We love our car. Really, we do. However, it is important to mention that he is a bit tempermental and doesn´t always like to start. He always -eventually- starts so, you know, that´s a plus! In a moment I will bring you to our present (improved!) situation, but for now let´s hear the back story.

Incident #1

Not more than an hour after leaving London we stopped to get some gas before heading to France via the Chunnel. We were so excited to finally be on the road and happy at the thought of putting our car on a train that would take us (by under water tunnel!) to the next country on our list.

We jump back in the car, still a little shocked at the price of gas, but ready to hit the road again.

Doug puts the key in the ignition and turns.

Silence.

He tries again.

Silence.

Hmmm.

At this point we begin to think we must have left our ipod charging while we were waiting for the rally start. Perhaps we drained the battery? Perhaps our charging system caused a short? We don´t really know what to think, because it hadn´t happened before and we have only had possession of the car for 48 hours. A few mechanics had seen it, and so we were generally confident in the vehicle. Anyway, we decide to buy jumper cables at the gas station, and ask a man for a jump. After rolling our car off to the side of the station, we try to start it one more time.

Doug puts the key in the ignition and turns.

Vvvvrrooom.

We shrug at the man who offered the jump and decide since we have the jumper cables we should keep going, and if we need a jump in the future we will be fine.

We take the awesome ride in the Chunnel, and drive off in France without a hitch. We drive for hours, stop for a gas and food a few times … we are fine, the car is fine. The starting problem must have been a fluke.

Or not.

Incident #2

Around 10:00pm Doug taught me how to drive stick on a small road in the French countryside. It really only took about 10 minutes to get the hang of it, but like most learners I have the occasional trouble getting the car into first gear.

I stall at a stop sign.

I turn the ignition.

The car won´t start.

Luckily within minutes the car decides to start up again. Off we go.

I drive for hours, getting the hang of down shifting on hills and generally learning how to drive in a british right-hand drive vehicle with left hand drive French vehicles all around. All is well.

Incident #3 - more of the same attitude from the car.

Incident #4

Around 5:30 am the next day we stop for gas again and Doug and I decide to switch off on the driving, I need a nap. We clambor back into the vehicle.

Doug puts the key in the ignition and turns.

Silence.

He tries again.

Silence.

We wait 20 minutes and still no luck. We decide to take a nap and figure out what to do once we have had some shut eye. I wake up around 8:00 am to the engine roaring. Doug has turned the key and our little devil of a car has decided it is time to hit the road. At this point, we know we need to see a mechanic but decide to try to make it to Spain for the repairs.

Incident #5
What more to add? The car chooses not to start at some point in the mountains on our way to Caleta de Velez, but we give it a few tries, it starts, and we finally make it to Caleta de Velez to meet our hosts, only a few hours late.

Luckily, when we reached Caleta de Velez, our host Richard guided us to the Suzuki hospital, where our car was diagnosed with a failing starter. In addition to replacing the starter, the mechanic made a few other gratis adjustments, including repositioning our modified engine to help with some of the wholly unnatural sounds which came from our car in second gear. Thanks to your donations, we were just able to pay the nice mechanic and get back on the road! 

Our Suzuki Sam seems to be feeling better than ever and is ready to take the Sahara and subsaharan West Africa. Be thinking happy car thoughts … In the mean time, I´m off to look for a car therapist.