End of year Tat Accounts.

[Six-cylinder]

2023 – In 6

There was always a plan to buy one car in 2023 and I had been selling cars through 2022 to achieve that. Yes I bought a pre-war 1933 Rolls Royce 20/25 with Park Ward bodywork. Still a touch of Autoshite about it being the cheapest I could find running, it has slightly dodgy paint work, broken fuel gauge, a dragging clutch and missing the spirit of Ecstasy!

It was not long into 2023, “the year of no more random purchases” I got a message did I want to save the Mitsubishi Sigma 3.0 estate I had admired when it visited me in 2016 as the clutch was gone. Big Thanks to Talbot, Andyrew and Morrissital SLX it is now MOTed.

I had a message from Andyrew offering me a pick from his collection and I chose to buy the MX5 MK2, random yes but I knew how much work had been done under that scruffy exterior. I only kept it 4 months. I struggled a bit with getting in under the full size airbag steering wheel after my small Momo wheel on the MK1, but the real reason was the £365 road tax on a car I was going to use occasionally for less than 1,000 miles a year.

A further message came from Andyrew offering me his Discovery MK1 300 TDi manual before he offered it to the world. The yes reply was by return, after all I had only owned one other MK1 Discovery and that was a V8 Auto! Andyrew has done a lot of work to it but it needs more and I have found somebody who loves MK1 Discos to do it so next year it should be out and about.

The MG TF 1.6 was rather strange, Mrs6C came into my office one evening and asked if I had seen the yellow MG TF for sale and that could be my new winter beater. I pointed out it only had 2 days MOT left, needed some work and was in North Norfolk. When Mrs6C offered to take me next day to collect it I knew I was beaten! It is all MOTed and running now and I like it, but not as a winter beater.

The Ad for the Volvo 480ES was sent to me and like a moth to a flame I was attracted to it.  

2023 – Out 2

1986 Mercedes 230TE W123 - I loved that car but the job list was long and the straw that broke the camel's back was not being able to find a rear arm that supports the spring at a reasonable price.

2002 Mazda MX5 1.6 – fitting under the steering wheel could have been sorted with a new steering wheel but the £365 road tax was just too much.

[Schaefft]

Liked for the Sigma, the efforts undertaken to get it on the road are praiseworthy.

[MarinaJosh]

In and out:

Morris Ital 1.7 HLS. A mate and I bought this early in the year as we liked the look of it. Got it back on the road, used it daily for most of the summer, went to North Wales for the Marina Club annual weekend. Had our fun, but overstocked on Itals..

Out:

Waved goodbye to my 405 which I had owned since 2017. Loved this car dearly, but I hadn't really used it in four years. It was a waste to leave it parked up gathering dust. Genuinely shed a tear when it went, but it's found a good home.

In:

Back in April I took loan of this Ford Model Y through the Classic Car Loan Project. Sadly I haven't had time to use it quite as much as hoped, my loan has been extended so hopefully more adventures next year.

In May I acquired this Ital as a rolling shell from a mate of mine. It hit the road in October.

In May I also ticked off a car I have always wanted, a Triumph Herald. Not been touched yet and won't be for a while yet!

In September I bought my Bedouin Marina 1.3 saloon

In October I took delivery of another rolling shell Ital which was too good to be scrapped

Non-movers:

The oldest surviving* Marina is still awaiting restoration, awaiting a date for it to go in for bodywork as it's beyond our skills!

My Limeflower Marina, my dream Marina, now owned for 8 years and I have still never driven it. Hopefully 2024 will see it finished off and back on the road, if I stop being distracted by other cars...

The black Ital, a joint project. Should be back on the road next year.

The Traveller, which has been in semi-regular use going to work and we went on holiday in it back in May

There's also the DGAF 206, although despite four years of ownership I'm not sure I have a proper photo of it... you can see a bit of it behind the Herald. It keeps doing what it was designed to do.

Not sure what else 2024 will bring. I really have too many, the rolling shell red Ital will probably be the first to go. Toying with selling the Traveller, I don't really want to but it would be one less car, and would probably pay for a respray on the Limeflower Marina. Decisions...

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, MarinaJosh said:

overstocked on Itals..

