ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

In the weeks preceding this cruel dry summer in November of last year, Mike Dickson’s car began to shit itself, he says.

“It was making a high-pitched whine – but only when I turned it on. It went away after a while,” he told The Advocate.

The 29-year-old is speaking to our reporter in the food court of the Betoota Heights Stockland. He was a guest of The Advocate and enjoyed a slice of mud cake from the last Michel’s Patisserie in the Channel Country while our reporter scratched his nicotine patch and wondered why he didn’t just become an engineer or something.

“Then when I changed gears from drive into reverse, it made a really loud clunk. Going from park into drive, it took longer than usual. About five seconds. That made me worry a bit.”

But his Corolla kept on rolling, despite its obvious problems.

Mr Dickson said he would’ve had the things fixed earlier if it wasn’t for the car’s stereo, which he used to drown out all the bad sounds coming from his car and his own brain.

Until today, he says, when the screaming coming from under the bonnet was so loud and unacceptable that it was audible above the full-cranked aftermarket stereo system.

“I was used to turning heads,” he said.

“Not because of how the car looked but because of what it sounded like. It sounds like a catfight in a boat and someone’s letting the anchor down.”

Mike lead our reporter into the Stockland’s carpark to listen to the car and was happy with Mike’s description of what it sounded like.

“But I guess now I’ve got to do something about it. I owe it to Jessie the Corolla for getting me through another summer in Betoota, which is no easy feat.”

Mike said he’d let us know what the mechanic says when he takes Jessie in there next week.

More to come.



