Dealing with temptation?

Joshy

Joshy

Joshy

Soldato
Joined
15 Jun 2009
Posts
5,016
Location
London
Serious question. How do people manage to stick with cars for such a long amount of time?

I know a few of you guys here have had your cars for absoultely ages and still seem happy with them, but it really is something that I've never, ever been able to do. I'm only 2 months into the ownership of the Soarer, it is by far the best car I've ever owned (Not that much of a accomplishment, but hey), is Fast, comfortable and (to me at least) pretty good looking. It is absoultely perfect for my wants and needs right now in my life. Really, I adore it... And yet I've But I still have the odd thought about selling it and buying something else. And I don't even know what I'd buy.

I'd probably just indulge my "problem" if I got rid. I've always wanted to trade cars. I love the initial honey moon period of servicing, fixing general faults and enjoying a new toy. After a few months things get a little... boring, and my mind starts to wonder. I'm sure I'd feel a lot better if I felt that I didn't HAVE to keep the car and could let it go whenever I felt like it...

It think the problem is that I enjoy the car buying process far too much. The hours of research, the trolling auctions, keeping tabs on eBay, viewing cars, etc. I find all of this exciting... Far more exciting than driving the same old car week in, week out.

I have a problem, don't I? :(.
 
I have the same feeling about the 328 all the time, then convince my self i couldnt buy anything for around the same money that would be as rounded. might be deluded:P
 
It's called lack of disposable income.

Also, I haven't found a better car for my needs that I currently own within my price/trade range.

Plus, I have the attitude of "let's see how far this thing will go..."
 
I'm the same, I've had my car barely 2 weeks and it ticks all the boxes yet I still find myself browsing the classifieds in my spare time :(
 
With the Clio ended up keeping that for ages as didn't really have anything to replace it with.

Arguably best in it's class, was cheap to run compared to other similar cars. Then as time goes on it becomes worth less, cost to change keeps going up, until it costs a significant amount more to change to something not much, if at all, better.

Only changed it as after 5 and a half years really did fancy a change, I'd always wanted an Impreza and the size of the Clio for the first time was becoming annoying when karting all our roller hockey stuff around. Saw one for a good price, had a buyer for mine and some free cash, and that was it :)

My step dad is terrible though, as soon as he gets a new car the search for the next one begins the very same day.
 
The thought of not wanting to spend money does it for me.
I had my last car for 8 years, finally got rid of it last summer.
There were plenty of occasions where I was bored with it and fancied something new, but I just didn't want to spend the money.

As mentioned above, I've had my current one for just about a year now and, while I do sometimes think about getting something else, I know I have a fantastic car that will hopefully do me for another good few years and the thought of probably having to spend > £20K to get anything better means that it will be with me for a while yet.
 
I deal with temptation by having some self control and not allowing myself to go out and buy another car until i've owned mine till it no longer meets my needs / exceeds my planned ownership period.
 
Another thing that puts my mind straight is how anal i am with cars. I know if i buy anything else ill spend way too much putting it "right" in my mind. On the 328 ive spent nearly £1000 on bushes/mounts/tyres and other thing that should be right from the offset.

It might help if you can test drive a few cars you desire via mates or owners clubs.
 
Easily,

1.) Needs a lot doing to get it up to my standards.

2.) Bits I want to modify, replacing aged 12yr parts for new uprated parts and big differences.

3.) It has a lot more to offer than I can currently get out of it with my driving ability and on the public highways....... Thus track :D:D:D
 
I look at all sorts of shiny stuff, and think 'one day'. But for now my house is dropping to bits and needs work, so upgrading is relatively low on my list of priorities.
 
I literally spend perhaps a 6-12 months doing the research behind each car I buy. It's good fun, and means that by the time I make a decision, get the money and take the plunge I am in absolutely no doubt that the car I am buying is absolutely the best possible car I can afford. Therefore there is nothing else to come along and tempt me, or it would already have done so during the decision making process.

As a result, I tend to be able to keep them for a long period of time and remain very happy with them.

It helped that when I bought my last car there was nothing this side of £20k I'd rather have owned.
 
A ****ing good thrashing.

I can consider as many replacements for the ST as I like, but every time I take it out and give it a good spanking, all that disappears. This is why I don't think I could ever have something that wasn't fast and sharp.
 
As above, from Fox and Mike - I bought the right car for me first of all, with endless paths to make it better/faster ;) and secondly a good thrashing really makes me remember just how fast, fun and grin inducing it is, which I think I'd struggle to beat without spending a whole lot more money.
 
I would prefer to replace temptation with aspiration.

If you're looking to shift your current car for a similar one, not really getting any better but a bit different (faster or more goodies perhaps) but there's no end goal, it is temptation.

Aspirational is more of a journey. You know what you want, more or less, and your next car will either get you there or be a stepping stone on the journey towards it.

On the former, you'll just buy. On the latter, you'll wait and achieve.
 
Very well put. I know we are all different but personally I see temptation in cars as a waste of time and money. People who chop and change every 34 seconds, I often wonder what they could acheive if they sticked with something. It's enjoyable to really get to know a car over a long period of time and the money you save by not flogging it every 34 seconds goes a long towards making its eventual replacement a real step up.
 
I like to change cars often too, I like to try different cars and I also like the buying process, I enjoy the feeling I get when I am deciding what to buy and I know I can do it ...I just haven't made the decision. Then when I've actually done it I nearly always feel a little ...disappointed ...like the fun part is over and now down to the serious business of actually owning said car :p

Perhaps because I've always found myself compromising somehow, I would love to have more than one car I just don't have anywhere to keep more cars ...I really, really want a classic American car and something more modern for daily use. If I had a 'toy' car I would probably keep the more sensible one a lot longer than I have been.
 
I feel the same. Some dude offered me a BMW 323 Ci as a swap and I was tempted just because it looked different to what I'm used to looking at. Luckily OcUK forum members are ideal to put you off swapping your car every 5 mins for more of the same (i.e honeymoon period of fixing stuff to be a perfectionist etc).

I do agree with getting excited about seeing cars I like when ACTUALLY looking for a new car, the research, and spending an age on the whole buying process but yes it's a bit dull driving the car once you're used to it, I think if I keep a car 2.5 years a pop thats PLENTY of time to own it. I thought I'd have gone through WAY more cars than I have as theres so, so many things I like.

Luckily (?!) I've spent a bit on mine now and it's putting me off flogging it as it's money spent on making it right which I'd never see back so I want my moneys worth seeing as I've only owned my current car for 10 months.
 
The_Abyss said:
I would prefer to replace temptation with aspiration.

If you're looking to shift your current car for a similar one, not really getting any better but a bit different (faster or more goodies perhaps) but there's no end goal, it is temptation.

Aspirational is more of a journey. You know what you want, more or less, and your next car will either get you there or be a stepping stone on the journey towards it.

On the former, you'll just buy. On the latter, you'll wait and achieve.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I used to get the urge to change cars almost monthly until I got my current Z4. The difference being that I aspired to this car and dreamt of owning it unlike any of my previous cars.
I nearly changed it for a diesel 3 series about 6 months ago but that was purely because my hand was being forced rather than wanting to change. Thank god I kept it!

I'm going to keep this car until I see another car I want. I think my next move might be a cheap ass classic American barge :cool:
 
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