Pushing 50 And Still Get Excited When I Get A New Car.
Discussion
Back in 2008 I opted out of my employer's company car scheme and took a fistful of dollars in exchange. After a few weeks of research and couple of test drives I narrowed down my the choice of what this fistful of dollars would buy to either a BMW 1 Series (118 M Sport) or Clio 197 Cup and after much soul searching spontaneously bought a pre-reg MX5 that was sitting outside the Mazda dealers on a sunny day. Not being the most practical of cars I quickly backed up the 2 seater roadster with an elderly but reasonably low mileage Mercedes W210 E Class Estate. So happy was I with this combination I kept the Mazda for 5 years, the Merc for 6.
This year I sold the Mazda to make space on the drive for a company car, a new Vauxhall Astra Diesel in basic trim, with steel wheels and plastic trims and painted in a grim shade solid black. My new employer does not allow private vehicles to be used for business. Not long after the company hiked charges for personal miles and this combined with tax on benefits left me 200 notes a month out of pocket. My solution was to swap it for a company van and refrain from using it for any personal trips. The van was a new Fiesta Diesel. In the summer I bought a 2003 MGTF for £2.5k and this week I've just put a deposit down on a 5 year old 28k miles Mini Clubman Cooper S with a s
tload of JCW goodies for the price of a Mini Clubman Cooper S without a stload of JCW goodies.
So four new (to me) cars (well, vehicles) in a year. Thing is none are cars that set the world on fire or scream "look how well I'm doing in life" and yet even as I approach the grand old age of 50 I was fairly buzzing with anticipation at the acquisition of them all (even the van) and thoroughly enjoyed my time with each one.
I'm not going to ask if I'll ever grow up or out of this, this is just the way I am ............ but who else on the forum is just the same.
I expect it'll be most of you.
This year I sold the Mazda to make space on the drive for a company car, a new Vauxhall Astra Diesel in basic trim, with steel wheels and plastic trims and painted in a grim shade solid black. My new employer does not allow private vehicles to be used for business. Not long after the company hiked charges for personal miles and this combined with tax on benefits left me 200 notes a month out of pocket. My solution was to swap it for a company van and refrain from using it for any personal trips. The van was a new Fiesta Diesel. In the summer I bought a 2003 MGTF for £2.5k and this week I've just put a deposit down on a 5 year old 28k miles Mini Clubman Cooper S with a s
tload of JCW goodies for the price of a Mini Clubman Cooper S without a stload of JCW goodies. So four new (to me) cars (well, vehicles) in a year. Thing is none are cars that set the world on fire or scream "look how well I'm doing in life" and yet even as I approach the grand old age of 50 I was fairly buzzing with anticipation at the acquisition of them all (even the van) and thoroughly enjoyed my time with each one.
I'm not going to ask if I'll ever grow up or out of this, this is just the way I am ............ but who else on the forum is just the same.
I expect it'll be most of you.
Edited by Tannedbaldhead on Saturday 22 February 23:35
Tannedbaldhead said:
I expect it'll be most of you.
Absolutely. I bought my wife a Honda Jazz last year, hardly the default PH choice but I was up early on collection day and gave it a good going over / fact finding drive on the first day. Some of my most memorable drives have been had in mediocre (by PH standards) cars.The excitement of a new car never diminishes though.
Enjoy your Clubman.
Absolutely. Just don't buy enough cars...
Due to pick up an e36 323 convertible in the next couple of months but it's less powerful than what it's replacing and it's currently my dad's so not strictly speaking new to me as i've driven it a few times. Maybe sell it on after a few months and replace with an m3 cab...
Due to pick up an e36 323 convertible in the next couple of months but it's less powerful than what it's replacing and it's currently my dad's so not strictly speaking new to me as i've driven it a few times. Maybe sell it on after a few months and replace with an m3 cab...
That's exactly the point. It's great driving different vehicles and finding out what you need to do to get the best out of them. I have a 1971 VW camper that weighs about a million tons and propels itself around with a suggested, but by no means verified, 50bhp. It goes around corners only under protest and the usual (insert car owner stereotype here) tailgaters are amazed at the gentle progression down through the gearbox at the slightest hint of an incline. But it's involving, and in these speed limiting (and limited) days you takes your fun where you can get it.
