Collectioningz thread

[Lord Sterling]

I think this is how these things start....

 

Please note, because I live in the mid 90s or whatever, I was unable to do a "live" collection thread because I don't have a great phone where I'm able to upload pictures at a minutes notice, so you'll have to make do with this...

 

Thursday afternoon I received a text and later a call from a fellow shiter, he'd done a deal with another shiter to buy this car but had little time to collect it so called on the services of MO COLLECTION SERVICE and we agreed I'd get it the next day.

 

I'd had some things to do of a morning, once done I walked over to the local train station:

 

 

Where I understood that I had to pay money to share a box on rails with other stressed out tired looking people and screaming kids. Joy.

 

Whilst waiting here I managed to speak to Primin2015 who was selling the car.

 

And until another local Midlands station this was my within my path of sight:

 

 

Then, yet another slightly late train later this was my sight for the 4 hours:

 

 

This made me understand better why I dislike travelling with the 'general public'

 

During my journey I moved 3 times due to the fact I like going forwards, not backwards. During my journey, I watched the various old haunts I used to hang about in going by, places like Cradley Heath, Smethwick, Telford etc... I didn't miss one of them.

 

Anyhow, after 4 hours of screaming kids messing about, loud talkers on phones, and finding a wallet which I handed in to a handily located Arriva train driver my sight out if the window changed from various tired industrial estates, housing estates and fields to beautiful Welsh valleys:

 

 

Which reminded me that I was about to arrive here:

 

 

I was met by Iwan (Primin2015) a very nice chap who picked me up in Mk3 Astra 2.0 DTi estate which I have to say was a real peach of a car, I'm certainly looking forward to the progress on it as he sounds like a man after my own heart with originality/OEM stuff.

 

Iwan took me for a little tour around Bangor to see the sites:

 

 

Soon enough, I was also presented with the vehicle I'd that would be transporting me back to England:

 

 

Now, these cars have never really turned my head, but this was quite a revelation, firstly, this was MEGA CLEAN, I like a clean car, but my passed 12-hour cleaning efforts were put to shame by how clean this and his current car are.

 

I also met the very patient Mrs_Primin2015, Iwan regaled the tales of owning a Green J-reg Proton MPi (of which a few have been seen in Birmingham) and probably the best: A couple of Rover SD1 2000, what a hero! I really hope Mrs_Sterling will be as patient with my collection of horrors.

 

Anyhow, tea was consumed, cash was exchanged for some papers and the keys to my transport for the next 4 and half hours...

 

At this point, I reminded myself that I didn't have a SatNav because I couldn't find the buggering thing at home that morning, I didn't bother with maps either because I'm a miserable tightwad.

 

Anyway after some more pictures:

 

 

I started making my way recognising places I'd seen on the way in, at a petrol station where I topped up with jungle juice and some local knowledge I set off my way but not before the usual Autoshite "money shot"

 

 

Hitting upon the legendary A55 I went and set about the wrong way heading towards Holyhead; remember, I didn't have a SatNav/Map, my mobile phone was next to useless not bothering to open Google Maps preferring to sit there with a blank screen as if to say 'what d'ya want me to do about it?'

 

Luckily I stopped at a local services for a jimmy and was told that I was heading the wrong way, so I placed myself and the car back on the A55 to the head right way back towards England.

 

The Suzuki Baleno (or Suzi Baloni) was quite a revelation, a little bit like a slightly bigger, posher K11 Micra with a bit more power to it, it pulled very well and certainly had some oomph when needed.

 

The amount of equipment was certainly nice, 4 x electric windows, power steering central locking, basically all you need without uneeded showy-off extras like computers Vehicle Condition Maps and electric seats.

 

The seats themselves weren't too bad, nice and supportive, all the controls were to hand and the boot was surprisingly big enough to transport a few shiters/camping equipment. Probably bigger than it's hatchback equivalent.

 

After many hours of driving and arriving basically the next day, the car was delivered to it's excited new owner (of whom shall remain nameless until, if he chooses, to reveal himself)

 

I eventually arrived home myself very early on Saturday morning, very very tired.

 

Conclusion? Suzuki Baloni saloons are actually really nice little cars which are seemingly as tough as K11 Micras but with a bit more oomph combined with a bit more space and equipment. Why aren't there more of them about?

[Lord Sterling]

One thing I forgot to add; As I drove out of Bangor (the town, not the car) I passed by the supplying dealer. I wish I took a photo but it was dark and I only had a crap phone.

