APRIL 2019 37of the gearbox casing, so I had to source
another,” Paul remembers with a grimace.
“I’d have liked a five-speed, but paying the
over-inflated prices for one wasn’t an option.
Luckily, motoring journalist, friend and fellow
2002 owner, Will Beaumont, came to the
rescue, and gave me a four-speed ‘box he
happened to have lying around.
“At that point, we decided to work
methodically around the whole car, carefully
checking everything. Other ‘teething
troubles’ I’ve had include the dodgy wiring
causing the headlamps to go out when
switching to full beam (at 70mph on
the A3), and a mysterious slipping clutch
which, despite changing everything, just
wouldn’t go away. I’d bleed it and, after 200
miles or so, it would start slipping again.
We eventually replaced the entire master
cylinder, and that cured the problem.”GOOD TIMES RULE!
All of this might make 2002 ownership
sound like a bit of a nightmare, but Paul’s
keen to point out that the good times
definitely outweigh the bad. Besides, this
wouldn’t be any fun if it was easy, would
it? If classic car ownership was as simple as
buying a new Korean hatchback on finance
then, surely, everybody would choose the
prettier and classier option.Paul bought the
2002 Touring for its
character and its
design, and is very
attached to the car.The interior is pretty much
standard, apart from the Momo
Prototipo steering wheel and
Recaro front seats.