Discussion
I'm in the process of getting my Merlot into what will hopefully be somewhere near concourse condition by the end of the summer.
Having invested so much time (and money!) on doing this, I'm loathe to ruin it all by driving her during the horrid winter months. This winter I ran a Volvo T5, but it isn't anywhere near as fun to drive as the '5 (and I'm really digging the simplicity of the 5 at the moment!).
Should I..?
1. Man up a bit and just use the Merlot all year, and forget about all that salt and muck? (I could step up the rustproofing and buy a hardtop!).
2. Buy a cheap '5 for my winter hack. Not really worrying about the paintwork/body too much provided it is roadworthy and presentable. Quite confident I could get something around the £700-900 mark. Insurance/tax a non-issue and I'm handy enough with spanners for any basic fixes. Plus I like the idea of having two MX5s !
Option two seems a bit overkill but I hate the idea of undoing my hardwork with the Merlot.
Having invested so much time (and money!) on doing this, I'm loathe to ruin it all by driving her during the horrid winter months. This winter I ran a Volvo T5, but it isn't anywhere near as fun to drive as the '5 (and I'm really digging the simplicity of the 5 at the moment!).
Should I..?
1. Man up a bit and just use the Merlot all year, and forget about all that salt and muck? (I could step up the rustproofing and buy a hardtop!).
2. Buy a cheap '5 for my winter hack. Not really worrying about the paintwork/body too much provided it is roadworthy and presentable. Quite confident I could get something around the £700-900 mark. Insurance/tax a non-issue and I'm handy enough with spanners for any basic fixes. Plus I like the idea of having two MX5s !
Option two seems a bit overkill but I hate the idea of undoing my hardwork with the Merlot.
bluetone said:
Do you have somewhere undercover to store the Merlot to keep it in tip-top condition? If not, I'd suggest you keep running it as your daily hack and invest the money you won't be spending in another car in weather protection/tlc as you suggest.
Yep, its only recently come out of hibernation!Howard- said:
3. Continue driving the Ovlov for general daily usage and make those trips out in the Merlot even more special
Screw that. 
Drive a 5 every day and appreciate every second. Can't say I'd only have 5's in the garage though. Sometimes it's nice to have somehting boring to drive that can carry more.
Thanks for the views!
Don't want to keep the Volvo as I don't want both insured/taxed at the same time. Whilst the '5 is perfectly content to sit for 6 months at a time without use, I fear the Ovlov wouldn't take too kindly to it - too many electrical sensors to go screwy with little use etc.
I think the answer may be made for me though - I am in the process of setting up a business which will have a lease car. So that can be my personal hack as well as the business car too!
Don't want to keep the Volvo as I don't want both insured/taxed at the same time. Whilst the '5 is perfectly content to sit for 6 months at a time without use, I fear the Ovlov wouldn't take too kindly to it - too many electrical sensors to go screwy with little use etc.
I think the answer may be made for me though - I am in the process of setting up a business which will have a lease car. So that can be my personal hack as well as the business car too!
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