On Friday I went shopping and bought an $8000 rug. It's a picnic rug, second hand, and it's got a hole in it. It's not that impressive. What is impressive is that the guy who sold me the rug threw in a free car while he was at it. A 1999 Subaru Impreza RX. If you don't know what that means, it means I'm now imprezive.

I went out with Gough looking for a Corolla on Friday arvo. I took Gough because he's friendly and he knows how to buy secondhand cars. I am mildly friendly and I have no idea how to buy a car, so he's a good man to have around. We went out to Mascot and saw a 2003 Corolla covered in Hello Kitty stickers. Seeing as I love Hello Kitty I wanted to snap it up right away. But we took it for a drive and Gough checked the car out, asked it to turn it's head and cough, and it checked out fin. I still wanted it, though I only wanted to pay $9000 and they were advertising it at $9900. So I pulled out my wicked bargaining skills. I said "I'll give you $9000 for it."

They replied "Someone offered me $9200 on 23rd December".

"I can only do $9000."

"We'll think about it."

We left.

Who's a bargaining king? I am.

I was willing to give up for the day, but Gough encouraged me to go have a look at a Subaru he'd seen on the internet. It was going cheap, so I went and looked. The guy who owned it was very friendly and very fit, so I liked him. He let me take it for a drive while he talked to us about the fitness industry, women and sustainable home temperature management. He also asked if we thought his price was reasonable, I said I have no idea because I'd been researching Corollas. It pays to be informed when making a large purchase, that's what I always say.

After driving and letting Gough check the car for any lumps that shouldn't be there, I decided to buy the car, so we entered into negotiations. I said "I think I'll buy it."

"Ok."

"I can do it now, I have the cash." So I bought the car then for the $8000 he was asking for. Yep, I'm a bargaining king.

Still I'm pretty happy with Wilma (that's her name). I looked it up when I got home and it turns out, $8000 is pretty good for a 99 Impreza RX with around 100,000kms on the clock, and most of them don't come with a rug thrown in. I had no idea, I researched Corollas.

So there you go. I now own a car and I'm giving my work car back to my work. If you ever want to come say "Hello" to Wilma, let me know, I'll get her insured, then we'll go for drive. I will not, however, let you sit on my new rug. It cost me $8000, it's too valuable to be sat on. You can look but don't touch.