Do you prefer a do it all car or more than one car?
Discussion
I was thinking about the 911 Turbo S article and do you prefer a do it all car like that, or do you prefer running more than one car that does a more specific job?
I personally prefer having cars to do different jobs...for example a comfortable daily and then something fun for the weekend. I tried a E92 M3 as a do it all car and I ended up preferring the more than one car approach, because the M3 ended up feeling less special for me because I was using it everyday.
What do you prefer to do?
I personally prefer having cars to do different jobs...for example a comfortable daily and then something fun for the weekend. I tried a E92 M3 as a do it all car and I ended up preferring the more than one car approach, because the M3 ended up feeling less special for me because I was using it everyday.
What do you prefer to do?
I'd love to have a stable of cars each excelling at one role, but in practise tax + insurance costs mean that one car has to suffice. So make it a special one and accept compromises.
It does mean that we have a heap of stuff in the yard that should go to the dump, but I can't stomach putting it in the car...
It does mean that we have a heap of stuff in the yard that should go to the dump, but I can't stomach putting it in the car...
I haven't really had the opportunity to try the "More than one car" option, but I must say there's a great novelty to do it all cars:- Packing masses of things for a house move, multiple bikes, and still having the ground clearance etc. to make it down the dodgier country lanes is a great hot hatch ability, and part of the entertainment. (As dry as it may seem!)
Four cars, four roles.
1) Fiesta diesel is our shopping trolley / tip run / surgery car / station runner.
2) A8 4.2 is our waft-o-matic long distance autobahn muncher.
3) Riley One-Point-Five is our fun car for maximum enjoyment motoring.
4) Another Riley One-Point-Five is in bits waiting for me to decide on Rover V8, MGB four-pot or electric motive power.
1) Fiesta diesel is our shopping trolley / tip run / surgery car / station runner.
2) A8 4.2 is our waft-o-matic long distance autobahn muncher.
3) Riley One-Point-Five is our fun car for maximum enjoyment motoring.
4) Another Riley One-Point-Five is in bits waiting for me to decide on Rover V8, MGB four-pot or electric motive power.
I prefer the two car route. It would probably be more than two if I had the space.
Downside is that daily car is nothing exciting so you don't get that warm feeling of driving something special every day. Upside to that is that I'm not too precious about it so have no qualms about using it to go to the tip or put a muddy dog in there. On balance I don't really yearn for something particularly exciting for daily duties as long as there is something there to interest me and I don't hate it!
The two car route doesn't have to be more expensive. Second car insurance can be cheap. You don't necessarily need to tax it all year round. Overall mileage won't go up. If it goes on track a lightweight second car, that could never do daily duties, might save a lot on consumable costs of trackdays and sometimes depreciation too.
Downside is that daily car is nothing exciting so you don't get that warm feeling of driving something special every day. Upside to that is that I'm not too precious about it so have no qualms about using it to go to the tip or put a muddy dog in there. On balance I don't really yearn for something particularly exciting for daily duties as long as there is something there to interest me and I don't hate it!
The two car route doesn't have to be more expensive. Second car insurance can be cheap. You don't necessarily need to tax it all year round. Overall mileage won't go up. If it goes on track a lightweight second car, that could never do daily duties, might save a lot on consumable costs of trackdays and sometimes depreciation too.
Gad-Westy said:
The two car route doesn't have to be more expensive. Second car insurance can be cheap.
This was my fear at first with setting another insurance policy up, because usually if you'd built up a strong no claims bonus up it kept the price down. But I was pleasantly surprised at how cost effective it was even without any no claims bonus. I don't know if my age helped with this though. I was looking at keeping my old Megane RS as a track/weekend car, and getting a shed daily to waft to/from work.
Under scrutiny though it didn't add up, as what with tax, insurance and MOT's it worked out more expensive to keep 2 for me. Also, the biggest killer was space limitations at home, and I couldn't keep 2 cars.
I ended up with an E92 M3.
Under scrutiny though it didn't add up, as what with tax, insurance and MOT's it worked out more expensive to keep 2 for me. Also, the biggest killer was space limitations at home, and I couldn't keep 2 cars.
I ended up with an E92 M3.
If you can afford to have a few cars for a few different roles and that's what makes you happy, then crack on happy days. If a one size fits all policy is more practical / cost effective for your lifestyle then that is perfectly acceptable too. I don't particularly understand those that have one of every supercar locked up in a warehouse etc, but again lifes what you make it.
Me personally, i can't tow a 3.5 tonne trailer with a Ferrari or have fun in a Range Rover. So I have gone the route of having a few but very different cars, and have a relatively broad coverage for mood/circumstance!
Me personally, i can't tow a 3.5 tonne trailer with a Ferrari or have fun in a Range Rover. So I have gone the route of having a few but very different cars, and have a relatively broad coverage for mood/circumstance!
I've run two cars (occasionally three) for 18 years of the 25 years I've been driving.
I've genuinely never found a car that does everything - if you think you have, then like the 911 Turbo the OP mentioned, it ends up as a compromise falling between two ideals. The 911 Turbo for example is not engaging enough for a track car or fun B road car, but for a practical everyday car it's quite noisy when cruising, it lacks space for stuff, and has high running costs. On that last point, it's actually cheaper to run two cars than one car in many instances. Win win, as they say.
I've genuinely never found a car that does everything - if you think you have, then like the 911 Turbo the OP mentioned, it ends up as a compromise falling between two ideals. The 911 Turbo for example is not engaging enough for a track car or fun B road car, but for a practical everyday car it's quite noisy when cruising, it lacks space for stuff, and has high running costs. On that last point, it's actually cheaper to run two cars than one car in many instances. Win win, as they say.
