Cars you wish you'd bought at the time
Discussion
There is probably a thread in the same vein running on PH but I can't find it.
Was wondering if, like me, other folks look back with the benefit of 20:20 hindsight and wish they had followed their gut instinct at the time. This isn't for halo-level cars, its common knowledge that the F1 has gone from £1m to £15m+ in the last 20 years - was thinking more about more commonplace stuff.
Mine include:
Mint XR4i I was offered for £900 back in 2009 - should have taken his hand off.
Elise S1 - got down to £8K at one point
VX220 turbo - think these were cheaper than the S1 Elise at the same time, now good ones are like unicorns
Porsche 996 - Pretty sure these got down to £10-12K a few years back, now more than that with double the mileage
An (unmolested) Mkiv Supra turbo - once commonplace, now non-existent
Share your own regrets here!
Was wondering if, like me, other folks look back with the benefit of 20:20 hindsight and wish they had followed their gut instinct at the time. This isn't for halo-level cars, its common knowledge that the F1 has gone from £1m to £15m+ in the last 20 years - was thinking more about more commonplace stuff.
Mine include:
Mint XR4i I was offered for £900 back in 2009 - should have taken his hand off.
Elise S1 - got down to £8K at one point
VX220 turbo - think these were cheaper than the S1 Elise at the same time, now good ones are like unicorns
Porsche 996 - Pretty sure these got down to £10-12K a few years back, now more than that with double the mileage
An (unmolested) Mkiv Supra turbo - once commonplace, now non-existent
Share your own regrets here!
Nissan Skyline R32 V-spec.
I had chance to purchase one about 7 or 8 years ago for £9k.
Unfortunately I was 19, couldn't even get an insurance quote and had nowhere to store it at the the time.
I imagine the same car would easily be mid 20's now, perhaps even more.
Also I had chance to buy an Suzuki GT250a when I was 16 for £500 which was a stretch too far at the time.
That same bike today is worth probably £2.5k
It hurts to think I could of had a Gtr and a lovely old 2 stroke twin in the garage but then I wouldn't have the M3 or S2k.
Actually that's a lie... I'd swap both for that V-spec without thinking twice!!
I had chance to purchase one about 7 or 8 years ago for £9k.
Unfortunately I was 19, couldn't even get an insurance quote and had nowhere to store it at the the time.
I imagine the same car would easily be mid 20's now, perhaps even more.
Also I had chance to buy an Suzuki GT250a when I was 16 for £500 which was a stretch too far at the time.
That same bike today is worth probably £2.5k
It hurts to think I could of had a Gtr and a lovely old 2 stroke twin in the garage but then I wouldn't have the M3 or S2k.
Actually that's a lie... I'd swap both for that V-spec without thinking twice!!
There are many, but this one stands out for me. About 9 or so years ago, spotless 944S2 in red with black leather interior. Engine had just been rebuilt by renowned local Porsche specialist after a belt break, and the owner had left them the car rather than pay the bill. It was pristine all round and being sold at a price to just cover their costs - this was just prior to prices rising. Couldn't get the cash quick enough, and was sold the day after I saw it. I had the cash a day later...
HaydenS2k said:
Nissan Skyline R32 V-spec.
I had chance to purchase one about 7 or 8 years ago for £9k.
Unfortunately I was 19, couldn't even get an insurance quote and had nowhere to store it at the the time.
I imagine the same car would easily be mid 20's now, perhaps even more.
Also I had chance to buy an Suzuki GT250a when I was 16 for £500 which was a stretch too far at the time.
That same bike today is worth probably £2.5k
It hurts to think I could of had a Gtr and a lovely old 2 stroke twin in the garage but then I wouldn't have the M3 or S2k.
Actually that's a lie... I'd swap both for that V-spec without thinking twice!!
£9K for the Skyline, ChristI had chance to purchase one about 7 or 8 years ago for £9k.
Unfortunately I was 19, couldn't even get an insurance quote and had nowhere to store it at the the time.
I imagine the same car would easily be mid 20's now, perhaps even more.
Also I had chance to buy an Suzuki GT250a when I was 16 for £500 which was a stretch too far at the time.
That same bike today is worth probably £2.5k
It hurts to think I could of had a Gtr and a lovely old 2 stroke twin in the garage but then I wouldn't have the M3 or S2k.
Actually that's a lie... I'd swap both for that V-spec without thinking twice!!
I forgot to mention in my OP, but my dad was offered a Lotus Cortina in the early-mid 70's. No idea what model it was, but the price back then was £3.5K.
Was a bit too rich for my dad, so it went elsewhere.
He then bought a car at auction which I think instigated my interest in cars at age 6.
Jensen Interceptor, 7.2 litre with the curved rear windscreen. Total money pit, the fuel consumption of a cruise ship, non-matching parts everywhere, over-heated and blew the radiator cap off at every opportunity.
