Spontaneous Purchases ?

Author
Discussion

jondokic

Original Poster:

385 posts

274 months

Friday 11th January 2002
quotequote all
Anyone ever bought a car literally on the spur of the moment ? Triumph ? Or Disaster ?
The only time I've done this was an ancient ex-police fast pursuir Daimler SP250 (aka "Dart") which had been fitted with a high compression engine. Hilarious in a straight line, scary round corners, I sold it for £50 when the head gasket went.



Yours, Jon Dokic

marki

15,763 posts

277 months

Friday 11th January 2002
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all the time JonD ,,,,, with my Jag i had just dropped in to have a look around ,,,, next thing you know i own a xkr , pretty much the same with the Aero8 , i just can not help myself when it comes to cars

JonRB

76,080 posts

279 months

Friday 11th January 2002
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My Chimaera 500, embarrassingly enough.

Went for a test drive in a Caterham 7 on a Saturday last August as I have wanted one for many years, but was very disappointed in it as a road car. The next day I called in to my local TVR dealer, drove their Chimaera 400 demonstrator but found it too slow, then drove the Chimaera 500 they had for sale and promptly bought it.
The classic first-time TVR buyer mistake of buying the first one you drive.

Still, I've done more stupid things like, errr, um, err. Actually, that may be number 1.

jeremyc

24,549 posts

291 months

Friday 11th January 2002
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quote:
The classic first-time TVR buyer mistake of buying the first one you drive.


Mmmm, me too, but worse. Drove the Chimaera 500 demonstrator but was told they had a used model coming in during the week. Bought the second hand one over the phone without even seeing it on the salesman's word that it was like the one I'd driven.

That said I have no regrets whatsoever: that Chimaera was, indeed, just like the one I'd driven and was an absolute peach - 20 months of blissful motoring fun

I was, though, a little more picky with the Cerbera

500 GRF

99 posts

279 months

Friday 11th January 2002
quotequote all
quote:

quote:
The classic first-time TVR buyer mistake of buying the first one you drive.


Mmmm, me too, but worse. Drove the Chimaera 500 demonstrator but was told they had a used model coming in during the week. Bought the second hand one over the phone without even seeing it on the salesman's word that it was like the one I'd driven.

That said I have no regrets whatsoever: that Chimaera was, indeed, just like the one I'd driven and was an absolute peach - 20 months of blissful motoring fun

I was, though, a little more picky with the Cerbera



Therefore I am in the "classic first time buyer" bracket. Fancied a Griff 500 for years.....the minute I got bored of the Lotus I was straight down to Mole Valley and bought the first one I drove whilst telling myself that "it was exactly the colour/spec I was looking for and that there could possibly be a better example"......yeah right - especially at the price I paid!!!

Still, no regrets. What would I have done with that extra 5 grand anyway??

.mark

11,104 posts

283 months

Friday 11th January 2002
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Not on the car front....but did succumb to a king size Snickers while paying for my petrol last week
Well it's Friday.

andymadmak

14,866 posts

277 months

Friday 11th January 2002
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Visited Team Central (as was) with a colleague who was looking to buy something sporty. I had sold my Chim a couple of years previous and thought my TVR antibodies would hold up under the strain of the visit. After all, it wasn't me that was looking to buy something was it?!
Saw this lovely 400se .............. and then I sat in it................and then the bastard started it up for me..............and it had loads of history...........and only 24k miles on it.............and a full warranty and and and and and and and
oh alright I bought it!
Now big problem: only the day before I had told the wife she couldn't have a new Freelander cos we couldn't afford it.
Never have I worked so hard at an explanation!
Andy, 400se
Oh, and my colleague didn't buy anything!

marki

15,763 posts

277 months

Friday 11th January 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Visited Team Central (as was) with a colleague who was looking to buy something sporty. I had sold my Chim a couple of years previous and thought my TVR antibodies would hold up under the strain of the visit. After all, it wasn't me that was looking to buy something was it?!
Saw this lovely 400se .............. and then I sat in it................and then the bastard started it up for me..............and it had loads of history...........and only 24k miles on it.............and a full warranty and and and and and and and
oh alright I bought it!
Now big problem: only the day before I had told the wife she couldn't have a new Freelander cos we couldn't afford it.
Never have I worked so hard at an explanation!
Andy, 400se
Oh, and my colleague didn't buy anything!



