I am paranoid about my stuff so buying a shed, not a whatcar

I am paranoid about my stuff so buying a shed, not a whatcar

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The Selfish Gene

Original Poster:

5,470 posts

209 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
so, in the last year I've had the car damaged when parked (now sorted)

the bike stolen when parked

and so I'm paranoid.

I daren't leave either cars or the bike anywhere so I'm going to buy a car I don't care about to drive to events and places where it has to be out of my sight.

(airports, Goodwood events, London for dinners etc)

So, am I a paranoid lunatic?

Should I just not have nice things ?

or is this the world for a car fan now?

E36Dan

7,543 posts

167 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
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This is one of the main reasons I daily a shed, and I'm sure many more will be over to agree as well.

Number 97

84 posts

106 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
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you have had a couple of bad things happen to you so its only natural to feel like that just now. However if you let things like that define you then the criminals and the aholes of the world have won. I think I would try to be a bit more aware and cautious and tighten up security.

I don't have a shed personally but a lot of people seem to buy them as an addition to their 'nice car' so they don't need to worry about Supermarket Dings and ferrying their pets around etc, if that's something you think is worth the money then that's entirely up to you.

PixelpeepS3

8,600 posts

141 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
I've had £1200 worth of damage to my old astra VXR while it was parked up outside mums
I've had roof rails stolen, i've had centre caps stolen, i've had badges stolen, aerials stolen.

This has made me..

1) not buy a new house unless it had a garage
2) park in the furthest spot away from the entrance of any retail park, cinema etc
3) only park in a space that is next to a bay that has more space (ie, next to a parent / child space or the end one by the bush)
4) have 8 x full HD cameras continuously record at 30fps covering every angle of our drive way for the odd time the car isn't in the garage.

Welcome to the darkside. Life will never be the same again and others will never understand the struggle.

Bennyjames28

1,702 posts

91 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
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God you sound like my work colleague. He bought a very nice 17k Audi A4 s line, but was so scared of it getting scratched he would park it on the pavement at the gym, and for a year or so didn't bring it to work. He bought a 2k Corsa and drove that to work.

Only places he really went are the gym, and work.

He does same now, he's got a 20k Volvo XC60, I only seen it a few times, takes his wife's car everywhere including work. Mental.

I do love and support the ownership of a shed tho. My only car is a shed, so far I've had 6 months of lovely cheap motoring.

Another funny story about my mental friend... He bought a very nice toaster for 100 quid, would not let anyone use it. He said it's for show because it looks so nice in his kitchen. He then bought a cheap toaster to sit in cupboard to use for making toast.

Edited by Bennyjames28 on Tuesday 19th June 12:37

calletso

47 posts

112 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
I am currently shedding in a Citroen C1, £20 road tax, £160 insurance and over 50mpg around town. Every panel is marked but its clean inside.

You get a new sense of freedom in a shed and can enjoy your destination without worrying about the car. You will have a shorter walk also as you don't have to park in the far corner of a car park.

Plus the rain cleans it for you.


Bennyjames28

1,702 posts

91 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
calletso said:
I am currently shedding in a Citroen C1, £20 road tax, £160 insurance and over 50mpg around town. Every panel is marked but its clean inside.

You get a new sense of freedom in a shed and can enjoy your destination without worrying about the car. You will have a shorter walk also as you don't have to park in the far corner of a car park.

Plus the rain cleans it for you.
Brilliant little cars! My ex had two pug 107s, sure they weren't sheds but like u said. 50mpg, cheap insurance, park it anywhere, and I thought they were a hoot to drive!

Plinth

713 posts

87 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
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E36Dan said:
This is one of the main reasons I daily a shed, and I'm sure many more will be over to agree as well.
Me too – my “prime vehicle” for the last 8 years has been a late 90’s Fiesta (estimated value £75.50 laugh)
It is very liberating not having to worry about car park damage and theft.

Actually quite pleasant to drive (in a “flat out everywhere” style – which is not very fast…) and is much more comfortable than certain rear-engine German cars I have had in the past.

CrippsCorner

2,779 posts

180 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
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Absolutely the way to go! My current car is slightly above a shed, but not a patch on what I have owned... and when I did, I didn't enjoy the experience of an expensive car.

Not just that one but I've my cars keyed, windows smashed, coins thrown at them, and multiple car dings-and-run. My current car has been hit three times! Every time I go to wash it I find a new dent or scratch. There was a possibility of me inheriting quite a bit of money (although probably won't now) but it got me looking at nice cars online. But decided I just couldn't do it! A dream car is only a dream car if you enjoy the ownership, and being paranoid all the time doesn't count.

I'll stick to me cheap end of the market and enjoy the ride smile

The Selfish Gene

Original Poster:

5,470 posts

209 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
ha well this is going better than expected.

