to shortly be replaced

Whilst I don't like driving very much at all, especially not in the city and especially when there's any alternative (of which there is always at least one) I was at least reasonably used to Nicky's current small, light, unobtrusive and relatively economical car. My main gripe about it (other than its existence when there's a perfectly good public transport system and erratic-use car-rental scheme which we could at least try at some point) was that it forces my legs into odd positions on long journeys which usually results in a painful knee for a day after a trip to either set of parents. It even managed to contain all the components of the only child-transportation system we found with which I was able to walk almost normally without kicking a bit of it with every step, although anyone sitting directly behind the front seat when the baby seat is in place would be reminded of the legroom available to passengers in budget airlines. When most of its journeys have been unnecessary single-occupancy trips between the flat and Nicky's less-than-three-miles-away work it could hardly have been considered vital, though if someone does have to make a single-occupancy journey it's slightly better if they do so in a small car. I was therefore mildly dismayed to hear that Nicky's parents have persuaded her (technically us, but I shall be maintaining such dissociation as I can get away with and driving it as little as possible, especially in the city) to buy their old car whilst they buy another for which they've managed to persuade someone to use Nicky's existing car as a sacrificial trade-in. Their car is big. Too big, inconveniently-shaped and with stupid pillars which block the view and stupidly designed so that you can't see the front corners from the driving position. Apart from anything else the radio is probably permanently stuck at a tasteless-music-and-association-football-punditry channel and there are probably several pairs of shoes, golf umbrellas and unidentifiable bits of stuff jammed underneath the seats and in the little plastic reservoir-things. And it's too big. Though this will mean that it will contain my bike without removing the pedals, handlebars, wheels and everything else from the car which means that I'll be easily able to take it with us the next time we go down to visit my parents.