Piers and Lin du Pré bought their new Fleming 55 / 129, Play d'eau, in 2003.
Our new ultra-thin Sparky
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Broken wing mirrors are evidence enough.
It was obvious, really. We had to sell the Jeep Cherokee and find a thin car. But how thin was thin?
Vital statistics
And then we saw a Toyota Sparky. She looked as though she had been squashed sideways like jam in a sandwich.
At 2m tall (6’3″) and only 1.5m wide (4′ 11″) she was really thin. Thin and box-like.
Perfect for Guernsey. But what would our children make of her?
Blue Chip
Box-like, Sparky is perfect for Guernsey roads
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Three months passed before we received an email. Would we like a pearlescent white Sparky, petrol, year 2000, 1300cc automatic, fuel injection engine, 70,000kms on the clock, electric windows, electric folding wing mirrors, ABS and Snow control (snow? Perfect for Guernsey of course…), in excellent condition?
Of the 7 seats, the rear 2 can be folded away completely into a hold under the floor leaving a huge area for baggage.
‘Oh, and she’s in really good condition for 15 years old,’ added James.
Did we hesitate?
Exit Jeep, enter Sparky
Our Toyota Sparky
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We have to admit, Sparky is such fun to drive.
Comments from the children included, ‘Stannah lift, zimmer frame, perfect for old people’, but once they’d been in her they all admitted she was a great car.
Piers and Lin
from the motor garage of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55
Perfect, perfect! She looks like two cars-one on top of the other- and with a squashed nose! But sounds ideal for Guernsey. Perhaps you should be careful in high winds? What a lot is packed into that tiny car- or maybe not so tiny after all. Ideal. You could put her on Play d’eau when you go to France and drive around, inland!
Lots of love, Hil x x
I found it hard to believe that she has such a high specification given she’s 15 years old! I love driving her You sit high up, can see over walls as you turn corners, and she runs so sweetly.
You are right about high winds. The book does warn about this and about taking corners too quickly, both tending to make the car lean over…oops.
Hi Piers/Lin,
Good article, if only more fellow islanders took the same approach as you. I’ve got a Suzuki Carry Van, also from Blue Chip and I couldn’t fault it and as you say a lot less mounting the curb and ruining the alloy wheels or getting a blow out. All these new Mercedes and Range Rovers look flash but sod all practicality on island. Great job on the website by the way. I’ll come and say hello one day.
Best wishes
Hi Sean. Thanks for the kind words and I look forward to seeing you in Beaucette one day.
Hi, I have one too and love it. I’m wondering if I can take it to France on the motorway. Have you been there?
Hi Andrea. No, we haven’t taken ours to France. Our concern would be the availability of spares in case of breakdown.