Jump to content

AUTOTRADER - june 1992 - suits you sir?


HMC

Recommended Posts

Ha! I used to read the weekly inklys  whenever I could get my hands on them (at a time when I was a tad too old for the Beano/Dandy and just about getting into Max Power/Fast Car/Revs) and dream of owning one of the old executive cars.

If I had a sub £1k to spend, these would be my choices (1 from each ad)

Screenshot_20240815_162552_Chrome.jpg.cee300af3fc13972642ce54f25af42b5.jpg

The Sierra was literally the closest thing to what I was looking for in terms of size and spec.

Screenshot_20240815_162625_Chrome.jpg.ab5f6db7c845ef1081f1823267551efd.jpg

Yeah, a BMW 5er is more me. OK it's got the smaller engine but the looks of it, just nice.

Screenshot_20240815_162821_Chrome.jpg.f8b0b15906d0b640de3f1253a22cd2ad.jpg

3rd garage, the Granada Ghia whilst not having the full 2.9 would do me for the money.

Screenshot_20240815_162903_Chrome.jpg.74a5301f08099cb298260364856577a1.jpg

Yep, now this is more like it. A nice big 7-series. However, for £100 more I could have the W123 Mercedes which would have been more me....

Screenshot_20240815_183642_Chrome.jpg.ae74a22950a14716e628c705803f6a88.jpg

Screenshot_20240815_163126_Chrome.jpg.3572ccc739fbc54558c2b58233697828.jpg

Ok, on the 5th garage, I literally couldn't see anything I liked. I guess I'd have to beg, borrow and steal to add to the price and maybe negotiate a couple of hundred off.....

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This T-reg 180B was the last car I can immediately recall buying out of AT, I got it on the rebound in 1996 after trekking down to Kent to view a 240K GT that turned out to be Not Good. Not wanting to waste a journey I picked up the local Auto Trader, saw the 180B, viewed it on the way home and went down a few days later to collect it.

1978-79 Datsun 180B saloons c.1996

From memory it was something like £675, from a private seller.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, HMC said:

WAKEFIELD ROAD MO CO Can even satisfy the discerning buyer after an EMAX sierra @sierraman

IMG_7053.jpeg.90038400b0d115fa433c9e1c5435669f.jpeg

IMG_7055.jpeg.d3258fd80b7c38f08efd3e32c4e6f0fb.jpeg

I'd take the Cortina. A 2.3 GL must have been a rare thing

  • Like 1
  • Agree 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Fat_Pirate said:

Do the rules permit me to borrow* £695 from my nan to afford that MG Montego?  It's a beautiful white stallion amongst a herd of scruffy donkeys.

@grogee would front you £695 even though it is not a Maestro?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, HMC said:

an EMAX sierra

Was that the weird misery spec inexplicably fitted with a CVH rather than a pinto?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have quite a few fast car magazines from late eighties to early 90's. While the cars were comparatively cheap tyres - and tuning bits - were very expensive back then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Regal - it has to be the Capri 2.8, the XR3i or the 2600 VDP with some haggling.

Atlantic - the Beemer or the MG Maestro

Delightful Demmicks - gotta be the 900 Turbo!

Rally Autos - Probably the Regatta?

Burton Street - Probably the XR3, maybe the XR2 - I might see if they'd do a deal on the Granada/XR2 and the 18TS for 1k!

Wakefield Road - 7 series, absolutely.

Canal Road - I'd love to sneak either the Audi 100 or the Capri, but if I had to keep it under £1k, I'd probably go for the Fuego or the Prisma.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, KWhite said:

I'd take the Cortina. A 2.3 GL must have been a rare thing

Another vote here for the 2.3GL Cortina. Exactly what I was buying from 1987 to 2004 was Cortina’s for a week’s wages that would be good for 4 years as a daily driver. In 1993 I bought a 2.3 Ghia estate with 44,000 genuine miles, one owner from new and new MOT. It was a bent MOT and rusty, after a weldathon it was great reliable transport until 1998 when a 2.0 Ghia at £180 took over as a daily for the next 4 years. In 2002 another 2.3 Ghia estate bought for a weeks wages took over as a daily driver for the next 4 years, this was by far the best of the lot and the best car I have ever owned.

1992 was probably the best time for running great cars on a shoestring budget, so many much more interesting and exciting cars around then than now and for very little money .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Regal -  £495 Toyota Celica

Atlantic - £995 Mini 25

Delightful Demmicks - £795 BMW 320

Rally Autos - £425 Peugeot Estate if its a 305

Burton Street - Of all things there its the £150 VW Passat estate. Would do it up - Loved that model of passat  the GLS was a great car but that would do.

Wakefield Road -  £895 Subaru estate

Canal Road - £1050 SWB Land rover if they will drop £50 off it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To a degree, I’m glad I don’t live in 100£/€ for a car time, because there’s not enough storage space for all the cars I’d buy of those lists.

