Baked_bean's mixed car history
Discussion
Hi All,
Due to being furloughed and having time to myself, I have decided to make a post giving a rundown of all of the significant cars in my life (excluding company cars & my OH's sensible/modern cars). I have a fairly mixed history, with a slight leaning towards the 80's. It isn't intentional, I just end up buying cars that i have an itch for or happen to see on an idle classifieds browse.
Now onto the cars themselves:
I passed my test in 2007 and my parents surprised me that night with this little Metro, It had 30,000 miles and one old lady owner...It wasn't the coolest car for a 17 year old but I ended up loving it, I kept it for over 3 years (40000 miles) whilst I was at university and it gave me such a sense of freedom. I also used it to learn basic mechanics, I truly would have another in a perverse way.
As i finished Uni i started to get itchy feet (a common theme) so ended up looking on Gumtree at local cars that i could blow my final Student loan payment on...I ended up buying this slightly obscure Mk2 VW Jetta 1.8GL (better value than the golf i really wanted), after the metro it felt like an S class but it never truly won me over. It caused me some issues with the Carbs and the radiator blew within a month and it was gone after 5 months.
The next car is what I class as my first 'decent' car and a car I truly adored, I spent a whole load of time and money on servicing and improving it. With the money they go for now i wish i had held onto it. I was driving 70-80 miles a day in it, in all weathers but it never let me down, I only sold it to help fund moving in with my ex (she wasn't at time time!). The guy I sold it to put it into a lampost sideways after two weeks to add insult to injury!!
I had always wanted a Mk2 Golf in Oak green and this one came up local to me at a good price. Once again a VW caused some disappointment, I found the engine to be flat and dull to be honest. I loved the look and the handling of the car though, despite being on fairly firm coilovers. I ended up fitting BBS wheels to it to complete the look, but can't find any photos of it on them sadly. It was reliable and served me well but I got itchy feet again.
The itchy feet led me to a MK1 MX5, this was at the peak of PH suggesting that the MX5 is the answer to everything and i got wrapped up in it. It was a solid example and was an handling revelation for me, it also let me in on the pleasure of open top driiving all year round. I sadly ended up ruining it with too many modifications but I was young....
I finally ended up getting a payrise so decided to treat myself to a newer car, I went for a Clio 182 that I won on a drunken Ebay bid...thankfully it was a lovely example and despite the rumours was completely trouble free. It was like driving a yorkshire terrier and made me drive like abit of a tit but it gave me some great thrills and It helped me understand lift off oversteer. I would love to find an example this good now.
I ended up going on Edition38 (remember that forum?) and spotting this lightly modified E30 325i sport and fell in love, managed to swap the Clio for it. It had some sort of scorpion stainless exhaust which sounded incredible when beinng revved, I remeber starting the car up once and it made a small child cry....Other than that the Eibach suspension was well judged and it was a brilliant car to drive around in, it really made me realise how much i love 80's rotboxes!
At this point I started having company cars, so have had an assortment of modern cars from a Toyota Yaris to a Golf R estate...this also meant I could use my cars purely as second vehicles, opening up my options somewhat.
I kept on the BMW route and ended up moving to a E36 328i sport, my parents had E36 BMW's whilst i grew up and i watched them racing in the BTCC so always had a soft spot for the looks. It had a cold feed induction kit and the M52 engine was brilliant and the car felt a more modern/ more developed car than the E30- even if perversely I would rather an E30 now. It had cheap coilovers so I fitted some HSD's to it and polybushed the front end as it was slightly vague on turn in when I first purchased it. I took it to various car shows and really enjoyed it, but once again my wandering eyes got the better of me.
I found this incredibly clean little Mk1 MX5 at a prestige garage, It was a really clean import which had never been out in the winter in the uk- they were only selling it as a favour for a friend of the owner. I felt like I had unfinished business with the Mx5 so ended up buying this to satisfy my desires for another Mk1. It was a tidy S-special with a few nice trinkets on it and felt so much more capable than the slightly tatty example i had before. I ended up doing a trip around Germany & Belgium in it and it was a brilliant if slightly cramped companion...I even took it around the Ring where it was hopelessly outpaced but still gave me the bug to return.
