tell me about it. (sarcasm)
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In my 60ās and Iāve never bought a new car. Restored 5 jags over time, newest from 1989 but with one project left (73 E) Iāve concluded it IS time to say goodbye. Iāll be posting on the classified page. Goodbye my love.
Hi,
I just did the maths. My 4 cars average at 50 years.
My 1st car was older than me. (The 1966 S1 2+2)
I have sold off only two cars and one MC. The 2nd MC I had was the only thing I ever bought new. It was good for 8 years but then small accident damage meant the insurance company cashed it in. (Totalled)
I am pretty sure I would never give up the ones I have. YMMV.
Cheers!
I also did the math. I am just an amateur compared to you:
5 cars, average age 23 years.
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Hi,
I just found it funny that the four put together is exactly 200. 
73 + 51 + 48 + 28 = 200 years
MKV E OTS XJ6C 456
1950 1972 1975 1995
Cheers!
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counting ājust the registered onesā? avg age for four is 30.2
Well crap. This thread got me thinking. Tomorrow we drive to Little Rock to look at Jettas and Mazda3s. Leaning heavily toward the 3, but I like the integrated screen in the Jettaās dash.
After one brand new one, and four projects, I can say with certainty that you must love what you do, or not take one on. There was a time when it was important to fix one up, but as you age, you start asking yourself how much time you are spending and what it is costing. Time away from your job, and your family is a large price to pay. The last one was just too far gone and making a driver would have been terribly expensive, and the end result would not be that rewarding. I sold it to a man 20 years younger than myself and wished him luck.
Aw man, just two, 36 years 
You all got it wrong. You all need to buy new cars for lots of money and I buy them well maintained, second hand for small money. Iāll probably never understand buying brand new although my mum got herself a new miata and itās been a good experience.
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I know of several owners who have poured their childrensā inheritance into a classic car project that will never see a positive return. And in one case there is not even the prospect of enjoying the end product, which will remain a project or a parts car long after they have gone. In this light my classic car ownership has been blessed.
Triumph Dolomite Sprint, originally a daily driver, kept for 20 years, sold as a running and easy project to an enthusiast. That car was never put back in the road. I suspect it became a parts car.
E, bought for Ā£20k, spent less than Ā£20k on maintenance and repairs (including a respray). Value now more than Ā£40k - just. Result 80k free miles and 20 years of free smiles.
S2000 GT, bought for Ā£16k with just 7k miles on the clock. Now 80k miles, unmolested original condition, sought after car. Similar well kept examples are currently on offer for Ā£15k to Ā£20k.
Bentley Turbo R. Thereās is always an exception. Currently this 2.5 ton pile of scrap metal only owes me about Ā£1k, as I try, vainly, to get it running. Iām keeping this car at the moment purely for its entertainment value. Your entertainment.
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Hi,
My parents and late dentist brother always bought new cars. Taxes in Finland are almost as crazy as in Denmark and Greece.
My dad:
1953 VW Beetle, black, split window (back then you needed a special permit to buy a car, he was a doctor)
1954 Peugeot 203, black
1958-1959 in London, UK. I think they did not have a car, living in Hampstead Heath, as they did not bring one over when they moved back?
1959 Peugeot 203, light grey
1964 Peugeot 404, beige
1968 BMW 1800 Neue Klasse (Chinese eye, 4-door) light grey, 6V electrics, bad in winter
1970 passed away
My mom:
1973 Volvo 144L, white
1980 the only time ever she bought a pre-owned car, a 1978 Volvo 244DL, light yellow, it immediately started to rust! So she thought, never again!
1983 Volvo 360 Sedan, Metallic grey with red interior
1995 Renault Megane Sedan, light blue
2003 passed away
Me?
1984 I bought a two year old (in Finland you can get a license for a max 125cc at 16) Honda 125TD, Metallic red, I got my license in September 1985.
