Future car options

[Sandspider]

Hi all

Bit of a vague question, but I'm thinking about future car options. I had two cars (Jimny and the Lux) until Monday, when my fiancée rolled and wrote off my Jimny [] Luckily she and the dog were fine, but the Jimny is no more. I'm tempted to get a second little 4x4 - maybe a Vitara as said fiancée no longer trusts Jimnies. Having said that, I don't have a huge amount of need for a second car (gf has a car of her own). I used the Jimny for a bit of shooting, firewood collection, muddy dogs etc. And some short journeys / dodgy areas where I didn't want to take the Porsche. I now can't drive to work, so that's most of the shorter journeys out of the window. I could just keep the Porsche. Or I could sell the Porsche and get one car to do all the jobs - but I'm not sure what car would. The Jimny was a utility vehicle, and the Porsche is a great fun car for longer / less muddy journeys. I vaguely thought of something like a Subaru Impreza (fast and fun on road, reasonable off road) but they're thirsty, expensive to insure and a bit chav. Or maybe a Skoda yeti - but I don't know if they're much fun to drive. Or an S2, as previously mentioned! But I wouldn't really want to fill one with logs or drive it on some of the crappy potholed roads around me.

What slightly puts me off the Vitara is that they're higher tax band than my old Jimny (which was 2000 reg, so £140 a year or something). Also, I have realised that 2 cars is a fair bit of work and money to keep serviced, insured and taxed, and possibly I don't really need 2. (Can't use the gfs car much as she drives to work every day - and she doesn't want me filling it with logs, mud etc.).

One further thought is that the gfs car is also fairly aged - not quite on its last legs, but probably not that long left. So we could get one joint reasonable car like a disel BMW, then I could get a fun car just for me - be that the same Porsche, an S2, a Jimny or Vitara, or other. Oh, I also want a tractor, but don't have the land for one yet!

Any thoughts on a car that might fill all my needs?

Cheers.

 

[Masher]

A trailer?

Cheers
Mick

 

[Sandspider]

Hmm, not a bad idea! Anyone know where to get a towbar for a 944?! Have seen the odd one, but I assumed they were custom made / original fit, can't seem to find an aftermarket one...

 

[colin944]

Ask Tref he has one on his 44

 

[al@broadway]

BMW X5 is a good tractor

 

[Sandspider]

Will do, thanks Colin.

Al, I really dislike the looks of the BMW X5, and the reputation it comes with... I might consider a Porsche Cayenne though perhaps!

 

[tref]

S2 with towbar, brilliant! I think it is Witter? Still make towbar for 944's. In the past I have carried two German Shepherds and Two Labradors in a 944, they do prefer it if you take the passenger seat out though! If it is your only vehicle you might even cover enough miles to justify an LPG conversion too...[]

It doesn't need to be an S2 by the way, the Lux was brilliant towing as well. I went though several "second" cars before getting another 944 for day-to-day use, and so long as you can except it is going to be used, and not always immaculate (OK, it doesn't have to be allowed to look as rough as mine), it is a brilliant all-rounder. Especially with a towbar!

 

[Ex Skyline]

VW T4 [8D]

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Or maybe a Skoda yeti - but I don't know if they're much fun to drive.

They're not!

To be fair, they aren't meant to be. The Yeti is closer in design to a Defender than a sports car. It's nice to sit in, built to last forever and has genuine off-road ability on the right tyres.

We only turned it down due to the boot being too high and an awkward shape for the dogs, always an issue with a higher 4x4 rather than an estate car. I loved it, but it's no 944....

 

[Sandspider]

Cheers chaps. Tref, I was days away from buying a Witter bar for the Jimny! Lucky I hadn't shelled out the cash... I didn't know they made them for 944s too. Had one golden retriever in the Lux this morning - she wasn't keen on the footwell, but was quite happy sitting on the passenger seat so she could see out of the windscreen, and nibbling my gear lever hand from time to time! It's safe to say my car is not concourse, nor even close - it lives outside and is used rather than cleaned. It will be used more now without the Jimny. The trouble is, even though it's not immaculate, I don't like parking it in supermarket carparks, or even in tight spots on the road - I've been bashed in the past by people who've just driven off.

Wouldn't mind a T4 - not cheap though (to fill with logs etc.), and I imagine a different fun league to a 944! Useful space and practical - stick a mattress in the back...

Take your point, Paul - of course, a Yeti isn't going to compare with a 944. Out of interest, what did you get as a dog wagon?

 

[Ewan]

A bit random, but do you fancy a c class diesel Merc?! At work we have an old one that we're about to sell off cheaply (i.e. a few hundred quid). It's the 4 door saloon version, in silver, with dark grey/black interior. It's been well used, with about 150,000 miles covered, but with good service history and everything works as it should. It regularly carries dogs/logs/children and copes with Dorset's rutted roads admirably, while still returning an average of 43 mpg. And it's been seen at several of the counties finer shoots!