I Actually sold the Mx5 as due to a temporary move i had no storage, but once I had space I was back on the classifieds. I ended up satisfying my straight six cravings with another BMW, this time a Z4 Coupe. It was a rare example, being the less popular SE trim but this did help out with the slightly brittle ride. I ended up ditching the runflats which really helped and made the car so much more driveable on backroads. The engine was superb with strong/smooth power delivery. Sadly the electric steering column failed and the only way out was with a reconditioned unit which cost £1500...I still don't ever see it mentioned in relation to the Z4 so assume i was unlucky.
To fund a move onto the property ladder the Z4 had to go sadly and I had a slight hiatus in my car purchases....but then a good friend was moving to Sweden and needed to sell his Mk1 MR2 which I had always displayed affection for, so my hand was forced! It was a great example but i never really felt love for it other than the novelty of the T bar roof and mid engine layout....the lack of community etc for these cars may have contributed to this also, then i struggled to sell it also.
Once again I felt I had unfinished business with another car, this time the E36....so ended up buying another E36 328i sport- this one had an unusual blue leather interior and HK sound system and I was swayed by this. It handled far better than the previous E36 but I had a few running issues with it and had to repair the Vanos units I don't really know why I sold it/bought it but I am sure alot of you have done the same...
For some reason i ended up acquiring an E46 330ci from a work colleague whilst I had the E36, two silver BMW coupes seemed a little extravagant so I ended up selling it to a friend....not before the power steering pump broke on me after 48 hours of ownership, I am cursed by BMW steering systems it would seen.
The next car, is the one that got away for me and I still miss...My S2000, I had wanted one since driving them in various games on my PS2 as a teen and saw the chance to buy one. It was a flawed diamond and provided some of my favourite driving experiences along with a great owners club etc. I used it for a tour around the Scottish highlands and borders with my partner for 2 weeks and it was an incredible companion. I feel I may buy another one day.....
I then hit abit of a weird blackspot for cars and ended up buying various cheaper cars old cars, first of all is another Mk2 Golf...A very tidy example that had clearly had a recent restoration and proved that my previous Mk2 Golf probably wasn't 100%!! I even took it on track were it happily pounded around all day with only light mods to the brakes and suspension. I sold it to a guy in the USAF who has exported it for a new life in Arizona.
I actually also purchased a W124 300E on the same week as the Mk2 Golf, much to my OH's displeasure. I purchased it unseen from a flat in North London but It was actually a nice car on the whole and truly did seem to be a quality item even at 30 years old..I still have a love for old Mercs and see myself owning another in the future....even if it like driving an old gallion.
In a bizarre turn of events i ended up taking an old VW T4 panel van as a swap against the W124, I was struggling to sell the Merc but i figured there is more love for old VW Vans so took the risk (and it paid off). It was an ugly and tatty old thing but had a strange charm- even if my neighbours probably disagree and i ended up using it for gardening work for a few months.
Next up is me satisfying an urge i have had for years, a Defender! I bought it from a family who had a Defender each and had clearly spent money on it....It was an awesome thing (if a little bit s
t) and if I had space i would definitely still have it, but I just need a sporty car in my life in reality.
After selling the Defender i decided it was time to get a Toy that i could use regularly and take the OH out in on longer journeys, It was time to satisfy a childhood dream and buy a 911. It might be the cheapest way into a 911 but for me the 996 is the car i had toys and models of growing up. I went for an early 3.4 Manual coupe to keep it as pure as possible and i love just being around it....even if it has given me a couple of big bills already despite doing my due diligence. Now i have ironed out some flaws and taken it on a few holidays over the summer and it has been faultless, I am hopign to keep this for longer than normal but time will tell.
Last but not least...I also own another Clio 182 to use on track as a cheap hack. It has proven faultless on 3 trackdays despite being given a fairly hard time and makes me grin like a loon. It is way too noisy and fidgety for me to use on the road too much in all honestly but it fits the brief of cheap track toy perfectly.
If you have read this far then well done and thanks for taking the time. If anyone is interested in a more detailed thread of any of the cars let me know as I will look at creating a detailed report on any experiences/work i go through.
