The car you miss the most
Discussion
This.
1976 Triumph Spitfire 1500. Bought it back in 2011 when I was 16.
It had been off the road for 6 years stored in a barn. It had no MOT, no tax but it was running! I spent a year restoring and modifying it ready for when I passed my driving test.
I absolutely loved it being so different to what everyone else my age was driving. Unfortunately it had to go due to ridiculous insurance costs, averaging mid 20s MPG and needing something repaired or replaced pretty much weekly I simply couldn't afford it on a part-time wage.
It was replaced by a Peugeot 107 which was pretty awful in comparison.
I think the reason I loved it so much was the connection you get from working, repairing and restoring your own car. By the time it left I don't think there was a bolt or nut on the car which hasn't been touched in the time I owned it.
RNG 865R, I would buy it back in a heart beat now.
1976 Triumph Spitfire 1500. Bought it back in 2011 when I was 16.
It had been off the road for 6 years stored in a barn. It had no MOT, no tax but it was running! I spent a year restoring and modifying it ready for when I passed my driving test.
I absolutely loved it being so different to what everyone else my age was driving. Unfortunately it had to go due to ridiculous insurance costs, averaging mid 20s MPG and needing something repaired or replaced pretty much weekly I simply couldn't afford it on a part-time wage.
It was replaced by a Peugeot 107 which was pretty awful in comparison.
I think the reason I loved it so much was the connection you get from working, repairing and restoring your own car. By the time it left I don't think there was a bolt or nut on the car which hasn't been touched in the time I owned it.
RNG 865R, I would buy it back in a heart beat now.
My C5 RS6 Avant - Missano Red. OV04 where are you now!
I loved that car to bits but my daily communte changed to 40plus miles each way, I argued until I was blue in the face with the OH about getting a little diesel clio to communte in but she wouldn't have it.
Work then relocated closer to home 4 months down the line.
I know you hear horror stories about them, but apart for the usual preventative maintenance I didn't have a squeek out of that car apart from the passenger side electric folding mirror that would fold over night on occasion (I liked to think that it was just saying hello)
I loved that car to bits but my daily communte changed to 40plus miles each way, I argued until I was blue in the face with the OH about getting a little diesel clio to communte in but she wouldn't have it.
Work then relocated closer to home 4 months down the line.
I know you hear horror stories about them, but apart for the usual preventative maintenance I didn't have a squeek out of that car apart from the passenger side electric folding mirror that would fold over night on occasion (I liked to think that it was just saying hello)
Bradley1500 said:
I think the reason I loved it so much was the connection you get from working, repairing and restoring your own car. By the time it left I don't think there was a bolt or nut on the car which hasn't been touched in the time I owned it.
This, for me at any rate, is very true, and it's why I am far more interested on this thread in seeing (apart from the really special stuff like that 4x4 106) the obviously older first cars that people ever owned (in my own case my 957cc Fiesta). There's more of a story to tell of all the places you went, all the stuff you fixed etc etc in something old and different than to a picture of a top-flight Porsche and "yeah, and I like went to lake Como" or whatever.You "miss" something in your heart - and that's not dependent on how flash or expensive it was.
(Just chuck me in the "cringeworthy" thread now
)
Already posted my old mkiv Supra, which I guess is 'the car I miss the most'. But at the risk of going off-topic, I felt a bit bad missing out some of the cheap-and-cheerful PHness that Ive owned from years gone by which aren't quite 'the cars I miss the most':
2000 JDM Celica SS-II 'Superstrut'. Bought from a fella who lived in the same street as my when I lived in Edinburgh. Was driving a UK 140/ VVTi Celica at the time, who's early 1ZZ engined had recently gone 'pop' (as they are wont to do). Sold that after popping a cheap replacement lump in it, and after drawing a blank trawling the classifieds started looking at Celicas again on AT. Would you believe it- the very same black beauty parked down the road was for sale. The deal was done within 2 days of spying the ad, and a wonderful ownership experience ensued. Yes, the car had nice extras- Tein Superstreets, lightweight Work alloy wheels, factory option 'Mechanical Sports' bodywork. But what a revelation the Gen7 Celica with the 2ZZ engine was. 190hp, but stayed with my friends DC2 Integra on any given road, and was just as bulletproof. Proper headturner too, if a little 'ricey' to my 30+ eyes now...
