Flight to Scotland to buy a car located in England
Discussion
I'm fairly lucky to have driven most of the cars available today. One i'd never driven was a MK1 MX5 and yet i'd always had an itch to own one, particularly after a chance meeting with a certain editor of PH.
Late on a Friday night this popped up and I knew I had to have it. A couple of emails later and a deposit paid, man maths dictated that it would be cheaper to fly north and get a train back to England to collect it rather than a direct train.
The man maths however didn't take into account a 2 hour delay to the flight, (hit the bar) the trams in Edinburgh stopping at 11pm, (taxi) an overnight stay in a hotel, nor the coffee needed to clear my head sufficiently enough on a Monday lunchtime to collect and drive the 220 miles back home.
First impressions were and still are good. Paintwork is a bit flaky and it possibly needs a full respray. Other than that, all seems great.
Jobs to do, paintwork, new handbrake handle but hopefully just get the top off and enjoy it this summer.
Late on a Friday night this popped up and I knew I had to have it. A couple of emails later and a deposit paid, man maths dictated that it would be cheaper to fly north and get a train back to England to collect it rather than a direct train.
The man maths however didn't take into account a 2 hour delay to the flight, (hit the bar) the trams in Edinburgh stopping at 11pm, (taxi) an overnight stay in a hotel, nor the coffee needed to clear my head sufficiently enough on a Monday lunchtime to collect and drive the 220 miles back home.
First impressions were and still are good. Paintwork is a bit flaky and it possibly needs a full respray. Other than that, all seems great.
Jobs to do, paintwork, new handbrake handle but hopefully just get the top off and enjoy it this summer.
Looks good.
My Daihatsu automatic was one of 13 for sale in the UK at the time. I was very specific about the car I wanted. Small, auto, quirky and a/c so Mrs V. could drive it if necessary. The 3 I viewed in London were dogs. The one in Glasgow was good, not pristine, but an honest trader who highlighted everything on a 12 year old car and sent me loads of pics. London ones were around £1,400 to £1,800. The one in Glasgow was £950.
Trains wanted £160 for a single and wouldn't get me in until 2pm. BA wanted £56 single for noon arrival. I decided to experience a National Express Coach to Gatwick for £10 which was again fine. Breakfast at Gatwick was £5, Fuel to drive home was £60 and a dodgy Burger King with extra onion rings was nearly £10 at an overpriced services. So about £140 all in.
But it was the journey was great fun. Tiring but fun. Would I do it again? Without hesitation. I landed in Glasgow just as Storm Katie struck. The journey home was a slog. 50-60mph max on the M74/M6 or there was too much risk of aquaplaning in a car that had nearly new tyres all round. I left home at 6am and pulled into my drive at 11:30pm.
My Daihatsu automatic was one of 13 for sale in the UK at the time. I was very specific about the car I wanted. Small, auto, quirky and a/c so Mrs V. could drive it if necessary. The 3 I viewed in London were dogs. The one in Glasgow was good, not pristine, but an honest trader who highlighted everything on a 12 year old car and sent me loads of pics. London ones were around £1,400 to £1,800. The one in Glasgow was £950.
Trains wanted £160 for a single and wouldn't get me in until 2pm. BA wanted £56 single for noon arrival. I decided to experience a National Express Coach to Gatwick for £10 which was again fine. Breakfast at Gatwick was £5, Fuel to drive home was £60 and a dodgy Burger King with extra onion rings was nearly £10 at an overpriced services. So about £140 all in.
But it was the journey was great fun. Tiring but fun. Would I do it again? Without hesitation. I landed in Glasgow just as Storm Katie struck. The journey home was a slog. 50-60mph max on the M74/M6 or there was too much risk of aquaplaning in a car that had nearly new tyres all round. I left home at 6am and pulled into my drive at 11:30pm.
Love a " buy and bring it home " story .....
I searched for months for a BMW 635 including flying to UK twice to look at cars that were woefully over described.
