Torn between different cars. Old / new / V8 / 1.2
Discussion
I've been driving around in a 595 Competizione for the last few years, a car which I love but for it's sense of occasion and fun but it ultimately lacks finesse.
Casting my eye around I'm torn between the following:
Keeping the 595 - it's affordable and I enjoy owning it.
Ordering the Toyota Yaris GR - so, so promising but could it be too clinical?
Jaguar XK 5.0 - adore Jaguar's and I've a real itch to scratch with owning a V8. Would cost a fair bit extra in tax and fuel costs which is arguably money for nothing.
Rover 75 connoisseur - Cheap, comfortable and will do the job of getting me to/from work.
Fiat Panda - I love small cars and a 1.2 can be picked up easily for £800.
Financially I've no need to get rid of the 595 but there is a little voice in my head saying a Shed would be sensible. I would love the XK but I suspect the novelty of the increased fuel costs would soon wear off - I do approx 8k commuting miles per year and I've calculated the extra fuel would cost £150 pm extra.
Casting my eye around I'm torn between the following:
Keeping the 595 - it's affordable and I enjoy owning it.
Ordering the Toyota Yaris GR - so, so promising but could it be too clinical?
Jaguar XK 5.0 - adore Jaguar's and I've a real itch to scratch with owning a V8. Would cost a fair bit extra in tax and fuel costs which is arguably money for nothing.
Rover 75 connoisseur - Cheap, comfortable and will do the job of getting me to/from work.
Fiat Panda - I love small cars and a 1.2 can be picked up easily for £800.
Financially I've no need to get rid of the 595 but there is a little voice in my head saying a Shed would be sensible. I would love the XK but I suspect the novelty of the increased fuel costs would soon wear off - I do approx 8k commuting miles per year and I've calculated the extra fuel would cost £150 pm extra.
Is there anything stopping you owning more than 1?
Sometimes having mix on the drive makes each car feel individually better as you use it for an intended purpose, rather than owning one that will be compromised in one department or another. Annual tax, servicing (every 2 years on mine), and insurance costs aren't that considerable ( obviously depends on a few variables but works out about £50 a month per car for me). You can only drive one car at a time so annual costs of consumables like brakes, petrol, tyres don't really increase much unless you buy something with odd wheel sizes or costly service items. You can always sell one if it doesn't work out and you get to keep one that you still enjoy.
The 595 and the XK feels like a nice spread of capability to me..
ps. man maths is dangerous: don't listen to random idiots on the internet!
Sometimes having mix on the drive makes each car feel individually better as you use it for an intended purpose, rather than owning one that will be compromised in one department or another. Annual tax, servicing (every 2 years on mine), and insurance costs aren't that considerable ( obviously depends on a few variables but works out about £50 a month per car for me). You can only drive one car at a time so annual costs of consumables like brakes, petrol, tyres don't really increase much unless you buy something with odd wheel sizes or costly service items. You can always sell one if it doesn't work out and you get to keep one that you still enjoy.
The 595 and the XK feels like a nice spread of capability to me..
ps. man maths is dangerous: don't listen to random idiots on the internet!
We have a Cayenne GTS which we use to dispose of fossil fuels at an alarming rate but it makes a glorious noise.
A Volvo XC90 which is useful for carrying stuff and also reminds you of how a car shouldn't be built.
A lexus ls430 which is parked in the garage and doesn't really move all that much anymore as our lane is all but impassable after the rains but after so many years I can't bear to sell it.
A 1999 RAV4 which we use for everything.
No road tax here but insurance is expensive. Around £4000 for them all combined.
If you have the space to keep them then why not?
A Volvo XC90 which is useful for carrying stuff and also reminds you of how a car shouldn't be built.
A lexus ls430 which is parked in the garage and doesn't really move all that much anymore as our lane is all but impassable after the rains but after so many years I can't bear to sell it.
A 1999 RAV4 which we use for everything.
No road tax here but insurance is expensive. Around £4000 for them all combined.
If you have the space to keep them then why not?
