I've become bored of cars.

[SuffolkDefender]

For years and years, I have been passionate about cars. When I was younger I was always messing about with cars, I had a few decent cars in my 20s, but I became reasonably successful in my mid/late 30s and got into Porsches and Ferraris, and was fortunate enough to own a few of each.

Last year, I went and bought a practical sports car - an F80 M3. I've had it 12 months or so and I love it, and if you think there's a "but" coming here, you'd be right.

But...

It's too fast. I've come to realise that it's utterly, utterly pointless on the road. It smashes over bumps and crashes and bangs. And, at 400+bhp, there's no place for you to exercise it's legs. Near every time I go out in it I'm doing 100mph at some point; leave Tesco, nice long straight, braaaaaap and dong there goes the speed warning at 90mph and I'm doing 100mph by then.

I also have an old Focus worth about a grand, and a Pulsar GTIR. The Pulsar is pretty good fun because you don't have to be doing a million miles an hour for it to be fun. I had an old MX5 a few years ago - wish I'd kept that because you could thrash it everywhere and you'd still only be doing 80mph.

I think part of my problem is that these days supercars and sports cars are everywhere. When I was a kid, it was Athena posters on your bedroom wall and that was the only time you got to see a Lamborghini. This week, I've seen two and I don't exactly live in ametropolis. If I was so inclined to open up Instagram (and I'm not) I'm sure I'd see millions of them there, or YouTube, or Facebook, or whatever. It's like they're not special anymore. Every week there's a new model, more horsepower, more whatever.... I just think it's pointless. If we're all driving at 75-80mph on the motorways (even if you're not trying to save fuel), then what's the point in having a car that does 150mph+?

Or am i just becoming a grumpy old bd?

[SuffolkDefender]

Nope. Had bikes too - GSXRs, R1s, Multistrada etc. Done with that. The only bike I'd buy these days is a R1200RT.

[SuffolkDefender]

964Cup said:

Buy an old car, but one that's well-maintained and reliable. The whole trouble with moderns is that everything is too easy. Get a 964, or a 360 manual (there's an oddity of a coupe on CC at the moment that may end up being a bargain - non-matching numbers engine, but apparently no-expense-spared maintenance, and you wouldn't need to be afraid of putting miles on it) or something like that. The 964 in particular is a car you can use every day, that has proper luggage space and so on, but which will give you a sense of occasion and need some talent to drive quickly.

I've had a 360 and a 964 back when they were cheap, I'm not a believer in buying the same car twice as there are too many cars out there. I had an Elise S1 briefly ... one of the most memorable things was getting in it one morning after it had been raining, I hit the brakes and about a gallon of water went into the heels of my shoes.

[SuffolkDefender]

carinaman said:

For involvement and stimulation you can't beat a motorcycle. You can't fall off of a car.

Tell me again in December how wonderful motorcycles are, or when you want to go pick something up that’s larger than a laptop.

[SuffolkDefender]

I've had motorcycles and yes, they're exciting - when every other driver isn't trying to kill you with their lack of attention, or the roads aren't trying to derail you with potholes, poor surfacing, loose gravel and wet leaves; I've crashed and been knocked off, broken bones and opened skin thanks to bikes. I've been a motorcyclist since I was 16 and I'm bordering on 50, riding for a large part of those years everything from TS50X to CBR600, GSXR1100K, Multistrada, R1, R6, ZX6, Hayabusa and two BMWs including an R1200RT. I like bikes. But practical they are not, especially in the winter, the rain, or when you want to go out with friends or family without getting dressed up as if you're going to fight the Power Rangers.

I have a 4-door 'family' sports car because I need four doors and a boot, not two seats that you have to get off after, at best, 100 miles and with a carrying capacity of less than a Peugeot 106.

So yes, probably sell the M3 and keep the Pulsar whilst I debate my next move.

[SuffolkDefender]

Well, I am both surprised and not surprised by the contributions to this thread. I am not alone in my thoughts! Thanks everyone for their comments (so far....)

Most likely, the M3 will go in the near future, and I will keep the Pulsar GTI for a while longer before getting another MX5. The Pulsar is stock, 240bhp-ish, and it pops and wheezes when you go through the gears; and you know when you're doing 80mph.

Maybe it's not all bad after all.

[SuffolkDefender]

LamedonM said:

Probably OP does not understand how to drive a rear wheel torque car. Select your M button to choose: Sport for engine, Sport + for suspension, comfort for steering and choose 3 for the DCT gear change. Hold your nerve, brake late or let off accelerator slightly when approaching a bend, and place the wheel at the Apex of the bend, accelerate gently out of the Apex and the bend, pay attention to the sound and the grip of the wheels, feel the magic of M differential, feel the sensation of being pushed out.
You would appreciate you have one hell of a car

It won’t be as nimble as a smaller, but you would still enjoy it

Oh driving god, we of the PH congregation bow to your superiority! Thanks for the driving tips, what would we do without such willing and capable mentors....:yawn:


PS - apex doesn't need to be capitalised and wheels, as far as I know, provide neither sound nor grip. The latter is certainly the job of tyres.

You're welcome.

[SuffolkDefender]

Well, as of today my M3 is sold, and it’s only lost just over a grand in the 16 months since I bought it, which is pretty amazing - and far from the norm.

[SuffolkDefender]

romeodelta said:

OP, do you have kids?

I have been a car nut since I was a kid and have been lucky enough to own some things I never thought I'd be able to and see most exotic metal on the planet.

I'm still into it, but this very much desensitises you and inevitably as you get older spending money on cars and driving around like your hair is on fire becomes less of a priority.

Nowadays, I get my kicks from my young lad enjoying car shows and other car events as the innocence and wow factor are still there for him.

Yes absolutely - just the one lad. He's mega into cars and it's much the same as you - we go to the car shows and he's obsessing over Mk1 MX5s, GTRs and Huracans. I think that is part of it for sure. We go to shows all the time, we're off to the FOS in a month or so and he loves all that, still wide-eyed at everything he sees. I love that part of it.

[SuffolkDefender]

cerb4.5lee said:

That is proper awesome.

I've had the F82 M4 for 14 months, and in comparison it has lost about 5k.

FFS...I wish that I preferred 4 door cars now for sure!

Yes the M3 certainly loses less than the M4 - less of them for one thing, both brilliant cars though. I paid £37.2k in March 2020 and it's sold for £36k yesterday.