Is your car holding you back?
Discussion
At the moment I have a Saab 900 T16S and a Eunos Roadster. They're both fun to drive in totally different ways. I really want to move on but not sure how.
I would love to change the Eunos for a TVR S or something a bit different, but the Eunos is so good at what it does - reliable, leave anywhere, a/c, cheap to run, etc. I generally use it when I have to leave the car somewhere a bit dodgy because the Saab is my P&J. Trouble with a TVR or something a bit special is that I'll lose the practicality of the Eunos and would have to press the Saab into service a bit more.
I've had the Saab for 5 years - it's fairly reliable, but it's a 20 year old car with 175k on the clock so things do go wrong. I work freelance all over the country and so need reliable transport.
Neither car is particularly comfortable on long journeys - the Saab isn't bad but I don't like putting huge motorway miles on it. The Eunos has Bilstein suspension and is very hard riding.
Both cars need money spending at the moment (Saab needs a service and some rust on a wheelarch sorting, Mazda needs a new hood, exhaust, and service).
I really want to move on but I feel like my "car progression" is being held back by not wanting to sell the Saab. It's the only car I've ever had that I've really bonded with and everytime I think about the blood, sweat & tears I've poured into it I know I just can't do it.
If I sell the Eunos I need to replace it with something practical which means it's a bit pointless having the Saab which is a similar sort of thing. Also, must have at least one RWD car and a convertible!!
I know what I should do is sell both cars and buy an e36 328i Sport and a TVR S! But I can't bring myself to sell the Saab and I really can't afford to run 3 cars!!
Anybody else in a similar situation?
I would love to change the Eunos for a TVR S or something a bit different, but the Eunos is so good at what it does - reliable, leave anywhere, a/c, cheap to run, etc. I generally use it when I have to leave the car somewhere a bit dodgy because the Saab is my P&J. Trouble with a TVR or something a bit special is that I'll lose the practicality of the Eunos and would have to press the Saab into service a bit more.
I've had the Saab for 5 years - it's fairly reliable, but it's a 20 year old car with 175k on the clock so things do go wrong. I work freelance all over the country and so need reliable transport.
Neither car is particularly comfortable on long journeys - the Saab isn't bad but I don't like putting huge motorway miles on it. The Eunos has Bilstein suspension and is very hard riding.
Both cars need money spending at the moment (Saab needs a service and some rust on a wheelarch sorting, Mazda needs a new hood, exhaust, and service).
I really want to move on but I feel like my "car progression" is being held back by not wanting to sell the Saab. It's the only car I've ever had that I've really bonded with and everytime I think about the blood, sweat & tears I've poured into it I know I just can't do it.
If I sell the Eunos I need to replace it with something practical which means it's a bit pointless having the Saab which is a similar sort of thing. Also, must have at least one RWD car and a convertible!!
I know what I should do is sell both cars and buy an e36 328i Sport and a TVR S! But I can't bring myself to sell the Saab and I really can't afford to run 3 cars!!
Anybody else in a similar situation?
My t16s hides in the garage as a 3rd car so I know how you feel. It only did 200 miles between the last mot's and that was me taking it out for a spin once a month or so on a dry day to keep everything spinning. I've written out an ad probably 3times but never posted it. Just can't do it.
Jasandjules said:
No, just get a TVR S and enjoy it. Keep the SAAB if that is your work horse. Sometimes it is better the devil you know.
As aboveI run an old C4 A6 tdi quattro as battlebus/work horse and have an B5 RS4 for when I want to go somewhere nice and for enjoyment.
If one car goes it will be the RS4 as the A6 is not worth selling for the use I get out of it. I just keep it going and put as many miles on it as possible as it won't make a difference to the value.
It is great for the tip runs, my young child likes to play in it as it is so big and I can let him without worrying about damage.
Yes I could spend a fortune on it, but I don't want to get precious about it in that way, but just run it for as long as possible, the high mileage is a badge of honour!
