Back in the USSR - sortof

[pandamonium]

Let me explain the scene:

 

Monday 13/6/16 - 4.30pm - A friend has tagged my in a Facebook post of a car for sale... A Lada 1200s - Hungarian registered, £500. 126 miles away in Southampton - ish.

 

In the hour that passed, I got home from work, spoke to the seller, booked train tickets and got a Taxi to the station.

 

Yes, I decided to go and get it that very evening.

 

 

I arrived at the train station and was collected by a burly Hungarian bloke in a scruffy white Transit and driven about 7 miles into the middle of nowhere, and by this time, it was almost dusk. I did a quick look round the car, took a terrifying test drive - I have never driven a LHD manual car before...

 

The (rather lenghty) paperwork was done, and I headed home.

 

Bear in mind the following:

 

I had no breakdown cover.

The car was still Hungarian registered, and I hadn't had time to sort anything of my legal stuff.

I really didn't trust the car!

 

The driveshaft donut is worn, so it vibrated badly almost all the way home, but it ran faultlessly - the only scare being a sticky wiper motor - luckily rain was sporadic and light.

 

So - the verdict - I now own a Lada, which although scruffy and with loads of character, needs only 2 shock absorbers and 3 tyres to get through the MOT, and then I can start the UK registering fun....

 

And yes, I did the NOVA declaration immediately!

 

Pics?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[wuvvum]

Wow, it's a proper old Fiat 124-shape one.  Not seen one of those for donkeys years.  Actually sounds like a bit of a bargain for a monkey given the way prices for these things are going.

[pandamonium]

Yes, that's why I couldn't resist. Once UK registered and the little niggles sorted, it will be worth an easy £1500 I reckon.

No plans to sell on though, although I think I may have said that before!!!

[Asimo]

Splendid, proper spur of the moment stuff, none of that planning and budgeting nonsense. What year is it? Can we see under the bonnet please? 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Well bought - seems a bargain if it's as solid as you say. What sort of age is it? I'm guessing late 70's?

[Sheefag]

Tch Terry, it's Bargin, not Bargain, have you never read a car advert?

[pandamonium]

It's a 1987 believe it or not!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[anonymous user]

That does look rather splendidly grim, is that in primer, or is it an actual colour?

[chaseracer]

Feck me, that looks awful.  Top bombing, sir!

 

[hairnet]

bring next week or else

 

 

FUCKING LOL also as i did something very similar

[pandamonium]

That does look rather splendidly grim, is that in primer, or is it an actual colour?

 

It is on the logbook as 'Blue', and I'd call it 'Duckegg'

[pandamonium]

bring next week or else

 

 

FUCKING LOL also as i did something very similar

 

Can't make Shitefest I'm afraid, and it is likely it won't even be legal by then anyway - have to find time to fit the shocks and re MOT it.

[Skizzer]

Class all round!  Apart from the Shitefest bit.

[Squire_Dawson]

Fantastic! I dare say you could find a speedometer graded in MPH, and will look great with period reflective number plates.

[Felly Magic]

Well bought, proper Lada that. They stopped that shape here around 1985 ish I think. There is another left hooker on a D plate knocking about

[Ghosty]

Nice BA3! 

That really needs pressed plates.

 

I've never seen one of these in the wild, only Rivas...

[Fabergé Greggs]

Horrible! First dibs please!

[pandamonium]

Problem is, that when i get an age related plate, it will be E123ABC as it is an '87

[MiniMort]

Problem is, that when i get an age related plate, it will be E123ABC as it is an '87

Amazing to think that by this time this car had been rolling off production lines looking identical for 21 years!

[John F]

pandamonium, on 19 Jun 2016 - 7:24 PM, said:

Problem is, that when i get an age related plate, it will be E123ABC as it is an '87

 

You can buy a 'private' suffix plate for less than £50

[r.welfare]

That is superb. My mums first car (i.e. One that she didn't share with my dad) was a 78 1200 estate, bought in the early 80s, so great memories for me. It was traded in on a new Riva then a new Samara. To be at secondary school and have your mum drive a Lada was not a wondrous thing, but I can appreciate them now.

[danthecapriman]

That is awesome! I can't believe that's a 1987 car either, it looks a good 10 years older than that at least.

Full marks for doing it at such short notice too.

[Parky]

Just brilliant. Love the car, great austerity colour

[PhilA]

You can buy a 'private' suffix plate for less than £50

Be interesting if AXK 881 was available

 

--Phil

[mercrocker]

Problem is, that when i get an age related plate, it will be E123ABC as it is an '87

 

That's OK - just put each digit back to front and it will look pukka

[M'coli]

When's the Metro up for sale?

[fordperv]

That's bloody lovely, I am extremely jealous

[fatharris]

Wow, what a find, good job comrade!

[johngarty]

Gear car and top top buyage. Quite a relief as halfway through your story I had images of you getting gang raped in the back of an old transit in a field by a dozen vodka dripping horny Hungarians.   

[John F]

PhilA, on 20 Jun 2016 - 01:34 AM, said:

Be interesting if AXK 881 was available

 

--Phil

 

Or SOV 13T