Are you proud of your motoring history

[Daviemck2006]

I've had so many cars I cant remember them all. The ones I loved were 2 mk1 astras, a mk 1 cavalier, a mk 2 cavalier, rover sd1 2600, rover 216gti 3 door, peugeot 806 1.9td, citroen c5 2.2sx hdi, Peugeot 107/citroen c1 (about 5 of) and two of my current ones, the hilux 3.0td auto, and the bora highline. Hateful ones are citroen c2vtr sensodrive, Ford escort mk3, ford mondeo mk1 1.6 ford fiesta 1.4td van. I hated these not because they were awful to drive but because these 4 were the most unreliable pieces of shite I ever had, were more likely to be broken than they were running. In fact when the c1 was working it was good for thrashing round the lanes, but hopeless in town, and the mondeo was a nice drive but was broken far too often. The escort was a 1.3L which followed a mk1 astra 1.6SR because I needed a 5 door due to another child arriving, so it never stood a chance really. It was quickly changed for a cavalier.

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[warren t claim]

11 hours ago, sierraman said:

Bloody hell how did that come about? 

It was at some point around 1988 I think. 

It was up for sale for a few hundred quid with no takers due to an incurable misfire and being as rotten as a pear. Nobody saw the point of buying an Escort with an overly complicated twin cam engine when you could get similar power from a scrapyard two litre Pinto. 

One Friday night myself, the owner and another friend took it to what is now a local beach side dogging park and took it in turns to try and roll it on a steep bit of ground. Before it eventually went over we'd bounced it off several large boulders that the council had put there. The other lad tried to rip the driver's door off by reversing it at speed with said door open alongside a post. The door failed to come off like they do in the movies so he accelerated forwards at full speed to cole it. Sadly, we'd not wound the window down so when it slammed back the window shattered showering us in glass! When it was eventually rolled (not by me, although I did manage to drive it on two wheels for about 25 yards) we were greeted by the sight of the Michelin Man! The floorpan had been plated using one of those metal signs that garages had displaying tyre pressures. 

You need to remember that at the time where I worked the boss's lad who worked as a van driver until he could join the Army REME owned a tidy Mk1 Lotus Escort that he paid less than a grand for. They really didn't have much of a value back then. Saying that, even at the time I knew it was a rare car that I wish I'd had the time, money, space and talent to save but there was nothing I could do.

[bunglebus]

10 hours ago, cort16 said:

What do you recon out of all the cars you've owned or could have that would have made you the most money if you'd kept ahold of them given you had a barn and an oxygen free bubble?

Probably one of my MK2 Escorts, either the 4 door 1.6 Ghia or 2 door Sport, although it was a bit crusty. Had a 2L Pinto on proper RS mounts etc

[warren t claim]

I occasionally have a dream where I discover that I still own all of my old cars. 

Obviously I wake up depressed. 

[NorthernMonkey]

I was looking through some old paperwork boxes the other day, one of which was full of auction invoices from the 90s when I had a sizeable banger forecourt in Leeds.

There are literally hundreds of bills for XR2s, 3s, 4is, RS Turbos, Capris, Carlton GSIs, BMW E30s, you name it and the majority were for 3 figures 😭

[Matty]

12 minutes ago, NorthernMonkey said:

I was looking through some old paperwork boxes the other day, one of which was full of auction invoices from the 90s when I had a sizeable banger forecourt in Leeds.

There are literally hundreds of bills for XR2s, 3s, 4is, RS Turbos, Capris, Carlton GSIs, BMW E30s, you name it and the majority were for 3 figures 😭

Aye, but what a time to be alive and involved. Almost makes you weep when you think where the motortrades at now

[warren t claim]

16 minutes ago, NorthernMonkey said:

I was looking through some old paperwork boxes the other day, one of which was full of auction invoices from the 90s when I had a sizeable banger forecourt in Leeds.

There are literally hundreds of bills for XR2s, 3s, 4is, RS Turbos, Capris, Carlton GSIs, BMW E30s, you name it and the majority were for 3 figures 😭

Everything is relative. 

Back in the late 70s you'd have been laughed at for blowing £1500 on a 1965 E-Type.

