Snap it up while you can!

Cheap, genuine motors don't hang around on sale for long as I learnt first hand.

AS some of you will know about me getting rid of my Ford Ka. It's been a scenario of going, going - not yet - gone. It was to be next weekend it is finally going to be gone. When I get my first pay slip from work, then part exchange it for another motor I found for sale via the Auto Trader this week.

I found a lovely 1998 (S-reg) Peugeot 306 1.6 Meridian for sale. It had 5 doors and was quite a high spec model with: alloy wheels, electric windows, central locking, air conditioning and a CD player. Only had 2 owners from new, with around 56,000 miles on the clock and a service history.

The condition of the vehicle was generally good that helped back that up. Particularly with no rust on the bodywork - though you don't really see rusty old Pugs do you? It was going for a low asking price (presumably trade as it was being sold by a dealer). Tempted? Well I was.

Before deciding on buying the vehicle, I got an insurance quote on the vehicle and that took me by surprise. Being 21 and having a year's no claim it was around 25% cheaper than what I currently pay for my car. Oh and to sweeten it up with some sugar, it was also Fully Comp; whereas I'm Third Party, Fire and Theft at the moment.

So I made my mind up on getting the car. But I had to hang fire, because I don't get paid until next week and hope that the car wasn't sold next week. When I had my Ka fully valeted and ready to be part exchanged for the 306.

That 306 would have been a great prospective next car. It looked great. It had plenty of space for me and my friends and family whenever they travel on board with me. It's a quicker and more capable car that I would've liked. Being a keen driver, having read so many columns and articles on how good the 306 is as a driver's car. That 306 would have suited me down to the ground to meet my wants and needs.

But it could be a case of being too good to be true as the 306 I wanted to buy has already been sold. Damn! Moral of the story? Cheap, genuine cars quickly get snapped by bargain hunters. I learnt that lesson the hard way.

So the hunt continues for my next car...