Ownership Verified: My Inca Yellow sports saloon...

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captain_70s said:
500 miles or eerily trouble free motoring behind me. Although I only have a 5000 mile allowance on my insurance. If the car survives until January without any major complaints I might ditch the Corsa and it's infuriating finance payments, only driven it once since I bought the 1850, and that was 'cause the Triumph ran out of road tax.
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Honestly, and this is just me not minding my own business looking out, but if I were you I'd keep the Corsa. Despite the allure of classic car ownership there's something to be said about turning the key on a nearly new car with plenty of warranty without worrying about if it'll start or what will break.

Yes the finance payments might be annoying but if you keep it for a bit you may be able to refinance later with a better rate and lower payment, you'll keep the miles low on on the Dolomite, and have a known reliable form of transportation if something goes wrong with the Dolomite.
 
rickhamilton620 said:
Honestly, and this is just me not minding my own business looking out, but if I were you I'd keep the Corsa. Despite the allure of classic car ownership there's something to be said about turning the key on a nearly new car with plenty of warranty without worrying about if it'll start or what will break.

Yes the finance payments might be annoying but if you keep it for a bit you may be able to refinance later with a better rate and lower payment, you'll keep the miles low on on the Dolomite, and have a known reliable form of transportation if something goes wrong with the Dolomite.
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I could not agree less. A classic, even a BL one, if properly maintained, is as reliable as a modern car.
 
Dr_Grip said:
I could not agree less. A classic, even a BL one, if properly maintained, is as reliable as a modern car.
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Touch?. I'll fully admit I'm coming from the "All I've personally owned (save for the sho of course) is pre 1993 unreliable pieces of shit yet i'm too poor to buy something better" perspective. :lol:
 
public said:
That says more about modern cars... :)
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And that's not even starting on maintenence cost... A clutch replacement for a current VW diesel costs around 900 Euros - I can replace a lot of wear parts preventively for that money.
 
Mostly the ''can I get what I need off a wrecker for ?15'' for my old car and I, which will keep me sticking to older cars for a very long time from now.
 
Problem only is, when your car model has dissapeared from the streets, and you can't find them at the wreckers. Then you start having a hard time finding parts, at least for sensible amounts of money.
 
nicjasno said:
Problem only is, when your car model has dissapeared from the streets, and you can't find them at the wreckers. Then you start having a hard time finding parts, at least for sensible amounts of money.
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Service parts should no problem though for anything vaguely popular. I've never had an issue finding mechanical wear and tear parts for Anglias, and compared to British Leyland, Anglia parts are rare as hens teeth.

I agree don't crash, because yes you'll die/be horrendously maimed, but life is for living, and I enjoy driving an old car. It might cost me one day, but for true enjoyment, it's worth the risk.

Touch wood.
 
rickhamilton620 said:
Honestly, and this is just me not minding my own business looking out, but if I were you I'd keep the Corsa. Despite the allure of classic car ownership there's something to be said about turning the key on a nearly new car with plenty of warranty without worrying about if it'll start or what will break.

Yes the finance payments might be annoying but if you keep it for a bit you may be able to refinance later with a better rate and lower payment, you'll keep the miles low on on the Dolomite, and have a known reliable form of transportation if something goes wrong with the Dolomite.
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Well, to fully understand my situation you must first understand Vauxhall ownership. ;) They devalue in a terrifying fashion, it has another year of warranty left and then the value will drop significantly on top of the regular depreciation. Admittedly I only intended to keep it for as long as the warranty lasted in the first place, but I find the car dull and it's potential for costing money is scary. I spent more on ONE wheel and a tyre than I did getting all the work done to MOT the 1300 and Yaris combined.
To be honest, at the moment, I'm feeling that the Corsa isn't worth what I'm paying for it. I've only done 30 miles in it in over a fortnight and it eats up a week's wages every month just for the privilege of me owning it.

Granted it's reliable, and a bit more economical and a fair bit faster than the 1850, but it costs me so much in finance that if it was gone and the 1850s gearbox dies I could buy a entirely reconditioned one for not much more than a monthly payment... I could buy a new clutch for less, or some welding to the floorpan or something. Not only that but if push comes to shove and I really am strapped for cash I can change the gearbox/clutch or most mechanical gubbins myself... There also isn't much you can't buy for them, aside from trim pieces and some rubber bits (quarterlight seals dammit!).


