Re. Derek' s questions.
I think I may be atypical.
As the signature says, I have MY03 C4S. I got it 1 month ago.
It has so far done 2100 miles, so is now run in and officially declared " open for business" . Mileage is increasing by 300+ per week.
It isn' t maintained by anybody yet, but will most likely be by OPC in Guildford (unless Reading proves easier, there' s not much in it distance wise).
It is my only car, which I use every day for commuting along the M3, as well as shopping, business use, driving to Heathrow, etc.
I have no garage and it is parked on the road. The insurance company thought this was interesting, thought about it and decided they were game if I was.
When I was a teenager, around the streets where I lived there was an E-type Jag, an XJS, a Ferrari Dino, two 911 Turbos, a Lotus Elan, a 240Z, along with BL' s, Ford' s and Vauxhall' s finest. I think cars shouldn' t be locked away and not seen, they should be visible. Most of my street and all the people that walk up and down it (which is quite a lot since there is a small river with ducks that require sackfuls of bread), like it and think it is lovely. So far (touch wood), it does not seem to attracting the jealousy that I thought an M3 would get and put me off buying one.
If it helps to ensure that the anti-car propaganda does not work and that some of the passion lives on, it is worth it. Kids need to be exposed to this sort of thing, otherwise how are they going to spend the next 10-20-30 years dreaming about owning one?
I actually worry about it less than when I bought a Renault 19 16V (10 yrs ago) and left that parked on the street. Indeed that was my deciding factor, whether I could sleep easy at night, if no then I was not going to buy it.
I bought it not as a status symbol, but because I have wanted one for 15+ years, and because it is the best car I could buy (there is no other 2 dr coupe that it it' s equal IMO, aside from another 911, like a GT3[
]). I thought it would take me another 3-5 years to get one, but decided to take the plunge. The aim was to have it for 3 years, then trade it in for another or upgrade to a 997 turbo, but it may not be available in time. However, I already love it so much, I' m already thinking that I may need to keep it and if I want more, have to buy another.
I' m hoping it will prove reliable (no reason to think otherwise), and since I depend on it, wanted a new one for the warranty.
I actually planned to buy a 2nd hand 996 C2, but somehow got distracted, but am pleased I did.
Whether I am foolhardy, only time will tell.
