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Author Topic: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?  (Read 5271 times)

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Online andrewfi

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So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« on: July 23, 2024, 06:01:07 AM »
I never thought about it. Never thought it might be something I did.
Maybe a tad late for mid-life crisis but it probably fits the bill.

Absolutely a spur of the moment purchase. I saw it outside our local car service place. A business I have been dealing with for decades. They occasionally have nice cars for sale, often, it seems, by customers of the company, so they have taken care of and serviced them.

A Mercedes SLK 280 (R171). Its from 2006, 3-liter V6 with a hard folding roof. 50,700 miles, full service history and looks, I think, gorgeous. It might be old, but is ideal for ferrying one's hottie to bars, the beach and weekends away. :)

And yeah, probably the mid-life crisis car or as near as I will get.

So, guys, what car have you bought as an inoculation against impending old age?
Why did you buy it?
Any regrets?


It is going to live in Spain, and I will be driving down in a few days.

BTW, this is the car that Bitcoin bought. After recent increases in the size of my pot, it has worked out as being 'free'. I would not have bought it otherwise.

BTW, apologies for the crappy image, I don't know why it is, it looked fine before I uploaded it. :)

ila_rendered
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Offline Jonas!

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2024, 11:28:11 AM »
I don't know if it is a midlife crisis or not..,but enjoy it.   

My friend has many millions of dollars and has been a stingy miser all his life.  Suddenly at age 55 he started spending money on very nice things like boats, Desert 4-wheel buggies, vacation homes.   I guess there comes a point where there is little reason to hoard any money when doing whatever you want whenever you want is an option. 

Jonas! 

Online andrewfi

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2024, 11:57:28 AM »
I don't know if it is a midlife crisis or not..,but enjoy it.   

 I guess there comes a point where there is little reason to hoard any money when doing whatever you want whenever you want is an option. 

Jonas!

I plan to enjoy it, even if only for a few months of the year when I migrate to Spain.

Your last point is where I think this comes from. There's only relatively few 'good' years ahead of me, and I'd hate to do what so many folks do and regret the things I didn't do.

I am blessed to now have a mechanism that enables me to do this kind of stuff without needing to save up or make a choice between a thing I want and a thing I need.

What car (or cars) did you buy as a treat for yourself?

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Online 2tallbill

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So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2024, 04:38:02 PM »
What car (or cars) did you buy as a treat for yourself?

I never did after turning 21. I had a 68 GTO, a 68 Firebird a 73 Camaro
before age 21 and a 69 Malibu after. After that all I cared about were
about leg and headroom and storing capacity (to carry my sales samples).
I bought many cars/trucks with snow and ice driving in mind.
Now that I live in Texas, I worry mostly about the reliability, head and legroom.

I've never driven a right hand drive before. Will that be much of an issue in
Spain? I think, (but don't know) that it would be better for parallel parking.     

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Online andrewfi

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2024, 11:15:18 PM »
Perhaps your moment has yet to arrive?

I have never had a problem driving an rhd in an lhd world. My car at home is rhd in an lhd country.
The only issue I ever have is overtaking on narrowish roads. One is taking more of a gamble when first popping one's nose across the line.
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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2024, 03:24:40 AM »
I've not yet felt the need to buy a car to soothe me in old age. ( I drive a great nice bmw , enough for me )

I did however do something I loved and wanted to for years hosting clients out of my garden shed. (actually it was msmoby <banned from rua> that got me started on this path... loved the tech part of it, but not the finances)

Start my own cloud-hosting company. And so I did. I moved all the servers to a proper datacenter and my clients of course never have complaints. Now its costing me great money , but its part hobby / part service / part lifestyle.

The knowledge I gain with each new version of my own homebrew 'cloud hoster' is invaluable to me, it really makes me enjoy tech, which is something I always want.

I'd say I need only 2 more 'fresh' starts and I will have my setup perfected enough to have non-friends as clients and start advertising.
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Online andrewfi

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2024, 03:34:17 AM »
I've not yet felt the need to buy a car to soothe me in old age. ( I drive a great nice bmw , enough for me )



To be fair, I did not think of it as a midlife crisis thing until afterward. But it did make me think about what other people do and how they do it.

JAD's point about reaching a point in life and choosing to enjoy rather than save rang true. Even if the Bitcoin had been doing well a couple of years ago, I don't think I would have done this. A few months ago I gave myself permission to do this kind of thing and I am glad I did so.
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Offline Manny

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2024, 04:05:41 AM »
I've never driven a right hand drive before. Will that be much of an issue in
Spain? I think, (but don't know) that it would be better for parallel parking.     

I've had RHDs in Estonia and lots of LHDs in the UK. Once you have got the hang of it, you switch automatically in your head.

I've had so many nice and interesting cars over the years, and currently have a 2018 Range Rover, that I didn't think I'd buy another one just to play with. But I decided this year I didn't need a van anymore, so there's a vehicle-sized space at the side of the house that I am thinking of filling with something. I am toying with the idea of another 1980s or a 1990s Rolls Royce or possibly an old imported Cadillac, something old enough to have fins. But I haven't ruled out an old American pickup truck either. Then I can tell myself it has a practical purpose too.
Trip Reports: Links to my travels in Russia, Estonia, North Korea, South Korea, China and the US are >>here<<

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Online andrewfi

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2024, 04:31:50 AM »
If you get a roller it would have a practical use. When you give me a lift from the hotel to your place!
...everything ends always well; if it’s still bad, then it’s not the end!

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2024, 04:35:09 AM »
A few years ago I arrived late at night at Southampton Airport. I jumped into my car with my passenger. She almost died of fright when I turned right out of the airport onto a dual carriageway main road - on the wrong side driving toward a bus.

That's my worst ever issue. We ended up stopping at the next hotel we saw. Neither of us wanted me to drive one meter further than absolutely necessary that night.
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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #10 on: July 24, 2024, 04:35:44 AM »
I've never driven a right hand drive before. Will that be much of an issue in
Spain? I think, (but don't know) that it would be better for parallel parking.     

I've had RHDs in Estonia and lots of LHDs in the UK. Once you have got the hang of it, you switch automatically in your head.

I've had so many nice and interesting cars over the years, and currently have a 2018 Range Rover, that I didn't think I'd buy another one just to play with. But I decided this year I didn't need a van anymore, so there's a vehicle-sized space at the side of the house that I am thinking of filling with something. I am toying with the idea of another 1980s or a 1990s Rolls Royce or possibly an old imported Cadillac, something old enough to have fins. But I haven't ruled out an old American pickup truck either. Then I can tell myself it has a practical purpose too.

I'd go for a Rolls Royce... There is always something Majestic about those vehicles. Modern or old, its always a pleasure to see one.
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Offline Bodine

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #11 on: July 24, 2024, 12:19:25 PM »
...A Mercedes SLK 280 (R171). Its from 2006, 3-liter V6 with a hard folding roof. 50,700 miles, full service history and looks, I think, gorgeous. It might be old, but is ideal for ferrying one's hottie to bars, the beach and weekends away. :)

What a sexy looking wheels there, Andrew. Congrats!

Am I right to deduce you'll be living in Spain?

What car (or cars) did you buy as a treat for yourself?

Back in the early '90s I've long to own a Jeep Wrangler and ultimately got a beaut! Living along the coastal region of LA, a Jeep is/was a notorious deal closer. Purely a pu**y magnet.

But acquiring a vehicle for me over the entirety of my professional life is nothing more than a nutty proposition. The industry I'm involved in provides people in my position a company vehicle. They issue a new one once every 3 years.

Yet despite this, over the years I've fancied leasing one now and then that I can go knock-about town on the weekends as I tire having to drive the same car for an extended time.

This year is no exception. My dream car had always been a Range Rover. I just simply love that car. But since the EVs came out, I switched to longing for the Audi RS eTron GT.

Then the little human came around and thoughts of the Range Rover came back for practical reasons. Now I'm deliberating between that and Tesla Model X. Final decision TBD.

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #12 on: July 24, 2024, 12:44:28 PM »
yeah, each year I spend a few months in Spain. I had originally planned to live over there but life got in the way.

It's not a winter car so I don't think I'll take it to Estonia. It can be garaged over there and serviced before I arrive.

Get the Range Rover. They won't be around forever and aTesla is a washing machine that you rent (even if you bought it).
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Offline Jonas!

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #13 on: July 24, 2024, 06:38:29 PM »


Your last point is where I think this comes from. There's only relatively few 'good' years ahead of me, and I'd hate to do what so many folks do and regret the things I didn't do.

I am blessed to now have a mechanism that enables me to do this kind of stuff without needing to save up or make a choice between a thing I want and a thing I need.

Yes expiration date is different for different people....and it could come out of the blue...not necessarily death but being incapacitated in some way that prevents you from living well.   You have the funds and you have today so I'm glad you are living the way you want to.


What car (or cars) did you buy as a treat for yourself?
I've never cared about cars at all.  I have a pickup truck that I use and soon I'll be getting a newer one.  I get them for their utility and comfort.  Sportscars have never been interesting to me. 
In general, I notice I don't provide myself many treats.  I'm pretty happy with the basics. I guess one thing I would like to do a little more of down the line is visiting other parts of the world...although I don't feel the need at the moment.

Jonas! 

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2024, 05:48:16 AM »
I'd go for a Rolls Royce... There is always something Majestic about those vehicles. Modern or old, its always a pleasure to see one.

I've had a couple in the past, I used to send the odd one to Holland actually along with old minis, MGs and black taxis. Only that they can be a money pit puts me off. My daughter wants to be took to school in one like Victoria Beckham was so she can have the t-shirt.  :chuckle:

Trip Reports: Links to my travels in Russia, Estonia, North Korea, South Korea, China and the US are >>here<<

Look what the American media makes some people believe:
Putin often threatens to strike US with nuclear weapons.

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #15 on: August 07, 2024, 09:13:40 AM »
I don't know if I mentioned up thread, but, my new toy cost just £4000. Pocket money price. In the UK, for the spec and condition, it was well priced but probably not a bargain.

Anyway, one thing I know is that cars in Europe tend to be a tad pricier than the UK. I have to remember that when I look at the cost of bringing it out to Spain and registering it here.

A few minutes ago I decided to have a look-see how much the same model with similar odometer and spec would be.

Gosh-darn me, but there's a difference.

On a car search site I saw 11 examples from Germany, Netherlands and Belgium. The cheapest was about 350% the price I paid, running up to almost 500%. On the whole they were a smidgen older as well.

Somebody should start exporting from the UK to Europe. Paying €20k is a very different thing to £4k!

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #16 on: August 07, 2024, 11:32:03 AM »
Netherlands adds pollution tax. Old car means high tax
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Online andrewfi

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #17 on: August 07, 2024, 11:41:55 AM »
Netherlands adds pollution tax. Old car means high tax

In the UK, cars with higher emissions have higher annual road tax. It is unrelated to age but to CO2 emissions. Mine is the second highest level at about £720 per year. The highest is about £750. Some SLK models are taxed at just a couple hundred pounds annually.

However, car prices in Europe are higher regardless of age. I was shocked by how different the prices were for my car and model.

In Spain, I will pay a higher rate than some cars, but nothing like as much as in the UK.
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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #18 on: August 07, 2024, 02:19:11 PM »
Netherlands adds pollution tax. Old car means high tax

In the UK, cars with higher emissions have higher annual road tax. It is unrelated to age but to CO2 emissions. Mine is the second highest level at about £720 per year. The highest is about £750. Some SLK models are taxed at just a couple hundred pounds annually.

However, car prices in Europe are higher regardless of age. I was shocked by how different the prices were for my car and model.

In Spain, I will pay a higher rate than some cars, but nothing like as much as in the UK.

Geez you guys are lucky. My bimmer is a recent (Euro-6) diesel and I still pay Euro 1800/year roadtax on it.

My wife's bimmer is a lot more pleasant, just Euro 600/year roadtax (Gasoline).

With these prices, I have calculated I need to drive 60.000km / year at least, or youre financially better off  not buying diesel powered vehicles.

My next Bimmer will be Either fully Gas or Hybrid. I am not ready yet for full electric because the range needs to be >700km on a single charge, and since the electric net here is not allowing new businesses to connect (its full, sorry) I rather doubt I can get my own private charger

(Companies also warned that if the Gov't does not allow them to invest heavily in the net itself they will also start denying normal homes (new ones) from 2025)


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Offline Manny

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #19 on: August 08, 2024, 04:51:36 AM »
So I bought one.



It came in at £6000 (US $7600). 1982 so tax-free. 72,000 miles and good history.

I'm hoping to take a bit of profit on it maybe October time when I have played with it a bit.  ;D
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Look what the American media makes some people believe:
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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #20 on: August 10, 2024, 07:05:46 AM »
Colour me envious! Absolutely not the right kind of car for me, but even though it's old, the posing power of one of those in decent nick is indisputable.

Hot woman well dressed man, Rolls Royce. Looks good anywhere on any occasion.

Mine has now passed it's Spanish inspection and test. The paperwork is in transit between Spain and Northern Ireland. All the required documents have been packaged up for the agent to go to Traffico (DVLC in the UK). So, for me, the next stage is getting Spanish plates and insurance.

BTW, for Britons out there, finding a temporary home for a car in Northern Ireland before moving to Spain (or elsewhere in the EU, I guess) can save taxation when it finds it's new home. Something to do with Brexit and soft borders.

The ITV inspection and test was efficient, fast and friendly. The inspector pointed out that the car needed new rear tyres but didn't fail the car or mark it as a notification. I wondered at the time if he'd have been so kind if the car showed signs of anything other than excellent previous maintenance. Anyway, €280 for a new set to be fitted next week will repay his trust!

To be clear, at that moment, the tyres were still legal, but only just, and no way they'd last until the next inspection, or even more than a couple of weeks longer. The agent thought we'd get a fail when he saw them...
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Online andrewfi

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #21 on: August 10, 2024, 09:07:23 AM »

Something like this, also owned by a bloke of same name?
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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #22 on: August 10, 2024, 11:03:21 AM »
That's the previous model, but it is the same colour, mechanically the same and the interior is almost identical. I think his review is very reasonable and I found nothing to disagree with there.  :thumbsup:
Trip Reports: Links to my travels in Russia, Estonia, North Korea, South Korea, China and the US are >>here<<

Look what the American media makes some people believe:
Putin often threatens to strike US with nuclear weapons.

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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #23 on: August 10, 2024, 11:42:50 AM »
When he mentioned the name of the owner, I confess I made a double take.

Jay seemed a tad surprised at how much he enjoyed driving the thing.
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Re: So, About Mid-Life Crisis Cars?
« Reply #24 on: August 15, 2024, 01:33:59 PM »
Manny, are you still enjoying pootling about in your green status symbol? :)
...everything ends always well; if it’s still bad, then it’s not the end!