Cars that stole your heart

[Zelandeth]

On 26/12/2025 at 12:21, RayMK said:

Skoda 105.  It was cheap, low powered and had playful* swing axle handling, but was comfortable, pleasant to drive and dependable until it swallowed a nut which I dropped into the carb.  I thought it had gone on the ground under the car - until I tried to restart the car after its carb clean.  Engine was damaged by the ingested nut. I had no spare cash. After many months on the front lawn I had a sensible moment, so it was scrapped. A non- running basic 105 was pretty much worthless back then.  I have few regrets but letting that one go that was one of them.  I had had several rear engined skodas.  The lowest spec one was the only one which truly captured my heart. 

 

Rowan Red is the best colour for an Estelle as well.  My most recent one.

I'd definitely not say no to another one either - but it would be a conventional 120/130 this time rather than the oddball last one I had which was a hodgepodge halfway house between the two which made figuring out which bits you needed a real headache.  It also was a bit of a lemon which I think broke in some new way about one in every three trips out.  I also paid way over the odds for it I reckon.

I do rate them though.  Surprisingly comfortable little cars and I honestly had zero complaints about the build quality.  Streets ahead of anything from BL in the same era, even if the interior was a bit old fashioned.  If I'd bought a new one when they were current I reckon I'd have been well happy, especially with some of the deals you could find if you shopped around.  Image be damned, they were a lot of car for the money.  I've a soft spot for Ladas as well, but the Estelle felt immeasurably better put together and is a far more pleasant car to drive.  I never really found the handling on any of mine to be bad, you just had to realise going in that with the engine being in the back it will behave differently in certain situations and train yourself for that - just the same as in a Beetle or Porsche, and they never seemed to get the same pasting for it as Skoda did.

[RayMK]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

Rowan Red is the best colour for an Estelle as well.  

I'd definitely not say no to another one either - but it would be a conventional 120/130 this time rather than the oddball last one I had which was a hodgepodge halfway house between the two which made figuring out which bits you needed a real headache.  It also was a bit of a lemon which I think broke in some new way about one in every three trips out.  I also paid way over the odds for it I reckon.

I do rate them though.  Surprisingly comfortable little cars and I honestly had zero complaints about the build quality.  Streets ahead of anything from BL in the same era, even if the interior was a bit old fashioned.  If I'd bought a new one when they were current I reckon I'd have been well happy, especially with some of the deals you could find if you shopped around.  Image be damned, they were a lot of car for the money.  I've a soft spot for Ladas as well, but the Estelle felt immeasurably better put together and is a far more pleasant car to drive.  I never really found the handling on any of mine to be bad, you just had to realise going in that with the engine being in the back it will behave differently in certain situations and train yourself for that - just the same as in a Beetle or Porsche, and they never seemed to get the same pasting for it as Skoda did.

I agree regarding their handling.  I prefer the way most rear engined cars behave.  You always have to be alert when pressing on but none of my Estelles or Rapids did anything uncontrollable.  For that matter, nor did my Herald estate. Front engined, yes, but the rear swing axles did not give me any problems.  Same with three wheelers. I think motoring journalists just take great delight in furthering popular myths.

Speaking of cars that tugged my heart strings, I forgot my Citroen Dyane.  I loved the way it did Citroen things without being as irritating as the brand new 2cv6 which I bought in 1975. Mind you, it took 90K miles in the 2cv before its under-damped front end nodding got on my nerves.  The Dyane, very 2nd hand, did not do that at all. 

[Metal Guru]

8 hours ago, 155V6 said:

A similar thing happened with this

We were changing the blown engine to go to the Hearse show at Beaulieu the next day.A nut went missing & it had got dropped into the carb.Luckily,we  realised what had happened & we were able to get it out without any damage.

 

My Dad had a black Granada estate (1985). It wasn’t supposed to look like a hearse , it was a bog standard 2.3GL, but it just did.

No one died in the family whilst he owned it, so we never got to use it as such.

