Cars you liked & could afford but didn't buy and regret

[555 Paul]

Following on from this thread http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Back in 1996 I was looking for cars with a £3k budget and I had 2 choices, a 2.9 sierra 4x4 (GLS couldn't find an XR in budget) or a red mark 2 Lotus Cortina. It was a real quandary but I decided to go for the newer car and bought the Sierra.

A couple of years later I was looking for cars with a £7.5k budget and my choices were a Sapphire Cosworth, E30 M3 and a Delta Integrale 16v and I chose the Integrale but should have chosen the E30, I have since owned the Sapphire Cosworth though and now own an E46 M3 but I still regret not owning the E30.

I've also missed other cars that I could have afforded and never bought and regretted it and notably for me is the Mark 2 Escort RS2000. What were you close to buying but never did and now regret not doing so?

[daveofedinburgh]

Could have owned a mint, unmolested, low-miles S2000 in a nice colour with matching hard top for £3750.

Decided on a mk1 MX5 and a big holiday instead.

Wasn't a bad compromise to be fair- mk1 taught me proper RWD car control, and everyone should visit Tokyo at least once. Similar S2000s closer to £6K now.

[s m]

A Colt Lancer Turbo
I would have liked the E30 M3 from the investment point of view but don't really regret not buying one and a friend's Integrale put me off them.
I would have liked to have owned a Vitesse SD1 and SD455 Transam when they were cheap

[Baz Tench]

Three or four years ago, I took my Boxster into a specialist for some work, and there was a beautiful 1983 911 non-turbo for sale there.

I nearly went for it at £11500, but I bottled it. Values seem to be on the rise now....

harumph!

[ging84]

when i bought my mini there was little difference in price between it an a jcw
i went for a cooper s because with my gf as a new driver jcw insurance was too much.
Now i have a modified cooper S with all the jcw bits on it, but because it's not got a certificate it's not worth as much, won't become a collectors car and is a pain in the ass to insurer
Hopefully i will still be able to catch the bottom of the market and swap mine for a lower millage jcw for not much extra when it starts to become a car worth holding on to

[speedtwelve]

I have a long list! Every car here I've coveted at some point but never got round to committing to. Some have had values harden to crazy levels recently, many just aren't a realistic step-up from my current TVR now. I'd still cross the street to look at every one though.

[JulianHJ]

Wish I'd bought my parents' Escort Cosworth Monte Carlo when they were selling it. They'd owned it from new and it was still a lovely thing. I'd had the opportunity to buy it a few years before that as well, but bought a Griffith instead.

[craig_m67]

What about cars you liked and could afford to buy, did and regret

[stormy22]

About 8 or so years ago I had the opportunity to buy a '72 Mustang Fastback project car, needed a lot of work but chassis was solid bodywork not, had the engine but needed a rebuild. I already had my 2 '71 Mk3 Cortina's, a '78 Mk2 Granada and 2 modern cars and the guy was only looking for around 4k for the Mustang (My dream car). Unfortunately life...(sorry mis-spelt that), 'WIFE' got in the way.

I regret that!

[NWTony]

Couple for me, S1 Exige,proces about £15-20K, decided to upgrade my S2 lise instead. S1 Exiges going for £25K now. TVR Sagaris, prices at about £35K, decided to wait a year to avoid a bank loan, now going for £55K.

Damnit.

[griffin dai]

635 CSI Highline & x308 XJR

I'll get both one day, maybe swapping the Saab for a XJR next year if I don't go further with the mods, I've been fancying one for years. 635 will have to wait until I get a bigger garage! That'll rust to bits left outside in sunny South Wales! Might treat myself for my 40th

Went for the E55 AMG instead and it cost me big time! Thousands of pounds in repair bills plus, couple £1,000+ repair bills a month apart, then lost almost £4k selling it on 11 months later (almost finished me & the missis that one!) lovely motor but had to go.

Only problem with these old v8's! Pretty cheap to buy, £4k will get a decent one, but when they go wrong......££££

[B'stard Child]

Back in 1985 I wanted a Monza GSE, couldn't find one for what I had to spend but I did find a Manta (White GT/E coupe with sensible miles and in excellent order and foolishly I decided that it wouldn't be a substitute for what I really wanted) so bought a 205 instead (err there were some good reasons for that purchase and I have no regrets as it was a great car) Since that day I've had 5 Monzas and a dozen or more other Opel/Vauxhall Straight six engined cars - I often wonder if my car history would have been different if I'd purchased that Manta......

Best picture I could find of a coupe GT/E

1986 Opel Manta GTE by GoldScotland71, on Flickr

Edited by B'stard Child on Sunday 26th October 06:34

[griffin dai]

craig_m67 said:

What about cars you liked and could afford to buy, did and regret

Renault 19 16v Executive

Traded my Charade Gtti in for it
Eleven grands worth of pure turd! I'd love to go back 18 years and beat myself up.
Biggest lesson I've learned is never EVER listen to a woman when buying a new car! And the horrible bh cheated on me a month later!

SOP now is say I'm off to work then come back a few hours later with a different car

[H100S]

Chevette HS for 5k in 2004. I would have had to use it daily and never had a garage at the time.

These for similar condition are 15k+ now.

Would still love one.

[Jonnas]

H100S said:

Chevette HS for 5k in 2004. I would have had to use it daily and never had a garage at the time.

These for similar condition are 15k+ now.

Would still love one.

I'd love one too!

I was offered a Mk2 RS2000 in about 1995 for £500. It was in mint condition but had sat in the blokes garage for about 5 years as he'd lost interest in it and it was covered in a thick layer of dust. I was a student at the time and just couldn't afford it. I still wince when I think about it.....

[rix]

Lotus Carlton at £12k in about 2003. Bought an astra coupe turbo instead!

[patmahe]

Would love one of these. But something has always gotten in the way. Every time I check now, the prices are constantly rising. Hopefully some day.

[s m]

B'stard Child said:

Back in 1985 I wanted a Monza GSE, couldn't find one for what I had to spend but I did find a Manta (White GT/E coupe with sensible miles and in excellent order and foolishly I decided that it wouldn't be a substitute for what I really wanted) so bought a 205 instead (err there were some good reasons for that purchase and I have no regrets as it was a great car) Since that day I've had 5 Monzas and a dozen or more other Opel/Vauxhall Straight six engined cars - I often wonder if my car history would have been different if I'd purchased that Manta......

Best picture I could find of a coupe GT/E

1986 Opel Manta GTE by GoldScotland71, on Flickr

Edited by B'stard Child on Sunday 26th October 06:34

GTE instead of a 205? No regrets about the Manta here ( although I did buy a 309 Gti later to see what the Pug kerfuffle was all about )




Can't see it would have put you off the Monzas - I would have liked a white GSE

[Number 5]

E60 M5 I should have bought one instead of an RS4

[B'stard Child]

s m said:

Can't see it would have put you off the Monzas - I would have liked a white GSE

I just think I would have never gone down the Monza route had I purchased the Manta