The Joy of Running an Old Shed
Discussion
Anyone else have share the perverse joy of running a car they don't care about?
As much as I love the supercars, rarities and classics often posted on PH, there is something to be said about an old shed.
I'm currently running a '10 Nissan Pixo, rarely washed and complete with a decent-sized car park scrape.
It's nice being able to park anywhere, not care if it gets a dent or scratch and generally not worry about it.
Anyone else find an odd feeling of freedom and joy driving a crap car or am I just a bit weird?
As much as I love the supercars, rarities and classics often posted on PH, there is something to be said about an old shed.
I'm currently running a '10 Nissan Pixo, rarely washed and complete with a decent-sized car park scrape.
It's nice being able to park anywhere, not care if it gets a dent or scratch and generally not worry about it.
Anyone else find an odd feeling of freedom and joy driving a crap car or am I just a bit weird?
Had a s
t car when the kids were young and kept spewing in the audi. It was class. Normal me: park far away, try to keep it clean, careful when parking.
Vectra me: park it in first available spot, come back to see damage, shrug. Near a kerb? Who cares? Alloys were like 50p's anyway.
Sadly it expired, but i really enjoyed owning it, in a perverse "it's got windy windows for gods sake" way.
t car when the kids were young and kept spewing in the audi. It was class. Normal me: park far away, try to keep it clean, careful when parking.Vectra me: park it in first available spot, come back to see damage, shrug. Near a kerb? Who cares? Alloys were like 50p's anyway.
Sadly it expired, but i really enjoyed owning it, in a perverse "it's got windy windows for gods sake" way.
We have an '03 Scenic, used for tip runs, shopping, and anything else my other half want to do. This is the newest car she has ever had.
She does about 12k miles a year in it and has been totally reliable for the last 5 years. We are playing cambelt roulette and although it has just gone through the mot it will probably not be worth spending to get it through next year.
This is our 3rd Scenic over the last 12 years, buy cheap, oil service and mot once a year and run them into the ground without a care in the world, very liberating
The search will be on for another one this time next year.
You can't beat a good bit of shed motoring.
She does about 12k miles a year in it and has been totally reliable for the last 5 years. We are playing cambelt roulette and although it has just gone through the mot it will probably not be worth spending to get it through next year.
This is our 3rd Scenic over the last 12 years, buy cheap, oil service and mot once a year and run them into the ground without a care in the world, very liberating
The search will be on for another one this time next year.
You can't beat a good bit of shed motoring.
I had a scraped, dented, scorched 2003 Alfa 147 JTD (105bhp 8v) for about 3 years and put about 60,000 miles on it.
Cost about £950 with 100,000 miles on it, and I spent about that again in consumables over the 3 years.
Didn't get rid until it needed a clutch, 2 tyres and a window switch all at the same time - although I'd claim Cadwell and the Ring shortened it's life a little.
Replaced it with another, but newer version (150bhp 16v JTDm), that only had 70,000 miles on it (but still only £1200), however everything works and it's in so good a condition that I don't want to bang it.
Cost about £950 with 100,000 miles on it, and I spent about that again in consumables over the 3 years.
Didn't get rid until it needed a clutch, 2 tyres and a window switch all at the same time - although I'd claim Cadwell and the Ring shortened it's life a little.
Replaced it with another, but newer version (150bhp 16v JTDm), that only had 70,000 miles on it (but still only £1200), however everything works and it's in so good a condition that I don't want to bang it.
It is liberating having a shed BUT as an only car I'm starting to get disenfranchised.
We've had over 35 cars with 33 of those being under 2k. (2 new cars)
Me and OH have moved and changed jobs, we're now doing 20k miles each (minimum) and old sheds are annoying on the motorway.
Not saying you can't buy a barge but our current cars are both so loud on our daily commutes and are needing money spent on them and I don't know what to get next!
My normal train of thought is I want something nice... I realise I'm tight and buy something cheap... I doubt I'm the only one!
We've had over 35 cars with 33 of those being under 2k. (2 new cars)
Me and OH have moved and changed jobs, we're now doing 20k miles each (minimum) and old sheds are annoying on the motorway.
Not saying you can't buy a barge but our current cars are both so loud on our daily commutes and are needing money spent on them and I don't know what to get next!
My normal train of thought is I want something nice... I realise I'm tight and buy something cheap... I doubt I'm the only one!
Edited by MrAverage on Monday 18th February 11:15
MrAverage said:
It is liberating having a shed BUT as an only car I'm starting to get disenfranchised.
We've had over 35 cars and most I've ever spent is £2100.
Me and OH have moved and changed jobs, we're now doing 20k miles each (minimum) and old sheds are annoying on the motorway.
Not saying you can't buy a barge but our current cars are both so loud on our daily commutes and are needing money spent on them and I don't know what to get next!
My normal train of thought is I want something nice... I realise I'm tight and buy something cheap... I doubt I'm the only one!
That's the downside of running/buying an old shed...you may get lucky and run a 750il with no bills except for fuel...or all the electrics could go kaput in the first month and leave you with a choice of a £4k bill or a scrap yard.We've had over 35 cars and most I've ever spent is £2100.
Me and OH have moved and changed jobs, we're now doing 20k miles each (minimum) and old sheds are annoying on the motorway.
Not saying you can't buy a barge but our current cars are both so loud on our daily commutes and are needing money spent on them and I don't know what to get next!
My normal train of thought is I want something nice... I realise I'm tight and buy something cheap... I doubt I'm the only one!
My latest Alfa 147 will happily cruise at 85mph and return 45mpg at the same time on it's commute between Liverpool and London. It's got leather, electric seats, air con, electric windows all round, it's not noisy (even though it's running Cross-Climates), and soaks up the bumps beautifully.
