My new "I don't need any more cars" car

[Station]

I saw this handsome little thing on Retro Rides last week.

A work mate called over the room at 8.10 am asking if I'd seen this car on Retro Rides. I had called the seller and pretty much owned it by 8.20.

The car had 'bottom end' damage - the old lady who owned it from new, couldn't let it go, so passed it on to her grandson, who then let it run out of oil allegedly, and the oil light came on. Her mechanic confirmed the bottom end bearings had gone, and the seller (the bloke across the road) said so too.

 

I headed up to St Helen's in the Volvo, started it up, and we both agreed that the bottom end sounded OK, if a little bit tappy, and found out the exhaust was knocking a bit on the body. The car had MOT until late May, and tax the same.

 

 

I paid my money (£170 including for tax disc), and headed back home.

 

The oil light came on, and pulling over I check it over. Oil was getting to the head - I think there is a blockage in the pickup pipe, or something might be blocked, or the switch may be knackered (or even blocked up).

 

I took it for a jet wash:

 

 

 

Then the next day, I went up to the garden centre.

 

 

The interior is brown. It is bog standard - one wing mirror, one speaker for the MW/LW radio, no rear wiper, etc. The seats are 'bog spec' one piece 'tombstones' which I think are much, much better than the unsupportive headrest types.

 

 

Quite tidy for this LOW MILAGE

 

 

Original receipt:

 

 

It drives, handles, etc a million times better than my Nippa - I've had one before, but it was red, five door, and the latter blobby shape K10. And the interior was grey. I've wanted a gold, three door with a brown interior and that odd grid pattern speedo for ages.

I don't want to clean it up too much, there isn't a lot of rust tbh, but want to keep it as it is, and probably clean the discoloured 12" steel wheels a bit and put new tyres on. I can't see me scooting up and down the country every week, and I think it's in too nice condition for someone like me, but don't want it going to someone who is going to ruin it.

[Guest Breadvan72]

HELLZ BELLZ!   I am not sure,  but I think that my ex wife may have owned that very car when she was a Sloaney young thing living in Pimlico in the early 90s.  That one, or one just like it with a similar registration.  I found the car a hoot to drive.  The door lock got busted, and for a while the car became home to a local tramp.    My ex always regretted selling the car on.  

 

EDIT:  I have now RTFM and see that this is a one owner from new car  (well, maybe two owners before you), and as that nice old lady is not my ex wife (I wish!), this must be a sister car to my ex's fine chodmobile of yore. 

[trigger]

That's ace! I do like those early K10's, so what was the problem with it in the end?, it's it fixed now?.

[ProgRocker]

Fantastic side graphics - right for the age of the car.

 

Once those wheels are cleaned up it will look GR7!

[dugong]

Er, how come you can store this car when you have no more space? I R CONFUSED

[derskine]

Looks really nice that, can't grumble at the price at all either.

[Cavcraft]

Did you get that Cavalier?

[scooters]

ERLEE MICRAZ R 4 WINNAZ WEL BORT GIFFERETTE MOTAH M8

[Squire_Dawson]

A good save, though you must be either very brave or very daft to buy a car that had been allowed to run out of oil. Let's hope it's not serious.

 

Could easily have been crushed.

[scruff]

Super purchase, "Arthur Dagnell" what a great name

[Guest Breadvan72]

I knew a hottie Aussie chick who had a gorgelacious 1970s Alfa Spider that no doubt had the thirst for oil that Alfa twin cams always have.  We later learned that she never put any oil in it at all, ever, and one day the engine seized and the whole thing was borked beyond the realms of borkage.    She seemed most miffed that such a thing could occur.  

[Guest Breadvan72]

Super purchase, "Arthur Dagnell" what a great name

 

 

Yes!  Back in the day it seemed like every car dealer was called Arthur Dagnell or something very similar.

[HillmanImp]

The graphics on it are amazing. Its like the car is straight out of Blade Runner or something. 

[fordperv]

that micra is amazing and extra points for getting a picture with the old dear owner, bless her cotton socks she looks a happy soul and im not surprised having happy driving memories of that beaut

[gtd2000]

The car had 'bottom end' damage - the old lady who owned it from new, couldn't let it go, so passed it on to her grandson, who then let it run out of oil allegedly, and the oil light came on.

