Are cars less characterful than they used to be?
Discussion
QBee said:
Not sure I can help you.
My daily is either a 2002 Saab 9-5 estate (I have dogs) or a 2005 mark 1 Nissan X Trail (I tow stuff and have dogs).
Both are too comfortable and capable to be special enough, and cost too little to suit your budget.
My something special is:
22 years old, 4.6 litres of hoot to drive, cheap tax and insurance and a great owners club/following.
Holy sh*t thats stunning, would be beautiful being thrashed round the cotswolds.My daily is either a 2002 Saab 9-5 estate (I have dogs) or a 2005 mark 1 Nissan X Trail (I tow stuff and have dogs).
Both are too comfortable and capable to be special enough, and cost too little to suit your budget.
My something special is:
22 years old, 4.6 litres of hoot to drive, cheap tax and insurance and a great owners club/following.
It has traversed the Cotswolds a few times, on the way to Castle Combe or similar for track days.
I would have loved to have taken it when visiting my sister in law at Ashley.
But sadly, my better half hates travelling in it. And I wouldn't be going to see her sister without her.
It's not so much the car itself, just the low sitting position and our busy roads/driving standards on them.
It makes her feel very vulnerable in traffic, being able to see the diff on any truck we are following..
She nowadays insists we take the X Trail for longer journeys, so she can be higher up and thus further from the accident (which we have never had in 20 years of travelling together).
She was quite happy passengering with me on a track day at Cadwell Park in the TVR, despite hard braking from well over 100 mph before sliding round corners she thought we would never make. No truck diffs to inspect, or tossers in german repmobiles to be anxious about..
Her fears are not perhaps particularly logical, but she does trust me to know what I am doing at speed.
I would have loved to have taken it when visiting my sister in law at Ashley.
But sadly, my better half hates travelling in it. And I wouldn't be going to see her sister without her.
It's not so much the car itself, just the low sitting position and our busy roads/driving standards on them.
It makes her feel very vulnerable in traffic, being able to see the diff on any truck we are following..
She nowadays insists we take the X Trail for longer journeys, so she can be higher up and thus further from the accident (which we have never had in 20 years of travelling together).
She was quite happy passengering with me on a track day at Cadwell Park in the TVR, despite hard braking from well over 100 mph before sliding round corners she thought we would never make. No truck diffs to inspect, or tossers in german repmobiles to be anxious about..
Her fears are not perhaps particularly logical, but she does trust me to know what I am doing at speed.
Turbobanana said:
Thanks PB, made me chuckle. I remember your travails after the 928 bit the dust. At least my pain is of my own making.
944S2 is a possibility, if I can find one that hasn't rusted yet.
If looking at a 944 I wouldn’t be scared of one that has been properly fixed - ie reputable body shop has removed and repaired inner/outer sills with photos to prove. At least it’s then been done. 944S2 is a possibility, if I can find one that hasn't rusted yet.
I saw an ex-UK car over here a week or so ago that had been through such process and the underside was like new. Paint job wasn’t the best but metalwork was faultless and would give no cause for concern for many years.
There are many specialists out there to help with these too - both pre-purchase and post. Also spares generally easy to find and not necessarily as expensive as you might think.
But go in eyes open, and make sure any prospective purchase is properly inspected first. They are v fun cars
Unlike a lot of people on PH I tend to keep my cars a long time because I can’t afford to keep replacing them.
I’ve gone from Pug 104 to 1983 Pug 205, some company cars of which I shall not speak, 1993 Mondeo, 2002 Pug 406 coupé to currently a 2014 Seat Leon.
I’ll disregard the 104 so in that time the steering and brake feel has reduced and the ride/handling compromise has progressed to the much harder edge. The Leon’s seats are so hard that I’m uncomfortable after an hour which wasn’t the case in previous cars. Getting older might have something to do with it of course…
On the other hand the equipment, build quality and infotainment systems have progressed in leaps and bounds.
I’ve been test driving EVs recently and they seem to be a metal box with wheels for the purpose of transporting occupants and their infotainment system from A to B. They make a journey something to be endured not enjoyed.
It might be my age but I do agree with people who think the late 90s were the sweet spot for cars in terms of looks, ability and reliability.
