What's your motoring history?

[MX-5 Lazza]

Seeing a comments about previous cars got me thinking so I though I'd start this thread so we could list our motoring history:

Me - in the correct order if my memory is working correctly...

• Vauxhall Viva HL (really old...)
• Ford Cortina MkIII 1.6
• Rover P6 2000SC
• Vauxhall Chevette Hatchback
• Ford Cortina MkIII 2.0 GT (2dr coupé - I loved that car - bright orange!)
• Rover P6 2000TC (1971 car into which I put a rebuilt 2200TC engine - a really great car, wish I'd kept it)
• Rover 216 SE (1985 car in "Champagne" i.e. beige. No power whatsoever)
• Toyota Carina II 2.0 GLi Executive (wins the award for "Car I've owned with longest name")
• Mazda MX5 1.8i Berkeley (bought new in 1998 and kept for 7 years)
• Mazda MX5 1.8i Sport (now MP62 supercharged. I can't see me selling it in the foreseeable future)
• Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec (Bought to do the boring stuff - actually a really good car)

I had a few motorbikes before I moved to cars but nothing big (I didn't have a bike licence)...

• Malaguti 50cc trial bike
• Yamaha FS1e
• Suzuki GP100
• Suzuki GT250 (I know - but I was young & foolish and didn't worry about things like tax, licence, insurance, life, world peace...)
• Suzuki A100 (a bit of a classic, very early model)
• Yamaha AS1 (even more of a classic - 125cc twin cylinder precursor to RD125 produced before bikes were restricted so was damn quick for a 125 - could almost keep up with the GT250. Overlapped with the Viva & Cortina)

I loved biking but it's just too dangerous. A knob in a car can kill you regardless of how safely you ride. After 3 accidents, one potentially serious (I miraculously survived with a few flesh wounds) I decided to stick to cars.

Spill the beans - what did you have, good bad & ugly

[bluetone]

Chronology:

• Honda VFR400R (NC30)
• Celica GT - the one with the pop-up headlights.
• MGF VVC - a company car and a mistake TBH!
• Lancia Delta Intregrale EVO2 - like keeping a mistress; expensive and troublesome but great fun and oh-so good looking!! Vintage turbo-lag also..!
• Subaru Imprezza Turbo Wagon - oh look the sproglets are coming; I couldn't subject the Lancia's beautiful fawn alcantara interior to baby sick
• BMW 525i Touring - Baby No. 2 arrives, to the sound of the beemers fantastic straight-six engine
• Audi A6 Quattro 4.2L Avant - moved from city to sticks = AWD required, with a mahoosive v8, natch
• Mazda Mk1 MX5 1.8 (my personal transport for the last 3.5 years)
• Nissan X-Trail Aventura - most recent acquisition has proved very useful in the last few snowy weeks!!

+ next purchase is to be a Celica GT4 (ST205) in the spring, when my beloved 5 will have to find a new home; 2 seats just isn't enough some times

Edited by bluetone on Tuesday 12th January 16:31

[bluetone]

MX-5 Lazza said:

I loved biking but it's just too dangerous. A knob in a car can kill you regardless of how safely you ride. After 3 accidents, one potentially serious (I miraculously survived with a few flesh wounds) I decided to stick to cars.

Great topic btw Lazza

I too decided I was pushing my luck on 2 wheels, riding in/around London = waay scary.

[I Am Milk]

Here's my relatively short car history;

• 1991 - Mini City E 998cc
• 1989 Mini Racing Green 998cc with 289 race cam and stage 3 head
• 1994 Mini Rio 1275cc with Stage One Kit (Inlet/outlet manifolds, air filter and new carb needle, as well as a RC40 stainless exhaust)
• 1991 Eunos Roadster 1.6 - current car.

