Your daily runner - what made you choose it?

[andrew e]

Before I get ejected off Autoshite, I start up there with the Jones's, and down there with Autoshite in a rolling process! My daily was chosen to last - an E39 bought in 2005 6 years old for the Mrs, then after a Rover 25 tacholess Bulgarian trucker moment (Delivery miles PWC auditor spesh from Motorpoint that was just 3 years and a week old and squished after a full belt/tensioner/MOT spend up at 72k...) it was pressed into daily use in 2008. Now with 195k on the clock it replacement was purchased at the block this morning - a 2008 Vectra wagon. I guess in 5 years time with 150k on the clock the process will repeat.

 

I never chose the E39 - the kids did - I went round the Great trade centre (Cargiant) and shuffled the two "kick you in the back darlings" in all sorts untill they found a car they didn't squabble in when crossing the continent. It's suprising how many family cars have crap seats/high windows in the back. It replaced a well loved Marea that Started life with Avis, then I had it year old to 139k, when a spanking new Sedona replaced it (which she Iveco restyled at 18 months old, negating the E39).

 

The 25 was purchased purely for its £5999 tick every option box 16 miles old set up, though using a 1400K ay 85/90* can get very tiring, so when Borat drove across the A pillar and bonnet I wasn't to gutted.

 

With the E39 now pulling like a train still, but handling like a non-pas sherpa, its replacement was sought. Missed out on a nuevo Croma auto last weekend, bailed on a 60 plate Kia Menigitous when it went past CAP book and beyond on thursday (£10750+fees ) so my man found me a nice Vectra wagon in prefered auto/diesel/shit colour spec

 

Do you know how hard it is to buy a Modern Granda/Carlton/Landcrab?

[Guest]

Keep them coming - what a diverse range of vehicles we have here / some I did not know were on the forum.

[Shep Shepherd]

TV2:

 

 

Cheap to buy (£1200 at 12 years old), comfortable, roomy, quick, fun to drive, practical, fitted with aircon, cruise, a decent stereo and other useful kit, pretty good looking, more economical in daily use than The Volvo, not mention a lot more confidence-inspiring on motorways/autoroutes/autobahnen

[alf892]

An E39 estate 3l diesel auto. Bought because I wanted a lazy comfy commuting weapon...........it fills the brief a treat and averages 40mpg as long as i am not too heavy footed. Only got it in Jan this year and soon after needed a fuel pump. Have just given it a big service including engine mount and discs/pads all round and it is now nice to drive.

 

The E39 replaced a Vectra estate i bought because it was cheap and i didn't have a car after being made redundant........paid £80 for it with a broken cam belt and tank of fuel. Only got rid as it was not good on fuel at 30mpg. Quite a few co cars in the past .......I had an X5 for a couple of years to do a 230 mile commute which it did well even though none of it was off road. It had indicators too. Before that there was an x type Jag diesel which did the same commute really well until I tried to do it off road. Best of the company stuff though was an Audi A6 1.9tdi estate.........fantastic thing and relatively cheap on co car tax too.

 

Just before I got the Vectra I used the 'toy' (1947 Rover) as a daily for a couple of months.......great fun but no way to treat something that old

[Timewaster]

Pic stolen from dealers original advert - currently much less shiney.

Chosen for economy and impending fatherhood.

Goes well enough, has aircon and does 50+mpg WIN!

[Tonka]

 

I've had everything from a Fiat 126 to a Dodge Charger over the last 31 years but always found myself drawn back to big cars, Yanks, BMWs, Granadas etc, to me the Stagea is a bit of everything it's a thirsty, loud, obnoxious sports car, a practical family car, a huge estate, cracking tow vehicle, turns heads and turns noses up in equal amounts, most people just don't get it, but find an empty "wide" country road and it makes you smile, all you need is a Marmite T-shirt...................

 

I've had my fair share of Minis, Metros, Escorts, Fiestas, Cortinas, Capris, Granadas, and plenty of odd ball foreign stuff in between all of which have been used on a daily basis but as I approach my half century I reserve the right to drive something daft, I could just as easily ended up with a Skyline GTR, M5, Monaro, LS400 or even a Silver Shadow, they were all on my short list, after all I pay road fund licence so might as well take up as much road as I can.....

[Albert Ross]

Tax-Free. Check.

Diesel. Check.

Can carry 3/4 of a ton. Check.

4 wheel drive. Check.

Worries the shit out of other drivers. Check.

Cheap to insure. Check.

Cheap parts. Check.

 

Basically I need a working vehicle that carries my tools and other rammel. A 41 year old Land Rover does the job admirably. Oh, and my Wife found it on eBay for me!