I’ve gone from Pug 104 to 1983 Pug 205, some company cars of which I shall not speak, 1993 Mondeo, 2002 Pug 406 coupé to currently a 2014 Seat Leon.
I’ll disregard the 104 so in that time the steering and brake feel has reduced and the ride/handling compromise has progressed to the much harder edge. The Leon’s seats are so hard that I’m uncomfortable after an hour which wasn’t the case in previous cars. Getting older might have something to do with it of course…
On the other hand the equipment, build quality and infotainment systems have progressed in leaps and bounds.
I’ve been test driving EVs recently and they seem to be a metal box with wheels for the purpose of transporting occupants and their infotainment system from A to B. They make a journey something to be endured not enjoyed.
It might be my age but I do agree with people who think the late 90s were the sweet spot for cars in terms of looks, ability and reliability.
Roderick Spode said:
I started a new job 2 years ago, and was presented with the list of available company vehicles. Everything from a Mitsubishi Mirage to an Audi Q3. Nothing whatsoever took my fancy, nor did any of the privately available vehicles for the cash alternative. Decided to opt out of the scheme and keep driving my 20 year old Saab diesel, and claim the HMRC mileage allowance instead. A lucrative option!
In recent times I have had cause to drive colleagues modern contraptions - a Volvo XC40 and a VW Golf mk8. Both had horrible hard seats, overly firm suspension, nervous twitchy steering, a plethora of driver 'aids' that get in the way, gutless engines, stupid infotainment systems incorporating the major functions so that changing the climate control settings was a prolonged and involved operation, and brakes that went "nothing... nothing... nothing... head through the windscreen". The Golf in particular was terrible to drive, with a dreadful notchy manual gearbox, far too many distracting bing bong messages on the dashboard, steering that was extremely nervous and required continuous corrections, adaptive cruise control that hit the brakes if a crisp packet blew across the road half a mile away, and seats that felt like park benches. I hated it with a passion.
My parents have recently bought themselves a new Kia X-Ceed or whatever it's called. Hideous. Huge on the outside, but comically microscopic on the inside. I genuinely laughed when I opened the boot - my father has a tripod walking frame, and it completely filled the load area. In my battered old Saab that sits off to one side in the cavernous boot, barely noticeable. My wife has taken on a new Audi Q2 for work, and that's the same story - a large car (to me anyway) on the outside, but with no space at all inside. Have car manufacturers forgotten how to do packaging?
The old Saab, dynamically, is by contrast a vastly inferior vehicle from two generations ago, and nobody in their right mind would actually choose it as an everyday vehicle over a modern contraption, but for me it's like a faithful old labrador. Not much to look at, tatty round the edges, slightly incontinent, but an old friend, and I enjoy driving it vastly more than any other car I've driven recently.
Precisely.In recent times I have had cause to drive colleagues modern contraptions - a Volvo XC40 and a VW Golf mk8. Both had horrible hard seats, overly firm suspension, nervous twitchy steering, a plethora of driver 'aids' that get in the way, gutless engines, stupid infotainment systems incorporating the major functions so that changing the climate control settings was a prolonged and involved operation, and brakes that went "nothing... nothing... nothing... head through the windscreen". The Golf in particular was terrible to drive, with a dreadful notchy manual gearbox, far too many distracting bing bong messages on the dashboard, steering that was extremely nervous and required continuous corrections, adaptive cruise control that hit the brakes if a crisp packet blew across the road half a mile away, and seats that felt like park benches. I hated it with a passion.
My parents have recently bought themselves a new Kia X-Ceed or whatever it's called. Hideous. Huge on the outside, but comically microscopic on the inside. I genuinely laughed when I opened the boot - my father has a tripod walking frame, and it completely filled the load area. In my battered old Saab that sits off to one side in the cavernous boot, barely noticeable. My wife has taken on a new Audi Q2 for work, and that's the same story - a large car (to me anyway) on the outside, but with no space at all inside. Have car manufacturers forgotten how to do packaging?
The old Saab, dynamically, is by contrast a vastly inferior vehicle from two generations ago, and nobody in their right mind would actually choose it as an everyday vehicle over a modern contraption, but for me it's like a faithful old labrador. Not much to look at, tatty round the edges, slightly incontinent, but an old friend, and I enjoy driving it vastly more than any other car I've driven recently.
