Your car history

[itzdrk]

1 hour ago, Melanius Mullarkey said:

Then ejacualte yourself from this thread.

The woke left hand drive trying to cancel me again. 

[tamthebam]

18 hours ago, madmitch said:

Too many to list.  Went for best and worst cars.

Best

1987 Renault 5 turbo (leased) Flying machine!

2004 Seat Toledo 1.8T (looked boring, went like shit off a shovel)

2003 Skoda Octavia VRS  (see Toledo comment)

1971  VW Beetle

2004 Mercedes CLK320 (current car)

Worst

1995 Fiesta Deisel.  (leased from new. It had rust appear on both front and rear valances at 6 weeks old. Had no power steering. As a result you needed to be Shwarzenneger to reverse park it. Numerous squeaks and rattles from new).

Daf 33 can't remember what year it was. The most granny of granny cars. Had the first CVT transmission to be fitted to any car. Kept it a few weeks then gave it to a friend who had just passed his test.

 

funnily enough that's what my Granny had! 

Listen kids, the thing had black plastic seats. Imagine you leave it parked in the sun and come back after a while and sit down.... 

[Richey Edwards]

[oldbitterandgrumpy]

11 hours ago, tamthebam said:

funnily enough that's what my Granny had! 

Listen kids, the thing had black plastic seats. Imagine you leave it parked in the sun and come back after a while and sit down.... 

My Dad’s car in the 60’s. Plastic seats. 6 hours baking in the sun at Nairn beach. Me and my two brothers jumping onto the back seat wearing shorts  .  .  . oh the laughs we shared while we were getting our skin grafts. 

[hk blues]

3 hours ago, oldbitterandgrumpy said:

My Dad’s car in the 60’s. Plastic seats. 6 hours baking in the sun at Nairn beach. Me and my two brothers jumping onto the back seat wearing shorts  .  .  . oh the laughs we shared while we were getting our skin grafts. 

I remember that day - it was in all the papers. 

[velo army]

Started of with a black BMX with yellow plastic spokes.  Before I could appreciate the handling once the stabilisers were off I grew out of it and got a red n yellow bmx. Lovely. 

Then came a long period with no wheels and we fast forward to the Raleigh Max I started tooling about on as a young adult. Slick 1 inch tyres turned it into a nippy road bike and I took the plunge and bought an actual racer, a silver Airborne Thunderbolt with Campag Veloce. Fastest bike I've ever ridden. Fuckin bonnie too with red tyres. 

Decided to take up touring (full blown cycling addiction at this point) and bought a Raleigh Randonneur off Ebay. Decent enough and it did two tours plus a load of commuting and winter riding.

Built up.a proper expensive tourer (Thorn Sherpa frame with handbuilt wheels) which was to be my main bike. Utterly invincible and luxuriously comfy. 

That bike and the racer were nicked at different points and the former theft felt like I'd lost a child. Heartbreaking

Currently driving a Ribble Audax. A but racier than the Thorn, but not as versatile. It gets me out and about tbf. 

[carpetmonster]

34 minutes ago, velo army said:

Started of with a black BMX with yellow plastic spokes.  Before I could appreciate the handling once the stabilisers were off I grew out of it and got a red n yellow bmx. Lovely. 

Then came a long period with no wheels and we fast forward to the Raleigh Max I started tooling about on as a young adult. Slick 1 inch tyres turned it into a nippy road bike and I took the plunge and bought an actual racer, a silver Airborne Thunderbolt with Campag Veloce. Fastest bike I've ever ridden. Fuckin bonnie too with red tyres. 

Decided to take up touring (full blown cycling addiction at this point) and bought a Raleigh Randonneur off Ebay. Decent enough and it did two tours plus a load of commuting and winter riding.

Built up.a proper expensive tourer (Thorn Sherpa frame with handbuilt wheels) which was to be my main bike. Utterly invincible and luxuriously comfy. 

That bike and the racer were nicked at different points and the former theft felt like I'd lost a child. Heartbreaking

Currently driving a Ribble Audax. A but racier than the Thorn, but not as versatile. It gets me out and about tbf. 

