Well then, that’s that explained then. Those random spots of oil on my driveway weren’t from the engine, they were out of the gearbox, and the reason they stopped was because the oil had all run out. This is because the oil seal around one of the drive shafts had split. I guess it must have properly split when I came home at the weekend, sending the rest of the oil in the gearbox out onto the road.

I took my car to the Fiat garage where a mechanic and me went for a test drive. After that it went into their garage and was looked at, while I sat and played on my iPod and drank funny vending machine tea. After a while the happy smily salesman came out and invited me in to have a look. It was quite interesting being able to see under my car properly, and now I know where the gearbox oil level hole is and what to do with it… shame I need to jack the car six foot off the ground to use this knowledge.

They’ve now got my car and are fitting the new seal, filling the gearbox with oil and will then take it out for a test. Hopefully they’ll have sorted it and it won’t need the gearbox dismantling and fixing.

I’ve got a coutesy car to use until then, it’s a brand new 08 reg Fiat Punto, and compared to my boxy Panda it’s like piloting a battleship. I think I like it, maybe they’ll want to give it to me and keep my car instead. Quite glad I got a courtesy car, I was all set for walking home but because it was warm, had left my jacket at home. The minute I got into the car to come back, it started raining very hard.