I thought I would get 'if you can't afford it you shouldn't buy it' etc etc

I just like nice cars and find it so stress inducing when inconsiderate types damage it.

So - probably doesn't quite qualify as Shed - but i'm looking for 5k Boxster type cars.......possibly Z4 etc.

Something that's quite nice to drive but won't break the bank, and the odd ding won't matter.

I'm paranoid about the Defender as they are one of the most stealable cars out there - but I really did want one. The whole point was that it's a shed but well, that isn't really working out for me.

the toaster story above.............ha ha - even I think that's too far!

PixelpeepS3

8,600 posts

141 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
The Selfish Gene said:
I'm paranoid about the Defender as they are one of the most stealable cars out there -
try owning a Golf R, closely followed by an Audi S3.... laugh

calletso

47 posts

112 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
Be careful getting something you actually want as a "shed". If you get a z4/boxster you will end up "caring" about it and be back to square 1....

I bought a £800 mk1 MX5 2 years ago for a shed, ended up loving it and now only use it on sunny days and park it away from others etc... ended up having to buy a shed to replace the "shed"

Be warned!

The Selfish Gene

Original Poster:

5,470 posts

209 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
PixelpeepS3 said:
The Selfish Gene said:
I'm paranoid about the Defender as they are one of the most stealable cars out there -
try owning a Golf R, closely followed by an Audi S3.... laugh
yeah agreed - but the defenders can be stolen with a chewing gum wrapper whilst drunk!

The Selfish Gene

Original Poster:

5,470 posts

209 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
calletso said:
Be careful getting something you actually want as a "shed". If you get a z4/boxster you will end up "caring" about it and be back to square 1....

I bought a £800 mk1 MX5 2 years ago for a shed, ended up loving it and now only use it on sunny days and park it away from others etc... ended up having to buy a shed to replace the "shed"

Be warned!
yeah - I know exactly this - I like Mx5s!

calletso

47 posts

112 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
PixelpeepS3 said:
The Selfish Gene said:
I'm paranoid about the Defender as they are one of the most stealable cars out there -
try owning a Golf R, closely followed by an Audi S3.... laugh
Defenders have to be the worst - my father is a defender nut and has had 3 stolen in as many years. He has had numerous occasions where he has woken up and had a bonnet missing and even the rear windows?! on another. He does live in Greater Manchester though so high crime rate...

Toaster Pilot

14,615 posts

157 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
I understand not using your “good” car all the time but I really don’t understand it when you end up with said car in the garage all the time and do all of your miles in a shed - lot of expense on tax/insurance/depreciation for nothing if you’ve got a performance car sitting not turning a wheel

The Selfish Gene

Original Poster:

5,470 posts

209 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
Toaster Pilot said:
I understand not using your “good” car all the time but I really don’t understand it when you end up with said car in the garage all the time and do all of your miles in a shed - lot of expense on tax/insurance/depreciation for nothing if you’ve got a performance car sitting not turning a wheel
yeah it's a good point. The 'good' car is appreciating though - and I do use it for all the things that are fun. I just don't want to use it for crappy stuff like parking in London overnight or if I am ever near an NCP etc.

The Defender was for that - but well now, they have become too rare / stealable

The bike is a non starter unless locked in a garage with an armed Rottweiler standing guard. (I live in London)

So - it's a 'shed' if I want to sleep at night unfortunately!

Plus my insurance policiies are generally 5k per vehicle - between them it adds up to enough for the year

Davie

4,732 posts

214 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
I've always run a shed of some sort along side a nicer cars... and whilst said nicer cars aren't exotic or unusable in the real world, they are all rare enough and nice enough to make me want to keep them that way so the idea of door dents, chucking slabs, bikes and drunken mates in them and generally not caring really doesn't appeal to me or my limited motoring budget thus I'd be quite upset if somebody damaged my nicer car or helped themselves to bits from it. So, I've run assorted old Volvo estates for years and it's great... no worries about muddy boots, dents, leaving them in city centre car parks or being followed home and relieved of my keys at knifepoint and with a wife and baby to consider, that's quite nice. Plus, makes the nicer car feel even more special when I do use it...


Jaguar steve

9,232 posts

209 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
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I wouldn't be without a Shed as I prefer to own my cars and not let my cars own me.

Alex_225

6,233 posts

200 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
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I wouldn't be without a 'shed' as I wouldn't want to leave my cars any old place.

Admittedly, I don't consider my daily car as a crappy old shed but it's the car I am least worried about. It's still 15 years old with 124k on the clock so it's well used but in great condition. I'd be gutted if it something happened to it but I could live with having it repaired. Where's as my CLS is mint and low mileage so I'd not want to be repairing scuffs or dings from morons who can't park etc.

I used to drive a Clio 172 as my daily car, cost me £800 and was one of the most fun, carefree cars I've owned. Something to be said for not worrying too much about your car.