Due to being furloughed and having time to myself, I have decided to make a post giving a rundown of all of the significant cars in my life (excluding company cars & my OH's sensible/modern cars). I have a fairly mixed history, with a slight leaning towards the 80's. It isn't intentional, I just end up buying cars that i have an itch for or happen to see on an idle classifieds browse.
Now onto the cars themselves:
I passed my test in 2007 and my parents surprised me that night with this little Metro, It had 30,000 miles and one old lady owner...It wasn't the coolest car for a 17 year old but I ended up loving it, I kept it for over 3 years (40000 miles) whilst I was at university and it gave me such a sense of freedom. I also used it to learn basic mechanics, I truly would have another in a perverse way.
As i finished Uni i started to get itchy feet (a common theme) so ended up looking on Gumtree at local cars that i could blow my final Student loan payment on...I ended up buying this slightly obscure Mk2 VW Jetta 1.8GL (better value than the golf i really wanted), after the metro it felt like an S class but it never truly won me over. It caused me some issues with the Carbs and the radiator blew within a month and it was gone after 5 months.
The next car is what I class as my first 'decent' car and a car I truly adored, I spent a whole load of time and money on servicing and improving it. With the money they go for now i wish i had held onto it. I was driving 70-80 miles a day in it, in all weathers but it never let me down, I only sold it to help fund moving in with my ex (she wasn't at time time!). The guy I sold it to put it into a lampost sideways after two weeks to add insult to injury!!
I had always wanted a Mk2 Golf in Oak green and this one came up local to me at a good price. Once again a VW caused some disappointment, I found the engine to be flat and dull to be honest. I loved the look and the handling of the car though, despite being on fairly firm coilovers. I ended up fitting BBS wheels to it to complete the look, but can't find any photos of it on them sadly. It was reliable and served me well but I got itchy feet again.
The itchy feet led me to a MK1 MX5, this was at the peak of PH suggesting that the MX5 is the answer to everything and i got wrapped up in it. It was a solid example and was an handling revelation for me, it also let me in on the pleasure of open top driiving all year round. I sadly ended up ruining it with too many modifications but I was young....
I finally ended up getting a payrise so decided to treat myself to a newer car, I went for a Clio 182 that I won on a drunken Ebay bid...thankfully it was a lovely example and despite the rumours was completely trouble free. It was like driving a yorkshire terrier and made me drive like abit of a tit but it gave me some great thrills and It helped me understand lift off oversteer. I would love to find an example this good now.
I ended up going on Edition38 (remember that forum?) and spotting this lightly modified E30 325i sport and fell in love, managed to swap the Clio for it. It had some sort of scorpion stainless exhaust which sounded incredible when beinng revved, I remeber starting the car up once and it made a small child cry....Other than that the Eibach suspension was well judged and it was a brilliant car to drive around in, it really made me realise how much i love 80's rotboxes!
At this point I started having company cars, so have had an assortment of modern cars from a Toyota Yaris to a Golf R estate...this also meant I could use my cars purely as second vehicles, opening up my options somewhat.
I kept on the BMW route and ended up moving to a E36 328i sport, my parents had E36 BMW's whilst i grew up and i watched them racing in the BTCC so always had a soft spot for the looks. It had a cold feed induction kit and the M52 engine was brilliant and the car felt a more modern/ more developed car than the E30- even if perversely I would rather an E30 now. It had cheap coilovers so I fitted some HSD's to it and polybushed the front end as it was slightly vague on turn in when I first purchased it. I took it to various car shows and really enjoyed it, but once again my wandering eyes got the better of me.
I found this incredibly clean little Mk1 MX5 at a prestige garage, It was a really clean import which had never been out in the winter in the uk- they were only selling it as a favour for a friend of the owner. I felt like I had unfinished business with the Mx5 so ended up buying this to satisfy my desires for another Mk1. It was a tidy S-special with a few nice trinkets on it and felt so much more capable than the slightly tatty example i had before. I ended up doing a trip around Germany & Belgium in it and it was a brilliant if slightly cramped companion...I even took it around the Ring where it was hopelessly outpaced but still gave me the bug to return.
