Non-Buyer's Remorse
Discussion
Last Friday, I saw an advert for an absolutely beautiful 2004 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 that went live that very day.
I sent a copy of the advert to two friends of mine and both very "get that thing bought".
Unfortunately I didn't proceed right away, mainly because it would be a 5th car (I barely need 1, but I have a serious car problem) and the car was sold by Tuesday morning.
Since then I can't stop thinking about what I have missed and I could kick myself for not buying it right away (which would have resulted in an immediate divorce, but I'd have a new car to sleep in).
Now, I know my FFRRs rather well and I can tell a good one from a bad one mostly from the ad already (or so I hope). And this car was absolutely gorgeous. A completely standard, umolested example in Bonatti Grey, with an immaculate light interior, no tints, great wheels, really good spec, 110k miles, good history for a very good price. Even the door handles and the LR logos looked like new (they usually never do with this age).
Yes, there are other L322's around, but a) not many and b) good ones in the right spec have become really, really difficult to get. And then the seller usually wants a ridiculous price for them.
Since two days I keep looking a pics of the car all the time and imagine how happy I could be right now, if only I would have called the dealer Friday evening.
It is just a stupid car I don't need at all, but I am truly heartbroken at the moment.
Have you ever regretted not buying a car? I'm looking for some online group therapy advice from other caroholics.
thanks
I sent a copy of the advert to two friends of mine and both very "get that thing bought".
Unfortunately I didn't proceed right away, mainly because it would be a 5th car (I barely need 1, but I have a serious car problem) and the car was sold by Tuesday morning.

Since then I can't stop thinking about what I have missed and I could kick myself for not buying it right away (which would have resulted in an immediate divorce, but I'd have a new car to sleep in).
Now, I know my FFRRs rather well and I can tell a good one from a bad one mostly from the ad already (or so I hope). And this car was absolutely gorgeous. A completely standard, umolested example in Bonatti Grey, with an immaculate light interior, no tints, great wheels, really good spec, 110k miles, good history for a very good price. Even the door handles and the LR logos looked like new (they usually never do with this age).
Yes, there are other L322's around, but a) not many and b) good ones in the right spec have become really, really difficult to get. And then the seller usually wants a ridiculous price for them.
Since two days I keep looking a pics of the car all the time and imagine how happy I could be right now, if only I would have called the dealer Friday evening.
It is just a stupid car I don't need at all, but I am truly heartbroken at the moment.

Have you ever regretted not buying a car? I'm looking for some online group therapy advice from other caroholics.
thanks
Happened to me recently.
Saw an ad for a MK1 Focus (yeah I know baller eh?) and I wanted to scratch the itch since I needed a stop gap car and you never hear a bad word said about them on PH, a real hidden gem. So I thought I would contact them at the weekend to go and see it since it was about 40/50 miles away. Come the weekend looked for the ad again but it was gone! What made me feel the regret was it was a one owner car, looked mint in the photos with excellent MOT history and only 22,000 miles and just above shed of the week price. It was perfect material for being "spotted" photographed on a white background with a price beginning with a 4 or 5. Wasn't intending to flip it at all it just looked a decent car to run for a year and sell it for what I paid for it, free motoring.
Saw an ad for a MK1 Focus (yeah I know baller eh?) and I wanted to scratch the itch since I needed a stop gap car and you never hear a bad word said about them on PH, a real hidden gem. So I thought I would contact them at the weekend to go and see it since it was about 40/50 miles away. Come the weekend looked for the ad again but it was gone! What made me feel the regret was it was a one owner car, looked mint in the photos with excellent MOT history and only 22,000 miles and just above shed of the week price. It was perfect material for being "spotted" photographed on a white background with a price beginning with a 4 or 5. Wasn't intending to flip it at all it just looked a decent car to run for a year and sell it for what I paid for it, free motoring.
I've been looking for a V8 Merc.
During the tail end of lock-down I spotted one for sale, one owner, low miles and in exactly the spec & colour I wanted on A/T on a Tuesday.
This was also when demand was supressed and dealers were keen to 'move metal' and get cash-flow so the price was very good.
Due to its location, about 70 miles away, I wouldn't be able to get there until the weekend without taking a day off work which I didn't want to do. Still for sale on the following Thursday evening. Called them on Friday morning to try to arrange a viewing for Saturday only to be told "Sorry, it's just been sold."
Since then the prices have increased and similar cars are now around £8k more, if you can find one. And I still haven't seen another in that colour.
During the tail end of lock-down I spotted one for sale, one owner, low miles and in exactly the spec & colour I wanted on A/T on a Tuesday.
This was also when demand was supressed and dealers were keen to 'move metal' and get cash-flow so the price was very good.
Due to its location, about 70 miles away, I wouldn't be able to get there until the weekend without taking a day off work which I didn't want to do. Still for sale on the following Thursday evening. Called them on Friday morning to try to arrange a viewing for Saturday only to be told "Sorry, it's just been sold."
Since then the prices have increased and similar cars are now around £8k more, if you can find one. And I still haven't seen another in that colour.
There are two cars that I saw for sale on PH that still live in my head rent-free;
1) About 5 years ago a 1999 Chevy Suburban (RHD, it was an Australian variant) that was up for just £3k and on sale about 30 miles away in Scotland; looked like a beater but in a solid way and I love the late 90's suburban shape. Alas I didn't have the reserve funds for the fuel or maintenance at the time. I did get in touch with the seller about 2 years later (I had saved the advert) and asked on the off chance he still had it - he did! But the usual story of "someone is seriously interested and if you want it, it'll be £6k now". So left it.
2) About 15 years ago, there was an advert for a 1965 Cadillac Brougham, nicely restored, cheery red with white interior. Can't remember the price but this was before the boom in Americana and I'm sure the price was about £6k. I was just out of uni at the time and badly wanted to get a loan and buy it, but never did. I still have a picture from the ad in the photo album on my phone. Out of interest I ran a MOT history on the plate the other day and it's still on the road and being used, although the history makes for some sorry reading.
ETA the caddy:

1) About 5 years ago a 1999 Chevy Suburban (RHD, it was an Australian variant) that was up for just £3k and on sale about 30 miles away in Scotland; looked like a beater but in a solid way and I love the late 90's suburban shape. Alas I didn't have the reserve funds for the fuel or maintenance at the time. I did get in touch with the seller about 2 years later (I had saved the advert) and asked on the off chance he still had it - he did! But the usual story of "someone is seriously interested and if you want it, it'll be £6k now". So left it.
2) About 15 years ago, there was an advert for a 1965 Cadillac Brougham, nicely restored, cheery red with white interior. Can't remember the price but this was before the boom in Americana and I'm sure the price was about £6k. I was just out of uni at the time and badly wanted to get a loan and buy it, but never did. I still have a picture from the ad in the photo album on my phone. Out of interest I ran a MOT history on the plate the other day and it's still on the road and being used, although the history makes for some sorry reading.
ETA the caddy:
I looked at this before, but in the end I didn't go for it. Still think it's quite nice.
https://www.invictusmotors.co.uk/detail_page.php?i...
https://www.invictusmotors.co.uk/detail_page.php?i...
Two that stick in the mind.
When I was about 15, 2006 ish, there was an immaculate Morris traveller up the road from my Dad for sale at £1000. He mentioned it and we could have had it but I didn’t push it on him! They weee about £3k at the time and much more now. That would have been excellent.
The other was an MG TF that was on good condition for about £800 late last year. I was looking at the advert for about 3 days and finally made the call. Sold that morning. Nightmare!
When I was about 15, 2006 ish, there was an immaculate Morris traveller up the road from my Dad for sale at £1000. He mentioned it and we could have had it but I didn’t push it on him! They weee about £3k at the time and much more now. That would have been excellent.
The other was an MG TF that was on good condition for about £800 late last year. I was looking at the advert for about 3 days and finally made the call. Sold that morning. Nightmare!
Several times, all in the months before lockdown.
1)Saw a really nice looking BMW E92 330d on eBay, silver, automatic and black leather it was the perfect spec for me with the last of the M57 engines. I think it was up for £3500 so I had a think about it for a few days and it was gone.
2)Saw another 330d with the same spec as above but a saloon on Facebook for £3300. I Messaged the seller but they couldn't do a viewing that day so I arranged one for a couple of days later. Got a message the next day to say the car had sold.
3)Porsche Boxster on eBay, Silver again, same owner for the last 17 years, think it was up for £3600. It was raining that day so I arranged to go and view it at 10:00am the next day. I get a text at 9:30am telling me it had sold.
Then the world went crazy and all of those cars looked like absolute bargains.
1)Saw a really nice looking BMW E92 330d on eBay, silver, automatic and black leather it was the perfect spec for me with the last of the M57 engines. I think it was up for £3500 so I had a think about it for a few days and it was gone.
2)Saw another 330d with the same spec as above but a saloon on Facebook for £3300. I Messaged the seller but they couldn't do a viewing that day so I arranged one for a couple of days later. Got a message the next day to say the car had sold.
3)Porsche Boxster on eBay, Silver again, same owner for the last 17 years, think it was up for £3600. It was raining that day so I arranged to go and view it at 10:00am the next day. I get a text at 9:30am telling me it had sold.
Then the world went crazy and all of those cars looked like absolute bargains.
It wasn't 'for sale' as such but the one that still brings me pain is when a mate of mine took me to see a Golf GTI that his friend wanted rid of.
It was a Mk1 Golf GTI Clipper. Had a look around it, not in the best state but he wanted rid... for free! I said flippin' yes please. Said no worries we'll get it sorted within the next couple of weeks.
After maybe 3 weeks I give my mate a call to say what's going on with this Golf then man, have you sorted things out so I can pick it up!? Says oh not sure let me ring the guy. So does, and calls me back to say as my mate never called him he assumed I didn't want it and got it scraped


It was a Mk1 Golf GTI Clipper. Had a look around it, not in the best state but he wanted rid... for free! I said flippin' yes please. Said no worries we'll get it sorted within the next couple of weeks.
After maybe 3 weeks I give my mate a call to say what's going on with this Golf then man, have you sorted things out so I can pick it up!? Says oh not sure let me ring the guy. So does, and calls me back to say as my mate never called him he assumed I didn't want it and got it scraped



It's an awful feeling when you find the right one.
Probably 20 years ago now, I was after a 328i Sport. Found a stunning one in Red, great spec, full history, etc. I drove just over an hour to see it and I was pulling in a woman was signing the paperwork for it. Absolutely gutted! Picked up a copy of Autotrader, found a 328i saloon nearby and bought that instead. Was a great car but more of a knee jerk response to numb the pain of losing the first one.
Probably 20 years ago now, I was after a 328i Sport. Found a stunning one in Red, great spec, full history, etc. I drove just over an hour to see it and I was pulling in a woman was signing the paperwork for it. Absolutely gutted! Picked up a copy of Autotrader, found a 328i saloon nearby and bought that instead. Was a great car but more of a knee jerk response to numb the pain of losing the first one.
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