Oh no, it's happened again ! 'New' car collection.

[ifc63]

I was at the Hoghton Tower car show last month in my old EE80 Corolla

 

I'm using this at the moment as the 'proper' show car, my 1981 Celica Sunchaser convertible, is still having work done.

I noticed a couple of ladies looking around my car quite closely, then they asked whose it was. They then said the thing I dread at any car show ! ----"Do you know anyone who might be interested in buying an old Toyota?"---- This means that try as I may that I will end up with another car on the drive ! !

Out of politeness, and knowing my sister is on the lookout for a cheap car to replace an ageing K11 Micra, I said I'd wander over to the public car park with them and have a quick look round their Corolla.

They told me on the way that it was a 1993 (L-reg) 1.3 GLi Estate with 78,000 miles on it, that they'd owned it from 6 months old and it had been the demo car at RRG Bury when they bought it.

Even before we reached the car I knew I'd buy it

I was presented with a really straight honest car that was suffering a little in the cosmetic department in that the lacquer on the roof was peeling and the passenger arches had been lightly scraped.

She had a price in mind that was a little over what I would have paid for it, but I took her details anyway.

I got home, mulled over the fact that the daily Astra I was using was nearly out of MOT, needed new rear discs/pads and a power steering pump and the fact that the EE80 was long overdue  a bit of TLC. That meant I had justified to myself that it was OK to buy another car !!!#

I rang the older lady who owned the car a couple of days later and made a low offer that I thought was still fair. She accepted as I had previously told her the car would be looked after by a Toyota enthusiast. The only people who'd shown interest local to her were some chancers who'd wanted to enter it into a caravan banger race

Collection date arranged, I needed to get from Crewe to Radcliffe, so I'd thought I'd get my mate to take me in style in his latest purchase, a 2014 Dodge Challenger R/T 5.7 Hemi

 

We arrived to be greeted with an armful of paperwork including all the service history EVER, and this included a clutch and cam belt kit change less than 500 miles ago.

Deal done, I asked for a parting shot of the couple next to their cherished car

 

When I got in to drive away I realised the car was spotless inside and even had three-quarters of a tank of petrol.

An uneventful trip home made me realise why I like old Toyotas so much, a nice ride, modern car manners and a good turn of speed. Clarkson may have dubbed them 'boring' but for what this cost me to buy, and how little it should cost me to run, I'm happy to be boring.

 

Even the dogs like it.

 

 

I may have to rearrange the garden a little now as it's getting a little cramped at the top end !

 

 

A couple of final pictures.

 

Thanks for reading, Ian (a.k.a. Mr Boring)

[dugong]

Were those shots taken near MMU Alsager?

 

Top quality boring, sir.

[ifc63]

Were those shots taken near MMU Alsager?

 

Top quality boring, sir.

 

Yes, if that's what they call it now ! Electra Way, Crewe, near to the Ramada Encore. I've taken to photographing most of my cars there as it's quiet and quite green/pleasant

[danthecapriman]

That's a really nice car. Slightly unusual being the estate version.

 

I love your garden shot!

[ifc63]

 

I love your garden shot!

 

The wife doesn't, especially as there's two more cars at the bottom of the garden and 4 more motorbikes up the side of the shed.

I need help, apparently

[BorniteIdentity]

Utterly fantastic. I love a good dose of Japshite in the morning.

[Jim Bell]

Nice.

[Bucketeer]

Textbook.

The previous owner shot is fantastic, really warms my heart.

[trigger]

Lovely story there, I bet that will be a good, reliable doggy wagon.

[Six-cylinder]

I love your garden shot!

 

Yes, please can we have the full garden pictures, well don't bother with the flowers!

[tooSavvy]

... magic story with old dears .. lols.

 

I have nightmares of [some accidental parking in the vicinity of some displayed retro vehicles, in the not too distant future] being tugged - like you were by the old dears - only the fellah being tatted/unshaved and wearing an Onslow top....

 

.... he points at my car, gleefully, and says "ayyup 'aas got just a crack of room on 't back and will hiab it fine".

 

 

I really need to drink more.....

 

 

TS

[burraston2006]

Lovely story there, I bet that will be a good, reliable dogging wagon.

 

Is there enoughh room to stretch out in the back?!

[ifc63]

Yes, please can we have the full garden pictures, well don't bother with the flowers!

 

I've only posted these in the vain hope it might spur me into getting off my backside and finishing some of them !

[Bren]

Top bombing.

 

That challenger is the canines genitalia.

 

Did your mate have denim jeans, white shirt and sunglasses a la Kowalski?

[danthecapriman]

You've got some seriously cool stuff in your garden. Who the hell would want flowers instead!?

[DVee8]

Great garden,mine has green stuff and flowers and a lawn mower

Can't remember the last time a saw a sunchaser never mind 2!

Enjoy the new one. You need this lot playing on the radio

 

Top10 from July 1993

http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19930725/7501/

[Six-cylinder]

Thanks for showing us your great garden, much more interesting than most peoples gardens!

[vulgalour]

 

I spotted one of these in February this year, never thought I'd see another and couldn't remember when I'd seen one before it.  Same colour and everything, even a similar looking driver sat in it.  It is a different car, just remarkably alike.

[Cavcraft]

Sometimes the people behind finds like this are what makes it worth while. I love reading stories like that and meeting the odd really genuine, nice seller who just wants someone to care for the car.

As nice as that motor is, the people behind it eclipse it.

[hauserplenty]

^ WHS. Cracking motor too innit. Can't go wrong with a Toyota. Most of the chod in your yard is off the roads over here, sadly. 20/22R's live on in trucks, but hardly ever do I see early 80's Celicas or Supras anymore. I owned an '81 Tercel once, with a 3AC mill, and sometimes I miss it.

Sometimes...