Cars you regret NOT buying

Cars you regret NOT buying

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Discussion

andymadmak

Original Poster:

14,864 posts

277 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
quotequote all
Following on from the thread about cars we regret buying, how about the ones that got away?

My personal regret is not buying the Lancia Aurelia cabrio I was offered when I was 20.... £1500 would have seen me in a tatty but sound (ie, not much rust) one......

Mr Kitten

996 posts

234 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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A fair few years ago before I bought my first flat I was mere moments away from getting a 'wedge'.
A silver TVR 350... sadly I was talked out of it and ended up getting an MGB instead.

The MG was a relative money-pit... and I don't think the TVR would have been that much more painful.

TheRoadWarrior

1,241 posts

185 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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Not a car I was offered; tried to find one when they were new but simply couldnt get my hands on one.

ish I had- I could have run one for a year and probably made a profit on it. Definate future classic.


carl carlson

786 posts

169 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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I got talked out of a TVR 350 and bought the Lotus. Don't regret buying the lotus at all but everytime I see a 350 I kind of wish it was me in the driving seat of it. Maybe next time.


Mr Kitten

996 posts

234 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
quotequote all
I should also probably add that I regret not buying a T-reg Escort RS2000 Custom in beige when I was looking for my second car... but... I did end up with a Mk2 XR2 in diamond white with only 27k on the clock so it wasn't all bad.

I miss Charmaine (my XR2)... she loved it rough. wink

shibby!

923 posts

205 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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Corolla GT (AE86) around 2000.

they were mega cheap. I bought a Metro Gti instead. DOH!!

Oh well.

Oh and most recenlty i regret not buying an E39 M5, bought a 330ci instead. That was sold within 5 months as i needed more power!

andymadmak

Original Poster:

14,864 posts

277 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
quotequote all
and I just remembered I turned down the chance of a road legal MG Metro 6R4 in the 1980s (after Austin Rover were selling off the last 200 or so they had built)
The factory even offered to throw in all the engine bits to take it up to 400bhp, plus all the sound deadening to make it road bearable!
I huffed and hawed at the 11k price tag...........

james_tigerwoods

16,330 posts

204 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
quotequote all
andymadmak said:
and I just remembered I turned down the chance of a road legal MG Metro 6R4 in the 1980s (after Austin Rover were selling off the last 200 or so they had built)
The factory even offered to throw in all the engine bits to take it up to 400bhp, plus all the sound deadening to make it road bearable!
I huffed and hawed at the 11k price tag...........
Eejit ...

farrendahl

1,248 posts

181 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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I know it's not going to feature highly on a lot of peoples lists but when I was looking for my most recent car I ended up with a choice between the Saab 9-3 and a MG ZT-T and I'm still kicking myself for going with the 9-3 all because I had convinced myself I didn't need something as big as the tourer.

Spleeble

333 posts

209 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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I regret NOT buying this:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2161873.htm

I just don't have the money or a double garage.

TTwiggy

11,629 posts

211 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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When I was about 20 (1992) and in my first proper job, living away from home, my journey to work used to take me past a parked-up Metro 6R4 with a 'For Sale' sign on it.

I stopped one day and got chatting to the seller. Car was a bit tatty (had sat outside for some time), but sound, genuine and ready to drive away.

I think he wanted about £18k for it, but I had the feeling he'd go lower. Sadly, this was about £5k more than I was earning a year at the time, so I had to forget about it.

I try to avoid looking at the prices of them in the classifieds now.

Still, I bet he feels worse about it!

STW2010

5,812 posts

169 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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Any car I could have bought instead of a car I regretted buying

Jesus TF Christ

5,740 posts

238 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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I had a chance to own an RX-7 turbo as my first car. The other half (at the time) said no as it would have been too expensive to run (although in truth she was probably against me having a car that fast).

So not only did I not get the car, but years later it turned out she was a slag!

I'm sure I would have regretted the car if I had bought it, but that's irrelevent.

J4CKO

42,786 posts

207 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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About 20, went to see a lovely 2.8 injection Capri, test drive went well, went to cashtill to get my deposit, got back and it was sold !

Told a guy at work to give me first refusal on his car when he came to sell it as he had pondered the possibility, re-iterated my interest every time he mentioned it, went on holiday, came back and asked where it was, turns out he part exed it, guess what it was, a 2.8 injection Capri.

Guess I am never going to get one now !



sinizter

3,348 posts

193 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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E46 M3 2 years ago, but only because the depreciation would have been minimal even with the amount of miles I would have put on it.

Got a Z4 a bit later instead, which I love, but I think overall the costs would have worked out almost the same - higher depreciation on the Z4 v higher everything except depreciation on the M3.

The only question is, would it have survived if I had got it a few months after passing the driving test.

Baryonyx

18,064 posts

166 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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I bought a Fiesta Zetec S as my first car, a nice 2001 model in good nick. On the way home from the garage, it broke down and I had to bump start it to get it home. Turns out the alternator was duff. I had the garage come and pick it up the next day and I got my money back as I'd lost faith in the car by then, but I often think I'd have had more fun if I'd kept the car and let them fix the alternator.

R3v 1

623 posts

190 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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About 6 years ago was offered a Ford Escort XR3i 1989 with 6000 miles on the clock for a very reasonable price. White in absolutely mint condition. Still had the plastic covering on the back seat from the showroom.

Turned it down and bought a 1.6 Renault Megane Coupe instead... Biggest mistake I have made!

Twincam16

27,646 posts

265 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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I know this sounds odd, but a Mk2 Toyota MR2 - I know they're about as cheap as they're going to get.

I bought a Mk1 instead, which was sublime to drive, but is now in that 'cosseted' realm where sports cars aren't used every day, but put in garages, polished, and saved for high days and holidays.

I attempted to use my Mk1 as a daily-driver through the winter, and it was eaten away from the inside by rust after five short months. I was absolutely gutted.

Much as I love the Alfa I replaced it with, years later I got to drive a Mk2 MR2, and found that far from the 'dodgy handling' myths, it drove in a not-dissimilar way to my old Mk1. Maybe the steering was a little bit more vague, maybe it rolled a little more, but not enough to seriously bother me.

I just feel that if I had bought a Mk2, I would still have it and wouldn't be talking about it in retrospect all the time. I'll get another one as soon as I can but I've just paid for another year's insurance on the Alfa.

Fleckers

2,870 posts

208 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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old fords, especially all the MK1 and MK2 escorts I kept scrapping !!!


Cooky

4,955 posts

244 months

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
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Escort Mk2 RS2000 - instead bought a Sierra Ghia as dad said I needed something more befitting a Jnr Manager...Doh!

Mk2 3000GT Capri (in JPS livery) - instead bought a BMW 325 Sport as dad said I needed something more befitting a Jnr Director...Doh!

Lotus Esprit Mk1 Turbo - instead bought a Mercedes 450 CE as dad said I needed something more befitting a Co. Director...Doh!

Jaguar XJR - instead bought a TVR Cerbera as dad said I needed something more befitting a Managing Director...no Doh!...I bought the Jag too afew weeks later when the 'old man' retired woohoo