Some car enthusiasts allow themselves to collect or hoard more cars than some people may own in a lifetime. We recently wrote about a guy who collected 1,300 cars over 26 years, and now he’s finally selling them off. Then there are your favorite Autopian writers, who probably also own way too many cars. If someone forced you to downsize your fleet by exactly half, how would you do it?
This subject has been rattling around my head for a bit, and, admittedly, these thoughts have been supercharged by the responses to my post about the mechanical maladies of my spouse’s Scion. Maybe it’s time to be a responsible adult and downsize. Logically, downsizing would mean less time fixing stuff, less money spent on storage and insurance, and the miles that I drive each year would go into fewer cars; thus, all of them would get more miles per year.
As of publishing, I have 15 non-motorcycle vehicles in the fleet. That’s cars, SUVs, and a single bus. Let’s be a bit aggressive here and say half will be seven. That’s eight vehicles to get rid of. How would I handle that?
I think I would just go back to my roots, and also keep a couple of teenage dream cars. This would mean selling the manual BMW X5, the Honda Life, the Suzuki Every, the Plymouth Special DeLuxe, the BMW 530xi, the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI, the 2005 Smart Fortwo, and of course, the Nova Bus RTS-06. The Jetta was already on my “to sell” list now that I finally have a valid title for it.
That would leave me with four Smarts, which are super easy to take care of and cost me very little money. It would also leave me with the Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI, the MGF, and the Saturn Sky Red Line as the three teenage dream cars.
Admittedly, it would not be easy to sell the other cars, except for the Jetta. I generally enjoy every moment I drive all of my cars. I also usually enjoy cleaning them and fixing them, too. I think I have narrowed down the Plymouth’s lack of spark to one component! So, I would heavily regret selling the cars, even if doing so would benefit me.
Post-sale, I think I would press my 2006 Smart Fortwo diesel into service as my daily driver. It gets 70 mpg all day long, is nearly bulletproof reliable, and it would hit the spot of being weird and different. I used to daily nothing but Smarts for eight years, so I know it can be done.
I pitched this plan to my spouse, and she’s fully against it. But maybe I should do it, anyway. I don’t know, I suppose I should look deep within myself.
What about you? If you had to reduce your fleet by half, what cars would you get rid of? Which would you keep – and why?
Im not sure I guess I would start with my spares. My growing highlander hybrid fleet would probably take care of that I could probably just keep the best. Then the randoms like my expedition it’s useful but I don’t care about it. I have come to despise Subaru so I could ditch 2 there. If I had to I guess I could get rid of a truck or two if I really had to.
How do you wind up with multiple Highlander hybrids without actually being a fleet operator?
I bought 1 because it was about the same cost of the gen2 prius was super impressed and then buy them cheap sometimes with body damage. I’m going to turn at least on into a pickup but haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Hard to say with this one the current fleet and also I have an odd amount:
1989 Firebird (keep): I have had this since I was 20 (I will be 33 soon) and is the reason my dad and I are close now and work on vehicles together. I could go on a out this but my user name is kind of self explanatory hah.
2018 TourX (Keep): Fiances car so self explanatory.
1992 D250 Cummins (get rid of): not that I would want to get rid of it like having the truck around for truck things but if I were to get rid of this and my FJ as noted below might look into the scout EVs in the future or possibly a different EV truck for a daily and truck things.
2013 FJ cruiser get rid of: love my FJ but it is nearing 200k miles now and has lived it’s whole life in the Midwest and through winters and has been beaten to hell off road.
2022 Polestar 2 (keep*): my current daily love the thing and it would be a keep for now until the R3X is out or the Scout especially if I was getting rid of the FJ.
I have a Yamaha WR450F in my garage that I haven’t ridden since my bachelor party 15 years ago. I keep it thinking that someday I’ll get back into racing, but the fact is, at my age now, I’d probably cripple myself trying.
It could probably go.
Personally, as I have dramatically reduced my fleet as I have aged. Currently we have the new “nice” car, and a 2 year old grocery getter. Both with positive attributes. I really like the size and the drivability of the Kona. I really don’t know! I’ve been in your position. Just pull the trigger, go with your gut, and don’t look back…
Great thought exercise, one that i revisit myself every couple of years.
I currently own:
-08 ford Eff Tree Fitty Crew 165k 5.4 gasser short bed. Great for the hauling and towing and carrying bicycles and camping and carpentry and on and on. This one stays at the moment
-06 volvo xc90 280k turbo-5 91octane swiller. This one is a bit of a war of attritition w/ a who will blink first battle ongoing. Even when this thing breaks, it ALWAYS gets us home, safely. Nearing the end of its useful life, this could go
-01 volvo v70 t5 manual, 300k zero rust. Just came off the road for a bumper to bumper restoration/revitalization. Ive done this twice now to R models, so this should be 5% easier. Ill basically take it all apart and replace old/worn out/rubber parts with new or at least cleanup and repaint the still good bits for the next 300k.
-04 volvo s6or, rusty, smelly, PO trashed it and left it for dead. Serves as donor parts car for the T5, mostly just electronic crap and the brembos. Both P2’s will be lodged next to each other in the barn while i pull them both apart and play lego cars. Once gutted this one will go. Or become a rallyx M-sport s60 McRae tribute farm field beater.
-86 F150, 300 inline 6 w/ a 5 speed manual i pulled from a later OBS truck. Minty interior but Needs full body and mechanical restore. Was my grandpa’s truck, will keep forever.
