skoda_fan

Exactly. In any case I can't see how that is a legitimate plate? (Or is that just an example of the kind of thing you mean?)

I'm stumped now as to what breed of buggy that is, though I'm sure I saw one in Hot Car mag back in the day. A rare spot anyway.

I'm a complete split personality when it comes to plates. I agree that's rubbish (as are many other plates in this thread) yet if my name were Luke Bilkey that would probably appeal to me. I actually own several private plates (only three of them are on vehicles) but sometimes think I must be thick in the head!

This strikes a chord with me. I tried selling my mk1 Octavia a while ago. It is past its prime but running fine. I marked it as sold because I just got fed up dealing with idiots. I still have it and agree, I couldn't bear to find out it had been scrapped six months after selling it which is what happened to my Peugeot Partner that I'd grown quite fond of. I recently put my Kia Rio into a dealer for a couple of faults. They quoted a ridiculous £2.5k for a lot of mostly unnecessary work. I then thought maybe the time has come to chop it in but I can't see anything that appeals to me at a sensible price so looks like that's staying too.

+1 here for a massive thanks Trigger for this thread and the time and effort involved. Far more interesting than anything on the tele! I too felt sick looking at what happened to the Astra, especially after you'd made it so nice, but well done for moving on and continuing to save some great cars. Not many would have taken the time and effort to save that Ital van, and with such fantastic results. I admire your skill and perseverance.

Not bored at all, quite the opposite. This looks like a great meet. Do I take it it's on the first Sunday of every month at The Doghouse? I wasn't aware of it.

AS spot of the year so far Shirley. Be thankful. Some of us have failed to escape from Medway.

There's something deeply annoying about illegal spacing, especially when it makes no sense as is usually the case. WTF does "Pint V" mean? Are we supposed to know? If it were shown as P1 NTV it'd be quite cool.

SLK swappage day.

I like those for some reason. I think it's the puppy-eyed face and they're probably excellent at being a car. Wrong end of the country and too many miles though.

Er yeh that makes perfect sense (I think).

I don't even get that. Around here I just get total indifference and a feeling that I'm always in someone's way.

S110R I've owned since the year dot. Resting since before covid times. I must get her sorted this year.

More fool him. His loss. I've owned three of them in the past and loved them. Kinda wish I hadn't sold my last one.

I know the feeling. Delights (to me) like Skoda Favorit, FSO Caro, Peugeot Partner and even SLK don't seem to cut it either!

For years I drove virtually nothing but rear engined Skodas but have given up on them (bar the one I'll prob keep for ever) partly because I got sick of the remarks and in recent years the "but they're much better since VW took over" and then telling me how good the new K**** is. (Insert name of tedious modern Skoda blob with daft name beginning with K). Yeh I guess I'm a car fanatic but I don't talk about it in polite company for all the reasons given in this thread. Always makes me feel a bit daft and nerdy and as though I'm keeping my end up. Plus people find it boring. I'm also not sure about car clubs. I've belonged to a few but it tends to feel like a group of losers with whom I've nothing in common herding together to cover their nerdiness. I guess I'm just an antisocial bastard in a world of my own really.

Ditto. Though it prob won't happen (I have no resolve).

Many thanks for sharing that, it's invaluable (albeit it seems to limit to five look-ups a day). A Christmas gift indeed. I've now discovered that my Merc has had no less than six previous plate transfers. It may soon get a seventh cos I'm a nerd and this info makes me feel less guilty about changing originality.

Now on an ageing Merc last MOT'd in 2010 apparently. (Yes I actually bothered to look it up. I need to get a life).

Wow, just wow. I love it! Excellent buy. Quite the collection you've got there too. I'm in awe,sir. I've had no dealings with the "grumpy man" but you describe him just as I envisage him. You can tell from his ads that he doesn't suffer fools. Looking forward to more about the Austin. I often wonder when I look at ads what kind of home the car will end up in. This one's obviously found a good one.

I think we can all identify with that! Or the even worse "My cars are all pissing me off for various reasons. Gotta do something about it. I know, I'll buy another one (without selling anything of course)".

Holy thread resurrection! Interesting variety of fonts. Out of interest (ok, nosiness) can I ask where you've hung those as they look like they're indoors. I've had a similar idea but have resisted doing so as I've got enough signs, model cabinets and other random crap about the place already. I see you've got one for Mr LBF there! And what is QP 9725? I don't see how that's possible? I actually own several private plates relating to my name/initials or car types that I've owned, that I've bought mainly from DVLA over the years, though only a couple of them are actually on vehicles at present.

Yes that is a shame. It's not a million miles from me either and I last went there many years ago. It was a good day out and in a nice setting. I didn't see the Stimson there though but that's unsurprising as I think most of the exhibits were on loan from individuals so liable to change. Yet another reminder of how precarious these smaller museums seem to be and once anything happens to the individual or family behind them, then they just close. Quite a few in the south east alone have closed over the last twenty years or so.

Ah the memories of good old Hot Car mag! What museum is that in?

I do feel terribly guilty about the cars I have to leave outside. I bought a cover for my MX5 last winter but it wasn't a great success. As others have said it tends to come off in the wind no matter how much you think you've anchored it and drags itself across the paintwork. It's also a massive faff to take on and off, again trying to be careful as you do so. In any case after standing for a while with it on I discovered that the interior had gone musty and mouldy. The other thing that does a car no favours of course is parking on grass. I agree the main thing is simply to avoid salty and mucky roads.