It never rains....

My car has been making some odd noises fo rthe last week or so. Called my mechanic but he's on holiday until last Sunday so kept the use of the car to a minimum. Spoke to mechanic and he would pop up Monday evening for a listen and a looksee. Yesterday I had to use it very briefly and it started making an even funnier noise. Mechanic didn't stand over the car, shaking his head, pursing his lips and inhaling through his teeth because he's not that kind of person, but if he was that kind of person then he would have been standing over the car shaking his head etc etc.

He suspects either a gear box or transmission problem, and something wrong with the engine as well. I haven't had any problems with the gear box so my money is on the transmission...not sure if that's the more expensive option or not. At the moment he can't tell me when I might get it back.

Which is all something of a bugger as we've got Greyhound Gap's annual show in Walsall on Sunday and as well as me, OH and The Lurchers, I have a load of boxes and two bloody great big gazebos to take with me. OH's car also has a problem with its engine management system so we can't take that either. My boss has offered me her Freelander but that just isn't going to be big enough. So it looks like on top of the expense of getting the car fixed, I'm going to have to hire a car as well. And it's a Bank Holiday Weekend which means a three day hire and not just the two I need it for.

*moving swiftly to a few hours later* and we might be back on with the Freelander again. Boss asked the very obvious question, why don't we put a roof rack on it? Oh, that's a good idea, so now off to hunt for a roofrack. Anyone know where I might be able to hire one!?