[NorthernMonkey]

6 minutes ago, Matty said:

Aye, but what a time to be alive and involved. Almost makes you weep when you think where the motortrades at now

Yep. My current stock book includes Fiat 500s, Citigos and Yaris CVTs.

Can’t see me ever looking back at these fuckers with rose tinted specs....

[beko1987]

Yes. 

I've been on here since my 3rd car (and technically this place helped me decide to buy it) and I've had a very satisfying cheap motoring career out of it! 

Bland, cheap, easy to fix, I can either baby them or rag the fuck out of them, it's only in my head that it matters anyway. 

[warren t claim]

Just now, NorthernMonkey said:

Yep. My current stock book includes Fiat 500s, Citigos and Yaris CVTs.

Can’t see me ever looking back at these fuckers with rose tinted specs....

Back in the day nobody thought that an Escort 1.1 Popular two door would be an object of desire!

[Six-cylinder]

Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exception.

 Yes, there were times, I'm sure you know
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way.

 

If you spend 3 weeks searching Six cylinder’s Motoring notes you will find them all and overall I am ecstatic about the cars I own and have owned.

Regrets are few, when I came to driving age my parents had a white Jaguar S type 3.8 Auto with Dunlop alloy wheels and a whip aerial and if all the stars aligned I was allowed to use it including going to college. A few years passed, I left home , bought my first house and instead of buying new furniture for my new house I bought a Jaguar E Type project and begged around the family for old furniture.

My father then decided he was ready to sell on the S-Type and my regret is I did not ask to buy it from him. It was scruffy and needed some work that made it cheap and while my parents never gave me things like a car, I am sure a payment plan would have been available. I was young, enthusiastic and capable and if only I had thought it though properly there would be a 1965 Jaguar S-Type in the fleet.

[Fumbler]

2 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exception.

 Yes, there were times, I'm sure you know
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way.

 

If you spend 3 weeks searching Six cylinder’s Motoring notes you will find them all and overall I am ecstatic about the cars I own and have owned.

Regrets are few, when I came to driving age my parents had a white Jaguar S type 3.8 Auto with Dunlop alloy wheels and a whip aerial and if all the stars aligned I was allowed to use it including going to college. A few years passed, I left home , bought my first house and instead of buying new furniture for my new house a bought a Jaguar E Type project and begged around the family for old furniture.

My father then decided he was ready to sell on the S-Type and my regret is I did not ask to buy it from him. It was scruffy and needed some work that made it cheap and while my parents never gave me things like a car, I am sure a payment plan would have been available. I was young enthusiastic and capable and if only I had thought it though properly there would be a 1965 Jaguar S-Type in the fleet.

Very nice car, but mmmmmmm those Crittol windows and door are just fantastic.

[Six-cylinder]

11 minutes ago, Fumbler said:

Very nice car, but mmmmmmm those Crittol windows and door are just fantastic.

We did not use the front door and it had a table on the inside with the telephone and directors on it. One night my brother came home worse for wear and crashed into the table breaking a pain of glass and knocking the telephone outside!

[warren t claim]

I once owned a Hunter. Nothing unusual there.

The Hunter had a towbar. Again, plenty were used for towing.

I used it for towing a trailer of scrap for a friend. So what?

The scrap I towed was the remains of a Jensen Interceptor S1 6.3 that we'd spent the weekend breaking to source running gear for a Cobra replica kit car that my mate never even got around to finishing!

[Fumbler]

1 minute ago, Six-cylinder said:

We did not use the front door and it had a table on the inside with the telephone and directors on it. One night my brother came home worse for wear and crashed into the table braking a pain of glass and knocking the telephone outside!

At least he wasn't like my grandfather whom, once he was cut off by the post office, ripped the trimphone from the wall while drunk, drove to the exchange and threw it at the window! Such was life back then...

[eddyramrod]

23 hours ago, warren t claim said:

Back in the day nobody thought that an Escort 1.1 Popular two door would be an object of desire!

Where I am it still isn't!  A Bermuda Blue one in that spec was my first learner car and I hated it with a passion.  I can't believe the figures these crappy sheds fetch, even the scrap ones.  But then, if you need to ring someone else's lovingly-crafted RS pastiche, I guess you'll pay.

