I notice that British Car Auctions were rather pleased that they sold a Morris Minor convertible the other day.

It certainly looked jolly nice and was first registered in 1963. Finished in black with green keyline, with a black hood and green leather interior and new carpets, this convertible had covered just 76,469 warranted miles. So considering that it went for £3800 that seemed pretty good value.

If you scout about the classifieds there are even conversions at £5000 and fully reconditioned ones at £13,500. Indeed I saw one with loads of bills for wings, brakes and wiring looms at £9750. Unless it was a standard, fairly tidy four door saloon I couldn’t find anything remotely in that price bracket.

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So that's one-up for the car auctions then.

The best classic car auctions are the job lots that pass through Anglian Car Auctions on a Saturday pretty much each month. Just the other day a 1974 BMW 2002 TII which will be one of the new tax-exempt breed went for £7140. It had a proper 3-series five-speed gearbox conversion too. Then there was a 2002 with an M3 engine for just £10,815. Oh and a magnificently orange 1973 Bond Bug which went for £5565.

Just as exciting was a brace of Citroëns. A CX20RE for just £560; no MOT and it may need a clutch, but for 1986 rarity that’s buttons. However if you want rare, a 1988 CX25 Prestige Turbo went for £6405. That’s a steal surely. There were loads more, mostly from a private collection and the sort CXs you should ideally buy. 

There were also Mercedes-Benzes, lorries, a Willys Jeep, a bus and a Morris Minor Tourer conversion that had been rebuilt to modern day quartz headlight and front anti-roll bar standards. It went for £10,605, making the British Car Auctions one seem even cheaper.

This give me the urge to buy something truly exciting at a car auction, preferably during this weekend. I'd be interested to hear if any of you have done this? And most importantly, did it end well?