Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

Well following my other thread I posted today reference what cars I have owned, I realised that it would be interesting to recall what cars I nearly bought, but didnt and why

I'll start the ball rolling with my experiences, or at least the ones I recall:

Series 1 RS Turbo back in 1996, it looked mint in the autotrader advert (good old magazine version), yet when I viewed the car it was a complete mess, we haggled on price as I only wanted the shell really as a doner car for one I already had in the garage. Money was about to exhange, then I recalled that my dad told me to look at the VIN under the seat. I pulled back the carpet to reveal a set of number slightly offset, I asked him if he knew why, yet he seemed as puzzled as me, so I set about with my key scrapping the "white painted chassis" to reveal what appeared to be poly filler. needless to say I drove away with a very upset owner in my rear view mirror.

Porsche Boxter in 2001 ish, nice example and I though this would be a great motor for the weekend, especially for the mrs, but realised it was a poor mans porsche, so promptly walked away and never looked at them since.

BMW M3, around a 1998 plate. I think for there time they were a great machine, and I recall when they came out new (wow). However around 7 years ago when I looked at them they seem to be getting very dated in comparison to the new BMW range, so that put me off. I never did drive one

1998 Mitsi Evo, I was so close to buying as it was dirt cheap, ok the trim was tatty, but the drive was fantastic, and for around £3500 what a bargain at the time, however having spoke to a mechanic friend and mapper, I was told the drive chain is the let down when power upgrading, and servicing is a bitch, so thats another car I gave a miss.

Needless to say I have owned many cars and got rid of the within weeks as I just didnt like them, one being a Mitsubishi Warrior....eeeeerrrr, horrid ride and comfort, but thats not what this thread is about.

Obviously I have looked at many other cars creaming, but never with the intention of buying as they were out of my price bracket so they will not be mentioned.

What about you?

Rob

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

In a completely idiotic moment, I placed a deposit on a 206 cc £500 if I remember.

After spending the entire evening down the pub getting ruined by my mates, I went in the next day with my tail between my legs and begged for my deposit back.

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

Trimuph TR6, but at the time I was too young to get classic insurance

Nearly had a Chevette HSR too, but there was a misunderstanding on the price so my loan didn't quite cover it.

LVC

Classic Corvette Stingray - was in KSA at the time and the owner brought it to the Souks so I could see it. Looked and sounded fantastic as it arrived - canary yellow - but was a real pile of dogs doodoo up close. Was planning on bringing it back to the UK when I returned - ended up buying a scale model instead, lol

the shreksta

iTrader: (20)

nearly had the following

nissan 200sx s13

astra mk2 gte 16v

cavalier turbo 4x4

mazda rx7 twin turbo

bmw 330ci

rover 220 gti turbo

Busterbulldog

iTrader: (1)

I put a deposit on one of these but could not get affordable insurance at the time.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ta...w=1280&bih=709

Busterbulldog

iTrader: (1)

I bought one as a surprise present for my wife...it didnt go down well...she drove it once... apparently theyre ****e to drive lol

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

I nearly bought a mark 2 Lotus Cortina but I bought a sierra 2.9 4x4 instead

nickscooby

iTrader: (1)

Was looking at a Celica gt4 St205 before I got my first Impreza.

I keep looking at 200sx S14s (I know a lot of drifters), looked at Evos before I got my current scoob and always wanted an MR2 Turbo.

Love the look of the Mazda6 MPS. My wife has the 2.3 sport and is lovely, real sleeper as well.

Do have a thing for V8 yank tanks.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Ooh, bad choice.

I nearly bought a Capri 3 litre, but bought the MkI Mexico instead. Glad I did, as petrol hit £1 a gallon soon after...

rob84

iTrader: (5)

were you planning on a career in Funeral directing

Dan-

i nearly brought a mk2 focus RS went to put my deposit down and thought what am i doing! this is almost a deposit for a house! at 21 cant live at home much longer :'(

Busterbulldog

iTrader: (1)

No I just wanted a cooler car...it was the 80s....Rancho looked it pmsl

rossyboy

iTrader: (8)

Fiat Uno Turbo ie, circa 1996. I paid a large amount of money on an AA inspection. Thankfully.....

