Are you into shite out of choice

[chris1991]

I really don't like the wording of the title but i'm tired and can't think of anything better, plus it's a pretty silly question anyway. 

 

Basically are you into shite motors because you actually prefer them or is it a way in which you can indulge in a car hobby on a 'modest' budget. Lets say you won the euromillions tomorrow would you start getting into high end classics etc.

[scooters]

I like good and innovative design. It takes years for design to be recognised as such hence tends to be older cars...

If I won the lottery I would spun all the cash on chod and high end classics!

[mat_the_cat]

I can't think of any 'mainstream' classics I desire (or any modern cars for that matter!), so I doubt I would go down that route. I might buy something new and dreary so I've got something to drive which doesn't need tinkering, but if I had the money I'd spend it on keeping the rest of the fleet running well. For me the appeal is keeping old vehicles with which I have lots of memories - the most recent purchase apart from the Kangoo was 2006, and memories can't be bought.

 

I'd probably buy a Lamborghini if I won the lottery, but an Espada, not a modern one!

[fordperv]

mine is a choice to have cars that remind me of my happy childhood and cars i have a connection with, it would be too easy (but boring) to drive a brand new soul less euro shitbox, if this was the case i would not be me, if i won the euromillions i would literally be surrounded with magnificent shite

[hairnet]

when i frst started driving it was necessity

 

now its cos i want

 

plus old stuff is easier fixed

[barefoot]

No, I R Mong.

I don't like driving shit

But i dont got the fucking where with all to sort myself out

And buy a kia.

[Junkman]

Out of choice?

Good Lord, no. I once had the choice, and decided I'll buy me a brand new DIN A3 e-tron, silver in colour, on hire purchase.

You know, because of The Environment and the poor little polar bears and future generations and safety and all that.

I went into a dealership and did all the paperwork. I told them how much money I make, and had them do a credit check on me,

which I paid for.

I specified some infotainment centre with blacktooth, bluesmart, i-think, telly-gti, electric maps and all kinds of digital doo-dah enhancers.

The moment I was about to sign the contract, I fortunately woke up from this terrible nightmare.

I hope it doesn't reoccur anywhen soon.

[AlabamaShrimp]

I'm with fordperv on this. Having a connection with the cars I own and want is much more important than anything else.

 

I have a mk2 fiesta as it was the car I learned to drive in by myself and the first car I owned. I always wanted a mk1 after I had to get rid of the last so I got it same with the xr2.

 

Having a family car lots years ago I've worked on and driven loads of 80's cars, them and a few 70's ones, would be what I would be filling my garage with. Why would I want a Ferrari or sum such high strung crap when I have something really rare like 2 door Sierra that isn't an xr/cosworth or blue

[Spiny Norman]

I could probably scrape together the necessary spondulos for some miserable diseasel shitheap on EZE-EE payments of £169 a month till 2019 but frankly I'd rather push rusty nails into my scrotum.
 

I like old shitters.

 

I like the way they drive, I like the way they look, I like the fact that I can park them anywhere and not give a hoot when someone opens a door into it in a car park, but most of all I like the fact that I can buy a big Merc, BMW, Jag etc and experience 90% of what made them £20-30k worth for less than the first owner paid for the second service.

[UmBongo]

I want all the cars I learned to drive in and drove when I was younger but my non-existent driway isn't big enough...

 

Austin Metro

Nissan Micra

Mini Automatic

MG Metro

Fiesta MK1

Triumph Spitfire

Escort Ghia MK2

[Jim Bergerac]

I am into the cars that I like. It is just my great fortune that many of them are considered to be shite.

[sheffcortinacentre]

choice grew up on 70's-80's stuff, money no object would have my mk3 GT professionally restored & purchaseses would inc several 60's muscle cars & an F150 lightning.

[forddeliveryboy]

I like the way they drive, I like the way they look, I like the fact that I can park them anywhere and not give a hoot when someone opens a door into it in a car park, but most of all I like the fact that I can buy a big Merc, BMW, Jag etc and experience 90% of what made them £20-30k worth for less than the first owner paid for the second service.

 

 

Sometimes, I come across a fault in an 'exclusive' car which has obviously been there since it was made and I sort it. Then enjoy the experience of not only driving a beautiful car which I haven't re-mortgaged myself for (and all the mental problems which no doubt ensue) but driving it as it was meant to go. Unlike every person who owned it before me. It's quite sad, yet enormously enjoyable all at once, I think of all the newly-poor men who wouldn't dare use the car's capabilities to the full, then me - who for a few hundred is revelling in the previously hidden abilities of such quality machines.