[Zelandeth]

6 hours ago, RayMK said:

I agree regarding their handling.  I prefer the way most rear engined cars behave.  You always have to be alert when pressing on but none of my Estelles or Rapids did anything uncontrollable.  For that matter, nor did my Herald estate. Front engined, yes, but the rear swing axles did not give me any problems.  Same with three wheelers. I think motoring journalists just take great delight in furthering popular myths.

Speaking of cars that tugged my heart strings, I forgot my Citroen Dyane.  I loved the way it did Citroen things without being as irritating as the brand new 2cv6 which I bought in 1975. Mind you, it took 90K miles in the 2cv before its under-damped front end nodding got on my nerves.  The Dyane, very 2nd hand, did not do that at all. 

I had a 2CV on my wishlist for many years - right up till I encountered @Six-cylinder's Ami.  Makes the same addictive noise, floats along lovely, but is vastly more comfortable (which I know is a very subjective thing as everyone is a slightly different shape).  I'd absolutely consider one of those as a regular driver classic.  Again - if I hadn't ended up with a tatty Trabant on the drive already.

That smoky little rattle box threw a right spanner in the works for me, it was only meant to be a quick bit of fun I'd have for a few months then move on - two and a bit years ago.

I guess a other one on my list would be my Lada Niva - though that's not exactly a porridge vehicle and is well renowned for their capabilities despite the badge.  I never really tested the off road abilities to any huge degree, but it was absolutely epic in the snow.  Earned some very begrudging praise from a couple of die hard Land Rover fan boys in our local pub back then as we just drove down a road without bothering with the diff lock that they couldn't make it down following in my tracks.

[Dyslexic Viking]

There are two that come to mind.

The Volvo 240 these have a special place here and like so many others I have memories as a child from holiday trips in one with a caravan in tow, I learned to drive in one and my first car that I drove was one. They have something about them that is hard to explain and I feel a longing every time I see one to own one again I have heard many have the same.

My 1963 Mercedes Benz 190DC this one is special, I overpaid for it and it was in poor condition after years of neglect when I bought it but it needed to be saved, so even though all instincts said run, I bought it. The first year of my ownership was a challenge as I had to make up for years of neglect and bodges which really took a toll on me and almost bankrupted me.

But once I got over this, this car has just impressed me and I have become so attached to it and love it. It is over 60 years old now and is one of the forum's highest mileage cars and is tired and a patchwork of a car but it has proven to be so reliable more than some modern cars I have owned and requires little to keep running now. All it really needs for next year is a service and possibly fixing some oil leaks. It's just a trusty old thing and is so nice to drive and so comfortable and makes me happy when I drive it.

[motorpunk]

Very silly thing. Removal of crucifix usually causes breakdown. I love it.

[Shite Ron]

2 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

It's just a trusty old thing and is so nice to drive and so comfortable and makes me happy when I drive it.

This is the main reason for owning a car, we need them to get to work, or get to where we want or need to go a lot of the time, but to make you happy at the same time should not be underestimated. A friend said if you don’t look back at your car every time you leave it then you should sell it.  This is very true, as I have said, I love Cortina’s and never tire of looking at them, sitting in them and driving them, everyone should find the car that makes them feel the same way.

That is a lovely looking car and a credit to you. 

[Somerset Suffolk]

My Mk1 5 door Renault 5TL - 1108cc of rolly polly handling and French charm - sold to me by my sister when she started to earn some big bucks (she replaced it with a brand new 5 GT turbo ) 

 

was a stop gap car when I bought my first house, having sold my "street cred" XR3i for the deposit on the house 

 

My sister named him "Fat Henry" and it was the only car I ever continued to anthropomorphize 

Was travelling all over the country at the time and did loads of miles in Fat Henry - sold when I bought my first Peugeot 205 GTI 

had loads of GTI's Minis Morris Minors , left field stuff like Fiat x1/9's 2CV's but its the MK1 5 door Renault 5 that I have so many fond memories of - chances of finding a RHD now are very slim - did have a MK2 Renault 5 as well,  so more chance of getting one of those for a trip down memory lane and would be my first choice even over my first car - a Mk1 base spec Capri (ignore the date on the pic, I owned it in 1981)

 

[brownnova]

For me it’s the one that marked a significant change of life for me the Saab 9000. I love seeing a 9000 wherever I go and I am tempted to get another every time I see one for sale… I always wanted one from being a child, so to own one was amazing, and the fact my Step son wants to steal it off me once he can drive is good too! 