Not something you hear everyday! Limeflower looks great, though personally I'd go back to stock wheels on that.

[jonny69]

I was about to say no movements in garage 69 in 2023 but actually ULEZ meant I had to change dailies from my Insight to something newer, smaller and less fuel-efficient. 

Just as I was planning to sell it the hybrid battery carked it. However, I went through a really in-depth testing regime with multiple packs and matched up a really strong set of sticks to make a very strong pack. Got a fresh MOT on it just before the insurance and tax ran out, but as you can see it’s still sat on the drive waiting for me to put it up for sale…

Dragged the Anglia out the garage earlier in the year and converted it from mechanical fuel pump to electric. This meant I could leave it unused for many months (as I do) and it didn’t matter if the fuel ran back into the tank, because the leccy pump would just prime itself on the key and fill the carb up without having to crank the living shit out of it. That worked a treat but I’ve now got a leak to fix and the fuel gauge still isn’t working.

As dragged out:

And washed for the first time since 2018:

I’ve used it a massive 3 times this year. 

[MarinaJosh]

7 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Not something you hear everyday! Limeflower looks great, though personally I'd go back to stock wheels on that.

Sadly looks were deceptive. I bought it sight unseen from Glasgow. Despite having been restored twice, it has all needed doing again. I suspect mostly because it was used for rallying for a while, there was a lot of mud in the wings/arches! So far it's had new wings, headlamp panels, front valance, repairs to inner valance, complete A posts (that was scary!), repairs to front floors/inner sills and doors. Still needs rear arches, boot wells and backs of sills... The slots are one of the reasons I bought it, not that they came with it!

[grogee]

@MarinaJosh let me know if you ever want to sell any of the Itals.

Alternatively let me have a test drive so I can talk myself out of it. 

[brownnova]

No further movement planned before the year end so… I thought it had been a quiet year… 

Out 

First out was the MGTF sold to a guy on marketplace, I enjoyed it but it wasn’t getting much use. Of course, not long after I sold it my commute changed to commuting alone not with my kids so I would have likely used it much more… 

The hardest one to part with was the Pontiac… Bonk the magic wagon had been on the fleet a good few years, but the looking welding meant I knew it was beyond my capabilities. I really really miss the car, more than I’ve ever missed a car before, but letting go was the right thing to do for the cars survival…. Obviously been though a few owners since! But now with Rust Collector.

In and out

Accidental Kangoo acquireage happened. Was my BiLs we said we’d store it and he said we could have it if we wanted. Lack of time meant it went off on the back of a wagon.

In

Acquired in a swap with Richard K for the Pontiac, was only supposed to stay a few weeks… but is still here. Really really like it… but can’t keep them all. Will be first out in January.

And 

Bought in a double deal, we only went to help the fella sell them… several months later he offered them to us for a price we couldn’t refuse. D-reg is very viable, A-reg will need lots of welding. No rush on either of these. But might tinker with the D reg one next as I think it’s not too far off the road. 

Had a number of close shaves with other incoming vehicles this year… but resisted. 

Turds that won’t flush

Longest serving fleet member, just had new brakes and now doing 50/50 daily duties. An absolute keeper. 

2CV which started the obsession, currently broken… not running right and ht lead boot is stuck in the engine… I really miss driving a 2CV so want this back asap

Another year rolls by with the Yugo still dormant. Debating whether to let this go due to lack of progress and proliferation of other projects.

The brown nova is still here… and like the Yugo the lack of progress is worrying. Some small fettling done… but I did say if I hadn’t made meaningful progress by the end of the summer it would be sold… it’s now December. Might be out this year too.

The other project 2CV made decent progress and now has stopped. Just really needs some finishing off to get it roadworthy again… but one or two jobs are foxing me as I’m a pretty crap mechanic.

The XC90 still rolls on! Now sporting the Bonk numberplate this is the other half of the 50/50 daily split with the 9000. It’s literally the most competent vehicle we own, it does everything and no plans to move it on for a good while.

And the one we don’t talk about…. 