FIrst steed was a Raleigh Bluebird, then a red girl's bike, which I've never known the make of because my dad put some Alfa Romeo car decals over the bike's stickers and also figured I wouldn't realise no top tube = girl's bike, which he was right on. Then onto the Raleigh Styler - the world's heaviest BMX - I could bunnyhop a full size racer when I was 11 and couldn't do that thing until after my voice broke.

From there a Raleigh Mantis was my first venture into MTBing, and I got bitten by the bug quite hard - that led to saving up lots of money and buying a previous year's model Kona Cindercone at a hefty hefty discount from Evans Cycles, back when they were only a single shop in Croydon. Inherited a Marin Rift Zone full boinger from a mate whose midlife crisis had led to so many bikes his Mrs ordered him to get rid of at least one - it was him lashing three and a bit grand on a Yeti that was the final straw.

 

Rode both Rift Zone and Kona to death (the Kona's on a trainer now and the Marin went to the local charity shop where I think they got $200 for it) but didn't manage to quit smoking until 10 years ago, when the Kona would have been 15 years old. Always swore I'd buy a nicer bike, but there was no point while I was still on the fags. Had my eye on the Salsa 'adventure' range once I quit and managed to get a secondhand Fargo II about 5 years ago. I'm too old to chuck myself off hills anymore (and there isn't a gradient within 100 miles of me now anyway) so it does 99% of what I need it to do. As a lovely bonus, when I paid the seller in cash, in full, he pulled a Salsa frame bag out of his boot and gave me it for 'not being an asshole and trying to argue about the price now we're here'. So in theory, I'm set up to do some bikepacking. When the kids are off to college. By which time I'll be far too old to do any bikepacking. Ho hum. 

[velo army]

8 minutes ago, carpetmonster said:

FIrst steed was a Raleigh Bluebird, then a red girl's bike, which I've never known the make of because my dad put some Alfa Romeo car decals over the bike's stickers and also figured I wouldn't realise no top tube = girl's bike, which he was right on. Then onto the Raleigh Styler - the world's heaviest BMX - I could bunnyhop a full size racer when I was 11 and couldn't do that thing until after my voice broke.

From there a Raleigh Mantis was my first venture into MTBing, and I got bitten by the bug quite hard - that led to saving up lots of money and buying a previous year's model Kona Cindercone at a hefty hefty discount from Evans Cycles, back when they were only a single shop in Croydon. Inherited a Marin Rift Zone full boinger from a mate whose midlife crisis had led to so many bikes his Mrs ordered him to get rid of at least one - it was him lashing three and a bit grand on a Yeti that was the final straw.

 

Rode both Rift Zone and Kona to death (the Kona's on a trainer now and the Marin went to the local charity shop where I think they got $200 for it) but didn't manage to quit smoking until 10 years ago, when the Kona would have been 15 years old. Always swore I'd buy a nicer bike, but there was no point while I was still on the fags. Had my eye on the Salsa 'adventure' range once I quit and managed to get a secondhand Fargo II about 5 years ago. I'm too old to chuck myself off hills anymore (and there isn't a gradient within 100 miles of me now anyway) so it does 99% of what I need it to do. As a lovely bonus, when I paid the seller in cash, in full, he pulled a Salsa frame bag out of his boot and gave me it for 'not being an asshole and trying to argue about the price now we're here'. So in theory, I'm set up to do some bikepacking. When the kids are off to college. By which time I'll be far too old to do any bikepacking. Ho hum. 

My mate is a bawhair off 70 and recently did a 3 week bike tour in the states. I've met many older lads (and ladies) en route who have been on longer tours than mine. Age is no excuse, especially now you've booted the cancer sticks.

[carpetmonster]

Just now, velo army said:

My mate is a bawhair off 70 and recently did a 3 week bike tour in the states. I've met many older lads (and ladies) en route who have been on longer tours than mine. Age is no excuse, especially now you've booted the cancer sticks.

