What was your first car ? Tell us your story
Discussion
What was your first car ? Mine was an A Reg, 1983 white Vauxhall Nova which was pretty much identical to this one, except mine was much more tatty and rough looking and had rust on both arches :
It cost £375 and my father tried to talk me out of buying the one I had chosen as it wasn't exactly in great condition. However being quite adament that I wanted a white Vauxhall Nova in a 3 door hatchback, I was limited to what I could afford with a £400 budget so opted to purchase it.
My parents bought me the car in May 1996 in anticipation of me passing my driving test that summer, as I had been having lessons for a while. However as the theory test was intorduced in July 1996, the waiting list for the practical test was a minimum of 3 months, as so many people tried to get their driving test date before the theory was introducted (I was one of the first people to take the theory test in the UK)
In 1996 Max power and the modified car scene was growing at a huge pace and I had huge plans to try and modify my Nova to look like one of these 'Max Power cars' and hoping that one day it would resemble something like this :
I had it all planned out and written down (this was before the days of ordering on the internet) I wanted 17" alloys (this was the ultimate thing you could do as there were only a handful of Vauxhall novas on 17" wheels in the UK at this time), delocked, debadged, dehandled, blacked out windows, super loud stereo system and everything else you can imagine.
Anyway I passed my driving test in November 1996 and I had already managed to save up to buy the rolls of window film in 'limo black' and install a cd player with bass tube in the bood and a set of kenwood 6x9's and was raring to go in my little car.
The first time I drove it, I stalled it at a junction and as it was pouring down with rain and 8pm and all the windows were misted up I could hardly see a thing out of anything but the windscreen. I tried to start it but it wouldn't start as the engine was damp and cold as it had been sitting there for ages. I then remembered my father telling me about the choke, and I pulled it out and it started first time. I drove straight home and proceeded to remove all of the window film that I had saved up for and spent hours getting right, as I couldn't see a thing.
About two weeks later, I was driving to Swansea college and as I was heading down Gower Road just by the Armine garage, a huge 5 series BMW braked suddenly and I proceeded to do the same, but my car skidded, locked up and smashed straight into the back of it. Luckily for me he had a tow bar and there wasn't a single mark on his car. It scared the hell out of me and I will never forget my stereo was playing at full blast in my car at the time of me crashing and was playing 'Prodigy - Outta Space'
The man driving the 5 series could see I was a wreck and he drove me home to my parents house. My car was a write off and I only actually drove it for around 2 weeks after actually owning it for 6 months.
The funniest thing about owning the car, was the petrol gauge didn't work and I had to keep a written log of my mileage to know when to put fuel in next, so I didn't run out (didn't stop it happening to me twice i nthe two weeks I drove it though)
Anyway that is my first car story - what is yours ?
It cost £375 and my father tried to talk me out of buying the one I had chosen as it wasn't exactly in great condition. However being quite adament that I wanted a white Vauxhall Nova in a 3 door hatchback, I was limited to what I could afford with a £400 budget so opted to purchase it.
My parents bought me the car in May 1996 in anticipation of me passing my driving test that summer, as I had been having lessons for a while. However as the theory test was intorduced in July 1996, the waiting list for the practical test was a minimum of 3 months, as so many people tried to get their driving test date before the theory was introducted (I was one of the first people to take the theory test in the UK)
In 1996 Max power and the modified car scene was growing at a huge pace and I had huge plans to try and modify my Nova to look like one of these 'Max Power cars' and hoping that one day it would resemble something like this :
I had it all planned out and written down (this was before the days of ordering on the internet) I wanted 17" alloys (this was the ultimate thing you could do as there were only a handful of Vauxhall novas on 17" wheels in the UK at this time), delocked, debadged, dehandled, blacked out windows, super loud stereo system and everything else you can imagine.
Anyway I passed my driving test in November 1996 and I had already managed to save up to buy the rolls of window film in 'limo black' and install a cd player with bass tube in the bood and a set of kenwood 6x9's and was raring to go in my little car.
