Mojo gone - what to do!

[Lanciaman]

Ok, this is 1st world problem but I have a Lancia Thema 8.32 series  1 which I spent a fair bit on 2.5 years ago. It needed some mechanical work - body and interior are vgc. So engine out blets chnage etc later, it has been back with me for 6 months now, siitting in the shed untouched.   Only things outstanding are wipers - windcreen and lamps - have a mind of their own and wont shut off once started.

 

I replaced the electronic front stuts with "nornal " ones as they were stuck in sport mode - which is default when they fail.  I have the kit to refurbish the originals. But the car now sits far too high at the front.  Other than that, I think it is pretty much ready to go.   It has to get an MOT to be UK registered. NOVA declaration done and VAT paid (swiss import).

 

But here's the thing. I just cannot be arsed with it anymore.  I have £££s in it already and have kind of reached the end of the road with it. I've had umpteen Lancias over the  years - 16 Themas, Kappas, Thesis x2, Montecarlo, 2000 HF coupe...   but I seriously can't be fucked with it anymore.  I think part of the problem is the car is now "worth" money and I don't like that. My favourite cars are the whocares cars.  Stuff you can drive and not give a toss about. Low value cars.

 

So, any words of wisdom? Other than pull the finger and get on with it??

[loserone]

Get the worth out of it and buy five shutters on here, which all do different things well and you don't need to care about any of them

[chancer]

Get it finished, enjoy it and forget about its value. Its only worth money if you want to sell it. Otherwise, should you want a worthless low value who cares car...step this way an buy my Ka! Haha....didnt think so. Get the lancia sorted!

[Tamworthbay]

I was there about a year or two ago. All the cars I liked were becoming popular and therefore more than I like to spend on one, the Capri project was stalled due to paintwork mate being busy and I just couldn’t be arsed with 2000s cars due to level of electronics . But I kept looking, missed a couple on here, umm and ahhed too long on a couple of others. Then the pug came up and mojo is back big time, loved every minute of sorting it, even the shitty upside down welding bits. The Lancia is seriously cool, I would mothball it and look for something cheap and fun, I heartily recommend a 205, get back into it that way.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Been here many times with the 635. The grim weather plays a massive part. Set a date for summer and get it on the road by then. Then use it hard everyday. Forget the value, it just stops you having fun with it.

[Datsuncog]

Change your username to RenaultLagunaman and proceed accordingly...

[HMC]

That’s a more expensive and glamorous example of the car/hmc situation in general; do what makes you happy. Can you put it to one side and buy a cheap distraction?

[Lanciaman]

Words of wisdom afoot. BoogyMires sums up well. Can't argue with that sentiment to be honest.

[Lanciaman]

Current cheap distraction is a 2004  6 seat Fiat Scudo which I want badly!    How times have changed......

[Hertz]

I'm in exactly the same boat with my Alpine A610. Bought for not very much 7 years ago, spent loads of time and money on it since and it's now worth potentially quite a lot. I can't be arsed/fear of driving it now. Bought the cheaper GTA recently so plan to sell the A610 and hopefully then get my Mojo back.

[anonymous user]

Is it saleable as is, without taking too big a hit on it?

 

Would you be glad not to have to think about it anymore?

 

Is it nagging at you?

 

If the answer to those is yes, get rid.

 

On the other hand

 

Would you immediately regret selling it?

 

Was it your dream car and would you regret never getting it on the road?

 

Can you see yourself getting the time, inclination and money to finish it before everything else on it deteriorates?

 

If so keep it.

 

I'm no help, I sold my TR7 because I hadn't driven it for five years and couldn't ever see me using it again, it had deteriorated in storage and I took a hit selling it. Am I sorry I sold it? No I just wish I'd done it sooner.

 

I have currently lost my mojo with my Land Rover I will be taking a hit on it, as I overpaid when I bought it, have spent more on it and it's still not right, I need it out of my life as it is annoying me.

[dieselassist]

...I say try to get it together to gets its 1st MoT; your mojo for it has weaned; would you consider maybe leaving the car (A frameing it to him or whatever) with an reputable auto electrician - to fix the wipers n lamps; maybe come to some arrangement where he does the work in between jobs or in the evenings... out of sight, out of mind - by the time it comes back you might have summoned some minimum mojo to get the rest snagged n get it sold...

