Help break serial car changing habit!
Discussion
So… I need help to crack the “serial car changing” habit!
Over the years I have had loads of cars some good (911’s, M3’s, Imprezas, T5’s FFRR’s etc) some average (3/5 series, A4/6’s) some interesting (turbo convertible scimitar!?) some dire (mazda 121, ford orion ghia) in total I recon I have had between 70 and 100 cars over 20 years!
I tried recently to grow up and bought a 3 year old A6 allroad (which I think is a great car by the way) it is newer and therefore more ££ than I usually spend and thought it would let me settle into middle aged oblivion where, like a normal person, I wouldn’t change my car 3 to 5 times a year….. guess what, I’m bored already!
So what cheapish (£3 – £5K interesting, practical (estate!) car would you all go for. Something I haven’t had before would be good (not had many Mercs or Japanese or European for example) or what is the best variant of a barging staple might I not have tried (e.g I have had an e39 530i and an E60 530d but never an e39 530d)
I’m at a loss. Second cars don’t work for me (tried it alongside my 911’s but never drove the diesel s
tter because, well, why would you!) and I do about 20k a year so economy plays a small part. I also have loads of kids / dogs / crap to cart about so estates or 4x4’s are pretty much the only sensible option for me
Go too it PHers, what would you do!
Over the years I have had loads of cars some good (911’s, M3’s, Imprezas, T5’s FFRR’s etc) some average (3/5 series, A4/6’s) some interesting (turbo convertible scimitar!?) some dire (mazda 121, ford orion ghia) in total I recon I have had between 70 and 100 cars over 20 years!
I tried recently to grow up and bought a 3 year old A6 allroad (which I think is a great car by the way) it is newer and therefore more ££ than I usually spend and thought it would let me settle into middle aged oblivion where, like a normal person, I wouldn’t change my car 3 to 5 times a year….. guess what, I’m bored already!
So what cheapish (£3 – £5K interesting, practical (estate!) car would you all go for. Something I haven’t had before would be good (not had many Mercs or Japanese or European for example) or what is the best variant of a barging staple might I not have tried (e.g I have had an e39 530i and an E60 530d but never an e39 530d)
I’m at a loss. Second cars don’t work for me (tried it alongside my 911’s but never drove the diesel s
tter because, well, why would you!) and I do about 20k a year so economy plays a small part. I also have loads of kids / dogs / crap to cart about so estates or 4x4’s are pretty much the only sensible option for meGo too it PHers, what would you do!
I'm the same as you, I change every few months. On my 13th car over the last 3 years I think? Mostly BMW's with a bit of Volvo, VW, Skoda and Merc.
Forget this talk of middle age. I'd buy a litre sports bike and spend whatever's left over on a car. Nothing for 4k will touch the fun or speed you'll get from the bike.
Thats what I was doing alongside a 435D I had last year. Made the car look slow.
My two cents anyway... hopefully someone will have a better suggestion. I just bought a 325I Touring 2008 Auto with 90k on the clock for 4k. Its a lovely car but its hardly a thrill.
Forget this talk of middle age. I'd buy a litre sports bike and spend whatever's left over on a car. Nothing for 4k will touch the fun or speed you'll get from the bike.
Thats what I was doing alongside a 435D I had last year. Made the car look slow.
My two cents anyway... hopefully someone will have a better suggestion. I just bought a 325I Touring 2008 Auto with 90k on the clock for 4k. Its a lovely car but its hardly a thrill.
Ahh, should have mentioned I’ve been doing the bike thing for 20+ years too! To be fair I’m now in the big trailie brigade (cough 1200GS cough) but mostly because I kind of got the lite sports bike thing out of my system years ago and actually prefer “making progress” on a bike that doesn’t cripple me after 100 miles!
One of the problems is time, with 4 kids and a job which means 140+ miles a day commute I don’t have time for “fun blasts” so 90% of my automotive enjoyment comes from Commuting.. ho hum.....
One of the problems is time, with 4 kids and a job which means 140+ miles a day commute I don’t have time for “fun blasts” so 90% of my automotive enjoyment comes from Commuting.. ho hum.....
Ah nice! Well you know what I'm talking about and some then! I've only done the litre bike thing for a couple of years so plenty to go before it's out the system.
Did the GS thing too this year. 2500 miles from Bilbao back to Blighty. A right good blast! You're right, definitely better on the GS than a litre bike ever would be. I'm hoping to get myself a 1250 in a few years time once theyre better value.
But none of this is much help for your car conundrum...
Maybe something like a Merc E320. V6 engine 3 litre. £325 tax. 6.8secs 0-60 and 221hp. Not great on fuel around town but supposedly good on long runs with a claimed 50mpg - maybe realistically 40...? Enough poke to be a bit of fun, but sensible enough too.
Not had any personal experience myself so maybe someone else can enlighten as to whethers thats a good shout or not!
Did the GS thing too this year. 2500 miles from Bilbao back to Blighty. A right good blast! You're right, definitely better on the GS than a litre bike ever would be. I'm hoping to get myself a 1250 in a few years time once theyre better value.
But none of this is much help for your car conundrum...
Maybe something like a Merc E320. V6 engine 3 litre. £325 tax. 6.8secs 0-60 and 221hp. Not great on fuel around town but supposedly good on long runs with a claimed 50mpg - maybe realistically 40...? Enough poke to be a bit of fun, but sensible enough too.
