Your advice please - multi car ownership.
Discussion
Hi Pistonheads - im in need of some advice and opinions.
Im in the process of selling my current car, an RX8, as I would like to go back to having a daily car and a weekend fun toy. A couple of years back I had the luck of running a Renault Laguna for daily commuting, an old Nissan Sunny for shopping/dump trips and a TVR S2 for the rare sunny days.
I'd like to go back to doing this, but in a slightly different way. I have a cheap Rover 45 to take the wife the shortish journey to work. The plan was to pick up something relatively interesting for around £1500/£2000 for the daily run, and an MX5 for the fun weekends, as a) its about time I tried one and b) my long term plan would be to have a tinker and super/turbocharge it. So we would end up with 3 cars, wifes car, my daily and the MX5.
My dilemma comes is that up until yesterday, coming from an RX8 as a daily driver, MPG hasn't been much of an issue, as im averaging about 200 miles a week, so I was all set to pick up something like a Hyundai Coupe V6, as it didn't have to be a particulary good drivers car, just be a relatively decent place to sit with a nice engine noise (I know the Coupe may split opinions, but it ticks the boxes for me).
However, yesterday I found out our outgoings are going up in the next few months - I could still afford to run both, but its going to be a bit tighter than before. So my dilemma is, head or heart?
Head says, buy the most frugal car you can get, say a Focus turbo diesel, (with the benefits of cheaper tax and insurance) as if you want to have a blat, the MX5 is ready and waiting - if you have something relatively sporting day to day, are you really going to use the MX5 a lot (I found I sold the TVR as it just wasn't getting used enough).
Heart says, you only live once, buy the V6/straight six etc and enjoy it. Won't put you in debt, just might be longer to do the things you want to the MX5.
So what would you do? Have to admit, head is sort of ruling today!
Im in the process of selling my current car, an RX8, as I would like to go back to having a daily car and a weekend fun toy. A couple of years back I had the luck of running a Renault Laguna for daily commuting, an old Nissan Sunny for shopping/dump trips and a TVR S2 for the rare sunny days.
I'd like to go back to doing this, but in a slightly different way. I have a cheap Rover 45 to take the wife the shortish journey to work. The plan was to pick up something relatively interesting for around £1500/£2000 for the daily run, and an MX5 for the fun weekends, as a) its about time I tried one and b) my long term plan would be to have a tinker and super/turbocharge it. So we would end up with 3 cars, wifes car, my daily and the MX5.
My dilemma comes is that up until yesterday, coming from an RX8 as a daily driver, MPG hasn't been much of an issue, as im averaging about 200 miles a week, so I was all set to pick up something like a Hyundai Coupe V6, as it didn't have to be a particulary good drivers car, just be a relatively decent place to sit with a nice engine noise (I know the Coupe may split opinions, but it ticks the boxes for me).
However, yesterday I found out our outgoings are going up in the next few months - I could still afford to run both, but its going to be a bit tighter than before. So my dilemma is, head or heart?
Head says, buy the most frugal car you can get, say a Focus turbo diesel, (with the benefits of cheaper tax and insurance) as if you want to have a blat, the MX5 is ready and waiting - if you have something relatively sporting day to day, are you really going to use the MX5 a lot (I found I sold the TVR as it just wasn't getting used enough).
Heart says, you only live once, buy the V6/straight six etc and enjoy it. Won't put you in debt, just might be longer to do the things you want to the MX5.
So what would you do? Have to admit, head is sort of ruling today!
Just one thing I need to ask to get this straight. You're asking a bunch of hopelessly addicted petrol heads and mechanical fetishists about whether you should be sensible in getting a certain car or not?
You're on the wrong forum, chap. What you need to ask is 'where can I park a third car?'
In all seriousness, the way I see it is driving (and associated costs) are getting much more punitive. There's only one way these costs are going to go, too. Go with the heart and you may just find out you were fien all along. If worst comes to worst, you will have inevitably enjoyed your time doing it.
Always be sure that you regret something you've done than something you've never done.
You're on the wrong forum, chap. What you need to ask is 'where can I park a third car?'
In all seriousness, the way I see it is driving (and associated costs) are getting much more punitive. There's only one way these costs are going to go, too. Go with the heart and you may just find out you were fien all along. If worst comes to worst, you will have inevitably enjoyed your time doing it.
Always be sure that you regret something you've done than something you've never done.
Barge for the daily, something frugal for the wife and something fun for the weekend.
Plenty of people are feeling the recession, maybe hit ebay and pickup an unfinished project? Bound to be plenty of aborted MX-5s, kit builds and the like. That way you get to tinker at something for relatively little folding.
Plenty of people are feeling the recession, maybe hit ebay and pickup an unfinished project? Bound to be plenty of aborted MX-5s, kit builds and the like. That way you get to tinker at something for relatively little folding.
If you do buy the dull daily diesel be careful on its actual running costs. For example my Focus TDCI had the usual Dual Mass Fly wheel issue (DMF) and the resultant repair of about £750 quickly offset the mileage and tax savings. If there is evidence that someone has already paid that then great.
