Discussion
Years ago, before I knew any better, I bought a Porsche 928S. It felt like the fastest car in the world, it was an ugly colour, had a seriously debatable history and a previous owner that Companies House would've told me to run a mile from had I had the sense to ask them. I paid over the top for it, drove it as you would as a 24 year old and quickly realised there were some very serious problems.
It seemed to have 5 million different fuses, all of which blew every time you turned the ignition, it leaked oil like a BP platform and went through tyres like Kimi Raikkonen.
Over the next 5 years I spent all of my spare money on it and although it was always nose bleed quick it drained my bank balance to death.
I eventually sold it for 15 grand less than I paid for it to a mate who should've known better and then went on to sink all his wages into it too.
There are cars we know from day one we really shouldn't throw money at but still we do.
Hope over sense.
It seemed to have 5 million different fuses, all of which blew every time you turned the ignition, it leaked oil like a BP platform and went through tyres like Kimi Raikkonen.
Over the next 5 years I spent all of my spare money on it and although it was always nose bleed quick it drained my bank balance to death.
I eventually sold it for 15 grand less than I paid for it to a mate who should've known better and then went on to sink all his wages into it too.
There are cars we know from day one we really shouldn't throw money at but still we do.
Hope over sense.
Edited by br d on Sunday 30th March 23:38
When a car costs more than average to run - I call it my guilty pleasure.
When it starts to hurt my current account - I call it my hobby.
When it starts to have a dig at the savings account - I call it my passion.
When I suspect I'm throwing good money after bad, I have a huge hissy fit, sell it immediately - and I do mean immediately, like that afternoon - for a huge loss to the first person who wants to take it off my hands and then normally find out 3 years later that it's been faultless over this time and not cost its current owner a thing due to so many consumables having recently been replaced...
When it starts to hurt my current account - I call it my hobby.
When it starts to have a dig at the savings account - I call it my passion.
When I suspect I'm throwing good money after bad, I have a huge hissy fit, sell it immediately - and I do mean immediately, like that afternoon - for a huge loss to the first person who wants to take it off my hands and then normally find out 3 years later that it's been faultless over this time and not cost its current owner a thing due to so many consumables having recently been replaced...
Matt UK said:
When a car costs more than average to run - I call it my guilty pleasure.
When it starts to hurt my current account - I call it my hobby.
When it starts to have a dig at the savings account - I call it my passion.
When I suspect I'm throwing good money after bad, I have a huge hissy fit, sell it immediately - and I do mean immediately, like that afternoon - for a huge loss to the first person who wants to take it off my hands and then normally find out 3 years later that it's been faultless over this time and not cost its current owner a thing due to so many consumables having recently been replaced...
Amen Brother!When it starts to hurt my current account - I call it my hobby.
When it starts to have a dig at the savings account - I call it my passion.
When I suspect I'm throwing good money after bad, I have a huge hissy fit, sell it immediately - and I do mean immediately, like that afternoon - for a huge loss to the first person who wants to take it off my hands and then normally find out 3 years later that it's been faultless over this time and not cost its current owner a thing due to so many consumables having recently been replaced...
I had the pleasure of owning an old and battered e34 for about 8 months whilst living abroad.
It cost me no more than 200 quid to keep running, and I sold it for a healthy profit that covered that expense, plus a bit more.
I suspect it has been a horrific money pit for any owner for the last ten years, and any future owner until it gets scrapped or completely restored. I just had it between hissy fits!
It cost me no more than 200 quid to keep running, and I sold it for a healthy profit that covered that expense, plus a bit more.
I suspect it has been a horrific money pit for any owner for the last ten years, and any future owner until it gets scrapped or completely restored. I just had it between hissy fits!
joebongo said:
Matt UK said:
When a car costs more than average to run - I call it my guilty pleasure.
When it starts to hurt my current account - I call it my hobby.
When it starts to have a dig at the savings account - I call it my passion.
When I suspect I'm throwing good money after bad, I have a huge hissy fit, sell it immediately - and I do mean immediately, like that afternoon - for a huge loss to the first person who wants to take it off my hands and then normally find out 3 years later that it's been faultless over this time and not cost its current owner a thing due to so many consumables having recently been replaced...
Amen Brother!When it starts to hurt my current account - I call it my hobby.
When it starts to have a dig at the savings account - I call it my passion.
When I suspect I'm throwing good money after bad, I have a huge hissy fit, sell it immediately - and I do mean immediately, like that afternoon - for a huge loss to the first person who wants to take it off my hands and then normally find out 3 years later that it's been faultless over this time and not cost its current owner a thing due to so many consumables having recently been replaced...
Back in the mid-seventies I bought my first car, a '67 Triumph 1300, at an auction for £250, borrowed from my girlfriend.