I’ve found two cars to be cheaper as both are essentially depreciation free, but for different reasons. The daily is at the bottom end of the curve because of age/mileage, the second car because it’s somewhat special.
It means I’m not piling unenjoyable commuter miles, wear and tear/damage on the second car (and most importantly just keeping it feeling special). But also if either car goes wrong, I’ve got the luxury of putting the other into temporary daily service allowing me to fix, perhaps source second hand bits off eBay etc instead of going along with whatever the garage proposes if I needed that car back on the road ASAP.
Also makes changing cars easier as you can sell one privately and buy in your own time. Rather than needing to trade in / PX.
Been able to own £20-£30k worth of cars (between shed daily and ‘weekend car’) and it cost next to nothing.
The downside is that you may sometimes find yourself in the wrong car for the occasion, or find it frustrating that you’ve got a lot of money tied up in cars - But spend 90% of your time in a £2k shed.
It means I’m not piling unenjoyable commuter miles, wear and tear/damage on the second car (and most importantly just keeping it feeling special). But also if either car goes wrong, I’ve got the luxury of putting the other into temporary daily service allowing me to fix, perhaps source second hand bits off eBay etc instead of going along with whatever the garage proposes if I needed that car back on the road ASAP.
Also makes changing cars easier as you can sell one privately and buy in your own time. Rather than needing to trade in / PX.
Been able to own £20-£30k worth of cars (between shed daily and ‘weekend car’) and it cost next to nothing.
The downside is that you may sometimes find yourself in the wrong car for the occasion, or find it frustrating that you’ve got a lot of money tied up in cars - But spend 90% of your time in a £2k shed.
I think for most its a finance and space thing, but also I find the more stuff I have the less I use it.
I did look at buying Westfield earlier last year but I would end up having to store it away from home and would probably hardly use it, was talking to a guy doing up a similar car that had been stood for 15 years, seems to be common, similar with motorbikes, I know people with several tucked away that never really see the light of day.
Also, I have been thinking of late with now WFH and not going anywhere, how many cars do I actually need in the household, I have shock/horror been using a bicycle more and more.
I find if I have too many things ongoing it drives me insane, the admin/maintenance/cost overhead with multiple cars I find gets annoying, when you realise you have spent a couple of grand to keep something you have done 500 miles in this year.
I did look at buying Westfield earlier last year but I would end up having to store it away from home and would probably hardly use it, was talking to a guy doing up a similar car that had been stood for 15 years, seems to be common, similar with motorbikes, I know people with several tucked away that never really see the light of day.
Also, I have been thinking of late with now WFH and not going anywhere, how many cars do I actually need in the household, I have shock/horror been using a bicycle more and more.
I find if I have too many things ongoing it drives me insane, the admin/maintenance/cost overhead with multiple cars I find gets annoying, when you realise you have spent a couple of grand to keep something you have done 500 miles in this year.
Well, I've got two at the moment, and enjoy having two, but not sur eif i should swap one.
I've got a nice shiny new Macan S for weekend wafting, family duties and long distance type stuff.
I've then got a facelift RS3 which has been mapped to 480bhp. It's my golf car, sometime commuting car, and weekend fun car. It's unbelievably quick, but not sure if there's something that could be more exciting. I've got no idea what i could replace it with though! I've got my eye on a 911 Turbo S next, but then surely that's a silly car to use as i use the RS3?!
I've got a nice shiny new Macan S for weekend wafting, family duties and long distance type stuff.
I've then got a facelift RS3 which has been mapped to 480bhp. It's my golf car, sometime commuting car, and weekend fun car. It's unbelievably quick, but not sure if there's something that could be more exciting. I've got no idea what i could replace it with though! I've got my eye on a 911 Turbo S next, but then surely that's a silly car to use as i use the RS3?!
Ryan_T said:
The downside is that you may sometimes find yourself in the wrong car for the occasion, or find it frustrating that you’ve got a lot of money tied up in cars - But spend 90% of your time in a £2k shed.
I've experienced this as well and it can lead to frustration for sure. J4CKO said:
I find if I have too many things ongoing it drives me insane, the admin/maintenance/cost overhead with multiple cars I find gets annoying, when you realise you have spent a couple of grand to keep something you have done 500 miles in this year.
Yes and this is also true. At least if you have one nice car then you do get to experience/enjoy it everyday. I can understand both arguments. You really need one car and can only drive one, but it's also good to have a variety for different things.
I think a Subaru WRX (or a Porsche 911) is a good mix of practicality, performance, fun and daily work. Whereas you can have a crap car for, well crap, a sports car for weekends and a big 4x4 for everything else.
I think a Subaru WRX (or a Porsche 911) is a good mix of practicality, performance, fun and daily work. Whereas you can have a crap car for, well crap, a sports car for weekends and a big 4x4 for everything else.
I shifted my S Class because a. It wasn’t AWD (which we need due to residential location and long complicated reasons), and b. I wasn’t driving it enough and getting fed up with the second battery having a mare and not powering the various toys on demand.
In hindsight I wish I’d kept it and spent less on a shed, rather than trying to do it all at once. They say a camel is a racehorse designed by committee; in which case a Volvo is a car built on compromise.
In hindsight I wish I’d kept it and spent less on a shed, rather than trying to do it all at once. They say a camel is a racehorse designed by committee; in which case a Volvo is a car built on compromise.
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