Car for life

[Yoss]

I've owned my Triumph since November 1995 and am starting to wonder if I should do something special for our 30th anniversary. 

It looked like this in 2010.

And looked like this on Sunday. 

So it hasn't changed much and now it lives in a garage I'd imagine it can retain this level of patina without getting any worse. 

My second ever car was a 1300 (my first was a 1500 TC which was like a base Dolomite) and I kept buying them as they were so cheap. I'd run them usually until the MOT ran out then scrap them as they weren't worth selling. This meant I soon built up a large amount of spares so it made sense to keep buying more. 

Then I thought I'd actually buy a decent one and paid a whopping £800 for this one. It was a nice shiny damson all over but of course all was not what it seemed underneath. So a friend of mine fitted new inner and outer wings and fronts of sills, only he put it back together better than Triumph ever did in the first place which means that 25 years later, despite it looking a bit rough is still as solid as it ever was. 

On top of that I now know the whole car inside out and know how everything works and where every wire goes so I just feel like it fits me like an old shoe. 

 

Now the blue Škoda I've only had eight years but I can see it being here as long as it is practical to still use as an everyday car. 

At some point we will probably have to go electric but I intend to keep this until then. If I had to commute further I might like something a bit plusher but it's great for driving round town as the controls are so light and the visibility is far better than all modern cars. And I'm not fussed about gadgets. It has six big buttons that are easy to find by feel. And I don't even know what apple carplay is. 

[Imhotep]

Likely be this, I’ve wanted one forever. It’s also currently in a million bits and rotten so it’s worth £3. But I won’t see it scrapped (which is all that would happen to it if I sold it), so it’s definitely a keeper. Could I have bought a working one by the time I’ve sorted this? Yes. But I like this one. Had it nearly four years now, it only managed 8 weeks on the road with me before coming off the road. I’ll do something with it eventually. 

[24vdiamond]

On 23/07/2024 at 18:43, Wibble said:

That looks bloody lovely. Had a Carlton CDi before my Senator.

Carlton/Senator/Omega all nice and preferably with the bigger engines!

[LightBulbFun]

goes without saying really, this old girl is going nowhere! both figuratively and until recently quite literally LOL I have had her for over 5 years now! which sounds much more impressive then it is, because in those 5 years I have only managed to drive her on the public highway twice for a total of 3 miles or so? not for lack of trying mind! but life has very much conspired against me when its come to actually getting her on the road and doing things LOL

to think I naively thought maybe she might be back on the road by the end of 2019 or sometime in 2020 (LOL), but hopefully with all digits crossed, thats about to change soon, there is light at the end of the tunnel at long  and then the adventures can really start! 

very much my one insoluble asset if thats a phrase! 

[Markeh]

Out of everything I've had so far?

Would've been my first Qashqai. I had nowhere near the amount of grief with it as I have with this one, it had enough tech and toys without being too ridiculously complicated, and I had a lot of great adventures and times in it. First new car I ever had as well. Had I bought one a year later and been able to get adaptive cruise and Android Auto? Absolutely would never have got rid.

[danthecapriman]

4 hours ago, Liggle said:

I am yet to find something I'd hang to long term, my first MK1 MR2 came close and I bought another with rose tinted glasses but it was never the same.

Bike wise, I'll never part with this now its on the road:



Slowest thing on the road being a 49cc but in June it covered more miles than my car pootling around!

Years ago a guy I worked with owned a big Suzuki of some sort (I don’t know anything about bikes!) and he rode it everywhere at silly speed. He was a bit odd really being a mechanic but he had no car license only a bike license, or so he said. 
One day he went home from work on it with a big backpack on full of tools to do a job on someone’s car at home. As I was driving out the car park he goes flying past on his Suzuki, gets to the roundabout up the road and can’t take the corner because of his speed and having a 20 ton backpack on! The bike went over and slid down the road with him rolling along behind it! He was ok but the bike had some scars.

Fast forward a few weeks and he turns up at work without the Suzuki, but nobody sees how he actually got to work! 
Turned out he got stopped by the police and didn’t have a license for that sized bike, so he got scared and sold the big bike. Eventually we found out he’d bought one of those Honda’s and was using that instead! It had a little basket on the front and everything! 
We all took the piss like you wouldn’t believe. Chicken chaser and all the rest of it! And he was a massive guy so it looked absolutely hilarious seeing him on the poor little thing.

