8th March 25 Day off? Not quite

Yes today being Saturday you would expect a day off. Working for so many years in automotive retail makes a Saturday a normal working day. Hard to get up on this day and have nothing to do, work wise. I loved a Saturday morning at work. No pressure from above..as they of course only worked Monday to Friday. So it was all about the sales team. Often I would buy them breakfast and create a good atmosphere that customers sometimes fed off. I actually remember the days at Fiat in central London. In the 80s and 90s FIAT (to be correct) as it's a abbreviation for Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino. And actually also means "Let it be done" in Latin.

So I remember this time fondly as my love of all things Italian, hadn't been partially killed by my experience in Sicily. Not Sicilys fault, but the people I went into business with. (I know it sounds obvious now) I'll explain another time.

But back then I worked for FIAT in London and the loyal London based Italians would all buy FIAT, Alfa Romeo cars and on a Saturday. A local Italian bakery would supply us with pastries and a proper coffee machine to make our customers feel a little at home. Over Espresso and Cappuccino they would talk cars and look round the showroom at the new models and we would always sell a few. We had at that time in the showroom an original Cinquecento on display. And on a Saturday I would. If the weather permitted, bring my Ducati 748 . A special version, tuned by the Casoli brothers version which had magnesium gold wheels. Carbon exhausts. Tuned suspension parts and a dry clutch. It also had a leather seat in the colours of the Italian flag. Not the easiest bike to ride round London!!

This was one of the last years of the Yearly August 1st registration days. In that month I remember the dealership registered 1000 new Fiat's

Shame the big group that bought them out decided to break the business by moving it to Hanwell. Further west and right in the middle of the Asian community. Known for their love of Toyota and Nissan products in those days. Good move yes? Actually given fiats decline after this until the new 500 was launched in 2007. Maybe they knew.. but I doubt it.

So, my Saturday this week was taken up when I saw 🪚 quick job from Peugeot Oxford, a place I know I can get to easily to collect a car going to North East London. Vauxhall Chingford to be exact.

I took the X20 bus from Aylesbury to Oxford and jumped off at the bottom of Iffley road and began the 20 minutes walk to Vertu Peugeot.

Having lived for a while in Cambridge I had never visited Oxford so the walk is quite pleasant and I found that my walk took me past the very place, Roger Bannister ran his and the world's first sub four minute mile

I thought it would be a bit more Chariots of fire than this.

Arrived at Peugeot and was immediately struck by another reason I left the business.

Really???

So the car, a Toyota CR-V was collected and I took advantage of an early morning, weekend M25 trip to Chingford.

Arriving there I met someone I had worked with previously and exchanged the normal "How do I get into your business" conversation.

He gave me a lift to the nearest station which is Meridian Water. Looks like a new one?

Meridian Water station

I took the next train into London and journeyed amongst the civilians across the underground to Marylebone to catch the train to Aylesbury

You already know my thoughts on people using the underground in London at the weekend.

Arriving back in Aylesbury in time to collect the car for Monday's job was a bonus. So walked from the station to the dealership for collection. The car was ready and a quick appraisal and signature. I was 5 minutes from home and a well deserved day off tomorrow.