Ten years ago

[dollywobbler]

Crikey. This was over a decade ago now! June 2005. A 2CV camp that had an off road section.

 

Mrs DW unimpressed by my antics. Yes, the 2CV was stuck.

 

I wasn't as stuck as my mate though.

[Slartibartfast]

I hadn't passed my test ten years ago so I was mostly walking.

 

In 96-98 my grandmother had a 21 Savannah estate 2.0 auto. I was learning at the time and drove it frequently on my provisional. I was very fond of it and found it handled pretty well. The power steering would sometimes be stiff in one direction and then loosen suddenly while you were in the middle of making a turn. You had to be ready for it.

[cros]

An Austin A35, Leyland FG 5.5 ton (working lorry) Austin Healey Sprite 948cc, Minor Traveller. Have only the A35 left out of these.

 

 

Looks like they were calling them BMCs when this was born around 1970. It was petrol when I bought it but I put the engine from a later Leyland FG into it, a diesel 3.8 4 cylinder. Apologies if you're familiar with these things, but they are as basic as it is possible to get which means non synchro 4 speed gearbox, no sound proofing, and very easy to fix. Top speed around 55, around 22mpg. Due to the engine in the cab layout you have to fit a second heater if you wish to remain on good terms with your passenger, but after doing this its a very pleasant way to travel without the distraction of any chat.

  The brakes were always hard to get through a ministry test. Quite adequate for sensible driving, I have memories of two feet on the pedal at the test station and a near hernia trying to get the required reading on the meter. On the last test it went through they subjected it to the newly introduced wobble plate. Presumably this is designed to give an 8 wheeler Scania a good shaking, but inside the FG it felt like the bodywork would implode around me. Luckily it never failed a test, more than one visit a year to Grantham would have killed me. Now its just a VOSA inspection place I hope I never have to go there again.

[Lord Sterling]

Well, it was either this:

 

 

Which technically isn't mine or this:

 

 

F230TAR (above pic is an eBay pic I nicked from the 'net years ago as Pa_Sterling lost a couple of pics of I had, my Sierra wasn't as shiny) had just been given to me. It was a 2.0 Sapphire Ghia. I was young, stupid, penniless and too wet behind the ears. I knew f*ck all about cars (and to be honest, I know very little more these days)

 

When I lost my job, money was gone and it needed too much doing as well as wanting a new MOT, tax and insurance, plus it overheated in traffic (it probably only needed coolant topping up) I went and drove it into a scrapyard. Still kept and still got the alloys though.

 

My Sister told me that she once saw it in the scrappy piled on top of some other cars not long after I scrapped it. It kind of hurt me when she told me that not so long ago.

[gm]

2005 : I had not long bought my first mx5 (for which I paid waay too much)

 

 

when work decided that they needed me to go to Dundee for a couple of months, a 60 mile commute each way. If you've ever been to Dundee, you'll understand why I was reluctant so used my limited mileage policy on the Mazda as an excuse

 

except it backfired and the buggers went and gave me a company car

 

 

still, could have been a lot worse, it was only a 1.8 but it didn't half shift when I wanted to get home for last orders

[Stroller133]

I was losing money on cars then, just as I continue to do now!

 

My wife had a her mk4? S-reg Fiesta 1.4 Ghia x. It was a lovely car and still felt special being a ghia. On later Ford's the top spec models seem less distinct.

 

I started with a Megane Coupe 2.0 16v - I absolutely loved it. It was the fastest, most expensive and newest car I'd had, by quite a margin. However it randomly would not start in the morning and the fan would cut in and the car would not start for 7 minutes until the fan stopped. It also seemed to have developed a very slight misfire, almost unnoticeable, but just took the edge off the fun of driving it. These niggles combined with a new job increasing my daily commute from 35 miles to 110 miles a day meant I decided I needed to get a diesel. I still think this reasoning was sound but hindsight suggests not!

 

In the year I'd had the Megane I lost about £1500, then had to put some extra in to get my next car - a 2001 Rover 45 diesel. It was only 4 years old with 100k on the clock - I paid about £2350 which I thought was a bargain (I did realise it was cheap because it was a Rover). I really liked the car to drive and got around 50mpg from it. However in the 8 months of my ownership it had a new clutch, wheel bearings, electrical breakdown and cooling issues. I changed jobs again, gaining a company car. The car was sold for £1600, possibly still with cooling issues. The money lost/spent would have covered the extra fuel for the Megane. I remember the Polish guy who bought it telling me that Rovers were crap and would prefer a VW but conceding he couldn't get one less than 10 years old for the same price!

