The Joy of Running an Old Shed
Discussion
Picked up a 2002 Yaris 1.0 for £550 last year. It's been very useful for learning basic maintenance skills and things about cars I never even knew about. For example a few months ago there was this fur tail hanging out of my exhaust and I was paranoid that a cat had crawled into it or someone was trying to kill me - but it turns out it's just some silencer material 
Only downside of this car is the lack of spares - I cracked the thermostat housing this week when attempting a thermostat change and lost all my pricey coolant. I couldn't find a replacement anywhere online so I've ended up using Araldite to glue it back together and I'm hoping for the best.
Only downside of this car is the lack of spares - I cracked the thermostat housing this week when attempting a thermostat change and lost all my pricey coolant. I couldn't find a replacement anywhere online so I've ended up using Araldite to glue it back together and I'm hoping for the best.
Jaguar steve said:
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.
Life's too short. It's a thing.
Shed is a mentality not a price bracket. If you really and genuinely don't give a s
t then it's perfectly possible to use a brand new Aston Martin for a tip run.Again, it's a thing. It cleans off afterwards.
EazyDuz said:
Other peoples sheds are my worst enemy.
It seems sheds are more common nowadays and I always sigh with concern when I have to park between two chitbox cars, knowing full well the owner will swing his door open without a care in the world.
That's not my mindset at all.It seems sheds are more common nowadays and I always sigh with concern when I have to park between two chitbox cars, knowing full well the owner will swing his door open without a care in the world.
I've got the shed so that I don't care if people bang into it - I still care about banging into others, as I would with my other car.
Although, in a one-on-one 'altercation' I'm less likely to yield to white van man in the shed than I am in the Z4.
mmm-five said:
EazyDuz said:
Other peoples sheds are my worst enemy.
It seems sheds are more common nowadays and I always sigh with concern when I have to park between two chitbox cars, knowing full well the owner will swing his door open without a care in the world.
That's not my mindset at all.It seems sheds are more common nowadays and I always sigh with concern when I have to park between two chitbox cars, knowing full well the owner will swing his door open without a care in the world.
I've got the shed so that I don't care if people bang into it - I still care about banging into others, as I would with my other car.
Although, in a one-on-one 'altercation' I'm less likely to yield to white van man in the shed than I am in the Z4.
NorthernSky said:
No doubt a touch of right pedal in that will see you enter warp speed and pass by the offending white van.
Yes, but therein lies the cause of some of my speeding points - when I've thought I'd just floor it for 10-20 seconds to get way ahead, and then realise I'm at top of 4th at 130mph.But I'm talking more about slow-speed stuff where someone is coming across chevrons, from the wrong lane, or on the wrong side of the road and trying to cut in or play chicken.
An extra 200bhp won't help in those situations, and sometimes I give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they can't see the Z4 as it's so low.
My 400 quid corrolla has just had it's first hiccup in almost 3yrs and 40k miles. It's now on 75k and a coil pack failed leaving it spluttering and missing power. I was thinking scrap it before I nailed the fault down to a coil pack. One on its way from eBay breaker for £14 delivered plus a set of plugs at £6.74 for 4.
I need to change the drive belt at some point as it's looking tired (possibly original) at 17 yrs old.
I've spent 91 quid on pads and discs, 200 quid on tyres, plus this repair, plus cheap oil top up as it burns a little.
It's been hit twice in car parks by persons unknown and currently has a cracked screen from a hot water ice clearing mistake. I'd be gutted if it doesn't rise Phoenix like from this minor setback as it's taken us all over the UK in the last 3 yrs without any worry about costs or parking dings :-)
I need to change the drive belt at some point as it's looking tired (possibly original) at 17 yrs old.
I've spent 91 quid on pads and discs, 200 quid on tyres, plus this repair, plus cheap oil top up as it burns a little.
It's been hit twice in car parks by persons unknown and currently has a cracked screen from a hot water ice clearing mistake. I'd be gutted if it doesn't rise Phoenix like from this minor setback as it's taken us all over the UK in the last 3 yrs without any worry about costs or parking dings :-)
RaymondVanDerDon said:
Picked up a 2002 Yaris 1.0 for £550 last year. It's been very useful for learning basic maintenance skills and things about cars I never even knew about. For example a few months ago there was this fur tail hanging out of my exhaust and I was paranoid that a cat had crawled into it or someone was trying to kill me - but it turns out it's just some silencer material
Only downside of this car is the lack of spares - I cracked the thermostat housing this week when attempting a thermostat change and lost all my pricey coolant. I couldn't find a replacement anywhere online so I've ended up using Araldite to glue it back together and I'm hoping for the best.
