On the road again.

When I started working for the Help Scheme back in 2010 I sold Gzu, my wonderful yellow Peugeot 206SW, I loved that car - but it was getting old and I was getting a company car (do you know I can't for the life of me remember what I had!).  At the end of the job (October 2011) I decided to see how I'd do without a car, just for a few months.

I figured that I lived in a city with very good public transport, both locally and nationally, and if I needed a car urgently i could either hire one or borrow from Colin, Bob or Liz (all of whom had put me on their insurance at some point).  I was also going to be studying so a car would be a luxury I couldn't afford.

That was nearly four years ago and I can honestly say I've not really missed having a car.  Yes I've hired and borrowed, and I was out of Sheffield (travelling) for 7 months; but when i was here the buses were fine - even in the rain!

However last week I was offered a new job, the catch being that although I'll be office based it's located out on the Parkway - only about 5 miles away but certainly not walkable, and there are is only one bus an hour from the centre of the city - I'll need a car.

So today Liz and I went car shopping.  I'd made the decision that I needed something I could keep in the drive, and without trying loads of cars on my drive it seemed simpler to just get another Peugeot - maybe not a SW again but certainly a 206.  I like the way they drive and they are within my price range (up to £1500).

Wonderfully Liz is lending me the money for the car and insurance, I'll just have to tax it.

I used the Autotrader app to make a shortlist of seven cars across the city, including a 206 CC (cabriolet), and we set off.  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately!?) we couldn't find the first garage so I never got to see the cabriolet.  After test driving a 206 we randomly saw in a lot (not on my hit list) I realised that an 1100 cc car really wasn't going to have enough 'go' for me, I needed a 1400.

The next car we saw was just like Gzu, except in blue (I hate blue cars!).  The milage was low, it's in good condition (one paint chip on the bonnet, and the remote key is knackered) and it was within my price range.  Despite initially taking a disliking to the dealer (he seemed very weary of a female car buyer!), I test drove it - and bought it!

Tomorrow morning I'll go and pick up 'Ego' (his number plate starts EG0) and again be the proud owner of a Peugeot 206SW - it will be nice to have my own wheels again.  What isn't so nice is not having any no claims bonus ;( .