Emily Gallagher the proud owner of a Jaguar XJ 4.2 litre. Photo by David Conachy
Some cars make no rational sense whatsoever but poor fuel economy, high servicing costs and eye-watering depreciation do nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of their owners says Geraldine Herbert
Critical decisions are made in seconds, we may dither about our lunchtime sandwich, agonise over a pair of shoes and worry about the particular shade of green in our shirt but when it comes to cars, instinct takes over. Fast, shiny and expensive we idolise sports cars as symbols of freedom, independence and virility.
But when it comes to actually buying a car our head betrays our weakened heart and gradually we are weaned onto something far more sensible, more fuel efficient and with space for child seats.
For some poor fuel economy, exorbitant servicing costs and eye-watering depreciation do nothing to dampen their appetite.
Niall Sheridan, an IT worker from Dublin took a test drive in a BMW M6 and never looked back. “I’d always wanted a fast BMW and a couple of years ago they had reached fairly reasonable prices” says Niall “ Once behind the wheel and that was it, the looks, the noise, the comfort, I was hooked instantly”.
But at a time when even sports cars speak the language of efficiency and sustainability the M6 is downright greedy. Niall spends a whopping €1,809 taxing the car each year, €2,500 on brake discs and pads and returns a miserly 15mpg or 18.8 litres per 100 kms.
For others the combination of speed and rarity is the attraction. Tony O’Connor drives a special edition Audi A4 model made in 2005 to commemorate Audi’s first championship title in the 2004 German Touring Car Masters (DTM). Brought in from the UK it cost around €15,000 and only 250 right hand drive versions were made. With 220 horses under the bonnet, the Audi is no slouch, but Tony had plans to squeeze even more power out of the German supercar.
“I had it mapped by REVO in the UK to boost it from 220bhp to 255bhp” explains Tony, “ I also have lowered to by 40mm all round and widened the track by 12mm to improve road holding and grip”
“It now has the perfect amount of power and grip for Irish roads”
“I use the Audi as an every-day car so as someone who drives more than 500 kilometres a week it makes no financial sense whatsoever” Says Tony, “ Its costs €710 a year to tax and returns about 25 mpg (11.3 litres per 100 kms)”
Those willing to do some restoration work can get their hands on their dream car cheaply. Paul Carroll, a dad of two, dreamed of owning a Golf GTI since his teens in the 80’s.
“My guilty pleasure is a 1989 VW Golf Gti, its the sixth one I have bought and restoring it has been a tale of much blood, sweat, tears and too much money ” says Paul
“Bought for €400 it was originally off the road in a shed but with a lot of help from friends and relatives who know how to wield a spanner and the barter system in the classic Volkswagen community here in Ireland it has been restored to its former glory equipped with as many original or period-correct second hand parts as possible”
Restoring an old banger has a lot of advantages and as a thirty year old car Paul’s GTi is entitled to Classic car insurance which works out at about €200 per annum and costs only €100 a year tax.
“I’ve always loved fast cars, and I’ve been lucky enough to have owned a lot of them over the years,” she says Emily Gallagher an aviation specialist from Shannon and proud owner of a Jaguar XJ 4.2 litre. “I’ve had BMWs, Porsches and Audis. It’s all about engine capacity first but looks and finish come a very close second. For me there is still nothing quite like the Jaguar”
“Bought for €41,000, it is very expensive to run and costs €2,000 per annum to road tax, about €120 to fill the tank and returns on average about 20-22 MPG” says Emily “But it is the unmistakable sound of the V8 engine and the roar of 300 bhp, she is simply timelessly elegant”
Jess Shanahan a 25 year old lover of sequins, cars that roar and road trips traded a sensible 1.2l Fiat Punto for an Abarth badged Fiat 500.
“I wanted a Fiat 500 on steroids, a car that would turn heads and would also be a joy to drive” says Jess “it costs way more than a standard 500 but that’s not what it is about”
“It gives me a real thrill whenever I drive it. It’s also not a car you see every day. There are plenty of Fiat 500s around but the scorpion Abarth badge, spoiler, decals and alloys make people look twice.”
Classic Car enthusiast, Keith Hyland, has been restoring MINIs for years and it has become something of a passion.
“I own both a 1993 MINI Cooper and a 1980 MINI estate” says Keith “ It’s all about the driving experience – the razor sharp response to steering input, braking effort and acceleration, the smile it puts on my face when I drive it”
“While they are fairly cheap to run they need a lot of love and attention and it takes a lot of time to find body panels and model specific items”
“I do most of the regular servicing and will tackle larger jobs as there is lots of help and support from the mini owning community”
Some cars make no financial sense whatsoever; not suitable as commuter-belt chameleons or family transport these fuel, money or time guzzlers are simply affairs of the heart for their owners. For them it’s not about value for money, it is a passion for motoring, from the roar of an engine to the sheer delight at the faintest whiff of petrol.
A version of this article, by the author, was published in the Sunday Independent 15/06/14
Geraldine Herbert
24th June, 2014