1988 Kawasaki GPZ500S, twin front discs, twin exhaust, Bright Red / Black, the only thing I ever bought new.
1996 the basket case 1966 E-type 2+2 (titled as a 1967) took two years to finish, MOT and historic plates, Opal. Dark Green / Suede Green, Webasto sunroof, manual + overdrive conversion, sold in 2012
2002 the 1950 Mark V Drophead CoupƩ, not running (brakes) two-tone Metallic Red over Silver / Black, French Grey hood (top)
2006 a 1998 XJ8 3.2 Executuve, sold new in Finland, Sapphire Blue / Oatmeal & Antelope, our DD for 11 years, had 204,000kms on the dial when bought, worked perfectly, sold in 2017
2007 the 1975 XJ6C, Silver / Dark Blue, European spec, manual + overdrive, sold new in Milan
2012 the 1972 V12 E-type OTS, White / Black, unrestored 70,000kms, sold new in Belgium (Euro spec)
2015 the 1995 Ferrari 456GT Argento NĆ¼rburgring / Red Connolly Vaumol (VM.3171) 87,000kms
2011 I bought a pre-owned, two owner 2004 XJR (X350) in Florida for my in-laws, 82,000 miles, Platinum / Warm Charcoal, all extras, worked well, sold in 2023
Thatās it.
Cheers!
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Iāve bought two cars brand new. Drove both hard.
Vauxhall Corsa, 1 litre three pot motor, 59 busy little horses, rock steady chassis, skinny tyres. One of the first things I did was tack it up my local hill climb course. Huge amount of fun. Sold after 4 years at 60k miles.
Renault MĆ©gane RS225. 225 ponies out of a 2 litre 4 pot motor. Hard as rocks suspension, rear axle from a van which could not be adjusted. It ate injectors, coils, front suspension springs, rear tyres (which did nothing) faster than fronts (which did everything), door handles, 3 road wheels (even small pot holes would dent the rims), bottom swivel joints (which would lock the steering), inner control arms, and rod ends, and one complete steering rack. But, it was a hoot to drive, huge flat torque curve. Sold at 5 years with 120k miles. Next owner took it over 200k miles. And he track dayād it at Silverstone.
Since then Iāve bought low miles 3 or 4 year old cars and kept them for ten years.
Before cars, I bought a succession of new or nearly new Kawasakis, one Gilera and one BSA Bantam. The Bantam was a box of bits. Ā£5. Rode it for three years. The Gilera was new, sold a year later. Then, Z400, nearly new, three years; Z650 brand new, less than one year (crashed it); Z1R, brand new, nine years; ZZR1100, nearly new, still got it, currently non running. (Future project).
Cars that got away. Singer Vogue, rust bucket car; Vauvhall Victor, rust bucket and very weak engine (broken crankshaft); Ford Corsair, 1.5 heavily tuned, a mad mad car; Ford Escort, another rust bucket; Fiat X19, another rust bucket; Lancia Beta HPE, huge fun to drive, biggest rust potential but rust was never a problem; Peugeot 405 family estate, awful dreadful car, it even smelled bad; Renault 21 Savanna, a better French car; Vauxhall Senator, taken to 200k miles; Ford Capri, E-Type substitute, stolen.
Bikes that got away. A Vespa Ciao and a CZ 125. These filled a void after the crashed Kawasaki, I could ride them with one arm in plaster.
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I still drive a Chevrolet Vega every day. My '71 has 399K miles, my '74 has 208K and the Cosworth has 125K. Nice handling with 50/50 weight distribution (like the E) but simple cars so easy to maintain. Just keep the oil in good shape and NEVER let them run hot. The E-type is my dream car but it only gets driven on nice days and never gets wet.
David
68 E-type FHC
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Ah, you are truly an inspiration to us all. 
Admit it, you are as eager to tool around the countryside like a king in a Bentley as we are to read about it. 
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so, whereās the pic?
Thereās a whole threadā¦
https://forums.jag-lovers.com/t/money-pit-on-stilts-aka-my-fathers-bentley-turbo-r/438020
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get a room
What happens in the garage, stays in the garage. 
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