 

First company car was a disappointment - an Astra 1.6 Comfort with LPG. I only took the job as I was told at interview I'd get a Ford Ranger.

[junior44]

Ten years ago I was still in primary school so I was most likely running around on a shit mountain bike with no brakes.

I think 2005 was the year Eggy got his first car, a 2600 sd1 that never seen the road.

[The Moog]

Ten years ago ....does wavy hands thing ...  I think I was in my favourite C900. J295 LJA  a red T16s (cause red is the fastest colour) 

 

3 inch straight through exhaust, red box APC,dyno's at 195 BHP. The sound driving through tunnels was amazing.. 

 

Only downside of that car was a three spoke steering wheel that when you let the rear passengers out honked the horn! Ended up replacing it with a 4 spoke 9000 rim, bought from steam and spares day. 

[cms206]

Ten years ago... to my shame, in 2005, I ran this.

 

At work I generally drove this...

... this ...

... or either of these.

[LC Torana]

Even ten years ago, most of you were driving anonymous modern blobs.

 

Can we go back 20 years instead?

[scruff]

 

Can we go back 20 years instead?

 

[oldcars]

Here's a picture of the Savanna pre-accident.

 

 

It's an unfashionable view on here but I thought it was a better car than a 405. I bought it from a cartoonist who used to work on Judge Dredd and 2000AD.

Is that near Arbroath? Seems familar.

[dollywobbler]

Even ten years ago, most of you were driving anonymous modern blobs.

 

Can we go back 20 years instead?

 

Now you're making me feel very old. This is my first car. Poor thing took a right hammering!

[mossymossy]

Ten years ago I had these two daily drivers:

The were both superb comfy mile munchers.

I also, had almost to the day ten years ago, bought this new.

The Clio trophy was sold five years ago, with only 8000 miles miles on the clock. Something I will most likely regret, as they will probably be worth a fortune in the future. The thing is I just don't like mint cars. They are just too difficult too keep that way.

Give me a driveway like this any day of the week.

Only the fiat lets it down, but don't tell the wife.

[the judge]

H202JNK yellow Corrado. What a car!! Known as Leroy.

Golf GTI Colour Concept in Black. I loved that car. Heated leather Recaros mmmm

Mercedes c180 N plate. Bought for 450 battered,stayed in family 6 years and sold for 1600 quid!!!

Golf GTI Anniversary,P reg. Shed.

Landy Freelander J7UDG(tit!!)

[chaseracer]

20 years, you say?  Well, I had the Dyane of course - and yes, it was on the road - though it was on its original chassis, which was very definitely on borrowed time...

 

The daily?

 

 

[Richard]

Is that near Arbroath? Seems familar.

It's near New Gilston in Fife.

[dugong]

In 2005? Christ, I'd just about withdrawn from University because of health problems.

I had a 1997 Peugeot 306 TD GLX, my one and only car. I had some savings, the 306 was getting on, the rear beam had gone and the head gasket wasn't far behind. I should have hung on it - alas, I bought a C4 HDi a year later. My hatred towards this car eventually led me to buy a heap of an Amazon from the Volvo Owners' Club forum.

 

Ten years later, I've still got the Citroen and Volvo, and ended up with five other cars to keep them company, scattered all over the country.

[UltraWomble]

Ive already posted my 20 years car - the Bimmer 320 - a rare beastie as it was on carbs not injected. Sadly it also leaked like a sieve and was incredibly rusty.

 

That was followed by the heap of shite Fiesta bought new on finance.

[Richard]

In 1995 I did have a fleet of sorts.

 

Renault 9 TSE

Saab 900 GLs 3 Door

Peugeot 305 LD Van

Mini Clubman Estate

Saab 900i 5 Door

Austin Allegro 1100DL 4 Door

Mini City

 

Are the ones I remember, even at the time I wasn't exactly sure what I had.

[J-Rod]

In 2005 I still had my Fiat Bravo, which looked pretty much like this one (can't find a pic of the whole car)

 

 

Despite having electrical faults which are only otherwise found on Most Haunted, it was a good little car... right up until the point I gave it to my dad to use as a car to go surfing in and he forgot when the cambelt was last changed... 

