How long searching for the perfect car?
Discussion
Just wondering how long fellow PH's spend searching for a car.
Quite often see people talk about spending 3, 6, 9 months searching for a car. Wondering if that is really representative.
I'm quite particular and like to research everything. Read the buyers guides, join the marque forum, learn as much as I can about a car and that's quite often before I've even viewed one.
My last 2 cars, E46 M3 and Elise 111R I spent about 4-6 weeks in total, viewed maybe 4 or 5 but when the right car did come up, made the deal that same day.
I don't know how people spend 6 months looking, I've bought sold and bought again in that time!
Quite often see people talk about spending 3, 6, 9 months searching for a car. Wondering if that is really representative.
I'm quite particular and like to research everything. Read the buyers guides, join the marque forum, learn as much as I can about a car and that's quite often before I've even viewed one.
My last 2 cars, E46 M3 and Elise 111R I spent about 4-6 weeks in total, viewed maybe 4 or 5 but when the right car did come up, made the deal that same day.
I don't know how people spend 6 months looking, I've bought sold and bought again in that time!
E60 M5: 6 months
E36 M3: 2 months
MR2 Turbo: 8 months
Although during the time I'm looking I'm not necessarily actively looking or desperate for a car (take the tube, don't even need a car day to day). Just waiting for the right colour, spec, history etc. at the right price.
The M3 was a bit of an impulse buy after seeing a couple of rust buckets and lo and behold it's the one that's had the most issues... So I think I'll take my time in the future
Edit: I don't actually go and view millions of cars in that time, generally the advert and communication with the seller will tell you what you need to know. The M5 and MR2 were both the second ones I viewed.
E36 M3: 2 months
MR2 Turbo: 8 months
Although during the time I'm looking I'm not necessarily actively looking or desperate for a car (take the tube, don't even need a car day to day). Just waiting for the right colour, spec, history etc. at the right price.
The M3 was a bit of an impulse buy after seeing a couple of rust buckets and lo and behold it's the one that's had the most issues... So I think I'll take my time in the future
Edit: I don't actually go and view millions of cars in that time, generally the advert and communication with the seller will tell you what you need to know. The M5 and MR2 were both the second ones I viewed.
Edited by Shaoxter on Monday 20th October 17:57
I spent about 5 months trying to find the Saab I wanted (was very fussy about the body style/engine/options). Then travelled 150 miles to get it!
Once it was time to change, i spent a month or so looking around and driving various different options before settling on an MX-5. It only took a week to find the colour & spec I wanted and that was all of 10 miles away.
Once it was time to change, i spent a month or so looking around and driving various different options before settling on an MX-5. It only took a week to find the colour & spec I wanted and that was all of 10 miles away.
Lol, guess you all get dealers looking at you strangely when they have a model in stock but you then tell them it'll probably be 6 months before you're looking to purchase!
I'm browsing XKR's in the classifieds and I'll linger and look of I see one parked but prob won't change to this time next year. Wouldn't consider it searching as such, more beginning to appreciate the model!
I'm browsing XKR's in the classifieds and I'll linger and look of I see one parked but prob won't change to this time next year. Wouldn't consider it searching as such, more beginning to appreciate the model!
Must have spent about 10 months or so before I bought my MX5, the third time I came back to wanting one after going through stacks of other sports cars.
It's a bit more difficult for me as I need something I can get into and get a wheelchair in, which is partly why I took that long.
I was set on an RX8 firstly, I'm interested in the japanese thing within reason (enough to have wheels imported
), so having enough boot space it fit the bill. I spent weeks researching what suspension, power mods, wheels etc. I'd be interested in. Though it kept coming back to "surely I should be buying a soft top", I looked at MX5s and could get in an Mk3, but I would need the electric hard roof, and my current wheelchair wouldn't fit. After going through M3s, Z4s, Boxsters etc., usually going back to wanting a 350Zs in between as it always came back to "something japanese". To cut a long story short I found company producing a folding wheelchair for sports cars (those super low backed fixed frame chairs fit convertible boots, but don't suit me for sitting). It eventually got round to the MX5 again.
