Would you?

P-Jay – Member

The short version is maybe.Like.
When someone pranged our car we got a courtesy car, I made the mistake of not paying the £10 p.day excess waiver so a mild bump or someone keying it would cost me £500. Drove it like a grandma, would stand at the window at night watching it on the street, I could not handle the stress of keeping a nearly new peugot 208, took it back after 2 days and managed without a car while ours was finished. 😕

No and Yes to the first two posts.

Knowing the importance of ground clearance in both the city & country road driving, a RangeRover or equivalent would be my choice of flashness. And I could get the bike in the back, too.

The saddest thing ever was the chap I bought my first house from. He’d scrimped & saved to buy his brand new Lotus something-or-other on retirement, then found that after about 2 months, his back problems meant that he couldn’t get into it. Or out, once he’d levered himself in. So he sold at a magnificent loss and regretted the whole damn thing.

A really interesting insight that P-Jay. Thanks for that.

I thought about this. I used to think about what I’d buy but then I realised I really woudn’t want to. If I turned up at my mates in some sort of bling, I have a feeling it’d drive a bit of a wedge between us.

And I don’t really want to show off. I’d maybe go as far as a BMW 5 series or similar, but that’d be it. Not the sporty ones either – I’d want quiet comfort. If I had that much cash I’d easily be able to afford a track day car and actually race it, which I might do for a bit just to do it.

As said, you can’t gun these things on the open road, so better to waft in comfort. Or else resort to making lots of noise for a few seconds on your way to 50mph in a built-up area.

If I had that much disposable income then I’d probably do something useful with it rather than spend it on a car.

I’m not puritain but I sumply couldn’t convice myself that spunking that amount of cash on something as frivolous as a car was a valid use of cash.

Same reason I couldn’t justify spending huge amounts on a bike.

If I was to get something utterly silly, it’d probably be an Atom.

I’ve got one of the Intel ones. Really not that quick.

Or else resort to making lots of noise for a few seconds on your way to 50mph in a built-up area.

I’d not thought of that aspect. I don’t think I could ever buy a particularly noisy car as I tend to think that it’s a spectacularly inconsiderate and shitty thing to drive them around town.

No

Yes

Tank.

+1 – pretty much confirms the thoughts I’ve always had about them. If I wanted to drive something round a track I’d buy a trackday car. If I wanted something to pose in I’d buy a classic soft-top. If I wanted something nice to drive on the road to go places I’d buy an “ordinary” sportscar.

As for the idea of commuting in a supercar, if I could afford a supercar I wouldn’t commute, which is probably why I’ll never be able to afford a supercar.

Yes and yes. A few folk at work drive Astons and theres an engineer with a Ferrari 355 or somesuch (runs on standard Fiat parts). I dont begrudge anyone having something that puts a smile on their face, we have the roads out here so why not?

Is that first 911 that of 12 Gauge fame?

I don’t think I could ever buy a particularly noisy car as I tend to think that it’s a spectacularly inconsiderate and shitty thing to drive them around town.

People go on and on about the noise from these things. Honestly, the supercars I’ve heard (and I heard a hell of a lot last week as I stayed in Kensington) sound like a racket. I have no idea how it sounds form inside the car but really, it’s just a noise.

we have the roads out here

I doubt that.

I’ve similar views to P-Jay although there does seem to be a similar approach to these things as ‘fine wines’ or art now.

People are buying them, unseen, and keeping them as investments. they often have no interest in them beyond their market value.

Using sites such as https://www.hagerty.com/valuationtools/market-trends they try spot ‘undervalued’ marques/areas and buy at the right time.

Additionally, with classics there’s also the element of buying your way into events by owning the right car. Whether it’s Goodwood FoS, Pebble Beach or just ‘the right’ continental tour there’s lots of kudos to be had from owning a perfect example of certain marques (and, increasingly, something totally original in unrestored condition – ‘preservation’ they call it). Even with these owners will employ professional drivers at races because wins in historic races will increease a vehicles value (like a race horse, the owners rarely ride) or just show them as static displays that get taken to and from shows in climate controlled lorries by professionals.

So I was riding in this morning and passed somebody sitting in a brand new VW. It got me to wondering, if I could afford to waste what that would lose in depreciation in a couple of years would I choose to spend it on a really nice bike instead?

Honestly, the supercars I’ve heard (and I heard a hell of a lot last week as I stayed in Kensington) sound like a racket

Totally agreed. I saw an electric sports car* in town a few weeks back which moved like a greased weael and was almost eerily silent – I thought that was pretty cool.

*forget what it was – they mostly look a bit the same to me to be honest.

