106 Rallye Monthly Report

Total Mileage: 124,664

Mileage This Month: 617

Costs This Month: Zero

It's been a pretty routine month for the Rallye. Rolling it out of its garage when the weather's decided to be nice is still a treat though, because it means I get to drive what's surely one of the most involving, special hot hatches there's ever been.

With the unseasonably good weather in the last week, it's had a fair amount of use. The roads to and from university aren't the most inspiring, but there are a few little roads on the way that the car shines on.

It's its tenacious characteristic that shines through; turn in is instant, with a real inertia-free feel to it, and you can place the car wherever you want because the steering's just so damn good. Honestly, having no power assistance is a true blessing. Sure, it's hard to get used to at first, but I wouldn't have it any other way now because of its brilliant feel.

Problems? Well, the starting issue's intermittent, but still it's nothing catastrophic. There's the tiniest oil drip coming from the sump, and one problem's been self healed. At night, if the lights were on, obviously the instruments light up too. The speedo and rev counter are illuminated, but since very early on in my ownership it's never fully lit up the aforementioned dials. Zero to 110mph are blazing, but the final third was much duller. Same goes for the adjacent rev counter; the first third were dull, whereas the final two thirds were brightly lit. Now, everything's lit up as it should be, so I suppose it's just one of these notorious 'quirks' that old French hot hatches are renowned for!

As the winter approaches, it's safe to say that this car's going to be sitting clean and pretty in its garage for much of the time. I'd considered declaring it SORN for the winter, but as memories of those glorious, cloud-free cold winter days come back, I feel it's more than worth it to keep the Rallye taxed and insured just in case I fancy a blast if the roads are dry.