Being an advocate of running cheaper, older cars that is exactly what I do myself. I have three principle reasons for this:
First, they cost next to nothing to buy. If they get dinged in a car park it doesn't matter.
Secondly, as a passionate car enthusiast I cannot bear to see a perfectly serviceable car scrapped when it still has plenty of life left to give. We are still a throwaway society when it comes to cars. Many of us think nothing of condemning a car that could still give good service to someone.
Lastly, as a petrol-head, I love the ability to change my car as and when I wish with no financial obligations. I may get bored of one car, or have an itching desire for something else, so I simply sell one on. Simple as that. This allows me to change my cars and drive a number of vehicles as little or as often as I wish.
So what am I running at the moment?
Well the first to be introduced is a Lexus IS 200 SE. The Lexus was purchased from a private seller for the princely sum of €900. It has an NCT until late June 2013, one month's tax, two brand new tyres and new front brake pads, in addition to having recently had a service, the timing belt changed and even a new clutch just a year ago.
Downsides?
Well the obvious one to catch the eye, and which the owner was up-front about, was that it had previously had a knock on the front nearside. This resulted in a new headlight being fitted and the bonnet edge and the wing being pulled back into shape with a skimming of filler. Untidy yes, but the inner wing and all the structural bits were straight. Good haggling point all the same.
Other than a few small dings and scabs, plus some flaking paint on the rear bumper, it is sound. After everything checked out a deal was done and off we went. While the body looks shabby in places, vanity is always at the back of my mind with a bangernomics approach to cheap motoring.
However, I am confident that my Lexus will never let me down and will keep me motoring to the next fuel station, until I decide to move it on again.
Anything else?
Another car I have been running is a 2001 Ford Puma 1.7 Black Edition. I bought this with just 56,000 kilometres on the clock for €1,100. Being a limited edition it has niceties such as heated front windscreen, air conditioning, special alloys, CD player, black leather trim and a metallic black finish.
This was going to be an occasional fun weekend car and maybe one to keep tucked away as I'm fairly confident that these will become classics given time. However, it is such fun to drive the clock now reads just over 80,000 kilometres. It isn't being used much right now so I feel it is time for this one to go and perhaps make way for something else, especially as the latest addition to the fleet gives me all the thrills I could ask for.
Last but not least
So the third car is a 2001 Renault Clio Sport 172. I thought the Puma was fun but a Clio, with lightweight plastic front wings, an aluminium bonnet and a tuned 2.0-litre engine (hence the 172 moniker - for 172hp) is frightfully fast. Even better it looks pretty similar to a standard Clio, so no baiting at traffic lights from the uninitiated. Getting out of the Lexus into the Clio is an assault on the senses though.
It has proved frugal so far, in part due to its lightweight build, but I just know my wallet will be having an affair with this car in time.
So they are my current cars. I have the freedom and flexibility to change as I wish, but I will be running these for at least a few months to give a real insight into what it is like to live with these cheaper cars on a day-to-day basis and as daily drivers.
I hope you will follow my triumphs and tribulations over time as I put into practice what I preach - bangers make sense!