But, in the years he had it, it never ever once went wrong or let him down. Truthfully that little bike actually probably saved his life as it was only a matter of time before he got into serious bother on that big Suzuki. 
The use and abuse he gave that little Honda was incredible and it just shrugged it all off and carried on. 

[Wibble]

44 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Years ago a guy I worked with owned a big Suzuki of some sort (I don’t know anything about bikes!) and he rode it everywhere at silly speed. He was a bit odd really being a mechanic but he had no car license only a bike license, or so he said. 
One day he went home from work on it with a big backpack on full of tools to do a job on someone’s car at home. As I was driving out the car park he goes flying past on his Suzuki, gets to the roundabout up the road and can’t take the corner because of his speed and having a 20 ton backpack on! The bike went over and slid down the road with him rolling along behind it! He was ok but the bike had some scars.

Fast forward a few weeks and he turns up at work without the Suzuki, but nobody sees how he actually got to work! 
Turned out he got stopped by the police and didn’t have a license for that sized bike, so he got scared and sold the big bike. Eventually we found out he’d bought one of those Honda’s and was using that instead! It had a little basket on the front and everything! 
We all took the piss like you wouldn’t believe. Chicken chaser and all the rest of it! And he was a massive guy so it looked absolutely hilarious seeing him on the poor little thing.

But, in the years he had it, it never ever once went wrong or let him down. Truthfully that little bike actually probably saved his life as it was only a matter of time before he got into serious bother on that big Suzuki. 
The use and abuse he gave that little Honda was incredible and it just shrugged it all off and carried on. 

Reminds me of my school days. I got sent to the headmaster’s office when caught riding one of these up the corridor of the science block🙄

I was always jealous of a certain group that got to mess about with cars and bikes, whilst we had to do normal lessons.

Luckily, headmaster was out, so had to see deputy head. He was sound, put his pipe in his mouth to stifle a grin and just said don’t do it again😆

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, danthecapriman said:

He was a bit odd really being a mechanic

Brave statement here! 🤣

[sheffcortinacentre]

I'll have you know I resemble that remark.

[danthecapriman]

42 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Brave statement here! 🤣

39 minutes ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

I'll have you know I resemble that remark.

If the shoe fits😆

I used to be a mechanic so…

[High Jetter]

47 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

If the shoe fits😆

I used to be a mechanic so…

You still are, even if not practising. 

[sheffcortinacentre]

You should be good at it by now.

[brownnova]

On 24/07/2024 at 12:31, danthecapriman said:

asked what I thought it was worth as he wanted to make an offer for it.

I usually find quoting some kind of massively inflated figure sends them packing… 

[RustyNuts]

On 20/07/2024 at 20:03, andyberg said:

My Safrane. Only had it a few months but I can't see me ever getting rid. Normally I get bored with cars, I reckon I have had over 50 since 1988. A car will not make it past 6 months to a year, except a Lada Riva I had for 18 months!! But this car just makes me feel happy every time I get in it. I just love driving it.

 

Had mine 16.5 years. It was dead for 12.5 of them, like you, I couldn't be parted with it (it's a 2.5L so a bit more energetic). Problem is it averages 21MPG. I've done £40 in petrol in the last 2-3 days.

But I love the thing and simply cannot be parted with it. Every time I get to take it out (rare these days) I feel smitten with it.  Thankfully those 12.5 years came to an end a couple of years back and its back in service.

Don't ever get rid of it without a lot of thinking. Once its gone, you'll struggle to find another. Mine was in the last chance saloon many times in the 12.5 years that it was useless, I came close to having to be rid of it several times. How on earth I've managed to hang onto it i'll never know but miraculously through lack of employment, health woes, near death and becoming a dad (with minimal time to work on the safrane) I've somehow not only hung onto it but resurrected it.

Parts are hard to find these days and I've had to perform several bodges just recently but at the ripe old age of 26, it's still alive and kicking. I had to have the electric seat apart recently as the runner stopped sliding (well it stopped sliding several years back). It was riveted together with solid rivets and designed quite deliberately not to come apart. It took me 5 days but I eventually got it all apart, derusted, resprayed, back together, welded and reinstalled. Horrid job but I couldn't be without it anymore - it's a brilliant gizmo.

