Car Plans 2024

[Matty]

Link to 2022/2023 combo thread - viewtopic.php?t=11898

Sold the 4C as planned, potentially at the right time. Tired of sitting on the cash though, despite it not looking to be the end of the dip so off to a dealer this week to look at a few alternatives.

Anyone else sticking, twisting, cashing out?

[Jobbo]

Plan to get a Merc GLC for my wife in the near-ish future, not change my Audi except for a Merc E400d estate but I haven't seen any in a spec I like at any price, nor any at a sensible price, so I'll probably keep the Audi long term since I like it.

Might get a Merc SLK250d (2012-2017ish shape) because I've always liked the look of them, it'll do the commute very economically for a bit of variety and they're surprisingly cheap. Also fancy a Mazda MX5 ND shape with the 184bhp engine - not the RF. But I think realistically funds will go towards buying another house rather than either.

Pretty much put that into effect; GLC became a Macan and Merc E400d became Audi S6. Tried that exact spec of MX5 and liked it but am putting the funds towards a house.

Once we move I am going to try an Alpine A110 but I think I’ll end up keeping my tinder dry and nabbing something I find interesting at a good price now depreciation is starting again. A petrol V8 probably.

[Sundayjumper]

Link to 2022/2023 combo thread - viewtopic.php?t=11898

I still keep an eye on 360 prices.

Nailed it

This year might be consolidation, trim the fleet a little. The Galaxie has already gone.

[JonMad]

No plans to change. Everything we have does everything we need or want. </dull>
Need to get a few more targa rallies in.

As above. Need to get clutch fixed on Fabia to get more targa rallies in. It's been on SORN since June ('23).

[duncs500]

Now I'm doing a lot less miles I keep toying with a more fun daily / family car*, but the wife finds the Skoda easy to drive and I just feel like I'm better off spending all my spare money on the Elise and/or boring life stuff. So I can't see much changing with my fleet this year.

* - I did see a lovely 997 manual with a Hartech rebuild for sale locally, and suggested to the wife that at our daughter's age it'd be a good family car... it didn't go down well.

[John]

I only bought the mx5 in May so that won't be going anywhere.

The Panda 4x4 has barely turned a wheel since I've had the mx5 but winter is on the way!

We are thinking of changing my wife's Focus but she only works in the office one day a week so it rarely gets used, 6 years old and 18000 miles on the clock.

Still half heartedly looking for a replacement motorhome but no rush there.

I've decided to sell the mx5, probably in early summer. No idea what will replace it but I'm thinking a classic as I really don't need a car as I cycle to work in the spring and summer and my wife's car is always available if needed.

I sold the Panda to Cazoo in January '23 as there seemed to be a sudden spike in their offer which was more than I paid for it. I do miss its quirkyness though.

The Focus was also sold to Cazoo and replaced with a hybrid Vitara, I quite like it.

Bought a new (to us) motorhome.

[Mito Man]

If a decent 4x4 buggy thingy comes for sale cheap then I'll buy one. The market is totally on it's arse for useless play toys with stock not selling at all but dealers are holding firm, however it's only the start of the downturn and I reckon it's gonna be a buyers market this year.

[DeskJockey]

No plans to change either car unless forced. Galaxy spends most of the week parked on the drive, so there is no reason to change it. It'll have a towbar fitted shortly to make carrying bikes easier.

Zoe still delivers an easy commute for my wife, and works very well as a runabout.

[Barry]

No firm plans other than the e-Niro goes back to the lease Co in Feb. Currently nothing jumping out at me that has me convinced its worth replacing, not through some anti-EV thinking, just the costs are a joke at the moment and with the potential recession/world issues I'm not keen on exposing myself to the monthly costs.

Civic still sat on the drive, mouldy rear seats showing how little use it gets (with my back being fubar its not moved in months). As always, I should really get rid but if the EV isn't replaced I'll need to use it as the run about again. 20yr old Honda, what could possibly go wrong etc.

Ruminations are still all over the place, 911, sensible estate car, some form of "day van" or pickup..

[Beany]

I never did get around to doing any tidy up work on the E46 as work kicked off big time and I had difficultly focussing elsewhere.

I am finally replacing it with something newer, smaller, more practical, more reliable, easier to drive and more economical though.

Then I'll do a bit of work on the E46 on a mates driveway (Rather than with my body half hanging on out on the pavement while I work on the wiring in the glovebox...) and sell it to a guy who's been badgering me about it for ages. It'll go for a bit of a song, but to be blunt, I can't stand looking at the fucking thing now. It annoys the piss out of me to drive it and wonder what's going to go wrong next. My neighbour showed an interest in it last year, but honestly, it'd piss me off just seeing it locally on the street so it's going to someone on the other side of town

Looking forward to getting this all sorted and not having to overthink cars for a while

[Ascender]

I can't see me changing anything this year as I'm banking on the house build being able to start so I can imagine any spare cash going into that inevitably. The Touring will be handy if I'm up and down to the Highlands when the build is underway and after nearly 9 months of it, it's the perfect "one car garage" for me just now.

What are you thinking of getting then @Beany?

[integrale_evo]

No changes planned. Would be nice to use the Alfa more if we have a better year of weather.

Have to get the golf up and running this year or I’ll be killed to death. Then I can play with some of mine.

Constantly scanning eBay / marketplace so the no changes thing could change at a moments notice

[Explosive Newt]

I think it depends on how this year goes financially for me (mostly whether I become a full consultant or remain predominantly in academia).

