Well, it was a day out..............(lo ng!)

The hair is always blown over the face, never streaming in the breeze in an elegant sitting next to James Bond fashion. There is a photo of me on our honeymoon long sleeved blouse hard sun hat tied on with a sort of contrived Edwardian driving veil. But I do have a spectacular Hermès scarf to match the latest (14 yr old) car.

Phoenix After that sort of a start I would not touch it with a barge pole. I would never feel able to trust it. Or cope with the disappointment after the build up.

Just as I thought, Mr P will not even come up and look at the other cars I've found, as far as he is concerned we are going ahead.

I'm starting to hate the damn thing, and we haven't even got it. I am very unhappy, which was not the idea.

When Mr P first started this (as in the "he's up to something" thread,) he said the whole idea was to give me a special present to cheer me up after my decision to leave the job that was making me so unhappy.

Seems things have changed now.

Blimey! Men. What planet are they on?

I am right pissed off. (There, I've said it!) When the damn thing is delivered (which it wouldn't be if I had any say in it) I will arrange to be out.

I know that sounds petty, but I will not be able to trust myself not to say "You do know I don't want this, don't you?"

I've seen cars that I would be happier with for around £1k cheaper.

Have you tried telling him that you just won't drive it?

I think I can understand how he might be feeling when he went to the trouble of thinking up and planning what he thought would be a lovely surprise for you. What was his idea/surprise has been overtaken by events and in his place, I would feel disappointed that "my" idea had misfired. Let him down gently, poor Mr P - at least he had the idea - i usually have to choose and order/buy my own presents and this was a magnificent gesture. I don't know how you are going to get our of it, but even if you don't, it still sounds like a gorgeous set of wheels.

That won't work, Ella I have no other car at the moment (unless I call back the car I lent to my friend with the stroke) so he knows that if he leaves it on the drive I will have to use it. At present the only place I can get to is the village shop.

Oh phoenix I've spent the last eight years driving a car that I loathe with a deep loathing! DH had always wanted a PT Cruiser and I let him talk me into part exchanging the nice Astra estate that I had bought from a friend who worked for Vauxhall and thus kept the car in pristine condition. We paid a considerable sum (for us) for the cruiser and the first thing we did was drive it to Italy. That was how we discovered exactly how much petrol had to be poured down its throat! Add to that the nonexistant visibilty - it might as well not have windows, the way the central locking works "sometimes", the way the alarm goes of when it feels like it, and the way the tyres never quite fit the rims and have to be constantly checked. Sadly, by the time DH agreed that it was a mistake it had lost all its value and we would have been lucky to get £1000 for it so we couldn't afford to change it and now he is less mobile he does find it very easy to get in and out of - I still hate it though !!!

Deedaa that is sorry to hear! For a while, when they first came out I coveted a Cruiser, partly because they had a kind of "retro" look. I used to bore people with how I would have a customised cream one, but with chrome bits rather than cream bits! (yes, I know all very vague, and I'm drawing pictures in the air here!)

Three years ago I drove a Mondeo which I loved. It was fast, comfortable and reliable. DH drove a Volvo estate which was built like a tank.

DH then had a stroke and lost his peripheral vision which ended his driving days. He was so stoic and uncomplaining about the loss of something that mattered a great deal to him that I gave the Mondeo to our son and drove the Volvo when really I wanted to get rid of the Volvo and keep the Mondeo.

It was a good workhorse but how I hated that car. It was too low for me to get in and out of comfortably, used a lot of fuel and was a sluggish drive. When I came into a bit of money just before Christmas I put it in part-exchange for a Hyundai SUV which I absolutely love and suits my lifestyle down to the ground.

Don't settle for something you don't want, Phoenix It's always best to go with your instincts.