[155V6]

I've had

Mini 1000 x2

Mini Pickup x1

Cortina Mk3 GTs,GXLs and 2000E

Marina 1.8 

Capri Mk2 1.6

Triumph Toledo

Hillman Hunter

Escort Mk1 1.6/1.7?

Cortina Mk4 2.0S

Granada Mk1 Coupe with Rover V8

Granada Mk1 3.0 Estate x2

Granada Mk1 Hearse

BMW E28 528i

Sierra XR 4x4 track car

Cortina Mk5 2-door 2.3

Alfa 155V6

Fiat Coupe 20  Valve Turbo

Rover Metro GTi

Rover 214 SEi

MG Express 160 (still here)

Citroen Xantia 3.0 V6

Volvo C70 T5

Rover 25 1.4

MG ZR 1.4

Ford Puma 1.7(still here)

Renault Laguna 2.0 Estate(my 1st diesel,still here)

Most have been good,3 or 4 have been brilliant.

The Marina?,I'll hate that car until the day I die 😂

 

[rickvw72]

I’m a right strange case. I’ve got 3 cars I’ve had for a decade, and have had cars I’ve owned for a few hours.

I used to buy and sell too, as a proper business so have had many that I’ve forgotten. Although, in general, stuff I bought to trade I didn’t really drive much, I’ve always had my own cars as well sort of thing.

Ive had excellent spec stuff all through personally, always landing on the top spec of a model. This has made me keep them, as there usually a nice thing to drive or be in. 

Eclectic mix of makes too. Countless VWs and a couple of Audi’s, Volvos, Hondas, one Toyota, 2x Daihatsu Fourtraks (that’s a lot of rust), Isuzu Trooper, couple of Peugeot’s. Tried a mondeo and escort briefly, both crap so ditched quickly. Have owned a Zafira for nearly five years and have never even taken a pic of it.
Had a fabulously unreliable 406 hdi 110, literally broke every time I started it, and fucked off when it broke whilst turned off.

Ive had and would of liked to have kept - 

Loaded 1993 Range Rover v8. Had memory seats, heated windscreen, all the rare stuff. Sold as was needing a resto in all fairness, I’d had 3 years towing trailers all round the country. Was reliable though, hitting 190,000 miles when I got rid. Would have made a lovely one though, Westminster grey too.

1990 Volvo 940 Wentworth. A bit of a shed to be flair, and high mileage (200 plus). Had a boost gauge and LSD. Sideways everywhere. In a huge estate that looked like a wardrobe.

1989 Saab 9000 Carlsson. Rediculous, 260bhp. Powdered it’s tyres for fun.

1990 Pug 309 GTi. Red 3 door, late spec. I don’t know about this one on this regret list, from a rarity value yes, but it was never half as good as the Mk2 Golf GTI I had, and still have. That’s tells the story I suppose.

The best car I’ve bought is the Mk2 though. 13 years, 70,000 miles, I have never completed one journey without an attack of high rpm lunacy. Loud, screaming engine, in a lightweight go kart. Looks very cool indeed, I’m my totally biased view.

If I was in any way sensible, the accord has a claim. It’s stupid you can buy something that good for the money. It’s without fault. I’ve rewarded it for only needing 2 bulbs in the last six months by never washing it or cleaning it out, driving it like a hire car and brimming its cavernous boot with all manner of tat. Poor thing sits there and watched me polish the Mk2 about four times in that time period. Mk2 never moved beyond the drive, not even 1 mile.

 

i don’t have favourites!

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

I've nothing to complain about, having had unconventional or uncommon (sometimes both) cars.

Still wish I'd kept the Ro80 instead of the 635CSi.

[Shite Ron]

I am happy with my motoring  history, assuming it does not include company cars. I learnt to drive and passed my test within 7 weeks of turning 17 in my mk4 Cortina 1.6 GL. Three months after passing my test the mk4 was sold and replaced by an ‘82model Cortina 1.6GL. Over the next 20 years various mk5 Cortina’s were my main car and reliable transport for work. holiday’s etc. I did have many other cars which I bought and sold to keep my head above water when I was on low pay, these included 5 x Escorts, 5 x Sierra’s, a Mondeo mk1 which did get daily use for 6 months due to my Cortina being hit by a mini. I had a Daimler Sovereign 4.2 series 3 as a second car when I was 23 but found the Cortina better to drive, at 31 I bought my TVR Chimaera and this was far better than I expected it to be, it shared duties with the Cortina as a daily driver for a few years and was just as good to drive. In 2007 I had to have a new car as part of my job so the daily driver was a mk3 Mondeo Ghia estate, followed by a mk4 Mondeo, followed by two Alfa’s and now something I am definitely not proud of, but through all the boring company cars I have run several others which I have used for high days and holidays. 