[andyberg]

5 hours ago, RustyNuts said:

 

But I love the thing and simply cannot be parted with it. Every time I get to take it out (rare these days) I feel smitten with it.  

Don't ever get rid of it without a lot of thinking. Once it’s gone, you'll struggle to find another. 

This exactly😁

[Carl1981]

Some lovely motors here, not surprised they’re keepers!

my keeper is a car that 5 year old me loved from first sight, admired throughout my formative years and thought I’d never be able to afford to own nor lucky enough to own…

It’s been with me since early 2009… like so many others here it’s currently broken resting! Slowly working through fault finding and hoping to hit the road again soon!

[sdkrc]

July 2019. 6yrs but only 150 miles. Looking to pump up those rookie numbers this year 

[captain_70s]

On fleet since Oct 2012.

13 years soon. 😬

[Matty]

Realistically id struggle to give it away. So probably will end up long term.

[gm]

it would appear that i have had this one for approaching 9 years

but have owned a sucesssion of mx5s continuously since 2002, i can’t imagine not having one on the drive  

and obviously the Exo is for keeps 

 

[Yoss]

1 hour ago, Matty said:

Realistically id struggle to give it away. So probably will end up long term.

If you are giving it away, first dibs please! 

[Simon_punto]

On 24/07/2024 at 07:23, Simon_punto said:

Had this 10 years now, longest I’ve ever owned a car, and it has got me through some tough times in my life.

perfect spec, and more importantly colour for me, as I grew up in the back of one and I doubt I’ll find another like this.

plus I’ve spent far too much on it and have no idea what it’s worth. I have thought of selling it to buy a Tipo sedicivavole but can’t bring myself to do it.

Take it back, it’s for sale as I got my Tipo sedicivalvole 😂😂😂

[Matty]

1 hour ago, Simon_punto said:

Take it back, it’s for sale as I got my Tipo sedicivalvole 😂😂😂

That car is unrepeatable. The highest spec they did (i think) outside of a Sporting or GT. That wonderful colour and surely in better than new order.

Easy for me to say and I know you need it gone but it needs to go for absolutely top money. After all that work I'd almost sooner burn it than let it go cheap. Or indeed just keep it 😁

[Pauly.22]

I’ve had the escort since 2007, bought it to have a father son project after my mom passed away and my dad didn’t have much to keep busy with,

I hardly use it and don’t see why they cost so much these days, but I won’t sell it, both my own kids love it now too 

[Simon_punto]

27 minutes ago, Matty said:

That car is unrepeatable. The highest spec they did (i think) outside of a Sporting or GT. That wonderful colour and surely in better than new order.

Easy for me to say and I know you need it gone but it needs to go for absolutely top money. After all that work I'd almost sooner burn it than let it go cheap. Or indeed just keep it 😁

I’d love to keep it but no space, and the money I get for it will be put into the Tipo to get that top notch

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Pauly.22 said:

I’ve had the escort since 2007, bought it to have a father son project after my mom passed away and my dad didn’t have much to keep busy with,

I hardly use it and don’t see why they cost so much these days, but I won’t sell it, both my own kids love it now too 

That looks straight!

[Snipes]

Anyone who read my retrospetive thread knows I've never managed to keep a car more than about 18 months lol. 

Most were rash decisions, usually buying the wrong cars because I was too tight fisted to buy better examples, or several An Cars when money was tight. 

Now I'm in the very novel position of having some money to spend, though if I get carried away it'll cause problems down the road, and I really can't afford to buy another "bad one".

[kevins]

We've had  the TR7V8 since 1994 and the elan plus 2 since 1995, but the ones I would say I would keep for the rest of my life are the mx5 mk1 and Range rover V8, we still pretty much use them as daily cars. The other one which we will probably end up keeping for as long as possible is the 2010 1.4 Titanium Fiesta, pretty much the peak of small cars, cheap to run and still with a simple engine and manageable electrics.

The TR may stay in the family though my son has moved to  north Lincolnshire where you can buy a small estate for the price of a council house in essex, the place he is looking at has a large double garage and workshop, he has suggested he keeps it up there.