Ricci's Garage: time to sell off a load of interesting used cars

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

The problem with renting a storage unit is it means you no longer need a sensible head when it comes to buying cars. Prior to this, a natural limit would be whether it could fit on the drive or what could spill onto the street before a neighbour had a meltdown. But gain access to storage and the world of hoarding awful vehicles really is your oyster.

No longer are an MOT certificate or vehicle tax needed – in fact, it doesn’t even have to drive. Push it into the unit, pull the shutter down and worry about it when you’ve got time/money to fix it. Sadly, the latter doesn’t happen too often. It’s also the main reason why – out of the 10 cars I own – only three can be driven. And one of those is a Dodge Viper without a functioning roof.

So this month I’ve done something unusually sensible. I’ve imposed a mini intervention on myself, selling off anything I either haven’t used this year or simply won’t get round to fixing for many more months. And the first on the chopping block has to be the Alpina E24 B10 Coupe, a car I’ve owned for nearly eight months and haven’t driven a single mile in. Granted, I bought it in the winter, and it’d been completely restored the year prior to that. But any car you don’t have the urge to drive defies the point of owning it in my eyes.

Next on that list is one of the many Pajeros I’m currently hoarding, namely the green turd with ‘Fent’ for a numberplate. I was harsh about this car when I first bought it, and rightly so. It’s the opposite of the Alpina. But it’s actually good fun to drive and mechanically solid, it’s just the condition and paint which let it down. Combine that with owning two more Pajeros that also need work, and it’s yet another car that’s been sat in the unit for more than six months without any use.

However, the one car I’m most conflicted about selling is my early Dodge Viper RT/10. I do adore this car – it’s the first poster car I ever had as a child, and I never thought I’d have the chance to own one. The main issue is figuring out when to use the damn thing. It’s not difficult to drive, but it’s not enjoyable in anything other than sunshine and on anything other a smooth B-road. Dare I say, I’ve enjoyed the fact I own it more than actually driving it over the past three years. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it feels like a bit of a waste.

There is an underlying reason for shifting these cars. There are two particular longterm projects I’m desperate to finish – my R34 GT-R (which has been off the road since 2020) and my M635CSi (which has been off the road since 2018). Both are undergoing complete restorations, both are being reassembled and both I’m itching to drive again. They’re also still a long way from being finished, and the only way to speed that up is to throw more money at them... something I appear to be completely obsessed with doing.

Will they live up to the hype once they’re ready and finished? Probably not, but if another year sails past without getting them roadworthy, I might actually be fully sectioned by then.