Replacing a car = Sadness!

[christheancient]

Hmmm.... been doing some more finkin' about being attached (or not) to a car.

My last car was a V70 Classic auto (poverty spec model with cloth seats etc.) and I really loved it. It was the exact colour I wanted and always reliable. Ok, there were bills with owning it; but I expected that; but, even though I say it myself, it was in pretty good nick and I did some minimal 'customising' to it and lavished it with gifts like projector headlights (on the vague excuse that the reflectors on the original lights was getting a wee bit tarnished). Being 'poverty spec' it didn't have gizmos like cruise control etc.; but cruise control (when I've had it) didn't get very much use as I don't do much dual carriageway/motorway driving.

Then one day, I saw a C70 T5 GT auto convertible for sale... the same colour as my V70. It looked oh so smart - especially with its egg-crate grill and clear headlights. And it had a draught excluder thingy as well! It was low mileage and would go like the proverbial off a shovel! So, I made a quick appointment to view and bought it ... and was aware that the driver's seat bolster had the usual wear, that the canvas roof was a little shabby, that (despite a proper strut brace) that the scuttle shake was quite pronounced ... and flogged my V70. I was sad (very) to see it go.

And since? I have never felt a 'love' for the car. Yes it goes like a tom cat trying to escape from the vet who's holding a pair of scissors and can attract admiring glances. But without that 'love', I don't treat the car with the care that it deserves. If somebody with a good V70 of similar vintage and colour (and in good condition) came up to me and offered to swap, I'd probably bite their hand off.

'Love' of a car is an indefinable emotion; but a lack of it removes some of the delight of that ownership.

[Stu B]

Interesting thread, I've had way too many cars and kept several at at time due to being attached to them. I convince myself the older ones are appreciating in value more than it costs to keep them, man maths

I owned a Mk2 Golf GTI once I loved so much that when I sold it after 6 years, I bought it back a few years later and owned it again. Oops. I've still got an old BMW I bought off my mate in 2007 and never use these days, hmm... hoarding thing...

Originally Posted by T5R92011

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.

Worse spec, worse build, but more modern looking? Is that worth the 'upgrade'? What age is the current S60 comparatively, looks about 2002, 2003 ish? So the newer car is only 5 years newer anyway? I'm not sure the average man in the street would know or care about the age difference, would they?

I go the opposite way and amuse myself by driving a 1995 850 estate and parking it between rows of identikit bland 64/65/66 reg or whatever Audis and BMWs wherever possible as I actively enjoy the fact it doesn't look modern and is different. I would upgrade to one with working AC though as I never get around to fixing it and miss it in summer...

[Dippydog]

Just read this a little more carefully and I'm afraid that although obviously it's each to their own,I don't understand your logic here.Your "60" appears to be a '08 car,ok you find it uncomfy in some way the rear leg room to be a pain in the 'arris and the turning circle lousy,possibly all valid points[I don't know as I've never owned one]yet you're swapping it for an older smaller car which you say yourself is worse spec and worse build quality would rear leg room still not be an issue due to it being physically smaller?Turning circle may be better due again to being smaller as a T5 would it not have harder suspension and therefore a less comfortable ride?[again I don't know the answers as I've never owned one of these either]just curious as to choice of swap that's all.

[KerPLoD]

I dare say the average person wouldn't notice the difference between an S40 and S60, other than one's a bit bigger. They're kind of similar-looking to someone who isn't obsessed with Volvos like we all are.

[DieselDoNicely]

I sent my 850 Tdi to the crusher with no rust. Two years later I still say how can that be.

But I can buy a newer car with less miles cheaper than repair in it.

The 05 and 52 plate cars are in the same boat, 320K and 200K respectively.

DDN

[T5R92011]

Originally Posted by Dippydog

Just read this a little more carefully and I'm afraid that although obviously it's each to their own,I don't understand your logic here.Your "60" appears to be a '08 car,ok you find it uncomfy in some way the rear leg room to be a pain in the 'arris and the turning circle lousy,possibly all valid points[I don't know as I've never owned one]yet you're swapping it for an older smaller car which you say yourself is worse spec and worse build quality would rear leg room still not be an issue due to it being physically smaller?Turning circle may be better due again to being smaller as a T5 would it not have harder suspension and therefore a less comfortable ride?[again I don't know the answers as I've never owned one of these either]just curious as to choice of swap that's all.

I wanted something a little more modern in the styling department, so the S40 ticks the box for me. The R-design s40 is much more sporty looking, whereas my S60 looks much more authoritarian, a 'classic' volvo.

Ive had S40s before and I like their styling. Though Ive definitly scratched a itch with my time with the S60, being a real authentic Volvo.

Rear space is better in the S40 though.

[biggbn]

Just replaced my beloved beetle with...
https://www.arnoldclark.com/used-car...f/arnge-u-7102

...a beetle.

All being well should pick it up this week, hopefully it worms it's way into our affections like last one did...and lasts at least four years too...

[T5R92011]

Those latest Beetles are such a rare sight on the roads. Not sure why they didn't sell as well as the 1998 beetle.

[biggbn]

Originally Posted by T5R92011

Those latest Beetles are such a rare sight on the roads. Not sure why they didn't sell as well as the 1998 beetle.

Half the attraction. The convertible is a lovely car. Perhaps next time

[biggbn]

Picking up car Saturday, hopefully right decision