It's nothing special, just a good workhorse of a car. It's comfy, reliable, and would allow you to keep your 944 for special days, whilst not costing much at all. It'd be a cheap way of staying with 2 cars.

If anyone's interested and wants more details, best to speak to my colleague Jayson on 01258 861 059 as I think the car is registered in his name.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Take your point, Paul - of course, a Yeti isn't going to compare with a 944. Out of interest, what did you get as a dog wagon?

We haven't, yet....we still have the old Legacy. Which, given that you can pick a good one up for a grand, isn't worth selling as it's very tatty and probably worth £500!

Thinking was to wait for the new Octavias to drop in price, maybe after one more winter with the Subaru.

I'm now being drawn to a Cactus though: light, clever touches in the design, quirky, should be cheap to run if you buy it once someone's lost the Citroen-standard first year depreciation. I've always liked the more mad Citroens: SM, DS, 2CV etc. The Cactus does look like it might be a bit bonkers. []

 

[ChasR]

For me in your shoes (and I may do if one of my cars sell (you can guess which!) I may go for a W124 Mercedes Estate, which should also be fine for you.

 

[DavidL]

What you need is a classic range rover



(and a mig welder...)

 

[pauljmcnulty]

ORIGINAL: DavidL

What you need is a classic range rover



(and a mig welder...)

What is it about the first Rangies? Perhaps the only luxury 4x4 ever built that had it's off-road credentials put first. Imagine a new RR with panel gaps able to be hosed out, and rubber floors to allow any amount of mud in the car?

I want one in the same way I want a Mk2 RS2000 or a Rover SDI: they were so iconic, and the stars of the TV in my day, but I couldn't afford the reliability and build quality. I ended up in a German car from the '80s because the British options were so awful in hindsight.

I'd still love a Granada (DI Regan), a Princess (the wedgiest car outside the Lagonda), or a Scimitar....

 

[Neil Haughey]

I have been very lucky with my P38, over 4 years now and 40k miles he has never let me down. Did cause a panic outside Hartech though back in 2012, the EAS decided to fail dropping the car on to the bump stops. It took me 3 goes with the reset tool to get the EAS to play again that was a not very funny and stressful few minutes the thought of driving from Bolton back to Dorset on the bump stops []. Still though it fixed itself so had a waft tastic drive home.

I fancy a Monaro or VXR8 for the V8 crazyness or for that matter just about any rude V8.

I also fancy the 80's arch enemy, the Lotus Excel. Steph hates the look of them but I have always had a soft spot for them from when I remember seeing Barry McGuigan driving one past my house back in Ireland in the mid 80s.

 

[DavidL]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

ORIGINAL: DavidL

What you need is a classic range rover



(and a mig welder...)

What is it about the first Rangies? Perhaps the only luxury 4x4 ever built that had it's off-road credentials put first. Imagine a new RR with panel gaps able to be hosed out, and rubber floors to allow any amount of mud in the car?

To be fair it wasn't really a luxury anything in its first iteration. A mildly more comfortable series LR maybe.
They are great but having just had 133 hours of bodywork on mine they aren't the best put together. But it won't go rusty anytime soon.

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnultyI want one in the same way I want a Mk2 RS2000 or a Rover SDI: they were so iconic, and the stars of the TV in my day, but I couldn't afford the reliability and build quality. I ended up in a German car from the '80s because the British options were so awful in hindsight.

I'd still love a Granada (DI Regan), a Princess (the wedgiest car outside the Lagonda), or a Scimitar....

Some of those, well maybe some definitely not! Reliability and build quality - I refer you to my previous quote!

 

[Andy97]

Audi A4 Quattro Tdi for utility and dogs, and girlfriend. S2 for fun.

 

[white944]

Jeep XJ Cherokee 4.0L ('97-2K model) Powerful, reliable, comfortable, compact, versatile and inexpensive if you can stomach the 20 mpg.

 

[Sandspider]

ORIGINAL: Ewan

A bit random, but do you fancy a c class diesel Merc?! At work we have an old one that we're about to sell off cheaply (i.e. a few hundred quid). It's the 4 door saloon version, in silver, with dark grey/black interior. It's been well used, with about 150,000 miles covered, but with good service history and everything works as it should. It regularly carries dogs/logs/children and copes with Dorset's rutted roads admirably, while still returning an average of 43 mpg. And it's been seen at several of the counties finer shoots!

It's nothing special, just a good workhorse of a car. It's comfy, reliable, and would allow you to keep your 944 for special days, whilst not costing much at all. It'd be a cheap way of staying with 2 cars.

If anyone's interested and wants more details, best to speak to my colleague Jayson on 01258 861 059 as I think the car is registered in his name.

Hmm - that hadn't occurred to me! Probably not long term, but might do as a winter car. What mileage, engine etc.? I could probably find one cheap locally rather than coming to Dorset, but thanks for the offer.