Y'know that 'OMG what have I just done' feeling when you shake hands on a deal. That's me today, that is
A little background on this purchase first I think... I had a Lexus LS400, fantastic car, but I wanted something with a bigger boot. So I bought a LR Discovery. That was too slow and a bit juicy (even on LPG), so I bought a Passat estate. That was FWD, manual and I didn't really like it, so I bought a Jeep Cherokee. I know I like them, I've had one before.
Plan was to do a couple of little jobs on the Jeep (new tyres, service, LPG etc.) ready for the family holiday to France (me, the Mrs and our 'combined total of' 3 kids we leave 5 weeks today....). Plenty of time, no rush, bung it through an MOT and job done.
Then this bad boy appears on ebay. I bid and I don't win. 'Meh' thinks I, easy come easy go, continue with the Jeep Then a week or so later, it reappears on ebay with the usual 'timewaster'. Now, it's close enough and cheap enough, so in the dying seconds, I bid again. curse word, literally the second before I hit 'bid', someone else had put in a bid of just slightly less rendering my bid not enough (seeing as his was put in first, I'd have had to bid £20 more than his bid). Bother says I, but just on the off chance, I email the bloke selling it saying if it falls through, drop e a line.
A day goes by, and I get a message 'give me a call about the van'. So I do and it turns out this person was also a timewasting dreamer, I arrange to go and see it this morning. Off I go, and I arrive just as he's pulling it out of his lockup - realistically, so long as there was no major grot, I'd already mentally bought it...
A reasonable inspection ensued, followed by a test drive round his yard and all seemed well. The interior is missing the rear 'rock and roll' bed, and the 'middle' captains seats don't match the rest of the interior. And the carpet is a bit rank... But they are all jobs I can do at my leisure, so long as it's mechanically sound (which it seems to be).
Sadly it's only a V6 but meh, it's not a speed machine anyway, and although no more economical (except maybe round town), it makes servicing slightly cheaper (only 6 plugs instead of 8...!).
Anyway, the deposit has been left, and I pick it up tomorrow. I've just got to finish the few jobs on the Jeep and get that sold now. Anyone want to buy a 1998 Jeep Cherokee ;D ;D
More pics as work ensues - if it survives France, it'll be at the gathering. I've wanted one of these for years, I'm an excited little bunny today! What's even better is that it will fit in my garage so I can happily work on it in the dry - knew I'd built it for a reason.... ;D
A little background on this purchase first I think... I had a Lexus LS400, fantastic car, but I wanted something with a bigger boot. So I bought a LR Discovery. That was too slow and a bit juicy (even on LPG), so I bought a Passat estate. That was FWD, manual and I didn't really like it, so I bought a Jeep Cherokee. I know I like them, I've had one before.
Plan was to do a couple of little jobs on the Jeep (new tyres, service, LPG etc.) ready for the family holiday to France (me, the Mrs and our 'combined total of' 3 kids we leave 5 weeks today....). Plenty of time, no rush, bung it through an MOT and job done.
Then this bad boy appears on ebay. I bid and I don't win. 'Meh' thinks I, easy come easy go, continue with the Jeep Then a week or so later, it reappears on ebay with the usual 'timewaster'. Now, it's close enough and cheap enough, so in the dying seconds, I bid again. curse word, literally the second before I hit 'bid', someone else had put in a bid of just slightly less rendering my bid not enough (seeing as his was put in first, I'd have had to bid £20 more than his bid). Bother says I, but just on the off chance, I email the bloke selling it saying if it falls through, drop e a line.
A day goes by, and I get a message 'give me a call about the van'. So I do and it turns out this person was also a timewasting dreamer, I arrange to go and see it this morning. Off I go, and I arrive just as he's pulling it out of his lockup - realistically, so long as there was no major grot, I'd already mentally bought it...
A reasonable inspection ensued, followed by a test drive round his yard and all seemed well. The interior is missing the rear 'rock and roll' bed, and the 'middle' captains seats don't match the rest of the interior. And the carpet is a bit rank... But they are all jobs I can do at my leisure, so long as it's mechanically sound (which it seems to be).
Sadly it's only a V6 but meh, it's not a speed machine anyway, and although no more economical (except maybe round town), it makes servicing slightly cheaper (only 6 plugs instead of 8...!).
Anyway, the deposit has been left, and I pick it up tomorrow. I've just got to finish the few jobs on the Jeep and get that sold now. Anyone want to buy a 1998 Jeep Cherokee ;D ;D
More pics as work ensues - if it survives France, it'll be at the gathering. I've wanted one of these for years, I'm an excited little bunny today! What's even better is that it will fit in my garage so I can happily work on it in the dry - knew I'd built it for a reason.... ;D