Hi All,
Help me out here please- too many decisions!
I am about to receive £5k from my late grandfathers estate and being a bit of a petrol head it will have to be spent on something that moves.
I know it is not a huge amount but enough for some fun so here is my shortlist - please chip in with experience or suggestions( please - no Mondeo TDCI s!!)
1. Current car Astra coupe is in fine condition worth £4k?(51 plate 80k fsh 1 owner) could trade in for £9k worth of TT or similar 2+2
2.Always wanted a Harley ,get 2 yr old for £4k ish for an 883 sportster
3.MGs either a midget -seem to get a good ish one for £3k pre 72 tax free with change for running cost over the next few years or blow budget on BGT V8
4.Have always loved VW Karmann Ghia but would use all the budget to buy with nothing left for disasters on the horizon.
Am about to move house so garage space not a problem options 2,3+4 would be used high days and holidays only
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four wheels good, two wheels better. Buy the bike keep the Astra - it does the job.
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Is the Astra going to suit you in the long term?
If so, go with PU's suggestion, if not, you may need to look at a more holisic transport solution.
EG, trade in the astra for an estate plus another vehicle - poss from the same source and get a good deal.
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you want to drive that seventies/early sixties tosh before you unload grandads ashes ,they might look nice but i sure wouldnt want either outside my house,get the harley by all means if you want it but the astra would be staying up my drive if the seats didnt hurt my back.....................
to finish the vw is a money pit and most of them are tarted up sleds you need professional help to buy one before you splash any money on one
mg basically the same i was welding these sheds up 25 years ago you are probably going to look at one where i had to use duckham cans for the floor ;)
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Hate bikes myself, too old, scared of them, but if you like them and can have a nice one as well as a car, have it.
Very very good for getting places when everything jammed.
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Buy £5k worth of Premium Bonds and have a good think, afterall, theres no rush, and you could win £1 million while you decide! Otherwise, yeah, I'm with Pu, get the bike!
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Coming from my own recent experience, I can't recommend strongly enough that you go for the slightly left-field option and get a trike. £5k will get you a pretty decent one s/h, even a production trike like a Rewaco or Boom. Since I got mine I've had to keep reminding myself "they're waving and smiling at the trike, not me". Much more unusual than a bike, you can still have some of the practicalities of a cabriolet but a whole lot more fun. If you're looking on ebay then be prepared to ignore some of the laughable ones, but there are some good ones out there for your price.
www.mbtcustoms.co.uk/newtrkepage.htm
www.boom-trikes.co.uk/
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andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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How about an mx-5? 5k should buy you a nice tidy example. There's so many out there you can afford to be choosy. Great fun, excellent reliability. Plus, you get massive brownie points by not taking the 'selfish' decision of getting a bike :)
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let me be the last to let you down....
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You can get other tractors far cheaper than 4k and with less chrome to keep polishing...and polishing...and polishing...and polishing...
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thanks all
was leaning towards the harley option - bit of a fetish since my teens- it is the noise that gets me
the astra will be staying- use it to cart the 2 junior 3Ts around at the moment- Mrs 3t manages to squeeze them into her Ka although I am sure she would love something newer and nicer.
Appreciate the comments on the 'classic' options they look attractive and I was liking the lack of road tax to pay for but suppose that saving would be eaten by the ongoing maintenance saga.
Nice idea with the MX5 - don't know I could realistically afford to pay 2 lots of RFL and 2 lots of steepish insurance and although I know the mazda would be cheapish to run it could be a nightmare to keep going . I know Mrs 3T would refuse to get in it as it would be ' too flash' in her words.
Better dust of my helmet then(NOT that one)
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