How many of you keep a car for the sake of it?

[VeeFource]

Owing to an imminent increase in annual mileage I've just bought a modern-ish diesel and am now faced with the prospect of selling my E36 328i. But I've had it nearly 6 years, done lots of bits to it to make it lovely and now don't particularly want to part with it. I can't imagine I'll drive it all that much given it's consumption, it's old and starting to need a little bit of body work doing here and there. But I love it and somehow need to justify the hopeless man-maths to myself to keep it.

So this got me wondering how many of you have overruled your wallet and kept a car purely for sentimental reasons and the odd self-indulgent blat?

[Pistom]

Most of us here have big boys toys. Don't feel guilty about it. As long as it doesn't mean your children wife or mistress starving I don't see an issue.

[Hav]

Say hello to your new track car.

[carmadgaz]

I have an old shed of a Landrover, slow, noisy, temperamental. I could buy a modern 4x4 instead of my MX-5 / Landie combo but I like having them both, if it means a few nights less on the lash then so be it.

[crosseyedlion]

328is? Keep it, I sold mine at the start of the year and hugely regret it. Superb car

Values are steadily creeping up too.

I'll probably be keeping my 540i in Mums Garage when I get my next car in 2-3 months time. If its not depreciating and you like it, theres no point selling (provided you dont immediately need the cash)

[ezi]

I'm the same with my Fiesta ST, I know it isn't worth much in the grand scheme of things but given the money I've spent on it and the time it's taken me to get it how I like it I just can't bare the thought of watching someone else drive away in it, when I finally get something else I want to keep it as a second car and set it up for track play, I'd rather risk crashing it a few times a year than watch someone else own it

[chevy-stu]

If you have the space, doesn't cost you much to tax/insure and you still will enjoy using it enough then keep it.
Especially as you say it's as you want it and others have said it's unlikely to depreciate then definitely keep it !

[sc4589]

You'll miss it if you sell it. I don't want to part with mine.

[scott15]

Im currently having the same thoughts too!

I have had a good condition mk2 golf 1.8 8v since June this year, after wanting one since i was a kid. I finally got one, but the fuel economy was crippling (for the wages i was on at the time) and with tax running out at the end of this month, i decided id buy an mx5 with my savings, meaning i can then do a small amount of spraying, and fit a 1.8t AGU engine into the golf, giving me better mpg, and much much more power.

However, i have just lost my job, and am now skint! Luckily because i can weld and do bodywork, i can keep enough money coming in to keep me ticking over.

The golf has been on ebay for a few days now, at 795 I really don't want to let it go for such a small amount though, as i know that i wont be able to pick one up in this condition that cheap again. The prices of them are going up lately, and im not actually bored of the car, i just want more power!

Im now more leaning towards keeping the car, and not having any savings left for a while. Then 1.8t'ing the Golf once i start a new job (hopefully get one soon), then sell the MX5 after i have had my winter fun in it.

Although im 19, i don't go out drinking often, so i won't be missing out on that, but me and the gf do enjoy going out for food, and weekends away, so it means it will be a stop to that for a while. Plus the savings were for the future (although not a lot at the moment, it was a start), but i really don't want the golf to go!

[Rollcage]

Pretty much all of mine are for the sake of it, if I'm honest!

[VeeFource]

crosseyedlion said:

328is? Keep it, I sold mine at the start of the year and hugely regret it. Superb car

Values are steadily creeping up too.

I'll probably be keeping my 540i in Mums Garage when I get my next car in 2-3 months time. If its not depreciating and you like it, theres no point selling (provided you dont immediately need the cash)

It is indeed a 328is, and I'd certainly not have bought anything else if it weren't for the increase in mileage. I also wouldn't think twice about keeping it if it weren't for the prospective work just to keep the corrosion away. But it's still relatively low mileage at 110,000 and most of the bits that wear or break have been renewed so it drives almost like new and seems to be very reliable still. Maybe I'll just bide my time and see how much I crave driving it after having to live with a front wheel drive diseasal. To be honest though I am quite enjoying the new car more than I thought I would, but then that's probably just because it's a new toy..

[deltashad]

I keep an MGF in the garage. Spent a fortune on it over the years, I quite like it but have no plans to put it back on the road. If it was worth more than 1000 quid I'd consider selling it.
Needs an MOT now too.

[VeeFource]

deltashad said:

I keep an MGF in the garage. Spent a fortune on it over the years, I quite like it but have no plans to put it back on the road. If it was worth more than 1000 quid I'd consider selling it.
Needs an MOT now too.

Don't you want the extra space in the garage?

