Cars you liked & could afford but didn't buy and regret
Discussion
Following on from this thread http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Back in 1996 I was looking for cars with a £3k budget and I had 2 choices, a 2.9 sierra 4x4 (GLS couldn't find an XR in budget) or a red mark 2 Lotus Cortina. It was a real quandary but I decided to go for the newer car and bought the Sierra.
A couple of years later I was looking for cars with a £7.5k budget and my choices were a Sapphire Cosworth, E30 M3 and a Delta Integrale 16v and I chose the Integrale but should have chosen the E30, I have since owned the Sapphire Cosworth though and now own an E46 M3 but I still regret not owning the E30.
I've also missed other cars that I could have afforded and never bought and regretted it and notably for me is the Mark 2 Escort RS2000. What were you close to buying but never did and now regret not doing so?
Back in 1996 I was looking for cars with a £3k budget and I had 2 choices, a 2.9 sierra 4x4 (GLS couldn't find an XR in budget) or a red mark 2 Lotus Cortina. It was a real quandary but I decided to go for the newer car and bought the Sierra.
A couple of years later I was looking for cars with a £7.5k budget and my choices were a Sapphire Cosworth, E30 M3 and a Delta Integrale 16v and I chose the Integrale but should have chosen the E30, I have since owned the Sapphire Cosworth though and now own an E46 M3 but I still regret not owning the E30.
I've also missed other cars that I could have afforded and never bought and regretted it and notably for me is the Mark 2 Escort RS2000. What were you close to buying but never did and now regret not doing so?
Could have owned a mint, unmolested, low-miles S2000 in a nice colour with matching hard top for £3750.
Decided on a mk1 MX5 and a big holiday instead.
Wasn't a bad compromise to be fair- mk1 taught me proper RWD car control, and everyone should visit Tokyo at least once. Similar S2000s closer to £6K now.
Decided on a mk1 MX5 and a big holiday instead.
Wasn't a bad compromise to be fair- mk1 taught me proper RWD car control, and everyone should visit Tokyo at least once. Similar S2000s closer to £6K now.
when i bought my mini there was little difference in price between it an a jcw
i went for a cooper s because with my gf as a new driver jcw insurance was too much.
Now i have a modified cooper S with all the jcw bits on it, but because it's not got a certificate it's not worth as much, won't become a collectors car and is a pain in the ass to insurer
Hopefully i will still be able to catch the bottom of the market and swap mine for a lower millage jcw for not much extra when it starts to become a car worth holding on to
i went for a cooper s because with my gf as a new driver jcw insurance was too much.
Now i have a modified cooper S with all the jcw bits on it, but because it's not got a certificate it's not worth as much, won't become a collectors car and is a pain in the ass to insurer
Hopefully i will still be able to catch the bottom of the market and swap mine for a lower millage jcw for not much extra when it starts to become a car worth holding on to
About 8 or so years ago I had the opportunity to buy a '72 Mustang Fastback project car, needed a lot of work but chassis was solid bodywork not, had the engine but needed a rebuild. I already had my 2 '71 Mk3 Cortina's, a '78 Mk2 Granada and 2 modern cars and the guy was only looking for around 4k for the Mustang (My dream car). Unfortunately life...(sorry mis-spelt that), 'WIFE' got in the way.
I regret that!
I regret that!
635 CSI Highline & x308 XJR ![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
I'll get both one day, maybe swapping the Saab for a XJR next year if I don't go further with the mods, I've been fancying one for years. 635 will have to wait until I get a bigger garage! That'll rust to bits left outside in sunny South Wales! Might treat myself for my 40th![wink](/inc/images/wink.gif)
Went for the E55 AMG instead and it cost me big time! Thousands of pounds in repair bills plus, couple £1,000+ repair bills a month apart, then lost almost £4k selling it on 11 months later (almost finished me & the missis that one!) lovely motor but had to go.
Only problem with these old v8's! Pretty cheap to buy, £4k will get a decent one, but when they go wrong......££££![frown](/inc/images/frown.gif)
![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
I'll get both one day, maybe swapping the Saab for a XJR next year if I don't go further with the mods, I've been fancying one for years. 635 will have to wait until I get a bigger garage! That'll rust to bits left outside in sunny South Wales! Might treat myself for my 40th
![wink](/inc/images/wink.gif)
Went for the E55 AMG instead and it cost me big time! Thousands of pounds in repair bills plus, couple £1,000+ repair bills a month apart, then lost almost £4k selling it on 11 months later (almost finished me & the missis that one!) lovely motor but had to go.
Only problem with these old v8's! Pretty cheap to buy, £4k will get a decent one, but when they go wrong......££££
![frown](/inc/images/frown.gif)
Back in 1985 I wanted a Monza GSE, couldn't find one for what I had to spend but I did find a Manta (White GT/E coupe with sensible miles and in excellent order and foolishly I decided that it wouldn't be a substitute for what I really wanted) so bought a 205 instead (err there were some good reasons for that purchase and I have no regrets as it was a great car) Since that day I've had 5 Monzas and a dozen or more other Opel/Vauxhall Straight six engined cars - I often wonder if my car history would have been different if I'd purchased that Manta......
Best picture I could find of a coupe GT/E
1986 Opel Manta GTE by GoldScotland71, on Flickr
Best picture I could find of a coupe GT/E
![](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8447/7966072624_e50317656e_c.jpg)
Edited by B'stard Child on Sunday 26th October 06:34
craig_m67 said:
What about cars you liked and could afford to buy, did and regret ![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
Renault 19 16v Executive ![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
![banghead](/inc/images/banghead.gif)
Traded my Charade Gtti in for it
![frown](/inc/images/frown.gif)
Eleven grands worth of pure turd! I'd love to go back 18 years and beat myself up.
Biggest lesson I've learned is never EVER listen to a woman when buying a new car! And the horrible b
![](/inc/images/censored.gif)
SOP now is say I'm off to work then come back a few hours later with a different car
![laugh](/inc/images/laugh.gif)
H100S said:
Chevette HS for 5k in 2004. I would have had to use it daily and never had a garage at the time.
These for similar condition are 15k+ now.
Would still love one.
I'd love one too!These for similar condition are 15k+ now.
Would still love one.
I was offered a Mk2 RS2000 in about 1995 for £500. It was in mint condition but had sat in the blokes garage for about 5 years as he'd lost interest in it and it was covered in a thick layer of dust. I was a student at the time and just couldn't afford it. I still wince when I think about it.....
B'stard Child said:
Back in 1985 I wanted a Monza GSE, couldn't find one for what I had to spend but I did find a Manta (White GT/E coupe with sensible miles and in excellent order and foolishly I decided that it wouldn't be a substitute for what I really wanted) so bought a 205 instead (err there were some good reasons for that purchase and I have no regrets as it was a great car) Since that day I've had 5 Monzas and a dozen or more other Opel/Vauxhall Straight six engined cars - I often wonder if my car history would have been different if I'd purchased that Manta......
Best picture I could find of a coupe GT/E
1986 Opel Manta GTE by GoldScotland71, on Flickr
GTE instead of a 205? No regrets about the Manta here ( although I did buy a 309 Gti later to see what the Pug kerfuffle was all about )Best picture I could find of a coupe GT/E
![](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8447/7966072624_e50317656e_c.jpg)
Edited by B'stard Child on Sunday 26th October 06:34
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/lB2e6QFd.jpg)
Can't see it would have put you off the Monzas - I would have liked a white GSE
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