of South London, I found myself looking over a suspiciously low mileage '97 plate Toyota with a friend. 55,000 and full service history eh, part exchange, one owner...first to see will buy (from this dealer doubtless posing as a private seller I thought). The car in question was a Carina GL that had winged its way down south via the auction houses. Tight lipped about his precise location, said trader met us at pub before leading to a remote farm house. After brief pleasantries, he left us the keys and the opportunity to cast a not-too critical eye.

Red is a notoriously tricky colour and this one clearly "had paint" at some point. The obligatory internal valet certainly looked clean but my suspicions were aroused upon opening the bonnet and inspecting the engine oil which clearly hadn't been changed in some time and contained creamy deposits, indicating possible head gasket woes.

Running off a few quick shots using my venerable Fuji compact, I was about to engage in more intimate perusal when the vendor emerged from an outbuilding with disconcerting haste. Unsettled by my approach, his patter became decidedly passive- aggressive and this presented the perfect opportunity for a test drive. Meena at the wheel we drove half a mile, discussing concerns and examining documents in greater detail. A distinct lack of servicing in three years coupled with some very obvious bodges elicited a general feeling of unease. We returned, smiled a lot, thanked him for his time before making good our escape, muttering something about viewing two Corolla that afternoon...

Great Escapes

Kushi has amassed a whopping 24,000 miles in just under twelve months with nominal complaint save for a grumbling ignition coil, suspension arm, bulb and other generic wear and tear. The past few weeks' inclement conditions characterised by snow, ice, sleet and slush and tons of corrosive grit has marked the return of Joe Rot. Rather akin to the pantomime villain, he was somewhat inevitable given I hadn't applied the Neptune green topcoats.

To effect repair now would be counter productive, allowing more destructive and costly corrosion to fester beneath the surface. Regular washings have cleansed the witches' brew while repeated applications of WD40 produce a greasy, protective film until spring permits more permanent repair. I'll take this opportunity to administer further Waxoyl therapy to the chassis components.

Christmas has always been a time of quiet reflection and pro activity- it's a nice relaxed time where psychologically I prepare for the coming year while meeting a few deadlines long ahead of schedule. By the same token, there's only so much drafting, typing and subsequent editing possible before creative fatigue gains the upper hand. In an effort to combat this and remain upbeat in outlook, I made the pilgrimage to Danbury Palace.

Back in the early 1980s it was a management college, of which my father was the director, giving us as children the run of the building and its considerable grounds. Many years later and it looks a shadow of its former self having been purchased and subsequently sold by developers looking to convert the historic and adjoining buildings into luxury leasehold properties. Nature quickly reclaims anything left unattended. The converted stable block and student accommodation beyond these trees are reputedly deteriorating fastest, although it seems heavily patrolled by security guards in response to traveller settlements and vandalism. Leaving only my footprints and taking only photographs is a difficult mantra for this profession to grasp, let alone appreciate. Discussing the finer points of law, specifically that pertaining to trespass (criminal damage is the charge that would be levied) with a profession not renown for its people skills seemed a hiding to nowhere. Spotting a fluorescent jacket, I voted with my steel toes and beat a hasty retreat. Further research rewarded with the developer's details so I will request less restricted access in due course.