The cost of knee replacements in America is a fine excuse tho, TBF. 

[Gorgie greatness]

Forgot to add Alfa mito & giulietta

[madmitch]

On 23/07/2024 at 07:09, tamthebam said:

funnily enough that's what my Granny had! 

Listen kids, the thing had black plastic seats. Imagine you leave it parked in the sun and come back after a while and sit down.... 

A reminder of how the Daf 33 looked in all of it's magnificence... Sotheby's have one up for auction! 

[scottsdad]

This thread has me thinking back to my childhood. Not my own car-owning history but the cars I grew up with. So I'll add in the ones I can remember. 

Ford Cortina Estate. Loved that one. Mum would drive me and my pal to nursery in it (early 80s). We always wanted to go in the boot so we'd roll about as the car turned corners. Probably get done for that these days.

Another Cortina, but not an estate. 

Fiat Regatta. Loathed this car. I can't say why, but I detested it as a kid. The least cool car ever made. 

Ford Sierra. Great car, went really fast. My mate's dad had a near-identical one and I remember his dad trying to get into our car once. "Fuckin' shit car key won't fit...fuckin' arse..."  "Er, that's my car". 

Then my old man entered the Mondeo/Mazda 6 era. 

I've probably missed out some cars, but these stick in the mind. 

[beefybake]

9 hours ago, scottsdad said:

This thread has me thinking back to my childhood. Not my own car-owning history but the cars I grew up with. So I'll add in the ones I can remember. 

Ford Cortina Estate. Loved that one. Mum would drive me and my pal to nursery in it (early 80s). We always wanted to go in the boot so we'd roll about as the car turned corners. Probably get done for that these days.

Another Cortina, but not an estate. 

Fiat Regatta. Loathed this car. I can't say why, but I detested it as a kid. The least cool car ever made. 

Ford Sierra. Great car, went really fast. My mate's dad had a near-identical one and I remember his dad trying to get into our car once. "Fuckin' shit car key won't fit...fuckin' arse..."  "Er, that's my car". 

Then my old man entered the Mondeo/Mazda 6 era. 

I've probably missed out some cars, but these stick in the mind. 

My favourite of the cars that were in my family when I was a kid was a 1961 Hillman Minx, same colours as pic below.  It was great.., comfy, big bench seat in the front, quick enough for the time.

A real step up from wheezy Fords with 3-speed gearboxes.

 

 

Edited July 25 by beefybake

[tamthebam]

13 hours ago, madmitch said:

A reminder of how the Daf 33 looked in all of it's magnificence... Sotheby's have one up for auction! 

I see one sold for 7 and a half grand ten years ago... 

[madmitch]

3 hours ago, tamthebam said:

I see one sold for 7 and a half grand ten years ago... 

Insanity knows no bounds. I wouldn't give a bar of Cadbury's dairy milk for it.

[Loonytoons]

Jetta - 4 gears, so bad was the aerodynamics it needed shifted into 3rd into any sort of headwind.  One of the previous owners had managed to snap the driver side wiper near its base, I'm guessing trying to change blades.  Araldited back on by them, only to snap off in battering rain on the dual carriageway.  Also had fuel supply issues and often conked out going up hill.

Lada, 0-60 in 5 minutes.  60-0 in 5 minutes.  Cornering was horrendous.  Technically a skip as it had a sunroof.  It leaked.  Actually quite liked it, probably because it was better than the Jetta.  

Datsun, can't remember the model.  Utterly fantastic car to drive though.  Manual choke was fun. 

Sierra.  Quite possibly the absolute worst car I've ever driven.  Just fucking brutal in so many ways.  Something went very wrong in the fuse box.  Melted plastic and metal which resulted in whatever had caused the issue to be resolved as the melted fuse wire had formed a thicker bit of fuse wire that kept the dodgy circuit going. Eventually cooked the engine because of an airlock in the radiator tubing suggesting that there was plenty coolant in the system. There was not.  It was probably for the best.

