How do you know when it's time to sell the Corrado?

[Jim 2]

I know I make threads like this on a reasonably regular basis but I really think I'm done with the Corrado.

 

* It's a car for tinkerers. I hate tinkering. I'm not confident enough to take my car apart. I don't have any interest in doing so to be honest. I just want to use it and wash it.

* I'm fed up of the cost of running / insuring / taxing two cars!

* I'd say it's in "above average condition" but it needs a respray to make me happy with it, but I simply can't bring myself to spend that kind of money on it.

* I can't be bothered with VW shows any more - nothing new to see. Doesn't interest me any more.

* Want to buy a house next year - the cash would all help with a deposit.

 

The only reason I really keep the car is for the social side of things - but I don't need the Corrado for that. I can still go to meets with friends in whatever car I own.

 

Don't get me wrong if I was to ditch the car, I'd be sad about it - but I just don't think I can be bothered with it any more. I feel like I scratched the itch and having now had a VR6 for two years, it's time to move on.

 

Given all this - is it time to sell up?

[Goldie 2]

Tough one Jim... I understand the tinkering, i love tinkering but there is a limit and i hate that feeling of fix one thing for another two to go.. I think that is why i can't leave it alone and go with the preventative maintenance approach..

 

Time to sell, its either through an offer that has made you feel you must or circumstances, house purchase sounds fair enough although i doubt in the current corrado market it will make a huge difference.. I don't get it, we all have the cars on here and we talk down their value so much.. I mean i thought for months of something else to buy instead of a Corrado that would tick the same boxes and it isn't out there for compatible money, with the same charm and image..

 

VW shows, they can merge into one, the same cars are there but you are right it is about the people.. Speaking from experience though i found it very hard to chip in, forum or show without owning the car, i didn't feel like i was one of the gang, if that makes sense..

 

Resprays are expensive but when done well it is brilliant. If you are struggling to justify it then, take a pause, can you lay it up, leave it for a bit and then have another try next year??

 

Just my 2 p worth...

[Jim 2]

Laying it up does seem like an option - hampered by the fact my garage is a bit crappy and the company I let it from are not willing to address problems I have with it, including the floor flooding when it rains. I feel like if I leave the car for a year or more, it may degrade excessively to the point where it may be expensive to bring it back to good condition...

 

I think I would feel more positive if insurance was easier, and I had a place to park both my cars at home - but I don't. And now I've got the Octavia VRS I have a car which performs as well as the Corrado.

 

I know what it's like "not being one of the gang" and I know exactly what you mean. I've been there many times over the years as I've dipped in and out of ownership. Each of those times were circumstances forcing my hand.. this time I just feel like I can't be bothered with it any more.

[Portent 0]

My honest opinion is "probably, yes". I think we all feel that once we sell then we can never find another. But that's not true. You could always buy another. I've also seen that when some of the long standing members sell then others consider it too. I also expected you to sell shortly after getting the VRS because it's such an easy car to live with after the Corrado. There tends to be a pattern of "hmmm, thought about selling" then "ok tell me why I shouldnt sell", then "I've decided to keep it" and this goes back and forth a few times until the innevitible sale.

 

But think on this... what would you do with the money that you get witht he sale of the Corrado? It's a second car so you don't have to sell it to get a nice daily. You already have that. So the running cost of the VR would be quite low with (hopefully cheap) insurance, tax, MOT and probably not a lot more if you don't drive it a lot. If it still gives you a lot of pleasure then is it worth selling it.

 

But if you could get more pleasure from that money then selling is a good idea.

 

I had similar thoughts recently, having "scratched my itch". Work is manic right now so I don't really have time to enjoy the car. But the car has a lot of sentimental value which gives me huge pleasure.

 

But one thing is for sure; we're all part of a fairly exclusive club. We've owned and lived with Corrado's. Even after selling you'd still have those memories and could still say you had that experience. I genuinely get a thrill from spotting one. Yesterday three Feraris and an Aston zoomed past and I was quite excited. Then a Storm appeared and I was much more excited about that. Also going for a drive in mine just refreshed my love for it.

 

What does worry me though is that as the "old blood" sells up a lot of knowledge goes with it. With VW all but abandoning us we need knowledge to stay in the community. So if you do sell then please keep hanging around here :)

[daves16v 1]

Jim, I'll keep this short - I think you've probably answered your own question.

[Jim 2]

Cheers :)

 

I think if I could find a good, local, dry garage then this would be more of a moot point. As it is, the Corrado lives in a damp garage that I have to drive across Coventry to get to. I have no way to wash it or maintain it properly there (no water, no electricity) and can't maintain it properly at home either as it's a flat. It's a bit of a catch 22 really. I guess if I did find a house with a garage or a driveway it would change things and as you say, whatever my car is worth (probably in the region of £1,500) wouldn't really go THAT far into my deposit.

 

I think the biggest issue is the respray. It does need it really, but I don't want to pay for it. And I'd hate to be responsible for letting it get to a point where it'd be too expensive to put it back to good condition - thus rendering it more likely to be a breaker.

 

But really as I've said - the reason for staying in the club all this time has been the friends of made. And I've made those friends now.. I don't need the car to maintain the friendship.

[Goldie 2]

Buy one that doesn't need paint, 2 good ones popped up yesterday for respray money.. Take all the good bits from the two cars and break what you have left.. Not the easiest option but in the long run a lot of money saved...

