Actually, cars were an interesting one ...

We have a 20 year old Classic SAAB 900 convertible used daily (my wife's runabout), and until last year my daily ride was a 25 year old Classic SAAB 900 turbo. I've replaced that with a ten year old SAAB 9-5 Aero, which has a larger engine (2.3) and a shed load more power! I figured that buying in new cars with smaller engines and more energy efficiency would not have a pay-off for many many years, environmentally or cost-wise.

Re-using old cars maintained and in perfect running order is something I think is right.

There was a fun study carried out in California some years ago (which was weighted towards proving a point, but ...) where a SAAB 9000 was driven around and it was found that the air quality from the exhaust was better than the air going in! Something to do with high temperature turbochargers burning off toxins and when running right very efficiently burning fuel.

We are thinking of a 4WD car/truck ... any recommendations? Being in the UK, we have the Classic Land Rover, modern Land Rover, Range Rover, Vauxhall Frontier and all the Japanese utility vehicles - Nissan Patrol, Mitsubishi Shogun, that kind of thing, even Jeep Wrangler. Any direct experience of a smaller 4WD? Something more than ten years old, anyway ... it galls me to pay more than a couple of grand for a car when there are so many old cars that are just so good for no money.

We get snow only a few days a year (although the last couple of winters prior to this one were very harsh with prolonged snow/ice on the ground) and the main roads are almost always kept clear - it's the side roads which never see grit or salt and are literally impassable on non-snow tyres.

Where we live now is quite high, compared, and so we're used to swapping over to winter tyres. I think that will do for the snow we get - usually, its just how wet it goes very quickly leaving surfaces which are literally worse than ice.

Where we're moving to is out in farming country, the roads covered in mud, water from the fields which can turn to slush and ice in winter - I think the notion of a 4WD is more for a bit of fun and bravado than anything else.

Looking objectively at it, we're affected for maybe a month with threatening weather, 5-7 days actually, and maybe only one or two of those where the roads grind to gridlock, where I just park up and walk. Snow tyres don't help when nobody can move ...

It's not like there isn't a main road, bus route and shops within walking distance. I've figured out a safe enough "snow day" driving route to the main road which is little more than a mile. The the odd days a year that vehicles are grounded, it's just a case of walking.

As I said, an idle curiosity, but information and experiences are always worth collecting.

You've come to my summary of the matter. When fully abstracted, we'll still be on "a road", tarmac, all the way to the main road. Given how our convertible plays on snow tyres, I'll get some for my car.

I guess I'm getting a little carried away. I've been looking at mini-4WD cars, like the Suzuki Jimny and the Toyota RAV4, and while they offer exactly what I'm after (on paper), so do just about every other car ... on snow tyres. I mean, our SAABs fair very well in Sweden on real snow ... on snow tyres.

Thankfully, I'll have the space to service my cars. Presently, our cars live on the main road and it does get problematic with articulated lorries flying past when the cars are up on jacks to do anything safely. Up, on my own land off the road will be a big bonus for me.

I did have a small fantasy about a classic Austin Mini on thin snow tyres, with fat slicks for summer. I may well still do that, but they are expensive! I'm a big fan of old(er) FIATs and may well just get an old Cinq, or better, a 127 BIS and turbocharge it for fun. I really do fancy something small and go-kart sized for terrorizing those country lanes!

Getting closer now, our structural survey has been completed and there's just a couple of small points to rectify before completion. It's within reach now ... 6-8 weeks.

Back to your comment J about not taking forward things which you don't need ... we are already both of us very pared back, but there are things I have carried (unwillingly and out of a sense of familial duty) since teenage years. I want shot! Mostly, it's books. Books and furniture.

Books - I can't read anyway. I have a really bad scotopic sensitivity which I know how to get around and touched upon when I picked up my copy of TGC. Reading on the slant or reading by not quite reading I can cope with. I have loads of books because my parents read, and read a lot. I don't. Time to get shot.

Likewise, furniture. Again, my family are big on heirlooms. Well, much of it is just plain old furniture ... old now; imbued more with emotional anchors and weights than real use. Functional furniture like a good dining table (tribal table) where much of our social lives revolve around is necessary and I want to build my own for the new house. The rest will get slaughtered for firewood! I know that sounds harsh, but we've got a good wood burner in the new house and ... well ... harsh, but it's not like our kids want any of it 🙂

Building something which has meaning, like my idea of making up a new dining table with my Dad and getting my lad involved will give meaning to the item. Yes, much of the furniture I have is from older relatives passed down, and it's good stuff, but it is old and getting past it. New pieces which are used for fun, family and for good times will give it meaning ... but down the line if it's no more use than firewood, I'll be happy for it to be burned up while good memories are remembered.

I want this to be a real change in our lives - to take us all, all our family forward, discarding the baggage and defining a new set of relationships founded without that baggage. Our fresh start (me and my wife) can spread out to our kids and to our relationships with parents, which can be the hardest to tackle and the hardest to rationalise, yet the best to resolve. Modern life really messes with what should be easy, natural relationships.

The Suzuki Jimny seems to be the current favourite - proper off-roader, small, easy, auto-box, hi/lo gearbox and looks like a lot of fun. My Mrs does not like the idea of a "big four wheel drive", but warmed to the Jimny when we saw one parked next to a FIAT Punto (which we've had a couple of), and it is smaller. She thought it was quite cute - on fat, more masculine off-road tyres and a 3" lift, it should be good for both of us 😀

Let's see what the first winter in the new place brings and see if we need better or want more fun at the weekends.