 

Even millionaires rarely enjoy such feelings of success - they're in a concrete coffin in so many ways. Their outlet is often a social one, to big themselves up or revel in the bow-and-scrape behaviour of some peasants.

 

It does help that automotive design has stagnated for at least 30 years. There is no new and hasn't been for years. The inline four, MacPh strut, torsion beam, monocoque design has been re-refined to death countless times to the point of stultification.

[Asimo]

Well it would be nice to buy a new car but there really is nothing new for sale that is not worse than what was available 10 years ago never mind as interesting as what was available 40 years ago.

And some cars become more interesting to me with time. In retrospect we can see qualities which passed us by, back in the day.

And the internet etc. makes it possible to find and maybe even keep going, all sorts of left-field and forgotten motors.

My budget could maybe support a shonky classic 911, which I would like, but much more fun will be had with, say, a Corvair, or a Wartburg, plus my daily Subaru and Transit all for about the same money.

[Sloth in a bowl]

I have a new modern (as I do 300 miles plus a week for work)

I have a classic (though twas cheap when I bought it)

I have a chod (it's a giggle to drive something different and I can learn how to maintain a car without worrying about screwing up)

[forddeliveryboy]

I have a new modern (as I do 300 miles plus a week for work)

 

Aye, for lower mileages newer stuff is fine if you've neighbours/wives who become twitchy with last-decade design. But as we all know, for high mileage motoring, the last thing you need is a modern contraption relying on hundreds of Chinese whispers via the multiple electronic networks before they'll even start. Let alone the yearly cambelt changes (at higher mileages) and other such mechanical bollox - and so financial pain - on recent motors.

 

For higher mileages something as old as Merc diesel or Saab 900 (the non-GM one) excels. Not only will they cover vast daily mileages without leaving you with back pain and a numb head, they'll do 2000 miles a week, year on year, without causing head-scratching at the workshop. Even a 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier would make more sense for high mileages than many modern things.

[Felly Magic]

I have a friend who is shall we say not short of a few bob, has a Rolls identical to Sir Alan Sugar's, but also owns A Yugo 45, a Skoda Estelle 120L, An FSO 125P, FSO Polonez Caro.....

 

And tbh If I did win the Euromillions, I'd be on Queazy Jet to Polski, and would bring back several car transporters worth of Communist chod

[Lord Sterling]

I wouldn't say I was into "chod" in any sort of way, my love of Rover 800s led me here as well as fond memories of the imfamous "Rue de Liverpool" in Brussels which was once a shining light in the buying/selling and import/export of chod, often on the side of the road.

 

Since coming here my horizons have broadened into other cars and I do find myself picturing chod I see on the street and appreciating/wanting other marques.

 

But Rover 800s will always be my first choice.

[PiperCub]

For me it's also choice, as a techy/engineer sort & given what I earn, I'm often asked 'Whats wrong with you, why don't you buy a new car?' the answer is hard to explain to them if they're asking me that question in the first place!

 

Initially, I started like most others here, it's 'cos at 17 you've no money as such unless you're a big-shot with rich mummy & daddy, so you take what you can get for minimum cash and learn how to fix it.

 

The main reasons are I just prefer older stuff, the new kit is jolly clever and all that but I'd rather have vehicles (cars and bikes) that I understand and I know I can fix pretty much anything on - mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, even electronics. I have a real issue with taking anything to a garage and paying for it when I can do it myself (it's called being mean I think!) unless it really is beyond my either ability wise (say major paintwork for instance) or needs some specialist kit (eg: wheel alignment, tyre fitting etc). Plus I just don't see the need for much of the crap they insist on putting in modern cars, this might be because I'm not a gadget freak, my PC is ten years old, my mobile nearly as old etc., if it works and you're happy, why waste you money on something that you don't need.

This means I have confidence in my vehicles 'cos I've worked on them and know them, I think many of you on here are of the same mindset. Plus you can often laugh about a wierd concept called depreciation. 

 

The other reason is I like older stuff- the way it drives, it's more involving and enjoyable, plus, sad though it sounds, I like looking at them too as they look like someone actually designed them, put a little of their soul etc into them, I'm sorry but most stuff (not all, some Alfas are one exception, there are others) from the last ten or more years is too dull for me - except as a cheapo hack/chod material to be used and dumped as appropriate.

 

Why mainly? 'cos I enjoy it, that's why & because I can!

[jakebullet]

I'm from Yorkshire and professionally tight. I'd not be able to sleep at night if I had £kerching parked outside waiting for some twunt to damage it.