Edited by Seez on Sunday 30th May 13:02
Somnophore said:
How's an Eunos any more practical than a tvr?
- more reliable (important when freelance and people expect you on time for a job)
- aircon (underrated in softtops IMHO)
- stands out less so easier to leave in dodgy areas
I was in exactly the same situation a couple of years back. I had a Golf VR6 as a daily driver and a Corrado VR6 as a 'fun' car. The Corrado I had always wanted; it had Schrick and AMD engine parts, Bilstein suspension etc, and was my pride and joy at the time. After 2 or 3 years, although it was still great, doubt starting to creep in... The brakes could be sharper, the turn-in more positive. EVO re-tested it after all those years and didn't think it was as good as the modern competition. I started to have impure thoughts about DC2 Integras... But what if I regretted selling the Corrado? Would I be able to find another like it if I went back? What if its replacement turned out to be a dog?
It was crazy to be running 2 VR6s at the same time. I was lucky that they were reliable. Ask yourself: if you wrecked one or both of your cars tomorrow, would you buy the same again or get something different? I was too attached to the Corrado. I bit the bullet, sold both VWs, and got an S2000 followed a little while later by a Chimaera.
I've never regretted the decision. The Honda and TVR were better in every way than the Corrado, other than steering feel in the Honda's case. In particular, the jump to the through-gears performance, turn-in and brakes on the S2000 was a revelation after the VW. Do it, move on!
It was crazy to be running 2 VR6s at the same time. I was lucky that they were reliable. Ask yourself: if you wrecked one or both of your cars tomorrow, would you buy the same again or get something different? I was too attached to the Corrado. I bit the bullet, sold both VWs, and got an S2000 followed a little while later by a Chimaera.
I've never regretted the decision. The Honda and TVR were better in every way than the Corrado, other than steering feel in the Honda's case. In particular, the jump to the through-gears performance, turn-in and brakes on the S2000 was a revelation after the VW. Do it, move on!
I have space for 3 cars, but can't afford to run them - plus none of them would get used properly.
I didn't have problems getting rid of any of my previous cars, and wouldn't have issues selling the Mazda. Not a collector in that sense - but I'm very attached to the Saab.
speedtwelve, very interesting post. If my Saab got nicked or written off I think I would use that as the catalyst to move on. Ideally I'd like to sell it to somebody who would cherish it as much as me (and spend the money I'd like to spend on it getting it mint
)
I didn't have problems getting rid of any of my previous cars, and wouldn't have issues selling the Mazda. Not a collector in that sense - but I'm very attached to the Saab.
speedtwelve, very interesting post. If my Saab got nicked or written off I think I would use that as the catalyst to move on. Ideally I'd like to sell it to somebody who would cherish it as much as me (and spend the money I'd like to spend on it getting it mint
)Another way to look at it is that would you be happy if the SAAB had a major failure, and required an engine rebuild for example? You may end-up thinking that the £2-3k or whatever you end-up shelling out could have gone on something else (even £2-3k worth of maintenance on the replacement you could have bought)! Now you'd be psychologically 'stuck' with the car as you'd forked-out a load of cash on it unexpectedly.
If you are having doubts, don't do what I did and buy new alloys and a suspension refresh, and then end-up selling the car 1000 miles later anyway. They didn't really add any value, as the suspension was fine, I just wanted different spring rates, but it still cost a few hundred quid. Put your existing cars on 'hold', keep them serviced and maintained of course, but I wouldn't splurge unnecessary cash on them if I were you.
I've chopped and changed between the one and two car idea. Obviously the variables are potentially half the tax, insurance, MoT bills etc. You could argue that running one car for 20k miles and two for 10k each gives the same wear and tear and potential for bills, but you're back to the potentially financially crippling scenario of them both breaking within a short time of each other. Something fun and costly to run may sit better alongside a reliable but cheap bangernomics special that could be sacrificed if it broke.