 

The individual car that I still look at pictures of with a pang in my heart is the original Pontiac… which is ironic considering the OP @Rust Collector is the current owner… 

Again this was a proper bucket list car for me since childhood. The replacement TransSport is good…. But I’ve not gelled with it half as well as the original. 

[ETCHY]

K11 Micra 1.3 CVT we had it 14 years. No real reason why me & my other half should have loved an old base spec K11 but we did. Such a willing fun little car. Body rot & gearbox dying killed it.

[EyesWeldedShut]

Ssangyong Musso GX220 - ugly pig of a 4x4 bought as a stopgap when my donkey moving lorry was poorly.
£750, MB 6-cyl straight six and the MB slushbox. Permanent 4x4 too - an ML in camel's clothing.
Velour seats, plastic wood on the dash and a bloody weird front end suspension setup - ran it for 5/6 years until the arse end of the chassis was 110% crispy and it went to the scrap yard.
FTP'd once when a brake bulb blew, took out the light fuse and, as a result, it would refuse to start - once my wife had worked out the problem and bridged the fuse we were mobile again.

[edit] have a library pic of a dead ringer for ours

[Burnside]

My first car, which was brought by me at 15 years old. Partly due to price and it's close proximity to my home. This was after my Mum denyed me a moped for my 16th. So I casually asked, if it would be okay to buy a car instead for my 17th. 

Probably underestimating how determined I was, my Mum said that it was okay. Spent weeks afterwards trying to find a car I could afford, with my £115 I'd saved. 

Then a advert in the local paper produced this gem. A 1986 Talbot Samba Style with T&T for £200 o.n.o.

By luck it was only one street away. After viewing it by myself and going away to research part prices etc for the work it needed. I phoned the seller the next day and negotiated/ beat him down to £130. Due to the exhaust having a slight blow and the spare wheel was scrap. 

So that just left me £15 to find, which my Brother loaned me to get the deal done. Then I casually broke the news to my parents, after I'd paid for it of course during dinner!

My Dad was pretty annoying at first, but after we went round and gave it a once over.  He said it was alright and we took home.

The Samba served me well, once I turned 17 🙂. It's engine rattled like most Talbots, clutch was very heavy too. The body was rough round the edges with rust, ruined lacquer on the roof & bonnet. Also the right rear had been in a shunt. Which was full of filler and the fuel filer neck was still bent from the accident, so filling up took forever.

Despite it's looks, my Samba never let me down once or gave me much bother come MOT time. Handling and ride was excellent for my enthusiastic driving and the most comfortable car I've ever owned.

If C347 KDA is still out there, even in a rusty heap. I'd still have it back without a second thought.

There been more, but I've rambled on enough.

[stuboy]

Fiat 128 cl.. 2nd car i ever owned.. ran like crap when cold.. but drove really well.. nothing flash about it at all... changed all the doors, bonnet, bootlid, interior, mate changed the engine and gear box.. I changed the wheels.. sunroof leaked.. overheated when driven sensibly.. bloody fiats..

[danthecapriman]

You all probably know mine!

It’s a Capri! 
Remarkable? Not particularly. They were everywhere for many decades. The vast majority were pretty unremarkable from a performance standpoint too. But, they look incredible imho! 
I saw them as a kid and loved the look of them, then took an active interest in them promising myself one the very second I had the chance. 
That chance came when I was 16 so I made the best decision I’ve ever made and bought this one. 
The old saying ‘never meet your heroes’ comes to mind… but in my opinion anyone who thinks that saying is true hasn’t met the right hero. I’ve loved that car (and any Capri actually) since the day I bought it as a rusty old ruin and I still love it no less now. I love its looks, its quirky old car ‘things’, I love driving it. It’s been with me my entire adult life and I’ve never really regretted it for a moment. 
It’s been a bloody good car too, in all that time it’s never really let me down other than a couple of minor issues that were easily resolved. 
Yes, I know it’s the most basic 1.6 you can get, but in a strange way that makes it more pure. It’s unfussy and not over the top. It’s the hero car the average working man (or woman!) had.

