Inability to settle with a car (Aka Bramz fever)

[greengartside]

8 hours ago, TheDoctor said:

 What's the cure? 

The wife. I am now cured of the ability of buying any car I want. I am also losing my sanity through it as I rather enjoyed doing it.

*sadface*

[Jamie]

intresting point to bring up in this thread

 

i change my cars all the time and work colleauges often say 'arent you classed as a trader' in the eyes of HMRC? As theres an old wives tale that anything over 7 a year puts you clearly in the realms of arthur daily... 

[Eyersey1234]

45 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

I used to suffer from a similar affliction.  This thread prompted me to update my owned vehicles spreadsheet, which I hadn't done for a few months - the total now stands at 559, in 22 years of driving (and 25 years of mopedding to be fair).  I used to chop and change all the time - some cars I only owned for a matter of hours.  I've slowed down a lot recently though - I think there's a variety of reasons for that, partly because I know that some of the fleet would be pretty much irreplaceable now if I were to sell (Renault 6, Innocenti), partly because I don't get bored as quickly as I used to, partly because chod has become more expensive so the days when I could pick up a CX, an SD1 and a Morris Minor in a weekend and have change from a grand are long gone, and partly because I can't really be arsed to spend every single weekend running around after cars any more.  (Although I am picking up another car on Saturday.)

I am in a bit of a quandary at the moment as my current fleet is made up entirely of cars I don't want to sell.  I have the reliable, comfortable modernish daily (Rover 75) which I like far more than I expected to, the van (LDV Maxus) which suits my vanning needs perfectly, the permanent members of the fleet (Renault 6, Carina E, Innocenti, Rover of Doom) and then more recent impulse buys that have ended up becoming semi-permanent as well (Y10 and CX).  In fact at the top of the list for selling at the moment is the Volvo 164, which I've owned for 15 years - the inclination to sell is more due to guilt at how much I've allowed it to deteriorate than any real desire to get rid.

Of the 559 how many have been forum bikes? 

[cort16]

10 minutes ago, jamiechod said:

intresting point to bring up in this thread

 

i change my cars all the time and work colleauges often say 'arent you classed as a trader' in the eyes of HMRC? As theres an old wives tale that anything over 7 a year puts you clearly in the realms of arthur daily... 

I should be due a massive tax rebate given the amount of money I've lost on changing cars over the years. I could probably get a 2 week cruise in the Caribbean from my old Panda 100HP alone.

[Jamie]

2 minutes ago, cort16 said:

I should be due a massive tax rebate given the amount of money I've lost on changing cars over the years. I could probably get a 2 week cruise in the Caribbean from my old Panda 100HP alone.

same, i seem to have a habit (like most on here) buying any old chod, making it back to showroom condition and selling it for what i paid for it. 

[wuvvum]

14 minutes ago, cort16 said:

I should be due a massive tax rebate given the amount of money I've lost on changing cars over the years. I could probably get a 2 week cruise in the Caribbean from my old Panda 100HP alone.

Ditto.  I'd almost welcome HMRC taking an interest in my vehicular activites - at a rough estimate I've lost around £20K on cars in total, and that's not counting taxing and insuring the bloody things.

[wuvvum]

27 minutes ago, Eyersey1234 said:

Of the 559 how many have been forum bikes? 

Comparatively few.  The black S-Type is heading that way I suppose (although it appears to have found a permanent owner now), and the black 156 V6 which 6cyl now owns has been through a few shiters' hands too.  I don't think I've owned any of the "main" forum bikes though.

[DodgyBastard]

3 hours ago, TheDoctor said:

Try finding a roadworthy Lada for less than 1500 quid. I remember people thinking I was crazy paying 650 for a mint low mileage Riva estate a few years back. 

Wish I'd kept it now. G124XMH. Now in Ireland apparently. 

 

I sold these for £900 each.

 

RJC_1784 by srblythe, on Flickr

Lada Riva 1500 by srblythe, on Flickr

 

In 2017 and 2018.

[Six-cylinder]

9 hours ago, wuvvum said:

and the black 156 V6 which 6cyl now owns has been through a few shiters' hands too.  I don't think I've owned any of the "main" forum bikes though.

The black 156 is now booked for a cambelt service 8th July so that means it is staying with me.

This is my problem, I settle with them all!

[stephen01]

11 hours ago, wuvvum said:

- the inclination to sell is more due to guilt at how much I've allowed it to deteriorate than any real desire to get rid.