[ProgRocker]

My car history is unexciting. They did their job by getting me from a to B but I wasn't bowled over by any of them. My six previous cars were all sub 80 bhp. The Fiat Tempra 1.4 was perhaps the most unusual but was a bit of a basket case and ran on 3 cylinders. 

Looking back, I was running the first few cars on tight budgets and car insurance was still expensive. 

[eddyramrod]

On 1/29/2021 at 12:10 PM, eddyramrod said:

 I'll have to create a whole new thread, because there's a lot to say. 

It's coming!  I have a bunch of pics to upload, so I need you to be patient, but it'll be worth the wait.  Set aside an hour or so after tea tonight...

[406V6]

I'm proud to have owned some unfashionable cars which I liked at the time - and still like in the case of the 406:

• Allegro 1300
• MG Metro
• Vectra SRi
• 406

[Shalien]

I've not had that many despite nearly 30yrs of car ownership?

'79 1.3 Fiesta (for all of 3 days, due to major MOT failure)

'79 1.3 Escort 2dr Estate (ran that for a year or so on L plates)

'80 1256 Vx Chevette 2dr (fixed up and ran for 1yr after passing)

'92 1.7 TDi Vx Cavalier (7 years)

(And then the pattern (addiction) begins....

'89/90 2.3 9000 CD 16v

'91/2 2.3 FPT 9000 CD Auto

'94/5 2.3 FPT 9000 CSE

'97 2.0 lpt 9000 CS Auto (Base spec stop gap that I ended up running for 7 years 😱)

'01 9-5 Aero Estate Auto (Still improving)😁

 

[motorpunk]

Proud. One stand out for me;

Black Porsche 968 Sport. Always wanted one, worked so hard, saved hard, finally bought one. For a shambolic working class lad from the Midlands with a young family to feed this car felt like my work grind was rewarded. The car was so reliable, comfortable and quick and only needed an engine mount over routine maintenance. I didn’t pay much for it, and when I was forced to sell (divorce) the money came in handy, it had appreciated like crazy. But it also makes me sad, as it makes me think of the past and how my life used to be (good and bad). Now I’m happier looking forward to what might be, not what I used to have. I love my Elise, but I hanker after an Evora...

[Inspiral_Mondays]

On 1/29/2021 at 12:52 PM, carlo said:

 

Nothing British or German!

1975 Wartburg Knight (first car, loved its character and comfort)

1976 Renault 12TL (also a lovely old thing, the Peugeot 405 of its day)

1980 Lancia Beta 2.0 (frightened me to death, too thirsty and complex)

1978 Fiat 128 3p (most fun car ever)

1978 Citroen GS Pallas (seats far too soft, fitted a Fiat 128 seat into it)

Then 14 years worth of company car Peugeots

1985 Toyota Celica 2.0GT Auto (went like the clappers, girlfriend in labour didn't appreciate it)

1989 Toyota Camry V6 saloon (soporific)

1991 Toyota Corolla Executive (even more so)

1995 Peugeot 405 2.0 auto (x about 5)

1998 Peugeot 406 2.0 auto (just for a couple of years then went back to the 405s

Currently enjoring a 2.0 automatic Xsara Picasso which could be the future chariot of choice when I mothball the latest 405 soon no doubt.

 

“Nothing British or German!”

Well, apart from the Wartburg obviously.

[Inspiral_Mondays]

On 1/29/2021 at 12:52 PM, carlo said:

 

Nothing British or German!