I should also have mentioned I've got a motorbike as well which still further negates the need for a toy. And the BM's due for new tyres.. dohhh!

[lufbramatt]

scott15 said:

Im currently having the same thoughts too!

I have had a good condition mk2 golf 1.8 8v since June this year, after wanting one since i was a kid. I finally got one, but the fuel economy was crippling (for the wages i was on at the time) and with tax running out at the end of this month, i decided id buy an mx5 with my savings, meaning i can then do a small amount of spraying, and fit a 1.8t AGU engine into the golf, giving me better mpg, and much much more power.

However, i have just lost my job, and am now skint! Luckily because i can weld and do bodywork, i can keep enough money coming in to keep me ticking over.

The golf has been on ebay for a few days now, at 795 I really don't want to let it go for such a small amount though, as i know that i wont be able to pick one up in this condition that cheap again. The prices of them are going up lately, and im not actually bored of the car, i just want more power!

Im now more leaning towards keeping the car, and not having any savings left for a while. Then 1.8t'ing the Golf once i start a new job (hopefully get one soon), then sell the MX5 after i have had my winter fun in it.

Although im 19, i don't go out drinking often, so i won't be missing out on that, but me and the gf do enjoy going out for food, and weekends away, so it means it will be a stop to that for a while. Plus the savings were for the future (although not a lot at the moment, it was a start), but i really don't want the golf to go!

There must be something very wrong with the 1.8 8v! Mine would average an easy 35mpg no matter how I drove it and would get well into the mid 40's on a motorway run. They're renowned for doing silly MPG for 1.8. A 1.8T will use much more fuel than the old 8v. It will be faster, yes, but don't kid yourself that it will be more efficient ;-)

[BoRED S2upid]

Yes the MX5 for when the weather is nice and the roof can come down, use the Diesel hack for 20,000 miles a year use the MX5 for less than 3k.

[deltashad]

VeeFource said:

deltashad said:

I keep an MGF in the garage. Spent a fortune on it over the years, I quite like it but have no plans to put it back on the road. If it was worth more than 1000 quid I'd consider selling it.
Needs an MOT now too.

Don't you want the extra space in the garage?

I should also have mentioned I've got a motorbike as well which still further negates the need for a toy. And the BM's due for new tyres.. dohhh!

My classic car is being restored at the moment, will be about another year before completion, when its back it will need a home. Even then, may just put the MGF in a barn. Hoping one day it will be worth something

[scott15]

lufbramatt said:

There must be something very wrong with the 1.8 8v! Mine would average an easy 35mpg no matter how I drove it and would get well into the mid 40's on a motorway run. They're renowned for doing silly MPG for 1.8. A 1.8T will use much more fuel than the old 8v. It will be faster, yes, but don't kid yourself that it will be more efficient ;-)

Is that the GTI? mine is carb'd because it is just a driver. Two friends have had the same engine and carb, an they have only managed to get 25mpg at a push.

Another friend had a 1.8t AUM engine, with Ko3s turbo and a few other stuff, running 244bhp, and was still returning around the 30-35mpg range no matter how he drove it.

I still think it will be a worthwhile conversion though, as i don't fully trust my old carb'd engine for long trips. It probably will do it, but there is always a doubt in the back of my mind. Atleast with the 1.8t, it will be a much newer engine, wont be running a carb, and will have much more power.

[lufbramatt]

scott15 said:

Is that the GTI? mine is carb'd because it is just a driver. Two friends have had the same engine and carb, an they have only managed to get 25mpg at a push.

Another friend had a 1.8t AUM engine, with Ko3s turbo and a few other stuff, running 244bhp, and was still returning around the 30-35mpg range no matter how he drove it.

I still think it will be a worthwhile conversion though, as i don't fully trust my old carb'd engine for long trips. It probably will do it, but there is always a doubt in the back of my mind. Atleast with the 1.8t, it will be a much newer engine, wont be running a carb, and will have much more power.

Ah sorry I assumed you meant the 1.8i (PB) engine in the 8v GTi. Yes fair play the 1.8t will definitely be better than the carbed lump!

[Hasbeen]

I have an Oz Capri. Locally built 2+2 convertible, on the Mazda 323 platform. Most were exported to the US as a Mercury Capri. This one is an auto bought for a daughter after a foot operation meant she could not drive her manual.

It's a pretty nothing little thing, but nice to cruise the nearby Gold Coast beaches top down.

Quite a few friends & family like to visit for a week or 2 & borrow it for just that. Every time I think I'll get rid of it, I get an other holiday "booking" for it & our granny flat.

Perhaps it would stop if I started charging.

[Heartworm]

My SMART roadster, love that car, never use it.