This was a big factor when I sold one of my heralds. Thankfully the new owner started work on it straight away and is really cracking on. 

I like changing, don't like selling, Long term is the honda, 7 years now, the C4 before that was about 3 or 4 years, but these are our main family car, in the last 2 years I've had 7 cars! the 207 is the newest car I've had for my self and one of the best! 

[shedenvy]

Is the problem that a lot of us are buying cars from the bottom of the barrel.  They're unloved, undesirable, unreliable and in some cases unroadworthy.  There's always a niggling thought that 'I did the timing belt, the tension sounds a little out', 'it is using some oil', 'the turbo sounds noisy' and 'that knock on hard lock is normal I think'.  Combined with that every insurance company deems them to be immediate write offs and every other 'normal' person can't understand your choice in conveyance.

We all see something good in what we drive but most of it is crap.  it's not surprising that we see the grass is greener with a particular shit box coming up within the overdraft limit, the trouble is that it's just another patch of weeds and we've forgotten that we don't eat grass, it's just another fucking job we have to do.

I know you (@The Doctor) did the zombie thing, but why not try modifying something a little more conventionally - perhaps it can give you a new love for something a month old.  Also clean it meticulously - devil makes work for idle hands and all that.  Finally, as mentioned, a partner who doesn't give a shit about cars is a good cure too, especially when there are so many more *important things to spend money on.

[DoctorRetro]

10 minutes ago, shedenvy said:

Is the problem that a lot of us are buying cars from the bottom of the barrel.  They're unloved, undesirable, unreliable and in some cases unroadworthy.  There's always a niggling thought that 'I did the timing belt, the tension sounds a little out', 'it is using some oil', 'the turbo sounds noisy' and 'that knock on hard lock is normal I think'.  Combined with that every insurance company deems them to be immediate write offs and every other 'normal' person can't understand your choice in conveyance.

We all see something good in what we drive but most of it is crap.  it's not surprising that we see the grass is greener with a particular shit box coming up within the overdraft limit, the trouble is that it's just another patch of weeds and we've forgotten that we don't eat grass, it's just another fucking job we have to do.

I know you (@The Doctor) did the zombie thing, but why not try modifying something a little more conventionally - perhaps it can give you a new love for something a month old.  Also clean it meticulously - devil makes work for idle hands and all that.  Finally, as mentioned, a partner who doesn't give a shit about cars is a good cure too, especially when there are so many more *important things to spend money on.

 

Oh, I'm going to do the Zombie thing again, but properly next time.

I'd do it to the Galaxy, but the forum may ban me if I did - there seems to be a lot of love for it!

[cort16]

For me the key is to have one reliable car. The dependable rock you spend money on and look after that  you know is going to get you to work on Monday morning.  You can then fanny about with old heaps with a low stress level .

swapping cars constantly and trying to use them daily is a recipe for financial ruin and stress. Buying another old car or swapping it for something else rarely helps as all old cheap cars need something done to them .

Its worse if like me (especially at the time ) had no real tools or mechanical ability.

[rantingYoof]

Apart from a flurry last year when I went from Volvo S60 (now with a friend of Moog), to Omega (now Brodders), to Mondeo (which went to ohdearme and then beyond), to Lexus (courtesy of top shiter sims), my car swapping days died away the moment a reliable car became essential for my job. I'm currently on car 18 in 14 years of driving.

While there are plenty of cars I'd love to own (a Volvo 960 3.0 estate in particular, or another pre-facelift Omega) I cannot afford to insure/tax/fuel two cars and I've got drive space for one - any other cars would be in an irritating place on the road/pavement outside.

The Lexus is regarded as a long term car simply because it's one of a minority that have made it beyond the 6 month ownership barrier. However, it also represents my dream car, and apart from being a smidgen impractical in respect of boot space/access, it's also the perfect family car. As long as I'm doing 7500 miles per year and getting 40p per mile for 2500 of those miles, it's affordable in respect of petrol, too (and at any rate it has only been 20% worse on fuel than the S60 was). Even if my annual mileage increased substantially I'd still try to run the Lexus, because I get great smileage from it (sorry not sorry).

I can tell I feel differently about the Lexus because, on top of the wear and tear items I've had done (two new tyres and new pads/discs to get rid of the vibration), it's presently having the alloy wheels sorted in gun metal grey. I'm also going to look at sorting the bubbly arches out. I'm a bit more cautious about that as I'm quite ham fisted so will be likely be asking for help here in due course!

