I can totally relate to where you are coming from - been there several times over the years with a variety of cars. It can destroy what love you once had for it.
I've come round to a theory that I apply to my cars - they split into tools and toys -
tools - these are cars which you use on a daily basis, they must be first and foremost reliable. We have a '93 Jap built toyota carina that fits this - it refuses to die, never breaks down, is comfortable, cheap to run, quick and utterly utterly reliable. It is also dull, anonymous, and very tedious to drive
toys - speaks for itself really
The problem with using toys for tools is that IF you suddenly require regular, reliable, cheap, warm bullet proof transport then toys cannot be relied upon to perform this and you can rapidly destroy what love you once had for the toy by making tool like demands on it.
It's a pig when you have to split your resources thus.
Although you have had huge challenges and are now at your wits end the Landy S3 does represent pretty sensible classic car ownership. I have run and owned and own several classics and the s3 is one that, once on the road, can usually be relied upon to deliver albeit slowly, noisily and coldly. Mindy you they can also be frustrating money pits. They do fall between the tool and toy category as well but I would not own one without a back up vehicle.
the toyota - well that will never by a toy, cost £350 2 years ago and just keeps going contrast to my wife's P38 - well, I'm looking forward to yet another Sunday of air suspension fun!
If you can it might be an idea to mothball the project, get summat boring like my toyota and in 6 months/years time you may have the time/funds/knuckle skin etc to give it another crack. I've lost count of the cars I have sold in frustration after pouring in years of sweat, cash etc and then regretted the decision later. I did this with at least 2 Citroen CX Gtis about 7 years ago when you could buy them for buttons. Regretted it and 3 months ago bought a 1985 CX Gti which cost me 4 times what I sold the last one for due to huge increases in the value over that time period. Toy wise I now chose between the S3 and the CX for a jaunt - chalk and cheese indeed!
I've come round to a theory that I apply to my cars - they split into tools and toys -
tools - these are cars which you use on a daily basis, they must be first and foremost reliable. We have a '93 Jap built toyota carina that fits this - it refuses to die, never breaks down, is comfortable, cheap to run, quick and utterly utterly reliable. It is also dull, anonymous, and very tedious to drive
toys - speaks for itself really
The problem with using toys for tools is that IF you suddenly require regular, reliable, cheap, warm bullet proof transport then toys cannot be relied upon to perform this and you can rapidly destroy what love you once had for the toy by making tool like demands on it.
It's a pig when you have to split your resources thus.
Although you have had huge challenges and are now at your wits end the Landy S3 does represent pretty sensible classic car ownership. I have run and owned and own several classics and the s3 is one that, once on the road, can usually be relied upon to deliver albeit slowly, noisily and coldly. Mindy you they can also be frustrating money pits. They do fall between the tool and toy category as well but I would not own one without a back up vehicle.
the toyota - well that will never by a toy, cost £350 2 years ago and just keeps going contrast to my wife's P38 - well, I'm looking forward to yet another Sunday of air suspension fun!
If you can it might be an idea to mothball the project, get summat boring like my toyota and in 6 months/years time you may have the time/funds/knuckle skin etc to give it another crack. I've lost count of the cars I have sold in frustration after pouring in years of sweat, cash etc and then regretted the decision later. I did this with at least 2 Citroen CX Gtis about 7 years ago when you could buy them for buttons. Regretted it and 3 months ago bought a 1985 CX Gti which cost me 4 times what I sold the last one for due to huge increases in the value over that time period. Toy wise I now chose between the S3 and the CX for a jaunt - chalk and cheese indeed!
