Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Reducing the Fleet: advice requested.

Just for clarity along with some observations to help ?

IIRC the C43 is the good ladies, I assume she has given you proxy for changes
Which of the cars is she happy driving, any limitations, as that would be a decisive factor.

Also the Tesla seems to be getting a more grumpy description with each post?
However a series of other cars also got booted due to lack of interest in the not to recent past as well? A35, BMW.
The way things are going if you are interested in managing cost you are likely to end up with some form of BEV/PHEV thingy.
The tesla remains hard to beat in so many ways so unless you go up to a Taycan you are not going to see much of an improvement.
If I am honest even if you are currently rather peeved with the V8 I think you love the crazy quotient of a V8 and will never be without some sort of Morgan.

I don't see the CX as automatically newer and better. I think we are seeing the snags already, radiator and brakes, and more will be along.
The truth is they have a limited development budget and price point to hit to avoid killing all their existing customer base.
The good news for the Plus Four/Six owners is that the CX foundation is now under all four wheel models and so issues will be addressed more quickly than our Aero 8's benefited from I suspect?
Low volume and a lack of development was not the Aero's friend.
This will impact on service skills and parts on the road ahead.

If the good lady is happy to drive Aero Plus 8 and the Tesla 3 Twitterbot I would go there.
The C43 will have a better value now than in four years time when the PM has totally hammered road/petrol tax
You have solar panels so maybe invest in a Tesla style wall power pack when this develops into G2H and H2G etc.

Sell them all and get a Taycan 4S Sports Estate, a CX Plus Six and a brick to go under the loud pedal when it's wet.

In truth I am thinking through the same thing.
The S2 and the ML63 are likely to go.
The Mini CooperS R56 has no mileage on it and costs peanuts.
The Coupe is just too pretty to sell but I am watching autotrader to see if the others go for those numbers.
It is due into Williams to bring back to service on the 18th so lets see how big the bill is?

I just don't do the mileage anymore.

Agreed, it’s a no brainer for me! 😃

Yep, you'll fall back in love with the Mog once the electric stuff has been sorted. Ditch the Tesla. By the time your hand is forced and you need to get something electric, there'll be far better and far cheaper EV's out there.

Very probably!

If I may simply pay attention to the emotions that resonate in your descriptions, Peter, that is how I would understand it. The goal is to achieve functionality and driving pleasure at a reasonable cost. That's a relative statement, of course, because you also want to maintain status and horsepower. Besides the fun cars, a Skoda Oktavia would be enough for me if our E Class estate hadn't been driving wonderfully for 12 years, especially as we don't depend on it for work.
I'll have to look at your cars in detail. The Tesla seems to be the car that almost generates anti-feelings. I would get rid of it. Your wife doesn't seem to have a special relationship with it either.

Your wife likes her C Class. As long as that is the case, this car is out of the question. The question remains about possible overlaps in the use of Tesla and C Class. What can one car do that the other can't? Do you travel a lot in parallel with your cars?

Then the Plus8. Here we are most concerned with emotions. And that's where I can give the least advice (a little bit below). But instead of looking at all three cars at the same time, it could be a start to sell the Tesla...and then see how important a third car is.

A quick word about the Plus8. I hear a certain ambivalence in your posts, not only in this thread. On the one hand, you seem to be a bit tired of it for different reasons. But all in all I think the main emotional motivation would be the fun of a change, something new from the Morgan world...no matter how "sensible" it might be to keep the Plus 8, it seems to offer the same driving experience over and over again since 8 years on the one hand and our remaining lifetime on the other hand leads to interest in a change. One wants to experience something new once again. Well, everyone is different, but it seems to be really important to you, and I can fully respect that. I, on the other hand, am happy that I have been able to make my 4/4 better and better for the past 8 years and I am looking forward to continuing to drive it. But maybe that's where the issue starts for you. Because, it's not a question of loving your V8 (although perhaps it's a bit boring to experience the same thing over and over again). It's a question of what it should replace.
Just thinking about it obliquely...what would your driving experience be like if it was a very nice Trad again? That you forgive its roughness and learn to love it anew for its quirkiness?…instead of a Plus Four or Six, which might be very modern and comfortable to drive, but also a touch more ordinary. On the question of Plus Four vs. Plus Six, I see you with the Plus Six, I don't know why, but it suits you better than a 4 cylinderin my view...even if you have to be a bit careful when driving, it stands for the values you like, a silky smooth engine and the superiority of endless and not always needed power.

I also see you in a plus six rather than a four Peter.
But do have a good long test in either cx model in case the improvements since your plus 8 turn out to be heading in the Tesla direction of "ordinaryness".
I know my case is more extreme than yours but I started with an eigties car and progressed to the roadster ( via a trad plus 8) in 2004. A great car but lacking something I used to have. So I went for a new 4/4 in about 2011 I think, trying to rekindle that "something". Eventually I gave in and bought an old 1980s plus 4 where I reacquainted myself with the fun I had been missing. Happy as I am to be back in love with the brand, and happily the older car seems more reliable than the new ones were; still it remains a third car, I'm not at all sure I would trust it for everday use.
So..maybe don't sell anything.....
Nick

An earlier thread to this post mentioned cheaper road tax! Is a new plus four really cheaper to tax than an older Plus 8? I thought that there was a premium on cars over £40 k for the first 6 years, or has that since been rescinded?

In Ireland the Plus Four is €500 cheaper per year to tax that the previous Plus4!!!!! Makes it a no brainer!

My 1999 Plus 8 is only £295 Direct debited today I noticed. I think that's a tenner up on last year.
Very little more than the good ladies far newer Polo GTI at £155..
Fiesta tractor £20...

You could always get rid of the Tesla and the Mercedes and then commission an all electric Defender.
Then you would have a fun, long distance sports car plus a utility vehicle capable of carrying several bales of shavings. And both would probably have a few leaks when it rains.