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[Tartan58]

In my 21 years of driving I have only owned 18 cars which must make me quite unusual on here (and boring!) General lack of space has meant that for the first 15 years I only ever had one at a time and for the last 6 family reasons have meant that we need two dependable dailies. Only now have I been able to get a third purely for pleasure.

Longest I've owned is the 2015 i20 which we have had for just over 3 years and counting. Strangely this is also my least favourite of all the cars I've had however it's just so damn dependable (plus I only drive it a couple of times a month so tend to forget how dull it is). It will probably be staying for another year and a half until the 5 year warranty is up if not longer.

Shortest has been a knackered Yaris which lasted about 4 months until the MOT man deemed it beyond economical repair.

In general a couple of years is the norm before I start to get itchy feet.

[JimH]

22 hours ago, TheDoctor said:

What's the cure?

You need the JimH Patented Multi-Step Programme Towards Driveway Cleanliness

1. Hate cars. This becomes easier as cars become uglier, heavier, uglier, less distinct and develop a look not dissimilar to someone who sleeps with a screwdriver under their pillow. As you dislike daily transport more and more it becomes much harder to summon up the enthusiasm to even scan through the Autotrader website let alone get off your arse to stand at the side of the road being lied to by a desperate seller.

2. Be a scrote. Regardless of how you spin it changing cars costs money. Oh yes, you think you made your money back on that one but you didn't, did you? By being tight fisted your dislike of daily transport distils into undiluted loathing for anything to do with cars.

3. Be lazy. It takes time and energy to trawl through Gumtree looking for something that doesn't make you want to kill yourself. Time and energy that could be better spent staring at the wall, listening to You and Yours or wondering what happened to Gordon Honeycomb. Being lazy stops you scrolling through eBay for potential suitors, calling them, going to look at it, being lied to, being lied to even more, making some excuse why you are going to leave now and going home again.

4. Be faithful. I have it on good advice that there is a strong link between people who change their car a lot and infidelity. You may disagree but you probably change your car a lot and have a guilty conscience.   Most people will stay in the same relationship because better the devil you know, you are too lazy to go looking for something better and it would cost too much to change anyway (see steps 2+3 - see how this programme builds to improve your life in general? I'm not just making this shit up). Being happy with the same old banger avoids you straying from the straight and narrow as well as keep your driveway clear of Renault 21s.

5. Buy the genuine workshop manual. Not the Haynes manual or some poxy CD off of eBay but the printed in several ring binders, on back order for six months, cost a fortune genuine item. These can be frighteningly expensive and if you've lashed out on one you feel duty-bound to keep whatever dog it is in order to get the maximum value out of your purchase. You may laugh but I know someone who hung onto a motorbike for yonks on the grounds that they had forked out £80 for the genuine Kawasaki manual. If your car is a terminal shitter (we are talking Vauxhall Vectra sort of level here) you may need to buy the spare parts book, microfiches and viewer in order to spend enough to justify keeping it. This may be difficult because it isn't 1985 any more.

6. If the manuals are no longer printed then the purchase of some genuine workshop tools should have the same effect. You keep buying Vectras because you have the stuff to deal with them. If all you can buy is another Vectra then you are less keen to change them.

7. Cultivate your distrust of the public at large. If you have a sneaking suspicion that everyone else is a ham fisted, insincere, careless, lying toe rag you are very unlikely to want to phone them up and ask if their 405 is still for sale. Generally you don’t have to look at too many cars for this to stop being a suspicion and become provable fact.

There you go. Cured.  

 

 

[Roobarb]

I’ve followed the ‘boring everyday reliable, interesting shite for the weekend’ mantra for a while now. 

Management seem to find 80k miles per change on the everyday and max of 1 snotter change per year, strictly on a 1 in 1 out basis. 

It’s tough, but I’m managing. It helps having a project car that I can fantasize about to soak up my ‘imagination free time...’

[cort16]

I’m always on the verge of cracking I nearly lost self control around that 1500 quid Citroen c6

[MrSchwifty]

21 hours ago, TheDoctor said:

I've owned maybe 3 or 4 cars out of the 104 that I'd go back to. 

2. Mazda 929. Good luck finding one. 

Here ya go....... in estate flavour too!