Not had any personal experience myself so maybe someone else can enlighten as to whethers thats a good shout or not!
Ooh, Legacy isn’t a bad shout! I have to admit two of my Imprezas wer in my 20’s, loved them. The third (a nice prodrive blobeye) was a bit to tinny and unrefined for my late 30’s commute. How is the Legacy in terms of creature comforts and refinement? I’m guessing much better than a scooby.
I'm the same, get bored so quickly.
There have been exceptions though.
When I ran an M3 and a 3.2fsi A6 Quattro Avant, kept them for a couple of years, sometimes I didn't drive one of them for weeks, but I would then fancy it and it was like being in a new car again.
The other exception was the E350 estate.
I had already had the E350d and didn't like it, much preferred my 5er Touring I had before. But there were certain things I didn't like, the on/off throttle of the e350d, the parameter steering that was just horrible and imho dangerous, and the seats didn't go low enough.
Loved the ride though and the space and the understated nature of it.
Then this E350 petrol turned up, the later engine with 306hp, and it had direct steering, the newer sport seats, and I thought I would go and look as it was at a Volvo dealer 20 miles away.
They only sold 13 of them in the UK.
I spoke to the dealer, they said they had buggered up as taken it in not realising it was petrol and to make matters worse no service history, they were only asking £16k for it, the E350d's at the time were all £20k +.
I said I would take it as a trade buy, no warranty, no risk to them, what did they pay? £12750.
I called Mercedes and got them to send me the digital service history. Job done.
I ended up in that for 3 years nearly and took it from 60k to 114k. It returned over 30mpg, was silky smooth round town and up to 3500rpm and then came alive and sounded lovely up to 7000rpm.
Not really sure why I sold it?
Well, I bought a TDV8 RR and the Merc sat there for a few weeks, I advertised it at £12750 and got £12k, so let it go.
But in hindsight I wish I hadn't sold it.
It was a different car for me, it was comfy, was not depreciating heavily and a pleasure to rack miles up in. It made it hard to buy something else as it did everything so well. I think that combo is what helps make you keep it.
Being bored of something and it losing £5k a year you think "Right, better change." when it is not losing money any more you often ride out the boredom and after you have a bit of a break from it you fall in love with it again.
There have been exceptions though.
When I ran an M3 and a 3.2fsi A6 Quattro Avant, kept them for a couple of years, sometimes I didn't drive one of them for weeks, but I would then fancy it and it was like being in a new car again.
The other exception was the E350 estate.
I had already had the E350d and didn't like it, much preferred my 5er Touring I had before. But there were certain things I didn't like, the on/off throttle of the e350d, the parameter steering that was just horrible and imho dangerous, and the seats didn't go low enough.
Loved the ride though and the space and the understated nature of it.
Then this E350 petrol turned up, the later engine with 306hp, and it had direct steering, the newer sport seats, and I thought I would go and look as it was at a Volvo dealer 20 miles away.
They only sold 13 of them in the UK.
I spoke to the dealer, they said they had buggered up as taken it in not realising it was petrol and to make matters worse no service history, they were only asking £16k for it, the E350d's at the time were all £20k +.
I said I would take it as a trade buy, no warranty, no risk to them, what did they pay? £12750.
I called Mercedes and got them to send me the digital service history. Job done.
I ended up in that for 3 years nearly and took it from 60k to 114k. It returned over 30mpg, was silky smooth round town and up to 3500rpm and then came alive and sounded lovely up to 7000rpm.
Not really sure why I sold it?
Well, I bought a TDV8 RR and the Merc sat there for a few weeks, I advertised it at £12750 and got £12k, so let it go.
But in hindsight I wish I hadn't sold it.
It was a different car for me, it was comfy, was not depreciating heavily and a pleasure to rack miles up in. It made it hard to buy something else as it did everything so well. I think that combo is what helps make you keep it.
Being bored of something and it losing £5k a year you think "Right, better change." when it is not losing money any more you often ride out the boredom and after you have a bit of a break from it you fall in love with it again.
tomodan said:
Ooh, Legacy isn’t a bad shout! I have to admit two of my Imprezas wer in my 20’s, loved them. The third (a nice prodrive blobeye) was a bit to tinny and unrefined for my late 30’s commute. How is the Legacy in terms of creature comforts and refinement? I’m guessing much better than a scooby.
I did a fair bit of research whilst looking for a new car and ended up going for a UK spec forester xt over a legacy mainly based on the £1350 a year insurance vs £500ish for a forester, however I'm mid 20's and didn't have any experience of owning any "fast" cars previously.The general concensus of the legacy seems to be a much more refined than an Impreza (or forester) with similar driving feel, whilst also being a fair bit bigger.
The auto also seems to get fairly good reviews which differs from most of the impreza based auto boxes.
I would imagine I'll be looking at getting one as my next car, as they seem a more grown up version of an impreza.
Accept that you're always going to be bored. Either keep changing, or try and accept it, which a barge that excels in some other area might do. I'd go for something luxurious, then you've always got a 'it may be boring, but at least life in here is better than that cyclist trudging through the rain' or something.
tomodan said:
So what cheapish (£3 – £5K interesting, practical (estate!) car would you all go for. Something I haven’t had before would be good (not had many Mercs or Japanese or European for example) or what is the best variant of a barging staple might I not have tried (e.g I have had an e39 530i and an E60 530d but never an e39 530d)
Go too it PHers, what would you do!
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