This/these are a close second.

Nothing remarkable really, but I’d had quite a few cars before this including Volvo’s of other types but when I first bought this 740 GLE I knew it was a perfect match for me. Hard to explain why exactly, it just fit me so very well. When the time came to part with it, I knew in my gut I was doing the wrong thing but pressed ahead anyway and away it went. I had a real lump in my throat when that car left me! 
I think I managed a little over a year without a 740 before having to go get another. Which is the estate I’ve got now, which won’t be going anywhere now.

In a way all this puts me in a difficult position as I can’t really accommodate any more vehicles, despite there being plenty I’d like. But, to be perfectly honest the three I’ve currently got are so good for me why do I need to replace them?! I just don’t have the desire to change  car when these one’s do everything I want.  
As said above, if you don’t look back at your car when you park it, then you’re in the wrong car. And I always do so why change.

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Ssangyong Musso GX220 - ugly pig of a 4x4 bought as a stopgap when my donkey moving lorry was poorly.
£750, MB 6-cyl straight six and the MB slushbox. Permanent 4x4 too - an ML in camel's clothing.
Velour seats, plastic wood on the dash and a bloody weird front end suspension setup - ran it for 5/6 years until the arse end of the chassis was 110% crispy and it went to the scrap yard.
FTP'd once when a brake bulb blew, took out the light fuse and, as a result, it would refuse to start - once my wife had worked out the problem and bridged the fuse we were mobile again.

[edit] have a library pic of a dead ringer for ours

I always disagreed with the masses on this one in that I always thought the original Musso was a handsome looking thing.  Especially in the mid 90s era of everything looking like it had been left out in the sun and melted.

We had one through the garage I was at, and just couldn't shift the damned thing - must have been there for the best part of a year.  Just badge snobbery as far as we could tell as everyone there liked it.

[Six-cylinder]

For me there are 4 stand out cars in my life.

The first was a Triumph Vitesse, I bought a 1968 Mk1 Saloon when I was 18 years old in spite of the insurance costing the same as the car because it was group 5 out of 7 at the time. I have hardly ever been without one since and currently have a 1970 MK2 convertible that I have had for over 20 years.

 

The second was a Jaguar E-Type, my first one that was useable was sold when I bought my first house. Then instead of buying furniture for the new house I bought a project E-Type and begged my family for any spare furniture. It took me 6 ½ years to get the project E Type on the road and I still have today 40+ years later.

 

The third is a Citroen Visa. In 1987 the Volvo dealer I worked for changed franchises to Citroen and I was impressed by the Visa diesel. In 2002 I had a 17 mpg Range Rover and decided to buy a Visa Deisel to slit my mileage and get 30 mpg average between the two vehicles. I had it 2 1/2 years and regretted selling it and in 2007 I wanted another Visa diesel, but could not find a diesel so bought a Visa 10E. The 10E found hills where I did not remember them and I Feb 2009 the Citroen Car Club found me the diesel I have today along with 3 other Visas.

 

The fourth is a Low Chassis Invicta with Car Bodies open bodywork. From when I was 17 I used to help a local enthusiast with his cars for free and got to work on and drive the Invicta on his long drive. Then one day I was asked if I wanted to take it to a local show as it was booked in and he did not want to let them down because he unexpectedly had to go away!

Unfortunately, I have not achieved owning an Invicta as you don’t get much change out of half a million pounds.

[Weird Car]

Definitely these 2

By far the 2 best and most reliable cars I ever owned 

 

[ETCHY]

1 hour ago, danthecapriman said:

You all probably know mine!

