It's a bit boring doing a tour without wheels. Sam only has a two-seater car, and we are three (and two and a half suitcases). As much as I protested that Cathy could just hang onto the soft-top at 90 miles per hour down the motorway, we had to make alternative transport arrangements.
Most private car sales here are conducted by way of the Auto Trader website or eBay. A good thing with the postcode system is that you can tell it where you are, and it can figure out with reasonable accuracy how far away other things are. We searched for cars within 10 miles of our current location and ended up looking at a 1993 Vauxhall Cavalier.
It's probably not the best thing to do to buy the first car you see, but it seemed a good price and an honest seller, so we bought it and drove off into the sunset.
We've nicknamed the car "The Goat", because the reg is L437 MEW, and goats mew. It turns out that goats don't actually mew, kittens do; but we can hardly rename it retrospectively, and we're too tough to drive around in a kitten. We could alternatively buy the personalised plate "BLEAT" - personalised plates aren't very big here, so it's probably available.
Car insurance is compulsory in the UK, and if you watch any television you'll be reminded of this with at least three spots in every ad break. A quote online for 3rd party insurance worked out about £250-£300 - not much less than the value of the car! After buying the car I rang the AA and asked them for a quote, which worked out at £1300. I asked them if they were having a laugh, and they suggested that my quote online was much more realistic. Turns out your international license and driving history counts for almost nothing: so a temporary 135 pound for the month has to do.
I've never owned a car before - Mum owned my (her) old beige Corolla and I've had a work vehicle ever since. It's interesting being a member of the Landed Gentry all of a sudden.
Anyone want to buy a car? Available from the end of the month, only one more owner than it had in July.
Tags: travel
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