Coog
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- GTI
Recently there was a bit of discussion on the forum about sentimental cars. I didn't contribute. I don't do vehicular sentimentality. I have a list & I buy to try (often several at once (or seven at once as it now stands)), appreciate the engineering, get to know the car, improve on it and then after a few years reluctantly move it on to create space.
I had a MX5 for 9 years, and there's been an A4 cab in the stable for the past 4 years; I'm not shifting them on after 15 minutes like some do - just long enough to really get to know the thing inside out.
There are a couple of exceptions though. My very first MINI. It was new, I picked the options from the brochure, it was exactly what I wanted and it was very exciting. I'd buy that car back in a heartbeat. The other exception is the car that indirectly brought my Dad and I to the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheim Ring in 2000, courtesy of an invite from Prentice BMW of Portadown. That was the one were Schumacher went off on the 3rd lap and into the barrier no more than 20 foot in front of us. I crawled down under the seating, reached out and touched his car that day. Amazing.
Several weeks previous to that my Dad took delivery of this brand new E39 M5. The plan was to buy an M5 and run it long term instead of a string of VW Passats / Mondeos / whatever back to back and therefore spread the cost over a long time and not just lift a new shiny every few years.
From towing a boat (yes we are equipped with a detachable tow bar), wedding duties, ferrying me to hospital with a shattered ankle to my first experience of rear steer and everything in between. A veritable hewn from granite sledgehammer of it's day and as much a part of the family as the beloved cat or dog. It has always been there.
One day last month my Dad mentioned in passing that due to lack of use it might be time to shift the old girl on. There wasn't even a decision to be made. It was bought that evening without even so much as a glance round the thing.
So now it's mine.
It's a pre facelift car, built late '99 but according to the internetz has an upgraded Vanos. There's an absolute stack of paperwork with it including the original bill of sale for a whopping £66k back in 2000. Rust, niggles and issues to resolve. Plenty to keep me busy over the next year or so. It can feel somewhat sedate compared to my daily driver Golf R, but unlike the VW it oozes character. 400bhp, V8, manual, RWD, analogue and even at 23 years old it's still not exactly a slow car. A linear power delivery that's still deceptively quick. It feels surprisingly small too.
Plans? Restore to former glory. I'm not even going to remove the tape deck, stick a FBMWMFFLSW (or whatever the kids do these days) or mess about with any mods. It's of it's age and I'll continue on that theme.
For now though I'm just going to enjoy my new addition. It'll be with me forever and something I plan to pass along to my two lads when the time comes but not before a few years of requests to 'give her the guddy' from the rear seats, as is an already established family tradition.
The best bit is now my Dad's on the classic policy so while we both get to continue to enjoy the M5, he's able to appreciate the joy of a rather red VAG collection (I think he quite likes the GTI)
I had a MX5 for 9 years, and there's been an A4 cab in the stable for the past 4 years; I'm not shifting them on after 15 minutes like some do - just long enough to really get to know the thing inside out.
There are a couple of exceptions though. My very first MINI. It was new, I picked the options from the brochure, it was exactly what I wanted and it was very exciting. I'd buy that car back in a heartbeat. The other exception is the car that indirectly brought my Dad and I to the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheim Ring in 2000, courtesy of an invite from Prentice BMW of Portadown. That was the one were Schumacher went off on the 3rd lap and into the barrier no more than 20 foot in front of us. I crawled down under the seating, reached out and touched his car that day. Amazing.
Several weeks previous to that my Dad took delivery of this brand new E39 M5. The plan was to buy an M5 and run it long term instead of a string of VW Passats / Mondeos / whatever back to back and therefore spread the cost over a long time and not just lift a new shiny every few years.
From towing a boat (yes we are equipped with a detachable tow bar), wedding duties, ferrying me to hospital with a shattered ankle to my first experience of rear steer and everything in between. A veritable hewn from granite sledgehammer of it's day and as much a part of the family as the beloved cat or dog. It has always been there.
One day last month my Dad mentioned in passing that due to lack of use it might be time to shift the old girl on. There wasn't even a decision to be made. It was bought that evening without even so much as a glance round the thing.
So now it's mine.
It's a pre facelift car, built late '99 but according to the internetz has an upgraded Vanos. There's an absolute stack of paperwork with it including the original bill of sale for a whopping £66k back in 2000. Rust, niggles and issues to resolve. Plenty to keep me busy over the next year or so. It can feel somewhat sedate compared to my daily driver Golf R, but unlike the VW it oozes character. 400bhp, V8, manual, RWD, analogue and even at 23 years old it's still not exactly a slow car. A linear power delivery that's still deceptively quick. It feels surprisingly small too.
Plans? Restore to former glory. I'm not even going to remove the tape deck, stick a FBMWMFFLSW (or whatever the kids do these days) or mess about with any mods. It's of it's age and I'll continue on that theme.
For now though I'm just going to enjoy my new addition. It'll be with me forever and something I plan to pass along to my two lads when the time comes but not before a few years of requests to 'give her the guddy' from the rear seats, as is an already established family tradition.
The best bit is now my Dad's on the classic policy so while we both get to continue to enjoy the M5, he's able to appreciate the joy of a rather red VAG collection (I think he quite likes the GTI)
Look forward to the updates 
