I have 2 options! Shed or not

[Shermanator]

I currently own a 1973 MGB GT and a 2014 Citroen C1. C1 is my first car, bought 4 years ago this month. MGB was bought about 1.5 years ago.
Due to the MG being in need of work I've decided to restore it however I don't have a garage. I've ordered a Clarke temporary garage (basically scaffolding with a tarpaulin) which is where I will learn and do the work in. Sadly this will be on my sister's driveway and I live at my parents, so all parts and tools will have to be ferried between the two in my car. The C1 is not suited to this, and I don't particularly want to use it for such work. I also love an estate. You can probabaly see where this is going...

Option 1:

Keep the C1 and get a shed (sub £1000) estate for the restoration work, and for when parents and friends need a big car and I help.
Pros: Cheap... Get to keep the C1, which is hugely appealing as I think I might regret selling it (inverse to this is that I could use the sale as a learning tool for myself to stop dwelling on the past and look into the future (anytime I regtime I regret selling it I think about what it allowed me to do))
Cons: My dad owned that exact sort of car my entire life, his current 2014 Astra is the nicest car he has ever owned by a long way, so I'm rather fed up with cheap crap cars, if I can afford it I want a nice car. However I still wouldn't just throw stuff in the back of it and be done, I'd still line the boot with a dust sheet or similar to protect the car from objects being moved, which sort of defeats the purpose. I'm 21, so insurance will be relatively expensive. Will then own 3 cars, over 2 locations.

Option 2:
Sell/trade in the C1, put some money in as well and buy a nice estate for around the £8000 mark. There's a lovely £7500 Subura Legacy Spec B on AutoTrader at the moment which is hugely appealing.
Pros: Drive a car far better in every way to my C1, insurance is only £200 more than the C1 for a year despite being a much faster car, have a more comfortable daily for my 16 mile each way motorway and dual carriageway commute, Subaru is better looking than the Citroen as well! Semi-special car, so might reduce the regret of saying goodbye to the C1. Can put a kayak on the roof, which is a hobby I wish to start.
Cons: I might worry about it a lot and not want to use it as an estate, reduces the starting money of the MG restoration which will increase the time it takes. Tax is rather high.

Currently leaning towards Option 2; what do the older "wiser" individuals here think?

Before anyone tells me to save the money of both for a house I already have more than the average person my age has ready for a house (greater than the value of the cars). I also have no life other than my cars, rarely see friends (talk enough though), don't smoke, don't drink, never been in a night club, don't see what all the fuss is about with holidays (prefer a nice day trip myself) so I really should spend some money on things which make me happy rather than saving the vast majority of it like I currently do.

Edited by Shermanator on Thursday 9th July 22:35

[RS93]

It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind, you only live once go for option 2- you can always sell it at a later date if you need to..

[rustyuk]

I'd give it a week before your sister gets fed up of the 'garage' on her drive!

[keo]

rustyuk said:

I'd give it a week before your sister gets fed up of the 'garage' on her drive!

That long!

[ZX10R NIN]

Sell the C1 & buy an Estate but don't put money on top (put that towards your MG & the eventual need to rent a garage) get something like these:

Saab 9-5

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

9-3

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Signum

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[Roger Irrelevant]

ZX10R NIN said:

Sell the C1 & buy an Estate but don't put money on top (put that towards your MG & the eventual need to rent a garage) get something like these:

Saab 9-5

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

9-3

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Signum

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Wot no Mondeo? What have you done with the real ZX10?! Joking aside I agree with you - in this situation I'd be after something cheapish and reliable. From my experience of running a 3.0 Outback - which has a lot in common with a Legacy Spec B - I can imagine that regularly having to spend time and money fixing the Subaru just so you can spend (now less) time and money fixing the MG will get old really quickly.

[Shermanator]

keo said:

rustyuk said:

I'd give it a week before your sister gets fed up of the 'garage' on her drive!

That long!

She won't, the way my family is immensely lazy far uglier things have sat around houses, she's not bothered. Also, the area it will be in is not intrusive to anything she does. It'll be fine.

[Shermanator]

ZX10R NIN said:

Sell the C1 & buy an Estate but don't put money on top (put that towards your MG & the eventual need to rent a garage) get something like these:

Saab 9-5

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

9-3

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Signum

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Not been an option as I would not want to spend money on it. Anything to replace the Citroen will have to be semi-special and I'm not getting anything semi-special for the money that won't cost stupid money in repairs all the time.

[Shermanator]

Roger Irrelevant said:

Wot no Mondeo? What have you done with the real ZX10?! Joking aside I agree with you - in this situation I'd be after something cheapish and reliable. From my experience of running a 3.0 Outback - which has a lot in common with a Legacy Spec B - I can imagine that regularly having to spend time and money fixing the Subaru just so you can spend (now less) time and money fixing the MG will get old really quickly.

He didn't suggest an Infiniti either (not that I would want one anyway), must be an imposter ZX10!

What issues did you have?

[A500leroy]

Option 3. get a tow bar fitted to the C1 and a small £ 200 trailer to carry the crap in.

[BoggoStump]

fold seats dwn on C1 and cover the back with some tarpaulin and use that. will likely work out cheaper in the long run

[ZX10R NIN]

Shermanator said:

Roger Irrelevant said:

Wot no Mondeo? What have you done with the real ZX10?! Joking aside I agree with you - in this situation I'd be after something cheapish and reliable. From my experience of running a 3.0 Outback - which has a lot in common with a Legacy Spec B - I can imagine that regularly having to spend time and money fixing the Subaru just so you can spend (now less) time and money fixing the MG will get old really quickly.