The first time I drove it, I stalled it at a junction and as it was pouring down with rain and 8pm and all the windows were misted up I could hardly see a thing out of anything but the windscreen. I tried to start it but it wouldn't start as the engine was damp and cold as it had been sitting there for ages. I then remembered my father telling me about the choke, and I pulled it out and it started first time. I drove straight home and proceeded to remove all of the window film that I had saved up for and spent hours getting right, as I couldn't see a thing.
About two weeks later, I was driving to Swansea college and as I was heading down Gower Road just by the Armine garage, a huge 5 series BMW braked suddenly and I proceeded to do the same, but my car skidded, locked up and smashed straight into the back of it. Luckily for me he had a tow bar and there wasn't a single mark on his car. It scared the hell out of me and I will never forget my stereo was playing at full blast in my car at the time of me crashing and was playing 'Prodigy - Outta Space'
The man driving the 5 series could see I was a wreck and he drove me home to my parents house. My car was a write off and I only actually drove it for around 2 weeks after actually owning it for 6 months.
The funniest thing about owning the car, was the petrol gauge didn't work and I had to keep a written log of my mileage to know when to put fuel in next, so I didn't run out (didn't stop it happening to me twice i nthe two weeks I drove it though)
Anyway that is my first car story - what is yours ?
A blue MKIII Ford Escort, 1.3L five door, GEP 289W was the reg. Added a couple of spot lights to the front for the full XR3 look. Really wanted a MkII Escort but dad said it had to be sensible.
It was probably the most abused car I have ever had, knowing what I know now, it's amazing it didn't go bang.
It was probably the most abused car I have ever had, knowing what I know now, it's amazing it didn't go bang.
pwd95 said:
72 Marina. Dark blue, lightning conductors on the back, Hand emulsioned dash!, key broken off in the ignition so you could start it with a 5p, couldn't lock it etc, hand brake didn't work & the zorst fell off the down pipe every 20 miles or so. 
The good old days!!
Wyn, that`s brilliant, now my first car was a Vauxhall Viva, 1970. It needed a clutch soon after I got it and a second hand gearbox, no 3rd gear, whining diff and the floor pan rusted out, happy days The good old days!!
steve j said:
pwd95 said:
72 Marina. Dark blue, lightning conductors on the back, Hand emulsioned dash!, key broken off in the ignition so you could start it with a 5p, couldn't lock it etc, hand brake didn't work & the zorst fell off the down pipe every 20 miles or so.
The good old days!!
Wyn, that`s brilliant, now my first car was a Vauxhall Viva, 1970. It needed a clutch soon after I got it and a second hand gearbox, no 3rd gear, whining diff and the floor pan rusted out, happy days The good old days!!
18 years old 1987 black fiesta xr2, 20k on clock, £4,250, parents paid half, i insured £782! I got it from acl leasing conpany once handed in by previous company vehicle owner, had new wheels/tyres, electric aerial (I was so proud) and all the usual xr2 extras!
Girlfriend at time took it to tescos to buy some wine, I'd only insured it for two weeks over Xmas for her, as I'd been at Xmas party all afternoon. She then rang my dad to help her, she had hit a tesco trolley bay and bent the door! I cried it was 24 days old to me and was on Xmas eve, still married her!!! Lol
Girlfriend at time took it to tescos to buy some wine, I'd only insured it for two weeks over Xmas for her, as I'd been at Xmas party all afternoon. She then rang my dad to help her, she had hit a tesco trolley bay and bent the door! I cried it was 24 days old to me and was on Xmas eve, still married her!!! Lol
Edited by Red111 on Sunday 31st March 21:49
pwd95 said:
Ha ha, back in those days you could clearly tell the difference in sound between a Viva, a Triumph or a Cortina, Allegro etc. They all had their own sound.
