Should I sell up? - V8V Pics Added

[Justin]

Thats a great looking Exige!

I'd be tempted by a second car for the daily commute..?

I think you'll find a V8V or R8 a bit boring after the 'new car' phase is over..

[scottishselise]

Test drive Evora / Europe too?

[Edin430]

Spoke to someone today about test driving an Aston and typed up advert to gauge interest in Exige.

Both will decide what I do going forward I think - no harm in pulling the add and keeping put.

Thanks again guys

[renmure]

Spoke to someone today about test driving an Aston

Unless you are older than tut, surely you are too young for an Aston.

[Edin430]

Not the baby V8.

To be honest, i'm not holding my breath after the dealer said "the dash rattles bit but you get used to it - it is a hand built car after all" Exactly what I want away from BUT I am going to go and make up my mind after the drive.

Other option is follow your footsteps and get a 360 - I just don't have the guts as worry a big bill would land on my doorstep one day! (although i'm under no illusion Aston ownership would be cheap).

[dlogan]

Not the baby V8.

To be honest, i'm not holding my breath after the dealer said "the dash rattles bit but you get used to it - it is a hand built car after all" Exactly what I want away from BUT I am going to go and make up my mind after the drive.

Other option is follow your footsteps and get a 360 - I just don't have the guts as worry a big bill would land on my doorstep one day! (although i'm under no illusion Aston ownership would be cheap).

My research revealed that the baby aston was closer to the tvr in build quality, than a porsche, and for a daily driver that just didnt cut it for me. Added to the running costs, and single figure mpg in traffic put me right off. I couldnt comment on the drive as the dealer wouldnt let me drive one.

Ended up in a 911, everything about it is just so, its possibly too perfect for some, but it is a daily driver so it had to be good, its still an appliance. Bought as new as possible to give me a 3 yr warranty. Yup, used car has remainder of the manufacturers and then the used 2 yr warranty on top.

For a daily drive its superb, pasm with 19s and it soaks up the bumps, it does 32mpg on a run and 26mpg in town on my commute, its still 345bhp so reasonably quick. And with the right spec it ticked all the boxes for me.

[renmure]

Other option is follow your footsteps and get a 360 - I just don't have the guts as worry a big bill would land on my doorstep one day! (although i'm under no illusion Aston ownership would be cheap).

I know that there are a few (rich) folk down south use their 360 as a daily driver but I think you would be mad to even consider it. Depreciation would be horrific, fuel costs would be ruinous (8-9 mpg in town). Parking dings and people paw prints would drive you crazy. That's before you consider servicing it. Tbh, I am not even sure the ride is particularly great for city driving.

As a fun car it is ace, but as a regular use car .... Nah

[scottishselise]

Other option is follow your footsteps and get a 360 - I just don't have the guts as worry a big bill would land on my doorstep one day! (although i'm under no illusion Aston ownership would be cheap).

I know that there are a few (rich) folk down south use their 360 as a daily driver but I think you would be mad to even consider it. Depreciation would be horrific, fuel costs would be ruinous (8-9 mpg in town). Parking dings and people paw prints would drive you crazy. That's before you consider servicing it. Tbh, I am not even sure the ride is particularly great for city driving.

As a fun car it is ace, but as a regular use car .... Nah

I know of one that is used for a 5 mile commute each day! Average speed probably wasn't too bad as his commute isn't through town.

Is servicing that bad Jim?

[Corranga]

I know sod all about cars in that league from a driving / running / costs / issues point of view (simply because it's not my league), but with my limited knowledge the words Bentley and Continental seem to spring to mind...

In my mind it's German reliability and build quality merged with some luxury, performance and sound deadening. It's probably nothing like that

Tbh, it sounds a bit like you want a hand built rare, fast, good looking, better to drive super car equivalent of an S class Merc. All the comfort in the world, quiet as a Rolls in terms of rattle / fit, the practicality and usability of a daily runner, the fun factor of an Exige...

My guess is that if cars like that existed, it'd become the mx5 of the premium car world!

Personally, I think you should keep the Exige. It's a fantastic looking car, you obviously cherish it, it seems much more suited to daily run jobs than anything else mentioned here!

