Cars

I love cars! Some people like the theatre, some like gardening, I like cars. 

My first car was a Fiat X19. I bought it for £400 when I was around 18 years of age after saving up for ages and absolutely loved it. It was like a mini Ferrari. The roof would come off and it sounded quite sporty. I had the best times in it. I still remember certain days I would be driving it and enjoying life. The funny thing is, I had MORE fun driving my £400 X19 than driving other cars later on in life such as the £1.5m Mclaren P1!

I enjoyed the X19 for a year, did it up a bit and sold it for £800. I then repeated the same thing with 2 other X19s. This is my second one. 

This is my 3rd X19!

There is hardly any of them left! Most have rusted away. And as cars get bigger, an X19 looks tiny in comparison.

At the time, the Fiat Uno Turbo was also a "respected" car amongst my friends. So I bought 2 or 3 of them, did them up a bit by cleaning and respraying some parts and sold them for double.

I would find the cars by carefully analysing the newspaper Loot, where they were advertised. I would select some, call the owner and look for "vulnerabilities" in them to see who I could knock down the most! I would show up with cash, usually half the advertised price and be determined to get the car for that price! I would then drive it home, enjoy it for a while, fix it up and advertise it in the same Loot newspaper with a better description (marketing experience!) and sell it for usually double what I bought it for. 

I also bought 2 x Renault 5 GT Turbos. Man, if I had kept them! They are worth a lot of money now!

This is me with my precious blue GT Turbo and its broken front grill:

I also liked Alfa Romeos! This one was very slippery and I once spinned it 360 degrees in front of my dad! He was not impressed!

A very big deal and the pinnacle of my achievement at that time was this Citroen BX19 16 valve! The car was fast but very expensive to maintain:

I always bought cars that I really enjoyed. It was about the feeling it would give me when I drive it and yes as you go through them, you start wanting to show off a bit as well. 

When i started my first business, I was very cautious and even though I made good money from very early on, I never spent it on cars. In fact, my first car when I started to make proper money in my twenties was this Mercedes 190 which was nothing special and mega slow! 

After a while, a car came along that I just had to have. It was a really big deal when it was launched and fortunately I had made enough money to buy it. I was one of the first people in the UK to own it - the Audi TT.

The Audi TT was the first car I had which would "turn heads"!

 

This SL was THE car that made me truly realise a great car not only makes you feel great and that you have achieved something, but makes others see you differently. You don't need to tell someone how successful you are. You just show up or park up in an amazing car and IT does that talking. This SL was one of 2 I bought at a time when they were just out and it was a real showpiece. I loved the heaviness, presence, looks and power of this car. 

After the SL, my first supercar was the Ferrari 360 Modena with a Tubi exhaust! That car was LOUD! I think my neighbours probably still hate me for having that car and starting it in my garage at 5 a.m. to go to work!

The idea of having a car worth over £100k was ludicrous to me for most of my early life. Who would put such an expensive thing on the street or drive it around? But as you become more successful and if you are materialistic (sadly I am at times) then you always want more. The more you buy, the more desensitised you get. I started with £200 and the most expensive car I went on to buy was the Mclaren P1 at £1.5m and the Ferrari F12 TDF which went up to £1.4m. Isn't that crazy? 

One thing that differentiates me from other entrepreneurs who love cars is probably the fact that I am really not that attached to them. I can have a car and sell it in the blink of an eye without caring. It's just a car and a bit of metal. Fortunately, I don't get attached to things. Life is about health, having fun, living the way you want and if you want to be materialistic, that's fine, as long as it doesn't become your whole life or make you unhappy.

This is the Ferrari 360 Modena, my first ever proper supercar:

And below was my second Ferrari, a 360 Spyder in Black. OMG I had so much hassles with this car. Firstly I bought it from the same dealer as the above but he was dodgy! I paid him £100k, took the car and then I was told the car is not his! AND the roof started playing up. So now I had a faulty car that wasn't even mine! The whole story is in my book Millionaire Stories. Have a read as it's fascinating. 

My first ever Lamborghini was this blue Gallardo. Now I know better than to buy a blue Lamborghini as it is the worst colour to re-sell. I bought the number plate 8 OT at auction and very stupidly gave it away when I sold the car. That plate alone is probably worth £90+k! Lesson learnt. Never give away any asset you can separate from another asset. 