The wife’s modern. EV motoring at its cheapest. Genuinely perfectly competent and does all that my wife requires. Can’t fault it… well bar the bumpy ride, and those annoying self activating main beam lights… 

Plans for ‘24… Maybe cut down the number of projects and buy things I can actually drive. Maybe not. I think I’m between paying someone to get the Nova roadworthy as I’m just not going to or selling it and buying a Saab convertible, an XM a Jaguar S Type, a Rover 75 or something else that piques my interests at the time.  

 

[loserone]

On 06/12/2023 at 21:00, loserone said:

One in.

None out.

 

Muppet.  Why did I say anything?

[wesacosa]

1 hour ago, brownnova said:

No further movement planned before the year end so… I thought it had been a quiet year… 

Out 

First out was the MGTF sold to a guy on marketplace, I enjoyed it but it wasn’t getting much use. Of course, not long after I sold it my commute changed to commuting alone not with my kids so I would have likely used it much more… 

The hardest one to part with was the Pontiac… Bonk the magic wagon had been on the fleet a good few years, but the looking welding meant I knew it was beyond my capabilities. I really really miss the car, more than I’ve ever missed a car before, but letting go was the right thing to do for the cars survival…. Obviously been though a few owners since! But now with Rust Collector.

In and out

Accidental Kangoo acquireage happened. Was my BiLs we said we’d store it and he said we could have it if we wanted. Lack of time meant it went off on the back of a wagon.

In

Acquired in a swap with Richard K for the Pontiac, was only supposed to stay a few weeks… but is still here. Really really like it… but can’t keep them all. Will be first out in January.

And 

Bought in a double deal, we only went to help the fella sell them… several months later he offered them to us for a price we couldn’t refuse. D-reg is very viable, A-reg will need lots of welding. No rush on either of these. But might tinker with the D reg one next as I think it’s not too far off the road. 

Had a number of close shaves with other incoming vehicles this year… but resisted. 

Turds that won’t flush

Longest serving fleet member, just had new brakes and now doing 50/50 daily duties. An absolute keeper. 

2CV which started the obsession, currently broken… not running right and ht lead boot is stuck in the engine… I really miss driving a 2CV so want this back asap

Another year rolls by with the Yugo still dormant. Debating whether to let this go due to lack of progress and proliferation of other projects.

The brown nova is still here… and like the Yugo the lack of progress is worrying. Some small fettling done… but I did say if I hadn’t made meaningful progress by the end of the summer it would be sold… it’s now December. Might be out this year too.

The other project 2CV made decent progress and now has stopped. Just really needs some finishing off to get it roadworthy again… but one or two jobs are foxing me as I’m a pretty crap mechanic.

The XC90 still rolls on! Now sporting the Bonk numberplate this is the other half of the 50/50 daily split with the 9000. It’s literally the most competent vehicle we own, it does everything and no plans to move it on for a good while.

And the one we don’t talk about…. 

The wife’s modern. EV motoring at its cheapest. Genuinely perfectly competent and does all that my wife requires. Can’t fault it… well bar the bumpy ride, and those annoying self activating main beam lights… 

Plans for ‘24… Maybe cut down the number of projects and buy things I can actually drive. Maybe not. I think I’m between paying someone to get the Nova roadworthy as I’m just not going to or selling it and buying a Saab convertible, an XM a Jaguar S Type, a Rover 75 or something else that piques my interests at the time.  

 

Please don't mention potentially selling the Yugo and wanting an XM in the same post again. I'm already overflowing with non ULEZ tat projects and probably on my last friendly warning from Mrs W

good job we are opposite sides of the country 😂

[rob88h]

11 hours ago, wesacosa said:

overflowing with non ULEZ tat projects and probably on my last friendly warning from Mrs W

There’s a positive spin here: the Yugo is smol and the XM would be leaving, so although it’s the same amount of cars it’s  technically a fleet reduction. 😉

[barrett]

On 11/12/2023 at 16:22, barrett said:

Normally I make jokes about people adding to this thread so early on when there are three weeks of car-buying time left (and I do tend to buy cars in December or January - everybody's broke so it's the best time to do a deal I find) but for the first time since I started driving there has been NO MOVEMENT in the Barrett fleet in 2023! In fact it's been about 18 months with nothing happening, which is absolutely ridiculous. I did come quite close to buying something but the day I went to look at it I was in the middle of a bit of a health issue where I was pretty sure I wasn't going to make it to the end of the year and it felt like another stupid thing somebody else was going to have to deal with so I walked away (it was also exceedingly rusty). I am going to try my hardest to atone for this cowardly decision in 2024, as long as I can remain employed reliably enough to get some money together.

