Pick A Car For Life

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

406 V6 coupe.

 

If that really features high in your all time cars list, give yourself an early Xmas present and just go and buy one. £1500 should get a nice one.

 

For me this kind of dreaming is about something I'm not likely to be able to afford to own/run. If the car on your list is reachable then go for it!

[lewis205cti 12]

Not saying i'd get the 406 guys. but I've had a few and they are a nice drive, fast enough and dont cost the earth to fix like a top of the range Audi, BMW and Merc etc would.

[Anthony 1,003]

For me this kind of dreaming is about something I'm not likely to be able to afford to own/run

To be fair, GLP does say that you have got to afford to run and maintain it over your lifetime - hence the selection of uber-barges seems a little questionable given the financial ruin they're liable to inflict a few years down the line when they start breaking and needing significant work doing to keep them in good health.

 

Ignoring the running/maintenance costs and the keeping it going for life clearly changes things significantly!

[Fox 3]

I like the idea of the VW bus, I bloody hate them but it was actually one of my first ideas!

 

Don't forget this is your car for life...

[muddatrucker 125]

Audi RS2 Estate.

[Lan 24 1 Cars]

ur quattro would do me

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

To be fair, GLP does say that you have got to afford to run and maintain it over your lifetime - hence the selection of uber-barges seems a little questionable given the financial ruin they're liable to inflict a few years down the line when they start breaking and needing significant work doing to keep them in good health.

 

Ignoring the running/maintenance costs and the keeping it going for life clearly changes things significantly!

 

I'm not so sure TBH, my father has a early 90's UR quattro 20v, it has had all the servicing etc its needed but not a great deal else, things like dampers, turbo, and clutch are still original. OK it has only done 55k miles but its certainly showing no signs of being ruinous just yet.

[GLPoomobile 958]

To be fair, GLP does say that you have got to afford to run and maintain it over your lifetime - hence the selection of uber-barges seems a little questionable given the financial ruin they're liable to inflict a few years down the line when they start breaking and needing significant work doing to keep them in good health.

 

Ignoring the running/maintenance costs and the keeping it going for life clearly changes things significantly!

 

 

OK, I actually feel like punching my own face for starting this topic It's really annoying, eh?

 

Yeah, I did say it you have to be able to afford to run it for life, but that's going to put a different slant on it for everyone, depending on their own circumstances. So that's not really fair. No matter how I word it, the context is always going to be ambiguous to a degree.

 

The other thing is, I don't think any car in existance would be able to stand circa 50 years of daily use, unless you had an almost bottomless pit of spare parts. I know there's classic cars still around that are a 100 years old now, but they're not in regular use. Can you imagine running something for 50 years, and 500,000 miles in the UK, with our awful roads and terrible drivers. If you didn't get rear-ended and the car written off, it'd be going through suspension parts like they were going out of fashion.

 

It's just not realistic is it? And I'm a nob for asking the question

 

However, I do like some of the suggestions so far.

 

Audi RS6 totally floats my boat. For a long time I've thought that if my numbers came up an RS6 Avant would do me quite nicely as a workhorse type of car. Not quite so keen on an M5 wagon, but wouldn't say no to one. I also really like Volvo 850R and V70R estates, and Saab 9-5 Aero estates. There is something strangely cool about a fast wagon Oh, and how could I forget the RS2? My only problem with these is I'm not sure I'd want to live with something this big for the rest of my life. It'd be akin to my Alfa 166, which since I've had it I've gone out of my way to avoid parking it in normal spaces, as it's so bloody big it's a bugger to park.

 

VW Bus? Interesting choice. Been a fan for a long time, but again, not sure I'd want one for life. Could make it faster with the right engine, but never necessarily going to be fun or thrilling to drive.

 

I'd adore an Integrale Evo II. And with 5 doors it'd be reasonably practical. But you couldn't live with one for life as it'd soon disintegrate.

 

By the way, don't forget this is wish scenario. You don't have to choose a new car, and it's doesn't have to be standard either. You could choose a classic Mini with twin engines if that floats your boat. You can wish for whatever you want, but you have to live with the consequences for the rest of your life.

Edited July 14, 2011 by GLPoomobile

[Anthony 1,003]

The other thing is, I don't think any car in existance would be able to stand circa 50 years of daily use, unless you had an almost bottomless pit of spare parts. I know there's classic cars still around that are a 100 years old now, but they're not in regular use. Can you imagine running something for 50 years, and 500,000 miles in the UK, with our awful roads and terrible drivers. If you didn't get rear-ended and the car written off, it'd be going through suspension parts like they were going out of fashion.

I disagree.

 

There are cars out there that would do it, but would obviously need to be maintained well and well protected from the elements and our salt-covered roads to keep tin worm at bay, as that's what will ultimately kill most older car rather than mechanical maladies.

 

Something like a W123 Mercedes would laugh in the face of 500k miles if cared for, and I don't see why one wouldn't survive 50 years if it wasn't killed prematurely in an accident - the things really are built like tanks and hence they're such a favourite in countries that demand rugged, dependable cars.

