Have you tried driving in Guernsey? If so, you’ll certainly know the roads are narrow and how often you have to mount kerbs to avoid oncoming traffic.

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

Talking with James of Bluechip, we learned these cars hadn’t been made since 2004. As an importer of Japanese cars, James said he’d look for one and let us know if something suitable popped up.

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

So with our beloved Jeep being exchanged for Sparky, we no longer have to swerve onto kerbs.

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