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazda-929-estate/333147726773?hash=item4d9126e3b5:g:v3MAAOSwRFNcgCfu

 

 

[Jamie]

3 hours ago, cort16 said:

For me the key is to have one reliable car. The dependable rock you spend money on and look after that  you know is going to get you to work on Monday morning.  You can then fanny about with old heaps with a low stress level .

swapping cars constantly and trying to use them daily is a recipe for financial ruin and stress. Buying another old car or swapping it for something else rarely helps as all old cheap cars need something done to them .

Its worse if like me (especially at the time ) had no real tools or mechanical ability.

This is why I'm glad my Mrs has a 18 plate mini. Whatever heaps I buy there will always be old dependable pcp purchase lol 

[cort1977]

1 hour ago, Roobarb said:

I’ve followed the ‘boring everyday reliable, interesting shite for the weekend’ mantra for a while now. 

This is a good way I think.

My plan for the future is to have long term 'normal cars', my van for me and a volvo of some description for the missus and then a couple of 'slots' for relatively cheap chod that I can have fun with and change out on a regular basis to scratch that itch.

That's the idea but it's an old saying that no plan lasts longer than the first contact...

[Flat4]

3 hours ago, JimH said:

 

3. Be lazy. It takes time and energy to trawl through Gumtree looking for something that doesn't make you want to kill yourself. Time and energy that could be better spent staring at the wall, listening to You and Yours or wondering what happened to Gordon Honeycomb. Being lazy stops you scrolling through eBay for potential suitors, calling them, going to look at it, being lied to, being lied to even more, making some excuse why you are going to leave now and going home again.

 

 

 

 

Isn't that a sport in itself?  Look at what you could have won!

[davehedgehog31]

I've had about 30 cars in the last 12 years, but there have been a few stayers in among that lot. I reckon I've calmed down now, I really can't be fucked selling cars, it's an ordeal. 

The 405 will be about until it becomes entirely un-serviceable. 

I'd like to get down to the 405, plus one other on a one in, one out basis. The four cars have been more of a burden of late than something to be enjoyed.

[cort16]

The car tax changes ruined a lot of the fun.

Remember buying a car with 6 months tax? How sweet it was, no having 5 cars on a £20 a month each direct debit.

Also if it blew up you could always cash in the tax and get some of your money back .

[purplebargeken]

I've had over 600 cars in my time.

Joining this forum was like offering a raging alcoholic a new lovely bottle of vodka and making him promise not to drink it despite him having his fingers crossed behind his back whilst saying 'I promise'.  

I wish I could do the long term thing, the longest was the i10 at 8 years but that was the 'work/commuting' car and didn't really count. I could have saved myself a fucking fortune and kept my hassle levels to something approaching normal.

Just realised. In all of this time I have only ever had cambelts done on one car, the MGF of much greeness. Ha.

 

[loserone]

It's getting another one now, seeing as the head is off

[wuvvum]

I've never had a cambelt done.

 

Although I should probably think about getting the Rover of Doom done as it has no history and I've had it nearly 8 years now.

[purplebargeken]

It's getting another one now, seeing as the head is off

Going by mileage it doesn't need it but not sure about how long ago I had it done. Not a bad idea really.

[loserone]

Scary said it was looking elderly

[Brodders]

To be fair, I think the only solution is to limit yourself from buying stuff, no matter how frustrating and boring that may be.

There are several times when I have had to sensibly log myself out of here for a few days or not look on the eBay Tat thread for a couple of weeks, just to stop myself from buying an 80s Renault or a cheap Volvo.

I reckon I am at the sensible level right now with the two that I have right now, an everyday car and something fun for the weekend.

The Rover is a comfortable, practical and economical car which perfect for using everyday, apart from when it goes wrong in a very expensive way (bills tend to be a nice round £500). But fuck it, I like it and have owned it for bang on three years yesterday.

The Omega is pretty much the car I had promised myself for years. It was for sale at exactly the right time and at a reasonable price so I bought it. I still find it great fun to drive and will not be getting rid of it for the foreseeable future (in fact there are plans to build a slightly larger garage to fit it in just to keep it in good shape).

Yet despite that, I still have loads of cars I want to try out. Just listing off the top of my head I would like to own a Mk3 Cavalier, Rover R8 (preferably a 400), Peugeot 405, Jaguar XJ (anything from the XJ40 to the X308) and a Sierra (Sapphire or hatchback will do). More likely than not I will just introduce a system of having a third car, which I buy and sell in short order, just to rotate things around and try out cars which interest me before they get too expensive. Not the best idea, but pretty tame compared to most on here.