|
|
|
Oct 15, 2006 19:26:21 GMT
|
|
I get like that sometimes with the bike. The worst was a few weeks ago, it was on the same day that i had crashed and i'd also just been told the bike was un-roadworthy. Riding home at the end of the day it cut out and wouldnt start. At that point I was prepared to just walk away and leave the bike for someone to have. Thankfully, I looked at the bike, and remember how much I enjoy it and I just couldn't do a thing like that. Half an hour later - and a very sore foot - it started and I rode home!
To me, all of the annoying unreliable times are canceled out by the good times and the fact that i ride something unique that always turns heads, out performs its competitors and is garenteed to put a smile on my face every time i use it.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 15, 2006 21:01:10 GMT
|
|
We've all had that thought from time to time.
I had it forced on me. I bought a new car on a 3year hire purchase and then had major career turmoil about a year later as the dotcom era crashed around me. I had literally no cash for anything but the 350 quid a month to keep the repo man from taking away the new toy so there was nothing left for the Herald and the older of my two bikes.
4 years later I have a diesel Polo that's all mine and I'm just getting back towards a roadworthy Herald. In the intervening time I've frequently wondered whether to shift on the Heralds to someone else and walk away but I decided I still wanted to be a Herald driver.
Meanwhile I should point out that the Polo has been reliable, fun, economical and even relatively inexpensive to run. You people must have bought the wrong new cars.
|
| |
"Jeremy Clarkson, a man we motor enthusiasts need on our side like Lewis Hamilton's F1 car needs a towing ball and a Sprite Musketeer" My motor |
|
|
|
|
Oct 15, 2006 21:08:35 GMT
|
You people must have bought the wrong new cars. Reminds me of a recent debate! LOL Good point if you can have one credible realistic daily, you are laughing and a Polo aint a bad daily. |
| |
 it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts  |
|
baz
Part of things
Posts: 77
|
|
Oct 15, 2006 21:56:35 GMT
|
It's nice to be a little different....An "enigmatic" daily driver can however involve a real "Love/Hate" relationship with Your steed.... For a year or two in the mid-nineties, I (in my wisdom :  decided that it would be fun to use a 1959 Simca Aronde as my everyday transport....It was probably the only model of it's exact kind in the country....Devoid of such little luxuries as heater, screenwashers, and parts availabilty, I can honestly say that it was a total pain in the butt! In the winter, I had to de-ice the inside of the windscreen as I drove along....Windscreen washers consisted of a squeezy bottle out the window....And when the top radiator hose blew, it took me a month to find a replacement! On a couple of occasions, I came dashing out of a takeaway with the tea, only to encounter an enthusiastic ol' boy who wanted to spend half an hour asking questions....Cold tea again!  But when the sun was out, the roads were dry, and I had no place in particular to go, it was a very satisfying car to own and drive! At the other end of the scale, in 2004 I bought a new Vauxhall Meriva which was reliable, practical, comfortable and economical....And so mind numbingly DULL that I only kept it 6 months! I sold it and started using my Alfa Spider everyday instead! The situation now is that I'm about to change my Volvo S40 (certainly in the top 5 of the 50 or so cars I've had) for a 1979 Renault 20....I'm HOPING it will be reliable as well as interesting/stylish/comfortable, but I'm taking no chances....I'm taking out R.A.C membership! ;D |
| |
 It IS as bad as You think and they ARE out to get You! |
|
|
|
|
Oct 15, 2006 22:05:27 GMT
|
|
Slighty OT, but when my dad has his Renault 20TL, in the summer it got hard to start when warm. Apparently "they all do that". Early electronic ignition or something.
|
| |
|
|
ryan
Part of things
Posts: 32
|
|
Oct 15, 2006 22:21:38 GMT
|
thanks for the inspiration everyone, i just need some time to think it over, i have so much love for the car that i've decided to take it of the road, get a bucket car and do the dolly justice and have it made nice for spring. the reason for failure is still unknown, but seems strange as everything had been checked a few days previously during a tune up. i'll have to take it all apart and find out  cheers |
| |
|
|
Reynolds501
Part of things
Volvos, they're boxy, but good.