 

Failing that, a 70/80's era Toyota Hilux? I wouldn't want to do 500k miles in one, but there's no doubting that whatever God-forsaken hellhole on earth you see on TV, there's always a Hilux happily plodding around with half a dozen armed militia hanging out of the back - I somehow doubt that any of them have received regular servicing and extensive preventative maintenance.

 

I'm still confident that it is possible in a 205 though - after all, the average one is now 20-25 years old and will have been in daily use for the majority of that. The mechanical parts are largely upto the job of high mileages, if you think about the amount shared with say 405's that were historically taxis, although I admit that a 500k mile shell would be falling apart even if protected from rust. What has historically consigned them to the scrapyard is either premature death going backwards through a hedge, or people being too tight to spend the money repairing what needs doing - how many for example have been scrapped for a failed rear beam, or written off for easily repaired damage like a dented door?

[allye 530 3 Cars]

This is a horrible question that after hours of thinking (I read this thread this morning) still can't answer!

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

I'd keep my 1.6 cherry red 205. I know there's lots of better cars out there but I'd always miss the 205 and to be without one for the rest of my life would be pretty depressing

 

To sum it up, I'd rather have a 205 for the rest of my life than to never own one again.

 

Sad but true

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

It would probably have to be a Range Rover (and not the Sport Model). Luxury, 4WD, Practical, Spacious, Classy.

[Rippthrough 98]

Gotta be an F1 hasn't it?

 

3 seats, it's practical!

[mojo1997 0]

Not going too daft I'd have a nice 996 (Carrera or turbo), and my wife can have the 4x4 that she's always wanted (or is that cheating).

 

I could live the rest of my life like that no problem...

[zxrpaul 3]

im going to ignore the sensible side and go with one of my dream cars Ford RS200...

[carbers205 1]

Im with GLP (and surprisingly nobody else) on this in that an 850 or V70 R would be ideal, bloody comfortable, practical, fast enough to keep you satisfied and will happily run moon mileage. Not too rare to find parts for either or overly expensive to maintain.

[ORB 227 1 Cars]

Saab 9-5 Aero would be cool too...

[miamibungers 8 1 Cars]

Audi RS6 Avant - Sprint Blue.

 

I second that, but with an MRC 830bhp conversion POWER!!

[oli-pug 6 2 Cars]

E30 touring with some M-Power dropped in would keep me happy.

[Baz 421]

Im with GLP (and surprisingly nobody else) on this in that an 850 or V70 R would be ideal, bloody comfortable, practical, fast enough to keep you satisfied and will happily run moon mileage. Not too rare to find parts for either or overly expensive to maintain.

 

Living the dream...

 

 

The only reason i didn't pick this is because i already have run Volvo estates for so many years i never thought to pick them!

 

But you're right, they're VERY practical, VERY comfortable, not slow, capable of intergalactic miles without major issue and very affordable to run tbh.

 

I have an 850 2.5T AWD that's done 230k, same engine & running gear, not had anything other than normal servicing, great cars!

 

The only downside is, '01> models just aren't what 'Volvos' used to be, they've gone all Fordy and feel it, lesser build quality, cheap switchgear/electronics, and ours is proving to be less reliable too...!

 

Bloody quick & fun though, but 4pots all round and i'm still cooking the brakes? Going to try a fluid swap.

Edited July 15, 2011 by Baz

[Lan 24 1 Cars]

I'm not so sure TBH, my father has a early 90's UR quattro 20v, it has had all the servicing etc its needed but not a great deal else, things like dampers, turbo, and clutch are still original. OK it has only done 55k miles but its certainly showing no signs of being ruinous just yet.

 

a friend of mine has one which has done well over 200k miles with a engine rebuild and 1 new turbo obviously the other less expensive parts too but he really hammers it and it takes it when we went though germany a couple of years ago he was literally flat out the entire time and it didn't have one issue, i'd be happy to foot the bills over a life time for one if anything it would be cheaper than some of the fast barges mentioned rs6 m5 etc. although if i went that route it would be the RS2

[GeorgeXS 32]

E30 M3 Sport Evo

Bugger to get body parts for mind, where I worked last summer snapped up the last nearside front wing that BMW had made, unlikely to see another batch done tbh!!

[lagonda 42]

Not a hypothetical question for me...bought my Lagonda V12 dhc (1940) in 1976 and it's still the last thing I'd ever part with.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Not a hypothetical question for me...bought my Lagonda V12 dhc (1940) in 1976 and it's still the last thing I'd ever part with.

[GLPoomobile 958]

I didn't post this before as it didn't fit my criteria.

 

But to hell with future parts availability and the small issue of whether I could afford to run it or not, they're boring little details Tonight's Top Gear reminded me that the answer was right under my nose - GTR. Just has to be.

 

 

EDIT: I've also just noticed that my reply to Lagonda has gone awry . I had asked if his Lagonda V12 was his only car, and if it served all his normal daily duties that a main car should do.

Edited July 17, 2011 by GLPoomobile