Car hoarding - problem or passion

[freenote]

Got 3 good cars (4 inc th wife’s but I’ll forget that for now). They perform different roles, one compact exec, one suv both used for commuting. Another barge coupe v8. Total value about £8k if I’m lucky.
Now obviously it would be cheaper to sell before buying something else, but I can’t bring myself to sell these good cars at such low prices as they seem so much more than the sum of their parts, and I also like them and the variety.
I want to buy something else, maybe something a bit sportier, or jdm, or a proper off reader or a cheap modern classic (if that exists). I’m constantly looking and being inspired by various threads on here.
I love the variety and if I plan a little less for the future I can afford it (no kids).
Am I mad?
Occasionally I look at these lease deals and see the attraction. The new 2l 4 pots are faster than my 5l v8 and no doubt handle far better but the thought of dropping to one car that I can’t really mess about with and fix seems in my mind to take away some of the fun of it all. Plus living in London I’ll be endlessly worried about knocks and scrapes on something worth £40k.

[Second Best]

I don't see an issue. How many pairs of shoes does your missus have from 10 years ago that she never wears but "won't let go"?

I live in London too and I have an 18 year old Subaru in my garage that probably covers fewer miles a year than I do walking, but it's a special machine to me. It's obviously worth fk all but every month when I open the garage and see it sleeping, rest my iPad on it's bonnet scoop while I read the gas meter, eye up it's lines in the twilight and then lock it away again for another month, it's lovely.

Car hoarding becomes a problem when... actually, I can't think of when. It's a passion when it takes precedence over any other hobby.

[slipstream 1985]

N+1

[otolith]

I have the Elise, which I have owned for a decade, the Merc estate, which I need for transport, and the Z4M, which belonged to my late wife and which I kept for sentimental reasons. I have been thinking that I ought to let go of the BMW for 18 months now, but haven’t got round to it. Silly really. Still, it’s not really depreciating.

[freenote]

otolith said:

I have the Elise, which I have owned for a decade, the Merc estate, which I need for transport, and the Z4M, which belonged to my late wife and which I kept for sentimental reasons. I have been thinking that I ought to let go of the BMW for 18 months now, but haven’t got round to it. Silly really. Still, it’s not really depreciating.

I hope I don’t come across unsympathetic but a z4m has been high on my list for a while. If you do ever sell please keep me in mind.

[freenote]

slipstream 1985 said:

N+1

I’m in this boat but what if they cover the same bases? Still buy something just for the experience of owning a different car or buy something dramatically different?
I like things that have done most of their depreciation so losses are never huge and I enjoy fixing them.

[GT03ROB]

No not mad. Have 6. I can justify each one (to myself at least).

GT3 & Elan are classics - best of their types
Fiat 500 - cheap runabout
RRS - at 14 years old probably not worth selling for the utility it provides in terms of space. load lugging & comfort
Boxster - wife like to drive something sporty but has trashed it (she trashes cars so is not going near the others). This one will go if she moans.
Panamera - 4 seat quality, luxury & pace.

Anyhow she hoardes clothes & shoes!

[survivalist]

I prefer to drive my cars, but 2 young children, combined with the fact that I use the train for work means that I am currently hoarding some cars. By accident rather than design they’re all BMWs.

BMW Z1 - has now reached family heirloom status. Gets very occasional use because of being a 2 seater and pretty quirky.

Z4M Coupe - was my daily drive for 12 months before I changed jobs 8 years ago. Then became my weekend car. Is now my far more infrequently used weekend car as we’re a family of 4 and it seats only 2.

335i Estate - my wife’s car and our main family car. Mechanically pampered but cosmetically scuffed. Internally filled with kids toys, snack wrappers etc

Finally, just in the process of purchasing an E9X M3. Always thought I’d own one at some point and the plan is to use it as a weekend/trips away car that can seat us all and be reasonably practical and then provide some entertainment when I’m alone in the car.

Will also see if the new arrival means I’ll finally let go of the Z4M, although that would only be to replace it with something less practical like a Caterham.

[SidewaysSi]

GT03ROB said:

No not mad. Have 6. I can justify each one (to myself at least).

GT3 & Elan are classics - best of their types
Fiat 500 - cheap runabout
RRS - at 14 years old probably not worth selling for the utility it provides in terms of space. load lugging & comfort
Boxster - wife like to drive something sporty but has trashed it (she trashes cars so is not going near the others). This one will go if she moans.
Panamera - 4 seat quality, luxury & pace.