He didn't suggest an Infiniti either (not that I would want one anyway), must be an imposter ZX10!

What issues did you have?

you couldn't get a nice version of either for your budget I'll try harder

[Shermanator]

A500leroy said:

Option 3. get a tow bar fitted to the C1 and a small £ 200 trailer to carry the crap in.

While that would be rather funny I don't have a trailer license and as far as I am aware the car is not type approved for towing so would probably run in to legality issues.

[Shermanator]

BoggoStump said:

fold seats dwn on C1 and cover the back with some tarpaulin and use that. will likely work out cheaper in the long run

Every chance of it yes, but it wouldn't be suited to the job AND it currently needs the central locking fixed (I know it's central not the remote because it also doesn't work even if I stick the key in the door) as well as the timing belt (apparently a belt in oil design, a pig). If I was to keep it I would also get all fluids changed. Very likely the bill would be in the 4 figures. Man maths sort of says now is the time to buy a more practical, more comfortable and maybe faster car.

[Shermanator]

ZX10R NIN said:

you couldn't get a nice version of either for your budget I'll try harder

Oh ouch! Just call me poor, why not

[ZX10R NIN]

Shermanator said:

Not been an option as I would not want to spend money on it. Anything to replace the Citroen will have to be semi-special and I'm not getting anything semi-special for the money that won't cost stupid money in repairs all the time.

A little mapping work on the Saab's & they'll be an interesting workhorse & you'll be grateful for their non special need for parts & their comfortable seats after a long day doing up your MG as well as the boot space.

[VanDiesel99]

I'm a bit concerned that you've under-estimated two things:-

1. how much hassle it is and how time consuming it is to cart tools to & from your home to your sister's home, to work on the car. This might be 'lessened' a little if you can reasonably and securely load up the Estate and store the tools within it for the period of the works (likely only viable if you can Garage it), which could be months, maybe years.


2. whether you have the skills to do the work on the MGB: while I don't want to be discouraging, I also know how much work a car can be and you speak of 'the expense of repairs' relating to a different vehicle, which suggests to me you're in the habit of paying someone to do your spannering

Might I suggest that a good way to 'move forward' would be two-fold

1: get a 'proper' idea of the MGB's condition, at least an MOT, even if you know it'll fail; or better, a comprehensive going over by someone who ideally knows their way round an MGB; so you know how good or bad it is before you 'commit'

2: then a couple of trial 'work' runs, with tools, in the C1; back seats down, kitted out with suitable protection for the interior and rear bumper to ensure you don't do any damage. If after a couple of these runs you're already starting to feel its 'impractical' as I fear you might, then you can adjust your views.

Also, don't forget, that multiple car ownership can get expensive on Insurance, as I found to my cost while I had a second car for a few months (I was spannering my 'main' car)... unless you're a Trader. Multi-Car policies are a joke (don't take my word for it, do a trial run & see for yourself) and separate policies require the second car to be insured with zero No Claims, coz you'll be using your NCB on the first car.

[S100HP]

7.5k is a huge amount of money for the Leggy. You can pay half that for a good one....

[Shermanator]

ZX10R NIN said:

A little mapping work on the Saab's & they'll be an interesting workhorse & you'll be grateful for their non special need for parts & their comfortable seats after a long day doing up your MG as well as the boot space.

Fair enough but while I admire and like SAABs I won't be up polishing it every weekend. While I won't actually do that I want a car which I have the inclination to do so. No reason for it, just not jumping out at me.

[Shermanator]

VanDiesel99 said:

I'm a bit concerned that you've under-estimated two things:-

1. how much hassle it is and how time consuming it is to cart tools to & from your home to your sister's home, to work on the car. This might be 'lessened' a little if you can reasonably and securely load up the Estate and store the tools within it for the period of the works (likely only viable if you can Garage it), which could be months, maybe years.


2. whether you have the skills to do the work on the MGB: while I don't want to be discouraging, I also know how much work a car can be and you speak of 'the expense of repairs' relating to a different vehicle, which suggests to me you're in the habit of paying someone to do your spannering

Might I suggest that a good way to 'move forward' would be two-fold

1: get a 'proper' idea of the MGB's condition, at least an MOT, even if you know it'll fail; or better, a comprehensive going over by someone who ideally knows their way round an MGB; so you know how good or bad it is before you 'commit'

2: then a couple of trial 'work' runs, with tools, in the C1; back seats down, kitted out with suitable protection for the interior and rear bumper to ensure you don't do any damage. If after a couple of these runs you're already starting to feel its 'impractical' as I fear you might, then you can adjust your views.

Also, don't forget, that multiple car ownership can get expensive on Insurance, as I found to my cost while I had a second car for a few months (I was spannering my 'main' car)... unless you're a Trader. Multi-Car policies are a joke (don't take my word for it, do a trial run & see for yourself) and separate policies require the second car to be insured with zero No Claims, coz you'll be using your NCB on the first car.

An MG doesn't require many tools to take apart, it will be slow and I'll plan it so less tools have to be taken over each pass.
I already know the condition, it needs basically everything mechanical. That plus the fact I want a different colour and a sunroof means I've just decided to restore it. The metal is all solid though.
Good idea, I'll use the C1 a few times and see what I want to afterwards.
I probably am undere but once I've started I can't go back so let's see. I'll also make a Readers Car thread for it so you can follow it, although I've been called back into work tomorrow so that's delayed it a little.
I know, I've owned them both at the same time for the past 1.5 years. Insurance wasn't the worst because Adrian Flux were able to mirror my C1s no-claims, it's now on laid-up insurance costing around £60 a year.