Barge as a weekend/second car- Am i Mad?

[Baked_bean]

I am currently in the situation that I always have a nearly new company car (I work in a main dealer) and have the access to a variety of cars if required. Despite this I always like to have something slightly more interesting that I can tinker with and use in my spare time for days out etc.


I currently have a lightly modified E36 328i sport which is a lovely car but I suddenly have a desire to buy a large barge instead of something more driver focussed. I have my eyes on an BMW E38 740-50i as I don't want to spend more than £3000ish due to saving for a house currently.

I know it is my decision but I wanted to know if anyone had any experience of this as typically weekend cars are two seaters, classics, track cars etc.

[deltashad]

Variety is the spice of life.
Only recently I've had the need for a company car, before then I've been working one the rigs, I didnt need one there. So when I was home it was my weekend. For this sort of budget you cant go wrong with a massive overly depreciationed leviathon with all the luxuries and power destined for the highest earner expected to command a large company into bigger and better things with all the stress of the world on his shoulders.

Why not?

[Toltec]

Can happen to anyone, despite preferring light weight two-seater sports cars I have recently been checking out X5s as a potential 'practical' car. 4.8is ones of course.

[Baked_bean]

True, Its just my company car is a new prius so fairly gadget laden and comfortable.

I might give it a go as I can get cheap labour/work on it myself if the bork creeps in. Would be quite a nice change of pace from my usual.

[samuelellis]

Do it - me and my other half run a Barge as a weekend toy

My daily driver is a Volvo s60 D5 with lots of toys - a very nice car

The Weekend toy is a v8 Jag XJ - it just feels special to drive and the v8 growl is lovely when pressing on

[Riley Blue]

Mad? Definitely not! Outside my garage sits an A8 4.2 V8 which rarely gets used during the week but provides copious weekend waftiness when we feel like it - which we do, most weekends.

[andy-xr]

My barge is my main car, just do what you fancy

[bigdom]

I've had a couple of 7's, as good a car as they are and as boring as this sounds, if your saving for a house I would wait until you get the house, they're quite capable of throwing a large bill.

[PlayersNo6]

I switched from an MX-5 to a Jaguar XJ8 as my weekend/second car. Just as enjoyable but in a different way.

Just buy what you want - although, as pointed out, barges were originally expensive cars and can therefore cost a lot to put right.

[Sir Fergie]

bigdom said:

I've had a couple of 7's, as good a car as they are and as boring as this sounds, if your saving for a house I would wait until you get the house, they're quite capable of throwing a large bill.

The other side of that equation is that when you have the house - you will have mortgages to deal with.

Buy the 7 series now - worry about the house later