Had to scratch the Supra itch again, but this time on a budget having spunked the appropriate amount of money on a diamond engagement ring. £2200 bought me an JDM NA auto supra in silver- which is as lowly as mkiv ownership gets. Still, 85k on the clock, immaculate condition, and tight as a drum in every respect. If you don't mind the fuel bills, there are few better DDs than an NA auto. Only extras were some nice wheels and a stainless steel exhaust, along with afew tasteful interior mods. Brilliant cars, and still cheap- try finding one as unmolested as this now though. :-(
Moved to Chiswick in west London because someone decided to sign off on a promotion/ nice salary. Moved in on the Saturday, and had to start commuting to Watford in north London on the Monday. After trawling the classifieds for a stop-gap commuter car, and looking at all sorts of boring, dependable things like Accords etc, I decided that 'the answer is always Miata' and hopped on the tube for the first time. Arrived at a beautiful townhouse in central London, and bought this off the Sloaniest old fella Ive ever met. Car had nice 16s with brand new tyres, stainless steel exhaust, and was low enough to make me cringe on the city's many speed bumps. This is the car that truly taught me how to drive- I'd driven some smart stuff by this point, but nothing came close to being as 'chuckable' as the little mk1 MX5. Still want one for the weekends.
I never learn. Was in the same 'carless' situation when I decided to move to north London. Lastminute.com trawling of the classifieds turned up an 'immaculate' E36 318is in Kent. A phonecall buoyed my confidence, as a rather posh fella insisted that the car was mechanically perfect, tyres were new, there was a chunky folder of history, and there was not a single bubble of rust. When I saw the car in the metal, I immediately handed over the full £695 asking price. The mintiest E36 ever was mine, for peanuts. Drove it for 18 months, never put a foot wrong, and made 140hp feel like so much more. Very underrated compared to the 6 cylinder models, but it used no petrol or oil, and drove like a dream. Miss it way more than I ever though it would, even though Ive owned far 'better' cars.
Slightly concerned that the 996 911s Im currently eyeing wont live up to the E36 ownership experience- no, really!
2000 JDM Celica SS-II 'Superstrut'. Bought from a fella who lived in the same street as my when I lived in Edinburgh. Was driving a UK 140/ VVTi Celica at the time, who's early 1ZZ engined had recently gone 'pop' (as they are wont to do). Sold that after popping a cheap replacement lump in it, and after drawing a blank trawling the classifieds started looking at Celicas again on AT. Would you believe it- the very same black beauty parked down the road was for sale. The deal was done within 2 days of spying the ad, and a wonderful ownership experience ensued. Yes, the car had nice extras- Tein Superstreets, lightweight Work alloy wheels, factory option 'Mechanical Sports' bodywork. But what a revelation the Gen7 Celica with the 2ZZ engine was. 190hp, but stayed with my friends DC2 Integra on any given road, and was just as bulletproof. Proper headturner too, if a little 'ricey' to my 30+ eyes now...
Had to scratch the Supra itch again, but this time on a budget having spunked the appropriate amount of money on a diamond engagement ring. £2200 bought me an JDM NA auto supra in silver- which is as lowly as mkiv ownership gets. Still, 85k on the clock, immaculate condition, and tight as a drum in every respect. If you don't mind the fuel bills, there are few better DDs than an NA auto. Only extras were some nice wheels and a stainless steel exhaust, along with afew tasteful interior mods. Brilliant cars, and still cheap- try finding one as unmolested as this now though. :-(
Moved to Chiswick in west London because someone decided to sign off on a promotion/ nice salary. Moved in on the Saturday, and had to start commuting to Watford in north London on the Monday. After trawling the classifieds for a stop-gap commuter car, and looking at all sorts of boring, dependable things like Accords etc, I decided that 'the answer is always Miata' and hopped on the tube for the first time. Arrived at a beautiful townhouse in central London, and bought this off the Sloaniest old fella Ive ever met. Car had nice 16s with brand new tyres, stainless steel exhaust, and was low enough to make me cringe on the city's many speed bumps. This is the car that truly taught me how to drive- I'd driven some smart stuff by this point, but nothing came close to being as 'chuckable' as the little mk1 MX5. Still want one for the weekends.
I never learn. Was in the same 'carless' situation when I decided to move to north London. Lastminute.com trawling of the classifieds turned up an 'immaculate' E36 318is in Kent. A phonecall buoyed my confidence, as a rather posh fella insisted that the car was mechanically perfect, tyres were new, there was a chunky folder of history, and there was not a single bubble of rust. When I saw the car in the metal, I immediately handed over the full £695 asking price. The mintiest E36 ever was mine, for peanuts. Drove it for 18 months, never put a foot wrong, and made 140hp feel like so much more. Very underrated compared to the 6 cylinder models, but it used no petrol or oil, and drove like a dream. Miss it way more than I ever though it would, even though Ive owned far 'better' cars.
Slightly concerned that the 996 911s Im currently eyeing wont live up to the E36 ownership experience- no, really!
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