It’s a Capri! 
Remarkable? Not particularly. They were everywhere for many decades. The vast majority were pretty unremarkable from a performance standpoint too. But, they look incredible imho! 
I saw them as a kid and loved the look of them, then took an active interest in them promising myself one the very second I had the chance. 
That chance came when I was 16 so I made the best decision I’ve ever made and bought this one. 
The old saying ‘never meet your heroes’ comes to mind… but in my opinion anyone who thinks that saying is true hasn’t met the right hero. I’ve loved that car (and any Capri actually) since the day I bought it as a rusty old ruin and I still love it no less now. I love its looks, its quirky old car ‘things’, I love driving it. It’s been with me my entire adult life and I’ve never really regretted it for a moment. 
It’s been a bloody good car too, in all that time it’s never really let me down other than a couple of minor issues that were easily resolved. 
Yes, I know it’s the most basic 1.6 you can get, but in a strange way that makes it more pure. It’s unfussy and not over the top. It’s the hero car the average working man (or woman!) had.

This/these are a close second.

Nothing remarkable really, but I’d had quite a few cars before this including Volvo’s of other types but when I first bought this 740 GLE I knew it was a perfect match for me. Hard to explain why exactly, it just fit me so very well. When the time came to part with it, I knew in my gut I was doing the wrong thing but pressed ahead anyway and away it went. I had a real lump in my throat when that car left me! 
I think I managed a little over a year without a 740 before having to go get another. Which is the estate I’ve got now, which won’t be going anywhere now.

In a way all this puts me in a difficult position as I can’t really accommodate any more vehicles, despite there being plenty I’d like. But, to be perfectly honest the three I’ve currently got are so good for me why do I need to replace them?! I just don’t have the desire to change  car when these one’s do everything I want.  
As said above, if you don’t look back at your car when you park it, then you’re in the wrong car. And I always do so why change.

That Capri is lovely. All the better for being a basic one. The lower spec ones are to me always more interesting to see as they're usually the ones that nobody bothered to save or restore. Nice to see a mk2 as well they somehow were always unloved but I like those the best as the detailing is cleaner to my eyes.. I say this having had a V reg Mk3 1.6L myself many years ago & preferred mk2's but even then they were thin on the ground !

[JMotor]

This rusty pile of Astra had me head over heels when I laid eyes on it. I had to have it!

To me it was the ultimate spec of car. I still have it now and don't plan to part with it yet. 

The cherry on top was finding the wheels I always wanted for it at a bargain price. 

Stuff has come and gone. But this one has always stayed. 

Well another couple of cars have also sneaked in too. 

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, JMotor said:

This rusty pile of Astra had me head over heels when I laid eyes on it. I had to have it!

To me it was the ultimate spec of car. I still have it now and don't plan to part with it yet. 

The cherry on top was finding the wheels I always wanted for it at a bargain price. 

Stuff has come and gone. But this one has always stayed. 

Well another couple of cars have also sneaked in too. 

You never did see many of those Astra saloons around. They must be like hen’s teeth now?

[New POD]

1 hour ago, JMotor said:

This rusty pile of Astra had me head over heels when I laid eyes on it. I had to have it!

To me it was the ultimate spec of car. I still have it now and don't plan to part with it yet. 

The cherry on top was finding the wheels I always wanted for it at a bargain price. 

Stuff has come and gone. 

 

I'd be so tempted to find an LET and 6 speed out of a calibre and 5 stud Cav Turbo wheels and go the whole opel TS200 replica thing. 

I did once own a 1.4 LSi (82 Bhp 8V) with grey bumpers and 13 inch steel wheels, and was gutted when I drove it straight into the back of a fiesta at the end of the Knowley Expressway one sunny morning. 

[JMotor]

28 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

You never did see many of those Astra saloons around. They must be like hen’s teeth now?

I don't think the Astra saloons were a big seller in the UK to begin with. 

So yeah they are much rarer now.

You'll see a lot more in Europe. 

The one I own is a little rarer again. As it's a SA market only car. Still a common sight there though. 

[Metal Guru]

1 hour ago, JMotor said:

I don't think the Astra saloons were a big seller in the UK to begin with. 

So yeah they are much rarer now.

You'll see a lot more in Europe. 

The one I own is a little rarer again. As it's a SA market only car. Still a common sight there though. 

Weren’t Astra saloons badged as Belmonts at least the early ones?

