Now I get a steady stream of cars each week for road tests (thanks Emap!) I can get rid of my Ford Focus.

But as is always the way, as soon as I thought about getting rid of my trusty chariot, it conked out on my drive. For no reason, except it seems, to RUIN my plans.

I tried to jump start it which didn't work. I removed the battery to charge it separately, only to find that it was fully charged. Ay? What? I had no idea what was going on.

It just so happens that I'd booked the car in for a service, so I went down to my local dealer on they way back from work. They gave me a number for a reliable tow bloke and said I could leave it at the back of the dealership while it waited for its service.

So that's where I am at the moment. I’m waiting for the dealer to ring me and let me know if they've fixed it under manufacturer warranty or will need a sizeable chunk of my recently arrived pay cheque.

I thought it would be a good idea to keep a progress report going on how the dealership deals with me and my trials at trying to sort out my finance agreement and then selling my Focus on.

Stay tuned for the next instalment: "Journalist busks for change after shelling out on car repairs."