Textbook! One out (well, still here, but I've been sent a deposit so I'm calling it sold)

[loserone]

Very sadly its not me who has sent the deposit. 

[Ohdearme]

Not a great deal of goings on in ODM Towers.

Missus modern Jazz continues to function and will be going away in May 2024.

Espace is still here because every time I decide to sell it, Mrs ODM buys a lump of furniture or house tat I have to go collect.

Red Cinquecento never got finished beyond front brakes but it’s gone to @richbraith with all the bits in the boot to get it going again, bar some tickle-sticking.

I kindly inherited a Seicento sporting for an embarrassingly small fee from @Grumblespeed . It has made a great station car, except for when I was scraping ice and realised the leaking windscreen meant I had ice on both sides of the window.

Battery is subsequently flat and will be charged for Xmas running around.

Relatively tame by most standards. Fewest car swaps in years.

Out

Not Out

[jonny69]

3 hours ago, barrett said:

Textbook! One out (well, still here, but I've been sent a deposit so I'm calling it sold)

I didn't know you had one of these because I don't pay attention to anything. I had some fun in my Ami but I'm pretty sure this was what I should have got instead.

[Grumblespeed]

4 hours ago, Ohdearme said:

I kindly inherited a Seicento sporting for an embarrassingly small fee from @Grumblespeed 

Speaking of which, believe it or not that second key just turned up. Rattled out of the pocket of the oily trousers I was wearing when I was working on it when I lifted them out the wardrobe the other day. I'll get it in the post. Nice to see it's done the job for you.

[Ohdearme]

11 hours ago, Grumblespeed said:

Speaking of which, believe it or not that second key just turned up. Rattled out of the pocket of the oily trousers I was wearing when I was working on it when I lifted them out the wardrobe the other day. I'll get it in the post. Nice to see it's done the job for you.

Brilliant thanks! Thought I was going mad!

I’ve fixed the windscreen issue with some gutter mastic I had and it’s almost dried out now, gives me a few months to see if I can’t get the boot floor reattached to the body before the Mot 😂

[nev_jr]

On 07/12/2023 at 08:40, nev_jr said:

IN: BMW 540i, Ford RS2000, Vauxhall Zafira VXR

OUT: Mercedes 200E, Ford RS2000

Packed away because I don’t know what to do with it: Isuzu Trooper

I’ve jumped the gun somewhat… 

IN: all of that, now a Volvo V50 to add

OUT: BMW 540i, the prospective mrs

 

Merry fuckin Christmas 

[DVee8]

On 09/12/2023 at 17:43, DVee8 said:

I still have the Daimler, I have had her for 16 years.

In August I px-ed the modern daily X-trail for a modern daily X-trail.

In September N01 son bought a BMW 220i, he then had the alloys refurbished, a colour change, a rear defuser and M2 spoiler and then a remap.

Last week MrsV8 px her modern daily Bini Cooper for a BMW 1 series.

Around the 20th of this month, I should have an umm, err new arrival. 

We still have the Fiat 500 Abarth on the drive. anyone want to buy it?

 

Around the 20th of this month, I should have an umm, err new arrival.

 

[JMotor]

On 07/12/2023 at 08:21, JMotor said:

As for new stuff. Nahhh. Need to knuckle down and finish current projects and start ones that have been sat for years. You know, be sensible for a change!

John....

You are an utter dickhead!

So that's on 2023's IN with the Maestro.

It was nearly about the same time last year I bought a bloody Nova on a whim too.

[GMcD]

Started with 4. Finished with 4.

Out:

Out after almost 7 years: 

In/out:

In:

Back after being away a decade: 

Still goat: Red Mx-5 and Navara. 

