I'm getting a bit too attached to my shed
Discussion
I hate buying cars, always worried about getting ripped off, so tend to buy cheap and keep them. I think you just get used to cars, as well as attached to them.
A 5 year old Toyota Camry was a cheap towcar when I was bike racing. Lovely place to be, but thirsty. I considered LPG but that would have cost as much as the car. 10 years and 102,000 miles later that didn't seem such a good decision. Finally ditched it when the suspension parts were all getting worn, and the bits alone were almost a grand. Regretted it within a month.
The Carina has been in the family over 22 years. We inherited it in '02 with 40k on the clock when mum in law had a stroke. Last year we spent £500 getting the suspension changed, given it a new lease of life. There's a bit of an air leak on the carb (remember them?) but no Cat, airbags, or ABS to worry about come MOT time. The other week someone in a petrol station commented that it must be nearly summer as the classic cars are out again. After a moment of confusion my wife replied "it isn't a classic, it just hasn't broken down yet".
In the last 2 months we've serviced, MOT'd, and replaced rear brakes and cambelt on a 97 Corolla for father in law. Add in the VED and that comes to the £700 or so the car is worth.
The thing is, with a looked after and regularly used Shed, you get very cheap reliable motoring. Sure there are a few more bits to replace, but there's no depreciation.
A 5 year old Toyota Camry was a cheap towcar when I was bike racing. Lovely place to be, but thirsty. I considered LPG but that would have cost as much as the car. 10 years and 102,000 miles later that didn't seem such a good decision. Finally ditched it when the suspension parts were all getting worn, and the bits alone were almost a grand. Regretted it within a month.
The Carina has been in the family over 22 years. We inherited it in '02 with 40k on the clock when mum in law had a stroke. Last year we spent £500 getting the suspension changed, given it a new lease of life. There's a bit of an air leak on the carb (remember them?) but no Cat, airbags, or ABS to worry about come MOT time. The other week someone in a petrol station commented that it must be nearly summer as the classic cars are out again. After a moment of confusion my wife replied "it isn't a classic, it just hasn't broken down yet".
In the last 2 months we've serviced, MOT'd, and replaced rear brakes and cambelt on a 97 Corolla for father in law. Add in the VED and that comes to the £700 or so the car is worth.
The thing is, with a looked after and regularly used Shed, you get very cheap reliable motoring. Sure there are a few more bits to replace, but there's no depreciation.
MarvGTI said:
DKS said:
I've just spent £3k getting my trusty, rusty 1988 225k mile 1.3 Astra bare metal resprayed, new arches, floor pans and some interior bits. And another £400 getting the wheels restored and new tyres. I originally bought it in an emergency when I was an apprentice with no cash. Walked into the bank with my current car smoking gently outside, got a loan and had bought this one within a few days and it got me through a tough patch with next to no fuss at all.
First thing people mention is that the car isn't worth anywhere near that etc blah blah. I know that. But I've had the thing for 15 years and it's only ever broken once (and that was due to a cheap ebay part, it was fixed within an hour of being towed home). It was my wife's wedding car and it's done a lot of things with us over the years and is still her daily drive.
Worth it? Of course not! Did it make us feel good? Hell yeah. And I'll get another load of years from it easily.
Fantastic dedication First thing people mention is that the car isn't worth anywhere near that etc blah blah. I know that. But I've had the thing for 15 years and it's only ever broken once (and that was due to a cheap ebay part, it was fixed within an hour of being towed home). It was my wife's wedding car and it's done a lot of things with us over the years and is still her daily drive.
Worth it? Of course not! Did it make us feel good? Hell yeah. And I'll get another load of years from it easily.
Just 2 weeks (and 2000km) into owning my own shed but the love is there...
omgus said:
I'd love a Derv ZT-T, or just a 75. There is something very appealing about them, i think they will be looked back at very fondly and more than that bloody hell they are comfy, especially in 75 form.
The only thing is i am trying to limit my shed purchasing budget to less than £400 per shed and you can easily triple that on a 75 and still get an absolute bargain.
Go get it Omgus... 500 quid negotiable,.....The only thing is i am trying to limit my shed purchasing budget to less than £400 per shed and you can easily triple that on a 75 and still get an absolute bargain.
http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...
sjc said:
Go get it Omgus... 500 quid negotiable,.....
http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...
But i already have a shed that won't die! I don't need another one. http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...
What does someone do with two sheds?
omgus said:
sjc said:
Go get it Omgus... 500 quid negotiable,.....
http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...
But i already have a shed that won't die! I don't need another one. http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...
What does someone do with two sheds?
