My mind has been entertained by other car options recently (as per the previous post). I've started thinking you should never go back to a car you once had, unless it's a daily that you've kept for years and does everything you want a daily to do, and you're just refreshing/upgrading it; or perhaps different generations is fine - like you've had a Series 3 Lotus Elise, you can go back to a Series 1 or Series 2.
In the previous post I was looking at:
- Audi TTS Mk3 (in Orange)
- BMW M2 (Red)
- Lotus Evora (Red)
- Lotus Europa 1970 (Red)
- Mazda MX-5 RF ND (in Orange/Red)
- Porsche Cayman 987/981 (in Orange/Red)
- Toyota GT86/GR86 (in Orange/Red)
If I was to filter out what I've already had:
- Audi TTS Mk3
- BMW M2
- Lotus Europa 1970
- Porsche Cayman 981
- Toyota GT86/GR86
The Evora, Mazda MX-5 RF ND, and Cayman 987 go, because I've already had one in the past.
If I was to favorite these based on my current feeling (I feel like I don't want to get any more German cars):
- Lotus Europa 1970
- Toyota GT86/GR86
- Audi TTS Mk3
- Porsche Cayman 981
- BMW M2
My favorite is easily the 1970 Lotus Europa. I had a passenger drive in one once, and I love how low it was and the seating position (even better than the Exige). And no tax being greater than 40 years old. But I've never had a classic car before. Not sure I'm really the right person to look after it. I don't have a garage and I have no mechanical skill (I'd love to learn, but I think not having a decent garage to work on your car is a problem, and no tools and no skills - getting a decent set of tools together would likely cost as much as the Lotus Europa.)
If I got the Europa, what would I do? How would I give it the care it deserves whilst at the same time enjoying (using) it?
Maybe my plan should be, get Lotus Europa, store it, and move house to a house with a nice garage, then un-store it ... moving house because of a car. I cannot really explain why I like this Lotus Europa so much.
Next option is the GT86/GR86. I was working today and there was a Black GT86 parked at Cobham Services (must be owned by a staff member). I passed it twice (once when I was going East, then on my return journey, taking a break at the services.) I thought it looked brilliant. In fact, I wasn't totally sure what it was, until I took a closer look ("I thought, wow, what's that"). Is God telling me something "thou must get a black GT86/GR86"!?
Certainly, the Toyota has the advantage of being a much more carefree car than the Lotus Europa, and perhaps that is all I really want - one nice carefree car, that's good to drive and good to look at. And I could even move on the Audi A3 and return to one car, and just live with an 86.
Anyway, something to think about.
In all honesty, I think all these deliberations will be for nothing and I'll just keep the Exige.
A few hours later ... update ... I put a £250 deposit down on a black GR86 ... doesn't mean I'll get it but we'll see. I think I have to be honest and say that no matter how much I like the 1970 Lotus Europa, I'm not the right person to own it/not the right caretaker, given my lack of garage and lack of mechanical skills. And honestly, I'm no car collector, I'm not wealthy enough to buy cars and store them and I might use them just a handful of times during the year. I buy cars to use - I want/need useable cars.
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