[worldofceri]

IN: Nil
OUT: 3
Non Movers: 3
Loaners: 2

December 2022 - Working: 4: Broken: 2      
December 2023 - Working: 2; Broken: 1; On-loan: 1

OUT: 1980 VW Devon Camper

Having had little luck in selling our camper through the usual channels, I took it over to Anglia Auctions for their April sale. The hammer price was a little disappointing but we’d had our fun and were not going to be in a position to give it the attention it needed. Within days it was up for sale with a Peterborough based classics dealer for £7995! None of the many faults mentioned, of course. It was taxed around September time so presumably they eventually sold it.

OUT: 2000 Vauxhall Astra van

The disAstravan was off the road this time last year as the mot had lapsed. Needing a run-around again, I got @DaveAspley over to stick a new wiper motor on around February time and stuck it in for a mot. To my surprise, it passed. But it really shouldn’t have. A couple of months later the back axle fell off on the M1 at 70mph. Bit scary.  Although the engine was strong and it drove really well, it was too rusty to save and was scrapped.

OUT: 2010 Ford Ranger 

The Ranger had been doing decent service as back up tow vehicle and I was gradually improving it. I’d noticed that the liquid in the header tank didn’t look very coolanty, but didn’t do anything about it. I then took it out on one of the coldest days of last winter and it overheated in -6 conditions; I think the water in the rad had frozen, blocked the system and blown the head gasket. Needing funds for planned family holidays, it was parked up in disgrace. That was until the gearbox went on my Isuzu (see below) leaving me with no back-up truck for work.  At this point I panicked and booked it in at a local garage to have the head gasket done, no expense spared.  It took them flipping ages – longer than it took me to get the gearbox swapped in the D-Max, and not much less expensive.  To be fair they did a decent job and it drove really well afterwards.  At least it did for about three weeks, whereupon the radiator sprang a leak and I failed to notice the climbing temperature gauge on one of the hottest September days on record.  Absolute fucking disaster.  Having blown the head gasket again, it was sent to Copart. They paid a decent price, which was a small consolation on an otherwise massive loss.

Non-mover:  2017 Isuzu D-Max

The D-Max rarely fails to proceed, but when it does it fails Big Time.  Back in May things were going reasonably swimmingly and @Inspector Morose was lined up to be in full control of the Walsgrave Transport operation while I took the family on a trip abroad.  But barely 24 hours into his fortnight at the helm, the Isuzu’s gearbox suddenly and without warning locked up completely and left him stranded, unable to move the truck at all.  And no back-up truck available (see above).  FFS.  Fast forward a couple of weeks and I’d rung round a handful of gearbox specialists, none of whom were particularly keen or able to help.  In desperation I called the Isuzu dealer from whom I bought the truck and enquired after a brand new gearbox, reasoning that I would then have at least a ceiling cost to work with.  To my mild surprise they suggested they would be happy to source a reconditioned ‘box (this after at least two specialists told me they wouldn’t be able to) and get it all fitted with a new clutch for around £4k all in.  In the scheme of things I didn’t think that was too bad so away it went to Unity Automotive in Balsall Common.  I got it back at the start of July and –‘hilariously’ – forgot to re-tax it (having sorned it at the end of May) and that the mot had lapsed.  I got a £137 fine from the DVLA for no tax and was bloody lucky not to get stopped by the police for no mot.  It did have to go back for the ‘box to come out again as it started making a rattle, but they fixed it under warranty with no argument at all; They even gave me a brand new MG ZSEV to drive around in for a week or so, which was a nice novelty, although obviously no use for hauling a trailer loaded with tat around the country.  So, TL:DR, the D-Max lives to fight another year, but with 236,000 miles on the clock is beginning to feel a little worn around the edges.  But apart from a whole fecking gearbox the only other non-service item it’s needed has been a battery, so I’m hopeful it’ll keep plodding on a little longer.

ON/OFF Loan:  2007 Land Rover Discovery

In the immediate wake of the broken gearbox/blown headgasket debacle described above, I put out a plea on these pages for a tow vehicle for hire, loan or cheap sale.  @red5 very kindly answered that I could use his Disco 3 for a bit, the only (but slightly crucial) catch being that the towbar was u/s.  With further kind assistance from @Lord Sterling the ‘Rover was brought to Walsgrave Transport HQ and, as soon as I got back from holiday, I whanged on a flange-type ‘bar in place of the broken removable unit.  The Discovery was a superb tool for the following few weeks and I’m indebted to Red for loaning it to me.  Unfortunately, the suspension went into full on Nope mode whilst out on a job, and had to be limped back to Red’s place.  Turned out to be failure of the motor on the air compressor, I believe. 