 

I'm a bit confused how she owned it from new if she bought it awhen it was at least 2 years old based on that receipt above? C reg was 1985/86 from my memory..?

 

Nice wee car though

[Cavcraft]

Also that receipt seems to have come from a second hand car dealer, as opposed to a new car one.

 

Irrelevant though really as its a brilliant purchase, Station.

[Jim Bell]

Nice save.

 

Needs a Primera Gt 2.0.

[cort1977]

I learned to drive in a Micra that colour.   It looked exactly the same although I seem to recall it was a G plate.   Seemed like fun to drive at the time.

[Danblez]

Have you checked under the rear seat. I remember carrying out a quality* fibreglass repair on a mates car circa 1991 which had rotted out on both sides. It was only 7 years old at the time!

[Station]

Also that receipt seems to have come from a second hand car dealer, as opposed to a new car one.

 

Irrelevant though really as its a brilliant purchase, Station.

 

Yeah, Arthur Dagnall is a Nissan dealer (check the Arthur Dagnell sticker on the back). The logbook is two owners, one the lady, the other her grandson. Pity as he had it for three weeks.

 

Did you get that Cavalier?

 

No, it was sold! I like Cavs (esp pre-facelifts) but this was higher on the want list!

 

That's ace! I do like those early K10's, so what was the problem with it in the end?, it's it fixed now?.

 

The oil pressure switch is duff I think - if not, the scrappy has a 20k engine for £100. The engine runs A1, apart from perished vacuum hoses.

 

that micra is amazing and extra points for getting a picture with the old dear owner, bless her cotton socks she looks a happy soul and im not surprised having happy driving memories of that beaut

 

She was patting the car as she walked off straight after the photo, and was crying as I drove off. The car is called Alistair.

[HMC]

 

Looks like she had a crack at handbrake turning it on the grass and is pleased with her effort!

 

Those graphics are indeed ace BTW. My fave micra livery is the 'collette' special of a similar age, two tone black/silver and a blueish coachline from memory.

[Station]

Ha yeah it does!

 

Colette was black and silver, with red/blue pinstripes - it was 1.0, I think they're a bit of a collectors item, they were the first special edition Micra.

 

 

I might try the London -> Paris thing and see if I can do it? I had to fill up four times in my MR2.

All it needs now is a 50th Anniversary badge.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Do I not see a whole two speakers there, rather than the one you mention?  Bonus anyway.   Those seats are pretty good, IIRC, although I never drove my ex's one on any long trips. The tramp who kipped on them seemed to have no complaints.  The car was ace for zapping around London in, and GR9 for parking in small spaces.  

[Station]

Yes, there are two aftermarket speakers. I think only one works.

The seats are very comfy, and they're velour.

[Pillock]

Can't imagine it's hard to find an engine from a scrapyard if that one does turn out terminal but hopefully you'll be lucky with the knocking/oil pickup. Bonus for anything bigger than a 2.5 V6.

[londonm]

My girlfriend had one of these until fairly recently, a D reg one. A real time warp, it certainly mad you realise how far brakes have come over the last 3 years. Incidentally, someone broke in to her car by bending the window back with the glass still up and opening the door from the inside, the door never looked right again. Mind you, that was near St Pauls in Bristol. Be careful where you leave it,

[bub2006]

Them speakers are aftermarket i think. I have had a e plate in white and a f plate and k plate in red. K plate didn't possess a stereo but the e and f plate had a single speaker behind centre console in passenger foot well. Loved them. Nippy little motors and quiet economical. E plate parted company with most of its oil and engine innards on the a38,k plate blew its headgasket day after i bought it so went over the bridge and i am jiggered if i cam remember what i did with the f plate one. Was 8 years ago now or more.

[brickwall]

Fantastic fascia! It's so tidy compared to the cluttered affairs of today. I love the large parcel shelf and the colour is just superb.

[Lord Sterling]

Hey man, that look a right peach. Lucky man! 80's-tastic graphics to boot. I am nearly jealous.

 

This could be my Mum in 10 years time being as she is a Micra owner and never changes her car unless she really has to:

 

 

 

 

That said, it'd be a miracle if it lives that long

[Junkman]

Original receipt:

 

 

 

EFA