[Mat.T]

1986 Saab 900 2.0 carb:

what made me choose it? erm comfortable, its a change from my previous small japanese dailys. Also parts seemed cheap and readily avalible.

Cant say i've had many problems with it had to rebuild both front(handbrake) calipers and a few little things. 12k miles in just over a year. My mate owned a saab 99 in similar spec when i was at uni and it did leave a good impression on me:

[Guest]

Colt Galant 1600 GL

 

Because I like three-box cars which are thirsty, slow and bordering on extinction.

[baldrickthecunning]

The Bora! Chosen because £2300 (2 years ago) bought me a fairly modern, practical and very economical car with plenty of poke and very good fuel economy. Great handling, comfy seats, 6 speed gearbox for cruising along on the motorways. It's now done nearly 158k and despite a few age related repairs, still going strong. Better value than a Golf, too.

 

 

Been round England, Wales, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany and Luxembourg.

 

If finances allowed me to have a second car again, I would though as VW doesn't have the same charm as something with a manual choke, or a simple mechanical injection diesel.

[Mash]

Here's my 1999 Toyota Starlet, one of the last ones. I've had it for almost 2 years and it's been such a reliable little car. After a succession of older cars, some good, some bad I decided it was time to get something just a bit more modern to see me right for a few more years instead of yet another slightly suspect 80s model! This is a real treat to own and when I bought it had only 29000 miles on the clock and is in mint condition. It's now done 41000 and has taken me all over the place. Being a 1.3 it's a bit more suited to motorway driving yet still returns close on 50mpg all the time. Quite old fashioned and basic for this age of car - it's like having my cake and eating it - modern in build quality and reliability but still with that feel of an 80s car. No PAS, electric windows or central locking but I don't need any of that. The interior's a bit gay and it's not ever goijg to be the best car dynamically, but I love it. My aim is to get it to 20 years old!! I'd definitely go for this over a K11 Micra too.

 

 

I've changed the wheeltrims for some nicer ones which came off a Clio and also fitted the clear front indicator lenses.

[scooters]

Colt Galant 1600 GL

 

Because I like three-box cars which are thirsty, slow and bordering on extinction.

 

 

 

The word PHWOARRRR...springs to mind

[eddyramrod]

This:

2002 Vauxhall Brava 2.5TD double-cab. Although, to be fair, I do also use the Granada and the X1/9 for many of the same jobs, often simply on a whim. If there's anything to be carried or towed though, this baby eats the work. It chose us, rather than the other way round. We hadn't been over here very long and knew almost nobody, other than the seller and his mother and brother; also we knew we were going to need something capable of lugging loads. I'm going to miss it if I ever actually get a sale!

[warren t claim]

How come it isn't badged Opel?

[eddyramrod]

It came from UK. I have a photocopy of the V5, showing the reg as EJ51 xxx before it was registered here. I've never seen one wearing Opel; over here they're either Isuzu or Chevrolet.

[catsinthewelder]

 

The 1100 is our daily at the moment, chosen as a totally impractical alternative to the Bx so I'd get my shit together and fix the darned thing up. Its been ferrying me, the mrs and 3 sprogs round for months now. I was considering an AX that a local shitter was offloading but the mrs spotted the Austin in our watch list after I saw it on here and made a decision

 

The Bx is supposed to be the daily. Chosen as it turned up on Freecycle while I was trying to find a Pug 405 diesel estate to replace a much loved but too small 205. It has a hydraulic leak and some rust issues that I really should address but started first time at the weekend having been sat for over 2 months

[Barry Cade]

Small, cheap, cheap to run, made in Poland, heater is great and haz radio2. Keeps the rain off when not on the bike.

 

Bigger, Italian, great engine and the best steering evah. Used for Europe bashing.

 

Latest daily runner,until the snow comes.

[stuboy]

i got mine at under half the market price from my bro in law, was gonna do up and sell on.. sadly been almost 5 years now and its been excellent motor..

[Owain-328i]

 

1995 BMW 328i

 

Ive had this nearly 5 years, when i bought it, it was still considered a reasonably smart car, but thats not why i bought it. I bought it as it was the same price at the time (£2,000) in 2007 as a 2000 plate Focus 2.0 Ghia. I bought it with 100k on the clock, and it had a new engine at BMW a few years before i bought it due to the dreaded 'nikasil' issues, the alloy block sixes can suffer from. Its now got 160k on the clock, and feels no worse for it. Its been a fantastic car, and i recommend one to anyone, as long as you look after them, they seem bomb proof.

 

These days they have a slightly down at heel image, however mines a bit different as its still totally standard, even down to the 15" alloys, so doesnt look chavy atall.

