Woe is me.

The insurer has decided to write off the Ford. Due to the increase in car prices, they have effectively paid me £1850 to drive it for two years but I will need to spend about £1000 more to get back to where I was. That and a lot of effort. Sod it! Suppose I could put heated glass and Aircon in the F then go and find myself a nice CX for fun but it would not go down well ...

How badly was it damaged? Sometimes it's good to get a body shop to have a look and give you a price to repair. Depending on what category of write off it comes under, you might find to buy back and repair is better value than trying to replace and all that goes with that.

Yes, I could but the car is heaven knows where (Skelmersdale, I think,) and it would end up being a great deal of hassle, so I am actually better off swallowing it. Don't mean I have to like it!

No, I understand your pain, I had the same couple years back with my dad. They were keen to write his car off, but after saying I could get it done cheaper than they were going to pay out, we managed to get it sorted. But it was a hard slog.

A younger Ford without the sunroof and with a higher mileage is now on order.

And rejected. When a car says something about you, it shouldn't be "Do not resuscitate." The colour was a blue that was more like a grey. There was a little body damage and it just didn't enthuse me. I have to be enthused to part with five figures. The budget got spent to the maximum for a better, younger one with the sunroof and metallic turquoise paintwork that Ford call Blue Wave. Madam won't miss that in the car park!