Car Plans. What's Next?

[Swervin_Mervin]

I genuinely have no idea what I want to do anymore. I've had the 330 ten years this November, and the plan was to move it on. But I've no idea what I want to change to. There are no limits other than budget really, as we have the Superb for family duties. I barely do any miles these days either so economy is no issue.

I don't think I'd get rid of the 330 if we had the space to keep it. It is the perfect all rounder.

[Delphi]

The St Bernard became food possessive pretty much overnight, it is a thing that affects the breed in particular. Unfortunately she attacked our other dog and blinded him then attacked him again a week later where I was able to intervene, not easy with a 70 kilo dog! She has been re-homed with a family who have had Bernard’s before and who have no other animals.

Car-wise, there's no way I'll part with the 928. Despite it costing me a small fortune, I knew it needed a ton of work when I got it and it's a car I've always wanted and I'll never sell it. Once the respray and interior are done, it should be one of the nicest examples out there. If I had the space, I'd consider adding a second fun car, either an Elise or maybe a BMW 850, but I don't.

Got another 3 years on the XC40, then it'll almost certainly be replaced by an electric car, probably a Polestar.

[Jimmy Choo]

The Jag is going because it's unreliable crap and money is needed elsewhere. Just the 2 of us at home now so a large car is not needed so looking for something good to drive without the bills.

How are you fitting a St Bernard in a small car btw? Think you're the person who had one anyway

PS No money so no plans apart from keeping the Seven

The St Bernard became food possessive pretty much overnight, it is a thing that affects the breed in particular. Unfortunately she attacked our other dog and blinded him then attacked him again a week later where I was able to intervene, not easy with a 70 kilo dog! She has been rehomed with a family who have had Bernard’s before and who have no other animals.

Fuck! Poor Little pooch! I'm sorry to hear this for all involved.

[Beany]

I'm thinking something newer and more sensible next. And by more sensible I mean not a convertible, by newer I just mean I'm sick of having to deal with knackered bushes and old brake lines etc.

New VED rates coming in is focussing the mind somewhat, too.

Not sure specifically what to look for next, but it'll involve cleaning the E46 up for next summer and hopefully selling it for a decent price, then spunking that one...something different. £3-4k, nippy and perhaps less over-tyred than the E46.

Have a look at "Road Tax for cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017"

https://heycar.co.uk/guides/road-tax-ra ... bands-2021

[speedingfine]

Yeah that's rough about the dog, Jesus. Hope your other dog is relatively ok now...

[Swervin_Mervin]

I'm thinking something newer and more sensible next. And by more sensible I mean not a convertible, by newer I just mean I'm sick of having to deal with knackered bushes and old brake lines etc.

New VED rates coming in is focussing the mind somewhat, too.

Not sure specifically what to look for next, but it'll involve cleaning the E46 up for next summer and hopefully selling it for a decent price, then spunking that one...something different. £3-4k, nippy and perhaps less over-tyred than the E46.

Have a look at "Road Tax for cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017"

https://heycar.co.uk/guides/road-tax-ra ... bands-2021

What band is the E46 in then Beany? Mine's K I think so was £360 when I taxed it a couple of months ago. It smarts a bit but is still only a couple of tanks of fuel more than anything modern and soulless.

[Beany]

It's K, too. I'm more annoyed that it makes larger engined cars (which I'd like to move up to, for fun) more of a financial issue. £600 in tax is not a small amount.

[MikeHunt]

Im loath to admit that Im already finding the GR a little annoying, as a daily you have the 3rd world problem ritual of switch off lane warning (worst in any car ever), switching diff to sport and switching on imt. The ride is good for the size of the car and generally sent a bad place to be. Some cars need a certain type of road to really click, with the GR that road is an empty road as it really needs to be taken by the scruff of the neck and isn't really any fun at 8 tenths or below. They are still selling over book, so Im struggling to justify keeping it.

In a similar vein, I have booked the 2nd service for the mx5 and when doing so it hit me that 2200 miles in 2 years is quite frankly a poor effort. At the start of the year, I planned to do 3 or 4 track days but I haven't even gotten around to buying a helmet. My business is doing well enough to keep me busy but not well enough to justify covering myself and with gloomy clouds on the horizon I am finding myself working too hard and not having playtime. So I do have someone interested in this car, it may be gone next week too.

My plan was to then replace the Z4 and have one really awesome car as opposed to 2/3 good cars. The problem is, that I can really find anything that is a really worthy upgrade. I really dig the new Mercedes SL but it costs double the z4 for a 4 pot that isn't any quicker and probably won't drive as well.

[Zonda_]

Yeah that's rough about the dog, Jesus. Hope your other dog is relatively ok now...

He's doing OK but his hearing has deteriorated rapidly since, we don't know if it's related. Still happy in himself though.

[simon_g]

Half tempted to cash in the £5k that the Leaf has appreciated in 6 months - but the PCP deal was cheap (base rate will be more soon) and I'd have to get something else at an inflated price anyway.

Was going to import a newer Stepwgn (RK shape) although shipping and exchange rates aren't favourable any more. Will probably keep the one we have a few more years at least and see if/how/when ULEZ rules change. Been tempted to buy a proper van to camper-ise although going euro 6 (also because of ULEZ) makes that quite pricey, and electric is £££.