Corolla, loved that car.  Pre camera days I couldn't quite hit the magic ton on the way down to my SiL's wedding at Gretna.  Got my timing well wrong, an hour from the wedding and 90 miles to go.  Wife had to get changed in the car, we made it by bare minutes.  Fully expected a Blues Brother style collapse when we got out.

Carina x 2.  First one was great until it got rear ended. 2nd one was a Friday afternoon job.  However it was a Toyota and still kept going.

Mazda 6 great car.  Smallest engine 1.8 but could really shift when overtaking when dropped into 3rd.

Mazda 3 utter heap of junk, another Friday afternoon effort.  Happy as f**k when it died.

Currently diesel Focus, 135000 on the clock.  Decent for my needs, £20 road tax, 60mpg.

Like all my cars, they're driven 'til they're deid so I'll see how long that one lasts.

 

[Alert Mongoose]

Two I remember my dad having when I was a bairn.

The jobby brown Marina was a belter.

 

[alta-pete]

24 minutes ago, Loonytoons said:

Corolla, loved that car.  Pre camera days I couldn't quite hit the magic ton on the way down to my SiL's wedding at Gretna.  Got my timing well wrong, an hour from the wedding and 90 miles to go.  Wife had to get changed in the car, we made it by bare minutes.  Fully expected a Blues Brother style collapse when we got out.

 

 

[Sergeant Wilson]

I wasn't going to bother, it's very dull. Only passed my test in the late 90s, as I hadn't bothered before.

Austin Maestro 1.6 auto, bought from a pal who had got it for his American wife who could only drive autos. Absolutely fucking tragic, every cavity filled with water you could hear sloshing around. I had to park it on steep hills to let it drain. Used my Dad's Megane a lot and quite liked it.

Proton 1.3, they were cheap versions of Colts that Proton bought all the old parts and machinery. Brilliant car, but won't get you a burd...or even a friend.

Citroen Xsara, brand new company car. I thought I'd arrived!

Daewoo something or other, that's as much as I remember... It was dark red.

Renault Laguna, it was some sort of amphibious landing craft.

Fiesta, loved it. Old fashioned, no frill, nothing to go wrong.

Ka, as above, but a wee bit prone to rust. Tried to clean the carpet and could see the road through the bottom of it.

Chevrolet something, not the big American one, the wee boring Korean one, see previous Daewoo and Proton entries.

Citigo, thought it would be my last until we reverted to one car in a few years and intended to run it into the ground. However, I think it will outlive me.

In an unexpected twist I managed to wangle one more car of my own, a Fiat 500 which is essentially my 6th and favourite grandchild.

Had access to various other, Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, Seat whichever my wife had at the time.

Edited July 25 by Sergeant Wilson

[alta-pete]

3 minutes ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

I wasn't going to bother, it's very dull. Only passed my test in the late 90s, as I hadn't bothered before.

Austin Maestro 1.6 auto, bought from a pal who had got it for his American wife who could only drive autos. Absolutely fucking tragic, every cavity filled with water you could hear sloshing around. I had to park it on steep hills to let it drain. Used my Dad's Megan's a lot and quite liked it.

Proton 1.3, they were cheap versions of Colts that Proton bought all the old parts and machinery. Brilliant car, but won't get you a burd...or even a friend.

Citroen Xsara, brand new company car. I thought I'd arrived!

Daewoo something or other, that's as much as I remember... It was dark red.

Renault Laguna, it was some sort of amphibious landing craft.

Fiesta, loved it. Old fashioned, no frill, nothing to go wrong.

Ka, as above, but a wee bit prone to rust. Tried to clean the carpet and could see the road through the bottom of it.

Chevrolet something, not the big American one, the wee boring Korean one, see previous Daewoo and Proton entries.

Citigo, thought it would be my last until we reverted to one car in a few years and intended to run it into the ground. However, I think it will outlive me.

In an unexpected twist I managed to wangle one more car of my own, a Fiat 500 which is essentially my 6th and favourite grandchild.

Had access to various other, Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, Seat whichever my wife had at the time.

You know how to live!