Advice / opinions from those with a work horse and a weekend toy

lordrobs

lordrobs

lordrobs

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I know there are a few of you out there so... how do you find it?

Is it worth the running costs of a second car?

Do you think it is worth splitting your extra cash over a second car rather than focussing it all on one motor?

Is it not the rosy win win situation that some people think it is?

Do you find that your toy just sits there for months on end not being used?

...basically I want your experiences (good and bad) of running a work horse and a toy!
 
Surely that depends on what the weekend car is? A Caterham is almost definately not a daily runner, it'd have to be in the pursuit of passion :D
 
I am asking on a hypothetical basis so whatever anyone has as a second motor, whether it be a 4x4 for a bit of green laning, a Westfield for blasting on sunny days or a concourse car that spends its weekends parked over a mirror and being polished I'm just after a few experiences of what people have experienced :)
 
I have two vehicles, and I only use one at the weekend, however neither of which I'd describe as a "work horse" or a "toy".

Essentially, bar the cost of fuel, and obviously the increased lifespan of consumables, it's no different to me running two daily runners. Infact the cost of the consumables lasting longer is slightly offset by the fact that I leave the battery connected to a conditioner during the week.

I'm going to amalgamate my vehicles in to one "fits all" car.
 
I ran two cars for a fair while and found it fine, although I found myself wondering why I was paying for two vehicles and ended up feeling guilty that I was using one more than the other so I now have a car and a bike, two seperate forms of transport and dont feel guilty any more :D. I guess it depends on your personality and how much spare cash you dont mind wasting
 
lordrobs said:
I know there are a few of you out there so... how do you find it?

Is it worth the running costs of a second car?


Do you think it is worth splitting your extra cash over a second car rather than focussing it all on one motor?

Is it not the rosy win win situation that some people think it is?

Do you find that your toy just sits there for months on end not being used?

...basically I want your experiences (good and bad) of running a work horse and a toy!
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In my experience yes it's worth the running costs, but it also entirely depends on your intended usage of both cars and mileage etc.

I wanted something fun to tinker with and hoon on nice days so I bought the MX5, and I don't believe it's a suitable every day/all year round car for the mileages/day to day usage it gets, and it would "taint" the experience if used in such a fashion. I want something comfy to just trudge to work in when it's cold and wet, and for more "practical" journeys.

The MX5 gets taken out all year round as long as it's dry.

Neither of my cars cost much to run per se, so it's not an expensive pursuit until you start upgrading one of them ;) It also means the toy can be off the road without consequences


One day I'll be able to afford a car which is capable at both, but for now they both do their jobs admirably :)

Any more questions feel free to ask
 
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i have my ol' bulletproof fez with moon mileage still going strong. the thing is cheap to run/service/insure/fix. so for something to pop down to work too, its ideal.

this frees me up to keep the teg mint. in that sense alone, its worth every penny.

costs me £400-500 more a year i guess to have both on the road. not bad at my age (21).
 
It is good to get some opinions as it is something I'm considering... maybe.

Howard, you mention a couple of things that I thought quite important- something that I can tinker with myself, currently I know a little more than nothing mechanically so fiddling with my every day car and hitting a problem I can't solve late on a Sunday doesn't fill me with joy! Also the freedom to be able to do track days and the like is a possibility, again without having the worry of how I'll get to work the following day.

My current thoughts have been mixed but include Mk1 MX5's, Triumph Spitfires, MGB Roadster and GT. All of which have a big owners community it seems so plenty of help when I need it! Also all come in under £2.5k for a mechanically sound with sound if not perfect bodywork.

I am starting to think that maybe something that can seat more than 2 might be a better longer term prospect though.

This would however mean getting shot of the Octy and getting a cheap to run diesel for work to offset the costs. On the one hand I like the idea of stretching my 40ppm work allowance further than it currently does. On the other, those times at work when I find myself on a quiet country road... nice drive + 40ppm + salary = the sweetest drives :o
 
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I wouldnt want to drive a crap car all week so I could have a nice car at the weekend. I'd rather just have a slightly less nice but still nice car for all the time.
 
[TW]Fox;16435056 said:
I wouldnt want to drive a crap car all week so I could have a nice car at the weekend. I'd rather just have a slightly less nice but still nice car for all the time.
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A good point and the number one reason I think it is a bad idea at the moment.

Work car would need to be cheaper to run for me to offset the costs of the toy. It may also impact on my budget to buy it in the first place depending on how big my bonus that I've been promised at work ends up being :o
 
lordrobs said:
It is good to get some opinions as it is something I'm considering... maybe.