You see a lot of Toys here in Shiny Town, some actually drive their Toys to work and back and it’s nice to see them in Waitrose carpark under Shiny Town Towers.
Best on I’ve seen to date is a Porker though, gleaming 70’s targa in silver.. A stunner. There are a myriad of Astons to the point of them being boring.

My mate (I’ve said this before on here) had a McP1 in bright Orange and drove it occasionally. Bought because he could, liked the colour his wife picked out, it sat in the garage having covered 2500 miles in a year. In fact he asked me to drive it whilst he was away in Russia and it was the most bloody awkward car on this planet. I had to drive it up and down Old St just to keep the thing running, what a PITA and heaven forbid should I prang it. He asked me to sell it for him, well hand over the keys to the dealer picking it up. I never asked him how much he got for it, I’m not that crass.

Also you see a lot of flashy ladies too here, some actually work for a living and are pretty damn good at it as well.

You can have both, you may have to come here and vie for it but it’s available alright.

I’ve often wondered about buying a super car. I think you need to understand what you really want. The idea can be different to the experience. Also, you are limited quite a bit on the road when it comes to performance, and the consequences of getting it wrong are pretty daunting. (I’ve owned a few fast motorbikes)

A couple of years ago I spent a large amount of money on a toy (not a car, but not far off).

Basically I use it when I’m on holiday, so I look forward to using it. I spend time planning a mini adventure and really enjoy it. Go to places where I would not normally go. Places that are beautiful to look at, place that are fun to go to. So the whole thing is a buzz and I really enjoy it. This year I’ve spent three weeks (two holidays) enjoying it and will spend a further 10 days over Christmas on another mini adventure. Cant wait.

I don’t commute to work on it, I don’t use it when its not going to be fun.

It has undoubtedly depreciated, but I don’t plan on selling it, so that’s not a cost I measure. Basically I swopped an asset that was giving me a headache for something I can use and enjoy using.

Before my old man popped his clogs he said to me:

“if you ever think of doing something, FFS do it – you never know when life / health / work will get in the way and before you know it, your too old to do it”

So now for a few weeks a year I’m grinning from ear to ear having a hoot and an adventure.

what about a membership to a car club ? this could be the way of driving daft cars but not having to worry about ownership

I’ve driven enough to know that they do nothing for me, this is as close as I’d want, supercar engine in something more practical

A couple of years ago I spent a large amount of money on a toy (not a car, but not far off).

Basically I use it when I’m on holiday, so I look forward to using it. I spend time planning a mini adventure and really enjoy it. Go to places where I would not normally go. Places that are beautiful to look at, place that are fun to go to. So the whole thing is a buzz and I really enjoy it. This year I’ve spent three weeks (two holidays) enjoying it and will spend a further 10 days over Christmas on another mini adventure. Cant wait.

I don’t commute to work on it, I don’t use it when its not going to be fun.

It has undoubtedly depreciated, but I don’t plan on selling it, so that’s not a cost I measure. Basically I swopped an asset that was giving me a headache for something I can use and enjoy using.
Is it one of those Russian brides?

Yes, how did you guess 🙂

Cars don’t interest me enough, so I wouldn’t have one. If I had a truly spectacular amount of money though, I’d have a fast jet. It would have to be one with an unusual amount of headroom (so sadly not a Gnat!) and a two-seater, as I’d not actually be able to fly it myself…

Had a (cheap-ish) fast car in my 20s

Did Trackdays, Euro tours, Le Mans

it was fun, don’t want another. 😀 (couldn’t get dog, kids, bike in etc)

In Edinburgh the seikh family that have the monopoly on the tourist tat shops have quite a range of Supercars, Red ones, black ones, green ones, yellow ones, some even have 4 doors and you could pretend they were actually still English. They use them as every day cars so far as I can tell and happily park them outside their shops on the Royal Mile, although I don’t doubt this adds to the “stickiness” of the street front of their shops. I do have an issue with the loudness of them as the owners are quite prone to revving the shit out them for the tourists. Apart from the Rollers obv.
Doubt I could ever own something so ostentatious and would prefer a more stealth type performance car, but then I’d probably go get an HGV licence and buy something made by Scania or MAN!

I occasionaly work in Sunningdale, Surrey (one of the most expensive areas in the UK to live). I pass this dealers often and once popped in to have a nosey. The owner was very nice and let me sit in
1. Lamborghini 2. Konnnnigseg (or something) and many more…
The cheapest car in there was a G Wagon at 40k
http://www.supervettura.com/

😀

Here’s a picture of my bike

and another

That F40 is actually a good investment.

