Old skule

You might remember that my car has expired - this isn't a new experience but the whole thing around buying another car is one I find intensely discomfiting.  I know nothing about cars or what I should consider when buying one. I don't have a secure source of income so I'm not going to take on a finance deal and I have no desire to spend too much of my money. I'm of a generation brought up to believe that all car salesmen wear camel-hair coats and are shysters. One way or another I don't go into the transaction feeling comfortable. Of course the web means that now we can do a good deal of homework before heading out but for me that also means that I will spend a lot of time looking at completely unsuitable vehicles; a sporty cabriolet with no boot simply isn't sensible but nor is a 7-seater people carrier or a big 4x4 - I've bookmarked local examples of each of these in my car hunting this weekend. Finally my sensible head kicked in and I found a car at a local garage. I grabbed a cab and headed over there.

The bloke was on his own and even though I'd called to check that they had the car it was displayed a fair way from the entrance. When I asked if I could take it for a spin he had to move half-a-dozen cars to get it out. Then he jumped out and invited me to go for a test drive on my own - apparently I don't look like a car thief.

I took it up the road a ways, turned round and came back - it drives fine and will do what I want. 

"So" I said "I'll take it".
"When would you like it?" he enquired.
"Well - now!" I countered.
"Oh"

I suppose sensibly they don't MOT vehicles until they are sold. Thus I couldn't drive it away there and then.

"No problem" he smiled "we have a courtesy car............."

I parted with the plastic and he agreed to call me tomorrow when it's ready to collect. He then gave me a set of keys and waved to a patch of waste ground beyond his forecourt.

"It's that Skoda, it's a bit basic - no power-steering - but it'll get you home"

I can't remember the last time I drove a car without powered steering and, friends, I don't miss the experience. It really is dreadfully quaint and rather disconcerting. To take my mind off the steering it also has a clutch pedal which is about a foot higher than the other pedals and the clutch bites somewhere around the sun-visor; I've not been doing racing starts from the traffic lights. The trim level is 'basic' and I think the radio must be a post-sale addition as it doesn't go off when the key is taken out of the ignition. It's only got 64k on the clock on an S plate so registered in 1998 - I know that each of those miles has been hard-won; I think of it more as a "discourtesy car". What Car describes it as a "supermini" and it gets 2 stars. It's a retro driving experience and if anyone wants a Škoda Felicia it should be back with the salesman tomorrow afternoon all being well.