The Joy of Running an Old Shed

[healey2]

£215 Suzuki Alto 1.1, genuine 45,000 miles. Got through MOT with just a wheel stud needed. Changed pads and disks for £42, 2 part worns £40

[Alex_225]

Olivera said:

A shed is fine as an everyday runabout, but dreadful from an enthusiasts perspective if you have no more interesting cars.

I might argue that depending on what you opt for. As mentioned in my previous post, this was £800 although once I'd sorted a dent and scratch it owed me £1,200. For a runabout, it still ticks the boxes for many a PH-er!



If it had been my only car at the time I wouldn't have felt hard done by as a petrol head.

[MJK 24]

[GIYess]

Love shedding. Especially with kids as they tend to wreak havoc with a car interion what with sand, crumbs, boke, scratches getting in and out etc.
We have an 03 CRV.
Its beach vehicle (Wet clothes, driving through beach rivers, wind break for BBQ, dressing room)
Rainy day mud walk base. (Muddy wellies, indoor picnics)
Farm vehicle (driven up lanes with overgrown hedges, through fields to bring cows in, mucky clothes)

I always say you get more fun out of a bog standard car that you don't mind something happening to than the most engaging, most powerful fun car that you try to keep pristine.

[MJ85]

Shedding is even common in the political world.

[rxe]

Olivera said:

A shed is fine as an everyday runabout, but dreadful from an enthusiasts perspective if you have no more interesting cars.

Define enthusiast! Someone who runs an old shed but spanners it themselves is certainly an enthusiast. There are loads of people out there running old Volvos, Saabs and Alfas who are definitely enthusiasts. Some have even screwed big turbos onto them and don't care if the engine explodes because, well, its a shed.

My daily is a 2001 Alfa 156 2.4 JTD Sportwagon, procured on that well known site for quality motors .... eBay. For £287. I got it because I wanted to learn about diesels, and my assumption was that if I broke it, I'd only be down the cost of a decent night out.

So far I've done 20K miles in it. Its needed a clutch, a CV joint and a service in that time. Because I can't resist fiddling, and because I'm not doing it to save money really, its also got: coilovers, and LSD, stiffer ARBs, meth injection, a remap, 305 mm GTA brakes and GTA wheels.

I'm doing about 25,000 miles a year at the moment, tooling up and down the M4. It does 600 miles on a tank if I am sensible (keep it at about 70) and about 540 miles on a tank if I do 80. Really spanking it at about 90 does about 520 miles. It's quiet, comfortable, the aircon works and I've stuck a decent radio in it. All for the purchase price + about two grand in parts.

[Alan_B]

Currently running around in a e90 320d with 175k, cost me the grand sum of £1080 and had a years test. I was careful to source one old enough the be the older non-dpf equipped engines.

Swiftly dispatched it to the man, who gave it a service and changed both thermostats, crank pulley and a shock. Not got that bill yet but the car should still stand me under £1500.

It looks reasonably modern, drives extremely well, 50mpg, and the usual auto wipers, bluetooth etc. If shown a sponge it may even look presentable in works car park but I havnt got that excited yet.

Garage has two other sheds - mr2 turbo and a 98 Honda Hornet. All three combined worth just about bugger all and I'm reasonably happy with that.

[mnaylor]

2001 Lexus GS300 is my shed. I am not sure if I could live with a shed being my only car, I do have a weekend toy which gets pampered etc. but the Lexus is very liberating to drive to work and back every day. I don't care where I park it, it is comfortable, quiet and easy to drive. It is a bit of a tank as well and people tend to get of my way which is also appealing.

[Monkeylegend]

Only a fool wastes money on depreciation

[TheJimi]

Baldchap said:

I just treat my 2018 R like a shed. Dog in boot, kids in back. Man comes and washes it once a fortnight but otherwise it's a tool with a job to do. I understand resale is a thing, but truthfully, it isn't worth the effort to make maybe £500 difference when I trade it in a couple of years. It's got one door ding that MIL did on my own closed driveway, that would have happened regardless of kid gloves.

Life's too short. It's a thing.

That's not shedding; that's just not giving a fk about your car, imo.

There's a difference between the two things.