1975 Wartburg Knight (first car, loved its character and comfort)

1976 Renault 12TL (also a lovely old thing, the Peugeot 405 of its day)

1980 Lancia Beta 2.0 (frightened me to death, too thirsty and complex)

1978 Fiat 128 3p (most fun car ever)

1978 Citroen GS Pallas (seats far too soft, fitted a Fiat 128 seat into it)

Then 14 years worth of company car Peugeots

1985 Toyota Celica 2.0GT Auto (went like the clappers, girlfriend in labour didn't appreciate it)

1989 Toyota Camry V6 saloon (soporific)

1991 Toyota Corolla Executive (even more so)

1995 Peugeot 405 2.0 auto (x about 5)

1998 Peugeot 406 2.0 auto (just for a couple of years then went back to the 405s

Currently enjoring a 2.0 automatic Xsara Picasso which could be the future chariot of choice when I mothball the latest 405 soon no doubt.

 

“Nothing British or German!”

Well, apart from the Wartburg obviously.

[fatharris]

'93 Nissan Sunny 1.4LX (2008)
'96 Peugeot 406 1.8LX (2008)
'93 Nissan Sunny 1.4LX again (2009)
'93 Nissan Primera 2.0 SGX (2009)
'94 Kia Mentor 1.6 GLX (2010)
'00 Ford Puma 1.4 (2010)
'00 Rover 75 2.0 CDT Club SE (2011)
'02 Volvo V70 2.4T (200) SE (2012)
'94 Honda Civic 1.4i (2012)
'00 Xantia 2.0 HDi (110) LX (2013)
'98 BMW 728i Herman (2014 - still have)
'91 Rover Mini Neon (2013 - still have)
'03 MG ZT 2.0 CDTi (135) (2015)
'00 Renault Clio 1.2 (2014)
'01 SAAB 93 2.2 TiD SE (2015)
'99 Rover 220Di iL (2015)
'94 SAAB 9000 2.0t EcoPower (2016)
'02 VW Golf 1.4E (2017)
'96 Vauxhall Omega 2.5 TD CD (2017)
'07 Kia Magentis 2.7 V6 LS (2018)
'98 Mazda MX-5 1.8 Classic (2018 - still have)
'91 Honda Beat (2018 - still have)
'98 Renault Laguna 2.0 RT Sport (2019 - still have)
'91 Citroen BX 16TXS (2019 - still have)

Car count - 24

I am quite happy with most of my choices.

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[Markeh]

Overall? Fairly happy with my choices. The Corsa wasn't a choice really but I feel it taught me a lot, the Megane for all its faults was a lovely car, and the Qashqai has been a fantastic daily for the last nearly 3 years.

Regrets? Buying the 206 SW with a naive hope of fixing a couple of things and flipping it for a profit, and only making about £25.

Selling the Sedici as I grew fond of it despite again being bought for a quick flip, but couldn't justify having two cars at a time where I was barely driving one. Making a decent profit on it helped soften the blow!

With the hindsight of knowing that due to job changes and buying a house, after 12 months my 50 mile round trip commute would shrink to 20, then change to public transport 4 months after that, and that the Renault survived another MOT and about another 15k after I traded it in, I would have probably made that Renault last til it died and replaced it with something similar instead of having the Qashqai, not that I don't like it of course. 

The ones that got away?  The other Megane I looked at (a dark green 05 3dr with the glass roof and 17" alloys, much better condition and lower mileage but foolishly turned down due to dead air con and ideally needing a 5dr) probably wouldn't have been as problematic as mine. Ended up missing the auction end due to being at a friend's BBQ with no phone signal.

Early 2018, just before I started car hunting, I found out too late that a family member had traded in their 61 plate Note against a 2008 - Would've made a nice upgrade from the Renault, better on fuel and likely more reliable.

Late 2017, me and a mate were looking for a cheap flip, which ended up being the 206 SW, we found a really nice condition 51 plate Vectra B SRI in that nice metallic grey they came in - fairly low mileage for its age, and up for £500. We didn't want to spend that much at the time and didn't think there was enough money in it so we turned it down. I'd probably have bought him out of it and suggested we flip my Megane instead!

[Quintus]

I'm quite envious of some of the cars on these lists. Mine are -

1993 Nissan Micra 1.0L (first car)

2000 Mazda 323 1.5GSE

2003 Mk1 Ford Focus 1.6 Ghia

2012 Honda Jazz 1.4 ES (my current car, owned since July 2017)

All in all, a deeply unadventurous list for someone who likes cars, but I've rather enjoyed each of them in their own way.