Any regrets about not buying a particular car?
Discussion
I was driving a clapped out Jetta, living in East Bristol at the time. I was looking around at MGB GTs, and I found one, 2 miles from my parent's house in Shropshire.... the geezer was having to get rid of it because of space, or something. Anyway, he wanted 5 grand for it, new Goldseal engine that had done about 20K, new suspension, zorst, tyres, brakes, BRG shell with detachable colour coded hard top. He wanted 5 grand. I should have snapped his hand off.
Then, calamity struck - my s
tty jetta got broken into outside my house in Bristol... I figured that if that got damaged, then how would this pristine MGB GT fare? I couldn't bear the thought of buying this beauty and having it fked up by some bd. I didn't buy it.
And I always regret it.
Then, calamity struck - my s
tty jetta got broken into outside my house in Bristol... I figured that if that got damaged, then how would this pristine MGB GT fare? I couldn't bear the thought of buying this beauty and having it fked up by some bd. I didn't buy it.And I always regret it.
OP: You probably did the right thing really but if you could have stored it then it’s a shame.
I have one regret, not buying a 1972 BMW E9 3.0 CSL, it was a original UK car in light green, which was restored at Munich Legends. Such a nice car to drive and those Scheel buckets were great and so supportive.
The best classic I have driven apart from an early 911.
Shame I couldn’t sell my 68 Mustang quick enough to acquire it.
I have one regret, not buying a 1972 BMW E9 3.0 CSL, it was a original UK car in light green, which was restored at Munich Legends. Such a nice car to drive and those Scheel buckets were great and so supportive.
The best classic I have driven apart from an early 911.
Shame I couldn’t sell my 68 Mustang quick enough to acquire it.
Regrets?
I've had a few.
But then again, too few to mention.
I test-drove a Mini Cooper, Ford Puma and MG ZR in the same day once. What did I buy? The ZR. Should have been the Puma. It turned out OK though, I bought one many years later when I could better appreciate it. And again on the upside, I learned why I will never buy another Rover product.
I've had a few.
But then again, too few to mention.
I test-drove a Mini Cooper, Ford Puma and MG ZR in the same day once. What did I buy? The ZR. Should have been the Puma. It turned out OK though, I bought one many years later when I could better appreciate it. And again on the upside, I learned why I will never buy another Rover product.
I was once semi-inspired by EVO's "cheap Ferrari 550" article to contemplate it but after reading Harry's running reports and costs, I'm bloody glad I didn't. However there was a low mile Countach 5000S in black selling for £40k which I was tempted by "in theory" (though never would have done it) which given they have appreciated £20k or more might have been a reasonable regret even if I couldn't afford to insure it or use it.
One car I do regret not buying was an aquamarine Plymouth Cuda with white billboards and fully detailed engine that used to go to Billing. I was quoted £10k by the owner to buy it around 1996 I think but the CSA were bleeding me dry at the time so it was going to be a real strain. I wish I had bought it but then I'm not convinced that when push came to shove he would have parted with it.
One car I do regret not buying was an aquamarine Plymouth Cuda with white billboards and fully detailed engine that used to go to Billing. I was quoted £10k by the owner to buy it around 1996 I think but the CSA were bleeding me dry at the time so it was going to be a real strain. I wish I had bought it but then I'm not convinced that when push came to shove he would have parted with it.
Edited by LuS1fer on Tuesday 21st September 16:42
In the early 2000s, I was talking to a colleague who was seriously into BMWs
He'd had 740s, 750s, Alpina B3s and B5s, M3s and several 3 series convertibles.
Anyhow, he had several E30 M3s over the years and was currently running two which had overlapped. One black and one white.
They certainly weren't concours, but were usable, straight and clean cars with reasonably low miles and good history.
He offered me the white one for £7k.
I turned it down as I didn't want white or LHD and instead happily went out and bought a 1.8 Audi A3.
Arse. That is all.
He'd had 740s, 750s, Alpina B3s and B5s, M3s and several 3 series convertibles.
Anyhow, he had several E30 M3s over the years and was currently running two which had overlapped. One black and one white.
They certainly weren't concours, but were usable, straight and clean cars with reasonably low miles and good history.
He offered me the white one for £7k.
I turned it down as I didn't want white or LHD and instead happily went out and bought a 1.8 Audi A3.
Arse. That is all.