More likely to add a cheap MX5, MR2, maybe Boxster if I see something appealing in the winter months. I need to recommission my motorbike too that's been stood for too long.

[Swervin_Mervin]

It's K, too. I'm more annoyed that it makes larger engined cars (which I'd like to move up to, for fun) more of a financial issue. £600 in tax is not a small amount.

It isn't, no. But it's probably what, 4 tanks of petrol in something large? Only a couple more "tanks" than the tax rate for anything else that's not an appliance.

I had been looking at somehing with a V8, and the tax hasn't put me off. I do so few miles now it's more than offset by fuel savings. My issue is that once I discount BMWs (valley pipes give me teh fear, even though Sreten makes it look piss easy), Mercs (I'm not that old yet) and Jags (same) then it doesn't leave much tbh.

Longer term I still have a hankering for an A110, but I really want to scratch that V8 itch first.

[Beany]

I think I'm perhaps still in 'I have no money mode', which is still kinda true at the moment as I play catchup on three years of deferred life maintenance but perhaps by spring my attitude will have changed.

[Mito Man]

I'm happy with the fleet, just need to do the usual maintenance. I do hanker for a silly overpowered SUV whenever I'm towing something. If a W12 Bentayga goes for £20,000 following the great winter depression then I will be tempted.

[Matty]

Im loath to admit that Im already finding the GR a little annoying, as a daily you have the 3rd world problem ritual of switch off lane warning (worst in any car ever), switching diff to sport and switching on imt. The ride is good for the size of the car and generally sent a bad place to be. Some cars need a certain type of road to really click, with the GR that road is an empty road as it really needs to be taken by the scruff of the neck and isn't really any fun at 8 tenths or below. They are still selling over book, so Im struggling to justify keeping it.

It's a common tale, at least according to a few I've read on Twitter, that it's got incredibly high limits and really needs to be pushed.

Agreed it might be a good time to cash out if you can, although lots of stuff (not just GR) seems to be sticking at the moment.

[Broccers]

None. Currently happy with what we have.

[integrale_evo]

No concrete plans, but thoughts of what I’d like to do to them or buy are basically what occupies every spare moment of my mind

I’d like to 6pot the compact, but I don’t need another project and quite like how cheap to run it is whilst still being fun and interesting. It needs painting but I’ve missed the decent weather and I’m not spending loads getting it don’t properly.

Ultimately I need to get a few more things back in use before deciding what goes.

Have considered swapping the mito for a 500 abarth or something. When the golf is back in action the mito can probably just go, as we don’t need that many mid size hatchbacks.

The ‘sud has been a great starter classic and I still love it but do have occasional thoughts about swapping it for one of the old 60s Giulia saloons.

If I ever get it done I’d probably do a few trips / enjoy the e30 for a bit then get rid. I’m not sure I’d enjoy driving something worth so much or worrying about where to leave it. Probably wouldn’t replace it with anything directly.

Still never owned anything Japanese, or anything with popup lights, would like to have something with a big turbo again for the shove in the back and comedy whooshes, chuffs, pops and chatter. The mrs has mentioned a two seater of somesort, I’d be tempted by a nice clean straight early boxster.

The are lots of things I’d like, but I couldn’t buy a huge number of them at todays market values knowing what you used to be able to buy them for. I’d have another integrale in a heartbeat, but even if I could spare £50k I wouldn’t buy one knowing it was probably a £10k car 10 years ago and probably still has the same issues. Unless I win the lottery or something and £50k becomes small change so I wouldn’t care.

Would still like to do my bike license before I get too old.

[16vCento]

I'm quite fancying a C6 or 3.0 HDi V6 C5 and a decent Activa to replace the XF and departed shiny Activa.

V60 can stay as its brilliant, cheap to run, comfy and reliable.

I hardly use the XF tbh, I do like it, but not like i did the S60, which although clearly an inferior car, it was exactly as I wanted it, I'd made it as it was.

Nothing much I can do to the XF to make it any better, which is probably why it bores me.

I still want a Discovery 3 or 4 again, as that was a fun old bus, 5.0 V8 engines are proving to be less than reliable as time goes on, so a 3.0 D Disco 4 or a 4.4 V8 Disco 3 would have to do.

I'd also like a 944 or a 968, but they are few and far between in the spec and condition I'd want

[Beany]

I'd also like a 944 or a 968, but they are few and far between in the spec and condition I'd want

Kinda gutted I didn't just put my big boy pants on and sink £5k into a loan to get a slightly sheddy £3k 944 about a decade ago, sink £1k into getting it welded and waxoyled, the rest of a bit of refreshment of suspension bits and the like, and then enjoyed it.

Those prices aren't coming back and even if it had been slightly sheddy and dog eared by now it'd still have paid for itself in appreciation.

Oh well.

[McSwede]

No immediate plans as I have the 330e for a while. The wife's 320d E90 is doing a fine jobs so is going nowhere.

Only thing I need to do is get the MX5 fettled. A good underbody steam clean, any welding/repairs and the waxoyl/dinitrol to prevent it dissolving.

[nuttinnew]

Yeah that's rough about the dog, Jesus. Hope your other dog is relatively ok now...

He's doing OK but his hearing has deteriorated rapidly since, we don't know if it's related. Still happy in himself though.

+1 with others' comments; sorry to hear of events but glad to hear he's still happy.