Buying cars sight unseen - what have I done?!
Discussion
I thought I'd start a little topic on a couple of cars I've bought this year and have yet to actually see and one I have no experience of whatsoever apart from through YouTube.
Some context, I'm a Brit currently on assignment in the US but heading home in a couple of months after nearly 3 years away. I need a car in the UK so have been window shopping for the last 6 months. My day-dreams have taken me from 1 car for all purposes, to 1 decent car for me and one little thing for the better half to learn how to drive in, to 2 proper cars for me but at least one should be practical, back to "that's a stupid waste of money so just get one car that you'll be happy with and see what happens after you've settled back at home".
Some further context, I had bought myself an Impreza Wagon (GB270) about 3 months before I got the job in the US.
It needed a bit of fettling (clutch, suspension, brakes assorted rattles etc). I loved the car so I spent a chunk of change, got it all sorted and then got told the good news about the US job! I ummed and erred for a while about taking it off the road but I had no idea how long I'd be gone and no decent place to store it, so I sold it and essentially lost the money spent on getting her put right. Good start!
So, taking the "one car to rule them all" approach I had been considering Audi S/RS4s and fast wagons generally. I strongly considered getting a Pajero Evo then decided that was a bit compromised. I then decided I was going to get a Forester STI and, whilst looking for one, my Dad called me to say there was a fantastic looking GB270 that had just gone up for sale in Scotland. I saw it, it looked stunning, low mileage so I jumped on it. It was strong money but I knew what I was getting into and I frankly loved the old one, so 2 calls later and...
Very happy so far. The dealer seems a great chap but the car's up in Scotland, my Dad can't travel north to get it because of Covid but the dealer is very happy to keep it inside his dealership tucked away for when Covid lifts and/or I get home.
That should be the end of the story right there. Decision made. 1 car, plenty of fun to be had with it, may need a bit of fettling but it's all good right?
Yeah right.
Being a good Pistonheader means never stopping the day-dreaming. I've long been considering an Evora but can't ever quite reconcile the price of them. Then I remembered the Alpine A110 was a thing and fell down the YouTube blackhole of watching and re-watching videos of them. I was smitten. A perfect little sports car, nimble, lithe perfectly sprung for British roads, handsome, interesting interior and such glowing reviews. My mind kept coming back to them and so I started frequenting the French-Bred sub-forum and reading all the owners tales. This was not helping.
I must have specced about 6 different cars on the configurator and had kind of made up my "theoretical mind" that I wanted a Legende. Then, being easily upsold, I talked myself into the Legende GT, it's another limited edition thing, just that bit different, I'd spec all the extras onto a Legende anyway so why not etc etc. But again all theory.
Until this week. I suddenly noticed the GT wasn't on the configurator anymore. Ah well I've lost my chance then as they're all sold out. Fair enough it was all a day-dream anyway. Then I just happened to check Autotrader and noticed that Alpine UK still had a couple of Legende GT's showing as incoming, due in country in May - just as I was returning. Serendipity!
1 email to the dealer, just to enquire you know? 1 call later, just to discuss what a deal could look like, just in theory you know and then...
Yup, I caved in. Deposit placed this morning on a car I've never driven! This one at least comes with a 3 year warranty!
All this to say, I guess it'll be an interesting summer working out exactly what I've bought, what I feel about them and, frankly, whether they'll even fit on the drive of my house (oh yeah, I also got that without seeing it as well)!
Watch this thread over the coming months for insights, massive buyers remorse and more!
PS: As an aside I'm really bursting with excitement for both cars - can't wait to get in them and see what they're like, for very different reasons!
Some context, I'm a Brit currently on assignment in the US but heading home in a couple of months after nearly 3 years away. I need a car in the UK so have been window shopping for the last 6 months. My day-dreams have taken me from 1 car for all purposes, to 1 decent car for me and one little thing for the better half to learn how to drive in, to 2 proper cars for me but at least one should be practical, back to "that's a stupid waste of money so just get one car that you'll be happy with and see what happens after you've settled back at home".
Some further context, I had bought myself an Impreza Wagon (GB270) about 3 months before I got the job in the US.
It needed a bit of fettling (clutch, suspension, brakes assorted rattles etc). I loved the car so I spent a chunk of change, got it all sorted and then got told the good news about the US job! I ummed and erred for a while about taking it off the road but I had no idea how long I'd be gone and no decent place to store it, so I sold it and essentially lost the money spent on getting her put right. Good start!
So, taking the "one car to rule them all" approach I had been considering Audi S/RS4s and fast wagons generally. I strongly considered getting a Pajero Evo then decided that was a bit compromised. I then decided I was going to get a Forester STI and, whilst looking for one, my Dad called me to say there was a fantastic looking GB270 that had just gone up for sale in Scotland. I saw it, it looked stunning, low mileage so I jumped on it. It was strong money but I knew what I was getting into and I frankly loved the old one, so 2 calls later and...
Very happy so far. The dealer seems a great chap but the car's up in Scotland, my Dad can't travel north to get it because of Covid but the dealer is very happy to keep it inside his dealership tucked away for when Covid lifts and/or I get home.
That should be the end of the story right there. Decision made. 1 car, plenty of fun to be had with it, may need a bit of fettling but it's all good right?
Yeah right.
Being a good Pistonheader means never stopping the day-dreaming. I've long been considering an Evora but can't ever quite reconcile the price of them. Then I remembered the Alpine A110 was a thing and fell down the YouTube blackhole of watching and re-watching videos of them. I was smitten. A perfect little sports car, nimble, lithe perfectly sprung for British roads, handsome, interesting interior and such glowing reviews. My mind kept coming back to them and so I started frequenting the French-Bred sub-forum and reading all the owners tales. This was not helping.
I must have specced about 6 different cars on the configurator and had kind of made up my "theoretical mind" that I wanted a Legende. Then, being easily upsold, I talked myself into the Legende GT, it's another limited edition thing, just that bit different, I'd spec all the extras onto a Legende anyway so why not etc etc. But again all theory.
Until this week. I suddenly noticed the GT wasn't on the configurator anymore. Ah well I've lost my chance then as they're all sold out. Fair enough it was all a day-dream anyway. Then I just happened to check Autotrader and noticed that Alpine UK still had a couple of Legende GT's showing as incoming, due in country in May - just as I was returning. Serendipity!
1 email to the dealer, just to enquire you know? 1 call later, just to discuss what a deal could look like, just in theory you know and then...
Yup, I caved in. Deposit placed this morning on a car I've never driven! This one at least comes with a 3 year warranty!
All this to say, I guess it'll be an interesting summer working out exactly what I've bought, what I feel about them and, frankly, whether they'll even fit on the drive of my house (oh yeah, I also got that without seeing it as well)!
Watch this thread over the coming months for insights, massive buyers remorse and more!
PS: As an aside I'm really bursting with excitement for both cars - can't wait to get in them and see what they're like, for very different reasons!
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