When I settled on the TVR I had to go back to having a daily driver, as I do 20k miles a year, but if my mileage was significantly less I'd go back to having a single performance car.
If you are having doubts, don't do what I did and buy new alloys and a suspension refresh, and then end-up selling the car 1000 miles later anyway. They didn't really add any value, as the suspension was fine, I just wanted different spring rates, but it still cost a few hundred quid. Put your existing cars on 'hold', keep them serviced and maintained of course, but I wouldn't splurge unnecessary cash on them if I were you.
I've chopped and changed between the one and two car idea. Obviously the variables are potentially half the tax, insurance, MoT bills etc. You could argue that running one car for 20k miles and two for 10k each gives the same wear and tear and potential for bills, but you're back to the potentially financially crippling scenario of them both breaking within a short time of each other. Something fun and costly to run may sit better alongside a reliable but cheap bangernomics special that could be sacrificed if it broke.
When I settled on the TVR I had to go back to having a daily driver, as I do 20k miles a year, but if my mileage was significantly less I'd go back to having a single performance car.
speedtwelve said:
Another way to look at it is that would you be happy if the SAAB had a major failure, and required an engine rebuild for example? You may end-up thinking that the £2-3k or whatever you end-up shelling out could have gone on something else (even £2-3k worth of maintenance on the replacement you could have bought)! Now you'd be psychologically 'stuck' with the car as you'd forked-out a load of cash on it unexpectedly.
Not happy! If it needed a new engine / new gearbox or something I would shell out for it, whether it was "worth it" or not. I have spent so much on it over the last 2 or 3 years that it's already well into the territory of it having cost far more than it's worth - just have a look at my profile!May 10 - charging problem - £80
Aug 09 - head gasket & a/c - £681
Jul 09 - service & a/c condenser - £410
Jul 09 - battery - £81
Jul 09 - radiator - £130
Feb 09 - water hose - £66
Oct 08 - MOT/service/bits - £463
Aug 08 - a/c, engine mount, rust repairs - £535
Apr 08 - clutch, a/c - £487
Apr 08 - clutch, crankshaft pulley, rust repaits - £830
Oct 07 - Service/MOT, various bits - £669
So that's edited highlights over the last 3 years, not including upgrades/tyres/bits and pieces - over £3k spent keeping it running between Oct 07 and 08, & £1500 since then
. The car's worth maybe £2k...speedtwelve said:
If you are having doubts, don't do what I did and buy new alloys and a suspension refresh, and then end-up selling the car 1000 miles later anyway. They didn't really add any value, as the suspension was fine, I just wanted different spring rates, but it still cost a few hundred quid. Put your existing cars on 'hold', keep them serviced and maintained of course, but I wouldn't splurge unnecessary cash on them if I were you.
Hmmm, got my alloys refurbed about a month ago, and new suspension about 4 years ago! It needs some rust looking at - to be honest I haven't spent a huge amount upgrading it. I do wish I had spent when I bought the car and sorted the details then (a few rust spots, headlining, leather stitching) as I could have enjoyed the car properly without the niggles. Here I am 6 years on and the headlining is still pinned up, the rust is worse, and the seats still need restitching...speedtwelve said:
I've chopped and changed between the one and two car idea. Obviously the variables are potentially half the tax, insurance, MoT bills etc. You could argue that running one car for 20k miles and two for 10k each gives the same wear and tear and potential for bills, but you're back to the potentially financially crippling scenario of them both breaking within a short time of each other. Something fun and costly to run may sit better alongside a reliable but cheap bangernomics special that could be sacrificed if it broke.
Even with 3 cars between us we have had the "not enough cars" situation within the last week - chargine problem on the Saab while Puma in for a service left the MX-5 as the only car which required some creative commuting for us both. I'm not averse to going back to a single car but it would have to be something like an e36 328i. I need a degree of reliability and practicality!speedtwelve said:
When I settled on the TVR I had to go back to having a daily driver, as I do 20k miles a year, but if my mileage was significantly less I'd go back to having a single performance car.
