Replacing a car = Sadness!

[T5R92011]

I have been umming and arring about replacing my 'last of the line' P2 S60 for quite some time now and haven't been able to bring myself to do it until now. I've spent hours and hours on Autotrader, too anxious to commit to buying something new, and letting nice car after nice car slide because I didn't want to let it go.

Having owned it for nearly 4 years, I have formed a bond with it and I know it's quirks inside out. It's irritating that the car always rolls back when you put the handbrake on, because Volvo designed it that way. And how the ride is uncomfortable despite ironically having the most comfortable seats known to man. It's annoying how rear passengers cant just 'get in', they have to wait for the front passengers to move their seats forward due to shocking rear leg room. It's a right pain that the turning circle means reverse parking into most spaces is required. Yet it has been the most reliable, fault free car I've ever owned and has NEVER let me down. A real Volvo from before Ford got involved.



This S60 was my 'reward' purchase for paying off all of my debts following a bad period in my life. It's the first car I bought as a joint decision with my long term partner. It was with me through a stressful job redundancy, and then 2 years of commuting to new a job that I HATED but had to stay in while saving for a mortgage. It helped me move into my first home. It took us on many many holidays and it was still here when me and my partner eventually went our separate ways.

I've never experienced such an emotional attachment to a vehicle before. I guess it's just like an old friend...They aren't perfect and you put up with their faults but they'll always be there for you when you need them most.

It's being replaced with an 07 S40 T5 R-design with much worse spec and worse build quality, but much more modern looking. I guess we all have to move on at some point. My S60 will be up for sale on here soon I imagine.

[S60RDesign]

Why are you replacing it for a car you don't seem to like? Has the S60 got any big problems? I had the original S60 too, one of the best cars I've had

[biggbn]

In same boat mate, feel your pain

[Cookeh]

Felt the same about my very first car, a Toyota Corolla of all things. Had it for two years and really struggled to sell it - in fact I'm not ashamed to admit I was welling up a little when it was being loaded onto the tran'sporter.

Thing is you can always form new bonds with your new car and you don't know whats in store with it. My replacement was a 95 850 T5... nowhere near as reliable but just so much fun and so capable. So I'm making the same memories as before (road trips, visiting new places etc) whilst also adding new memories (firsts with regards to car DIYs, learning how to drive a turbo car, first breakdown etc).

That being said, if your S60 does everything you need it to do why bother selling it? Better the devil you know etc.

[KerPLoD]

I'm struggling to work out why you're selling - the T5 will surely be more expensive to run and you also don't seem to like it. Wouldn't the T5 have most of the same quirks? Just without the big boot, seats and quality?

In your position I'd give the T5 back and keep the S60.

There's no replacement for personal attachment.

[christheancient]

Originally Posted by KerPLoD

There's no replacement for personal attachment.

So true!
Be it a car or a partner!

[volvoid]

keep it. Do you really NEED a more expensive set of wheels ? Unless theres something wrong with it of course.
Are you simply trying to keep up with the Joneses ?

People have flash motors for 3 reasons imho
1 - company car, no-one in their right mind stumps up serious dosh
2 - insecurity - a need to prove to himself what a big man he is
3 - genuine enjoyment and enthusiasm. Look at the lads in Halfrauds carpark.

[Dippydog]

Having owned many cars over the years[all of them cheap]I've never formed an attachment to any of them[liked them yes but attached?no] I've just got rid of them when they became more costly to keep than I was prepared to pay or simply to give something else a try,that is until my present Omega on which I've spent far more than I should have and would have were it not for the fact that it's the last car Maureen and I ever went anywhere in together before she passed away.What price sentimentality?Having said that even given the money and the will to spend it I wouldn't buy a car much newer than the Omega is[18yrs old] as I don't like most of them and they're all full of stuff I don't want or need in a car e.g. why would I need to be able to connect to the internet when I'm driving?

[57RKL]

Can't part with any of my three old Volvos and its a bit of a problem. None of them cost much to buy and they're all lovely in different ways. Its a ridiculous problem to have but I sold a motorbike about 5 years ago and have regretted it ever since. I don't want to regret another. Only one of them has been driven in the last two years and storage space is very tight. Feel like I need some hoarding type therapy.

[KerPLoD]

Originally Posted by Dippydog

Having owned many cars over the years[all of them cheap]I've never formed an attachment to any of them[liked them yes but attached?no] I've just got rid of them when they became more costly to keep than I was prepared to pay or simply to give something else a try,that is until my present Omega on which I've spent far more than I should have and would have were it not for the fact that it's the last car Maureen and I ever went anywhere in together before she passed away.What price sentimentality?Having said that even given the money and the will to spend it I wouldn't buy a car much newer than the Omega is[18yrs old] as I don't like most of them and they're all full of stuff I don't want or need in a car e.g. why would I need to be able to connect to the internet when I'm driving?

Sorry to hear about your other half.

I agree completely about what you said regarding your car. Part of the reason I bought a 240 over anything else was because my late grandfather owned several before cancer took him (though his last car was a 1990's Astra automatic).

My old barge will never be worth anything close to what I've spent restoring it. Could I have gotten a more comfy car for that amount of money? A faster car? A cheaper car to run? A more showy car? With more kit? More toys? All of the above? Of course I could.

But you can't put a price on emotional attachment. And there's no replacement for it.