Still slightly regret not having had one back then, even though I know it was for the best.

cjquicksilver

iTrader: (23)

wel im currently on my 65th car @ 27 lol

swapped my modified 306 for a nissan skyline when i was 17 and once id done the swap realised i couldnt get insurance so had to sell it and then bought impreza sport lol

bighead

iTrader: (1)

924 carrera.....now worth £40K+ (thought it was too expensive @£13k in the 1984)

hedgecutter

iTrader: (5)

BB Talbot rancho I had completely forgotten that they existed, and have to admit as an 18 year old I quite fancied one !!

Dirk Diggler 75

Ice cream van .....

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

Renault 15 coupe

If any of you older guys can rember these
31 years ago but I hadn't passed my test and the guy wanted a quick sale

I'm sure I will get one one day
Only car I never bought everything else I wanted

Although strangly drawn now to kwe restored jag xjs

JohnD

iTrader: (5)

In the mid '60s at the tender age of 20 (Yep, I'm that old!) my insurance company would not quote me on a Lotus Cortina (I worked at Ford and could get a good employee discount) so I tried a Mk2 3.4 Jag - same reply! Gits!

JohnD

Busterbulldog

iTrader: (1)

back in the day eh ....

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

I looked at a 16v Delta Integrale but got put off by being LHD, so bought a Fiesta RS Turbo. Looked into buying an Escort Cosworth but couldn't justify the insurance so bought my uk impreza.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Alfa Romeo 156. Was a 2.4 JTD model and I'd just been paid out for my accident last February. Fancied it as a nice sub £1,000 car. But then a silver classic Impreza wagon popped up on eBay, in Grimsby, 25 miles away. I was in Grimsby within the hour for a test drive hanging over a deposit

Don't regret it though, except when the Subaru is broken.

wazlee

iTrader: (3)

Around 18/19 years ago (was 18/19 at the time) a friend of a friend was hard up & looking to get rid of his 1986 M5.
It was going really cheap - alas, the insurance companies weren't so hard up & pretty much laughed at me for getting a quote

On the flip side of the OP, there a 2 cars I totally regret selling - a 1975 'A' Series Manta & a Moggy Minor Pick-up

P1 LTD

I Nearly brought i Clio Williams going back a few years thought it be a good investment a small car with a 2.0 engine and the backing of the Williams F1 good job i didnt! Was not a limited run done version 2 and 3 i think

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

I nearly bought a vw scirroco storm or a something storm, was a long time ago, also an alfa gte which was a lovely looking car back in the day, i was looking at loads of coupe's at the time and ended up with an Audi GT back when nobody knew what they were, coming from a mk4 cortina it was lush, like the cockpit of a fighter plane everything seemed to wrap around you, ah the 80's

Biggest regret was not buying a lotus elise, was black and owned by a lotus director, and had been breathed on by the factory, loads of fancy bits and was a bit of a demo/ R&D car, i had £50k in the bank car was £30k, i was waiting for my house in croatia to go through which took almost 18 months, because no one knew how to sell a house to a foreigner in my own name, as opposed to a company name, never been done before at the time.

So i'd been to view it in leicester and was going to have a chat with the mrs when the call came through that the house was mine

Glad i never though because the nearest house to me out here which is just 4 walls and rubble is on the market for 500,000 Euros mine cost £22k

Wonder how much the car is worth now.

gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

In the early noughties I looked at and was close to buying a Lamborghini Countach (5000S IIRC) For about £40k. My girlfriend at the time wasn't impressed and 'suggested' that I spend the money on the house instead.
The car's now worth over £100k and the house has gone down in value. bloody women, that's the last time I listen to one

Blue by You

iTrader: (23)

Nothing major in my missed car list, but there was a really nice 1968 390GT Mustang that I passed over for a Dodge Charger. I bought the right car but the pony was nice.

A car I missed in 2008 and greived over for a while was a minted Impreza Spec D, I think it was a 2006 model. It doesn't sound like much to get excited about perhaps but had been cherished and had just 9k miles on the clock and it was absolutely detail perfect.
I missed it because I tried to play hardball with the dealer and he sold it without even giving me a second chance at an offer.

pacenote

This was a car that got away..

Genuine factory Group A car



Several years ago was going to buy this 50/50 with a mate. He pulled out of the deal and I hadn't got the additional funds so that was that. These cars fetch serious money now and would have been a very good investment.

Twin Fields

I nearly bought a 1975 Triumph Dolomite Sprint, but decided to buy a 1971 Mk1 Escort Mexico instead. I was only seventeen though!