Tokyo 1992   ©  PJ croft 2020

I’m initiating a new unit of weather called the Byoot. Monday was about 2 on the Byoot Scale, being so cold and wet, whereas I’d rate today at about 6 – nice and sunny, but still a bit too chilly. Will ten divisions be enough? There are days in December that would rate 9.5, I reckon, but some days feel better. I’ll decide as I go. Anyway, today was fairly Byoot.

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The MX-6

Sob, it’s gone. But what a departure. I advertised it on Facebook Marketplace at about 5pm on Sunday. Within the first half hour I’d had three or four enquiries and they just kept coming. I’d had 15 by bedtime that night.

Next morning, same, a stream of enquirers. By the end of the day I’d had about 24. But only a few took it any further, asking for a time to see it. I thought I had three guys coming on Monday, but only one actually came. He was only an L driver and came with a mate, but he didn’t have his finance organised so had to go away saying he’d be back. Yeah, right.

Then yesterday the enquiries kept coming, reaching 35 by 5pm. But one guy said at about midday that he wanted to come and seemed serious, even though he was in Mandurah. I told him I’m in Butler, not Canning Vale where F/B placed me, but even so, he wanted to come, so he did. He was a young guy, 22, and came with an older bloke, nice guys. They went over the car very closely, asked a lot of questions, phoned a mechanic mate, asked more questions, took it for a long drive and came back to do the deal.

Even while I was doing the paperwork, two more enquiries came in. This was a hot item! We did the paperwork and when I said, OK, payment time, the young guy paid in cash. Wow. (It’s in the bank now, tea leaves, so don’t bother). So we shook hands (actually, no we didn’t – virus) and they drove away. Deal done.

There was so much interest that I reckon I could have sold it four times over. I told a few guys it had been sold but although they’d said they were keen, they didn’t come. I said to them early that if someone came with the money, I’d have to do the deal and that’s what happened.

I actually sold it for $500 more than it cost me. I just added that to give myself some haggle room, but I reckon I could have added another $1,000 or more if I’d thought of it.

But the ludicrous tricksters – one guy said “I’m just asking if you might be willing to except 2000 please I’m looking for a car for my mum and that’s all I have atm cheers“. Ha ha har, what a stupid way to say it. Several guys tried to make stupid low offers like this, or ask me what’s my lowest price. I said, “Mate, there is so much interest that I have no need to lower the price.”

So, it’s gone and although I had trouble getting in and out and didn’t drive it much, I’m going to miss it. It was in remarkably good condition for a 25 year old car but lacked things compared to more modern cars. Like a rear window wiper.

I should mention, two of the really keen enquirers were women and they were both very disappointed when I told them they’d missed it. But one wanted to swap me for a Honda Prelude and the other hadn’t got her finances together. Sorry ladies, it would have been nice to meet you.

NB: the MX-6 in Melbourne that I nearly bought sight unseen for $6,000 earlier this year is still for sale. It’s on Car Sales. It’s lucky I didn’t proceed as it was going to cost another $1300-1500 to have it brought across and it looks as if other buyers are not going for it.

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The Throttle Position Sensor for the Honda MDX arrived on Monday too, so as soon as I can get that in, the better. That car hasn’t moved in about four months and has cost me two new tyres and a new battery this year, plus $70 for this TPS, so it’s not in my good books. No fuel, though.

I wish I knew what the future holds because I had thought about driving north in the Honda, but I’m a bit nervous about a second wave of the virus.

I’ve had an odd “rash” on my fingers in the past few weeks which the GP diagnosed as chillblains, but I’ve had chillblains when I was much younger and they weren’t like this – red raised lumps and areas of skin on the fingers, spreading to both hands.

The doc prescribed a blood pressure drug to open up the veins, but the rash was going away of its own accord so I only took one tablet.

However, I read news reports of Purple Toe Syndrome which sounds like what I had, except that it affects the fingers too. It’s being talked about as a side effect of COVID-19, so I got a little worried and thought I’d better get tested.

I phoned the medical centre this afternoon and the doc said (a) there is no community virus activity in WA (reassuring); and (b) in the absence of any other symptoms (true) there’s no reason to have a test.

But if I want one, phone for an appointment at a Clarkson clinic. Then he made a joking reference to not wanting a probe of the underside of my brain. Yeah! So that’s that.