Shortest time frame you've owned a car?

JustAnotherSaver

I saw the thread asking about the longest you've owned a vehicle. I'm in two minds as to whether to try sell the car i've not long bought. I'm wondering if i'll be happy with it even if the major problem can be fixed at decent cost. If it can't be fixed then the car is a problem anyway as it's not reliable for A-B-A/C motoring at all but if it can get sorted right enough then there's plenty of niggles that have me asking myself should i just cut my losses.

And it was totally all my own fault as i didn't vet it enough on purchase day.

Which brings me to the question.

I have been driving 17 years now and this is my 6th car.

The first car (£700) i had probably 6 months which will be my shortest. A rush purchase on a Citroen AX. Starting was a nightmare. Various electrical issues and if i remember right the radiator decided to spill its guts after a motorway journey. Shortly after that and with the offer of the next car, i got rid.

Citroen ZX (free - family gift) was next owned at about 18 months.

A Ford Escort (£1050) was probably about 2 years before another Ford Escort (£1100) was i don't know now, 10-12 months perhaps.

I then owned a Vauxhall Astra (£1400) for 12 years.

Surprised i can remember how much i paid for each. I can also remember the reg plates of each for some reason, except for the first.

AdrianC

SIX MONTHS?

Technically, I've owned at least one car I never even saw... I've had others for a matter of days, if not hours.
Then there's probably some that I swore blind I'd buy - and fortunately we'd both forgotten about the next morning.

[Deleted User]

I know a guy who got a new car for work, took it out the first job, some moron was overtaking on the wrong side of the road or something like that, believe they lost control, had a head on, new car ended up in a field and the other guy died

TadleyBaggie

I bought a car (white Sierra Sapphire) because I thought I was losing my company car due to change of roles. I drove it from the dealer and garaged it. Company then changed their mind, a few weeks later a mate wrote his car off and was desperate for another so bought it off me. I probably only drove it 10 miles.

macman

This takes some beating (no, it wasn't mine):
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-53176091

jimbo6977

During my time at a major national motor insurer, a policyholder picked up his new Lotus from the main dealer, drove it 200yds to the first roundabout, and promptly wrote it off.

cymruchris

My new company car was written off on its first journey by another driver falling asleep and crossing into my path head on - but in terms of owning a car that wasn’t destroyed - probably 3-4 weeks - between one being stolen and the insurance payout. A battered, rusty old mg maestro - it was quick - but it was literally falling apart. Bought it for £125 and sold it for £125. 

daveyjp

jimbo6977 said:

During my time at a major national motor insurer, a policyholder picked up his new Lotus from the main dealer, drove it 200yds to the first roundabout, and promptly wrote it off.

A colleague's son did a similar thing.  First evening of Lotus ownership, dusk on a country lane he thought he knew, except he forgot about the T junction, failed to stop and ended up in a field with a dismantled dry stone wall and bits of car surrounding him.

My dad had a car written off before he received it after the car transporter it was on turned over in an accident.

PRAISETHESUN

daveyjp said:

jimbo6977 said:

During my time at a major national motor insurer, a policyholder picked up his new Lotus from the main dealer, drove it 200yds to the first roundabout, and promptly wrote it off.

A colleague's son did a similar thing.  First evening of Lotus ownership, dusk on a country lane he thought he knew, except he forgot about the T junction, failed to stop and ended up in a field with a dismantled dry stone wall and bits of car surrounding him.

My dad had a car written off before he received it after the car transporter it was on turned over in an accident.

Was it even technically his car then? 

Similar story to all above - a friend in high school bought a car not long after getting his licence. Took it out for a spin on the freeway (doing 180kph+ in a 100kph zone), getting clocked by no less than 3 fixed point speed speed cameras along the way. He misjudged a slight bend at speed and lost control, writing off his car the same day he bought it. Lost his license not long after and was disqualified from driving for quite a long time afterwards as well

JustAnotherSaver

Ah I should've specified without including write offs in my OP because technically that really takes any decision making out of your hands. 

And a matter of days or even hours? How does that work? How do you get the V5C in time in your name to then sign over to someone else? 

AdrianC

JustAnotherSaver said:

And a matter of days or even hours? How does that work? How do you get the V5C in time in your name to then sign over to someone else? 

V5C is nothing to do with ownership, of course.