I haven’t been too active on the kite front lately, and it’s not because the wind hasn’t been good. The main culprit has been my car. Or rather, my former car.

It all started on my way back from the Nordic Kite Meeting (NKM) in June. After dropping Anders off in Gothenburg, I went back to the car, turned the key … and nothing. Dead. Completely silent. For a moment, I thought the trip was over right there in the parking lot. After some time fiddling around, I finally managed to get it running again, but the long drive home was far from smooth. The engine kept acting up, and I knew something wasn’t right.

At first, I suspected bad diesel, but after more checks and a bit of research, it became clear that the crankshaft sensor was to blame. So I ordered a new one. The only problem? A delivery time of six weeks. That meant a long summer without being able to rely on my car — not the most practical situation when you depend on it for both kites and horse trailer duties.

Finally, the sensor arrived, but before installing it, it was time for the EU inspection. And that’s when the real trouble started. The car didn’t pass. Not even close. It came back with a laundry list of costly issues — far more than I was willing to sink into a car that was already giving me headaches. After a short period of thinking it over, I made the decision to let it go. It was simply time to move on.

That kicked off the hunt for a new “kite car.” But my needs aren’t simple. I don’t just need a vehicle to get me and my kites around. I also need something powerful enough to tow a horse trailer weighing up to 3,500 kg. And with my somewhat limited budget, the pool of suitable options was pretty small. I spent much of the summer — and even into the fall — scrolling through listings, visiting dealerships, test-driving cars, and narrowing down my choices.

It wasn’t an easy task. Finding something that could handle the towing, wasn’t too old or worn out, and still fit my budget felt almost impossible at times. But after a lot of searching, I finally struck gold. I came across a Mercedes ML that immediately stood out.

This wasn’t just any used car. It came with a complete service history, a thick binder full of receipts and invoices, and only one careful previous owner who clearly took pride in maintaining it. For a car of its age and mileage, it’s in remarkably good condition. That gave me confidence that if I keep up the same level of care, it should last me for many years to come.

I picked it up on Thursday, and since then, I’ve already put it through its first test runs. So far, I’m impressed. It feels tight and solid on the road, and with around 230 horsepower under the hood, it has no problem pulling away on the highway. More importantly, it handles towing duties with ease — the trailer doesn’t slow it down at all. That was a big relief.

So, while this whole car saga has eaten up much of my summer and autumn, I finally feel like I can breathe again. With reliable transport sorted out, I’m hoping there will be more time — and headspace — for kite flying in the weeks ahead. Autumn winds can be fantastic, and I’m really looking forward to getting back out there with the kites.

Here’s to smoother rides and higher flights in the months to come!