Hell yeah, my Viva sounded like nothing else on wheels I think the drivetrain saw to that 
When I finally sorted it out I sold it and went to Germany for a few years and got a left hooker, a 1978 Toyota Corolla Liftback, I thought it was the best car EVER !!!!!!!! steve j said:
pwd95 said:
Ha ha, back in those days you could clearly tell the difference in sound between a Viva, a Triumph or a Cortina, Allegro etc. They all had their own sound.
Hell yeah, my Viva sounded like nothing else on wheels I think the drivetrain saw to that When I finally sorted it out I sold it and went to Germany for a few years and got a left hooker, a 1978 Toyota Corolla Liftback, I thought it was the best car EVER !!!!!!!! Before I discovered pies. That is my zorst that decided it did not like me rallying.
Though I did learn in a Triumph 1300/Metro/Marina.
Edited by jmorgan on Sunday 31st March 22:04
My first was also a 1970 Viva, a fine example HB Deluxe model with red vinyl seats and seatbelts
I bought it off my brother for £150 with insurance costing almost as much at £130. He had painted it dark blue with a roller when he decided that the original green colour was not for him!
Complete with a Zenith Motorsport sunstrip,radio/cassette and CB radio I was ready to go cruising the mean streets of Llanelli!
No horror stories or crashes and i don't recall it ever leaving me down. I sold it on a year or so later to someone from Kidwelly for the first of two Avengers
I bought it off my brother for £150 with insurance costing almost as much at £130. He had painted it dark blue with a roller when he decided that the original green colour was not for him!Complete with a Zenith Motorsport sunstrip,radio/cassette and CB radio I was ready to go cruising the mean streets of Llanelli!
No horror stories or crashes and i don't recall it ever leaving me down. I sold it on a year or so later to someone from Kidwelly for the first of two Avengers
Not sure which I could class as my first car, had a 70's granada 2.3 bought me by my father to fix and sell on, which I did sell for a Lancia Beta 2.0 twin cam which by the time I turned 17 then passed my test was too much to insure (about £300) so sold that and used the money to buy a Mini 1000.
The Mini rusted, broke down, got rebuilt, made my own interiour (burgandy velour was my thing ) fitted with an old set of escort XR3 seats and a set of 10" minilites and I was the daddy. First car where I spent time fiddling under the bonnet, engine out every other month, playing with carbs and cams, and generally being a nusiance to most while crusing around looking for chicks
Those were the days
The Mini rusted, broke down, got rebuilt, made my own interiour (burgandy velour was my thing
) fitted with an old set of escort XR3 seats and a set of 10" minilites and I was the daddy. First car where I spent time fiddling under the bonnet, engine out every other month, playing with carbs and cams, and generally being a nusiance to most while crusing around looking for chicks Those were the days
Red K-reg 1.2i Nova, 4-speed, didn't even come with a clock or a cigarette lighter. Handbrake usually froze solid in winter, liked to pop a spark plug out now and then too. No wheel trims, tailpipe fell off the exhaust so a 6-inch pipe got welded on as that's all that was handy.
Ended up stolen, rolled over and torched.
Wouldn't have asked for a better car to start with, always got me to and from school, taught me a lot and had lots of fun in it. Magnificent shed.
Ended up stolen, rolled over and torched.
Wouldn't have asked for a better car to start with, always got me to and from school, taught me a lot and had lots of fun in it. Magnificent shed.
Great stories...!!
My first was a Blue 1966 Morris 1300 - twin SU's, big bore exhaust, motolita steering wheel (surely they must have been standard - at least that's what I decided when the insurance company asked if it had any modifications...!!) and one of those 8 feet long, lime green, fibreglass radio aerials that were 'tied down' at the back of the roof (can't remember how!). Bought in June 1974, 2 weeks before I passed my test. It was nice & sunny then, but a short while later we had some rain (see, nothing changes!)& I started noticing a bit of a damp smell in the car. Investigation showed that the front passenger carpet was soaking wet. Further investigation showed the front passenger floor consisted of a few soggy Daily Mirrors covering a disintegrating piece of soaking wet hardboard....!!