I would like to buy a fun second car but realistically if things continue as they are this will be in the £5k region. There are some leggy 986 Boxsters in this bracket which would probably be the choice.

If things pick up or I get a windfall then I am quite set on buying an older Vantage or F-type.

[V8Granite]

The ML is mechanically all set now, I just need to tidy it up but currently not in the mood to.

The TT is having cambelt, water pump, thermostat, bit of tidy-up work done in the next couple of weeks as it’s been 5 years since I did it last.

Defender gets some love starting Wednesday, I miss driving it and it won’t take a lot to get it back in order but nearly every garage are absolute chancers now. General workshop stuff has gone silly as everyone thinks they own a decent classic when in truth, it’s the same crap at double the price.

The 500e is getting a new alarm which is surprisingly involved, I’m off to the storage place to have a nose and see what’s there. A bit of a dream car is there so I’ll get a nose around a 190DTM car.

The E36 Convertible for the wife, so must be a 4 seater convertible nearly became a MGB GT, perfect spec, full overhaul 6 years ago, no sunroof, overdrive etc etc. sadly this went before we could go and see it so this will be in the background for a while.

Looked at a C5 RS6 back in Nov and really liked it but the fear of parts shortages, niggly faults put me off test driving it. I would have just bought it and I’m very aware of project and budget creep when I’m yet to finish my Merc.

No big plans, I could sell my shares and buy a Rapide but I want to be sensible and watch the shares grow instead.

I need to earn more money.

Dave!

[Beany]

What are you thinking of getting then @Beany?

It's another BMW, just something more sensible.

[dinny_g]

Company cars still for me so whatever’s on offer when time to renew

However, Mini Dinny’s 17 now so we’ll need to get a car for him to learn in. Missus isn’t digging our ‘one car’ state so she wants a runaround so that’s what he’ll learn in.

We’ll probably end up with a Polo as my sister had one (before her XC60 T6) and mum has one and both were/have been pretty solid

[16vCento]

Still need to sell the XF, it's done less than 3k this year and needs replacing with something smaller as we use the Kuga most of the time.

Still not sure what to get.

[Jimexpl]

2024 will be a year of fleet trimming, partially to help the bank balance now that I've dropped all consultancy sub-contracting (and the regular income that goes with it) as my own business grows, but also because most of them are not getting used:

2011 Defender - Hope to have the Defender gone by the end of Feb - It had only done 250 miles 2020-September '23, but I have used it quite a bit since then and enjoyed putting 1,000 miles on it. Ultimately it's been a £25k ornament in my parent's yard for the last four years, so needs to go.

325ti Compact - Fit the fuel pump and O2 sensor to it that have been in the boot for four months, and sell it. I won't need it for a daily once my sub-contracting finishes in couple of weeks, and I want to put something else in my parking space. If I had space to keep it I probably would, as it's a great car for £2-2.5k and other than a couple of tiny paint bubbles on one arch, rust free.

Land Rover SIIa 88" V8 - Fit forward facing rear seats for the kids, get it out of the barn in Leicester and bring it down to London to start using again. It's done about 80 miles in the last seven years so I expect a little recommissioning, and it could do with a new tilt (soft top). I miss driving it and now I no longer need a daily it's the ideal time to use it again. A ULEZ compliant V8 convertible that's easy to park!

Land Rover SIII - Finished nearly all of the restoration a year ago. Needs a couple of days spending on it snagging then it will be complete, then I'll decide if it's staying or going. I'd really like to keep it, but don't want to trash it taking it back down to Cornwall to leave outside, and realistically the SIIa does everything that this can do, plus it has power steering and a V8. The £15-20k value in it would be better used towards a down payment on another rental property or a different car.

Mini 1275GT - Take the harnesses out and fit rear seatbelts. I don't see it getting much use again this year, but we'll see. I'm never selling it, so as long as I have dry storage I don't mind it sitting.

X5 - Does everything that we need in a family car, and drives better than almost any other 7 seater. A couple of minor niggles to sort (noisy fan motor at certain speeds, water in the tailgate lights), but right now the only thing I would replace it with is a newer version with the turbo V8 and finding one of those with 7 seats, panoramic roof and no rear tints is almost impossible.

[simon_g]

Since that last thread the Leaf value has gone from £5k over what I paid to barely more than the pcp balloon

Won’t be changing that this year, finance is well below base interest rate so it’ll be staying until the end or when I can VT it (summer after next) unless values pick up again.

Stepwgn staying too, it just keeps on reliably doing its thing. Need to finally fit the tailgate that’s been in the garage for a few years, get that painted and a few other bits smartened up. Will explore further building some sort of bed setup in the back for the odd night camping.

My motorbike (Ducati Monster) will pass 15 years in my ownership this summer, it’s barely been used since kids came along but it needs an “everything” service and going over, so I can use it again.

[Delphi]

The Boxster was an unexpected acquisition last year, but I've kind of fallen in love with it and it's nice having a spare Porsche as it allows me to attend events when the 928 is in bits. It's also a nice reliable second car for when we need it. The Mrs wants me to sell it in the summer, but prices have tanked and I'd rather hold onto it rather than lose a ton of money. It's going to need new tyres before its MOT in April which won't be cheap. The money I've got tied up in it was going to fund the interior work for the 928, so I'm considering buying a carpet set and doing the carpets myself and save a chunk of money. My local TIPEC group have another European trip planned (Germany & Switzerland) in September and that's my deadline for getting it sorted.