Perhaps if I had several million Id take a punt and put some of it on a car that may will appreciate in value.

At least you can play with that sort of investment whereas a bank account just sits there.

Once upon a time I had the disposable to get that sort of toy.

But I wasn’t stupid, I spent the money on a new motorbike each year.

When I was in business I used to reckon that when a business owner bought a big yacht or a really flash car, it was precursor to going broke, ie they were taking their eye off the ball. Wasn’t wrong too often. 🙂

I doubt that.

Well, we have free flowing traffic unlike your average city centre. In second or third gear I dare say the roads would be fun. But not the B roads, the ‘A’ roads are interesting enough…

You’ll be breaking the law on those A roads before you get out of 2nd.

I can’t afford a flash car but I could afford and run something impractical and fun and very very fast. Probably will, some time, but I’d rather spend time and money on other things for now, which is why I have a diesel estate. Cars are cool though.

Do still have the motorbike in the garage, it’s only a little un so there’s a few cars out there that can take it in a straight line but none that you can insure for £90 a year 😆

For pure performance and cost value its pretty hard to beat a motorbike (on road or off road), but supercars do look way cool.

Trimix – Member

That F40 is actually a good investment.

Perhaps if I had several million Id take a punt and put some of it on a car that may will appreciate in value.

At least you can play with that sort of investment whereas a bank account just sits there.

If I’m not mistaken ‘that’ F40 is an LM, so worth about double what a ‘normal’ one is, probably a million quid or something equally silly.

If I couldn’t drive a £200k 458 with an endless supply of parts and more coming down the production line everyday, no way I could face driving a rarer than a rare thing, not to mention a special edition of a rarer than a rare thing with parts being like hens teeth.

I’d be careful of thinking a Classic Car is no-lose gamble either – they’ve doubled and even trebled in value in the last couple of years – a sure fire sign of a ‘bubble’ and values have already started to dip at the top.

Hell yes, no question about it, what else are you going to spend it on? House with more bedrooms than you need, coke and hookers?

You wouldn’t even need to be that rich these days, in 1995 the average house price was £50k, a Porsche 993 was £65k. In 2015 a house is £195k and the same car is ‘only’ £75k.

if i had a disposable income there’s only one supercar that i’d want and that is the McLaren F1…but as much as i do love them i dont think i’d ever own one if i had the means to do so.
i’d much rather have something practical but gives supercar performance such as an Audi RS6 or BMW M5.

Probably not:

1. Not a good enough driver
2. Always thinking – how many terms’ fees does that represent
3. I do 50k mileage in 10 years, so whats the point?

I have considered the option of the occasional weekend hire – better than depreciation, upkeep, angst etc – but still wonder if it makes sense.

I might if I really had loadsa money, but more likely to get a Porsche (911 GT2 RS would be nice) or something, and I’d actually stretch myself a bit to get something lightweight in the real world.

Really a full on supercar would be a bit much for the real world, and a track car would be better for, um, the track, although luckily most modern ones have suspension lifts to get over speed bumps…

I appreciate cars from an aesthetic point of view, but know nothing about them, so any ‘supercar’ wold be utterly wasted on me (plus I can’t drive anyway!). I occasionally go past a house with a lovely old Citroen on the forecourt, always with a fresh puddle of some sort of fluid beneath it. I suppose I’d like something that I found beautiful, which is a very subjective thing. I do find just about al contemporary cars to be really quite boring really. And I don’t think cost is necessarily an indicator of style really. I find a well-kept old mini to be vastly nicer than some ostentatious ‘performance vehicle’.

So, if you had the disposable income would you get an expensive bike? Why? Why not?

This is more pertinent to myself. I am planning to have a custom frame made, and will probably then go against my own rule of ‘use existing parts’ and build it up with stuff I really like the look of. A significant element of the project is to be able to have something really unique and personal, something in which I’ve had a part in it’s creation. Interestingly, doing this will still cost less than I could spend on some mass-produced bikes. So I suppose it’ all about value to the owner.

What’s money for, if it isn’t for spending?

Maybe to invest in something with the potential of producing results of greater value than simply money alone?

I would buy an expensive bike, and I have, but I’d stop short of an eight grand tdf wannabe machine. The reason I have expensive bikes is that my riding is good enough for it to be worth it.

Buying a supercar to drive around in on normal roads would be like buying a six grand Bronson or something and just riding it to the shops and back all the time. It’d attract plenty of scorn on here.

No. No I would not.

A fast cruising yacht the other hand…

Ah, you like standing under a cold shower when you tear up your fivers?