Is it worth getting a spares car?

[stripped fred]

Been thinking about picking up another mk1 mr2, preferably in the same mica blue colour as mine. My reasoning is that I'll have a ready supply of spares. Things like a gearbox, panels, trim etc. The downsides are that it will take up one of my 3 parking places (a garage) so will prevent me buying anything else. I'm also thinking that spares won't be a problem as there are so many about.

 

As you can see I'm undecided on the merits. Does anyone else have a spares car or have any opinion? Will it prove a wise move or a pain in the ar$e?

[Supernaut]

You do realise what website you're on, right?

 

Buy more chod? OF COURSE.

 

In your situation though, do you see yourself buying another car in the near future (or however long it would take you to strip the spares car) that would fill that 3rd space? Apologies for the stealth edit after you quoted me. Derp!

[stripped fred]

You do realise what website you're on, right?

 

Buy more chod? OF COURSE.

Yeah, you're probably right. Life's too short to play it safe.

[eddyramrod]

Spares car?  Yes, I'd say it's likely to be a good idea.  BUT, as you've already spotted, it's going to take up space, probably for a long time.  Does the one balance the other?  You have a roomy garage, you're a step ahead of many people.  Can you afford to lose that space?  Only you can decide!

[overrun]

Most panels on an AW11 cheap enough to justify purchase as a spares car will surely be pretty fucked?

[Junkman]

The best spares car to buy is the one for a car you don't own.

Look at me, I have a plethora of half arsed spares cars.

Oh, and a spares moped.

[stripped fred]

Most panels on an AW11 cheap enough to justify purchase as a spares car will surely be pretty fucked?

Good point. Probably better to source any parts as and when. I was just thinking that the price of them is rising a bit and there are less around at the bottom of the market. If i had plenty of space then maybe a good option but I think I've talked myself out if it. Better to leave the space for something else...

[stripped fred]

Spares car? Yes, I'd say it's likely to be a good idea. BUT, as you've already spotted, it's going to take up space, probably for a long time. Does the one balance the other? You have a roomy garage, you're a step ahead of many people. Can you afford to lose that space? Only you can decide!

I don't have a roomy garage, sorry if misleading. I have a garage at my parents 18 miles away which is currently free, a council garage which has my mr2 in and the other place is on street parking where I keep my daily.

[sierraman]

Yes, I've done this it was well worthwhile. Sold off the bits I wouldn't use and I've got a fair few useful spares in the loft for the Focus like starters and alternators. It's better in a way as you can say they are known good as opposed to something you've picked up out the breakers.

[eddyramrod]

I don't have a roomy garage, sorry if misleading. I have a garage at my parents 18 miles away which is currently free, a council garage which has my mr2 in and the other place is on street parking where I keep my daily.

Oh I'm sure it wasn't deliberate!  You still have more space available than some of us, but I would have to agree that those conditions are less than ideal for keeping a stripper-car.  I have a council lockup, a couple of miles from home, but I can't get in it, lol, it's packed with "stuff!"

[cros]

I've had many 'spares' vehicles over the years and enjoyed dismantling them slowly in the garden. My Mrs was probably less keen on having this sort of horrible thing to look out at...

[Snipes]

Depends on the car in question but an AW11, I'd say totally worth it and not just for body panels. Trim and chassis parts like control arms would be hard to source.

[timolloyd]

Also a good source of reference for putting things back together on the running car. Like a 3D HBOL

[Keymaster]

For a MR2 mk1, not worth it imho. They are very reliable as a general rule & pretty much everything is readily available new from Toyota or used from one of the many breakers.

 

There are some common weak points that might be worth keeping in stock, but you dont need a full car. I'd consider rear calipers, headlight retractor relay, alternator and (yours is mica so this wont apply) if its a 1a grab a pair of rear suspension subframes as and when they crop up as they are unpossible to find now.

[chaseracer]

This can go both ways.  

 

I stripped my first (very early, it turned out) XM as spares for the second one, then kept them in the expectation that I'd have another.  Never happened, and I ended up selling some and giving most away.

 

However... twenty years ago, I swapped a broken Volvo 240 for a literal shedload of NOS/good used Dyane spares.  That's paying off nicely 

[Mr A Lawrence]

The only drawback of a spares car is you will only ever have 1 of every spare part needed for your car in probably the same condition as the parts you need to replace.

[sierraman]

Bought this for spares, used the manifold from it, the heater controls and a wiper motor from it, sold a few bits off I didn't need, kept stuff like expensive components like starters and alternator, then got £80 for the shell. Waiting on finding a Mk2 Mondeo to do same again. Well worthwhile.

 

Felt a bit bad stripping it, the last people had it 13 years. Finding a fist sized hole at the back of the sills changed my mind though.

[Lankytim]

If you have the space and the time to break it up a spares car is a very good idea. I just take bits off as I need them then strip parts I'm deffo going to need before it goes for scrap. I've still got random parts cluttering up my garage from cars I broke up years ago never needed. Useful to have a scrap skip too for when you eventually weigh it in.

[PiperCub]

The only drawback of a spares car is you will only ever have 1 of every spare part needed for your car in probably the same condition as the parts you need to replace.

 

That was my thoughts. I'd have thought that it's be a better idea to buy the spares car, strip it yourself and make three 'piles'.

1. Good - want to keep for yourself as you will probably (at least likely) need it. (Or it's potentially valuable/rare to find working/good cond).

2. Good - but don't see the need to keep it as either too big to store or just unlikely to need it so sell/swap it.

3. Junk - Including the shell, to be dumped or just bridged as a whole.

 

It is nice to leave the whole thing intact and pick off the bits as and when needed for use (or sale) as it keeps it all in one place and doesn't take up storage space in the garage or out buildings but few of us have the luxury of the spare space (pref out of the way so it doesn't piss off your family or neighbours etc) to do this. 

[egg]

Waiting on finding a Mk2 Mondeo to do same again. Well worthwhile.

I'd have a front driver's door seal and probably some other bits if you do go that route!

[lisbon_road]

Can be worthwhile, but if you have a garage, put the 'decent' car in it to stop it rotting away in my opinion.

 

Scrapyards will often do you a decent price if you buy a mountain of bits, so you can get what you need without the effort of stripping a whole car.

 

Done it myself, and the internet means we can flog off stuff not needed and do surprisingly well.

[sierraman]

I'd have a front driver's door seal and probably some other bits if you do go that route!

Nearly did a deal on an LPG powered Mk2 Ghia a bit back but it would have been a right chuff to shift.

[stripped fred]

Thanks everyone. Some very good points made. I think I'm going to pass on the idea mainly due to the space it will take up and even if I strip parts off it that will also take up space. I've also had a look on eBay and there are plenty of parts around so I'm not going to worry.

[primeradoner]

Dont do it.

Im currently running about in a K11 micra I bought as a spares car 2 years ago and Miss PD has a  P10 primera as her winter hack. I bought that for bits over 6 years ago.

[Des]

It's a good plan but can backfire. I bought a spares van about 10 years ago to keep my old heap running, It's still running now, the spares van that is.