No not really. I've not bought a few that I really wanted but my reasons were, at the time and luckily with hindsight, good enough to justify it (though for one it was my dad telling me I'd be f***ng mad to buy it that put me off - I just loved the colour............. [I know, -10 man points])
Two spring to mind. Both Porsche 944s as it happens. I went to look at an early square dash 2.5 last year a bit speculatively. It was quite cheap on account that it had started to sucumb to the dreaded tin worm, but it had a complete suspension rebuild and various other bits of freshening up done immediately beforehand and (from the passenger seat at least) it seemed to drive like new, totally unlike the usual soggy mass of vague, floaty ageing Pork.
The second one is far more recent, and I believe still in the classifieds. It was a very smart 2.7 Lux. Unlike the other one, this is supposed to be one of the very best around and priced accordingly, but I'd still go and take a look if I had the space. The thing is, I would have anywhere to store it, so I decided discretion was the better part of valour on this occasion and didn't tempt myself with a viewing.
I've also got regrets about selling, well, virtually every sports car I've owned... I had a good example of any of them back I think.
The second one is far more recent, and I believe still in the classifieds. It was a very smart 2.7 Lux. Unlike the other one, this is supposed to be one of the very best around and priced accordingly, but I'd still go and take a look if I had the space. The thing is, I would have anywhere to store it, so I decided discretion was the better part of valour on this occasion and didn't tempt myself with a viewing.
I've also got regrets about selling, well, virtually every sports car I've owned... I had a good example of any of them back I think.
A number of mild regrets, but the one that sprang first to my mind was a mint, restored one of these:
that I saw for sale in Barnes in about 1999 (I think..).
Didn't do it, despite the fact that I was car-less at the time and had significantly more than the asking price just sat in the bank, largely because I was spending a lot of time at sea back then and had nowehere secure and undercover to keep it.
I should, of course, have just rented a garage. Never mind....
that I saw for sale in Barnes in about 1999 (I think..).
Didn't do it, despite the fact that I was car-less at the time and had significantly more than the asking price just sat in the bank, largely because I was spending a lot of time at sea back then and had nowehere secure and undercover to keep it.
I should, of course, have just rented a garage. Never mind....
V12 XJS with a few choice TWR bits and pieces, and most importantly a manual box combined with a different diff ratio. It absolutely belied the weight of the thing - however the bodywork and interior were shabby at best and so I chose to leave it.
If only I had realised just how rare a solid manual converted v12 was!
If only I had realised just how rare a solid manual converted v12 was!
Circa 1986 after the demise of Group B rallying the 6R4 Metros were sold off for around £15k. Could have afforded the repayments on the loan that would have been required to top up my savings. Got cold feet and forgot about it. Would have been nice to now get it out for the Sunday morning bimble. Oh well..
Papa Hotel said:
Regrets?
I've had a few.
But then again, too few to mention.
I test-drove a Mini Cooper, Ford Puma and MG ZR in the same day once. What did I buy? The ZR. Should have been the Puma. It turned out OK though, I bought one many years later when I could better appreciate it. And again on the upside, I learned why I will never buy another Rover product.
I did the same thing with a ZR, got rid the weekend it was bought... But I bought another!I've had a few.
But then again, too few to mention.
I test-drove a Mini Cooper, Ford Puma and MG ZR in the same day once. What did I buy? The ZR. Should have been the Puma. It turned out OK though, I bought one many years later when I could better appreciate it. And again on the upside, I learned why I will never buy another Rover product.
Not a regret really but it does bug me at times. After a lot of thought with my practical cap on i bought a 4.0 Celebration XJS...stunning car but it's not a V12. Sods law after i bought my car i spotted a stunning 6.0 for sale...the consolation is that my 4.0 does double the MPG of a V12.
Gizmo! said:
One point last year there were a couple of Honda NSXs for sale around £15k. Looked perfectly clean and tidy. Won't get one for under £20k now, and then only if you're lucky.
Similar story. A friend needed rid of his NSX for his race car fund. It was a tidy, clean example with the right bits done to it. £11k to me as a mate. 
I was worried about running costs, so turned him down. Ironically I paid more for my 996 a few months later & could have stomached the costs for 6 months and sold at a healthy profit!It remains one of the most sublime cars I've ever driven, & every time I see one I kick myself just a little bit [a lot].
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