And so, the story went on. I honestly do not remember or have photos of all the cars I have had. I am not saying it to show off. Just that I have had more cars than I can remember. In fact, one could call it dumb! Rather than spending money in an office block or a property, it is to many people very stupid to put several hundred pounds into a car!

But you know what? I don't regret a second of it. I have enjoyed all the cars I have had and enjoyed life. I see so many entrepreneurs worried about spending money, enjoying life or too petrified of losing money. I don't see life like that. As long as you are not neglecting your business, family and main commitments, do what you like. If I look back, while I was enjoying my 30s and 40s, many of my friends were too busy working! So let's go and check out some more of my cars:

My first Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder:

My first Aventador. Red is not the best colour but man this car was special as I was one of the first people in the UK to have it. I walked into the Lambo Showroom, saw it, bought it, had it later that day!

My first 458 Spider. Man the sound of this car and the presence of it! Didn't love it in white though:

Much better in red!

Ferrari Testarossa and stupid me, I gave it away in a competition! How stupid. NEVER give away your Ferrari in ANY competition!!

My green Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. This car was special and you know, it's price has stayed the same! I could have kept it and not lost a penny in almost 20 years!
I was walking in London, went to Lambo, saw it, told Rue I want it and that was that! It was with me that night. No need to make life complicated. This car was incredible in looks and sound:

Now this Pajero Evolution is not everyone's cup of tea... but if you know, you know! At the time, this was a very special car and I was one of very few people to be lucky enough to have one:

My Ferrari California. I did love it but the ceramic brakes would not stop squeaking even after being changed! The ride was amazing but the squeaking and the fact that I wanted something with more presence (458) made me sell it. Very nice car though:

My second Aventador and this time in the right colour:

 

My first Bentley Continental GT. This was a Speed when they first came out and this was an incredible car. SO prestigious and well made and special in the way it made you feel. A very opulent car and remember, I had it way before this shape became known and popular - double special!

I have had 3 Ferrari 458 Speciale Apertas. Probably top 2 best driver's cars ever! And stupid me, I sold all 3! Never mind their value now and in the future. Really stupid to sell them. 

I was one of the first people to have a Porsche Cayman GT4. What a proper race car! 

I have had many Porsche 911 Turbo S coupe and cabrio. Won't post all of them here. Needless to say it is THE Stealth supercar. Ferrari beater and daily driver in one! 

I have also had the 488 Spider in several colours. This wasn't the best colour but I got it as I was one of the first people in the world to have one. 

Same with the GTC4 Lusso. I was first so colour didn't matter. Very special car. I also had the FF but this was better looking:

The Lamborghini Aventador SV has been a crazy ride in various colours for me over the years:

I have had more Uruses than I can remember. THE car to drive daily and still get looks from everyone on the street (if that floats your boat!). As I am not into cars like before, this is not a staple for me any more. But don't underestimate the prestige of this car!

I have also had several Huracan Performantes. Probably the loudest Lambo even more than the SV:

I have had both the F12 Berlinetta and the TDF and selling the TDF is probably THE most stupid thing I did:

And probably the one I was most recognised for is the Mclaren P1 Hypercar which I wrapped in gold:

These days I always have a G63 and several others here and there. Other cars I have owned which I may upload when I get a chance are M4 Competition, M3 Competition CS, SL63 new shape and old, Defender V8, various Cayenne Turbos, various RR Sport Supercharged and several Lambo SVs. Many more. 

What's the point of the photos and stories above?

They represent a particular chapter in life. Looking back, the money could probably have been invested elsewhere, but experiences often provide lessons that no investment ever can. The memories, challenges and opportunities along the way all help shape the person someone becomes.

Over time, priorities naturally change. Material success becomes less important than making a positive difference, whether that's helping someone build a successful business, find motivation, overcome obstacles or improve their health.

Real experience has a way of adding credibility. Advice is always more valuable when it comes from someone who has faced challenges, taken risks, made mistakes and learned from them.

Health and wellbeing have become just as important as business. Through Zone Therapy, nutrition, acupressure, homeopathy and herbal medicine, many people have found support in overcoming a wide range of health challenges and improving their quality of life.

Cars, possessions and financial success can be enjoyable, but their value fades with time. Helping someone achieve their goals, regain confidence or improve their health often leaves a far more lasting impact.

So the real question is this:

What is worth more to you?