I Actually sold the Mx5 as due to a temporary move i had no storage, but once I had space I was back on the classifieds. I ended up satisfying my straight six cravings with another BMW, this time a Z4 Coupe. It was a rare example, being the less popular SE trim but this did help out with the slightly brittle ride. I ended up ditching the runflats which really helped and made the car so much more driveable on backroads. The engine was superb with strong/smooth power delivery. Sadly the electric steering column failed and the only way out was with a reconditioned unit which cost £1500...I still don't ever see it mentioned in relation to the Z4 so assume i was unlucky.
To fund a move onto the property ladder the Z4 had to go sadly and I had a slight hiatus in my car purchases....but then a good friend was moving to Sweden and needed to sell his Mk1 MR2 which I had always displayed affection for, so my hand was forced! It was a great example but i never really felt love for it other than the novelty of the T bar roof and mid engine layout....the lack of community etc for these cars may have contributed to this also, then i struggled to sell it also.
Once again I felt I had unfinished business with another car, this time the E36....so ended up buying another E36 328i sport- this one had an unusual blue leather interior and HK sound system and I was swayed by this. It handled far better than the previous E36 but I had a few running issues with it and had to repair the Vanos units I don't really know why I sold it/bought it but I am sure alot of you have done the same...
For some reason i ended up acquiring an E46 330ci from a work colleague whilst I had the E36, two silver BMW coupes seemed a little extravagant so I ended up selling it to a friend....not before the power steering pump broke on me after 48 hours of ownership, I am cursed by BMW steering systems it would seen.
The next car, is the one that got away for me and I still miss...My S2000, I had wanted one since driving them in various games on my PS2 as a teen and saw the chance to buy one. It was a flawed diamond and provided some of my favourite driving experiences along with a great owners club etc. I used it for a tour around the Scottish highlands and borders with my partner for 2 weeks and it was an incredible companion. I feel I may buy another one day.....
I then hit abit of a weird blackspot for cars and ended up buying various cheaper cars old cars, first of all is another Mk2 Golf...A very tidy example that had clearly had a recent restoration and proved that my previous Mk2 Golf probably wasn't 100%!! I even took it on track were it happily pounded around all day with only light mods to the brakes and suspension. I sold it to a guy in the USAF who has exported it for a new life in Arizona.
I actually also purchased a W124 300E on the same week as the Mk2 Golf, much to my OH's displeasure. I purchased it unseen from a flat in North London but It was actually a nice car on the whole and truly did seem to be a quality item even at 30 years old..I still have a love for old Mercs and see myself owning another in the future....even if it like driving an old gallion.
In a bizarre turn of events i ended up taking an old VW T4 panel van as a swap against the W124, I was struggling to sell the Merc but i figured there is more love for old VW Vans so took the risk (and it paid off). It was an ugly and tatty old thing but had a strange charm- even if my neighbours probably disagree and i ended up using it for gardening work for a few months.
Next up is me satisfying an urge i have had for years, a Defender! I bought it from a family who had a Defender each and had clearly spent money on it....It was an awesome thing (if a little bit s
t) and if I had space i would definitely still have it, but I just need a sporty car in my life in reality.After selling the Defender i decided it was time to get a Toy that i could use regularly and take the OH out in on longer journeys, It was time to satisfy a childhood dream and buy a 911. It might be the cheapest way into a 911 but for me the 996 is the car i had toys and models of growing up. I went for an early 3.4 Manual coupe to keep it as pure as possible and i love just being around it....even if it has given me a couple of big bills already despite doing my due diligence. Now i have ironed out some flaws and taken it on a few holidays over the summer and it has been faultless, I am hopign to keep this for longer than normal but time will tell.
Last but not least...I also own another Clio 182 to use on track as a cheap hack. It has proven faultless on 3 trackdays despite being given a fairly hard time and makes me grin like a loon. It is way too noisy and fidgety for me to use on the road too much in all honestly but it fits the brief of cheap track toy perfectly.
If you have read this far then well done and thanks for taking the time. If anyone is interested in a more detailed thread of any of the cars let me know as I will look at creating a detailed report on any experiences/work i go through.
I never really post but this car history caught my eye, I’ve owned loads of the same cars! I’ve also had 2x Clio 182’s, e46 330ci, old Merc (190e), plus a z4 3.0si although mine was the roadster. I seem to get the six month boredom in the same way.
My steering column also failed if it’s any comfort, so you’re not alone. Did you have to pay the full £1.5k for a new part? I managed to find a second hand one from a breaker, but not before DHL misplaced my column after I posted it to a repairer, that was an awkward couple of weeks before I found another one.