The only new car I've driven in the least three years that I would consider acceptable (and actually pleasant to drive) is the current generation 520d SE. Everything else has been fist eatingly awful. Those rock hard seats, fidgeting, crashing ride, the terrible all round vision, over servoed brakes and steering plus general bland rubbishness. I had to use some horrid Ford junk for a day - a B Max or something? It was just atrocious. And people actually buy this s
t!For local driving I really would rather drive a Mark 2 Escort.
Itsallicanafford said:
Twizzies look like a whole lotta fun. Do they still make them?
FHCNICK said:
Any update on this, will you have to change your username?
Glad you asked!I've been dithering a lot and have been away for a few weeks on holiday, so I let it slide a bit.
Went to have a look at a Boxster, which was cheap but turned out to need just about every panel painting and a new engine cover and front bumper. Plus the interior looked like someone had had an accident in it (of the bowel-emptying variety). Ruled out 924 / 944 after I saw the cost of the inevitable, sooner-or-later sill replacement.
Missed out on a couple of Triumph GT6s, mostly down to my own unwillingness to take time out from work to go look at something. Nearly bought a TVR S2 but the vendor refused to MoT the car, and I wasn't willing to risk it knowing their propensity for chassis outrigger disintegration. Regret that a bit.
Seen a couple of Z3s, facelift models: anyone got any experience of them? They look good value at £5-6,000 with the 2.2 / 2.8 engines. A little unsure of the looks, mind, but you can occasionally find "fun" colours like Dakar Yellow / Fiji Green, which I like. I can't stand the first (Bangle-era) Z4, but the later, 2009-on ones look good, if a bit boring, and some of those have fun coloured interiors.
I still occasionally think of Elan M100s in turbo SE guise: small enough to fit the garage, reliable(ish) Japanese oily parts and a bit unusual. FWD is offputting, but it shouldn't be after the Saab. What would I call myself if I bought one: TurboCalypsoRed? TurboNorfolkMustard? TurboBRG?
Touring442 said:
Roderick Spode said:
I started a new job 2 years ago, and was presented with the list of available company vehicles. Everything from a Mitsubishi Mirage to an Audi Q3. Nothing whatsoever took my fancy, nor did any of the privately available vehicles for the cash alternative. Decided to opt out of the scheme and keep driving my 20 year old Saab diesel, and claim the HMRC mileage allowance instead. A lucrative option!
In recent times I have had cause to drive colleagues modern contraptions - a Volvo XC40 and a VW Golf mk8. Both had horrible hard seats, overly firm suspension, nervous twitchy steering, a plethora of driver 'aids' that get in the way, gutless engines, stupid infotainment systems incorporating the major functions so that changing the climate control settings was a prolonged and involved operation, and brakes that went "nothing... nothing... nothing... head through the windscreen". The Golf in particular was terrible to drive, with a dreadful notchy manual gearbox, far too many distracting bing bong messages on the dashboard, steering that was extremely nervous and required continuous corrections, adaptive cruise control that hit the brakes if a crisp packet blew across the road half a mile away, and seats that felt like park benches. I hated it with a passion.
My parents have recently bought themselves a new Kia X-Ceed or whatever it's called. Hideous. Huge on the outside, but comically microscopic on the inside. I genuinely laughed when I opened the boot - my father has a tripod walking frame, and it completely filled the load area. In my battered old Saab that sits off to one side in the cavernous boot, barely noticeable. My wife has taken on a new Audi Q2 for work, and that's the same story - a large car (to me anyway) on the outside, but with no space at all inside. Have car manufacturers forgotten how to do packaging?
The old Saab, dynamically, is by contrast a vastly inferior vehicle from two generations ago, and nobody in their right mind would actually choose it as an everyday vehicle over a modern contraption, but for me it's like a faithful old labrador. Not much to look at, tatty round the edges, slightly incontinent, but an old friend, and I enjoy driving it vastly more than any other car I've driven recently.