Mine was a stroke of luck as I'd seen it the previous day at £17k and dismissed it, 10:30 next morning there it was at 14.5k (way under mkt value at the time at just 2000 miles). We drove 2 hours to Telford the next day, and came back with the car.
It's a bit more difficult for me as I need something I can get into and get a wheelchair in, which is partly why I took that long.
I was set on an RX8 firstly, I'm interested in the japanese thing within reason (enough to have wheels imported
), so having enough boot space it fit the bill. I spent weeks researching what suspension, power mods, wheels etc. I'd be interested in. Though it kept coming back to "surely I should be buying a soft top", I looked at MX5s and could get in an Mk3, but I would need the electric hard roof, and my current wheelchair wouldn't fit. After going through M3s, Z4s, Boxsters etc., usually going back to wanting a 350Zs in between as it always came back to "something japanese". To cut a long story short I found company producing a folding wheelchair for sports cars (those super low backed fixed frame chairs fit convertible boots, but don't suit me for sitting). It eventually got round to the MX5 again. Mine was a stroke of luck as I'd seen it the previous day at £17k and dismissed it, 10:30 next morning there it was at 14.5k (way under mkt value at the time at just 2000 miles). We drove 2 hours to Telford the next day, and came back with the car.
Obviously depends on the car and frankly luck. For example, my 350i took me about a month, the spec came up that I wanted. My first Chimaera however took me about 10 months in the end from having the cash to buy her and finding one to buy. And it isn't like I sat on my a**e and waited, most weekends were spent driving 2 hours plus each way to view cars that were "immaculate" etc but I think you can guess the rest. In the end I travelled 3.5 hours to find the car which was just in stunning condition, which was the on I bought. My Elise I think again I happened to get very lucky but it still took me a couple of months as there were only a couple of colours I wanted (sadly the blue I wanted was in Leeds and despite the three odd hour drive each way, it was in s**t condition). My 5.0 Chimaera took about 3 months but I only viewed a couple of cars as they were simply not for sale..
I tend to spend a long time looking for just the right car. It's taken me probably about 6 months to find just the right Vauxhall Astra, despite it being a very boring, common car. The reason it's taken so long is that I'm not willing to travel far, don't want to overpay and am fussy about getting quite a specific model/spec etc. With another car that works fine to use in the meantime I don't see a need to rush.
I've been searching for the perfect shed for over 2 months. I think i am just being too nervous to commit, im looking for something in good nick but not over priced. Book values on cars that age and price are a bit hit and miss. I find stuff which can be priced well compared to others about but the valuations say it should be less so i leave it. Then when i find ones for less than the valuation i think there's got to be something wrong with it
Shaoxter said:
Just waiting for the right colour, spec, history etc. at the right price.
This.3rd and last of my 3 x RS2000's = around 6 months
Sunbeam Ti = 3 months
Sunbeam-Lotus = 4-5 months
Saab 9000 Aero = 5-6 months
Saab 9-5 Aero = 4-5 months
BMW 135 = 12+ months and then gave up and bought new!!
I think I have been very very lucky with my last two cars.
Mini JCW GP - probably from deciding to getting rid of my Fiesta ST to getting the keys it took about 2-3 months? That included turning the Fiesta back to standard & I thought that was good going especially as the GP I bought was found less than 20 miles from where I live too. Errmm.. By the way does anyone want a GP? Lol
Current car - Evo 9 MR FQ 360 by HKS - I was very specific on wanting this last run out of the 9 & I wanted it in the dark grey. I found black ones, red ones, ropey ones, slightly smelly ones. Prices I found were either waaayyy too high or horrible modded ones. Every day I checked PH Classifieds but found nothing new. One day I checked MLR Private cars for sale and found her hiding away on the bottom of the second page. A sensible price which he graciously took an offer on and precisely the car I wanted with an amazing history. One happy little owner! I think again from deciding to getting rid of the GP to getting the Evo took me about 2-3 months.