It would have been a nice car if it had worked properly..but it didn't: starter solenoid tempramental, meaning that the car would only start when it felt like it; handbrake came off in my hand; front springs peeking through the inner wings because of rot, etc. etc.
I had zero mechanical knowledge, & even less cash to fix it (or indeed tax it). A few months (& less than 1000 miles) later a mechanic friend gave me £70 for it, fixed it up, put a set of Woolfrace alloys on it, jacked up the rear suspension, & ran it for years.
And my girlfriend became my ex-girlfriend.
It would have been a nice car if it had worked properly..but it didn't: starter solenoid tempramental, meaning that the car would only start when it felt like it; handbrake came off in my hand; front springs peeking through the inner wings because of rot, etc. etc.
I had zero mechanical knowledge, & even less cash to fix it (or indeed tax it). A few months (& less than 1000 miles) later a mechanic friend gave me £70 for it, fixed it up, put a set of Woolfrace alloys on it, jacked up the rear suspension, & ran it for years.
And my girlfriend became my ex-girlfriend.
Matt UK said:
When I suspect I'm throwing good money after bad, I have a huge hissy fit, sell it immediately - and I do mean immediately, like that afternoon - for a huge loss to the first person who wants to take it off my hands and then normally find out 3 years later that it's been faultless over this time and not cost its current owner a thing due to so many consumables having recently been replaced...
This happened to me with my previous - Merc R230 SL. It was outrageous, stuff just going wrong every bloody week, telephone number parts prices. It was never actually immobilised (ie. broke down) but it was just bits and bobs and little black boxes and erratic suspension. One day I said to myself "enough is enough", rang Freedom Contracts, asked for an SLK and sold the stupid SL (in perfect order) and lost an absolute fortune. Never again.In 1965 I bought an ageing Lotus 20 Formula junior open wheeler. Old & Lotus are 2 words that don't go well together, Lotus don't age well. It cost a fortune to put it back together after each race.
At the end of a year I was silly enough to work out the costs of racing the thing. I had only managed to do 6 race meetings, at a cost of 11 pounds 8 shillings per racing mile. The total cost just slightly exceeded my gross income for the year.
However it had won my class for me in the Bathurst 100 [miles], second only to the Australian GP in importance in those days, earned me a BP contract for the next year, & proved once & for all I was a driving god,
. What more could you ask of an old race car. 
At the end of a year I was silly enough to work out the costs of racing the thing. I had only managed to do 6 race meetings, at a cost of 11 pounds 8 shillings per racing mile. The total cost just slightly exceeded my gross income for the year.
However it had won my class for me in the Bathurst 100 [miles], second only to the Australian GP in importance in those days, earned me a BP contract for the next year, & proved once & for all I was a driving god,
. What more could you ask of an old race car. kiethton said:
MethylatedSpirit said:
That's is why I spend absolutely ages researching a car, getting someone else to view and asking on forums before committing to buy.
At-least I know what I'm letting myself in for.
Where's the fun in that? At-least I know what I'm letting myself in for.
Ask me how i know lol.
MethylatedSpirit said:
Having a TVR on the drive is pretty fun 
My girlfriends diesel Audi was an absolute money pit. It had all the common diesel problems
My Wife's S5 is becoming such a thing. Bad luck mostly - and now we've had it a while it's mostly "consumables" like £2500 clutches suddenly going; and then after a few hours online coming to the conclusion "they all do that".My girlfriends diesel Audi was an absolute money pit. It had all the common diesel problems
Hmm. I think it's just my luck!
Defcon5 said:
joebongo said:
Matt UK said:
When a car costs more than average to run - I call it my guilty pleasure.
When it starts to hurt my current account - I call it my hobby.
When it starts to have a dig at the savings account - I call it my passion.
When I suspect I'm throwing good money after bad, I have a huge hissy fit, sell it immediately - and I do mean immediately, like that afternoon - for a huge loss to the first person who wants to take it off my hands and then normally find out 3 years later that it's been faultless over this time and not cost its current owner a thing due to so many consumables having recently been replaced...
Amen Brother!When it starts to hurt my current account - I call it my hobby.
When it starts to have a dig at the savings account - I call it my passion.
When I suspect I'm throwing good money after bad, I have a huge hissy fit, sell it immediately - and I do mean immediately, like that afternoon - for a huge loss to the first person who wants to take it off my hands and then normally find out 3 years later that it's been faultless over this time and not cost its current owner a thing due to so many consumables having recently been replaced...
Toyota MR2 I bought with about 15 previous owners.. miniature paddling pools behind the seats whenever it rained and a poorly designed engine cover that allows rain to drip right onto the alternator, killing one within my ownership.. as an 18 year old it proved quite expensive!
Still, loved shiny black coupe looks..
Still, loved shiny black coupe looks..
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