Well, sometimes.
Absolutely nothing wrong with my '04 330Ci soft top. I love it to bits. Had it for 3.5 years now, but I just get bored with cars. In 40 years motoring I have owned over 40 cars, plus 4 VW Transporters for lengthy periods whilst 'in trade'.
I so wish I did not get this urge to change for no reason whatsoever. It could be more practical, but it does have 4 seats and I have a decent sized trailer. The mpg is not a problem, nor are any of the running costs, and it does all I want. So why the need for a performance estate, with hard to find sunroof as a given, just because it is slightly more practical? And I know, deep down, that in the depths of winter I would then go out and buy a 2 seater privately or via an auction buyer.
All on a tight budget. Maybe I should just go and work in a ski resort for 5 months before I get too old and the feeling will go away!
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I do understand where you're coming from LL. I too have had a lot of cars. Many of them were "company" issued but certainly back in the 80s and 90s you could still get some interesting kit which still made sense even with the then tax implications. More difficult to justify now with the bik rules as they are and indeed the modern propensity for companies to want / need to run more frugal vehicles.
Then I spent a number of years back funding my own wheels when I usually had a diesel estate of some kind for work ( high mileage was necessary ) but had a toy as well a lot of the time ( Westfield )
Nowadays, I'm back as a company car driver and have what is to me a pleasing compromise. It's a Merc E estate with the "250" diesel engine in "Sport" spec. 200 bhp so no slouch but an easy 50 mpg on the cruise. The "sports" suspension/tyre set up might not suit everyone's tastes but I quite like the harder ride and tighter handling. It's an auto but it can be driven on the flappy paddles or in "S" setting so doesn't give much away in terms of press on driving while being very relaxing when mooching around cities or stuck in traffic in "E" mode.
The main thing though for me is, I not only use my car to move me about but regularly need to carry "stuff" either for work or leisure and indeed shift people.
A "sports" estate is therefore, for me anyway, the best compromise. It handles as well as any saloon car ( not top heavy like an MPV or SUV ) it nips along well enough and gives plenty of driver satisfaction but is equally useful when loaded up with work kit, family members or our mountain bikes and their attendant bits and bobs.
I'm not even slightly tempted to buy a sports car for the weekends anymore whereas if I had a less pleasing car for practical purposes I just might.
Goodness knows what I'll have next but given the choice / opportunity it'll be a reasonably quick with reasonable handling estate car of some kind preferably with an auto box ( and most preferably with RWD ! ) That last bit kind of limits the field a touch of course !
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Subaru Legacy Spec B
tinyurl.com/qz7vf3w manual
or
tinyurl.com/qz7vf3w auto
Last edited by: madf on Sat 19 Oct 13 at 12:05
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Consensus of opinion in the pub tonight was to get hold of a 5yo Lexus RX hybrid thingy. Ex lease jobby from BCA. Very left field thinking from my drinking chums. Doubtless well screwed together, nice to sit on, but rather roly poly. Not the sort of thing to drop in to third and redline past a line of shed tuggers just for the fun of it. Aah they say. That's when you go to the auctions in January, 4ft of snow down, and buy an '05 Boxster S.
Nice thought, but not on my budget.
ps. make that drunken chums. Early doors boozing has a lot to answer for. Just as well I'm recuperating on fizzy water.
Last edited by: legacylad on Sat 19 Oct 13 at 22:38
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Always amazing the guys in the pub who know how to make a mint, and drive an awesome piece of kit for buttons.
Would be more believable if they actually managed it.
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I have finally narrowed the choice down to two mid size petrol estates. Mpg is not an issue due to my low annual mileage, nor is insurance. Depreciation is, so further consideration needed before the final decision can be made. But at least it is drawing to a close. Phew. So goodbye my much loved 330 convertible.
Last edited by: legacylad on Sat 26 Oct 13 at 09:28
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Changing cars. Why do I find it so difficult? - Runfer D'Hills