 

...I rarely farm out work on my own cars; I never really have the cash; I try to leave any taxing, difficult or job outside my skills eg wiring or painting, to last - somehow I might drag myself over that 'last hurdle'...

[lesapandre]

I'd finish it and put it in one of those posh auctions and try to clean up. Go on a nice holiday and come back and buy a nice car a bargin price. Those Fiat coupes with the funny wheel arches look a bargin - and lots of Alfas look silly cheap. Not valuable and probably not reliable but certainly different?

[Lanciaman]

The wipers have no separate relay.  So is either the motor or the switchgear.  I have replacements for both - switchgear is wrong colour (dark brown insread of back) but was nos and was 500 euros. Ha, section me now.  If all this comes acroos as some cock with money. No, just a cock with no money.  Just  had a bout of initial enthusiasm.

 

BUt seems like mojo is in short supply for a few of us.

[Matty]

If you part with it is it likely you will ever be able to have another? If not don't do it

[Six-cylinder]

Johnny English got his Mojo back!

 

8.32 heart throb!

 

Our Gamma Berlina has disheartened me the a hard knock from the engine, but I will get back to it.

[Soap Distant]

I have a number of “projects” that are scattered around this fiar isle awaiting my interjection for them to enjoy a greater life. Will they enjoy the day where a shiny and refurbished item will emerge, blinking into the light? No, my mojo is gone, deadened by a multitude of years of petty polotics and indifference. Hence, my fleet is up for grabs at whatever it sells for. I’m out of it. I’ve done my bit and it’s time for those who have written many, many words on the subject to pick up their adjustable spanners and do what they have to do to further the cause. My time has passed and I have moved on to other things.

Saying that, I’d swap everything I’ve got to swap for yout 8.32. Its one of my all time ultimate cars ever. Flaws-a-plenty but I just don’t care. It’s just the pinnacle of peak car for me.

[brownnova]

Roffle?

[vulgalour]

Sounds like you need something you can enjoy cheaply for a bit so you can put this one out of your midn for a bit.  When a car becomes a responsibility, the enjoyment can pale somewhat, and it sounds like the Lancia has become something of that sort for you at the moment.  You're aware it doesn't need much to sort it out, presumably it's not really costing you anything as it stands, and it sounds like it's in a position that you can pick it up at any point in the future with no harm done.

 

Set it aside for now, enjoy an easy win with something else, and go back to it when you're feeling more enthused or know comfortably it's time to move it on.  Some cars are worth sticking with for the enjoyment they return, and some aren't, and it differs as much from person to person as it does from car to car.

[vaughant]

Got like this with my Cossie a few years back. Just completed a respray on it through my own garage but the lads who did it rushed it to get done as the unit was going along with the business, not their fault just time constraints. Cue putting it back together and jacking it up to find the Jack going straight through the jacking point. Further examination revealed it was rotten front to back, all stemming from poorly dealer fitted but super rare Aircon, metal cut out with no rust proofing. This was back in 2010/11 and I tried to sell it complete for £4k and a lorry full of spares but no takers, I'd get that for the logbook and history now. I bit the bullet and bought an immaculate shell blind after putting a deposit on another that was cagily advertised and turned out to be a dog, was warned by another member. Bastard, didn't even return my deposit despite him lying.

Was worried about this one but the seller sent me photos of literally everywhere and was a well respected member of the site, it didn't disappoint, no rust or evidence of welding anywhere, the paint itself is also really good. I swapped over all the running gear, bought a load of new bits and put it away in a very safe secret location due to too many prying eyes where it was.

I'll resurrect it one day but even as it is it's well into 5 figures, finish what I started and it could command £20k, amazing really (note the other shell is genuine cosworth with a full service history) so I'm in a similar boat to yourself. I'm not planning on selling as I've come too far plus I see it as a bit of an investment now. Horses for courses really but personally I'd try and finish it as you're so close.

[DSdriver]

Sun is shining, take it around the block. Pay for someone else to wash and polish it so you don't get depressed by every little dent and bleb. Drive it further and watch peoples faces as they see you pass by.

Report back.