-02 Buell M2 Cyclone with the screaming eagle package on the 1203, 50k. wore out, not on the road, looking for a new home for it. Trusy all weather steed turned Project bike that’s fast as heck and makes fun potatopotato sounds. For sale cheap!
looks like i can reduce my fleet by 50%(!) but only after i spin some wrenches for a bit…
Current fleet:
1996 Eunos Roadster
2007 Buell Blast
2013 Sienna
2018 Rav4
Buell and Sienna would go if I had to, the Roadster is too much fun and I’m not done with it yet, and the Rav4 I recently inherited when grandma passed, as much as I have always been very anti crossover for myself, it’s grandma’s. I don’t see many scenarios that would convince me to let go of that one. I love the Blast, and it’s been fun to have a bike again for the first time in a while, but it would have to be on the chopping block just due to limitations inherent to a bike, and the van is old and high mileage, so while it does have lots more space than the Rav4, and downsizing would make life difficult at times with the 3 kids, there’s no sentimental attachment there.
My fleets not as big now. But currently-
-Mustang
-Comanche
-jl wrangler
-Accord
-Vibe
Half is keeping 2.5, ill round up to 3.
The Jurassic Jeep Comanche and Vibe would go. If i had to include my CT125 as part, that would make 3 to go and would also join. Cant sell the wifes wrangler, nor my first car.
I want the Comanche if this becomes reality!
If I reduced my fleet by half, I would be shoeless or carless. So, yeah, this is an impossibility.
Motorcycle?
Nope, I own 1 car, and a pair of shoes. Take either away and I’m in a world of trouble.
I meant 1car divided in half equals a motorcycle.
Not if you cut it diagonally.
Okay, thanks for the chuckle!
I reckon I’d keep the rear half of my 986. At least I could then sell the engine and transmission for a relatively solid subcompact of similar vintage.
The front half. That’s where the motor and the driver’s seat are.
Outstanding.
I have 4 cars, plus the wife’s, so let’s count just my own:
1978 Toyota Corolla
1997 BMW E39 528i (supercharged)
2003 Nissan Pathfinder
2019 BMW G30 540i
Gun pointed to my head I would let the Pathfinder and the G30 go, those are the easiest to replace in the future. The other two never, not in my wildest nightmares.
keep: 88 E28
lose: 97 E39, 98 E38
The problem here is that I only have two cars: an FR-S that is my daily, which I need, and a ’71 Beetle. Which…yes, it doesn’t run but I don’t want to get rid of it….in fact I want to add a Keitruck to this little ensemble…
As mentioned in my comment on your earlier Touareg story, I’m keeping my 2008 V8 as long as I can get parts. The other two can go, but then I’ll need someone to pick me up for work
Keep
2023 Tacoma ( manual)
2024 Volvo (Auto)
97 Jeep TJ (manual)
63Split window VW crewcab truck ….never part with this
get rid of
02 Ranger ( manual)
72 Vw squareback ( manual)
71 Vw squareback ( manual)
18 Volvo ( auto)
Given that we only have two vehicles between me and my wife downsizing wouldn’t be practical.
We did agree not to acquire a third smaller vehicle as daily commuter for me to use. We may drop to one vehicle in the future when I retire but until then it will be the Ridgeline and the Odyssey.
Current:
2019 BMW i3S
2017 VW Golf Alltrack Wagon
2013 Honda Ridgeline RTL
Can’t reduce by half without a Sawzall getting involved, but I could lose the Alltrack. If we move house in the spring (80% chance) that is exactly what will happen.
The i3S and the Ridgeline are a really good pair.
You’re projecting, here.
But theoretically, I could get rid of all my motorcycles as they’re all long since paid and don’t get ridden anywhere near often enough. But what would that net me?
DT should sell his whole fleet, and start over with a Golf Wagon, a small pickup, and an old Italian Roadster that’ll never run right and keep him wrenching forever.
Applying the DT method of choosing to either get rid of my Miata or Civic, I would buy a Comanche.
COTD here…
Second that
Current fleet:
’14 Camry hybrid
’13 Highlander
’07 Corolla.
Arguably could cut loose the Corolla if needed.
I’m likely expanding – may add a bricknose F150.
If we count the spouse’s fleet, here leased iDrive40EXwhatevertheeff BMW would not get replaced, leaving her with a manual Mustang.
I might get rid of my Titan and keep my heavily modified R51 Pathfinder, even though it is 9 years older than the Titan. I have it modded the way I want and it may even be more reliable (though I hate to admit it). On the other hand, it is a toy at this point. Breaking it means I have to climb my big ass down into my wife’s Mustang, where my right leg nudges the e-brake handle as I drive….
I sold the bugeye WRX early this year, which got me down to 3 for the first time in awhile.
GR Corolla, Crosstrek, Celica race car from the old Toyota Pro/Celebrity races – I’d probably lose the Crosstrek since the GRC can carry my dog and costume bins.
Sold the Toyota Venza when wife passed.
Kept the Scion xB. Which was her car because of “feelings”.
Also because of much better utility, and gas mileage.
No complaints. YMMV.
Oh shoot, both of the Outbacks are paid off, and only a year apart. uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Well I have a fleet of 2 so I guess the 13 year old JKU would go, even if still under bumper to bumper warranty and keep the 5 year old Pacifica as it is more useful and newer.
I own one car and my husband owns one car. I’d like to replace his, but nothing is getting eliminated outright.