ON/OFF/ON Loan: 2014 Ford Ranger

Following failure of the Discovery to proceed, neither the Isuzu nor my own Ranger were back in the game, so I got in touch with my brother to see if he’d loan me his Ranger.  I probably should have done this in the first place, but the logistics are awkward as he lives down in Fareham.  Being the 2.2l model, it’s not the quickest, but just as competent at towing as the D-Max, and I’ve been using it off and on ever since.  The serpentine belt shredded itself and left me off the road for a day (would have been longer had DaveAspley not come to the rescue), and subsequently had to be changed again along with the tensioner.  Also started to invoke the constant-loss under body anti-corrosion system, but replacement of the crank seal has put a stop to that.

Non-mover: 2005 Honda Accord

Had to spend a whole grand this year on a replacement clutch and rear brake caliper.  Took it to Amsterdam via Harwich and the Hook of Holland (ferry pic above).  Could do with a few quid spending on cosmetics to make it a bit nicer to look at and sit in.  The stereo and built in sat nav which must have been near top of the range in 2005 are now almost completely obsolete, so we could do with a solution which provides Android auto and Apple Car Play.  Keep looking at units on AliExpress that replace almost the entire centre console with a new touchscreen and all the bells and whistles, so one of those might be on the cards if everything else stops breaking for long enough.

Non-mover:  1972 VW 1200

Still in the garage going nowhere.  Had vague ambitions to equip it for classic regularity rallies this year, but the expense and reduced income as a result of breakdown of the business vehicle/s has put paid to that.  Could be getting into going rallying in a different car this year in which case I’m unlikely to do anything with the Beetle in 2024.
 

[Floatylight]

Quite a busy year at Floatylight Towers.

Out

Smoll FL's SLK200 off to experience the Nurbergring

My C4GP served us well for 130k miles (to 197k) over 8 years but time for a change, sold to @red5 and I believe being used at college as a training vehicle

After nearly 4 years on the fleet it was also time for MrsFL's trusty Mazda 3 to move on.

Last out after replacing the SlK was SmollFl's Audi A4 Convertible as it failed its MOT and had a duff oil cooler.

Also out Silver Transit

In

My S203 C Class Estate, only meant to be a stop gap but still here 9 months and 12k miles later, sadly looking a bit sorry for itself after a being reversed into by a delivery van and hitting a deer last week

Mrs FL's new XC60

SmollFL's Insignia

Green Transit (in progress camper conversion)

Non movers

SLK320 ( seeing as it's virtually unsaleable)

[Lord Sterling]

Got tagged here so thought I should do one of these to help remind me what I've got in my fleet:

In:

Temporarily in:

Out:

It got too rusty. KV6 engine still kept going though. 

Stopped running properly in Summer 5 days before my holiday rendering me having to use the roffle-win Micra K11 to go abroad. Mechanic didn't properly diagnose the problem, tried to chuck some parts at it and it never ran right, so I couldn't be arsed anymore and got rid. 

Non movers:

Technically this lot did get moved, but only towards some rented garages after outage from old unit 

[loserone]

6 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

Temporarily in:

Wait, you drove Mrs l1s old Micra abroad? Bloody hell.  You have done well to keep that running for six years!

[Lord Sterling]

8 hours ago, loserone said:

Wait, you drove Mrs l1s old Micra abroad? Bloody hell.  You have done well to keep that running for six years!

Yep. Here it is by the Atomium.

 

[Austin-Rover]

A quiet year for cars, thankfully! 

OUT

With the Cavalier gone, the Vauxhall arm of the fleet is much reduced. 

IN

New* tow car is this early production Freeloader 2. Miles better than the old Disco 2 we had (but doesn't go round corners as well). Awaiting a spot in the garage to have the rear arches tickled with the welder (TADTS). 