Great choices of car. Your throwaway comment about "look how well I'm doing in life" refers to the type of person who values the number 63 (or 14 soon) over anything else. These are also the type of people who buy everything on finance, have an enormous mortgage and don't understand why you don't go out for "a messy one" every weekend yet be able to put a lot of money into savings.
Hope you enjoy your cars!
Hope you enjoy your cars!
I am extraordinarily excited about picking up my BMW i3 on Sat. I've arranged to be there at 9am!
First car I've bought without an engine...
Ordered back in November which seems to be ages ago.
I am only 45 though
. Do you feel any different to when you were driving cars in your twenties? I know I don't.
First car I've bought without an engine...
Ordered back in November which seems to be ages ago.
I am only 45 though
. Do you feel any different to when you were driving cars in your twenties? I know I don't. Edited by RossP on Sunday 23 February 08:55
sebhaque said:
Great choices of car. Your throwaway comment about "look how well I'm doing in life" refers to the type of person who values the number 63 (or 14 soon) over anything else. These are also the type of people who buy everything on finance, have an enormous mortgage and don't understand why you don't go out for "a messy one" every weekend yet be able to put a lot of money into savings.
Hope you enjoy your cars!
^^^ +1 Exactly that!Hope you enjoy your cars!
In fact, I'm so far off the mark that I had to sit there for a while just trying to figure out the significance of the numbers 63 and 14. I got it in the end!
I'll be 51 a week today. Over the years I've had what many would consider fast/exciting cars but I now drive a 13 year old BMW 728i Sport and my wife drives a 21 year old Merc Estate. Both were bought within the last year and I was definitely excited about getting both off them!
I think if one has worked and saved for anything one should be excited about then getting it irrespective of age. I've never bought a car on finance and never would because I just know that when I got it any "excitement" would be tainted and spoilt by the (to me) sickening feeling that I was being fleeced by a finance company.
I'm 65 this year. In January my son and I flew from Brisbane to Melbourne to pick up a 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo to serve as a project car (ie to be modified to go even faster than the maker intended). The return trip of some 1800km was done in 2 days - a great bonding session for us - the third in as many years. Buying a car in a remote city is always a thrill that hasn't subsided with the passing years. The body might be approaching 65, but the car nut inside is more like 21!
Rob
Rob
My wife ordered a new fiat 500 yesterday and she hasnt shut up about it since! Excited isnt the word! She's 42. In fact, i'm quite excited for her. Lol. It got me thinking, should i replace my old m3 with something new on lease? But i looked at the old girl on the drive and thought, nah!!!
I don't think many people ever grow up. Sure I realise I'm not 19 any more, but I still can't remember that I'm over 30 or so.
Toys are toys, no matter what the cost, and new toys are exciting. I also like to drive different things for different reasons. Yesterday I had the choice of a maser or a 1.3 Auto Toyota. I was popping into town for some more paint, into a multistoryng. The Corolla was a no brainer, and just being able to floor the auto from the lights and hurtle up to 20 mph to get ahead and into the other lane makes it so much fun around town. Over 50mph on the A38 and I'm considering putting an orange light on the top.
There are other advantages of growing older. Saga Insurance. Fully comp, with business use.
Carina under £100.
MR2 roadster £115.
Maserati Gransport "A Mazda what? I can't see that on the list. Oh Maserati, can you spell that for me?" Oh well. can't win them all.
Toys are toys, no matter what the cost, and new toys are exciting. I also like to drive different things for different reasons. Yesterday I had the choice of a maser or a 1.3 Auto Toyota. I was popping into town for some more paint, into a multistory
ng. The Corolla was a no brainer, and just being able to floor the auto from the lights and hurtle up to 20 mph to get ahead and into the other lane makes it so much fun around town. Over 50mph on the A38 and I'm considering putting an orange light on the top.There are other advantages of growing older. Saga Insurance. Fully comp, with business use.
Carina under £100.
MR2 roadster £115.
Maserati Gransport "A Mazda what? I can't see that on the list. Oh Maserati, can you spell that for me?" Oh well. can't win them all.
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