[Somerset Suffolk]

5 hours ago, stuboy said:

Fiat 128 cl.. 2nd car i ever owned.. ran like crap when cold.. but drove really well.. nothing flash about it at all... changed all the doors, bonnet, bootlid, interior, mate changed the engine and gear box.. I changed the wheels.. sunroof leaked.. overheated when driven sensibly.. bloody fiats..

@stuboy  Dad had a brand new X reg 128 - in that "sort of French blue" handled so well - we tried to rust proof it within an inch of its life but it still started to rust on the scuttle below the windscreen - was repaired under warranty but dad lost faith in it and bought a 3 door Renault 11 TXE 

[EyesWeldedShut]

11 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

We had one through the garage I was at, and just couldn't shift the damned thing - must have been there for the best part of a year.  Just badge snobbery as far as we could tell as everyone there liked it.

Most recent 4x4 prior to the Musso was a 1989 Range Rover auto (3.5 EFi not 3.9). The Musso was (imho) a far, far better car/tractor to drive/spanner on. It also lived almost a decade longer than the Range Rover.
I rather liked the 'wedge' look to the Musso - also the advantage that it could really hoof it when you floored the throttle - lovely, lovely engine, just don't watch the fuel gauge  

[I_am_Diesel]

For me it's the Mk1 Fiesta. When I was a kid in 1978 I remember one of my Dad's work mates getting a  brand new one. I was smitten. When I passed my test they were still beyond my budget, so my first car was a mini. Joining the RAF meant travelling across the country so I needed something bigger so the mini was replaced with a Mk IV Cortina. I did buy a 1.1L doer up'er in the late 90's but my marriage went south and I had to get rid. In the intervening years I owned several Mk2's including 2 XR2 and a Mk3  It wasn't until 2005 when I was working on Ascension Island I managed to buy another Mk1 Fiesta. The previous owner crashed it into a railing while drunk and was sacked. I managed to get hold of a headlight and a bumper, matched the paint, repaired it and happily trundled around in it until I imported a Discovery which was more practical for carrying scuba diving gear. Reluctantly the Fiesta was sold. A couple of years ago I was in Kings Lynn and went to look around ACA to pass some time. There was a MK5 RS2000 I was lusting after and was very tempted. My wife asked what would I really want? I was either a Mk2 RS 2000 or a MK1 XR2. I couldn't afford the former but I could just about stretch to the latter. I found this on eBay and bought it. It was in Leeds, I was in Suffolk.

I bought it unseen (stupid boy) and paid for delivery by a local guy.  It ran like a bag of shit and wasn't as in good order as described. One Haynes manual and a timing light later I had it running a lot better. The carb can be a bit intermittent and I have to keep setting the mixture but it buzzes along nicely, although a 5th gear would be nice. I've generally improved it, it's not concourse but I love it. The picture next to the Buccaneer was taken last year. I only use it during the summer months and the rest of the time it's garaged. I also have a love of Land Rovers and own a Defender, but the Fiesta is the car that stole my heart. So much so, I bought it's younger brother this year.

[dieselnutjob]

On 26/12/2025 at 09:12, loserone said:

When I had this (the first time) it was the perfect level of shonk.

305 estates are awesome in every possible way.  I had a couple of diesel ones and for a short while a GTX.  I always had a dream of building a turbo diesel one with some GTX bits on it.

My first car was a series 1 305 with the 1.5 diesel and it was barely legal wreck with 350,000 miles on it, but a fantastic student car.  My second was a diesel estate and basically my first automotive love.  She was scrapped due to a rotten body shell (she'd been written off twice) and poor compression, probably burned out exhaust valves.

[jon.k]

A 305 for me too. Such a nice car to drive.

[loserone]

I figure since the ones in the UK are all fucked, I will just have to import one from France.  I have no issues with LHD  as a daily..

[JMotor]

17 hours ago, Metal Guru said:

Weren’t Astra saloons badged as Belmonts at least the early ones?

The MK2 Astra Saloons were. 

The monkier was dropped when the MK3/F Astra was launched. 

Gets more interesting in South Africa. The MK2 was known as the Monza in Saloon trim and the hatch kept the Kadett name. 

That changes with the MK3. Saloons are called the Astra. Hatchbacks keep the Kadett name.