I was prompted to find a car as soon as possible as I had started working 5am shifts at Asda, and after cycling there once- I decided that was a bit too deathly for me.

I found SO53 HJU on Gumtree, listed for £990 and located in Reading

On the way, we stopped off in Southampton to look at another Polo (LS55 AZD). It sounded in pain when starting up, a door was a slightly different shade of silver, there was no boot parcel shelf and it was a bit dirty. I decided to forget about this one.

I had spoken to the seller of SO53 HJU and moved the price down to £900.

Arriving at the house, I saw the little red Polo waiting. I went in, the owners son showed me around (as the actual owners were in Africa at the time). It was great, it looked fine, sounded fine- I decided it was the one for me.

I went back in, signed the papers and receipt, handed over the £900 cash and took out the £1800 annual insurance and paid £90 for half a years tax

I had no idea how to reverse it off the drive, it took me a few attempts before I realised I had to push the gearstick DOWN to slide it across, the car I was taught in (a Citroen DS3) had a weird ring to pull up instead.

I kept stalling it, as this was the first petrol car I had driven. To start it up again, I had to turn the engine off. This wouldn't turn the lights off, so the buzzer kept going off, making this sound:

My dad had to show me how to use the Tesco pay at pump machine. I was clueless.