Interested in how the 911 feels compared to the z4? I found the z a little bland in the end, despite the smooth engine etc
My steering column also failed if it’s any comfort, so you’re not alone. Did you have to pay the full £1.5k for a new part? I managed to find a second hand one from a breaker, but not before DHL misplaced my column after I posted it to a repairer, that was an awkward couple of weeks before I found another one.
Interested in how the 911 feels compared to the z4? I found the z a little bland in the end, despite the smooth engine etc
Jash91 said:
I never really post but this car history caught my eye, I’ve owned loads of the same cars! I’ve also had 2x Clio 182’s, e46 330ci, old Merc (190e), plus a z4 3.0si although mine was the roadster. I seem to get the six month boredom in the same way.
My steering column also failed if it’s any comfort, so you’re not alone. Did you have to pay the full £1.5k for a new part? I managed to find a second hand one from a breaker, but not before DHL misplaced my column after I posted it to a repairer, that was an awkward couple of weeks before I found another one.
Interested in how the 911 feels compared to the z4? I found the z a little bland in the end, despite the smooth engine etc
My steering column also failed if it’s any comfort, so you’re not alone. Did you have to pay the full £1.5k for a new part? I managed to find a second hand one from a breaker, but not before DHL misplaced my column after I posted it to a repairer, that was an awkward couple of weeks before I found another one.
Interested in how the 911 feels compared to the z4? I found the z a little bland in the end, despite the smooth engine etc
Good to see a man with taste, 182’s are an addictive little car.
Unlucky on the column, it was a £1.5k bill for a reconditioned part fully fitted.
It’s been a while since I drove the z4 but the 996 is a far superior car to drive, the Z4 was a little numb in comparison although the straight six was lovely and it was quieter on a cruise. The 996 has amazing steering, control weights and a general sense of being planted despite the weight distribution taking a little getting used to.
Feel free to pm me.
Some great cars I am guessing I am a similar age to you. My mate had a metro as his first car it was great! Fond memories of it not having a CD player so we plugged speakers into a Walkman and wedged then under the headrests!
I have a soft spot for 182’s having had a Trophy, that is the car I miss and shouldn’t of got rid of. I love the 996 I have came close a few times but it’s never worked out. Would love to hear more about it.
I have a soft spot for 182’s having had a Trophy, that is the car I miss and shouldn’t of got rid of. I love the 996 I have came close a few times but it’s never worked out. Would love to hear more about it.
Where's the L322?!?? /! //
(Nice history BTW, about keeping the E30, when thinking about what they go for now, just think what keeping one on the road would have cost between then and now too... At least that's what I tell myself when thinking about the 325i Sport coupe I had in 1990..)
(Nice history BTW, about keeping the E30, when thinking about what they go for now, just think what keeping one on the road would have cost between then and now too... At least that's what I tell myself when thinking about the 325i Sport coupe I had in 1990..)
Edited by Macron on Thursday 10th December 22:45
I created the thread before the Range Rover arrived 
....It will be getting a separate thread in due course.
Without selling the E30 and having the space etc. I wouldn't have experienced all of the other cars I have, that is what I tell myself. For the price of a Good 325i sport now I could have my RR and 911 with change which seems crazy..
....It will be getting a separate thread in due course.Without selling the E30 and having the space etc. I wouldn't have experienced all of the other cars I have, that is what I tell myself. For the price of a Good 325i sport now I could have my RR and 911 with change which seems crazy..
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/5dVADaN6.png[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/eEYZWPPh" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/eEYZWPPh.jpg)
Hi There, managed to save the E30 from getting broke up completely for parts in February this year. Picked up the rolling shell and put an M50B25 engine in and a Mtech 1 interior in. I had no idea it had hit a lamppost in the past! I knew it had a new rear quater panel but I was told this was due to rust!
Anyway, she lives on!
Macsmack said:
Previous picture was from the previous owner circa 2019 - This is how she looks now, backed to OEM body style. 
Thank you so much for that post, great to see it is still going! How come it was being broken for parts? I still think it is one of my favourite cars…how did you come across this thread? If you ever sell, please give me first refusal.
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