Anyhow she hoardes clothes & shoes!

Great garage!

I take the train to work so no need for more than one car. But I have 4, with a 5th incoming:

Caterham and Elise - stunning driver's cars. Yes they are cars but if I were into football, they would be season tickets.

BMW 328 - recently refreshed and significantly upgraded. A brilliant fun car with some practicality. But it is 23 years old, doesn't have air con so not good on a Euro road trip with 2 small kids. And it really doesn't have enough space to be honest. I should sell but every drive is a joy and I have spent too much on it.

Nissan Note Auto - the wife's as she is a new driver and needed something for using locally.

Subaru Forester STI - the practical family car. On its way and should replace the BMW to be honest.

I don't have time/interest/ability to work on the cars so spend way too much at specialists unfortunately.

I should sell the lot, lease something new and be able to retire but it is a disease of the mind.

[Pit Pony]

It becomes a problem when between MOTs you did 300 miles, and whilst it's on a classic policy that doesn't include comuting, you used it once to drive to your mid week digs 1/2 mile from where you work, when your daily brake driver was broke.
The OTHER 95 miles must be domestic pleasure and taking it for the MOT.

(95 bhp Mk1 mx5 poverty spec monza)

[StuTheGrouch]

survivalist said:

BMW Z1 - has now reached family heirloom status. Gets very occasional use because of being a 2 seater and pretty quirky.

Need some more details!!!

[GT03ROB]

SidewaysSi said:

I take the train to work so no need for more than one car. But I have 4, with a 5th incoming:

I take the plane to work.....being home every 6 weeks or so...…. I have no need for any cars!!

[Vixpy1]

Up to 14 here, its my passion, and a problem for anyone who wants to park at our house

Audi C5 RS6 - Winter Daily
BMW E34 M5 3.8 - former all year round daily, now very rusty
BMW E39 M5 - Summer daily
Bentley turbo R - Weddings and School sports day car
BMW 750IL - For when the Bentley breaks down
TVR Griff 4.0 - For when its sunny
BMW M3 Evo Cab - For when its sunny and the TVR breaks down
BMW 840Ci - Another former daily
BMW X5 - For the 7 seats, Wife's Daily
Pug 205 - Defo not a daily, hardly ever use it
BMW M635 CSI - My favourite car, last car i would ever sell
Range Rover Classic - For Shooting and Tip runs
Nissan Skyline R33 GTR - Something from my youth
Subaru Legacy - track car
Land Rover Series IIA - Rusty
Chevy El Camino 68 - currently rebuilting

st, thats 16.

[MellowshipSlinky]

My mate has bloody loads - a small sample here.
He keeps them in a lock up where he also has his office.
Also has a barn nearly full elsewhere too...

Definitely a passion for him.

[Triumph Man]

It's only an issue when your garden is full of random rotting hulks that haven't moved in 10 years. If they mostly work and drive though, what's the problem? It's not hoarding, it's collecting, and being a collector has so much more gravitas

Whoever said N+1 is right though, I have two cars, and for some reason desperately want a third.

[ARHarh]

Since 1985 until a few months ago I have owned at least 4 cars at the same time. I have often increased that number to 5 and sometimes as high as 7. The sweet spot for me was always 4. Any more than that and one would get neglected or not used at all. I recently sold car no 4 and reduced the number to 3. As i have retired and don't drive as much these days. (No 40 miles a day commute). Already the need to increase the number back to 4 is happening in my head.

[freenote]

MellowshipSlinky said:

My mate has bloody loads - a small sample here.
He keeps them in a lock up where he also has his office.
Also has a barn nearly full elsewhere too...

Definitely a passion for him.

Now that is the dream! I can only imagine the cost of renting something like that around here.

[otolith]

freenote said:

I hope I don’t come across unsympathetic but a z4m has been high on my list for a while. If you do ever sell please keep me in mind.

Will do. It's a fun car, but it's not getting used enough and it's costing tax and insurance.

[GT03ROB]

So how do we all cope with the seeming non-stop stream of Insurance, road tax, MOTs & servicing?

[e12mat]

This thread has made me feel much better about my paltry 3 and henceforth justification to the wife for more.

I’m definitely looking at a 4th, think there is a gap for family duties beyond the 3 series estate, thinking RRS, 760il, S8 or RS6 (maybe 3 estates is too much though).