What's your "nearly" car?
Discussion
What's the one car that you really like that you could have been in a position to buy but have never had the courage to "pull the trigger" for one reason or another.
Mine's the RX8. Loved them ever since they came out and it's so close to being my perfect car. I think it looks fantastic, it's practical, unique (unlike anything else), very affordable now and handles brilliantly by all accounts (I've yet to drive one).
On the debit side though, hideous fuel and oil consumption, high emissions (also a potential MOT failure?), an engine that's adverse to short runs from cold and hot starting by all accounts and massive depreciation if you had the courage to buy new (yet I would be nervous of buying one now that even the newest examples won't have any warranty).
I sometimes wonder whether Mazda should have just fitted the 2.3 Turbo 4-pot from the Mazda 3/6 MPS and then that would have been pretty much perfect but then again, the car was designed around the engine, so would it fit and would it be as special?
I could have afforded one a couple of times in the last 5 years and it would have met all my requirements other than the above. If I could have one as a fun/weekend car i.e. I could just take it for a proper drive and didn't have to use it every day, that would be fine but then if I was buying a car for fun/weekend use, I would probably buy something a bit less practical that holds its value a bit better.
On a more mundane level, the humble Ford Focus. I have driven lots of them and always enjoyed the experience (not scared to "pull the trigger" though and I'm sure that I'll own a Focus one day). It's probably about as good as cheap runabouts gets but when I've been in the market for a cheap runabout, I've never been able to find one in my area with the right spec at the right price, so I have always bought something else instead, although I'm not convinced that I have always chosen the better option (Astra, Golf, Corolla, Civic etc).
Mine's the RX8. Loved them ever since they came out and it's so close to being my perfect car. I think it looks fantastic, it's practical, unique (unlike anything else), very affordable now and handles brilliantly by all accounts (I've yet to drive one).
On the debit side though, hideous fuel and oil consumption, high emissions (also a potential MOT failure?), an engine that's adverse to short runs from cold and hot starting by all accounts and massive depreciation if you had the courage to buy new (yet I would be nervous of buying one now that even the newest examples won't have any warranty).
I sometimes wonder whether Mazda should have just fitted the 2.3 Turbo 4-pot from the Mazda 3/6 MPS and then that would have been pretty much perfect but then again, the car was designed around the engine, so would it fit and would it be as special?
I could have afforded one a couple of times in the last 5 years and it would have met all my requirements other than the above. If I could have one as a fun/weekend car i.e. I could just take it for a proper drive and didn't have to use it every day, that would be fine but then if I was buying a car for fun/weekend use, I would probably buy something a bit less practical that holds its value a bit better.
On a more mundane level, the humble Ford Focus. I have driven lots of them and always enjoyed the experience (not scared to "pull the trigger" though and I'm sure that I'll own a Focus one day). It's probably about as good as cheap runabouts gets but when I've been in the market for a cheap runabout, I've never been able to find one in my area with the right spec at the right price, so I have always bought something else instead, although I'm not convinced that I have always chosen the better option (Astra, Golf, Corolla, Civic etc).
Edited by white_goodman on Thursday 12th March 16:42
Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon. Viewed several cars two years ago. What killed it for me was insurance costs. I ended up buying a FN2 Civic Type R, which I sold 9 months later. It was more expensive than the Civic, but it had more toys and I preferred the steering. Also, insurance was much cheaper!
I think I will have a Impreza one day. I'm working in London now, so commuting requirements aren't important anymore. I currently have a Saab 9-5 Estate Aero, which I really like, but maybe I'll go for an Impreza in a couple of years.
I think I will have a Impreza one day. I'm working in London now, so commuting requirements aren't important anymore. I currently have a Saab 9-5 Estate Aero, which I really like, but maybe I'll go for an Impreza in a couple of years.
I've got a few, some real crackers too.
Almost bought a BMW E30 M3 many moons ago when they were going for about £10k but I thought a 325i I also tried at the time was actually nicer to drive due to the lovely 6 pot engine and didn't think the M3 was worth twice the price of a decent 325i. Slightly regret this decision.
Almost bought an M3 E46 CSL when they were reasonable money but again didn't think it was worth the £10k price premium over the equivalent M3 at the time. Slightly regret this decision.
Almost bought a Honda NSX but wasn't sure if blowing £20k (the price decent one's were going for at the time) on a Honda was a sensible idea. Slightly regret this decision now.
I think you can see a pattern forming here, the morale of the story being that if I DON'T buy a car then it's probably a safe bet that you should rush out and get one.
One a different note I've considered an RX-7 quite a few times, it has an interesting engine that revs to over 8000rpm, brilliant rwd handling and probably one of the best looking cars to come out of Japan but I've always been put off by rotary engine horror stories, i.e, woeful fuel consumption and rebuild issues.
Almost bought a BMW E30 M3 many moons ago when they were going for about £10k but I thought a 325i I also tried at the time was actually nicer to drive due to the lovely 6 pot engine and didn't think the M3 was worth twice the price of a decent 325i. Slightly regret this decision.
Almost bought an M3 E46 CSL when they were reasonable money but again didn't think it was worth the £10k price premium over the equivalent M3 at the time. Slightly regret this decision.
Almost bought a Honda NSX but wasn't sure if blowing £20k (the price decent one's were going for at the time) on a Honda was a sensible idea. Slightly regret this decision now.
I think you can see a pattern forming here, the morale of the story being that if I DON'T buy a car then it's probably a safe bet that you should rush out and get one.
One a different note I've considered an RX-7 quite a few times, it has an interesting engine that revs to over 8000rpm, brilliant rwd handling and probably one of the best looking cars to come out of Japan but I've always been put off by rotary engine horror stories, i.e, woeful fuel consumption and rebuild issues.
bakerstreet said:
Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon. Viewed several cars two years ago. What killed it for me was insurance costs. I ended up buying a FN2 Civic Type R, which I sold 9 months later. It was more expensive than the Civic, but it had more toys and I preferred the steering. Also, insurance was much cheaper!
I think I will have a Impreza one day. I'm working in London now, so commuting requirements aren't important anymore. I currently have a Saab 9-5 Estate Aero, which I really like, but maybe I'll go for an Impreza in a couple of years.
Ironic, I couldn't get the Civic when I wanted one but got the WRX Wagon 5 years ago. Your right, insurance quotes did vary massively and some insurance companies said that they required a Tracker on a 6 year old car! Admiral came through with a reasonable quote in the end though. They're both awesome cars though, I would recommend you get one soon, as they're dirt cheap at the moment. I think I will have a Impreza one day. I'm working in London now, so commuting requirements aren't important anymore. I currently have a Saab 9-5 Estate Aero, which I really like, but maybe I'll go for an Impreza in a couple of years.
if the chance comes along again grab it.About 6 years ago, I made my mind up that I was going to get a Honda NSX. Due to my lack of any form of patience, I couldn't wait for a decent one to come up in my budget and went down the local Nissan garage and got a 350Z instead.
I loved the Nissan, but god I wish I'd waited and got the NSX. I probably can't afford one now.
I loved the Nissan, but god I wish I'd waited and got the NSX. I probably can't afford one now.
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