Ok, so it rattles a bit, if that really bothers you, I think you chose the wrong brand - maybe you need a run in my S1 for some clarity

Chris

[scottishselise]

I know sod all about cars in that league from a driving / running / costs / issues point of view (simply because it's not my league), but with my limited knowledge the words Bentley and Continental seem to spring to mind...

In my mind it's German reliability and build quality merged with some luxury, performance and sound deadening. It's probably nothing like that

Tbh, it sounds a bit like you want a hand built rare, fast, good looking, better to drive super car equivalent of an S class Merc. All the comfort in the world, quiet as a Rolls in terms of rattle / fit, the practicality and usability of a daily runner, the fun factor of an Exige...

My guess is that if cars like that existed, it'd become the mx5 of the premium car world!

Personally, I think you should keep the Exige. It's a fantastic looking car, you obviously cherish it, it seems much more suited to daily run jobs than anything else mentioned here!

Ok, so it rattles a bit, if that really bothers you, I think you chose the wrong brand - maybe you need a run in my S1 for some clarity

Chris

Bentley is a bit grandad IMO.

If 2 cars are not an option, SC what you got. You have an amazing looking car (love the arch kit)

[Andy G]

If you dont want bills, dont even think Ferrari. £1100 for a service and oil change with £180 per hour labour rates. 360 is 10 years old, and those services are in the £2-3k bracket, if nothing major. Tyres, £1k etc. Still it does have to be done at some stage. Also has to be one of the the ugliest Ferraris of the last 20 years. I prefer the back of it to the front!

Aston - what put me off was finding out that the Astons on Rio Prestiges fleet were the most unreliable cars they owned.

From your list of wants - Carrera S fits the bill perfectly.

My GT3 is quite simply the best car I've ever owned - and now I've managed to find a child seat for the back, its going to see more use (when she gets to 6 months old )

Bentley - now that is old man spec - although I did fancy a conti for every day use My inner geriatric settled for a 730D instead

Always worth remembering with these sorts of cars that although the car has depreciated to a more affordable cost, the servicing hasnt, and the parts rarely have either. A good specialist will clearly help, but they only have to offer value in the face of the dealers, which isnt hard!

[max1966]

for the Porsche option.

I'd go with Andy on the Carrera S if it has to be a 911 or a GT3 which may be a bit harsh for a daily thru town commute which you do (I see you around a lot). But have you considered a Cayman, I still think it is the most overlooked Porsche, decent value and has the mid engined characteristics of the Exige.

Unless you need the 'back seats' of the alternatives what's the point and the practical side of the two boots is handy.

As with the 911 it is perhaps a boring choice but well screwed together and if you get one of the newer 3.4's fuel and servicing along with tax aren't too bad.

[j2 lot]

I think that given that Aston, Fezza etc are going to have high ownership costs and your main issue is the crashing/ banging driving in town you have limited options to replace the Exige with something as quick/ sporty.

I would be inclined to keep the Exige - which is probably one of the cheapest routes to take anyway - and buy a small, but decent, runaround for the commute and keep the Exige for longer travel but avoid the town stuff where it is wasted anyway.

It will almost certainly be cheaper all round - you have the joy of getting back into the Exige and being wowed by its performance in comparison to your commuter, the benefit of a second car for bad weather running, and you are keeping the miles off your 'good' car and stretching out recurring costs that arise with higher mileage

[BiggestNizzy]

Has anyone mentioned Evora S ?

[renmure]

Is servicing that bad Jim?

Hmmmm, I guess you get a bit numb to it.

I use an Independent Ferrari Specialist in Edinburgh and an annual service (inc vat) is £500ish. The 3-yearly big service plus belts is £1500 inc vat. I got a new full set of Ferrari spec tyres for £600 off ebay. Other than that, the only cost has been insurance (less than £500, agreed value, 5k miles/year) and fuel.

I had a "bad week" last year where both the Porsche and Ferrari needed the biggie service. Porsche cost at the Main Dealer was £1200 inc vat (annual is priced at £500ish) so I guess the costs including tyres are roughly comparable.

Although I grew to really dislike the blandness of the Porsche 996 Turbo S, I can appreciate why they really make a lot of sense since there was never any feeling that it wouldn't keep going for ever... rattle free, where as with the Ferrari there is always the feeling of living on the edge of disaster

Personally, in the original circumstances, I would keep the Lotus.