[Jim 2]

I think at this point I'd rather just leave ownership for a few years and then just come back and buy a good one (sound familiar Goldie? :) ) - indeed assuming I still wanted one. To be honest there are a zillion other cars I'd love to own. I love the Corrado but I'm really not THAT attached to them.

[C5 OEM 0]

Nail on the head jim, you need to be into tinkering with older cars in order to keep the costs down and also the interest alive....the corrado club has been the most inclusive i`ve found but for me in the end I just didnt love the car and had gone too far for it to be fun.

 

Just bought myself an oak green mk2 valver for sensible money and will tinker around with that knowing it`ll stay stock and just enjoy the experience of it all.

 

If owning the corrado does not make sense then move on, cars come and go..

 

Good luck mate

[Goldie 2]

I think at this point I'd rather just leave ownership for a few years and then just come back and buy a good one (sound familiar Goldie? :) ) - indeed assuming I still wanted one. To be honest there are a zillion other cars I'd love to own. I love the Corrado but I'm really not THAT attached to them.

 

It sounds very familiar.. All Corrados will need work though, no matter how clean...

[OllieVR6 0]

I have a question, please don't take it the wrong way.

 

Are you sure it really NEEDS a respray? I see a lot of cars going for resprays that need two things - A visit from a paintless dent remover and a damn good machine polish.

 

I see the appeal of fresh paint, but at the same time, if you take a look at what some of the professionals can achieve on detailing world, it could be worth considering paying a pro £400ish.

[Jim 2]

Unfortunately it does need a fair bit of paint.. there is rust on every arch which needs attention, the bonnet is well stone chipped and has some weird paint defects, the slam panel is stone chipped and has peeling paint! To be fair some panels would be ok with a good machine polish (e.g. the roof).

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yours is one of the better ones I've driven Jim, so if it's just the cosmetic side of things you're not happy about, it might be worth speaking to a paint specialist first before getting rid. It might be repairable a bit cheaper than expected. The same paint issues worried Neil as well. I remember the late nights in my garage attacking rust and undersealing it only too well :D

[Swompy 0]

I know the feeling Jim :lol:

 

If you want to lay the car up for some time my garage will be empty for a good while (my rado will be at a bigger garage as mine is too small to work in) I know its not close to you but I wont be using it for my car.

[Jim 2]

That's a very kind offer Jake - will do some thinking about what I want to do!

[Yandards 0]

Meh, if it purely comes down to money then now is not a good time to sell frankly, and as you said 1.5-2l is not a huge amount for a deposit.

 

I am going through similar thoughts myself, got a G60 I can't shift and VR that has had quite a lot done to it mechanically (it was bought for Mrs Yandards) and a 16vG60 that still needs an ECU map sorting.

 

None of them are on the road right now and they are mostly just getting in the way, no real intention to sell the 16vG60 but right now I have no incentive or love for it either.

 

So I guess I am just saying that Corrado ownership does tend to suffer from mood swings!

[Peebee 0]

Ive been through all that you've just mentioned, its really frustrating being two minds about a car like the Corrado. Ive always loved mine but have shared your thoughts manier time, ive tried selling it, it ended up staying. After all said and done, ill never get to own a car like this again. So with that in mind, even if i cant afford to run it 12 months of the year i still get to have it on my drive and drive it when i can.

[Tempest 0]

Understand the feeling, because I, too, since owning the 928 have had thoughts about whether the C still has a place in my fleet. The Mk1 Rocco is a keeper, that's for sure, nothing beats it in terms of stupid grin factor, each time I drive it.

 

I decided for one to just let my C sit in its garage (which, yes, I am fortunate enough to have within very close reach of where I live), till the fire ignites again within me, and that somehow happened this Saturday just gone, when I took my C for a spin in beautiful sunny weather, love restored! :)

 

Tinkering? Ask! There'll always be time to get something sorted on yours. Thought you quite enjoyed the pre-MOT preps the other day, mind you, we didn't need to do what we had originally planned.

 

I understand the situation with not having the car closer to home. That would drive me bonkers.

 

Tempest

[Wendy 0]

I would put some energy initially into housing your car nearer to home.

 

Do a leaflet drop in your area - Asking if anyone has a garage - so you can store it, then assess further possibly when the market is better but the car not worsening in the meantime.

 

Remember - this summer has been especially bad and not provided much opportunity for many meets etc etc - which all will assist the thinking of selling.

 

Yesterday I was at Harewood and having the same chatter about VW meets, I am so bored with them I really need a change and complete change - as I mentioned at the AGM too, we need to go more Classic in my view, but then Motor Sport too. It is up to all of us to make this happen though.

 

Obvioulsy will have to strongly consider whether I would let you join our gang meets starting in September in local ish area if no Corrado !!! :-)

[emu 0]

For me it's the time when I can get classic insurance for what I always wanted but couldn't afford paying 200 quid insurance a month for something I will be using few days a month. Next year is the year :)

 

[anne t 10]

i don,t know if there are farms near where you live but some rent indoor spaces to cars ,caravans etc at reasonable prices

[dr_mat 0]

TBH keeping a posh car when you live in a flat is a non-starter no matter what it is. You need something bullet proof reliable and secure and low insurance group.

I'd buy a house AND keep the Corrado! ;)

[Portent 0]

Just a thought Jim... if you sell now then you'll miss the big anniversary next year.

[Pete 0]

If your unhappy then sell it, you can always get another one?

[mad-dog 10]

the choice is yours bud, but in my veiw the time to seel my raddo will be just as they are putting me in my box for the last time :) all older cars get issues its all a matter of whats best for you and the car :)