Only 21, so plenty more cars to come

[neil_bolton]

Sideways.

no matter what I'm controlling

[gdaybruce]

Austin A30 (803cc) (£20)
Morris Minor van (1098cc) (£200)
Rally prepped Mini 998cc (swapped for van)
Citroen 2CV (425cc, increasing to 602cc after the big end went and a replacement engine was required) (£400)
MG Midget 1275 (used for road rallies as well as daily driver) (£500)
Lotus Elan S2 (should never have sold it!) £750!)
Austin 1100 (£500)
Austin Allegro 1500cc (the worst of the lot and not a patch on the 1100) (bought from Dad at discount)
Saab 99
MGB GT (stolen and crashed within a week and never the same again)
Triumph Dolomite Sprint
Mini 1293cc used for road and stage rallies
Ford Escort Twin Cam rally prepped
Lotus Elan +2
Alfasud Ti (x2) (new)
Vauxhall Astra GTi
Rover 3500 SD1
Rover 3500 Vitesse
Austin Montego Estate 2.0i (kids and a company car but pretty good anyway)
Citroen BX 1.9GTi (Co car)
Rover 416 GTi (Co car)
Rover 420 GSi Sport (Co car)
Nissan Primera SE (Co car)
Rover 620 Ti (Co car)
Land Rover Discovery TD5 (x2) (first was Co car)
Subaru Legacy Estate 2.0
Subaru Impreza Turbo (brilliant)
Vauxhall Astra 1.9D SRi Estate (back to company cars!)
Land Rover Freelander Series II
Mazda Eunos 1.6 (£1100)

And, since we're including 2 wheels, a 1955 James Captain, taking me from final school year into 1st year at Uni.

Edited by gdaybruce on Tuesday 12th January 17:20 to add prices paid, where I can remember

Edited by gdaybruce on Tuesday 12th January 17:26

[WarrenG]

My small list;

Mini 998 Red/black roof alloys centre exhaust
mini 998 russet brown
Mitsubishi Colt
Reliant Scimitar 3.0 auto 1972
Rover SD1 2600S auto
Mini 1275GT
Ford CAPRI 2.0S
Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8GLi
Ford XR2 B '85
Toyota Celica 2.0GT
Toyota Tercel 1.6 (4WD corrola estate!)
Toyota MR2 mk1
Suzuki Vitara
BMW 320iSE (E30)
BMW 525XiSE (E34)
CRX 1.6/16v
MINI Cooper
BMW 116i
BMW 120d
Renault Safrane 2.2
Vauxhall Omega 3.0 V6 Elite
Dutton Phaeton with 1600 x-flow
Pug 205 1.9GTi H '90
FC20VT 220PS/218BHP
BMW's 320i, 330i, 330d, 123d, 525d and counting (co.cars)
MX-5 1.8i (Eunos Roadster)

Overall, I prefer RWD to FWD, but that Fiat was suprisingly good for a 63/27% F/R FWD.

[mike9009]

Always love these threads - in chronol;ogical order of ownership (includes my wifes motors as well!)

1987 Volkswagen Golf 1.3E
1995 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2L
1986 Austin Metro
1990 Toyota MR2 mk1
1993 Nissan Micra
2002 Mini One
2000 Vauxhall VX220
2004 Smart Roadster Coupe
2004 Mini Cooper S
2001 Alfa Romeo 156 SportWagen
1991 Mazda Eunos (1.6)

and thats it in 15 years of motoring - still miss my vx220, but with a child now on the scene I don't think it will be possible for a few years again.... However love the mx5 - especially in the snow at the moment - I am a driving god... haha

Mike

[MX-5 Lazza]

neil_bolton said:

Sideways.

no matter what I'm controlling

So was the guy who nearly killed me on my motorbike which is why I'm anti-sideways on the road

[FELIX_5]

'89 Ford Escort 1.3 Popular (4 speed and in halfords blue!)
'93 Rover 214 Sli
'89 Ford Escort XR3i
'94 Rover 214i (Don't know why, pov spec, didn't even have p/steering or c/locking)
'01 Peugeot 306 1.8 XS (Looked identical to a 306 GTI-6, but was only insurance group 6!!)
'93 Ford Mondeo 1.8TD
'89 Peugeot 205 GTi 1.6 in White
'93 Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 in White (Mint, low mileage - regret selling that!)
'95 Vauxhall Omega 2.5 TD (BMW Engine)
'92 Peugeot 205 GTi 1.6 (Yep you guessed it, in white!)
'97 Citroen Xantia 1.9TD Estate (Ran it on veggie oil for ages, was great!)

Currently own

'90 Eunos Roadster 1.6 in mariner blue, which I will keep forever.......
'01 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDDi Ghia Estate
'92 Peugeot 205 GTi 1.6 in Miami blue, for a change.

Also had a couple of stop-gap runners in between but not really worth mentioning.