So I chopped it in for a white Vauxhall Viva HB. Didn't like white, so brush painted it red. Hated that car after the Morris, so it lasted about a month before I got my first Escort Mexico, & the rallying (& write offs!!) started....
keith
My first was a Blue 1966 Morris 1300 - twin SU's, big bore exhaust, motolita steering wheel (surely they must have been standard - at least that's what I decided when the insurance company asked if it had any modifications...!!) and one of those 8 feet long, lime green, fibreglass radio aerials that were 'tied down' at the back of the roof (can't remember how!). Bought in June 1974, 2 weeks before I passed my test. It was nice & sunny then, but a short while later we had some rain (see, nothing changes!)& I started noticing a bit of a damp smell in the car. Investigation showed that the front passenger carpet was soaking wet. Further investigation showed the front passenger floor consisted of a few soggy Daily Mirrors covering a disintegrating piece of soaking wet hardboard....!!
So I chopped it in for a white Vauxhall Viva HB. Didn't like white, so brush painted it red. Hated that car after the Morris, so it lasted about a month before I got my first Escort Mexico, & the rallying (& write offs!!) started....
keith
Edited by keefr22 on Monday 8th April 20:17
That's one hell of a first car Andi. What was the insurance like out of curiosity?
Anybody care to explain insurance too me? The lad had a quote, first car, fully comp, Honda Civic 1.3. It came out at £15k. Through frustration he put in details of an Integra Type R, £5k fully comp. Go figure.
Anybody care to explain insurance too me? The lad had a quote, first car, fully comp, Honda Civic 1.3. It came out at £15k. Through frustration he put in details of an Integra Type R, £5k fully comp. Go figure.
VW Polo 2f gt, real fun 75bhp, lift off oversteer. Not quick now but then it seemed like it was. Learned to drive in a 12volt corsa & my mates had nova 1.2's & fiesta mk3's with the old kent engines. It was relatively quiet & really well built too. The only car I've owned that never broke down. Been addicted to VW's(for my sins) since although I have owned a few other makes, the VW itch is still there.
DHE said:
That's one hell of a first car Andi. What was the insurance like out of curiosity?
Anybody care to explain insurance too me? The lad had a quote, first car, fully comp, Honda Civic 1.3. It came out at £15k. Through frustration he put in details of an Integra Type R, £5k fully comp. Go figure.
And they wonder why people drive without insurance.... I had a hankering for another old Porsche 944 a few years back & did an on-line quote at a non classic insurer - for fully comp at my age (just turned 50 at the time) they wanted £2400...!! So I did another quote on the same site for a brand new 911GT2 (yep, GT2, not 3) & it came out at £700!! I wanted someone to explain insurance to me then too - how can a £100,000 plus car with probably double the performance of a 15 year old, £3k one possibly cost about a quarter to insure?!...!!Anybody care to explain insurance too me? The lad had a quote, first car, fully comp, Honda Civic 1.3. It came out at £15k. Through frustration he put in details of an Integra Type R, £5k fully comp. Go figure.
I learned to drive in a rover 825 diesel, passed my test in it too. Then I was running around in a 1.7 non turbo diesel cavalier. It was a hell of a shed but it had trick paintwork and did about 60mpg...overheated going up hills if more than 1 passenger was in the car and used to lock up a back wheel when it felt like it, other than that it was a tidy car
Peugeot 205 XR in Red in 1987 (D33HHX) . Bought Tax Free as I was off to Germany with the family. Spent many a great day on the autobahn shouting louder than the engine. Kids loved it, I fitted a cassette player and then I had a sunroof fitted to add ambience. Even managed to move quarters on the patch and transport two kids under 5 around with all their guff and toys.
The only problem I had was the dissy cap just kept getting damp and the car would run crap until I sparayed librally with Damp Start. Even though it was RHD it was never a problem and served me well.
The only problem I had was the dissy cap just kept getting damp and the car would run crap until I sparayed librally with Damp Start. Even though it was RHD it was never a problem and served me well.
Edited by Blue Dragoon on Tuesday 9th April 11:39
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