Precisely.In recent times I have had cause to drive colleagues modern contraptions - a Volvo XC40 and a VW Golf mk8. Both had horrible hard seats, overly firm suspension, nervous twitchy steering, a plethora of driver 'aids' that get in the way, gutless engines, stupid infotainment systems incorporating the major functions so that changing the climate control settings was a prolonged and involved operation, and brakes that went "nothing... nothing... nothing... head through the windscreen". The Golf in particular was terrible to drive, with a dreadful notchy manual gearbox, far too many distracting bing bong messages on the dashboard, steering that was extremely nervous and required continuous corrections, adaptive cruise control that hit the brakes if a crisp packet blew across the road half a mile away, and seats that felt like park benches. I hated it with a passion.
My parents have recently bought themselves a new Kia X-Ceed or whatever it's called. Hideous. Huge on the outside, but comically microscopic on the inside. I genuinely laughed when I opened the boot - my father has a tripod walking frame, and it completely filled the load area. In my battered old Saab that sits off to one side in the cavernous boot, barely noticeable. My wife has taken on a new Audi Q2 for work, and that's the same story - a large car (to me anyway) on the outside, but with no space at all inside. Have car manufacturers forgotten how to do packaging?
The old Saab, dynamically, is by contrast a vastly inferior vehicle from two generations ago, and nobody in their right mind would actually choose it as an everyday vehicle over a modern contraption, but for me it's like a faithful old labrador. Not much to look at, tatty round the edges, slightly incontinent, but an old friend, and I enjoy driving it vastly more than any other car I've driven recently.
The only new car I've driven in the least three years that I would consider acceptable (and actually pleasant to drive) is the current generation 520d SE. Everything else has been fist eatingly awful. Those rock hard seats, fidgeting, crashing ride, the terrible all round vision, over servoed brakes and steering plus general bland rubbishness. I had to use some horrid Ford junk for a day - a B Max or something? It was just atrocious. And people actually buy this s
t!For local driving I really would rather drive a Mark 2 Escort.
Turbobanana said:
I can't believe this day has come, but after 22 years of ownership I am saying goodbye to my Saab Convertible - a sad day.
When I bought it, the Twin Towers were still standing, Tony Blair was PM and petrol was 76.9p / litre.
The truth is, I've kind of fallen out of love with it, and it's going to a lovely guy who I know will enjoy it for years to come. I'm trying to keep myself cheerful by considering what to buy next, but it's presented me with a realisation that cars have got a bit dull. Consider this, PH friends:
In July 2000, I bought a 1991 registered Saab Convertible - so in round figures it was about 10 years old at the time. Apply the same delta to car ages now and I'm looking at cars registered around 2011 / 2012. I paid roughly 30% of the car's new list price when I bought it. Without sounding too camp, what drew me to the car was its sense of glamour: its fabulous-ness, if you will. The X-Factor: you know, the thing that makes you go "wow - look at that".
My question is this: is there anything from around 10 years ago that is available now for about £10-15,000 that has the same effect?
My inclination at the moment is towards something like a 986 Boxster, Lotus Excel, Alfa Spider or Caterham. A disparate bunch, sure, but did you notice that they're all a bit older? Is that a product of increased prices or a lack of characterful newer cars? I can't think of anything newer that I "want".
Thoughts (and condolences) welcome...
I think plenty of older cars where incredibly dull too. Pretty much anything from Ford, Vauxhall, Nissan, Toyota etc....When I bought it, the Twin Towers were still standing, Tony Blair was PM and petrol was 76.9p / litre.
The truth is, I've kind of fallen out of love with it, and it's going to a lovely guy who I know will enjoy it for years to come. I'm trying to keep myself cheerful by considering what to buy next, but it's presented me with a realisation that cars have got a bit dull. Consider this, PH friends:
In July 2000, I bought a 1991 registered Saab Convertible - so in round figures it was about 10 years old at the time. Apply the same delta to car ages now and I'm looking at cars registered around 2011 / 2012. I paid roughly 30% of the car's new list price when I bought it. Without sounding too camp, what drew me to the car was its sense of glamour: its fabulous-ness, if you will. The X-Factor: you know, the thing that makes you go "wow - look at that".
My question is this: is there anything from around 10 years ago that is available now for about £10-15,000 that has the same effect?
