Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Near Miss


I'm posting this dashcam grab, gentle reader, in the hope that it might be instructive.

At about 1:10 in you'll notice a dark grey Toyota Corolla approaching on a downhill sweeping curve, and getting into a lurid oversteer situation.

I was a bit lucky, as the slide hadn't developed sufficiently to get into my lane until she (was a female driver) had passed me. She did end up in my lane, behind me, facing the way she had come.

Fortunately there was no other traffic at that instant, the road was wide, and there was nothing to hit.

I stopped, and walked towards the car to see if she was OK, but she took off. Embarrassed, perhaps? Anyway, the instructive bit refers to damp roads, downhill bends, and driving to the conditions.

My car was the Rondo I have just purchased.
 


Thursday, February 29, 2024

Project Rondo


For some time now, I've been looking for a Kia Rondo with low kilometers.

Last week I found one; a 2017 model, with 34000 on the clock, and the best part of one year's warranty left. 

The low kilometers is a product of Covid, as the car was used by a local health service for outpatient transport. It sat in the depot for the duration, and averaged only about 5000 kms annually.

The only downside was that it was located in Nowra, so a 2000 km round trip was necessary. 

After much swapping of photographs and negotiation over the phone, the deal was done. The CX-3 was my trade, and in the end, no actual transfer of funds (except for the deposit) was necessary. The transaction cost me only travel and accommodation expenses. 

The reason for swapping a perfectly good Mazda CX-3 for a base specification Kia Rondo, is very simple. You can't sleep in a CX-3, but you can in a Kia Rondo.

The project will involve a very minimalistic conversion. 

Here are the details - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3cfH39yPIg

Wish me luck....