Confessions of a Petrolhead: The Late-Night Car Shopping Addiction

We’ve all been there. It starts as a harmless scroll through Auto Trader, just “seeing what’s out there”. Before you know it, you’re knee-deep in listings, convincing yourself that now is the time to pull the trigger on a car that makes zero sense — but it feels so right.

There’s something about the thrill of the hunt, the “what if” scenarios playing out in your head. You’re calculating insurance costs, justifying garage space, and imagining how it would fit into your life. You start watching every video review, reading every owner’s forum, and before long, you’re fully invested in a car you didn’t even know you wanted a week ago.

For me, this obsession has led to a running list of cars I need to own at some point. Some are realistic, others utterly ridiculous, but all have that special allure that makes them impossible to ignore:

• Porsche 997.1 GT3 — The last of the truly analogue, raw GT3s. I miss it, and I’d love to have another.
• Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera — I’ve always dreamt of owning one. It was the first real lightweight, hardcore Lambo of the modern era.
• TVR (any TVR, really) — To relive my youth. Questionable reliability, but maximum fun.
• BMW Z3 M Coupe — The ‘clown shoe’ is one of those cars that only gets better with age.
• Mercedes-AMG C63 S (W205) — That V8 is something special, and I feel like I need to celebrate it before these engines disappear forever.
• Aston Martin Vantage (preferably a V12) — Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve wanted an Aston. The V12 shoehorned into the early Vantage is just chef’s kiss.

Every so often, I go deep into a particular car, watching every video, reading every review, almost talking myself into it. I picture the ownership experience, the weekend drives, the way it would look parked up at a Supercar Driver meet. And then, I wake up the next morning, relieved that I didn’t make an impulsive decision.

But that’s the cycle, isn’t it? We petrolheads don’t just buy cars; we obsess over them, romanticise them, and sometimes, we let reason win. Until the next time we open Auto Trader and start the process all over again…

Written by: Adam Thorby