Mine popped up on an Irish paper and I spied it 3 minutes after it had been placed ( spooky ) . The car was in Northern Ireland and I am just shy of the cliffs on the extreme South West!
The seller was startled at the speed of response but after we spoke at length he agreed to keep the car (sans deposit ) until I could get up to see it four days later.
Left home at 5.30 am for a 7am flight to Dublin and then a coach to Newry where I was picked up by one of his "men" and taken to his domain in friendly Armagh......
Got there after midday and after spending time looking at the car ,test driving it and then haggling for the duration of two and a half cups of tea ...it was mine . The seller turned out to be a thoroughly pleasant and entertaining guy with an eclectic collection of classic cars, F1 memorabilia and a very interesting house, I hope our paths cross again, but too much time was spent enjoying all of it .
After purchasing the car I had decided to tear up my return flight ticket and drive it home that day . 340 miles in a 35 yo car that had been in a private collection for 8 years ........
Checked fluids, pressures and filled the tank to the brim and set off in fading daylight with my in built impending doom sensor turned up to 11 ! After a stop for food at services on the M1 when I got back to the car it was dark and the absence of instrument lights, a faulty rear light and one dud dipped headlight sort of worried me especially hitting Dublin at 7pm on a Friday.
Fortunately the torch I had taken to check the car over allowed me to check the instruments every couple of minutes,although I did get some strange looks doing so in traffic....
Anyway the car glided all the way to it's new home with not one problem except the solitery Osmonds disc in the cd player and the worrying absence of open petrol stations from about 10 pm in deepest rural Ireland causing me to eke out the remaining fuel left in the tank like a returning WW2 bomber, probably the slowest most gentle drive that 3.5 Lt ever had.
After a couple of snooze stops I drove up the driveway just after 2 am .
A long exciting,interesting and worthwhile 20 hour adventure .
Oh ,'bye the way OP... congrats on the MX5 it look very nice . I wish you much enjoyment with it .
I searched for months for a BMW 635 including flying to UK twice to look at cars that were woefully over described.
Mine popped up on an Irish paper and I spied it 3 minutes after it had been placed ( spooky ) . The car was in Northern Ireland and I am just shy of the cliffs on the extreme South West!
The seller was startled at the speed of response but after we spoke at length he agreed to keep the car (sans deposit ) until I could get up to see it four days later.
Left home at 5.30 am for a 7am flight to Dublin and then a coach to Newry where I was picked up by one of his "men" and taken to his domain in friendly Armagh......
Got there after midday and after spending time looking at the car ,test driving it and then haggling for the duration of two and a half cups of tea ...it was mine . The seller turned out to be a thoroughly pleasant and entertaining guy with an eclectic collection of classic cars, F1 memorabilia and a very interesting house, I hope our paths cross again, but too much time was spent enjoying all of it .
After purchasing the car I had decided to tear up my return flight ticket and drive it home that day . 340 miles in a 35 yo car that had been in a private collection for 8 years ........
Checked fluids, pressures and filled the tank to the brim and set off in fading daylight with my in built impending doom sensor turned up to 11 ! After a stop for food at services on the M1 when I got back to the car it was dark and the absence of instrument lights, a faulty rear light and one dud dipped headlight sort of worried me especially hitting Dublin at 7pm on a Friday.
Fortunately the torch I had taken to check the car over allowed me to check the instruments every couple of minutes,although I did get some strange looks doing so in traffic....
Anyway the car glided all the way to it's new home with not one problem except the solitery Osmonds disc in the cd player and the worrying absence of open petrol stations from about 10 pm in deepest rural Ireland causing me to eke out the remaining fuel left in the tank like a returning WW2 bomber, probably the slowest most gentle drive that 3.5 Lt ever had.
After a couple of snooze stops I drove up the driveway just after 2 am .
A long exciting,interesting and worthwhile 20 hour adventure .
Oh ,'bye the way OP... congrats on the MX5 it look very nice . I wish you much enjoyment with it .
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