What was the best/most memorable car you owned?
Discussion
Similar story for me. Always loved American cars and got a 1983 Pontiac Trans Am (Knight Rider shape) in my early twenties. Big culture shock. First and only (so far) LHD that I have owned. Felt 10 foot wide when driving it. 5.0 V8 with a four speed manual box. It would pull away in fourth without much trouble. The gear linkage broke once and I did a 100mile round trip in third gear only. It was easy to pull away in third and quite happy at motorway speeds too. When I got to my destination the car park was on a slight incline so just dipped the clutch and let gravity roll me into the space.
The biggest thing though which I have never had since is the looks you get. Especially in the nice weather with T-Tops open. Had many fun issues with it and eventually gave it away to a dealer who put it up for five times what he gave me for it a week later.
Again it wasn't the fastest or most expensive car I've had but it was with me for three years and that was three times longer than anything I had had before. I will always have loads of fond memories of it.
The biggest thing though which I have never had since is the looks you get. Especially in the nice weather with T-Tops open. Had many fun issues with it and eventually gave it away to a dealer who put it up for five times what he gave me for it a week later.
Again it wasn't the fastest or most expensive car I've had but it was with me for three years and that was three times longer than anything I had had before. I will always have loads of fond memories of it.
A Corvette C4 in 1994. Up until then, i had had things like a Scirocco GTI and an R5 GT Turbo and thought them fast.
I was looking for a 200SX/Celica when I went to tyre-kick this Corvette and it took but a single drive with what seemed to be a squadron of Lancasters behind me, to convince me that I was having it.
I was 34 and spent 3 years with it, as a daily driver. It had everything - thundering V8, targa roof, pop-round headlights very quick compared to most things around at the time.
Though I moved on to a 3rd gen Z28 (not quick), a modified 4th gen LS1 Z28 (certainly a better car than the Corvette but I was 41 by then and used to V8s), a C5 Z06 (far too fast and competent to be as much fun as the C4) and a supercharged Mustang (similar sort of conclusion). it is the C4 that sticks in my mind as that "Wow" moment.
I was looking for a 200SX/Celica when I went to tyre-kick this Corvette and it took but a single drive with what seemed to be a squadron of Lancasters behind me, to convince me that I was having it.
I was 34 and spent 3 years with it, as a daily driver. It had everything - thundering V8, targa roof, pop-round headlights very quick compared to most things around at the time.
Though I moved on to a 3rd gen Z28 (not quick), a modified 4th gen LS1 Z28 (certainly a better car than the Corvette but I was 41 by then and used to V8s), a C5 Z06 (far too fast and competent to be as much fun as the C4) and a supercharged Mustang (similar sort of conclusion). it is the C4 that sticks in my mind as that "Wow" moment.
Most memorable would be my 2.0 XR2i fiesta. The Cambelt shredded 16 teeth on the original 1.8 so why not upgrade? I rebuilt a 2.0 zetec with a bit of fettling along the way. It turned out way better than I could have hoped for.
I did track days, drag racing and general hooning and it never once put a foot wrong. Hanging onto the tails of Imprezas etc in a humble mk3 fiesta was great fun.
Many good days were had in that car and more smiles and wtf moments had been produced in it than anything I have owned before or since.
I did track days, drag racing and general hooning and it never once put a foot wrong. Hanging onto the tails of Imprezas etc in a humble mk3 fiesta was great fun.
Many good days were had in that car and more smiles and wtf moments had been produced in it than anything I have owned before or since.
Much like the XC70 mentioned above, mine was a completely non-PH car. A 2006 Mazda 6 hatchback/saloon. At the time it was 5 years old, had done 60k miles, had every bell and whistle spec'd (including a sunroof - bloody love a sunroof!) and cost me £3,995. Bargain.
It was bombproof, quicker than i'd expected from the 2.0 petrol engine, really comfy, rev'd to 8,500 rpm and was just brilliant at everything I asked it to do.
I managed to move house in it a couple of times and it even fit a sofa in it that my Dad's A4 Avant couldn't fit. I'd have happily carried on driving it, but ended up swapping it in for a Disco 2 for horse-towing purposes.
Fair to say the Disco was everything the 6 wasn't!
It was bombproof, quicker than i'd expected from the 2.0 petrol engine, really comfy, rev'd to 8,500 rpm and was just brilliant at everything I asked it to do.
I managed to move house in it a couple of times and it even fit a sofa in it that my Dad's A4 Avant couldn't fit. I'd have happily carried on driving it, but ended up swapping it in for a Disco 2 for horse-towing purposes.
Fair to say the Disco was everything the 6 wasn't!
The Y reg XR3i that I bought (many years ago) for less than the price of 2 tyres for the 911SC I was running at the time.
In reality, it was nothing more than a 3 door Escort with comfy seats, stiffer suspension and alloy wheels.
Just a basic and simple tin box that never broke down.
After a few months of driving the XR3i I realised that the 911 was an unreliable, brash, noisy and badly made Beetle – flogged it on ebay and kept the XR3i for another 4 years.
Buy another aircooled 911?
No, I would rather walk.
XR3i?
Yes. How many have you got?
In reality, it was nothing more than a 3 door Escort with comfy seats, stiffer suspension and alloy wheels.
Just a basic and simple tin box that never broke down.
After a few months of driving the XR3i I realised that the 911 was an unreliable, brash, noisy and badly made Beetle – flogged it on ebay and kept the XR3i for another 4 years.
Buy another aircooled 911?
No, I would rather walk.
XR3i?
Yes. How many have you got?
My Corrado VR6 was undoubtedly the finest car I've owned.
However, the Smart fortwo I bought for my wife just after we got married was the most memorable and I was genuinely sad when it went (we only got rid with the arrival of our second child) especially as the Audi A2 that replaced it was utter garbage.
However, the Smart fortwo I bought for my wife just after we got married was the most memorable and I was genuinely sad when it went (we only got rid with the arrival of our second child) especially as the Audi A2 that replaced it was utter garbage.
Either of my cars that I had whilst I lived in New Zealand are the favourite cars I've owned, purely for the memories of the amazing country that New Zealand is, and the best year of my life living there.
1996 Mitsubishi Challenger, 2" lift, 33" tyres etc. This thing was awesome, so many amazing off road tracks in New Zealand, leading to ever more beautiful places. I've got photos of this in better places but can't be arsed to find them.
Subaru Legacy RS Twin turbo. 276bhp twin turbo boxer engine, manual gearbox, 4wd and bilstein suspension as standard, whats not to like. Awesome car to drive on their awesome roads, made even better with a slightly noisier exhaust to let that subaru noise free. Took 4 of us on a 2500KM road trip in 3 days round the bottom of the south island, favourite driving experience ever.
Back in the UK either my Evo 5 for the sheer grip and brutality or my tuned S2000 for that noise and the looks.
1996 Mitsubishi Challenger, 2" lift, 33" tyres etc. This thing was awesome, so many amazing off road tracks in New Zealand, leading to ever more beautiful places. I've got photos of this in better places but can't be arsed to find them.
Subaru Legacy RS Twin turbo. 276bhp twin turbo boxer engine, manual gearbox, 4wd and bilstein suspension as standard, whats not to like. Awesome car to drive on their awesome roads, made even better with a slightly noisier exhaust to let that subaru noise free. Took 4 of us on a 2500KM road trip in 3 days round the bottom of the south island, favourite driving experience ever.
Back in the UK either my Evo 5 for the sheer grip and brutality or my tuned S2000 for that noise and the looks.
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