Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms What influenced your car purchase decision making.

We were looking to replace the wifes Mini Cooper S R56 and my ML63 last year. I got creative and looked at a current (just) Clubman (estate) JCW so it had the BMW 2.0L Turbo 300 bhp engine and 4WD. Seemed like a good bundle of some estate and a rocket but small enough for her to be comfy and a Mini, which she loves.

It was like a ground seeking missile. Tiny, grippy, rocket, fun. I took it back before the end of the test drive (2 days offered) because there was no way I would keep my licence with it ragging me to push it. It had the Mini fun elements but a steroidal power pack, if there were clear roads and no one wagging a finger I would have gone for it but today it is just too much.

In the early years it was a combo of speed, cool and cost (car and insurance). Then it became speed, cool and practicality. Then I was lucky enough to be able to have a fun Morgan and a daily. Now I just cannot be ar_ed to push my luck in a car that can triple the speed limit on over-crowded roads when I sneeze. I like the Alpina diesels and could look at finding a nice two year old 5 series Alpina diesel estate next. However I don't trust what will happen to the black pump/tax/availability going forwards at this point.

I guess for the majority of my life I have had automotive tastes that by FAR exceeded my water budget, At times Lemonade might be considered luxury....(-: But if you are born a petrol head, no point in moaning about it, you just need to learn to find a way round the obstacles if at all possible...?

First car I ever bought was a Frogeye Sprite as a a non-runner, my pals and I pushed it home, that Sprite taught me a lot about car corrosion and car buying...Though I did in time get it MOT`d

As for pushing my luck in budgetary terms, I guess the prime example of that might have been owning two 4276cc Jensen interceptors, in a bid to make one reasonable car out of the two, which in time I managed... During the seventies fuel crisis... Duh..!!!

I suspect running costs may not only be marque related but indeed the difference may be more likely to the possible differences in the same marque between pre-digital and digital, the latter seemingly presenting ever more possibilities for expensive failure in time..... For sure when digital is working well it can be far more reliable than old carb points and plugs, but try to fix digital at the side of the road seems potentially a tad more complex..? As for parts costs , if available, it can all get very expensive and very quickly...... Been there done that....OUCH..!

Quite an interesting video, one I can certainly relate to (albeit not so much the "youtube presenting"!).

I like many on here have a fondness for a bit of power, but modern supercars don't do a huge amount for me. I fell in love with the 80s/90s cars, and the older I get the more I appreciate cars like the Muira and Ferrari Daytona. I will however make an exception for the Veyron and Pagani's, the Veyron for what it represents and the incredible engineering, and the Pagani for the wow of its interior and the noise. It is highly unlikely I will ever have the means to purchase one however! More realistically if I was in the market for a "normalish car" in the supercar catergory I would take an Aston over a McLaren, or even a nice AMG Mercedes Estate for something practical and fun.

I do quite fancy trying a Tesla after having one for a few days, I found the effortless driving, comfort and power quite nice - so I could certainly see myself with something like that to whittle away the miles.

For something special though I really do find a Morgan hard to beat, the mix of art deco and 30s styling, the craftsmanship and coachbuilt nature of it just appeal to my inner child and perhaps even inner caveman, like a warm fire does it just lights up something special inside.

I was lucky enough that Richard Hammond did one of the best Top Gear review segments ever in my opinion, on the GTN. The weather and filters made it look menacing, the music, his genuine love of it and the iconic quotes and references, and then the noise... together it made a really rather special piece of television, and the car just happened to be centre stage.

I must admit I still pinch myself a little, when I go in and see it - the only thing I haven't done yet is drive it due to the weather, its going to be a long few months till spring...

For those interested who have iPlayer access - its the first item on the show:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p03rds81/top-gear-series-5-episode-5

"Mr Toad with an AK47"

Ah, now I know where that description of the Aeros came from.

I can identify with that - it was the X-Car video in London that triggered the purchase of the Coupe. I still watch it from time to time now.
I know the video you mention with Hamster and the GTN, it was a belter. I was looking for the first Morgan we bought, the S2, at that time. The S2 was £40-45k but there was a GTN for sale at £80k at that time. I spent ages trying to work out if I could tweak the budget and was not experienced enough to know the difference. The S2 proved a good starting point.

I never knew what a Morgan was, until a fortuitous business meeting took me on a tour of the factory in 2010. I surely had seen them in movies or television, but nobody said "Oh look! He's driving a Morgan". That visit to Malvern was when the seed was planted in my mind. I must get a Morgan! Eight years later, and after one more factory visit, I found my '65 Plus 4 for sale from the original owner. Out of all my boys toys, I tell everyone that she gets more smiles per gallon!