Howard, you mention a couple of things that I thought quite important- something that I can tinker with myself, currently I know a little more than nothing mechanically so fiddling with my every day car and hitting a problem I can't solve late on a Sunday doesn't fill me with joy! Also the freedom to be able to do track days and the like is a possibility, again without having the worry of how I'll get to work the following day.

My current thoughts have been mixed but include Mk1 MX5's, Triumph Spitfires, MGB Roadster and GT. All of which have a big owners community it seems so plenty of help when I need it! Also all come in under £2.5k for a mechanically sound with sound if not perfect bodywork.

I am starting to think that maybe something that can seat more than 2 might be a better longer term prospect though.

This would however mean getting shot of the Octy and getting a cheap to run diesel for work to offset the costs. On the one hand I like the idea of stretching my 40ppm work allowance further than it currently does. On the other, those times at work when I find myself on a quiet country road... nice drive + 40ppm + salary = the sweetest drives :o
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Depending on funds, just do it anyway and keep the Octy? Unless it's going to be a real push, in which case perhaps it's not the best idea

None of the cars you have mentioned will have expensive running costs unless you want them to :)
 
I drive two cars, an FD RX7 and an EJ9 Civic. I did daily drive the FD RX7 for a while, but there was little point having all that power on the commute while having poor fuel economy. So I got the Civic.

Perhaps its because of what the weekend car is, but its cheaper for me to run two cars than just the RX. It depends on your circumstances, what the cars are, what the commute is etc, but it works out perfectly fine for me, and the most that the RX gets left is a few weeks at a time over winter, but with proper checks and maintenance it isnt an issue.

Its perfectly comfortable, costs me very little to run, and really don't give a rats bottom what people think about it - I, and those people who's opinions count to me, know I have an RX7 for when I want to drive, and not simply commute.

Having a mediocre compromise just isn't for me. I really don't see the point of having a car that's crap at being frugal and crap at looking good/driving fast. I'll take me 'crap' civic daily drive and my 'Achingly beautiful but thirsty' driver focussed RX7 for the weekend.
 
Howard said:
Depending on funds, just do it anyway and keep the Octy? Unless it's going to be a real push, in which case perhaps it's not the best idea

None of the cars you have mentioned will have expensive running costs unless you want them to :)
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A possible option. What I keep forgetting is that these cars are effectively depreciation free so a summer fling with one probably wouldn't cost much more than the running costs and the summer tax depending on when I sell.

Tempting to see how I get on with the idea before selling on my warm hatch which is A) in better than average condition and B) has a few choice mods that if I was to buy another I would want to do again (more costs) both points that make me want to keep hold of it.
 
lordrobs said:
A possible option. What I keep forgetting is that these cars are effectively depreciation free so a summer fling with one probably wouldn't cost much more than the running costs and the summer tax depending on when I sell.

Tempting to see how I get on with the idea before selling on my warm hatch which is A) in better than average condition and B) has a few choice mods that if I was to buy another I would want to do again (more costs) both points that make me want to keep hold of it.
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mk1 MX5 time :) :)
 
Try a bike for the weekends, and then try it for the week as well. You won't even have to ask silly questions like this once you've tried... :) Even weekend wobblers are better than trying to split two cars like this, or even worse, trying to cram one car into two desires.
 
I cannot say for sure but I do not think I could run 2 cars in a daily/toy manner. No doubt about it I would want to be in my toy all the time and just loathe being in a work horse when I have a nice car at home.

I hate being in hire cars when on holiday and wish I had my car :D

I could do a bike and a car though, they are different enough that I would not have that "other car" feeling :p
 
The_Abyss said:
He hasn't said this though.
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I have considered a bike but I want something I can enjoy with my girlfriend on the weekends and whilst I wouldn't worry too much about myself on a bike I wouldn't like the idea of exposing her to the danger.

I cannot say for sure but I do not think I could run 2 cars in a daily/toy manner. No doubt about it I would want to be in my toy all the time and just loathe being in a work horse when I have a nice car at home.

I hate being in hire cars when on holiday and wish I had my car

I could do a bike and a car though, they are different enough that I would not have that "other car" feeling
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Again a very good point. On the days that I'm only going in to work (just 2.5 miles away) what car will I take? The toy? Might as well as I'm not doing big miles today... but then it is meant to be a toy not for work use.. errrr... ummm... damn I'm late for work now :p

The funny situation is that I've wanted a toy for ages. After going to a few car shows my girlfriend has slowly been sold on the idea too. Excellent, game on! ...and then the reality sets in and my pipe dream feels a bit less of a dream :o
 
lordrobs said:
I have considered a bike but I want something I can enjoy with my girlfriend on the weekends and whilst I wouldn't worry too much about myself on a bike I wouldn't like the idea of exposing her to the danger.
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If you think like that, then you'll probably ride the bike as you should have been riding it in the first place, i.e. safely :)
 
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