[mmm-five]

Found some pictures of the old girl at the Ring - on Michelin Cross-Climates - can't believe anyone would take photos of it though

[Fire99]

mmm-five said:

Found some pictures of the old girl at the Ring - on Michelin Cross-Climates - can't believe anyone would take photos of it though

There is something very cool about seeing a relatively 'ordinary' car giving it the berries on the track. I miss my old BMW 320i E36 Coupe. It had 15" standard alloys on fairly high profile tyres, but I had a blast in it at Snetterton, chasing after much quicker (and better handling) cars..

[mmm-five]

Fire99 said:

There is something very cool about seeing a relatively 'ordinary' car giving it the berries on the track. I miss my old BMW 320i E36 Coupe. It had 15" standard alloys on fairly high profile tyres, but I had a blast in it at Snetterton, chasing after much quicker (and better handling) cars..

It did Cadwell too, but the gearing was wrong for it and 105bhp didn't go far.

[Fire99]

mmm-five said:

It did Cadwell too, but the gearing was wrong for it and 105bhp didn't go far.

I've done Cadwell on a bike.. I'd imagine the 'mountain' might have been a bit of a stretch for the little Alfa..

[CHuffington]

I came on PH today to see if I should bin the shed and get new wheels - and this was the first thread I saw. Must be fate.
Got a 2005 320d touring that’s covered 180k. I got it in 2010 with 50k on the clock and it was nice and clean. I keep it serviced, but over time the kids, dog, tip runs, poor distance judging etc have turned it into a shed. I just got divorced and thought that would be the excuse I needed to upgrade. But I love not having to worry about it. The only negative is the rear electrics have had it and I need new cabling as the reverse lights don’t work and one fog light comes on with the rear wiper. MOT due in September so I have a while to decide what to do.

[mmm-five]

Fire99 said:

I've done Cadwell on a bike.. I'd imagine the 'mountain' might have been a bit of a stretch for the little Alfa..

Foot-to-the-floor in 3rd from Barn through Chris Curve and never above 80mph - although no braking required until Gooseneck.

The Mountain is fine, although not particularly fast, and the front wheels do spin up a bit, and the last minute, heavy braking into Hairpin wakes you up.

[JaredVannett]

So chaps, do any of your friends/family share your ideology on shedding.... or do they think you're crazy?

Edited by JaredVannett on Tuesday 19th February 12:38

[CinnamonFan]

irish boy said:

Always run a shed as a daily. Perfect one at the minute, a mk1 avensis d4d. Spacious, comfortable, anonymous, 55mpg everywhere and surprisingly punchy.

It is cared for, 7k oil changes etc but for example today we took the wee one to the zoo on half term. Guy beside in a fresh Leon opens his door full swing into mine. He sorted his stuff, popped out with a big cheerful grin, shouts sorry and off he went. I waved back as not worried in the slightest but had I been in a weekend toy it would not have been an enjoyable experience.

Same, wouldnt call mine punchy. I have the 2007 mk2 D4D 126bhp version. I wish I had the TR everyday for a bit more go! But it gets me about reliably, can throw anything in the boot. Currently on 165k miles, complete with a long scrape down the side and numerous other dings all for £1250 nearly a year ago! Given it one oil & filter change, but nothing else. Id planned to change the oil every 10k or yearly, why do you choose 7k? Would you recommend I do the same?

[mmm-five]

JaredVannett said:

So chaps, do an of your friends/family share your ideology on shedding.... or do they think you're crazy?

Mine understand that the 'shed' is there to save me putting on more miles of the 'special' car - and the order of magnitude extra costs on servicing/maintenance.

Plus the family can all fit into the Alfa, but not in the 2-seater!

[red997]

can't beat a good shed !
end of Sept last year bought an '03 320d Touring auto for £800.
Racked up 7K miles in it since then (it was bought as my commute had increased from zero to 80 miles round trip per day - I wanted to keep the mileage off the other cars)

MOT runs out in May - I was expecting to scrap it (I'm assuming it fails) - however, I've grown to like it so much that I'm hoping it passes (or can be made to pass cheaply)

It's quiet, economical (55mpg ave) and a relaxing drive - and still has a fair bit of go to it,