[purplebargeken]

Nah, not a cock at all mate.

 

As someone who's mojo fucks off on a regular basis I can only give you my perspective.

 

If you are truly fucked off with it then get it sold and find something that will be easier to work on, has cheaper/easier parts availability and is cheap to buy in the first instance. Here I am at nearly 55 with just under 600 cars owned in my adult lifetime and I regret selling half a dozen, tops. Maybe. However, regret is fucking pointless. 

 

I'm selling the green Dolomite, not because I want to but because I have a dose of the 'reals' and I know I 'saved it' on a whim. It could actually be quite a charming car but I guess the next owner will reap the benefit of that. 

 

For now I have just about enough mojo to do what is necessary to sort out the TR7 engined Toledo. That fluctuates massively though and I am tied into it until a mate comes over from the USA to use it to take part in the 10 Countries Run in 2021. After that? Who knows. I might flog it, I might not. 

 

Take a bit of time out to make a list of pro's and con's of keeping it v selling it 'as is'.

 

Clearing the decks can be quite useful as is taking your time to think about what truly 'floats your boat' when it comes to get the next best thing.

[tul66]

If it was a series 2 Lindsay, I'd have been all over it, but it's not so unfortunately, ahm oot!

 

You could buy my one though, at least it's mot'd.

[Lanciaman]

So a year later and mojo has fucked off totally.    After the post above, started it in April after all the work to find it now has an oil leak. Chances are its either the cam cover gasket/s or the oil pump gasket - both of which were removed during intial work.   So, being the petulant child I am, it got shoved back in the shed last April and hasnt been looked at since. Latest hilarity is the electric struts were sent to some bod (via a mate who knows said engineer Ferrari expert bod) to see if they can be refurbihsed.  Cut a story short, afte dismantling 2, no they can't as one shell knackered and the parts you have not the right size. That'll be £1150 please.  

Fuck right off to that and the whole thing!

Yes, petulant. Yes ranting. And yes, fuck this!!!!

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

You done the right thing. I do the same, BASTARD BMW> GARAGE> FORGET ABOUT IT FOR LIKE 7 MONTHS TO A YEAR (remember to take the battery off of it)

[Asimo]

Probably time to plan to cash it in this year.  No point in keeping things that can't make you smile.

Is there someone who can get it to an auctionable state for a reasonable cost? They are pretty special cars and if you've had it for a few years the costs might come out in your favour when you sell?

[Lanciaman]

Thanks chaps - yes battery (funnily enough new a year ago to add to the finanicla misery) is disconnected.    If there was someone who could get it to an auctionable state it would be finished and ready to sit in the shed finished! 

I can't express how fucked off I am with it - this is like an SL500 Merc i had 10 years ago all over again - except now I have no patience, no interest, no desire.  At least with the SL I peresevered and got it sorted.

Yes, self pity time. But there also comes a time in life when things like stamp collecting become more realistic

[Kowalski]

Get it gone. You own the car, not the other way around.

Don't look at it as money lost, well not unless you also want to add up how much you have spent on beer or chocolates, it's all spent, move on. Well that's my opinion!

[Kringle]

Sudden brain wave, I've lost mojo with cars many times and it's only when an impending house move or I take on a new car does the mojo come back.

Option 1 is sell your house, eh?

Option 2 is if you know a shiter who is also having a mojo crisis, could you temporarily swap? Naturally you still own the car and any parts required you'd pay for but fresh eyes always pushes a project forward and likewise you could be doing them a favour too.

[Largactil]

Sorry to hear - I can relate to a degree, as I took on a W216 Merc CL500 last June and have spent ~£2.5k on it in the last 7-8 months with it still pinging up the odd dashboard light of doom (this, with a FMBSH) - Complicated cars = complicated issues, and you can't just throw parts at them to try and sort them (bits are far too expensive, even if you can find them!)

I spend most of my time in Scotland and would really love an 8.32, but missed the boat when they were more affordable (mate had a late Thema Turbo LS, which was a fantastic car) - Hope you find a solution, for your own sanity's sake ?

(If you do decide to sell up, PM me - I can ask aforementioned mate if he fancies another, although he's left the Italian fold and moved on to a minty E46 M3 these days).