My inclination at the moment is towards something like a 986 Boxster, Lotus Excel, Alfa Spider or Caterham. A disparate bunch, sure, but did you notice that they're all a bit older? Is that a product of increased prices or a lack of characterful newer cars? I can't think of anything newer that I "want".
Thoughts (and condolences) welcome...
Same era as your Saab, but no way in hell would anyone say these are interesting...
The Saab was a little oddball, even in its day. But in the past 20-25 years, there has been a clear pattern of reduced number of car makers and brands. As indeed you will know, you will have a hard time buying a new Saab these days.
This means that as a trend, the 'average' car is far more diluted and similar across the market place these days. Some newer car companies have arisen to be more mainstream. But they are nearly all making fairly dull mostly entry level cars, trying to mimic the likes of Ford, GM, Toyota. I'm thinking along the lines of Kia and Hyundai.
The other thing to note is. As a rule, performance and sporty cars are relatively more expensive these days on the whole. A Lotus in the mid 1990's was quite attainable for many. Today it is only the few that could consider a new one.
Also recent used car prices due to COVID & lockdown production issues and the like. Has completely inflated used car values, so you'll get a lot less car today than you would have in 2019 for your £15k.
So I agree, on the whole there is less choice of quirky interesting cars at sensible money. Largely due to those car makers either not existing today, or existing in a very different guise to what they did previously.
Arguably interesting cars for £15k or less and approx 10 years old +-
-GT86
-ND MX-5
-350z
-370z
-Z4
-Range Rover Sport Supercharged V8 (503bhp)
-Jeep Wrangler JK
-SRT-8 300C
-SRT-8 Grand Cherokee
-VX220
-VXR8
-MG ZT V8
-MINI convertible
-Jaguar XK150
-Ford Mustang s197
300bhp/ton said:
I think plenty of older cars where incredibly dull too. Pretty much anything from Ford, Vauxhall, Nissan, Toyota etc....
That, I think anyone comparing a ten year old sports car to a modern economy hatch will find the modern car lacking in joie de vivre. A lot of what we forgive as character in old cars is also stuff we just wouldn't stand for in a brand new car too, could you imagine having to fiddle with a choke to get your new car started today? 
It's horses for courses though. Want something fun that'll maybe not work when you need it getting something old and characterful, if you want something that'll unobtrusively let you get about your day lease something Japanese.
PositronicRay said:
Im in a similar situation after having sold a 94 Merc SL. I've also lost enthusiasm for climbing underneath cars.
Slightly different criteria though.
4 seater
Live un-garaged on a drive
Capable of everyday use
Capable of wafting across France
Convertible but preferably not a softtop.
Preferably lowish RFL
Up to £5-10k
So far I've only come up with a rather unglamorous Volvo C70
Late to the party, but the Audi S4 convertible makes a compelling case for a cheap, 4-seat convertible with character. Woofly V8, enough power and comfort to make long drives easy, Audi mechanicals shared with lots of other cars to make maintenance non-specialist.Slightly different criteria though.
4 seater
Live un-garaged on a drive
Capable of everyday use
Capable of wafting across France
Convertible but preferably not a softtop.
Preferably lowish RFL
Up to £5-10k
So far I've only come up with a rather unglamorous Volvo C70
Not the last word in sporty, and probably better with the autobox, but for mine a bit of a bargain at the moment.
Whisper it, but it's possible to get a Monaro for around 10k if you can live with the badge.
Turbobanana said:
Glad you asked!
I've been dithering a lot and have been away for a few weeks on holiday, so I let it slide a bit.
Went to have a look at a Boxster, which was cheap but turned out to need just about every panel painting and a new engine cover and front bumper. Plus the interior looked like someone had had an accident in it (of the bowel-emptying variety). Ruled out 924 / 944 after I saw the cost of the inevitable, sooner-or-later sill replacement.
Missed out on a couple of Triumph GT6s, mostly down to my own unwillingness to take time out from work to go look at something. Nearly bought a TVR S2 but the vendor refused to MoT the car, and I wasn't willing to risk it knowing their propensity for chassis outrigger disintegration. Regret that a bit.
