Part 2....the show

So - we finally get to the Used Car Roadshow and everything got better! People made us cups of tea, settled us in the Green Room. I had my makeup done (which was needed after the night I'd had). I was a bit nervous. I watched the show last Wednesday and it seemed very technical - both presenters are obviously experts on cars and the buyer of the week last time seemed very knowledgeable. I know how to open a car door and get in and drive it. And that's about it. Which is exactly why I needed to be on the show!

I met one of the presenters, the beautiful Penny Mallory in the makeup room - she was lovely! She's a Champion Rally Driver so she knows her cars! She's also a mum so I think she appreciated my situation and understood why I needed the car. Then the other presenter - Jason Dawe arrived and he was also lovely - very funny - put me at my ease. He is Mr Used Car - Sunday Times Car Critic and industry expert. So I was in safe hands!

I was getting really excited now - couldn't wait to see the cars! As usual in telly we shot the show backwards so the first bit was me looking at the 3 cars they had found for me. There was a Vauxhall Zafira, a Mitsubishi SpaceStar and a Renault Scenic. The Scenic was stunning - and everyone was pointing me at it. Since all 3 cars were SO much nicer than anything I've ever contemplated driving, choosing one to reject was hard. In the end I didn't test drive the Zafira - it was older, larger and just didn't appeal as much as the other 2. And although it had 7 seats in it, which none of the others did, I decided I didn't actually want that option - I'd end up as the local taxi service!

So off I went to test drive with a camera man next to me and one of the producers in the back asking me questions. Disconcerting but fun! I drove the Mitsubishi first, then the Scenic....

Now - I won't go into tons of details cos you can watch it! (Don't know when it's on but will post it as soon as I know).

Should I tell you which car I eventually chose? Or make you wait a few weeks for the show.....

Hmmm.......

I can't wait! This is my new car. The photo doesn't do it justice. It's a beautiful silvery green colour. I can't believe I have a car like this for the budget I have - and I didn't pay that price shown on the website - Jason negotiated for me and got me a great deal. Penny reassured me that I'd made the right choice. The dealer was wonderful - drove us to the dealership and sorted out delivery - they're driving the car down from Leeds for me and it should be delivered tomorrow!

It doesn't quite seem real - that that beautiful machine is mine. I've never fallen in love with a machine before! But wow. It's amazing. And it's mine!!!

I would HIGHLY recommend anyone thinking about buying a used car to do it through this programme. I would never have found such an amazing car - I was quite picky about what I wanted - for such a limited budget. Everyone was wonderful and it was great fun.

So the dealer dropped us at Wakefield station for the journey home...I was hoping we could drive the Renault straight away but it wasn't taxed so it would have been illegal. I was dreading getting home as the journey up had been such a nightmare. Luckily we left Oscar's car seat in the Renault so that was one less thing to carry. But our luck wasn't lasting....

The train from Wakefield to Sheffield was so crammed full we could hardly get on. People standing in the aisles...in the doorways...the corridors. Toby was desperate for a feed....so I ended up travelling for the journey in the toilet. Sitting on the toilet feeding Toby while Kirsti had to straddle the buggy and hold the cabinet that was on the wall shut as the catch had gone and it would have hit me right in the head if she wasn't holding it shut. No windows. Really bumpy train. Both of us started to feel nauseous.

Got to Sheffield and it was a mad dash to make our connection. Another full train but this was a proper intercity so we had a seat. We were on 2 separate tables across the aisle as it was so full. And of course....Toby didn't want to sleep. He'd been such an angel all day I can hardly blame him. And the previous train ride had been horrible and he was all stressed. But the carriage we were in - the only one that had seats that weren't reserved - was the "quiet" carriage - no mobile phones, no uneccesary noise. And a tired baby.

I spent about an hour in the space between the carriages with Toby in a sling trying to get him to sleep. My back was aching and I was exhausted. We hadn't really eaten much and I was also dehydrated....from feeding Toby so much to keep him quiet probably! It's a bloody good job I'm not a Gina Ford mum - I would never have coped!

Luckily my WONDERFUL mother, as well as financing the car, arranged for a mini cab to pick us up at St Pancras and take us all the way home. Otherwise we were facing a tube, train and bus ride....By now it's 9pm (the train from Sheffield to London took 4 hours - stopped all the time)

It was so good to be home! It felt like we'd been away for a week. My lovely husband had run me a bath. I had a soak, settled Toby and went to bed.

So there we are. Highs and Lows of the weekend. But it was so worth it. I can't wait to get my car! We've been relying on public transport today and had to get 3 buses to get to the soft play place with Oz in one buggy and Toby in another. I need my wheels back!

HUGE thank you to the Used Car Roadshow....can't wait to see how I look on the show (they said I was the best buyer they'd ever had....*blush* cos I was so gobby on camera I think)