[Slartibartfast]

20 years ago I was living in India and a machine the same as this was my primary means of transportation:

 

 

I loved it. I loved every tiny thing about it. I still miss it to this day. I fell off it/crashed it six times in total. It's a miracle I wasn't killed.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

1995 just left the luxury of company cars , but didn't yet have so many kids they wouldn't fit in a normal car.

Personal cars were an 89F 2.0i Ghia Granada in JRG. A 80 W Dyane in red, Mrs N had a C reg 3.5 VdP SD1 unfortunately I swapped this for an MG Maestro 2.0i to save fuel when I had to pay for fuel myself.

Long term heaps sitting on the drive included a105e Anglia with x-flow,Classic Capri struts etc, an Austin A30, solid as a rock 1 owner 23,000 miles- (Both of these were lost in a fire in 97) a W116 450SEL and a Granada Chausseur.

I also ended up with a Bedford Astravan 1.6d non turbo 4 speed from my old company when the office caretaker retired. It had only done 30k in over 10 years,never carried anything ,ever. But had had a new tailgate and full re spray , I kept it for 3 years as a runabout then my Dad had it for another 4 years until Pikeys nicked it and half heartedly rung it. We saw it a few months later on different plates, me and brother confronted the two scumbags, when the Old Bill turned up, we got arrested for afray and assault ! The Police told the Pikeys that a Traffic Officer would come out to check the vans identity after they been for treatment *.

Whilst waiting in a cell, a copper came and told me they'd never turned up at hospital and they and the van were never seen again. The Keystone Kops thought they were doing me a favour not charging me with anything, Muppets- hopefully Police training has improved somewhat.

Just found this from 95 ,my Granny on 16" RS alloys- I was pimpin.

Also a company 2.0 Gli Cavalier that I used for our holiday that year.

[RobT]

In 2005 I had a mk5 Escort GTi, the hot hatch badge being meaningless as it was only a 1.6 with alloys and a spoiler. Kwik fit screwed me over telling me it needed new front wishbones, but then didn't torque the bolts up properly so the handling was more shit than normal. I was lazy taking it to them so paid the price, never again!

 

I then treated* myself to the first and last nearly new car I'm ever going to buy. A three year old Mondeo TDCi Ghia in rep silver and paid £5,800 for it. I was doing lots of trips to Oxford visiting the future Mrs T and the Escort was just proving a bit dire, even by shite standards. The Mondeo was a nice car although in hindsight a petrol would've been better, kept it for two years, sold on for £4,500 when we moved in together, and just ran Mrs Ts Rover 114 as our main car for a while.

 

20 years ago I was a student running a 1973 Mini on a shoestring. Trips to the petrol station involved the 'minimum vend'. What was it, £2.50 in those days?

[chaseracer]

20 years, you say?  Well, I had the Dyane of course...

 

25 years?

 

Guess what?  It had just become my daily.

 

 

Knocked £150 off too...

 

[panhard65]

Now 20 years ago I was just coming to the end of my Rover P6 period. I had loads of them my favourite and last to go was a series 1 2000tc with rostyle wheels. I then started working for myself and ran a series 2 Land Rover 109 and got back into Renaults with a mark 1 25 V6. They were cheap as chips back then but were eating camshafts so it spent more time off the road than on and was Replaced a couple of years later with a V6 Turbo.

[The Moog]

20 years ago I was driving my mums K Reg ex plod 1.6l Chavalier Saloon.

 

One of the last carb cars!  

 

Massive hole in dash for radio, mega miles but mega cheap.

[Steviemillar]

I was making my "new" old house habitable so this was my daily, it wasn't that old really when I think about it now (7 years) and, like Richard etc, newer than my current steed

 

 

 

 

[mouseflakes]

Even ten years ago, most of you were driving anonymous modern blobs.

 

Can we go back 20 years instead?

 

[bub2006]

20 years ago I was probably riding some shonky push bike while playing knock door run. 10 years ago I was a naughty boy. No pice but I think in 05 I had a c plate fiesta pop,citroen bx tzd auto, daihatsu applause,metro gta and a pug diesel. Not all together obviously but when one was a bit warm it went. I wish I could change my past.