 

As I passed by the dealer I felt a small twang to my heart knowing this car was basically 'emigrating' out of its home town to a new place. Silly I know.

[fred]

Thats Cleaner than a Nuns Conscience sire

[STUNO]

Glad it was someone else's, I thought it was going to be one of those "I could not afford it and nowhere to keep it , but it was cheap" threads.

Loovely day out (mostly) . Ireland is a green and pleasant land that might have been worth a visit !

[New POD]

If, I'd have known you were heading to Ynys Mon, you could have taken my Dad's Birthday Present.

 

I have been forced to do the "boxing day walk" over that bridge, more than once when there's snow on the ground, and the dog has been whimpering with cold.

[purplebargeken]

Not mine, but what a nice clean car

 

Nice thread Mo.

[Christine]

And Stillorange has one of these delightful cars too !

[purplebargeken]

^^ and I call almost feel his fear

[garethj]

Looks pristine, a good buy I think and the Autoshite collection service is a wonder of the modern age.

 

Wonder how many Suzuki sold back in the day, compared to Ford or Vauxhall

[Christine]

I think they were hard to shift . My Dad had a new T reg  1.0  Swift , but they were pre-registurd and sold as secondhand  for £4999.  The dealers had to buy a certain number of cars every  month from Suzuki , heavy discounting got them sold . They got their money from 1st servicing and very expensive parts they didnt really need.

[Christine]

They look like a 2/3rds bug eyed Imprezza , sort of...

[chaseracer]

A very long time ago, I was born in Bangor.

[greengartside]

As I passed by the dealer I felt a small twang to my heart knowing this car was basically 'emigrating' out of its home town to a new place. Silly I know.

That's how I feel about any car that I have to travel for - it's quite a good feeling in some ways, the new purchase is being driven away to a new life. I did something very similar with an old Carina-E GTi I bought from Bagillt, not too far from where your Baleno was picked up. That was a locally-registered car which I drove across to East Anglia a few years back.

 

I've always wanted to buy a car that's miles away from here but was originally sold local to me so I could drive it back to its 'native land'.

 

Yes I'm mad.

[beko1987]

That looks good! Nice kollektion

[cms206]

Dunno why but I always thought they looked better without the bugeye look which seemed to be in fashion in the late 90s... looking at the pictures I can almost feel the lifeless steering, the faux-velour trim and the smell of sheer despair.

Love the blank steering wheel. "We are Suzuki. You don't need to remember what it is."

[trigger]

Didn't we have a lovely time!

 

Which reminded me that I was about to arrive here:

 

 

Did you have lunch on the way, and all for under a pound?

[Richard]

[DeeJay]

He didn't mention any cuddling with Jack either.

[Asimo]

A very long time ago, I was born in Bangor.

 

And me!

[Lacquer Peel]

[brickwall]

One for the chick thread:

 

[chaseracer]

^ That's helium, luv...

[Christine]

I searched high n low for a chick pic baleno

[Jim Bell]

now that looks like a canny day out!

[Louise2cv]

Not so long ago I studied worked and lived in Bangor.

 

The song is about t'other one, I believe.

 

I joined Autoshite to ask if my fella could have some photos a member had posted of the cars in Bangor in his student days.

 

I spent many a weekend at the SVR station in Kidderminster as a child. Dad volunteered there.

 

My sister lives just round the corner from kiddy station and did that journey on Monday.

 

How's about that for factiods?

[tooSavvy]

... front disc fits a Savvy (cheeeppppp, Me)

 

TS

[dollywobbler]

Nice thread. And feel free to indulge in sentimentality. I'm sure the Dyane started running better as we neared Ross-on-Wye - it's previous home - as I screamed back to Wales in it. Both the Sirion and XM were 'stolen' from Cheshire, where they'd lived pretty much their entire lives.

[brownnova]

 

I went to uni in Bangor, and got married there!

 

Lots of fond memories of Bangor!

[Louise2cv]

When and what subject brownnova? I was 2001-2004 doing plant biology and then worked as a horticultural technician til 08. My sis (the kiddy-dweller) did theology the 3 years before I was there and my OH was in the school of business from 97, the SU in 2001 and had various jobs there til 05.

 

It's surprising how many people you meet who went there, considering its a bit of a small uni/city.

[stormee]

As I passed by the dealer I felt a small twang to my heart knowing this car was basically 'emigrating' out of its home town to a new place. Silly I know.

 

 

I did this with my Golf. It used to live in Baden Württemberg around Stuttgart for the last 25 years, now come along me who imports it to the Ruhr area.

I hope it will feel home one day!