BVF 138T
1978 Opel Rekord 2.0S Berlina
Bought: July 2005 for £400, 76,000 miles
Sold: October 2005 for £510, 77,000 miles

eBay is a dangerous thing. Particularly if you already have an old car, as it's the best place to get service parts and suchlike. One day, in the midst of my search for a radiator, I spy this beastie. E-mails fly back and forth between seller and potential bidder. Bid goes in but doesn't make reserve. Haggling commences. Car is sold.

I guess I was always on a downer because the gold Rekord was as close to perfect as possible, and so this one could never live up to it. Realistically, it was still in good shape given it's age, but if I'd had this one before the gold one I would have probably been well pleased instead of slightly disappointed.

Having said that, it wasn't all bad news. This one taught me more about mechanics than any of my previous cars combined. During my ownership I managed to complete the following:

• Full service - oil, oil filter, air filter, spark plugs
• Refurbished the wheels
• Removed loads of crap from under the bonnet - airhorns etc
• Changed the fuel pump and fuel lines
• Changed the radiator
• Stripped the front valance, patched holes, and repaint
• Changed the HT leads, condensor, distributor cap, rotor arm and points
• Changed the brake fluid
• Changed the gearbox and differential oil

Seems like every Saturday for the time I owned the car I was doing something...the only things I turned to professional help for were changing the clutch (a bit beyond my capabilities to drop the bellhousing and propshaft) and the brakes (I couldn't get the original pads out).

Update 30.10.05:  Once I'd done everything I could to the blue Rekord, it went onto eBay. It made £510 in the end which I was happy with. It's gone to a new owner in Northampton.

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