  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember my local paper around this time used to have some interesting chod in the classified ads, if you every wanted a £150 Avenger that's a good runner & a LHD VW Beetle that always seemed to be in every week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Shite Ron said:

Another vote here for the 2.3GL Cortina. Exactly what I was buying from 1987 to 2004 was Cortina’s for a week’s wages that would be good for 4 years as a daily driver. In 1993 I bought a 2.3 Ghia estate with 44,000 genuine miles, one owner from new and new MOT. It was a bent MOT and rusty, after a weldathon it was great reliable transport until 1998 when a 2.0 Ghia at £180 took over as a daily for the next 4 years. In 2002 another 2.3 Ghia estate bought for a weeks wages took over as a daily driver for the next 4 years, this was by far the best of the lot and the best car I have ever owned.

1992 was probably the best time for running great cars on a shoestring budget, so many much more interesting and exciting cars around then than now and for very little money .

Cars from the 70s and 80s were rust buckets though. I currently have a 20 year old car which is a bit rusty, about the same level as a my 3 year old Escort from 1984.

My choice? I’d try an haggle that £1195 XR3i down to £1000. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I sold a February 1992 issue of Auto Trader on eBay last year. Think  I got a tenner for it. Was 50p when new. 

Quite fascinating to look at it again before selling it and seeing all those rear wheel drive Fords for sale for a few hundred pounds. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I had three children in 1992, I'd take the Montego estate. I'd need the 7 seater in '93 as we then had our 4th child. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Was that the weird misery spec inexplicably fitted with a CVH rather than a pinto?

No, it was a pinto that had been strangled, so less puff available, iirc.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a young lad in the early 90s Thursday evening I'd buy AutoTrader from the village newsagent then go to visit my dad to have a chippy tea and we would watch Top Gear, bliss!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 15/08/2024 at 17:38, Bren said:

The definition of excitement was buying the auto trader and poring over the piss poor quality photo's. While we mourn the loss of the traditional banger lets be honest - there was some utter turd for sale back then - some of it bought by me.

I have had cars full of filler. If I had hit a pedestrian the impact wouldn't have seen them off - it would have been the lung cancer from the filler.

Absolutely. At college we had 'Autotrader Thursdays' where, on a round robin basis, one person in the group would take the lecture notes while the rest of us poured over that week's, hot off the press, Autotrader. Was a real highlight of the week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MEANWOOD VALLEY cheap car centre-

“definitely the best value for money in this area” 

IMG_7105.jpeg.fe5621914ff7580cab13ef3c15f32ae0.jpeg

And a bargain bucket section as well

IMG_7106.jpeg.387a2b6c5692b77c3befefb55b80159f.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember going to the UK as a teenager in the 90s, buying Autotrader, gasping over the fact that old cars, especially Fords, were so cheap and in such abundance. 

Mind you, I never thought of the insurance cost. When I started driving my first (running) car in 97 I think I paid approximately £150 a year. For a 3-litre Granada. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Rightnider said:

I remember going to the UK as a teenager in the 90s, buying Autotrader, gasping over the fact that old cars, especially Fords, were so cheap and in such abundance. 

Mind you, I never thought of the insurance cost. When I started driving my first (running) car in 97 I think I paid approximately £150 a year. For a 3-litre Granada. 

 

£150 a year for insurance was incredibly cheap even for 1997 especially as it was your first car and a 3 litre Granada. My first insurance for a 1.1 Fiesta in 1982 was £450 . (equivalent to about £1500 today, about what I would expect to pay now if I was  that age).

I think that’s the most I’ve ever paid since even for the Impreza.

  • Like 1
  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Onward and upwards* we go
STICKER LANE doesnt seem quite as competitive in the bargain bucket zone back in june 1992…

IMG_7108.jpeg.8d6729331783b95eee4aac2025a3352f.jpeg

IMG_7109.jpeg.ddf5f579c358168e42e54770b7117406.jpeg

IMG_7110.jpeg.6d636fee73d6d88bd9c6fab2a2a634bf.jpeg

The 320 “good looker” has stick on chrome arches, speed stripes, a crumpled front wing and bumper and some 90s tastic placca after market wheel trims. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or take a walk to BARGAIN CAR SALES for GOOD CLEAN CARS where a sense of humour is part of the sales package…

IMG_7111.jpeg.9b809040b7ea4a636a713854ec124e09.jpeg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe it's my eyes, or perhaps wishful thinking, but the Cherry Jubilee at Sticker Lane looks rather like a Laurel....

Escort 2-door at Bargain Cars Sales for £95?!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Spottedlaurel said:

Maybe it's my eyes, or perhaps wishful thinking, but the Cherry Jubilee at Sticker Lane looks rather like a Laurel....

Escort 2-door at Bargain Cars Sales for £95?!

I thought so too re the laurel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...