Remaining in various forms from 'on the road' to 'in bits' are; Allegro SDL, 820 Fastback, 820 Saloon (x2), 420SGSi, CityRover, Maestro HL, Maestro HLS, Astra GLS, Belmont GLS, Logan MCV. 

[Markeh]

Non-mover:

This fucker's still here.

No random projects this year. A couple were enquired about (tried to get my hands on a Mk1 SLK and Mk2 Ka from various family members with no joy and another ex-blood bikes Octavia got ruled out after my contacts stopped working with the group) and I've tried my hand at some roffles but no joy other than a tablet and two Chromebooks!

Very much looking for a second car next year. Lack of mechanical knowledge and driveway space doesn't help, although an impending inheritance once probate finally does its thing will hopefully turn the above mess of concrete and grass (and currently far too much mud) into a driveway wide enough for two - and maybe if there's some leftover I might get something else...

[spike60]

In. 

2015 Honda  CRZ GT-T . 

Got in June after I bought another in Dec 2022 which went to rat shit,  - more later.

 

Stayed.

1985 Mercedes 500 SEC Lorinser.

Had little use recently due houses and life etc getting in the way so I keep threatening to sell it but it doesn't happen. Currently tucked up in the garage for winter hibernation out of MOT. Owned 5 years, these might as well have been the space shuttle  when they were new but now with falling values and my changed finances they're affordable as an extravagant toy.

Stayed.

2007 Mercedes E320 cdi. Owned almost 5 years, it's been a good bus, doing 14k miles last year when asked after a couple of years of idling. Little has gone wrong, now over 180k miles but still the tool of choice over a 2023 Suzuki Swift for long runs.

Out.

2014 Honda CRV GT.  I bought this very late last year from a Vertu dealer knowing it had broken service so was happy to service it again when I got it. Very shiny.

 

And now not very fucking shiny underneath......

.

This is an Aug 2014 £9250 car from a Vertu dealer a year ago, showing the floor around the rear suspension mount, the orange cable on the left is the 154v hybrid cable with rotten mountings. They had a no quibble return if you notified them in 14 days but they froze me out, phone calls not answered or returned, emails ignored. They appeared to be counting the 14 days I had to return the car and hoped I would just forget about it. I didn't, but it took my son who works in the trade copying someone from Vertu head office in on the emails. I got my money back but their treatment left a bad taste in my mouth.  My white CRZ does not look like this underneath!

 

Out. 

2000 BMW Z3 2.8

Owned 11 years it was an old Cat C bought from a friend and was pretty trouble free, the powerflow exhaust was sweet on a 10 mile run to work but a drone on longer runs.  Strong marks as a daily driver usable toy, it only went because a need to slim the fleet a little.

 

 

[Saabnut]

I think I am going to risk calling it now, 2 days to go and no plans.....

The year started busy but work then got in the way and slowed things down, but a fair bit of change this year, I will do out, returned to road and in, anything not mentioned is a stay and there are too many of them to mention  

OUT:

Disco 2 for possible continued life or spares

Disco 2 for bean tins

Saab 9-5 for bean tins

BMW - my last motorcycle

Smart 4 2 to a new owner

The disastra has left. Boring. My friends lad borrowed it a few months ago as he needed a car to get a job and a job to afford a car. I said to myself hw would never stick his job, gamekeepers assistant as it is hard work and he was basically lazy. He has surprised me by sticking it out, and he brought me a bottle of wine as a thank you for lending him the car. As he is not paid a lot, I gave him the car. I won't miss it!

Finally the Range Rover that went to @dirtydaily yesterday. Brilliant car I miss already

Returned to the Road:

This year, two projects returned to the road

The '68 Rover P5b

The '97 Disco 1

IN:

Fergie TED20

Half a Saab 900 'vert in the form of a trailer

A hydraulic tipping 2 tonne trailer for the Fergie/Kubota and an Ifor William trailer that will be for sale next year

The Xantia of many shiters that is now ready to be collected once I have repaired my track

And finally the Lancia Beta HPE that arrived yesterday.

So that makes 7 out, two returned to the road and three vehicles (plus 3 trailers) so moving in the right direction.