SiC Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 My first own policy is 2004 when 18 was just under £1300. That's just over £1800 in today's money. Things really haven't changed that much. Including wages! Princesses have grown on me in recent years. Still not sure on the back of them though. Why were they mocked so much and had a bad reputation? Just usual BL build quality issues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pillock Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 My first policy was only four years earlier but was less than half the price.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Why were they mocked so much and had a bad reputation? Just usual BL build quality issues? Essentially, yeah. BL's usual habit of getting the customer to do product testing on the first few cars released so the rust proofing and reliability on the first 18/22 cars wasn't great. They did put it right fairly quickly, before the release of the Princess 2 really, unfortunately the damage was already done by the bad press the cars got. Then there's the fact that they're a weird looking car which never helps sales. It's amazing the hatred some people have for them really, especially from owners of more conventional classics like Escorts and Minis. It's equally amazing how loved they are. Not a car people ever feel indifferent towards and that's no mean feat. SiC and danthecapriman 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthecapriman Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Essentially, yeah. BL's usual habit of getting the customer to do product testing on the first few cars released so the rust proofing and reliability on the first 18/22 cars wasn't great. They did put it right fairly quickly, before the release of the Princess 2 really, unfortunately the damage was already done by the bad press the cars got. Then there's the fact that they're a weird looking car which never helps sales.It's amazing the hatred some people have for them really, especially from owners of more conventional classics like Escorts and Minis. It's equally amazing how loved they are. Not a car people ever feel indifferent towards and that's no mean feat.They deserved (so did the Allegro) much better a reception and reputation than they got imho. Sadly the press ruined it right from the start.Look how much more advanced and forward thinking they were than pretty much any of the competition. Shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 They both still sold in respectable numbers, even with bad press, so they really can't have been that bad. If you can do just about everything wrong and still sell shitloads of your product then it's probably a good product, fundamentally. danthecapriman and Dick Longbridge 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 They both still sold in respectable numbers, even with bad press, so they really can't have been that bad. If you can do just about everything wrong and still sell shitloads of your product then it's probably a good product, fundamentally.Well if you have a good marketing department and a loyal customer base... *Looks at the iPhone* AlabamaShrimp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 BL's marketting was RUBBISH. I love my Princess and even I'm not sure I'd've bought one new on the strength of their adverts. This is a tradition Rover persisted with and MG have since adopted. SiC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tadhg Tiogar Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Essentially, yeah. BL's usual habit of getting the customer to do product testing on the first few .......quite similar to Microsoft, then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timolloyd Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 I initially thought that quote sounded horrendous, then I remembered that my mk2 Scirocco was £1500 a year TPF&T (back when that was still a saving). I was 19ish and that was '98/'99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shep Shepherd Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 Princesses have grown on me in recent years. Still not sure on the back of them though. Why were they mocked so much and had a bad reputation? Just usual BL build quality issues? As well as initial reliability and build quality issues, and other things already mentioned, the 18/22 and Princess were saddled with a 'pipe and slippers' image fairly early on in their existence, largely due to the press and public perception that they were devoid of any 'sporting' character, unlike the mark 4 Cortina and mark 1 Cavalier; the fact that a Princess featured prominently in "Terry & June" compounded the negative image. I like them a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 The irony being that originally it was destined to be a much sportier car than it turned into. danthecapriman, Shep Shepherd and Dick Longbridge 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shep Shepherd Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 Same goes for the Allegro, the original design of which was seriously compromised by productionisation, which is a real pity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SierraMikeHotel Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 APPLAUSE! My first car was a 1973 Rover 2000 (I was born in 1979) so I totally get this. Very best of luck to you - and I'll always think the Princess was a brilliant-looking car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P304r5 Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share Posted January 19, 2018 I initially thought that quote sounded horrendous, then I remembered that my mk2 Scirocco was £1500 a year TPF&T (back when that was still a saving). I was 19ish and that was '98/'99can't remember if I said but to drive my Scirocco Mk2 it'd be £2300 a year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthecapriman Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 APPLAUSE! My first car was a 1973 Rover 2000 (I was born in 1979) so I totally get this. Very best of luck to you - and I'll always think the Princess was a brilliant-looking car.My first car was a 74 Capri, I was born in 84. I've kept that car too. And allowed it to almost bankrupt me in recent years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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