[maz8062]

Good thread

205 GTI 1.9
RX-7 Elford Turbo (Gen 1)
Isuzu Piazza Turbo
RX-7 FC 1
Golf GTI MkII 16Vl
Maserati Biturbo Spyder SE
Alfa 164 Cloverleaf
Delta Integrale 8v
Toyota MR2 Mk1
Citroen BX GTI 16v
Peugeot 106 Rallye 1.3
Peugeot 309 GTI 2.0 (bored and stroked)
Mercedes 190E 2.0
Mercedes 190E 2.5 16V
Mercedes W126 500SE
Renault Clio Williams Mk1
Mazda MX-5 Mk1 1.6
Honda S2000 MY00

I owned the MX-5 the longest but rate the Rallye, MR2 and Golf 16v as the best.

Edited by maz8062 on Tuesday 12th January 19:44

Edited by maz8062 on Tuesday 12th January 19:45

Edited by maz8062 on Tuesday 12th January 19:50

[itiejim]

Reliant Rebel estate - bright yellow, 4 (superslot alloy) wheels and 750cc
Triumph Herald 13/60
Triumph Toledo
Renault 12 (only because it was free!)
Triumph Spitfire IV
Subaru Legacy turbo
FIAT X1/9 1500 (two consecutively)
Yamaha FZ600
Triumph Spitfire III
Kawasaki KR1-S
Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI
Triumph Dolomite Sprint
Alfa 33 1700 Cloverleaf
Ford Escort diesel - necessary banger for car wars in Rome
Citroen ZX TD
Triumph Dolomite Sprint - flowed head, twin 45's, LSD etc...
Yamaha FZR1000
Alfa 156 2.4 JTD
Toyota MR2 mk1
Nissan Micra
Toyota MR2 mk2 turbo
Lotus Elise S1 111S
Porsche 968 Clubsport
Kawasaki ZXR750
Ferrari 308 GTS
Fisher Fury 1100cc motorbike engine
Yamaha R1
BMW 330D E46
TVR Cerbera 4.5
Peugeot 306 XSi
Alfa 145 Cloverleaf
Mazda Eunos mk 1 1800

And the awards go to:
Best drivers car - Elise
Best front wheel drive chassis - 306 (horrid engine though)
Best front engine RWD - Porsche 968
Most exhilerating / fastest - Cerbera
Biggest let downs - 205 - just too unstable for a RWD lover & MR2 turbo - a slighly numb GT after the visceral and beautifully balanced mk1.
Most "special" feeling - 308

I've still got:
MX5
TVR Cerbera
Ferrari 308 (shared with my Dad).

[pbirkett]

Not had as many cars as most here, but here goes

Vauxhall Nova 1.0
Nissan Micra 1.0
Nissan Micra 1.4
Skoda Fabia vRS
VW Golf GTI 8v Mk2
Renault Sport Clio 182
Honda Integra Type-R
Eunos Roadster RS-Limited

Surprisingly enough some of the slower cars were the most fun - the Eunos and the Mk2 Golf were probably the most fun, and although slower than some of the others, they dont feel TOO slow. The 1.4 Micra was a surprising car - quicker than you'd give it credit for - it would match a Saxo VTR in a straight line, and it was quite a raw little thing. Fastest point to point car was the ITR. Great FWD car, but one that only truly shone when in full out attack mode. I felt the Clio was a little overrated but it was undoubtedly a quick car.

[bluetone]

mike9009 said:

1986 Austin Metro

Well done Mike; you win shed-of-the-thread so far!

[j44esd]

erm...