Seen a couple of Z3s, facelift models: anyone got any experience of them? They look good value at £5-6,000 with the 2.2 / 2.8 engines. A little unsure of the looks, mind, but you can occasionally find "fun" colours like Dakar Yellow / Fiji Green, which I like. I can't stand the first (Bangle-era) Z4, but the later, 2009-on ones look good, if a bit boring, and some of those have fun coloured interiors.
I still occasionally think of Elan M100s in turbo SE guise: small enough to fit the garage, reliable(ish) Japanese oily parts and a bit unusual. FWD is offputting, but it shouldn't be after the Saab. What would I call myself if I bought one: TurboCalypsoRed? TurboNorfolkMustard? TurboBRG?
Now that is a fairly wide spectrum of options! The Triumph is ancient technology compared with the Saab (or anything else you mention) but they are lovely and you could probably get 2 of them in your garage. I don't know anything about the BMW's.I've been dithering a lot and have been away for a few weeks on holiday, so I let it slide a bit.
Went to have a look at a Boxster, which was cheap but turned out to need just about every panel painting and a new engine cover and front bumper. Plus the interior looked like someone had had an accident in it (of the bowel-emptying variety). Ruled out 924 / 944 after I saw the cost of the inevitable, sooner-or-later sill replacement.
Missed out on a couple of Triumph GT6s, mostly down to my own unwillingness to take time out from work to go look at something. Nearly bought a TVR S2 but the vendor refused to MoT the car, and I wasn't willing to risk it knowing their propensity for chassis outrigger disintegration. Regret that a bit.
Seen a couple of Z3s, facelift models: anyone got any experience of them? They look good value at £5-6,000 with the 2.2 / 2.8 engines. A little unsure of the looks, mind, but you can occasionally find "fun" colours like Dakar Yellow / Fiji Green, which I like. I can't stand the first (Bangle-era) Z4, but the later, 2009-on ones look good, if a bit boring, and some of those have fun coloured interiors.
I still occasionally think of Elan M100s in turbo SE guise: small enough to fit the garage, reliable(ish) Japanese oily parts and a bit unusual. FWD is offputting, but it shouldn't be after the Saab. What would I call myself if I bought one: TurboCalypsoRed? TurboNorfolkMustard? TurboBRG?
The TVR S series are really growing on me (I am a dedicated TVR wedge lover so that is hard to admit), the styling is a real hark back to traditional British roadster's of the 1960's but with decent performance and simple mechanicals and you have already identified that chassis condition is key.
The Lotus M100 is an oddball which has always been a marmite car, I know nothing about them but I seem to remember the reviews of the time praising the handling. They can also be picked up in some strong colours so at least your username could remain interesting.
Hope whichever you go you pick up a good one.
All the best
Nick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHO-7vdQCZY
"People are enjoying their older cars more but prefer the performance that modern cars offer."
"People are enjoying their older cars more but prefer the performance that modern cars offer."
It is an interesting question. I have some older cars such as the one below which I will have bought 15 years ago in October. Not really old enough to be a classic, but six-speed, no electronics and not a cruising car. I have more recent and more capable cars but it is nice to drive something that can now be slaughtered by a Tesla, but at the time was a seriously quick and challenging car.
I will keep it.
I still hark back to some of the truly original cars I have fancied, from the Citroen SM to the Porsche Carrera GT, both of which I have driven. I am sure there are rich experiences now, but I have done the EV tests up to the Taycan Turbo S (odd name) and was impressed but not in love.
I sure was in love with the Carrera GT.
I will keep it.
I still hark back to some of the truly original cars I have fancied, from the Citroen SM to the Porsche Carrera GT, both of which I have driven. I am sure there are rich experiences now, but I have done the EV tests up to the Taycan Turbo S (odd name) and was impressed but not in love.
I sure was in love with the Carrera GT.
Well, a thing happened...
After dithering seemingly forever, I stuck a bid on an eBay listing - more in hope than expectation. It was about £1000 below my "real" maximum budget and I didn't think for a minute I'd be successful. I wasn't even online when the auction ended, so I was surprised to discover that my bid was the highest of the 21 the seller received, yet was still £600 less than my maximum bid: I'd won a car!