Tell me the model number from the vin eg NCP10L-AGMGKW and I should be able to find you a part number :-)Only downside of this car is the lack of spares - I cracked the thermostat housing this week when attempting a thermostat change and lost all my pricey coolant. I couldn't find a replacement anywhere online so I've ended up using Araldite to glue it back together and I'm hoping for the best.
eg 2NZFE engined cars the part I think you need is 16321-21020 ?
My shed is a 01 BMW E46 330i SE Touring...bought for £850 4 years ago...has had a fair few bits replaced, but is still going strong on the original mechanicals at 255,000 miles...
The body work isn't pretty, but, other than the rear PDC and folding mirrors, everything works and I really don't care about scratches, dents, etc....It is the car I take when I have to park on a street or in supermarket car parks...It tows my caravan and boat, too (albeit not at the same time!).
However, it is the newest of my 3 cars ...
I also run a 1997 Mazda MX5 NA and a 1987 BMW E30 M3...both have much lower mileage than the E46.
The body work isn't pretty, but, other than the rear PDC and folding mirrors, everything works and I really don't care about scratches, dents, etc....It is the car I take when I have to park on a street or in supermarket car parks...It tows my caravan and boat, too (albeit not at the same time!).
However, it is the newest of my 3 cars ...
I also run a 1997 Mazda MX5 NA and a 1987 BMW E30 M3...both have much lower mileage than the E46.
Not a shed as such but my other halves golf with baby puke,crumbs, dents etc in..
Sat in a supermarket car-park finishing off a phone call the other week and grumpy looking older chap approaches the car next to me (wearing lots of beige, Velcro shoes and flat cap etc)
Opens his door straight into the side of her car, doesn't bat an eyelid and stares at me. I then get to slam my door back into the side of his car, jump out, smile at him and walk into the supermarket!
Sat in a supermarket car-park finishing off a phone call the other week and grumpy looking older chap approaches the car next to me (wearing lots of beige, Velcro shoes and flat cap etc)
Opens his door straight into the side of her car, doesn't bat an eyelid and stares at me. I then get to slam my door back into the side of his car, jump out, smile at him and walk into the supermarket!
Usually keep something battered as a "spare" car. For years it was a beige Metro HLS which I was given for free, (no one in the family wanted it back!).
After the Land Rover was restored, I had a 1989 Eunos Roadster as a spare vehicle, all £470 cost, eventually sold on eBay for £430.
After a bit of a gap, (face it, all my cars are more than 25 years old, so are either classics for restoration or jalopies), my son's training wheels are the spare car, 2002 1.0 Vauxhall Agila in silver.
Before insurance got really difficult for driver identity, we used to lend the spare car to anyone we knew who needed temporary wheels. Usually it came back cleaner and with more fuel in.
After the Land Rover was restored, I had a 1989 Eunos Roadster as a spare vehicle, all £470 cost, eventually sold on eBay for £430.
After a bit of a gap, (face it, all my cars are more than 25 years old, so are either classics for restoration or jalopies), my son's training wheels are the spare car, 2002 1.0 Vauxhall Agila in silver.
Before insurance got really difficult for driver identity, we used to lend the spare car to anyone we knew who needed temporary wheels. Usually it came back cleaner and with more fuel in.
I think the joy of running a shed is great.
For the last two years, rather than spending my car allowance on expensive cars (in which 90% of my driving is to and from the office, sat in a line of others cars) I've overpaid my mortgage with it.
I bought a Nissan Almera for £350 - covered in dings but it's been utterly reliable over nearly 20k miles. I don't care about it, it's been washed once when I bought it, it's very liberating. The thought of not losing thousands upon thousands on depreciation / leasing costs etc, and instead paying off my mortgage (on an appreciating house), is a great feeling. I'm amazed more people don't do it!
