Losing your passion for motoring??
Discussion
I was getting a bit like the OP as I drive quite a few miles a week in my company diesel. However, a good friend on mine let me share a drive of his car on a track day and another let me drive his TVR, so it helped put it in perspective. The CC is just a tool, like a piece a white goods almost, though I do try to have fun down quiet roads one the rare occasion I do find them, but the weekend toy is where it's at for me. I know the price of fuel has gone up, but I think that thesedays it's more the fear of losing your job and having had that happen twice before and survived, then I just enjoy while I can.
I just need to get my weekend toy back on the road.
I just need to get my weekend toy back on the road.
The s
t roads in this country have pretty much killed any enthusiasm I had for driving. When you spend half your time driving around potholes and 6" deep drain covers you get fed up.
You buy a new car which has been unsympathetically fitted with massive wheels as standard, despite not being sporty at all. Three months later your car rattles like a box of mice and your wheels are fking elliptical. Then you go on holiday to an allegedly 'poor' European country and they have roads as flat and smooth as tabletops.
t roads in this country have pretty much killed any enthusiasm I had for driving. When you spend half your time driving around potholes and 6" deep drain covers you get fed up. You buy a new car which has been unsympathetically fitted with massive wheels as standard, despite not being sporty at all. Three months later your car rattles like a box of mice and your wheels are f
king elliptical. Then you go on holiday to an allegedly 'poor' European country and they have roads as flat and smooth as tabletops.Sifly said:
Eco-driving seems to be a new sport!!
I even changed my route home to include more down-hill roads to max the MPG!!
Sifly - that makes no sense at all! If your route has more down-hill roads it must also have more up-hill roads too! I even changed my route home to include more down-hill roads to max the MPG!!
Edited by Sifly on Sunday 2nd October 11:07
motoring is not worth it these days.
ps saw a lambo murci yesterday in yellow and I was excited and pointed it out and everyone else I was with just laughed and it made me think that "the masses" just find nice cars stupid.
[/quote]
This is worrying. It might be the case that within 5 years people just dont get the whole car enthusiast thing. Worse than that we might be viewed very badly.
ps saw a lambo murci yesterday in yellow and I was excited and pointed it out and everyone else I was with just laughed and it made me think that "the masses" just find nice cars stupid.
[/quote]
This is worrying. It might be the case that within 5 years people just dont get the whole car enthusiast thing. Worse than that we might be viewed very badly.
markcoznottz said:
motoring is not worth it these days.
ps saw a lambo murci yesterday in yellow and I was excited and pointed it out and everyone else I was with just laughed and it made me think that "the masses" just find nice cars stupid.
This is worrying. It might be the case that within 5 years people just dont get the whole car enthusiast thing. Worse than that we might be viewed very badly.ps saw a lambo murci yesterday in yellow and I was excited and pointed it out and everyone else I was with just laughed and it made me think that "the masses" just find nice cars stupid.
markcoznottz said:
ps saw a lambo murci yesterday in yellow and I was excited and pointed it out and everyone else I was with just laughed and it made me think that "the masses" just find nice cars stupid.
Mmmmm I would suggest anybody whom laughs in this manner has underlying feelings of inadequacy and they choose to mask this with attempts to mock what is in reality a truly desirable possession. I found myself only the other day laughing at this massive country house, with pool and stables thinking what a stupid thing to own LOL!All week i use public transport to get to work ie trains,tubes and i dont drive during the week at all,weekly driving duties are done by the wife in her urban boring s##tmobile.
Sunday morning around 7.30am is my time with my car and off we go into the distance for a couple of hours.
No wife no kids just me and my motor,try it sometime it certainly works for me
Sunday morning around 7.30am is my time with my car and off we go into the distance for a couple of hours.
No wife no kids just me and my motor,try it sometime it certainly works for me
In a word Yes.
About 4 years ago I bought a cheap run about to stop commuting in my M3. I figured that I'd save the BM for "best" Whilst it had the desired effect of reducing the mileage I started to resent the thousands of pounds of car that I had loitering in the garage doing nothing. Something that I was obvioulsy still insured and MOTed on, and whilst I SORNed over Winter, the mileage dropped! One year I did 110 miles between MOTs.
I toyed several times with selling it. Then a trip to the 'Ring made me very glad I still had it, but then again for the remainder of the year. Only time I drove it was every couple of weeks to make sure it was still ticking over. I also became wary of the car parks I left it in, and I would only park it on the street occassionally if I was going to be quick. And of course there are the multiple speed camers and police mobile devices that do make me think twice about flexing the right foot. The "fun/thrill" of fast driving was gone. I went to PH meets and could care less about a line up of fast cars. I ended up driving the run about EVERYWHERE. It's so rubbish I can park it anywhere and not worry about it. It can barely do 100mph so I "should" be OK with not getting into too much trouble with it. It's an absolute tip inside too. Sweet wrappers, needs a damn good hoovering. I spilt Red bull
on the dash and didn't even care. I've washed it twice in the 4 years. I'd wash the BM once a month even when I wasn't using it!
Over time, my priorities have changed. I couldn't get my push bike in the BMW so I eventually sold the M3 and don't have any intention of replacing it. Should I ever find myself financially well off I can't see myself buying the GT3RS for 'Ring trips I always wanted. I'd probably just buy a 3 year old bog standard 530i Touring Auto so I can waft about with the A/C on and the radio on! Hell I'd even consider a RR Sport!