This is where the Saab hampers me - the daily driver/toy path is a well trodden and realistic path, but my Saab is neither really! To good but highly strung to be a true daily, but not hardcore/good enough dynamically to be a weekend special...Having said that I felt guilty this afternoon so washed, vacuumed and fed the leather... It's getting a service this week and I will get the wheelarch rust seen to this summer.
I am hopeless!
Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Monday 31st May 00:36
Stop being a woss and get amongst it!
Yup I feel my cars hold back progress as whatever I'd like to replace them with would cost more to run. I don't want to throw money away on petrol. It's dead money.
I've actually got an TVR S3. superb cars! Take my word for it, they aren't much less reliable then anything as it's just mechanically a ford sierra on a different simple chassis with a glass fibre body. Go for it. I leave mine everywhere and it's been fine. But of your MX5 is your daily car, then i'd just get a grip and sell the Saab. It's obviously blackmailing you like a bad woman. Sometimes when things hold you back you got to be ruthless! And a 328i sport would be a worthy replacement!
PS a 328i sport would be choice of daily driver in perfect circumstances but why not get something cheaper to run? I have am escort 1.8GTI because petrol is highly priced! Am I letting my escort to hold me back? Or am I just being tight?
Yup I feel my cars hold back progress as whatever I'd like to replace them with would cost more to run. I don't want to throw money away on petrol. It's dead money.
I've actually got an TVR S3. superb cars! Take my word for it, they aren't much less reliable then anything as it's just mechanically a ford sierra on a different simple chassis with a glass fibre body. Go for it. I leave mine everywhere and it's been fine. But of your MX5 is your daily car, then i'd just get a grip and sell the Saab. It's obviously blackmailing you like a bad woman. Sometimes when things hold you back you got to be ruthless! And a 328i sport would be a worthy replacement!
PS a 328i sport would be choice of daily driver in perfect circumstances but why not get something cheaper to run? I have am escort 1.8GTI because petrol is highly priced! Am I letting my escort to hold me back? Or am I just being tight?
I feel your pain!! I have an Escort Cosworth and a sapphire cosworth, both are well over 400bhp, the escort is 4x4, the saff rear drive..... Both are off the road at the moment for work on them, and both are pretty cash hungry, with 2x insurance, mot,tax etc... I keep thinking I ought to sell up and release 30kish, and maybe get a 911 turbo or save a bit and get a gt2 or 360?
But there is just somthing about them that I can't let go of?
But there is just somthing about them that I can't let go of?
From what you've said . . . get rid of the Saab. Don't think of the money you spent on it as an investment that needs a return, think of it as the overheads of your hobby for the last five years - anything you get back is a bonus.
I had my old Supra closer to ten years, spent an absolute fortune on it adding more and more horsepower. Then I realised it was massively compromised as a drivers car, no good on track days, and always on the verge of complete powertrain destruction! I worked out what I would need to spend to turn it into the car I actually wanted, and realised it wasn't worth it. It would still be twenty years old, approaching 200k miles, gently dissolving in unseen spots, and the weight of it would always blunt the performance.
I broke it for parts, not a nice thing to see when you have spent so much time and money on a project, and bought the car I should have had all along. I have no regrets. (Apart from wasting so much money on the Supra in the first place!) Get it gone, get over it, and move on to better things
I had my old Supra closer to ten years, spent an absolute fortune on it adding more and more horsepower. Then I realised it was massively compromised as a drivers car, no good on track days, and always on the verge of complete powertrain destruction! I worked out what I would need to spend to turn it into the car I actually wanted, and realised it wasn't worth it. It would still be twenty years old, approaching 200k miles, gently dissolving in unseen spots, and the weight of it would always blunt the performance.
I broke it for parts, not a nice thing to see when you have spent so much time and money on a project, and bought the car I should have had all along. I have no regrets. (Apart from wasting so much money on the Supra in the first place!) Get it gone, get over it, and move on to better things
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