1984 Nissan Sunny 1.3DX (Sorry, first car and all that!)
1989 Citroen BX 1.4 TGE
1990 Ford Orion 1.3 Encore
1998 Volkswagen Polo 1.6 GL
2000 Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec
1999 Ford Escort 1.4L Estate (Poverty spec, ex-Comet)
1989 BMW 316i (2dr with X-Spokes)
1994 Rover 216 Tomcat
1990 Fiat Uno Diesel (Mrs j44esd)
1998 Rover 820i
1994 Peugeot 106 Key whicheveronewasgreen... (Mrs j44esd)
1991 Rover 416GTi
1990 Renault 5 Campus (Mrs j44esd)
1996 Fiat Punto Cabriolet (Mrs j44esd)
1992 BMW 535i Sport
1996 Fiesta 1.25 Zetec (Mrs j44esd)
1996 BMW 318i SE
2004 Volkswagen Golf 1.9Tdi (Company Car)
1997 BMW 318i SE Auto (Mrs j44esd)
1998 BMW 520i SE
1998 Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX
1999 BMW 318i SE Auto (Mrs j44esd)
1990 BMW 535i Sport (Never go back...)
2000 BMW 320d SE Tourer
2000 Renault Megane Scenic 1.4RT (Twin Sunroof's WHOO-WHOO!) (Mrs j44esd)
1999 Audi A6 2.4 SE Avant
1996 Peugeot 306 XSi
1999 BMW 318is Coupe
2008 Volkswagen Passat 2.0TDi 140 Estate (Company Car, still got...)
2000 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet 1.6 Wolfsburg Edition (Mrs j44esd) (I actually quite like this! Shameful, I know...)
1996 Mazda MX-5 1.8 S-Special (Track/Weekend Toy!!)

I think that's it, It's even chronological-ish!

(Actually looking at some of those in black and white, maybe my PH license should be revoked... )

Edited by j44esd on Tuesday 12th January 21:52

[kevham]

Lazza - what have you started? Here's my list in chronological order - full details and photos of many of these cars are in my PH garage. I got my first Nova in 1995, BTW.

1989 Vauxhall Nova 1.0
1996 Ford Fiesta 1.25 Ghia (company lease car)
1994 Mazda MX-5 1.8iS
1998 Mazda Roadster VS
1992 Vauxhall Nova 1.0 Life
1992 Ford Sierra 2.0 LX
1987 Toyota MR-2 Mk1 T-bar
1998 Subaru Imperza Turbo
2000 Volvo V70 2.4 SE
1998 Mazda MX-5 1.8i (still have but not for long...)
2003 Skoda Octavia 1.9TDi Elegance
2004 Skoda Superb 1.9TDi Elegance (still have)
2001 Vauxhall VX220 NA (still have)

So, 15 years, 13 cars, 6 FWD, 6 RWD and 1 4WD. The current MX-5 goes soon. What should I get next? Thinking big Merc or BMW.........

[Herman Toothrot]

1994 pass test
1994 - 1995 Drove parents cars, 1992 Celica GT, 1992 Camry V6GX & 1989 Mini 30
1995 - 1999 University No cars, did uni properly i.e. pissed all the time
1999 - 2001 Audi 80E 2.0 Avant
2001 - 2004 1992 mk2 MR2 Gti -> turbo conversion (engine swap)
2002 - 2003 +1988 mk1 MR2 in addition to the mk2
2003 1990 Peugeot 205 1.9D
2004 2001 Proton Satria Sport
2006 - Present 1999 Honda Accord 1.8 VTEC S
2006 - Present 1997 Mazda Eunos S-Spec -> turbo conversion
2008 - 2009 1995 MR2 Gti
2009 - Present 2002 VX220

[j44esd]

maz8062 said:

Good thread


Maserati Biturbo Spyder SE

I have always wanted one of these - was it any good? Or the life destroying moneypit that I imagine it to be...?

Edited by j44esd on Tuesday 12th January 22:30

[MX-5 Lazza]

bluetone said:

mike9009 said:

1986 Austin Metro

Well done Mike; you win shed-of-the-thread so far!

you've obviously never driven a Viva HL like me or an Austin 1100 like gdaybruce (a girlfriends mum had one which I borrowed sometimes so I know how it feels i.e. an empty box with seats, wheels and an engine. Plenty of space but absolutely no comfort or thought of luxury. The front bench seat was useful though ).
My mrs used to have a Metro however, a 1275 GT and while it was a bit of a shed it was. Great car to fling along a country road with oversteer available that could bd controlled with the throttle, in fact in many ways it was similar to an MX5 -slow but great fun.

Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Tuesday 12th January 22:59

[MX-5 Lazza]

Maz8062 - what was the Isuzu Piazza Turbo like to own?
I nearly bought one when I was 21, it would have been less than 3 years old at the time. I really wanted it but couldn't find insurance for a reasonable price so ended up with the Rover 216SE instead lol.
The one I test drove felt great with a strong engine and good handling (compared to what I had before).