Mark becomes the thing he swore he'd never turn into: a car-buying messer

Renowned photographer Mark has been working with Top Gear for many, many years. When not taking photos he’s buying inappropriate cars. Here he shares his addiction with the world

This month I did something that brought great shame upon my entire family, and it didn’t involve going to a Coldplay concert with some friends from work. It’s actually much worse than that.

I showed interest in a car for sale, had the seller provide information, pictures and a best price for a speedy sale, only to turn round and change my mind when arranging a date to collect it. I’ve become the one thing I swore I’d never be, a car-buying messer, and I feel truly awful.

The only other time this happened was back in 2014 when I viewed a stock R32 GT-R Skyline for sale. It was priced at £7,500 – an utter bargain by today’s standards but a fairly normal price back then. I walked away because it felt too safe and boring to drive, but I at least redeemed myself by buying a 450bhp Mazda RX-7 the very next day. The polar opposite of safe and boring.

But this latest incident isn’t to make way for another car. On paper, it had all the makings of a Ricci’s Garage special – it was another Mitsubishi Pajero, priced very cheap because of a cheeky little misfire and it was located in the depths of Birmingham. Red flags for most sane people, absolute nectar for someone a little less sensible.

But midway through sorting transport for the Pajero, I received two separate messages from Steve at SR Autobodies (who is rebuilding my R34 GT-R) and Andrew at CNC who is tasked with rebuilding my old E24 M635CSi. Both explained that each car now had its engine ready for fitting and both would be cracking on with the final assembly very soon.

Equal levels of excitement and dread filled me after reading these. Anyone who’s restored a car will know that reassembly, while exciting to see, has a tendency of unearthing many hidden costs along the way. One car is bad enough, but two is guaranteed financial suicide unless your first name is prefaced with the term ‘Sheikh’. With this in mind, I’ve imposed a spending ban on anything bar absolute essentials like a pesky mortgage and food for the family, which is why the Brummie Pajero had to be shunned last minute.

I haven’t driven the BMW M635CSi in nearly seven years, and the GT-R is nearing five years off the road after it first went to Steve for a ‘small’ underside restoration. Both have spiralled completely out of control but providing I can somehow keep paying the invoices there’s a real chance both will be drivable by the end of 2025. I may have to sell my house and send the kids to work in a sweatshop, but at least the garage might finally be full of working cars.