The seller was contacted and a deposit paid. He admitted he'd cocked up and opted for "best bid" rather than "reserve" but was honourable and said he'd go through with the sale.
I dodged the rail strikes and set off after work yesterday. Car collected, balance paid, licence (free) acquired and I set off for the 90-mile drive home. In a car the size of a go-kart that I'd never seen. On roads I didn't know. With zero fuel in the tank. In pouring rain signifying the start of the much-anticipated British monsoon season. What could possibly go wrong?
Long (and wet) story short: I eventually arrived home just before 10pm after enduring the toughest journey I've ever experienced in 35 years of driving. And the best part? The Prince of Darkness saved his inevitable visit until I was literally a mile from home, meaning the portion of the journey spent without lights, wipers or gauges was mercifully short.*
A new 35A fuse this morning and we're into our first commute to work - at least until it blows again, probably on the way home.
Here's my new acquisition in the work car park, absolutely dwarfed by the behemoth that is a Vauxhall Corsa:
Updates to follow - possibly a Readers' Cars thread if anyone's interested?
* Apologies to all the traffic I held up / pissed off in heavy rain past Willen Lake, Milton Keynes last night.
After dithering seemingly forever, I stuck a bid on an eBay listing - more in hope than expectation. It was about £1000 below my "real" maximum budget and I didn't think for a minute I'd be successful. I wasn't even online when the auction ended, so I was surprised to discover that my bid was the highest of the 21 the seller received, yet was still £600 less than my maximum bid: I'd won a car!
The seller was contacted and a deposit paid. He admitted he'd cocked up and opted for "best bid" rather than "reserve" but was honourable and said he'd go through with the sale.
I dodged the rail strikes and set off after work yesterday. Car collected, balance paid, licence (free) acquired and I set off for the 90-mile drive home. In a car the size of a go-kart that I'd never seen. On roads I didn't know. With zero fuel in the tank. In pouring rain signifying the start of the much-anticipated British monsoon season. What could possibly go wrong?
Long (and wet) story short: I eventually arrived home just before 10pm after enduring the toughest journey I've ever experienced in 35 years of driving. And the best part? The Prince of Darkness saved his inevitable visit until I was literally a mile from home, meaning the portion of the journey spent without lights, wipers or gauges was mercifully short.*
A new 35A fuse this morning and we're into our first commute to work - at least until it blows again, probably on the way home.
Here's my new acquisition in the work car park, absolutely dwarfed by the behemoth that is a Vauxhall Corsa:
Updates to follow - possibly a Readers' Cars thread if anyone's interested?
* Apologies to all the traffic I held up / pissed off in heavy rain past Willen Lake, Milton Keynes last night.
Good luck - I did a fair few miles in my chum's GT6 Mk 2 ( as driver and passenger ) and many more in Dad's mechanically similar Vitesse 2 litres. Until I wrapped his Mk 2 around a lamp post after over correcting the over correction of the huge slide on the black ice everybody else had had the wit to notice .
Memories are - lots of cabin heat, sloppy gearchange and duff synchro (my early experiments in heel and toe may have contributed ) , pinking (even on 5 star fuel) , overheating and sometimes terrible running on. But a wonderful noise , enough power easily to humble MGBs , the slower Mk 2 Jags and sporty saloons like Rover 2000TCs ; great steering and oversteer on demand , anywhere , any time and at almost any speed .Overdrive was great , when it was working , and I even got used to the hilariously skewed driving position. Controls were iffy - very easy to plunge into darkness by flicking the column stalk too hard from full to dip , and ending up on sidelights ..
Enjoy
Memories are - lots of cabin heat, sloppy gearchange and duff synchro (my early experiments in heel and toe may have contributed ) , pinking (even on 5 star fuel) , overheating and sometimes terrible running on. But a wonderful noise , enough power easily to humble MGBs , the slower Mk 2 Jags and sporty saloons like Rover 2000TCs ; great steering and oversteer on demand , anywhere , any time and at almost any speed .Overdrive was great , when it was working , and I even got used to the hilariously skewed driving position. Controls were iffy - very easy to plunge into darkness by flicking the column stalk too hard from full to dip , and ending up on sidelights ..
Enjoy
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff