Considering a major change of direction - any thoughts?

[wuvvum]

For a while now my fleet has been hovering between 15-18 cars, and I'm starting to feel that it's becoming a bit too much - most of my weekends are spent fixing a seemingly endless stream of niggles, and while I do quite enjoy fiddling with my shite ( ), I'd quite like a bit more time to just sit on my arse. Plus I'm paying an obscene amount in road tax.

 

So I'm seriously considering having a major cull of the fleet. A few cars would be staying - the Rover of Doom won't be going anywhere for the time being, simply because as a daily it's been pretty much perfect in every way. The 164, Renault 6 and Innocenti are all permanent members of the fleet, and I'd quite like to keep the Solara. The Transit might also be staying as it's a useful thing to have.

 

So this would result in the following being sold off:

 

Subaru SVX

Alfa 75

Alfa 156

Peugeot 607

Audi A3

Merc C250D

Metrocab

Citroën CX

Citroën DS

BMW 2500

 

I would then use the proceeds to buy something completely daft, like an old Tatra or a Peugeot 402 or something, which I could then dedicate my time to more exclusively and might actually get round to using often enough to do it justice.

 

What do you reckon?

[michiel]

an old Tatra or a Peugeot 402

 

Sounds like a plan!

[mk1_4dr]

To be honest, it sounds like a good plan.

 

I have often wondered how the likes of you and Mr Bickle manage to keep up with so much old rammle. It must be a nightmare.

 

And anyway, anything that can facilitate adding a Tatra to the numbers has got to be worth a go, and if you do find you miss having so much tat you could always buy another random selection...

[barefoot]

I agree with you,

I've got 4, one of which hasn't run for yonks, the other 3 I feel I'm always running around playing catch up.

It sometimes occurs to me that if I just had one it would be spectacular.

But, I grow attached & haven't sold anything since 2005.

[Cheggers]

All I can do is agree with my learned colleagues, there's no harm in cutting down the numbers and putting the proceeds into a single, epic car such as a Tatra. As has been said before, if you find you miss having a large fleet there's no shortage of unloved old chod out there...

[SambaS]

This

I agree with you,

I've got 4, one of which hasn't run for yonks, the other 3 I feel I'm always running around playing catch up.

It sometimes occurs to me that if I just had one it would be spectacular.

But, I grow attached & haven't sold anything since 2005.

[Cavcraft]

Wnning idea I reckon. Having cut down a lot myself I've found it's far easier to cocentrate fixing the shit that remains and it's also more enjoyable as you can spend more time sorting one vehicle.

 

If you can keep a handful of interesting stuff and have one reliable daily (even if it's something 'boring') then you can't go too far wrong. You'll also have more money to spend on repairs etc.

[cort16]

I just find that if I have any more than 2 shitespec cars I just get overwhelmed and fix none of them. You also end up spending time on less interesting shite fixing the various faults of some random turd you bought for a laugh.

You'd probably get much more pleasure boiling them down to 3-4 really nice things.

[eddyramrod]

keep a handful of interesting stuff and have one reliable daily

Sounds ideal, doesn't it? I'm well up for that. However...

You'll also have more money to spend on council tax, gas bill, phone bill, electric bill...

EFA

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Owning loads of shite is a right ballache unless you can miraculously get some large, cheap, dry, secure, long-term storage where you can park it and forget about till you’re feeling more enthusiastic. Otherwise the workload just ‘gains on you’ and its impossible to keep on top of even just maintaining them in their current state.

[dollywobbler]

Aye. Don't think you'll find anyone who'll disagree with you to be honest. I'm at four vehicles in the fleet at the moment and there's still always stuff to fix. I get most pleasure at the wheel rather than under the bonnet.

[garethj]

Good plan, Tatras are epic. I wrote the 613 and 603 pages on the Tatra Register UK website so shout if you need any help

 

I couldn't own more than 2 old shitters at once for the reasons already mentioned, and that was before marriage and kids came along so my snotter total must be about 0.5

[theorganist]

Sounds like a wise idea.

 

I don't think I would cope with that many to be honest. I struggle with two sometimes, even though I am always looking for a third!!

[flat4alfa]

I remember the scribe Martin Buckley stating

 

'You can run too many many cars. It gets to the point that they start running you'

[Lord Sterling]

Sounds like a great idea. You'll create more space for yourself and generate some funds for yourself. Good luck with getting rid.

[nigel bickle]

Head or heart mate.

 

You'll be able to replace most, eventually ,if you feel the need.

 

SVX please

[trigger]

I can't blame you for wanting to cut down the fleet a bit, i often wonder how you manage as it is with so many, finding places to store them all must be a PITA as well.

 

I struggled when i had 4 for a brief while last year!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I agree with everyone else. You're far better off concentrating your efforts on 3-4 cars as opposed to trying to keep a dozen alive.

