I bought a car with AEB for $3000

My purchase was an off-the-cuff decision. I woke up too early on Friday morning last week, and noticed the car for sale online. I’d seen it advertised a fortnight earlier for $4900. It was now down to "$3750 ONO MUST SELL NO OFFERS".

Like most of us probably have, I ignored the mention of "NO OFFERS" and threw the guy a lowball while I was out walking my dog in the dark. I sent this to the seller at 5:37am Friday: “$3k, and I’ll come get it this weekend. No hassle, no fuss.”

By midday, he’d replied: “Sure, what’s your number?”

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I was shocked.

I'd expected a pert rebuff. "Nah mate, need $3750, already dropped it heaps", or "you're kidding". Or just no reply at all.

But it was a done deal.

This was a game-changer of a small car when it launched in Australia in late 2012. (image credit: Matt Campbell)

All Volkswagen up! models came with a low-speed auto emergency braking (AEB) system as standard. (image credit: Matt Campbell)

The odometer now reads 98,600km, and it’s due for a major maintenance attack. (image credit: Matt Campbell)

The rear windows don’t wind down (they pop out). (image credit: Matt Campbell)

And my car came with the optional 'Maps+More' mini tablet with sat nav, Bluetooth and digital dials. (image credit: Matt Campbell)

It needs a blue slip/roadworthy certificate because the previous owner let the NSW registration lapse… in October last year. (image credit: Matt Campbell)

After processing the good news (I’d just about shed my skin in excitement), I came a to a realisation: there was no way that I thought I could get a Volkswagen up! for just $3000. This was a game-changer of a small car when it launched in Australia in late 2012.

Mine was a 2013 model, but from launch, all Volkswagen up! models came with a low-speed auto emergency braking (AEB) system as standard. Who the hell would have thought any car with AEB could be had for as little as three measly grand? And while it lacks curtain airbag coverage, and the rear windows don’t wind down (they pop out), it scored the maximum five-star ANCAP score way back when, and has a full-size spare. And my car came with the optional 'Maps+More' mini tablet with sat nav, Bluetooth and digital dials.

It scored the maximum five-star ANCAP score. (image credit: Matt Campbell)

Of course, it came at the price I paid for a reason. It needs a blue slip/roadworthy certificate because the previous owner let the NSW registration lapse… in October last year.

So it’s been sitting for about six months, and it showed when I saw it for the first time. Filthy inside and out, not one but two resident huntsman spiders showing up to surprise me on my ‘round the block’ test drive.

And while it has had a full Volkswagen service history up until 77,000km, the odometer now reads 98,600km, and it’s due for a major maintenance attack - timing belt, plus whatever else is required. I can see my $3000 outlay doubling by the time it’s serviced, blue-slipped, registered and insured.

Plus I have big plans for the little up!. I’ve started an Instagram page, @volkswagendown, where you’ll see what I do to my pint-sized pride and joy over the coming months. As you can probably tell from the handle, what goes up, must come down...

Yep I’ve taken inspiration from the Euro stance scene in selecting the up! as my rubbish commuter car, and I can’t wait to get to work on it.

How good are three-cylinder cars, by the way? The up! joins my partner's 2017 Mini Cooper three-cylinder turbo... hers has more grunt, for sure. But mine's manual. So nerrrrr.