My dad only had it for a few weeks, but the V8 rumble got me then and I've had it ever since.
At the same time in the mid-80's, my uncle bought a Corvette Stingray - the noise of that and the Jensen burbling together at tickover outside my house still sticks in my memory today.
RDMcG said:
1996
300SL Gullwing.
$220,000.
Lovely car too which I drove
When I lived in Loughton (2001-2006), I used to drink at the Gardeners Arms pub.300SL Gullwing.
$220,000.
Lovely car too which I drove
There was a regular there who would either walk, or if it was nice weather, bring his 1956 300SL Gullwing.
A stunningly beautiful thing, and still one of my Euromillions Lottery cars. He let us drive it too, under his strict supervision and only round the block but he was a genuine enthusiast and loved that someone recognised his car for what it was amongst the plethora of new Porsche, Ferrari etc in the neighbourhood.
Still remember how you had to put the steering wheel up to slide into the drivers seat.
Lotus Elan Sprint Coupe ; rebuilt by the race mechanic owner ,who worked for Lotus F1 team . Early 1979 , and an asking price of £1200 . I just could not raise the money in time from my trainee solicitor's modest salary . I bought an orange 2CV6 instead , which was nearly as much fun , and unbreakable. I think the Elan would now be worth getting on for 50K , but the only way it would have survived until now would have been by becoming the Trigger's Broom Evo version ...
- E46 M3 when they were below £10k.
- R34 Skyline when they were around £30k, saw an unmolested UK example going for over £120k.
- C204 C63 (this ones going to be one to regret in the future). Don't expect them to go up in value by a crazy amount but can see them going over £30-35k for a clean one sooner or later. Only if I wasn't looking to purchase a house in the not so distant future, I would be all over one of these right now.
- R34 Skyline when they were around £30k, saw an unmolested UK example going for over £120k.
- C204 C63 (this ones going to be one to regret in the future). Don't expect them to go up in value by a crazy amount but can see them going over £30-35k for a clean one sooner or later. Only if I wasn't looking to purchase a house in the not so distant future, I would be all over one of these right now.
F355 for me (like many I expect). Early £30’s within reach. Also rest drove a LHD mint black 348 at Verdi’s circa 17 years ago that was £23k from memory and got cold feet.
What’s also maddening to me is how many of the cars I did buy are now worth far more than I sold them for. TVR S3 I bought when I was in my early 20’s I sold for £5k, likewise a Chimaera I sold for £9k (40k miler), an S1 Elise for £9k, S2 111S for £13k, exige for £18k, Evora £26k...meh.
What’s also maddening to me is how many of the cars I did buy are now worth far more than I sold them for. TVR S3 I bought when I was in my early 20’s I sold for £5k, likewise a Chimaera I sold for £9k (40k miler), an S1 Elise for £9k, S2 111S for £13k, exige for £18k, Evora £26k...meh.
A UK one owner 60k mile E30 M3 Sport Evo through BMW AUC for £14k in 2000. That price looked a little high at the time, but it was very clean and original, and came with 12 months warranty. Instead I spent more money on a 316i Compact, as I couldn’t get insurance on the M3
I don’t regret it from the investment point of view, as it probably would have been long since sold again, but more that it would have been great fun using it as a daily, especially back then when I had an interesting commute
I don’t regret it from the investment point of view, as it probably would have been long since sold again, but more that it would have been great fun using it as a daily, especially back then when I had an interesting commute
Edited by Leins on Saturday 13th February 08:59
Escort Mk2 RS2000 at £3.5k (many years ago)
Audi RS2 (bought a nearly new Classic Scooby)
Audi Quattro
My then business partners BMW Breadvan Coupe
G Series 911 - bought a 996 instead when they were the same price. Still have the 996 to be fair.
Original NSX when they were cheap
E30 M3 when they were £8.5k
F348 in the £30’s
996 GT3 when everybody was saying they’d rocket in value...
Yes, I’m an idiot.
Audi RS2 (bought a nearly new Classic Scooby)
Audi Quattro
My then business partners BMW Breadvan Coupe
G Series 911 - bought a 996 instead when they were the same price. Still have the 996 to be fair.
Original NSX when they were cheap
E30 M3 when they were £8.5k
F348 in the £30’s
996 GT3 when everybody was saying they’d rocket in value...
Yes, I’m an idiot.
In about 2007 I was weighing up whether to buy a new car or a classic. The new car I fancied was an Aston V8 Vantage, the classic was a Daytona, both around 85k. I went for the Vantage on the basis I could use it as a daily and not just a weekend car.
Shame as the Daytona is now £6-700k and still on my bucket list, whereas if I’d bought one, could still have got the V8 later. Was a lovely car though, and back then got a lot of attention.
Shame as the Daytona is now £6-700k and still on my bucket list, whereas if I’d bought one, could still have got the V8 later. Was a lovely car though, and back then got a lot of attention.
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