[whitevanman]

1989 Ford P100 Diesel

 

cheap

Carry tons of crap

simple to fix

cheap parts

 

that about covers it

[KruJoe]

 

Behind the BX is the car it replaced, the Impreza Spooort was the last in a run of three 'Classic' hatchbacks, chosen because they're about the right size, cheap to buy (I made a profit on all three!) and are GR9 for the roads around here. If you've been to Malhamdale in the winter you'll know what I mean. Oh, and they're 100% reliable.

That was the problem - boringly reliable, and boringly good at what they do.

 

So to the BX14 Preview... I set my mind on a BX because:

I wanted something completely different to anything I'd had before

something shite to tinker with

practical enough to be our work vehicle.

 

I'd been watching eBay for ages, then Richard (local BX nut) began his big clear out, and he listed two in the first batch. Choosing which one to go for was the subject of much debate.

The BX14 in recession white won the day over the dizzler, due to:

cheap tax

cheap classic insurance

my journeys are mostly short and local

the 14 was in generally better condition and didn't smell of fags.

 

It has been great all summer, has halved out fuel costs, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it easily as quick as my old Impreza 2.0GL cross country, just because we can glide over the imperfections on the worst roads, rather than shaking our fillings out.

[worldofceri]

Is that Bluewater car park?

 

Yep.

[jonathan_dyane]

Current Motah:

Why did I choose it? As part of an economy drive I had replaced my wonderful XM:

with an elderly Peugeot 205

The 205 was mega economical, and ticked lots of boxes, the problem was I began to develop a knee condition, which was largely due to folding my 6'6" frame into a space it didn't really fit.

 

I do shitloads of miles, and decided that I needed another car like the XM, in so far as one I actually fitted. Tempting as another XM would have been, given that my daily needs to be maintained by myself in the street and VOR time at a minimum, I decided that easy to work on was also a priority. I ended up with the 190 as I felt it would last well, be straightforward to maintain, and has shitloads of legroom (although the rear seat passenger behind me would have to be a double amputee...)

 

So far I'm well happy with it, although I am looking forward to replacing the diff next weekend to get rid of the wa-wa-wa-wa-wa. More than the 37mpg I've been getting would be an advantage, although I feel replacing the diff will help as driving it I tend to be either ragging it or coasting otherwise the knackered differential is intolerable...

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I bought mine because it came with the key to the locking wheelnuts. LPG helped, too.

[Guest]

saxo vtr on an s reg . 140k on the clock £250 few months tax and tested for 12 months despite the drop links hanging off both sides and 4 bald tyres .

 

shes now sat on ford steelys and the wobbly steering sorted.

going to run it till the tax runs out, then shes going round the track to end her life burried in the fence pissing all her vital fluids everywhere

[ChinaTom]

 

The E39 was getting a bit old, and when a relative died, my old man inherited it, didn't really get on with it, so gave it to me. I'll need to post again next month as this is moving on as I miss having an estate

[mattblack]

I needed a car after my Renault Megane died, I was going to spend £8-900 quid on something around 10 years old but spotted the Rover in the Autotrader for £275 and thought 'why not?' Probably the best car buying decision I have ever made (not that that's saying much TBH). I was only planning on keeping it for for a few months while I found something else, that was over 2 years ago. I'm planning on giving it some TLC next summer, I CBA with swapping cars ever few months like I used to. I must be getting old.

[Barry Cade]

Current Motah:

 

OOf, I' love these Had 2 as dailies and never any problems. Would have another in a nanosecond.Was getting 46.6MPG on new rapeseed oil, until the price of that went to the equal of Diesel.. Yours would be the pre Sacco board one which I prefer and are getting hard to find now.

[wackywacerwill]

Because the CG died at the hands of another and this was the most promising prospect in the tat pile.

 

 

Mrs www runs this as a daily these days as her bro gifted it to us. To make us feel more at home with it's plush and newness it now has one perspex window, a rear door that does not open and a front one with no door card that only opens from the outside (if only the leccy window worked this wouldn't be such grief)

 

 

Also doing good regular service is this Rayleigh racer. Makes me feel I earn those beers and kebabs.

 

 

Cortina is saved for Sunday best after been the daily for the first year of ownership, mainly due to skintflintness and also having to leave it places I'd rather not.

[KruJoe]

I was going to say it's many years since I last saw a 190 as old as the one my mother had in about 1988. It was a 190D (D54 DHA), and she loved it. My dad, too, it is the only car ever that he didn't want to alter in any way. It still holds our family's record time (4hr15m) for the Hastings to Haworth journey. I don't think we'll ever beat it now.