They never do , they must have some sort of commision deal for guys who bring mates in

flasher

9,238 posts

291 months

Friday 11th January 2002
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Happened to me at Team Central too!!

Me and the Missus went to look at a 400SE. Parked next to it was a lovely Griffith 4.0 in BRG with grey hide. It had £19995 on it. As we stood looking at the 400SE the guy from sales came out and changed the price to £16995. This was when all Griff's were around £18-£20K for a 4.0.

Needless to say, I took it for a test drive and bought it there and then, with the full support of my Missus!!!

Never missed a beat in the two years I owned it.

guysh

2,254 posts

290 months

Friday 11th January 2002
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Well I have just put a deposit on a Brand new Golf V6 4 motion (as a sensible car, I'm still waiting for a Noble M12). The only Golf Mk4 i've ever driven is a standard non turbo GTI and that was about a year ago. Am I stupid???? I'm lead to belive they are very reliable and quick point to point and before everyone else say's Subaru or Mitsubishi - I don't like them. (And i'm only paying 18.5 k for a std spec which has a spec anyway with Leather, met paint, xenon lights, and multi func. wheel).

By the way I actually bought 2 Golf's but one is for my brother - and he will be paying me shortly!

MikeyT

16,926 posts

278 months

Friday 11th January 2002
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quote:
Anyone ever bought a car literally on the spur of the moment ? Triumph ? Or Disaster ?



Yeah just that, a Triumph Disaster spelt S-T-A-G.


Blew up after three months. And it was many years until I bought a V8 again. (Not that I blamed the V8, just compancy cars, Pug 205GTis etc).

Mike

TVR owner in 2002

Edited by MikeyT on Friday 11th January 23:54

jmorgan

36,010 posts

291 months

Friday 11th January 2002
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My first Vixen for the prce of a sunroof. Guy selling wanted a sun roof in his Cavelier £180. Did not know what a TVR was but liked it. Sold it for £300, gods what a plonker me.

Jason F

1,183 posts

291 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
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Bought my 350i the moment the guy started it up. Didn`t even drive it. Nor get it checked out by someone in the know.. BIG mistake...

marki

15,763 posts

277 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Well I have just put a deposit on a Brand new Golf V6 4 motion (as a sensible car,



They are great motors i have run one for the last 2 years , lot`s of fun in snow and ice

McReis

73 posts

275 months

Sunday 13th January 2002
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Ooohh, I'm having my first spontaneous purchase tomorrow! I'm buying good-looking Vespa 50s from the sixties.


Wish me luck!!!

Guysh: I bought my 206HDI only because I had a feeling it was the best I could own with my budget! Never drove one! Never had been inside of one! And yes!!! I made the only right choice! Lot more fun than an IBIZA and better car with no doubt!

Greetings from Portugal!!

hertsbiker

6,371 posts

278 months

Monday 14th January 2002
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yeah, me Smart car.
I'd test driven one 6 months earlier, and liked it. Then I saw one at another dealers with the plastic panels removed, and thought it looked very very solid. Asked for a test drive, came back and got chequebook out.
Ok, not fast, does not corner like Tiv, but in town nothing is faster A-B apart from a 2 wheels. Best car I have bought - you may consider that sad, but I already have a 206 + motorbike.

NoisyGriff

576 posts

275 months

Monday 14th January 2002
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Perhaps it's something to do with Team Central..
I dragged the girlfriend along with the usual 'I've never driven a TVR before...' line. Whoops.

Oh well. 30 minutes later and one Griff heavier, I was the happiest man in the world.
There's a lot to be said for impulse purchasing. I haven't regretted one day.
Girlfriend not impressed.

gb61390

1,879 posts

289 months

Monday 14th January 2002
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Went to the Motor Show in 2000 looking for a car for my girlfriend and ended up putting a deposit down for a Tamora!
It gets delivered Friday so the longer than expected wait means that I can now afford it (just)!
Cheers...... Andrew

philshort

8,293 posts

284 months

Monday 14th January 2002
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Definately a Team Central thing. I was looking for a replacement for my 24v Senator. I passed Team Central, and went back "just for a look". 1 hour later I had a 4 litre Chimaera. Hardly executive saloon material but what the hell!

A few weeks later I had a 500 on order!



Phil

Roadrunner

2,690 posts

274 months

Monday 14th January 2002
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I once walked straight into Beatties and bought a brand new 993 carrera in black, no test drive or messing around. Just paid the £14.99 and left.