So I drove into work today and had no engine related problems with Bob.

What did happen though was the previously-awkward downchange from 4th gear to 3rd became a currently-impossible downchange. When it played up before holding it in neutral for a while or double-declutching worked but today it just wouldn’t go in gear regardless of what I tried.

Some research on the JustKampers forum came up with some ideas and after speaking to my Dad it seems that we’re going to try changing all the gearbox bushes. I’ll see if MOT Services Halstead are up for doing it and if not we’ll either have to get it back to Stratford and do it ourselves or take it Superbeetles. Whatever, it needs to be done sooner rather than later as the Smart’s up for sale and so I’ll need Bob to get to work until I get another car and I don’t want to drive it too much with the gearbox as it is.