Finding "the one"

[JamesD1]

Do you know when you've found "the one" i hear lots of stories from petrol heads of vehicles theyve spent countless money or effort on. either restoring or modifying and kept it for a substantial ammount of time.

have you had or currently own "the one" and how did you know? have yet to find any vehicle that ive enjoyed enough to want to keep for longer than a few months, im currently looking for another.

I buy vehicles i like the look of, the sound of but i always find something missing.

I know its not all about money as im sure some people have vehicles with sentimental value

everyone i know / speak to about vehicles has found "the one" they all vary in size,shape,value,power etc.

I just want too hear peoples views (i suppose to see if im not the only one moping about obsessing over vehicles that i find i have no real love for when i own them).

[Captain Muppet]

JamesD1 said:

...have yet to find any vehicle that ive enjoyed enough to want to keep for longer than a few months, im currently looking for another.

I buy vehicles i like the look of, the sound of but i always find something missing...

To stop everyone else checking your profile:
Current Fleet
Toyota Mr2 JDM N/A rev 3

Previously Owned
Nissan Almera Activ
Peugeot 106 extra time
Seat Leon cupra 180 (pre facelift)
Suzuki SV SV650s
Fiat stilo 1.6 active

[JamesD1]

i did think i should add my current and previous.

i have owned 6 cars and 6 bikes

mr2 is a car i bought because i love the look of it and it sounds great, i dont like the rattles or 2 seats.
seat leon cupra was fast but unreliable and hideously bland
fiat stilo was lovely too look at (in my eyes)
fiesta van was my first "car"
nissan, 106 were stop gap cars.

as for the bikes / scooters:
piaggio zip 50cc lovely little thing sold for peugeot speedfighter 100cc. speedfighter was stolen and replaced with a yamaha t-max. i then passed my test and bought a suzuki marauder which was upgraded to an sv650 which was stolen then i got a suzuki bandit which suffered a technichal mishap

i would have another bike if i could keep it safe but as for cars i have not found what i want

[B'stard Child]

I've owned my Monza and Lotus Carlton since 2000 - the Monza is definitely the one, the LC I've yet to make my mind up.....

I don't change cars very often at all, most recent car purchased I've now had for 4 years (R170 SLK) and the previous car purchased was the E38 740 in 2006. (all are still owned by me, may or may not be a few other project cars too)

I don't get bored very quickly I guess or I buy a car to do a task or fill a role and keep it till it no longer has a task or role to fill.

Edited by B'stard Child on Monday 16th June 18:53

[JamesD1]

i fancy something revvy and fwd next with 5 seats, thinking 172 or ctr

the car ive wanted for a while is a subaru wrx sti and i think i may have to save for a while longer yet.

i do get bored but i also dont think ive had a nice car as im always limited by budget. i like to have the money left over to look after them properly

[wildcat45]

I have a type of car that is "the one" That doesn't mean I think it is the best car in the world, that it is head and shoulders above other cars and that it is without fault.

It is a car that suits part of my life and I love it.

My 2001 MGF. There was a long thread on here a while back started by me telling the story of why I love them and why I had to buy the exact car I now own.

I won't bore you with the details, but save to say it is the only car I have had that I really adore. I nipped to the shops yesterday and found myself walking back to it across the car park with a big grin on my face. When I got home, I clumsily banged the door off the bumper of my year old Land Rover. Annoyed with myself, I got out and checked the door of the 14,00 quid MG, then checked for damage of the 40K Landy.

There was no damage to either.

There is a nice little 5 or six mile run out near where I live, and if I have a spare few minutes, I'll often pop out for a few minutes drive, just for the hell of it.

[Mr E]

JamesD1 said:

Do you know when you've found "the one" i hear lots of stories ... spent countless money or effort on. either restoring or modifying and kept it for a substantial ammount of time.

Are we talking cars or people here?

[Jasandjules]

How do you know? I think it is the car that you smile each time you sit in her, each time you start the engine, each time you drive, and when you walk away you can't help but have a quick glance back at her.

For me it is my TVR, she is perfection for my needs.

OP, sometimes (actually I'd say often) "the one" is the second car in the family, because the first one is the main use machine that does all the dull stuff, but "the one" is the vehicle for special times.

[Ginja]

I had a Fiesta and 3 Cavaliers in quick succession, a Golf VR6 for 5 years and then an E39 540i Touring for 7 but have been through 3 cars in 3 years since selling the 5. The 5 was 'the one' but got old and leggy, was complex and not particularly cheap to run and now I keep finding things wrong with the replacements and so move them on. I'm constantly looking to get back to the kind of bond I had with the 5 but not found it yet....

[Captain Muppet]

I wanted an Elise since I first saw one in 1996. I finally got one in 2008. The MR2s I had from '96 to 2008 were just cheap placeholders for the Elise: they did sort of the same job not as well for less money.

I can't imagine replacing the Elise with anything other than a better Elise.

[Riley Blue]

I've driven VAG cars for decades, starting with a Beetle, Type 2, Golf GTI (x9) and GTD, SEAT Ibiza GTI, Audi A4 (x2) and over the years I've wondered, on and off, what an A8 would be like. Not being flushed with money it would have to be second hand, silver (because I like it) and preferably with a black leather interior (because I like that too).
When one was mentioned on PH a few months back; April 27 to be exact, I was at the Brooklands Sunday Service with my Merc E320 Coupe, I phoned and drove home via Lancashire to view it paying a deposit and returning within a week to settle up and drive it home.
It's 'the one' - definitely. Until something horrendous goes wrong with it that is....