I know the feeling all too well, just stumped up the thick end of £500 on an engine rebuild for my 200 Coupe (about what it's worth as a runner) and will proceed to cough up yet more to get it through the MOT and yet more on sealing the boot, doing the rust and respraying it. It it though the car I yearned for long before I could drive, now that I've got hold of it I'm not overly willing to let go.
So as I said before the S is due it's mot in a couple of weeks, so I got her in and on a ramp the other night. Yep, needs 4 tyres and the N/S/F upper arm. More money than I ever intended to spend on this cheap commuter. But it's so nice to drive. So four tyres and an arm now fitted. Can't believe it, she is driving even smoother.
I bought my first car, a £999 A3, 18 months ago. I have since replaced the windscreen, alternator, timing belt, tyres and spent £500 servicing it.
The suspension squeaks terribly over uneven roads (which is basically all of them where I live), the dashboard rattles, I have scuffled the bumpers and scraped paint off of both rear arches and now that the weather is starting to get a bit nicer I long for something with air conditioning.
However, right now, I really cannot see myself parting with it any time soon. I love my car.
The suspension squeaks terribly over uneven roads (which is basically all of them where I live), the dashboard rattles, I have scuffled the bumpers and scraped paint off of both rear arches and now that the weather is starting to get a bit nicer I long for something with air conditioning.
However, right now, I really cannot see myself parting with it any time soon. I love my car.
Was never into bangernomics that much until I picked up an old Volvo 740 with 6 months T&T remaining for £100 years ago. I intended just to rally it round for a bit and then either sell it on, or break it if it failed an MOT. A farmer had owned it and it came in as a part ex at a local garage. It stunk, was full of rubbish, and the tracking was about 2 miles out.
After a few days of hard work, it was looking like new, and passed its MOT. Kept it until I crashed it about 3 years ago. Now have a Volvo 940, which cost £800. I've owned that 3 years now and in that time its had a new radiator (£80 odd), aircon radiator, bits and pieces and regass (£200 odd), a set of tyres (£240 odd), cambelt last year and a service every year (£150 for cambelt change and about £50 a year to service), and its having some front discs and pads this weekend (£80)
Its got a dent in the wheelarch where I knocked a brick wall down in the snow (Oops!), and sometimes it slips out of 5th gear, but its helped numerous people move house, some across country, its been to le mans, Silverstone, and next week, Spa for the WEC!
To most people, it would be a £300 banger, but I know it so well now, that I know I will end up keeping it, and just spending on it what it needs.
After a few days of hard work, it was looking like new, and passed its MOT. Kept it until I crashed it about 3 years ago. Now have a Volvo 940, which cost £800. I've owned that 3 years now and in that time its had a new radiator (£80 odd), aircon radiator, bits and pieces and regass (£200 odd), a set of tyres (£240 odd), cambelt last year and a service every year (£150 for cambelt change and about £50 a year to service), and its having some front discs and pads this weekend (£80)
Its got a dent in the wheelarch where I knocked a brick wall down in the snow (Oops!), and sometimes it slips out of 5th gear, but its helped numerous people move house, some across country, its been to le mans, Silverstone, and next week, Spa for the WEC!
To most people, it would be a £300 banger, but I know it so well now, that I know I will end up keeping it, and just spending on it what it needs.
Pit Pony said:
MarvGTI said:
DKS said:
I've just spent £3k getting my trusty, rusty 1988 225k mile 1.3 Astra bare metal resprayed, new arches, floor pans and some interior bits. And another £400 getting the wheels restored and new tyres. I originally bought it in an emergency when I was an apprentice with no cash. Walked into the bank with my current car smoking gently outside, got a loan and had bought this one within a few days and it got me through a tough patch with next to no fuss at all.
First thing people mention is that the car isn't worth anywhere near that etc blah blah. I know that. But I've had the thing for 15 years and it's only ever broken once (and that was due to a cheap ebay part, it was fixed within an hour of being towed home). It was my wife's wedding car and it's done a lot of things with us over the years and is still her daily drive.
Worth it? Of course not! Did it make us feel good? Hell yeah. And I'll get another load of years from it easily.
Fantastic dedication First thing people mention is that the car isn't worth anywhere near that etc blah blah. I know that. But I've had the thing for 15 years and it's only ever broken once (and that was due to a cheap ebay part, it was fixed within an hour of being towed home). It was my wife's wedding car and it's done a lot of things with us over the years and is still her daily drive.
Worth it? Of course not! Did it make us feel good? Hell yeah. And I'll get another load of years from it easily.
Just 2 weeks (and 2000km) into owning my own shed but the love is there...
As Dan said, its a well loved, well used daily. A credit to Him and his Wife Sharon.
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