Posts: 368
|
|
Oct 16, 2006 11:35:46 GMT
|
Ryan, to be honest, I bought a relatively modern motor recently (620ti) and have not regretted it one bit, not bad on fuel, handling is quite sharp and it fair flies, but it looks so un-assuming! I love Q cars! Touch wood, bar an extensive service which is something you should always do to an unknown car (no nasty surprises though), nothing has been done to it, nothing has gone wrong and it's behaving it's self exceptionally well so far. Did I already mention it goes like soot off a polished shovel?! ;D Ok, I'm a child and enjoy the odd traffic light Grand Prix, so sue me! ;D Sorry dude, I'll get around to my point! thing is, earlier this year I got totally dis-illusioned with car modding and tinkering, really lost all enthusiasm, even to the point of selling off all my cool stuff, GSXR 750 bodies on a custom short tract inlet manifold, fully recon unused M16, Megasquirt ECU, and a fair few other bits. I'm pretty sure some personal problems I had at the start of the year helped to quickly dampen my enthusiasm aswell to be honest. I was all ready to scrap the car and have done with the whole thing, then b*gger me, it's getting late in the year (this time of year always gets me enthusiastic again, weird!), I'm realising I look like a lad who's borrowed his dad's car is enjoying the novelty of giving it a bit of stick and don't feel comfy with that image, et voila my enthusiasm is suddenly restored for no good reason! I'm currently on the lookout for another M16 and a few bits and pieces to finish it off, fickle, me?  The long and short of it is as already said, sometimes we all lose our spirit and fight for the love of old cars, but it comes back, I am living proof! Stick with it, it'll be worth it! If anyone watched my name is Earl on friday, my point making is about as direct as Randy's! ;D Right, I'm off out to drill some holes in a piece of metal and drink luke-warm tea with swarf and rust flakes in it... |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 16, 2006 11:38:50 GMT
|
Snapdragon! Have you heard from Daz? He sold up didnt he, whats he upto? did he sell the lot etc. is he missing the fleet etc?  |
| |
it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts |
|
|
|
|
Oct 16, 2006 11:42:05 GMT
|
|
i get fed up with mine every now and then but its more the lack of money than the car going wrong, i don't mind it needing some bits doing if i have some cash but when I'm skint and it still needs stuff doing then i get upset, it never makes me wanna buy a mdern car tho. plus once it is fixed, a quick spurt along some twisty roads and i love it again. great stuff
|
| |
|
|
Reynolds501
Part of things
Volvos, they're boxy, but good.
Posts: 368
|
|
Oct 16, 2006 11:42:42 GMT
|
Reanimation dude, Spoke to him recently, he's pretty much all sold up at the minute, he seemed to reach the same conlcusion about cars as I did at the same point, apathy? I think he's got a few ideas kicking around, but only ideas at the minute, I'm sure he will be back though |
| |
|
|
|
|
bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,961
Club RR Member Number: 71
|
|
Oct 16, 2006 11:55:06 GMT
|
|
Whatever you drive it'll cost you money
New cars get the hidden depreciation losses and main dealer prices for servicing to keep the warrenty or "percieved" value up as high as possible (still cripples you on depreciation tho)
Older cars have the inevitable maintainance costs that often to be more expensive than their value.
Do I ever want to jack it in and sell my soul (856% apr) for a 56 plate
Nah.................. Done it once never again.
My theory is if you have too many projects - keep the ones you really want to do - thin the fleet..... If you still want to keep em all you aren't being realistic!!!
It's only when I've had too many projects that I have had thoughts of jacking it all in!!!
Make sure you have a reliable - easy to maintain daily driver so you always have wheels
Stick them (the projects) into a priority order and concentrate on one at a time and have a plan
Be prepared for the plan to change!!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 16, 2006 21:36:49 GMT
|
No, I never get to the stage when I think I should pack it all in. There are times when I wish I hadnt took on certain jobs, normally other peoples cars and normally modern ones at that. I don't run a retro as a daily at the minute, well its 6 year old so its modern to some old to others . It doesnt really stand me at anything, its cheap to run and maintain so far and means I have more spare cash for spending on the cars I really care about. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 16, 2006 23:08:38 GMT
|
I've thought about getting rid of the Amazon (don't tell my fiancee - it will give her ideas!!!) usually after a hefty bill, but I know that I would always regret it if I did. Other old cars will probably come & go but I suspect that I will always keep the Amazon, as I've known it about half my life |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
“…just jack this all in?” Sometimes, but reality kicks in… …reason I run older vehicles is because modern cars are too expensive to purchase. To those people who can afford 14k or 18k and ever upwards on a new mota my absolute admiration to your success in life etc. I do realise some people buy newish cars on the ‘never, never/on tick’ but I think this would worry me (Also realise their finances are there business and not mine). At present I run 3 older vehicles as everyday transport and find that the monthly running costs combined do not equal what it would be to say buy 1 new Golf or Civic on the monthly ‘never/never’ monthly payments. So for my tupence worth I would say if your old bangers ain’t costin’ more to run than a new car your winning! If however monthly repair bills are equalling more than a new car ‘on tick’ then think long and hard …I know I would. What I would ‘Jack in’ though is the car shows if ever they revert to the ‘problem’ they were in the late 90’s and up till about 3 year ago! The ‘problem’ was the Concours bonkers/flat cap brigade. I was fed up with the ‘chinless wonder’ coming up and pointing out faults on my MGB and how I should get “this, that and t’other done”, I pointed out that if I was to have all that done it would be cheaper to go out and by a New MG F! As said in first section of my rant I run an older car because I cannot …etc.. etc.. Thankfully these A$$holes have disappeared for the time being so shows have become more Fun again (like the 80’s and early 90’s) and that’s what it’s all about … …old cars should be fun and affordable (< Although I realise not all old cars are affordable such as Bugattis or Racing green Bentleys ;D ) |
| |
|
|
decided that it would be fun to use a 1959 Simca Aronde as my everyday transport....It was probably the only model of it's exact kind in the country....Devoid of such little luxuries as heater, screenwashers, and parts availabilty, I can honestly say that it was a total pain in the butt! In the winter, I had to de-ice the inside of the windscreen as I drove along....Windscreen washers consisted of a squeezy bottle out the window....And when the top radiator hose blew, it took me a month to find a replacement!