Cars are no longer about seeing how far I can brake into the corner. How fast I can go. They are a utilitarian device to get me A2B with the minimum of fuss.
About 4 years ago I bought a cheap run about to stop commuting in my M3. I figured that I'd save the BM for "best" Whilst it had the desired effect of reducing the mileage I started to resent the thousands of pounds of car that I had loitering in the garage doing nothing. Something that I was obvioulsy still insured and MOTed on, and whilst I SORNed over Winter, the mileage dropped! One year I did 110 miles between MOTs.
I toyed several times with selling it. Then a trip to the 'Ring made me very glad I still had it, but then again for the remainder of the year. Only time I drove it was every couple of weeks to make sure it was still ticking over. I also became wary of the car parks I left it in, and I would only park it on the street occassionally if I was going to be quick. And of course there are the multiple speed camers and police mobile devices that do make me think twice about flexing the right foot. The "fun/thrill" of fast driving was gone. I went to PH meets and could care less about a line up of fast cars. I ended up driving the run about EVERYWHERE. It's so rubbish I can park it anywhere and not worry about it. It can barely do 100mph so I "should" be OK with not getting into too much trouble with it. It's an absolute tip inside too. Sweet wrappers, needs a damn good hoovering. I spilt Red bull
on the dash and didn't even care. I've washed it twice in the 4 years. I'd wash the BM once a month even when I wasn't using it!Over time, my priorities have changed. I couldn't get my push bike in the BMW so I eventually sold the M3 and don't have any intention of replacing it. Should I ever find myself financially well off I can't see myself buying the GT3RS for 'Ring trips I always wanted. I'd probably just buy a 3 year old bog standard 530i Touring Auto so I can waft about with the A/C on and the radio on! Hell I'd even consider a RR Sport!
Cars are no longer about seeing how far I can brake into the corner. How fast I can go. They are a utilitarian device to get me A2B with the minimum of fuss.Im liking the idea of something cheap, well maintained, automatic gearbox, climate control, shut off from the outside world but relatively annonymous so some dont try to nick it.
I could afford to buy something reasonably expensive ive looked at some four year old 645's and various other things but i just think why bother? Someone will only ding it in Sainsbury's or something.
dont try to nick it.I could afford to buy something reasonably expensive ive looked at some four year old 645's and various other things but i just think why bother? Someone will only ding it in Sainsbury's or something.
T0MMY said:
AUDIHenry said:
Get a motorcycle. You may never look at cars again...
Bizarrely I find driving my MX5 more fun than riding my bike on the road. I pretty much stopped doing so and just use the bike on track now. You just can't get near the capabiities of a sportsbike on the road whereas the MX5 is fun at licence friendly speeds. I am so tempted to get an MX5, but the imagine issues surrounding it in these parts make me think twice...
i had lost all of my passion for driving and cars until recently. I do 100 miles a day commuting too and from work, and had been saving for holidays etc etc so had a £300 banger. A couple of months ago i went and got myself a VX220 and all of my passion came back light a switch had been flicked!
im now finiding excuses to jump in and go for a drive, tinker until my hearts content, clean it all the time (well.... alot more than the last 5 cars anyway)
the commute can still be boring in itself, but instead of just trudging along now, ill take the next junction and see where i go instead!
im now finiding excuses to jump in and go for a drive, tinker until my hearts content, clean it all the time (well.... alot more than the last 5 cars anyway)
the commute can still be boring in itself, but instead of just trudging along now, ill take the next junction and see where i go instead!
I have been driving for 20 years, and for most of these have been doing 30k pa. Back when I was young I would find reasons to go for a drive - even in the st cars that I had when first passing my test.
Over the past 2 or 3 years it's caught up with me. Too many slow drivers, too many crap drivers, too many average speed cameras, too many mobile cameras and a family who moan after an hour or two on the road.
Driving is now a work thing, and is a chore. I've had expensive cars, and cheap cars and while I can raise a smile on the odd occasion, it's not worth it in general.
This year we had an annual holiday in Devon - nothing fancy, just a caravan park, which worked well entertaining a five and fifteen year old at the same time.
I drove over the week, no more than twenty miles. I also caught three buses.
I think I many need to hang-up my PistonHead boots up.
t cars that I had when first passing my test.Over the past 2 or 3 years it's caught up with me. Too many slow drivers, too many crap drivers, too many average speed cameras, too many mobile cameras and a family who moan after an hour or two on the road.
Driving is now a work thing, and is a chore. I've had expensive cars, and cheap cars and while I can raise a smile on the odd occasion, it's not worth it in general.
This year we had an annual holiday in Devon - nothing fancy, just a caravan park, which worked well entertaining a five and fifteen year old at the same time.
I drove over the week, no more than twenty miles. I also caught three buses.
I think I many need to hang-up my PistonHead boots up.
I love driving cars, riding bikes and I'm just as happy tinkering with both.
However, with the lack of free time due to having 'responsibilities', the crowded nature of the roads and the authorities' best efforts at taking the enjoyment out of motoring, I find that the fun quotient of mountain biking (preferably technical, arduous and away from the crowds. Not bimbling along Sustrans trails) is generally higher
However, with the lack of free time due to having 'responsibilities', the crowded nature of the roads and the authorities' best efforts at taking the enjoyment out of motoring, I find that the fun quotient of mountain biking (preferably technical, arduous and away from the crowds. Not bimbling along Sustrans trails) is generally higher
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