What's the nicest car you wouldn't give back?

[brillomaster]

A discussion on another forum got me thinking... let's say you won one of these BOTB win a car lottery things, and... you win a car. Your options are either keep the car, or take its market value in cash. If you keep the car, you have to tax and insure it, and pay for fuel if you actually want to drive it. It also has to live at your current house, either garage or driveway, or maybe even on the road.

On the one hand, if you won a car that was a mild upgrade on your current car, you'd keep it, right? I currently drive a 2008 bmw 330d, so if I won a newer 335d, I'd keep it.

However, if I won a £300,000 lamborghini, I'd take the cash. No way I'd want 300 grand sitting on my driveway, I'd never drive it and I'd rather have the cash to do other things with.

So... what's the nicest car you'd actually keep as a car?

For me, it'd be either a gen 1 r8, v10, or a 991 911. About 60 grands worth. Wouldn't look too flashy on my drive, and I could actually see me using it regularly. Any newer or faster, I'd probably take the cash.

What car is your limit to keep, and actually use? Doesn't necessarily need to a 2 seater sports car, if a supersaloon or estate is more your thing, so be it.

Edited by brillomaster on Wednesday 6th August 23:08

[andrewpandrew]

Personally, 992 GT3 would be about my limit. I’ve mainly played for GT4/GT4 RS and would be happy keeping a car like that.

[Ambleton]

Interesting topic.

Im probably in a similar boat to you.

If I got an "upgrade" daily id probably keep it.
Something like an Arteon, V60, V90 or a 330 or similar. Probably up to a value of £25-30k. Anything suv/crossover shape can get in the bin and I'd take the cash.

If it was something a bit more sporty, probably a £50k ceiling. Lotus, porsche cayman/boxster, Alpine, 4C.

If it was a classic then i'd be willing to go higher because they just push my buttons and id make room in the garage. Up to a £150k ceiling
Mercedes 190SL (~£125k) yes please
Something old and racey like an Allard or Talbot or similar.
My issue is I'd need something suitable for tall people. Being tall and being able to fit into old cars are usually mutually exclusive.

Edited by Ambleton on Wednesday 6th August 22:55

[Cloudy147]

Escort Cosworth.

When I enter a competition for one of those, I’m playing to win the car.

It would be garaged, keep for a year and have fun with it.

[E63eeeeee...]

Interesting question.

I think for me it would be different for different types of car. If it was an estate or saloon you could debadge it, stick an older number plate on it and not wash it, so as long as it wasn't really obvious as something like an RS6 I can't think what else I'd turn down. There's been an E63 on my drive for 5 years, and iirc the M5 also looks fairly innocuous once you take the badges off.

On the other hand, anything overtly sporty or exotic and not obviously old and cheap I'd take the money, no Porsches, Lambos, Ferraris etc. There's nothing like that on our road. I might keep a debadged SL63, although not the latest one.

Obviously any theft bait Golf R/ RS3 I'd have the money, and if it's an SUV I'd have the money all day.

[RDMcG]

I tend to keep my cars indefinitely. Still sad I let my 997.2 GT3RS go due to space limitations. Still, I have my other Porsche GT cars and stuff some of it going back over 20 years. Not interested in flipping, depreciation, values or the like. At this stage I am only getting rid of stuff that wears out.

[mk1coopers]

Anything north of 100K it would have to be the money, lower than that, the car, as long as all the associated costs are manageable for at least a year

[trickywoo]

I’d run anything for a year. Have some adventures then sell.

[stuthemongoose]

Db5.

I was thinking carerra GT, but a car like that would need to have had fuel tanks/ huge bills sorted. Not sure on a GT…… Ach, f it. A Carerra GT.

[Dave Hedgehog]

I would keep anything that cost less than a grand a month to insure and maintain

[LastPoster]

I have a 991 now, so would keep a nice new 992 (although not a GT variant unless a Touring). I already know I'm comfortable with using it in almost any scenario and selling the 991 would put a sum of money back in the bank that would be not a million miles from the cash alternative

[MustangGT]

trickywoo said:

I’d run anything for a year. Have some adventures then sell.

This.

[brillomaster]

Problem is you might lose a lot in depreciation if you actually use a lot, so while you might have won a £300k car, it'll cost you £50k to run it for a year, which is a lot...

Suppose it is still a free car, after all...

Guess really it's how comfortable you are in your current financial position as to whether a car or money is more important to you.

Then again, a classic is a great shout. If it's already 40 years old, it's unlikely another couple of years and couple of k's would affect its value much.