having a wobble....please stop me

[s2driveruk]

Well, seems more and more i am thinking about selling up. Work is manic, i'm essentially moneyless these days at least for the car and as usual it sits on the drive and is getting little more than admiring glances from me.

I've owned it almost 10 years and it hasn't wanted for a thing during that time BUT and its a growing but...its just costing me money standing still on the driveway. I have a few jobs to do before the MOT and for the first time for real i'm starting to resent the money needed being spent on it.

So....what to do guys? Have i officially lost my marbles or what

[Error404]

yup. you've definattely lost the plot David!

you get out there and drive it, remind yourself why you've had it 10 years

[S2central.net]

Dave... get to bed and sleep on it... Think long and hard about what you could replace an S2 with... And the market rate is so poor right now - you could never recoup close to what it has cost you.

My guilt for selling off some parts has been trumped by this - must be a midlife crisis thing I blame this credit crunch - I just needed to liquidate some stuff, but I couldn't bring myself to part with the S2 - and yours is waaay tidier than mine right now.

If its a pure money thing - then just tuck it away in the garage for a while and SORN it to give you some thinking time.

[Rusty]

Tough spot mate. I'm in a similar situation but for different reasons. Thing is that, at the mo, I want to keep mine as it is a shining beacon in my currently crappy existence.

2 things, 1 how much does the car actually cost a year, my guess is not as much as you might think and 2 are you thinking replacement or sticking to a diseasel euro box? If option 2 reads RS4 or 335d then things wouldn't be so bad

The reason you want to sell is that you've gotten used to her sitting out front. Take a week off work and drive to Scotland or Wales or Germany. If you're still out of sorts after that then you'll know your mind.

And another thing, depreciation. If you're looking at newer metal, bet the running costs for the S2 are insignificant compared to the £ a new box will burn...

Give me a bell if you want to chew it over.

[DJones]

David,

Didn't expect that... But.... i have been there to, so many times i cant remember. As said, tuck it away if you have currently lost interest in her..

To be honest i have in mine which is why its been being repainted for the last year!

My ur has been with me through many change of personal circumstances including divorce and every time i have kept hold of her..

You will regret selling it.. especially on that good day when she runs well and the sun is out..

Chin up!!

[Le S2 Audi]

I think you must be mad - unless there is another reason to part with something that you have invested so much love & care into the old girl....

Read my thread if you have doubts about keeping her Linky

And if that dont change your mind nothing will!!!

I have to agrre that I think that NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE SELLING..... Cars just arn't fetching the money they should!!!

I hope you cahnge your mind, but I for one understand if you don't - RS6....

[Ross]

Hi David,

I can understand where you're coming from! I've been there with the Avant, and even now I'm only doing about 1/2 tank a month because I can't afford to run it am and paranoid something expensive with break... I'd sell it if I had no desire to keep it but I know I'd be gutted if I did. Right now the money could be well spent elsewhere but I've concluded that it'll be SORN'd and stuck in the garage for next year if that's what it takes to keep it... occasionally I'll go out for some nappies and take the S2 for a 10-15 min blast, it always puts a grin on my face and reminds me while it's all been worth the hassle.

My advice: don't do it!

Cheers,
Ross

[s2driveruk]

cheers guys. Truth is I dont want to sell but something is niggling me to keep thinking about it. I wouldn't want to replace it with anything, already 3 cars in the household so thats not the motivation don't worry

Can't really put my finger on it, I love the car to bits and I know i'd regret ever seeing it leave the house with someone else at the wheel but I really do have to either use it or lose it I think.

Money just seems to have totally and utterly evapourated in the last year. Normally I'd routinely spend £1500-£2000 a year looking after it but this year it'll be lucky to have seen £500. It needs tyres for an Mot on so that suddenly £400, new front discs soonish, £100, pads on the front need a refresh at the same time, £100, roof needs a spray if i am going to maintain the OCD on the car...£200. Wouldn't usually think twice about doing anything, totally opposite as my wife can testify

I also think news that this year's ADI track session is being changed for the worse has put a damper on enthusiasm, was really looking forward to that again but open invite to everyone and his dog isn;t my cup of tea really. However if i can get the car sorted then for sure I'll end up doing it as I have the wheels, tyres and helmet also gathering dust so seems stupid not to....(oh another £100 there too )

Actually, I think the thing that really f*cks me off is that i'm in a decent-ish job on pretty reasonable money and yet it just seems to disappear every month at such an alarming rate and yet this year its not under the weight of goodies from VAGPArts or anywhere else for that matter. This the bit i just cannot understand

Think I need a holiday......oh hang on more money ££££

Cheers
E. Scrouge

[Fat Audi 80]

If it's any consolation David I feel EXACTLY the same as you. I have had a bad year for the car really and it has probably cost me £1000 - £1500 to run and maintain this year, which in the current climate is a lot of money for a Toy! My wife has not issued any ultimatum or anything, but is asking how much it REALLY costs to run.

I also seem to be enjoying it slightly less at the moment and I don't know why. It is still bloody good fun, but I almost feel guilty about the cost of it considering some of the other sacrafices we are making at the moment.

As already pointed out, it is not really the time to sell these cars (which again I don't want to) so that would be a bit daft. I think the reality for me personally is, I may not tax or insure it next year and see how I feel not using it at all....

Added to that I think the clutch master cylinder is on its way out after only 5 years and 40,000 miles.

It is tough having one income and a growing family at the moment, that's for sure...

Cheers,

Steve.

[4wheeldrifting]

I think everyone can see where your coming from at the mo with petrol on the rise as well as everything else.

I personally would do the work just for the MOT then declare it SORN. If you ever want to take it out would for a week or so theres always temp cover insurance and cash in the tax when your done with it.

May not be cheap for temp car insurance, but it does offer the flexabilty.

Something else to consider.

[Greg_S]

Looks like this is a sign of the times, I have toyed with similar predicament for the last year or two, but would definetly miss the S2 if I did ever sell it. It may be that it is taken off the road for a year and stored but will have to see, and there always some niggly bits to get sorted but thats part of the ownership of an S2. I certainly wouldn't sell it unless I really had to though.

[Al Wyn]

Bit of a suprise this post David any pressure from your lovely lady on this???... i think you just need to ebay some of Anna`s shoes and handbags and that would probably cover a years S2 money btw are your children paying any housekeeping yet?

[Sonic]

God this makes for a depressing picture!

Despite being in a recession it still feels that if you're not getting at least a 10% pay rise year on year you're going backwards. I can see optimax being £1.20/litre by the end of the year, even though crude is <$70/barrel and the GBP/USD rate has been recovering in our favour.

If you cant keep it because of financial constraints fair play to you mate, what has to be done... has to be done!

But if there is a chance you can keep her, even if off road until things pick up, just think of the raw acceleration when you plant your right foot, window down, accompanied by the inline-5 symphony raging in the background.

That applies to all of you!

[Fat Audi 80]

@ Sonic,

Yep that is the conclusion that I have been coming to. I only tax mine for 6 months of the year as it is and after that six months I am bloody gagging to drive it again and really miss it. The trouble is, then you are spending all the maintenance costs. MOT fixes etc for just six months motoring which for me is less than 3000 miles at the moment. The cost per mile starts to get really silly and the MRS asks what we are spending all this money for if you hardly every drive it...

I think if push comes to shove, it will go SORN for 12 months and I will see what I can do in those 12 months to earn / save enought money to justify running it again.

Sad economic times really....

Cheers,

Steve.

[s2driveruk]

how about this for irony, thought i would take it out for a spin at lunch, reignite the flame and everything...bloody immobiliser wont recognise the fob again