I would have waited much longer for the right car both times though.
Oh and each time I joined the relevant owners clubs first to scope out problems, issues and researched dealerships that seemed to specialise in a particular marques
Mini JCW GP - probably from deciding to getting rid of my Fiesta ST to getting the keys it took about 2-3 months? That included turning the Fiesta back to standard & I thought that was good going especially as the GP I bought was found less than 20 miles from where I live too. Errmm.. By the way does anyone want a GP? Lol
Current car - Evo 9 MR FQ 360 by HKS - I was very specific on wanting this last run out of the 9 & I wanted it in the dark grey. I found black ones, red ones, ropey ones, slightly smelly ones. Prices I found were either waaayyy too high or horrible modded ones. Every day I checked PH Classifieds but found nothing new. One day I checked MLR Private cars for sale and found her hiding away on the bottom of the second page. A sensible price which he graciously took an offer on and precisely the car I wanted with an amazing history. One happy little owner! I think again from deciding to getting rid of the GP to getting the Evo took me about 2-3 months.
I would have waited much longer for the right car both times though.
Oh and each time I joined the relevant owners clubs first to scope out problems, issues and researched dealerships that seemed to specialise in a particular marques
Edited by PinkRinse on Monday 20th October 22:42
PinkRinse said:
I think I have been very very lucky with my last two cars.
Mini JCW GP - probably from deciding to getting rid of my Fiesta ST to getting the keys it took about 2-3 months? That included turning the Fiesta back to standard & I thought that was good going especially as the GP I bought was found less than 20 miles from where I live too. Errmm.. By the way does anyone want a GP? Lol
Current car - Evo 9 MR FQ 360 by HKS - I was very specific on wanting this last run out of the 9 & I wanted it in the dark grey. I found black ones, red ones, ropey ones, slightly smelly ones. Prices I found were either waaayyy too high or horrible modded ones. Every day I checked PH Classifieds but found nothing new. One day I checked MLR Private cars for sale and found her hiding away on the bottom of the second page. A sensible price which he graciously took an offer on and precisely the car I wanted with an amazing history. One happy little owner! I think again from deciding to getting rid of the GP to getting the Evo took me about 2-3 months.
I would have waited much longer for the right car both times though.
Oh and each time I joined the relevant owners clubs first to scope out problems, issues and researched dealerships that seemed to specialise in a particular marques
I agree research is a good point, I did the same when looking around. As the car I wanted its small market, for a seller and a buyer. Plus when you are spending thousands, you cannot afford to make a mistake.Mini JCW GP - probably from deciding to getting rid of my Fiesta ST to getting the keys it took about 2-3 months? That included turning the Fiesta back to standard & I thought that was good going especially as the GP I bought was found less than 20 miles from where I live too. Errmm.. By the way does anyone want a GP? Lol
Current car - Evo 9 MR FQ 360 by HKS - I was very specific on wanting this last run out of the 9 & I wanted it in the dark grey. I found black ones, red ones, ropey ones, slightly smelly ones. Prices I found were either waaayyy too high or horrible modded ones. Every day I checked PH Classifieds but found nothing new. One day I checked MLR Private cars for sale and found her hiding away on the bottom of the second page. A sensible price which he graciously took an offer on and precisely the car I wanted with an amazing history. One happy little owner! I think again from deciding to getting rid of the GP to getting the Evo took me about 2-3 months.
I would have waited much longer for the right car both times though.
Oh and each time I joined the relevant owners clubs first to scope out problems, issues and researched dealerships that seemed to specialise in a particular marques
Edited by PinkRinse on Monday 20th October 22:42
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