TheFungle said:
I would love the XK but I suspect the novelty of the increased fuel costs would soon wear off - I do approx 8k commuting miles per year and I've calculated the extra fuel would cost £150 pm extra.
Doesn't sound right to me. If you're paying £150 per month for petrol whilst doing 8,000 miles per year (666 miles per month), then you're averaging about 17.6mpg (assuming petrol is £1.15/litre). You're saying it would cost you this much to fuel an XK on top of what it's already costing you with the Abarth. I may have got the numbers wrong, but an additional £150 per month sounds excessive to me.Just get the Yaris.
The v8 jag is great and comfy but won’t be reliable and the running costs of it may well just niggle at the whole experience. I ran a bmw v8 for ages and on a “boring” motorway drive it just felt like pissing money away.
I’ll also personally disagree with the above view. I have several cars and instead of me appreciating them all I end up just using the boring practical one for everything. If you can get a car that gives you the fun and enjoyment you want while being a daily driver I think you’ll find it more rewarding.
As always it depends on your circumstances and needs.
The v8 jag is great and comfy but won’t be reliable and the running costs of it may well just niggle at the whole experience. I ran a bmw v8 for ages and on a “boring” motorway drive it just felt like pissing money away.
I’ll also personally disagree with the above view. I have several cars and instead of me appreciating them all I end up just using the boring practical one for everything. If you can get a car that gives you the fun and enjoyment you want while being a daily driver I think you’ll find it more rewarding.
As always it depends on your circumstances and needs.
MrGTI6 said:
TheFungle said:
I would love the XK but I suspect the novelty of the increased fuel costs would soon wear off - I do approx 8k commuting miles per year and I've calculated the extra fuel would cost £150 pm extra.
Doesn't sound right to me. If you're paying £150 per month for petrol whilst doing 8,000 miles per year (666 miles per month), then you're averaging about 17.6mpg (assuming petrol is £1.15/litre). You're saying it would cost you this much to fuel an XK on top of what it's already costing you with the Abarth. I may have got the numbers wrong, but an additional £150 per month sounds excessive to me.XK 4.2
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MrGTI6 said:
Doesn't sound right to me. If you're paying £150 per month for petrol whilst doing 8,000 miles per year (666 miles per month), then you're averaging about 17.6mpg (assuming petrol is £1.15/litre). You're saying it would cost you this much to fuel an XK on top of what it's already costing you with the Abarth. I may have got the numbers wrong, but an additional £150 per month sounds excessive to me.
No it is the extra cost not the current cost that is £150. Unfortunately fag packets seem a thing of the past so I have had to use a calculator to work out the sums, if the 595 does 40mpg, then the XK would have to be doing about 15-16 mpg, which may not be unreasonable for commuting.You are probably asking in the wrong place though. The most likely answer is bound to be the XK as it would provide the most interesting 'reader's cars' thread
When i bought my S Type R many years ago, the cost that i considered the least was tyres.
The Abarth may cost £300 for a set, yet the Jag will likely be £800-1000. (and they wear alot quicker in a powerful car)
Im still firmly in the camp of "buy it" though, although id also echo what has been said about two cars. Having a boring daily and a fun weekend car both reduces costs (if i only had my corvette, and not my iQ, i would be paying significantly more in both fuel, tyres, insurance and depreciation) and keeps the fun car feeling fun for much longer, meaning you chop and change less often.
The Abarth may cost £300 for a set, yet the Jag will likely be £800-1000. (and they wear alot quicker in a powerful car)
Im still firmly in the camp of "buy it" though, although id also echo what has been said about two cars. Having a boring daily and a fun weekend car both reduces costs (if i only had my corvette, and not my iQ, i would be paying significantly more in both fuel, tyres, insurance and depreciation) and keeps the fun car feeling fun for much longer, meaning you chop and change less often.
Miserablegit said:
Get a shed and the jag. Shed will pay for itself, possibly within 18 months.
That's exactly what I do. 
The shed does the daily slog and most of my miles every year which saves enough money on the annual fuel bill to let me enjoy the Jaguar as a bit of a treat whenever the mood takes without even thinking about what it costs to run.
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