I return!
The Berlingo was a no go. The dealer neglected to mention it was wheelchair modified and the photos were taken from angles that conveniently did not show it. He wanted top dollar, for which I would want a top car and not one with structural modifications.
The Civic wagon was nice. The 1.4 engine petrol a bit feeble, but the speed limit is only 70. The right size, nice condition, but with the seat racked right back to accommodate my long legs the gear lever was slightly too fa4 away and required a slight lean to reach it each gear change. Annoying at best, an RSI in the making at worst.
Onwards to the 2008. This is a private seller. 17 plate, late March registered so the final week of £00.00 Road tax under the old regime. 22k miles, full Peugeot history. An MOT check shows advisories for corroded discs botn ends and worn front tyres but he's had everything replaced anew, even going as far as the correct Goodyear all season tyres Peugeout recommend for the car as it has grip control.
I fit in OK, a bit of a wiggle to get in but once in accommodates me fine. Its the one with the tiny steering wheel that you peer over rather than through for the clocks - google shows this is an acquired taste but with my height it works fine and actually makes for one of the nicest driving positions I've ever tried. Trim level is Allure, one from top, and comes with all the gizmos and half leather, and everything worked. Dual zone climate was frosty cold.
Went for a spin, it gets up the road much better than the Civic (it's the 120 pony 1.6 diesel with the 6 cog box and was quite lively when preseed) and a flick through the trip computer screen shows the old boy has been getting 64.3MPG over the 140 miles since the last fill. 1200 RPM in top at 60 so should make for relaxed motorway journeys down to see the auld feller.
Other than a slight door ding on the drivers rear door, almost invisible as it's hidden near the handle I couldnt fault it. Even the underside looked fairly clean and new with not even surface rust on the zorst. It has always been garaged, and he tells me wiped down after every drive.
This was good but left me with no points to to haggle over. The old boy is 88 and is giving up driving so I'd have felt a bit bad trying to squeeze him anyway, plus the asking price was already a little keener than the local dealers are asking for higher mileage examples of a similar age, so we agreed a sale at £9500. I left a hundred sheets deposit and agreed I'd pick it up tomorrow and Mrs CTEC can use her mobile to do a bank transfer.
So I'm happy. Its big enough but not a centimetre more than necessary, is in lovely order, should do me until the melted dinosaur juice becomes hard to find. Brrmmmm, chug, chug, chug.