Why do we do it to ourselves?

In case you were wondering whats tipped me over the edge

The "new" me says have one and do it well.

But if it was cheap...

If it wasn't cheap, you're an idiot (probably, me too)

i have done this with motorbikes

i have 4 in pieces and a lambretta part built and now bought the herald

i have one motorbike complete but keep looking at other cars and bikes for sale !!

But that looks ace! Who cares when you look that cool. As David Freiburger almost said, sometimes, it is better to look good than it is to be good.

On a serious note, I used to be this bad myself. For years, I've had runners, but many moons ago, I was lucky to have maybe 2 cars running in a fashion at a time.

For me, these were the reasons why I bought other cars

-Hope : You have issues with the car you have, so you either park it up, or you sell it on, declaring it when asked as to what may be needed. You then buy another car, thinking it doesn't need much, and you picture yourself driving into the sunset with zero issues after a few mini-hurdles

If only. I've probably managed that with a handful of cars.

-Costs and hassle : This probably has changed today. I remember selling an E36 323i because it had an oil burning issue at random I thought it was stuck piston rings, as the oil was pretty black, even after servicing it, but it was probably the PCV. That, and I thought engine swapping was too much work. So what did I do? Look to buy either tired Audi TT 225s, R53 Minis, even a Mini 1275GT as a daily, before I finally got a very clean low mileage Clio.

Did it not need work, and did I save cash? Of course not! £600 later, after a cambelt, dephaser and aux belt change, the car to be fair was pretty good for the next two years.

I remember selling cars as they may have needed £500 on a variety of stuff (tyres, some dampers, AC regassing etc.) and then bought something else, which took the cash anyway.

-Boredom : This is probably the one which affects us all.

I did used to get bored with cars. Not often, but often enough.

The last car I got bored with was my E91 325d. It was too good, too competent, and just that! Funny really, as when I bought it, I adored the car as a daily. It was a step up for most things had owned. It was big enough for me, quick enough, frugal enough and simple enough to work on with a good OEM parts supply.

I thought me driving the S124 230TE would make me sell it. How wrong I was. As good as that S124 drove, it was a little tired, with dampers being slightly chattery, it slipping about on the roads with Chinese tyres, and even doing burnouts in the wet, along with 'older' car stuff.

Even with the M3, as much as I adore it, I debate selling it at times, to try something new.

Driving the E91 afterwards may not have had the cool factor, but it make me appreciate refinement, pace, a bank balance driving around for work, and more.

Out of the 50 cars I've owned, I can probably count on barely two hands the cars which were truly good buys.

That said, there is something about thinning the herd and getting big ticket items right. Maybe having a house as a project hasn't helped either.

Thats the wrong-make-and-model "Bluesmobile" with the slipping transmission, yes.

I've not seen Uncle Buck but I believe its some form of full size Mercury he drives in that.

There's 2 statements about how movies ruin cars in one post.

I also have a history of buying replacement cars and not selling the old ones.

I'd say step away from the 1956 Armstrong Siddeley...but I too could see the potential in that one!!!

Wow those 4 years have been hard on that car(and galls me no end using the completely wrong make/model for a movie tribute car).

I will admit my vision for somethings potential has, on more than one occasion, blinded me to faults because "that'll get sorted when I do....[insert concept here]" which in turn creates lots of work, delays and spend!

I've been looking at those for a while, but thats not what else was on the options list, that one needs too much work.



It just takes one guy and... I mean, his car, his way and all that, but damn he ruined a nice car. But then, I got it cheap because of that. Shame he lost all the history for it. That I can't replace.



Holy heck, I missed this one? Thats awesome.

There is something comforting to know that i'm not the only one that struggles with this, the last 15 years i haven't actually completed a project, 60+ cars have come and gone! i get one and proceed to come up with a hair brain scheme to engine swap it etc, then something pops up and the project goes to then move onto the next thing!

ITS EXHAUSTING!! I currently have a 1981 Honda City R (for now)

This is just the ones i have on my work PC!