[Six-cylinder]

The problem in culling the fleet is you end up having selling your favourite cars for far less than you think they are worth. Several times I have thought if that’s all I can get for that car I will keep it. Do I want £xxx pounds or my xxxx car? Thinking like this has led me also to have a large difficult to manage fleet.

 

Chris

[MrDuke]

I think 3 cars is the ideal - one really, really nice one and two bits of chod to run as dailies. Other chod can be acquired on a strict one in, one out basis. At least then you could stop boredom setting in, without going OTT.

 

Says the man who owns no quality cars at all.

[dollywobbler]

My fleet isn't really working at the moment. The 2CV has a slot, which leaves one slot for 'fun' vehicle, and one for 'reliable long distance' vehicle. Problem is, the Maverick is in the 'fun' role at the moment and the BX is currently rubbish at the 'reliable long distance' bit. Reliable yes. Pleasant? No. Wind is howling in everywhere, there's no first gear synchromesh and it's suffering with binding front brakes at the moment, amongst lots of more trivial things. It gets me down so much that I consider investing in something nice and dull again, like a Mk1 Focus - but there's nowhere in the fleet for it to fit.

[Lankytim]

I think a cull is deffo the way to go. I used to have stacks of cars, all needing work to keep on the road. It was costing a fortune in storage e.t.c. and I just wasn't making any headway in getting any single one complete and on the road as a nice daily driver.

[wuvvum]

Thanks for all the comments. As Nigel says, none of the cars I'm thinking of getting rid of are irreplaceable, except perhaps the DS, but I could always have a "normal" DS again in the future.

 

I'm not too worried about selling stuff for less than what it's worth as I'm not in a desperate hurry - I'm not selling due to a sudden loss of storage or anything like that. I'd be selling them off gradually over a period of a couple of months and putting the proceeds into the "megachod fund". I have a rough idea of what I'd like to see for each one, so I'll probably start advertising them on Carandclassic (or Gumtree for the boring modern stuff) to see if I have any luck, and if not I'll try my luck on the Bay (although I'd end up getting dry bummed for £300 in fees if they all went that way). How well they do will determine what I'm able to buy at the end of it, once I've spent a bit on getting the R6 and 164 up to scratch and giving tRoD a bloody good service.

[skoda_fan]

I agree with everyone it's prob better to cut down if you get to this sort of number as regardless of what your finances are there just aren't enough hours in the day to keep up with them. I am at ten at the mo and find that more than enough, as money and time gets spread so thinly. However I do find it easy to acquire things but less easy to let it go. Had a bit of a clear out last year and lost four cars...now regret getting rid of each of them. Only you know what you can bear to let go. Take that decision then don't look back. Concentrate on whatever's left

[skoda_fan]

Second thoughts, complete change of mind! Just seen the list of Mr Glover's collection on another thread. Don't know what we're worrying about!! Keep the lot then you'll have no regrets!!

[wuvvum]

Bugger me Tatras are expensive! I'm going to have to get top coin for everything if I fancy a half-decent 613.

[Formula Autos]

Do it.

 

Any of the current fleet that don't have any interest at sensible money are obviously destined to remain in the fleet as well.

 

Que sera sera {insert other obscure import as applicable}.

[eddyramrod]

Bugger me Tatras are expensive! I'm going to have to get top coin for everything if I fancy a half-decent 613.

 

How expensive, exactly? Price of a new Fiesta? New 530d? New Aston Martin? Anyone can sign up for those, it takes a real hero to go out and buy a big old car with an air-cooled V8 in the back! It's worth it, you know it is. If it's what you really want.

 

My father-in-law never understood how a man earning barely more than Minimum Wage could drive a Volvo estate as a daily, and a Cadillac for pleasure. He failed to realise that my total investment in both cars was less than half the price of his other son-in-law's brand new Fiesta, and I'd paid cash, so I owned these. I explained it often enough.

 

If there's one you really want, and selling the fleet means you can have it, then go for it.

[lancashireclamper]

Ultimately, if 20 cars are giving you as much/equal to/less pleasure than 4 cars, maybe its time to lose the 16 that hold you back.

Wuv, seriously, (I'm saying this having consumed far too much Aldi own brand whiskey) you have long been my shiteing hero, cars coming and going, always interesting, always something I'd buy given storage, cash, mechanical knowledge etc but never to be in my limited, claustrophobic, sensible world.

Its probably time to amend the dream, you've had more/varied/almost unique chod than 99.9% of the right thinking world, maybe its time to quit while your ahead.

 

 

 

ps its a known fact that Tatras only appreciate in value.

[garbaldy]

even though i dont own as many as you I am actually thinking along the same lines, i just dont have the time to repair and drive all my cars or bikes.

the weekend comes around and i dont get much done as to busy fixing other peoples cars

 

my problem is that some of the cars i own are not that easy to get hold of so i know i would regret it i keep thinking that they are wasted as someone else could get the pleasure from them, mabe best to just keep paying the storage and forget about them