The Dolly 1300 is a very original car, from what I can tell it had one owner until about 2004 and very few parts have been replaced. It MIGHT genuinely only have done 24,000 miles but been horrifically maintained in the last 8 years, as a result the mechanical side of things is bad, age related failings and poor maintenance taking it's toll. An engine rebuild would solve 85% of it's currently problems (it currently uses more oil per 100 miles than the 1850 uses in 500+).

The 1850 on the other hand isn't a very original car, it's had at least 37 billion owners, it's had much more welding done, the paint is shit and the 84,000 miles is clearly genuine. BUT, loads of replacement bits (stainless exhaust with lifetime warranty, hoses, radiator, air filters, water pump) plenty of modern additions (electric fan, electric ignition etc. The engine pulls well (the brakes pull to the right and squeal like a pig but that's fiiiiiine), the clutch and gearbox are perfectly usable if showing their age, not MUCH water gets into the cabin, the heater is fantastic and from what I can tell it's getting 35mpg+.
Also, and most importantly, the wedge of history from the 90s I have shows its been looked after even when it was just an old banger, after that it was laid up for a while and judging by the modern additions it looks like it's been brought up to a very usable standard over the last few years. No suspect noises from the bottom end of the engine, perhaps a bit of a rattle from the top end which I suspect is the rocker gear. Hell, the only thing I've found that doesn't work is the radio...

But, as I said, the 1850 has until January to prove itself reliable or otherwise. I reckon throwing it in to use as a daily driver in freezing conditions, salt covered roads and gale force winds while being kept on a public street should be a good test of whether it can hack it. If it can I'd happily spend the money I save from not paying for, insuring or taxing the Corsa on running the 1850.
It's funny people always wonder how I can afford 3 cars on my wage, it's 'cause cars are my sole hobby. I know people who spend masses of money on being a member of a golf club, or buying gaming PCs/consoles, many spend ?40-?70 every weekend just on booze. Me? I have my cars.

Anyways, it could turn out that the 1850 decides it isn't going to play ball, the rather whiney gearbox might explode or the timing chain might jump. Who knows? Will have to see.
 
Based on the money-for-the-Corsa woes, those wondering how you can afford three cars for yourself may have a point :hmm:
 
Get rid of the Corsa and keep the Dollies.
 
narf said:
Based on the money-for-the-Corsa woes, those wondering how you can afford three cars for yourself may have a point :hmm:
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Mostly as I only use two at a time. The 1300 is uninsured and untaxed and costs nothing until I decide I want to work on it or put it back on the road. I also ended up paying all my bills at once, although now my only regular vehicle related bills are for the Corsa's finance plan and the 1850's insurance for the next 6 months, no more tax etc to worry about.

Also the fact that my regular 6 hour work days have now become regular 8+ hour work days (By the end of Thursday this past week I'd already done 40 hours at work with 3 days left to go!) has resulted in extra funds. :)
 
captain_70s said:
It's funny people always wonder how I can afford 3 cars on my wage, it's 'cause cars are my sole hobby. I know people who spend masses of money on being a member of a golf club, or buying gaming PCs/consoles, many spend ?40-?70 every weekend just on booze. Me? I have my cars.
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This. I like this.



Extra monies are good. Buy a TR-x.
 
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Dr_Grip said:
And that's not even starting on maintenence cost... A clutch replacement for a current VW diesel costs around 900 Euros - I can replace a lot of wear parts preventively for that money.
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Don't even go there...for the money I paid to fix electrical niggles you could keep the Kadett running for a year -.-
 
DRIVING SKILLZ FAIL.

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This is not why I expected my car to take it's first trip by recovery truck...

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Took a junction with too much POWAH, lost the back end, over-corrected and span it into a crash barrier facing the wrong direction. Took out the wheel going over the curb sideways as well...

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Still, could have been worse if the (completely undamaged) barrier wasn't there...

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Oh, damn :( In case you've already gotten past the primary irritation stage, how bad does it look? Can it be repaired or do you need to source replacement parts?
 
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