Anyone else keep buying more and more cars?

[Shnozz]

plenty said:

Was up to five at one point, now down to a far more optimal two.

I find that after a certain point, your cars tend to own you.

This is what worries me and hence my earlier question. I have finally got myself the garage I've always wanted with room for many but cannot help but think beyond a couple its buying for the sake of it, an aggravation keeping them all running and dealing with all the admin, and they don't serve a different enough purpose vehicle to vehicle to justify using one over the other.

[Track Rod]

Sounds like you have a bad case of car owner virus

[plenty]

Shnozz said:

plenty said:

Was up to five at one point, now down to a far more optimal two.

I find that after a certain point, your cars tend to own you.

This is what worries me and hence my earlier question. I have finally got myself the garage I've always wanted with room for many but cannot help but think beyond a couple its buying for the sake of it, an aggravation keeping them all running and dealing with all the admin, and they don't serve a different enough purpose vehicle to vehicle to justify using one over the other.

The reason for this is my mindset. I can't do "projects". I always insist on keeping my cars in tip-top shape, taxed, MoTed and ready to go at a moment's notice. Anytime there was even a small issue on any car it needed to be resolved immediately. The consequence of this mindset was that the stress overcame the pleasure beyond the sweet spot of 2-3 cars.

If you're more relaxed about the condition of your cars and enjoy owning unroadworthy projects, then the stress of owning a fleet won't be comparable.

[anonymous-user]

Normally have three cars, have a fourth arriving next month but my Alfa 166 2.0 Lusso Ti will have to go so if anyone wants one, rxe .. ? ha.

I will replace it with a classic, 4 seems optimum, daily / weekend / classic / wife's, although my wife would like a Corvette to replace the SLK ... of course i couldn't, in good conscience, discourage that.

[freenote]

Lots of interesting replies.

So, I’m currently looking to add or swap in/out.

How do you all decide what to get next? I’m normally drawn to something at the time but I’m thinking it’s time to let go of the Merc and I’m not really sure what to replace with except that I do want something for sure.

[Darryl247W]

Great thread and some cool collections.

I tend to keep cars for a while so like to add variety by having a choice.
Currently have :
2015 Mini Cooper S (wife's long-term car)
2012 Renault Master home-converted camper,
2012 E92 BMW 320D, but may change as my new job will have a shorter commute,
2003 Elise 111S and should be a keeper,
Just sold a Subaru BRZ and looking for something else fun.

I'm spending more and more time looking at online ads.

"Car owner virus" : 👌

[monkfish1]

Ive got 9 but only 4 work, and 2 of those need some running repairs.

Whilst i struggle to sell, and indeed 2 of them ive owned before,, i also cant seem to make any meanigful progress into the repairs and projects. Which can frustrating

[Hagus]

2009 xc90 - wife’s daily
2005 xc90 - my daily
2010 Astra van, mapped, my old daily, ready for sale so why haven’t I done anything?
2009 Mini Cooper s cab, wife’s summer daily, never used ready to be sold in spring!
1997 transit tipper they gypsy princess’ only does about 3k a year but invaluable.
2003 bmw 320ci cab, my summer daily, mint, one previous owner, my dad.
1972 triumph spitfire, period performance mods, properly sorted, blow the cobwebs away car, two previous owners, dad and mum!
2015 vw transporter, ex AA, fresh funky camper conversion,ready for summer fun with the kids!

So 8, but I’m selling two honest I am!

[Weekendrebuild]

freenote said:

Lots of interesting replies.

So, I’m currently looking to add or swap in/out.

How do you all decide what to get next? I’m normally drawn to something at the time but I’m thinking it’s time to let go of the Merc and I’m not really sure what to replace with except that I do want something for sure.

I don’t tend to over think it to much , there’s usually something that’s caught my eye so I just buy that to add to my collection . Then hide it for 12 months from the wife at the unit whilst tidying and making it pristine. It Eventually end up in one of the garages when wife’s not looking

[MG CHRIS]

Bigwod said:

I’ve got a few, Sierra Cosworth , Escort Cosworth,Ford Focus rs 500, Focus rs Heritage,Golf Clubsport s 306 cabriolet,Fiat 500x,
Still looking for one more

Nice my boss has the only remaining un registered heritage focus in the country along with a mk1 focus rs a mk2 rs a rs500 and a green mk3 rs other cars including 2 Austin 7s one being his fathers a 60s split screen camper a volvo amazon and a speed boat in his garage behind the workshop.

