Carrying on from last
weeks post. The decision is made. Yes, I'm selling my 2015 Lotus
Exige V6 S Roadster and getting a 2019 Mazda MX-5 2.0 GT RF Sport
Nav+.
If I can resist temptation, and not revisit the car market until 2022, it will be interesting to see how Lotus have evolved. Maybe by 2022 they will have one car that does it all.
It's been a bit of a
crazy adventure over the last 2 years – Elise, Exige, Evora, Exige.
I like to think I'm a sensible person, in truth, I've not been at all
sensible, really a bit dumb (perhaps a mid-life crisis.)
So here's the sensible
plan for the future:
Exige out, MX-5 in, and
I get a few thousand that helps to pay off some debts (also reduces
some other costs, but the Lotus barely depreciates so maybe not the
best move, but still, in the short term reduces costs – servicing,
fuel, tax, insurance, etcetera...)
My debts are currently
~£10k on an interest free credit card, £6k car finance for my Audi
S3 (4% interest), and £8.5k personal loan (10% interest). The
balance from selling the Exige pretty much clears the personal loan.
I've tentatively
decided not to sell the Audi S3. If I sell it, I'd not gain that much
over the finance, so I'll accept the £199 monthly's until that loan
is paid off, and make no attempt to overpay. And I think a 2-seater
rear-wheel drive sportscar, and a 5-seater Quattro, make a good
pair of cars.
Of course, I really
want to return to Lotus car ownership in the future, but it needs to
be on the right terms. No loans! The reality is that if – after
paying off my loans (except mortgage) – I managed to save £20k to
£40k to buy a Lotus in the future, I might end up thinking 'better
to use that money to move house'. Part of the problem with my Lotus
ownership has been my lack of garage (not even a driveway...)
So, the full plan:
- Keep Audi S3
forever... (at least 3 years please)
- Keep Mazda MX-5
forever... (at least 3 years please)
- Stop paying for car
storage (saves £100 per month)
- Kill off my debts (no
car loan, no credit cards, no personal loan)
- Save some money
- Move house (a house
with a garage please)
- Finally when I have
money spare to get a Lotus, we'll return to Lotus ownership.
And there's also this
little thing:
- Getting married in
2020...
If I can resist temptation, and not revisit the car market until 2022, it will be interesting to see how Lotus have evolved. Maybe by 2022 they will have one car that does it all.
The funny thing about
this adventure is that if I hadn't owned a Lotus, I might never have
tried out an MX-5. The MX-5 Zsport came about because I wanted
something a little Lotus like to drive whilst the Orange Exige was in
storage. And I loved that Zsport, so much so I'd be tempted to re-buy
one (there's one of the market at the moment in better condition than
the one I owned, that strongly tempts me.)
And my favourite car
from last weeks post. It's absolutely the 'Lotus Exige V6 IPS in
Midnight Blue'. I don't understand why it's sat at the Lotus dealer
in Carlisle for well over a year (it was on the market when I bought
the signature orange Exige). I'd buy it in a heartbeat if I had the
money. In hindsight, that's probably the Lotus I should have bought.
Image: I absolutely
love this spec Exige V6 S
Note: Regards the Audi S3. I'd like to do the Revo map in the future. And maybe a detail...
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