 

Idiot sister is still paying loans for 2 cars back. Man next door is being bumraped to have a new audi on lease. We are surrounded by idiots.

[PiperCub]

Don't get me started on leasing............. Exactly how dim/vacant do you need to be to fall for that one?

 

And yes, sadly, we are surrounded by idiots.

[rml2345]

I'm not sure why I run older cars. Part of it is a hatred of finance as it fucks things up. Besides, a whole car for less than £500 is astonishingly good value, especially a big barge like a Volvo or a Jag and execubarges were a part of growing up as FATHA_RML ran a succession of the things. Mainly Ford, Vauxhall or Volvo but occasionally his brain would fall out and he'd buy something a bit mad like an R25.

Euromillions money? I'd buy all sorts. A ZIL 41047 would stun the neighbours far more than any Rolls or Bentley...

[scooters]

mine is a choice to have cars that remind me of my happy childhood and cars i have a connection with, it would be too easy (but boring) to drive a brand new soul less euro shitbox, if this was the case i would not be me, if i won the euromillions i would literally be surrounded with magnificent shite

Interestingly enough I always seem to end up with a volvo 240 at points...often after or during periods of high stress. My old man had them when I was growing up....that and before then he had a big DS Safari....

 

What do I own now? A 244, a CX and an XM...

 

oedipal car complex!

[cort16]

I've leased loads of cars it magic. . Why would I want to own it? I can have a new car for commuting and moving baby around and I never have to lift the bonnet . It gives me more time to tinker with stuff I'm actually interested in .

[twosmoke300]

Like many others I'm totally against the whole finance thing. I drive old crap cos it's a cheap way of getting luxury fast motoring .

I spose it helps that I'm a mechanic by trade and can get bits really cheap and do it all myself .

My wife has come round to the idea too and really wants a Toyota starlet now.

[Six-cylinder]

I love to have different cars to drive and enjoy finding one I like and just buying it, if I did that with high value fast deprecating new cars I would need to win the Euro lottery! 

[The Moog]

I like to tinker plus I can run 3 or 4 cars for what it takes to pay for 1 proper car.

 

Veg drinkers pay for themselves pretty quickly giving you free motoring.

 

People like to live vicariously through my cars and think it is quite cool. Also when you give them a lift in it them they realise that seats don't need to be rock hard and that 60k on clock doesn't equate to knackered

[Angrydicky]

Choice. I have a hatred of modern cars, they're overcomplicated, overpriced and overrated. I'm not loaded but if I wasn't into older cars then I'm sure I could afford a mid-2000's Focus or something. I really don't see the appeal in paying £300 a month for several years for some dull German car, so you then look identical to your neighbours.

I'm mainly into pre-1960's cars, but the Maestro was a nostalgic thing, as the first car I ever travelled in was a B reg Maestro, and I remember my dad having various BL/AR chod when I was growing up. At the time they were old bangers, now they've all disappeared. It's interesting to note that the majority of my fellow Austin-Rover enthusiasts aren't interested in cars like the Somerset and the majority of Austin Counties enthusiasts see the Maestro as too modern to be interesting.

 

I like being different to other people. I like the pleasure my cars give people when they see them out and about, and I like the fact they can be repaired with basic tools and cost peanuts to buy and run. 

[srad34]

I learnt to drive when I was 25 as I already had a motorbike and had company cars for the following 10 years so I buy chod as they are the cars I always liked when I was just a biker, plus I hate being at the mercy of a diagnostic pc!  

[dave21478]

I am a total financial genius* and a real expert* at handling money.

 

As such, I am broke as fuck. I live paycheck to paycheck with no savings.

My job requires a certain type of vehicle - 4x4 and large tow capacity, and my distance from civilisation means driving a big 4x4 to town is a chore and costs a lot in fuel so I like to have a second car for non work use.

 

The afore mentioned financial limitations mean that I have to buy the cheapest cars I can find from the bottom of the market...car auctions, ebay etc. All high mileage, high owners, no history snotters.

In an ideal world, I would have an Isuzu D-max or similar that was a couple of years old for work, and something fast and sightly silly as a second car, but I just cant afford it so have to plod on with a selection of rotten shitheaps. I then have to spend large amounts of time and money carrying out ongoing repairs to keep them working.

Its basically a poor persons version of credit - I still have to shell out cash every couple of months to keep myself on the road. I call it "Bright House motoring."

 

When I have scraped a spare few hundred quid up I inevitably spunk kit away on some kind of project car. Due to price differences between UK and France I can generally turn a modest profit on them, and it gives me something to do in the evenings.