Nice to have the storage space to be able to house them all.

[freenote]

Weekendrebuild said:

I don’t tend to over think it to much , there’s usually something that’s caught my eye so I just buy that to add to my collection . Then hide it for 12 months from the wife at the unit whilst tidying and making it pristine. It Eventually end up in one of the garages when wife’s not looking

I think it was actually your post about the celica that got me pondering...dammit,

How does one go about finding one of these elusive units? Assuming being in London is to my detriment.

[ntiz]

The answer for myself and pretty much every petrol head I know is. N+1 there is always another car I want.

The problem is I like the ones I have so I just buy another. I’m at 6 cars at the moment might be 7 tomorrow

[alpinestar]

I feel right at home here :

VW T5.2 180 4motion for daily driving duties and the wife's little business
Nissan Micra as our city car
Rimor Superbrig 675 , the family campervan

Renault Alpine V6 turbo, the GT car for long journeys
Westfield 7
Nissan Figaro, the wife's classic car
Radical SR3 rs, for track duties

Volvo 740 turbo16v , project car
Westfield XI project, need to start the build

cheers

[MCSV8]

Only 5 now since the kids moved out, but all on the road and personally maintained:

2007 Fiesta 1.25 (runabout - only 23k miles)
2010 Jaguar XJ Supersport (my sensible family car)
2015 BMW 320 (wife's sensible car)
1977 Aston Martin V8
1974 Triumph Stag.

[Superleg48]

Did have 5 but now down to just the 4.

2018 Mercedes AMG E43 Estate (10,600 miles) practical performance motoring and dog transporter/general duties
2015 Honda Jazz 1.3CVT SE (9500 miles) wife’s daily bimbling runabout and supermarket shopper
2016 Aston Martin DB9 GT Volante (10500 miles) wife’s summer fun car
2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera (21500 miles) my fun car

I feel we have the mix just right as there is not much crossover between the cars in terms of functionality and purpose. Not planning any further changes or additions, although I do have a hankering for a Land Rover Defender, for utilitarian purposes and when it snows...like for 3 days a year. Currently though, the Department of Finance and Marital Harmony is not approving funding, although I am working on it.

[p4cks]

Evora
Clio V6
Focus shed

Top two do the same job so I don't know why I've even got them both!

[Turbobanana]

Ford S-Max as my commuter / family duties
Fiesta for the OH and extension to the garden shed
Saab Convertible for nice days

I have 1 garage and a driveway that can accommodate 3, so 4 off road spaces in total. A pet hate is people who have more cars than parking available. Round our way it's a big issue: the estate was built 20 years ago and some of the houses are big enough that grown-up kids are still living at home, so there are at least 3 cars that have to go somewhere - normally on the road.

I've had up to 5 at a time in the past (all parked off road) but more than 3 now seems pointless. I've moved on to collect vintage watches instead - storage is far simpler.

[john_1983]

5 for me plus the missus has her runabout, so 6 in the household.

All mine are taxed, and insured on the one policy so no issues there. To keep on top of maintenance/MOTs I've got a spreadsheet that flags up anything needing done in terms of date (standard servicing, MOTs) by colour coding, and I've also got a big whiteboard in the garage broken down by car along the top, and maintenance down the side e.g. when was the coolant changed, brake fluid etc so I can instantly see when something routine was last done.

The whiteboard and spreadsheet do the same job so a bit of doubling up, but it works for me

[nbrnay]

Jesus, I've got two cars and a bike and I thought I was bad...

Although reading some of these, it has made me realise I should have worked harder at school. Some hella rich folk on here!

[530dTPhil]

Moved house nearly five years ago and high on the list were plenty of space/secure off road parking and some decent garaging/workshop space. We managed to tick those boxes as well as finding the right house.

Started off in May 2015 with a company car as my daily driver, wife's car, daughter's car and my brother's car and his old grey Fergie.

The list then grew
October 2015, 2007 BMW E85 Z4 3.0 Si, 69,000 miles
November 2017, a dismantled 1964 Land Rover Series 2A 2.25 petrol SWB; this was restored fully over the next eighteen months
May 2018, 2004 Land Rover Defender TD5, 46,000 miles
July 2018, new Audi R8 Spyder V10
January 2020, 2010 Porsche 911 Carrera, 42,000 miles FPSH.
February 2020, 2014 Audi RS4 Avant, 39,000 miles, FASH.

I think that I have a bit of an addiction!