I've got the Caterham for weekends and track. The Focus was replaced with an Abarth 500 and at 40mpg and expected lower service costs its working for me at the moment.
I've got the Caterham for weekends and track. The Focus was replaced with an Abarth 500 and at 40mpg and expected lower service costs its working for me at the moment.
Three is always better than one, or two.
Any more than three and it becomes (economically) difficult to juggle everyday life.
When the evo is fixed we plan to rotate it with one of the other cars. Tax/ insure it for six months. This will keep costs down and hopefully stop it from perforating too quickly next time.
Two cars imo really isn't enough. You have the right attitude, we have a smoker coupe barge, economical disposable convertible and a classic unreliable. Makes perfect sense.
If I came into more money then I would have to rethink the situation. I would need an insulated barn and more cars.
Any more than three and it becomes (economically) difficult to juggle everyday life.
When the evo is fixed we plan to rotate it with one of the other cars. Tax/ insure it for six months. This will keep costs down and hopefully stop it from perforating too quickly next time.
Two cars imo really isn't enough. You have the right attitude, we have a smoker coupe barge, economical disposable convertible and a classic unreliable. Makes perfect sense.
If I came into more money then I would have to rethink the situation. I would need an insulated barn and more cars.
7 Sevens said:
If you do buy the dull daily diesel be careful on its actual running costs. For example my Focus TDCI had the usual Dual Mass Fly wheel issue (DMF) and the resultant repair of about £750 quickly offset the mileage and tax savings. If there is evidence that someone has already paid that then great.
I've got the Caterham for weekends and track. The Focus was replaced with an Abarth 500 and at 40mpg and expected lower service costs its working for me at the moment.
Agree. This was going to be my other point. When I picked up my current snotter I decided to go for the comparatively "simple" petrol model rather than the diesel (03 plate Mondeo)I've got the Caterham for weekends and track. The Focus was replaced with an Abarth 500 and at 40mpg and expected lower service costs its working for me at the moment.
Diesel cars where dramatically more expensive to buy and to fix in the eventuality of someting going wrong engine wise, and the difference could never be justified by the improved MPG IMO.
MillenniumFalcon said:
Hi Pistonheads - im in need of some advice and opinions.
Im in the process of selling my current car, an RX8, as I would like to go back to having a daily car and a weekend fun toy. A couple of years back I had the luck of running a Renault Laguna for daily commuting, an old Nissan Sunny for shopping/dump trips and a TVR S2 for the rare sunny days.
I'd like to go back to doing this, but in a slightly different way. I have a cheap Rover 45 to take the wife the shortish journey to work. The plan was to pick up something relatively interesting for around £1500/£2000 for the daily run, and an MX5 for the fun weekends, as a) its about time I tried one and b) my long term plan would be to have a tinker and super/turbocharge it. So we would end up with 3 cars, wifes car, my daily and the MX5.
My dilemma comes is that up until yesterday, coming from an RX8 as a daily driver, MPG hasn't been much of an issue, as im averaging about 200 miles a week, so I was all set to pick up something like a Hyundai Coupe V6, as it didn't have to be a particulary good drivers car, just be a relatively decent place to sit with a nice engine noise (I know the Coupe may split opinions, but it ticks the boxes for me).
However, yesterday I found out our outgoings are going up in the next few months - I could still afford to run both, but its going to be a bit tighter than before. So my dilemma is, head or heart?
Head says, buy the most frugal car you can get, say a Focus turbo diesel, (with the benefits of cheaper tax and insurance) as if you want to have a blat, the MX5 is ready and waiting - if you have something relatively sporting day to day, are you really going to use the MX5 a lot (I found I sold the TVR as it just wasn't getting used enough).
Heart says, you only live once, buy the V6/straight six etc and enjoy it. Won't put you in debt, just might be longer to do the things you want to the MX5.
So what would you do? Have to admit, head is sort of ruling today!
I guess a sensible thing to ask is, of the 200 miles a week you do, what sort of roads will it be on and what is your driving style. A more economical car like a diesel Focus may not actually return great economy compared to more fun alternatives.Im in the process of selling my current car, an RX8, as I would like to go back to having a daily car and a weekend fun toy. A couple of years back I had the luck of running a Renault Laguna for daily commuting, an old Nissan Sunny for shopping/dump trips and a TVR S2 for the rare sunny days.
I'd like to go back to doing this, but in a slightly different way. I have a cheap Rover 45 to take the wife the shortish journey to work. The plan was to pick up something relatively interesting for around £1500/£2000 for the daily run, and an MX5 for the fun weekends, as a) its about time I tried one and b) my long term plan would be to have a tinker and super/turbocharge it. So we would end up with 3 cars, wifes car, my daily and the MX5.
My dilemma comes is that up until yesterday, coming from an RX8 as a daily driver, MPG hasn't been much of an issue, as im averaging about 200 miles a week, so I was all set to pick up something like a Hyundai Coupe V6, as it didn't have to be a particulary good drivers car, just be a relatively decent place to sit with a nice engine noise (I know the Coupe may split opinions, but it ticks the boxes for me).
