Day 84 - "Car Share"

Spanish Practices

It is Sunday and I have been driving our existing car for the first time, we are buying a new one tomorrow, as in Phase 3 we can go to a car showroom. Can I say that the gear box stick is in quite the wrong place and while we are at it, so is the steering wheel.

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Day 84 Car Share

Sunday the start of a new week, Monday brings us phase 3, we have jumped a week, the Alarma itself finishes June 21st, the central Government hands over its central control to the Juntas – the Regional Government. So only 14 more of these special Podcasts left and I am saving my best story to last, one clue, it was major misjudgement on my behalf that I will pay for the rest of my life.

First we should get a Royal Decree, a Bill that will detail everything that will happen after the Alarma, Lockdown ends, then that will be interpreted by the Regional Governments who in turn will make their own rules about the de-escalation of Lockdown.. complicated isn’t it.

And all the while the rules change and alter. Tomorrow we pick up a new car, not sure what the sales service will be like, guessing, a bit average by British standards.

There is a lot of paperwork to fill in, all written in complex Spanish, the stuff that doesn’t not translate with any proper meaning. Laura our Bank Manager is coming along to help Chris through the process.

Banks here are more, I guess old fashioned, you get a named Manager, she is principally employed as a salesperson, up selling insurance, TV sets sometimes, yes the Bank here will flog you a TV or a mobile phone.

We did a test run to discover where the dealer was located, a Google map put them about 300 metres away in a different road, that turned out to be a Mercedes dealer. Driving around what is known locally as Gasoline Alley, we found the dealer and we found our new car, sitting looking rather dustily in the disabled parking space.

Chris collects the car at 10am, so hopefully they might give it a clean and stick the matriculation plate on.

A few months ago, we looked at buying a new car from the local Fiat dealer, as we currently have a Fiat. We were with our dear friend Maria, she went up to the salesman who was on the way out to the back for a ciggy.

“This hombre is interested in buying a new car.” The salesman looked at her wearily, let out a long sigh and slumped himself back down into his chair and started jabbing at the computer screen.

“Marca?” Chris replied Fiat, 500, sports. “Mmm Desportes.” He said, his eyes narrowing, thinking here is an English with some money. The next thing he said was too quick for us to catch. Monica said, “He is asking if you need finance.” Chris told him we didn’t, we would pay cash, but trade in the old car.

Then came the Spanish moment, he said “But your car is only three years old, why do you want to buy a new one?”

To be fair he has a point, but it is not something you would ever hear come from the mouth of a British Salesman. He jabbed the keys of his computer some more and showed us an Abarth with an eye watering price.

“No no” said Chris “a sports trim Fiat 500 not an Abarth.” “But this is very nice car, go very fast.” I asked, “Are there any deals on at the moment?” Monica translated – the Salesman looked at us puzzled – so no deals then, if ever.

In an earlier Podcast I told about our friend who bought a very expensive Range Rover, in excess of 38 thousand Euros and the Salesman whispered in her ear after the sale, “I have left you a little present on the back seat, for being such a good customer.”

When she opened the rear door of the car, there laying forlornly was a single sachet of Turtle Wax polish.

So we found the Dealer and found the car, now it was my turn to drive our current car home, as I will need to do this tomorrow. I drove in the UK, often having to pick up Chris from the Railway Station or wherever the Railway Company was giving up running a service, which was usually a small village called Shenfield.

So I am a very average driver, but could get myself around our local town fairly well, hardly any scrapes or misjudgements.

But driving in Spain is a whole new ball game, and to save Chris screams and shouting, did you see that car, can you see the cyclist and so on and so on, I have refrained from driving.

So the first thing I notice about sitting in the driving seat of our current car is the gear stick is in quite the wrong place and while we are at it, so is the steering wheel. Chris also sits up very erect and he has the driving seat set to, upright, electric chair, which I find quite uncomfortable. I prefer the setting comfortable Lloyd Loom wickerchair, further back but not as far back as out friend who practically drives looking up at the roof of his car.

Driving off, and after driving small urban cars in the UK, if feels like I am driving one of those enormous American Jeeps. Chris points out that this is a Jeep but in Fiat clothing. So that would explain that.

Changing gear is problematic, one, I am not used to the gear box and two, force of habit makes my left arm move to change the gear, and in correcting myself I seem to swerve across the road, well that’s my excuse.

I just wish Chris would stop screaming, he is a very bad passenger, and there was nothing coming the other way, so I am not sure what his problem is?

The Fiat 500X is a very nice car if you have a family and need enough boot space to hold a baby elephant, but we have both found it too big for our needs, I shall be driving it very carefully tomorrow as it has a new home to go to, someone who actually does have a family for the family car.

I am sure everything will go smoothly tomorrow, we might be pleasantly surprised, I might find I will actually find fifth gear on the way back home, subscribe to the Podcast and find out tomorrow, if you go to the secret spain dot com you can find every episode and full transcripts too.