I have an announcement to make, I now have an older male in my life. I met him online on the Second Hand Mallorca group on Facebook. He’s a bit beaten about: he’s done some mileage, and he’s carrying some scars, but he is a hard working kind of guy, and I’ve grown quite fond of him already in the short time we’ve been together. He’s spent every day with me, carrying my bags and hanging around waiting for me. And he’s blue… Oh okay, okay, he’s a sixteen year old VW Polo, and of course, he has a name: El Topolino.
It was kismet when El Topolino and I crossed paths. I had recently been let down very badly by a certain car hire company based at the airport (after careful consideration I have decided not to give them any free advertising by writing my column about them and their reneging on their promises as just like a certain Irish airline I think they see any publicity as good publicity, so I won’t be ‘naming and shaming’). So I was in desperate need of some wheels. My husband and I need independent transport but we still only owned one car, so we had been availing ourselves of a blinding car hire deal, until the day it wasn’t a blinding deal anymore. So carless and stuck it was decision time. For some reason there were two or three different old wrecks under 700€ all being advertised at the same time on the group, but I knew El Topolino’s owner so we went along to meet the old boy.
Well, it was love at first sight. There is something very liberating about owning an elderly car which frankly is already as scratched, dented and rusty as it is probably going to get whilst still driveable. Perfect for me as my ability as a driver seems to have deteriorated as my age has increased (sssh, don’t tell the insurance company!). El Topolino has enabled me to relive the carefree part of my youth when I was driving an old heap. There’s no aircon and no radio, only one of the doors open and there are a couple of ‘knacks’ you have to learn in order to get the best out of El Topolino. He’s got personality, and I love him. He’s the perfect Mallorca car. Park him next to a Porsche and you know who’s going to be nervous about the scratches? Right, not El Topolino, that’s for sure. He’s the King of the road.
Now with the warm weather coming, AND two more English language radio stations due to launch in Mallorca, perhaps there are a couple of modifications to do, but for now, I am as happy as larry with my new BBFF (Best Boy Friend Forever). Is it too late to enter this year’s Classic Car Rally?
Written by Vicki McLeod ©2012
First published in the Euro Weekly Newspaper on Thursday March 15th 2012
Great post, and I love the new template on your blog (Took me awhile to find the comment section, but it looks everyone is leaving comments, so all good !). Enjoy El Topolino !!
love the article Vicki, you’ll be just so hapy with your topolino as I once was with mine. It might not be too posh, but isn’t it a pleasure to see the Mallorca landscape through its windows? Who cares the beauty of his skin, if it offers such joy!
Just for the records, mine was my first love, I’ve had him for a year before I had my license so I was allowed to look at it, but not to drive it. This year, I enjoyed afternoons of reading and dreaming sitted in the drivers place and it’s been forever. It passed by long ago, but it’s still my “Polet”, Every girl deserves one of those once in a lifetime!
Thank you! How lovely to know I am not mad and that other people fall in love with their silly old cars too! Freedom comes in many forms! vxx