However, yesterday I found out our outgoings are going up in the next few months - I could still afford to run both, but its going to be a bit tighter than before. So my dilemma is, head or heart?
Head says, buy the most frugal car you can get, say a Focus turbo diesel, (with the benefits of cheaper tax and insurance) as if you want to have a blat, the MX5 is ready and waiting - if you have something relatively sporting day to day, are you really going to use the MX5 a lot (I found I sold the TVR as it just wasn't getting used enough).
Heart says, you only live once, buy the V6/straight six etc and enjoy it. Won't put you in debt, just might be longer to do the things you want to the MX5.
So what would you do? Have to admit, head is sort of ruling today!
Also what sort of mpg are you currently getting from your RX-8? (guessing circa 20mpg +-), if so that's around £268/month. So any improvement in mpg is going to be better on fuel.
e.g.
44mpg from a diesel Focus = £125/month (assuming it'll do 44mpg)
32mpg from a petrol hot hatch = £167/month
Not as big a saving, but still £100 better off than fueling the RX-8.
£1500-2000 offers up a few options than should all be able to return 30-38mpg on petrol:
-BMW e36 323, 328
-Rover BRM
-Honda Prelude
-Honda CRX del sol 1.6 VTi (160hp)
-MFG
-106 GTI
-306 GTI
-Puma
-ZS180
-X-Type 3.0 (should offer up around 30mpg ave)
-SportKA
And probably many more.
Thanks for all the replies everyone.
300, your pretty much stating what i've been thinking. In fact, ive considered most of those in your list.
My daily commute is a mix of fast A road/duel carriageways, the A12 and a bit of town driving, depending on the route I take. There are options to go a little more scenic if I like.
The RX8 gets me bang on 24 mpg, and I have considered the fact that anything above that is a bonus. The trick comes with stuff like tax and insurance. Going with the 'fun daily' would give me tax of circa £200 p.a. each for the Rover, fun daily and MX5, I think using the VED calculator on the DVLA got me a figure of around £650 for all 3. Insurance would be circa £750 for Rover and daily and around £150 for the MX5 on classic.
The Rover has already been declared not very suitable by SWMBO, who has the very strange habit of not caring what car she drives, up until the point she has a new one, in which case a list of faults as long as your arm is presented to me, usually along the lines of 'it looks funny' and 'the steering wheel is too big', the really important stuff. Anyway, I digress, the point is that after the MX5/daily is sorted, we can go hunting for a replacement she actually likes, and being as she has a short 10 mile commute to work, a small-engined Fiesta-style would be ideal.
Using this as a basis for wife's car/boring daily/MX5, (and I do take the comments about a potentially unreliable diesel into consideration) would mean tax of around £470, with insurance around £550 for the dailys.
So, looks like before fuel, boring vs fun looks like a saving of about £350 per year. Which does bring me on to the outgoings, as two days ago that would probably been the 'fun' surplus from my monthly wages, now thats going to take me a few months to find. Long term, doing the MX5 project would probably cost around £1500-£2000.
Still undecided, but TBH im swinging more in favour of the barge/boiring daily.
(Well, until tomorrow when I decide there HAS to be a V8 in my life anyway!)
300, your pretty much stating what i've been thinking. In fact, ive considered most of those in your list.
My daily commute is a mix of fast A road/duel carriageways, the A12 and a bit of town driving, depending on the route I take. There are options to go a little more scenic if I like.
The RX8 gets me bang on 24 mpg, and I have considered the fact that anything above that is a bonus. The trick comes with stuff like tax and insurance. Going with the 'fun daily' would give me tax of circa £200 p.a. each for the Rover, fun daily and MX5, I think using the VED calculator on the DVLA got me a figure of around £650 for all 3. Insurance would be circa £750 for Rover and daily and around £150 for the MX5 on classic.
The Rover has already been declared not very suitable by SWMBO, who has the very strange habit of not caring what car she drives, up until the point she has a new one, in which case a list of faults as long as your arm is presented to me, usually along the lines of 'it looks funny' and 'the steering wheel is too big', the really important stuff. Anyway, I digress, the point is that after the MX5/daily is sorted, we can go hunting for a replacement she actually likes, and being as she has a short 10 mile commute to work, a small-engined Fiesta-style would be ideal.
Using this as a basis for wife's car/boring daily/MX5, (and I do take the comments about a potentially unreliable diesel into consideration) would mean tax of around £470, with insurance around £550 for the dailys.
So, looks like before fuel, boring vs fun looks like a saving of about £350 per year. Which does bring me on to the outgoings, as two days ago that would probably been the 'fun' surplus from my monthly wages, now thats going to take me a few months to find. Long term, doing the MX5 project would probably cost around £1500-£2000.
Still undecided, but TBH im swinging more in favour of the barge/boiring daily.
(Well, until tomorrow when I decide there HAS to be a V8 in my life anyway!)
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