So with more work coming in than I thought in semi-retirement (very pleasant - writing and examining, mostly done at home), there's money sitting in my savings account earning less than 1%. Just too tempting....still missing my old Z3 a little....so look at Cars for Sale on this site.

Given how impressive SWMBO's Audi A1 is, an A3 convertible? The 1.4 TSIs are too recent and too expensive. BMW? A 1-series is big enough, and there are some with the legendary straight-six. Not many about - and to this site's credit, only two more on Autotrader than on here. Mostly black, and mostly 135is with a turbo which could go wrong. A 125i cabrio is fast enough - and miraculously there's a silver one, with red leather, only an hour away from here, at Ferndown. Seven years old (10-registered), and just the right sort of mileage, 52,600, for just under £11,000, about the right price it seems compared with others on the market.

Full BMW service history - it looks immaculate and the engine sounds very healthy. Chartered accountants aren't supposed to do things like this, but....I've got it and it's great. Picked it up last Friday and so far so good. There's an independent very nearby - Autotechnics in Gillingham, Dorset, who have a very good reputation locally and should look after servicing.

Eight out of ten for Lamwell Motor Co, a reputable dealer with good reviews online: immaculately prepared for sale and a year's MoT and 6 months' AA Gold warranty (for what that's worth!). But they shouldn't have sold it - and I should have checked - that the rear tyres are runflats and the front ones aren't. Getting runflats on the front tomorrow.

OK, three cars between two of us is extravagant - but (a) I've worked for it and (b) you only live once....

Edited by Avant on 03/07/2017 at 20:01