For the last two years, rather than spending my car allowance on expensive cars (in which 90% of my driving is to and from the office, sat in a line of others cars) I've overpaid my mortgage with it.
I bought a Nissan Almera for £350 - covered in dings but it's been utterly reliable over nearly 20k miles. I don't care about it, it's been washed once when I bought it, it's very liberating. The thought of not losing thousands upon thousands on depreciation / leasing costs etc, and instead paying off my mortgage (on an appreciating house), is a great feeling. I'm amazed more people don't do it!
nuttywobbler said:
I think the joy of running a shed is great.
For the last two years, rather than spending my car allowance on expensive cars (in which 90% of my driving is to and from the office, sat in a line of others cars) I've overpaid my mortgage with it.
I bought a Nissan Almera for £350 - covered in dings but it's been utterly reliable over nearly 20k miles. I don't care about it, it's been washed once when I bought it, it's very liberating. The thought of not losing thousands upon thousands on depreciation / leasing costs etc, and instead paying off my mortgage (on an appreciating house), is a great feeling. I'm amazed more people don't do it!
^^ this, putting your money elsewhere is a good thing to do, albeit my shed is a 2012 Diesel E91 - high mileage"ish (110k), with a ding on most panels, and unbelievable lacquer peel on every alloy! For the last two years, rather than spending my car allowance on expensive cars (in which 90% of my driving is to and from the office, sat in a line of others cars) I've overpaid my mortgage with it.
I bought a Nissan Almera for £350 - covered in dings but it's been utterly reliable over nearly 20k miles. I don't care about it, it's been washed once when I bought it, it's very liberating. The thought of not losing thousands upon thousands on depreciation / leasing costs etc, and instead paying off my mortgage (on an appreciating house), is a great feeling. I'm amazed more people don't do it!
But doesn't cost me anything all paid for a few years ago, will keep it till it keels over, even then i may try to revive it, be cheaper than getting anything else, cba with leasing and all that, I have a classic car (paid for also, had this for 8 years) which i suppose is appreciating, doesn't cost me anything either and only gets used in the summer for like 50miles a year
DoubleTime said:
Check out that grin!!!! It says it all.
That's a combination of not having to worry about tyre wear, fuel consumption, hitting kerbs, using the grass or binning it...as well as a bit of relatively low speed fun - although it still hit 120mph on the long straight to Schwedenkreuz and down through Fuchsrohre, although that was offset by being useless from Bergwerk through Kesselchen to Steilstrecke.Still got over 30mpg out of it being absolutely caned everywhere.
mmm-five said:
DoubleTime said:
Check out that grin!!!! It says it all.
That's a combination of not having to worry about tyre wear, fuel consumption, hitting kerbs, using the grass or binning it...as well as a bit of relatively low speed fun - although it still hit 120mph on the long straight to Schwedenkreuz and down through Fuchsrohre, although that was offset by being useless from Bergwerk through Kesselchen to Steilstrecke.Still got over 30mpg out of it being absolutely caned everywhere.
tting it mind! 
I run sheds. Several of them (maybe the Volvo doesn't quite fall into the catagory, but it's not far off). But I don't hold with the idea that it's OK to bang or bump them, or to otherwise not give a damn.
All my cars are well maintained, nice to drive, all work, and pass MOT's first time (occasional exception), I don't like things not working, ropey tires, misaligned headlights, damage or dents, or suspension knocks etc. I won't put up with it - its' off to the workshop for some friendly spannering.
I tend to think the attitude that says it's OK to accept poor driving and maintenance 'because it's a shed' reflects on the owner, and I don't want to have that reputation.
Nothing better than an old car that runs sweet and true due to your own hard work and skill. That's a nice thing for your car to reflect - makes you quite a small minority.
All my cars are well maintained, nice to drive, all work, and pass MOT's first time (occasional exception), I don't like things not working, ropey tires, misaligned headlights, damage or dents, or suspension knocks etc. I won't put up with it - its' off to the workshop for some friendly spannering.
I tend to think the attitude that says it's OK to accept poor driving and maintenance 'because it's a shed' reflects on the owner, and I don't want to have that reputation.
Nothing better than an old car that runs sweet and true due to your own hard work and skill. That's a nice thing for your car to reflect - makes you quite a small minority.
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