But, if some big bill comes along, it will be on ebay or the scrap truck within a week and I'll be looking for another.
I can always drive the Z4MC in the meantime, but that's got 160,000 miles on it and is not as comfortable as the Alfa.
Yes - we currently have a 1998 1.4L Fiesta, bought for £600.
So far (a couple of years) it's been reliable, and there's something nice about not caring if it picks up dings in the supermarket car park. It's also dead cheap to run and is actually quite practical for carrying stuff. It does get used mainly for local journeys though. Any longer runs and we'll take the other car, or even get the train.
I definitely think that when it does expire, we'll replace it with something similarly low cost and worry free.
So far (a couple of years) it's been reliable, and there's something nice about not caring if it picks up dings in the supermarket car park. It's also dead cheap to run and is actually quite practical for carrying stuff. It does get used mainly for local journeys though. Any longer runs and we'll take the other car, or even get the train.
I definitely think that when it does expire, we'll replace it with something similarly low cost and worry free.
I used to have a MK3 diesel Golf that was very shabby, got it for free, ran it for 6 years, it expired in a no fault accident. Currently have a Mk3 Mondeo Ghia X 2.5 V6 with 180k on the clock which I have had for 7 years, costing the princely sum of £700 and having virtually nothing spent on it since other than a few cheap tyres. Primarily used as a car to take rubbish to the tip and also for short trips to football for me on a weekend.
Last weekend I reversed it into a telegraph pole, cracking the bumper (again) and smashing a rear light. 15 minutes later I had ordered a replacement from eBay for £14 delivered and I fitted it yesterday in about 30 seconds. I probably get as much enjoyment from the shed as I do from driving our other car, which is a Cayenne Turbo.
Last weekend I reversed it into a telegraph pole, cracking the bumper (again) and smashing a rear light. 15 minutes later I had ordered a replacement from eBay for £14 delivered and I fitted it yesterday in about 30 seconds. I probably get as much enjoyment from the shed as I do from driving our other car, which is a Cayenne Turbo.
You absolutely cannot beat a Shed for the sense of freedom and liberation from all the petty concerns of owning a more needy car.
I'd never be without one - it's the ultimate form of car ownership and even if I had the desire to buy any car I choose I'd still keep one as a daily driver.
I'd never be without one - it's the ultimate form of car ownership and even if I had the desire to buy any car I choose I'd still keep one as a daily driver.
v15ben said:
Anyone else have share the perverse joy of running a car they don't care about?
As much as I love the supercars, rarities and classics often posted on PH, there is something to be said about an old shed.
I'm currently running a '10 Nissan Pixo, rarely washed and complete with a decent-sized car park scrape.
It's nice being able to park anywhere, not care if it gets a dent or scratch and generally not worry about it.
Anyone else find an odd feeling of freedom and joy driving a crap car or am I just a bit weird?
Looks like I have found my people.As much as I love the supercars, rarities and classics often posted on PH, there is something to be said about an old shed.
I'm currently running a '10 Nissan Pixo, rarely washed and complete with a decent-sized car park scrape.
It's nice being able to park anywhere, not care if it gets a dent or scratch and generally not worry about it.
Anyone else find an odd feeling of freedom and joy driving a crap car or am I just a bit weird?
After several years of running performance cars, stressing where to park to avoid fat tracey and her kids in the SUV banging doors, running a shed does feel somewhat liberating.
There's also some joy when the car continues to run well despite having low expectations with regards to reliability (given age/miles etc).
Yep loved it.
Bought a fiesta from the auctions £400. Ran it for two years alongside the cayman weekend car.
Bloody brilliant. Had dents everywhere. Drove fine. Didn’t give a st about it. Never serviced it. Never used a drop of oil. Required a new clutch at about 190k miles bought with 150ishk miles on it. Sold it on 2 years later for what I paid for it.
Regret selling it to be honest.
Best part. When some tt in his high powered directors car tries to bully you in to giving way what it’s him who should give way. That look on his face when he relised I wasn’t going to stop as it was my right of way and my stty car didn’t matter but his brand new merc meant a lot to him.
Bought a fiesta from the auctions £400. Ran it for two years alongside the cayman weekend car.
Bloody brilliant. Had dents everywhere. Drove fine. Didn’t give a s
t about it. Never serviced it. Never used a drop of oil. Required a new clutch at about 190k miles bought with 150ishk miles on it. Sold it on 2 years later for what I paid for it. Regret selling it to be honest.
Best part. When some t
t in his high powered directors car tries to bully you in to giving way what it’s him who should give way. That look on his face when he relised I wasn’t going to stop as it was my right of way and my stty car didn’t matter but his brand new merc meant a lot to him. I'm not sure what I'm currently doing counts as shedding as A) the car cost £4k (well above the currently accepted shed max of £1.5k), and B) I do actually make sure it's in good nick mechanically, carry out preventative maintenance etc. However I do not care whether it gets scratched/dinged (just as well as it gets used off-road quite regularly), cosmetically it's a bit of a mess (not that you can tell through its winter coat of grime), and as I've every intention of running it until it dies every receipt for servicing/maintenance goes straight in the bin.
v15ben said:
Anyone else find an odd feeling of freedom and joy driving a crap car or am I just a bit weird?
Back in Oz I had a beat up old Ford Econovan (Mazda Bongo rebadged). Even people in beat up old Corollas and Commodores avoided you. Bought it for A$950, insured it for A$150. Still didn't help against drivers on the phone, I owned it for just over a month when I was rear ended sitting at the lights. Their insurer coughed up A$1000. Apart from that it was a really s
t car, I'd only bought it for work, the job was also crap and I left that too. Fortunately I still hadn't sold the 15 yr old Civic I owned before but that car was actually in pretty good shape, deffo not a shed. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff