What's your favourite/most memorable car 'moment'?

What's your favourite/most memorable car 'moment'?

Author
Discussion

sebhaque

6,402 posts

180 months

Tuesday 28th March 2017
quotequote all
I feel Mr Mac above may have won. My actual favourite memory is a lot more humble. I was at home with the missus one summer's evening. We were both off work the next few days and were sitting on the sofa watching a movie (something light-hearted).

We somehow got talking about cars and decided to head out for a drive and a bite to eat. She was also a petrolhead and I lived near some nice roads, so by the time we'd got there the oil and tyres were nice and warm and I could go for a bit of a shakedown. We took my VX220, with the roof down. The sunset was absolutely gorgeous and we managed to catch the gift of the gods and have a completely empty road on our little run. Between the gorgeous sunset, the still-warm temperature, the empty roads and the company, I really enjoyed that half-hour or so of pure driving pleasure. We stopped at a country pub for a steak, neither of us were on the booze but we spent enough time chatting that by the time we left it was dark, and on the lowly-lit country roads with a clear sky above, the starlight was amazing. The roof stayed down for the drive home - it was a more relaxed drive, but with the stars above, an empty road in front, and a gentle heat lapping at our legs (the only place a VXT can heat its passengers), the memory of the evening is one of the most pleasant driving experiences I've ever had.

RDMcG

19,093 posts

206 months

Tuesday 28th March 2017
quotequote all
sebhaque said:
I feel Mr Mac above may have won. My actual favourite memory is a lot more humble. I was at home with the missus one summer's evening. We were both off work the next few days and were sitting on the sofa watching a movie (something light-hearted).

We somehow got talking about cars and decided to head out for a drive and a bite to eat. She was also a petrolhead and I lived near some nice roads, so by the time we'd got there the oil and tyres were nice and warm and I could go for a bit of a shakedown. We took my VX220, with the roof down. The sunset was absolutely gorgeous and we managed to catch the gift of the gods and have a completely empty road on our little run. Between the gorgeous sunset, the still-warm temperature, the empty roads and the company, I really enjoyed that half-hour or so of pure driving pleasure. We stopped at a country pub for a steak, neither of us were on the booze but we spent enough time chatting that by the time we left it was dark, and on the lowly-lit country roads with a clear sky above, the starlight was amazing. The roof stayed down for the drive home - it was a more relaxed drive, but with the stars above, an empty road in front, and a gentle heat lapping at our legs (the only place a VXT can heat its passengers), the memory of the evening is one of the most pleasant driving experiences I've ever had.
That is in many ways a much more personal experience and its not about winning. I do have an odd memory of driving an open car in Southern Arizona one evening, all alone, and stopping at sunset. it was a time when there was still lots of long grass in that part of the state, and just hearing the cracking of the hot engine after I turned it off and the wind across the grass, and an endless sky , had the feeling of making me aware of the vastness of everything around me and my own insignificance.

sebhaque

6,402 posts

180 months

Tuesday 28th March 2017
quotequote all
RDMcG said:
That is in many ways a much more personal experience and its not about winning. I do have an odd memory of driving an open car in Southern Arizona one evening, all alone, and stopping at sunset. it was a time when there was still lots of long grass in that part of the state, and just hearing the cracking of the hot engine after I turned it off and the wind across the grass, and an endless sky , had the feeling of making me aware of the vastness of everything around me and my own insignificance.
Thanks for your reply. I completely understand and empathise - there's something about having a love of cars that makes us (as humans) incredibly self-aware and cognisant of what we do with our cars on evenings/weekends when we're not working. A car ticking itself cool after a little run around a country road, or after a lap or two around a track - even the bark some cars make on a cold startup - it doesn't matter if it's a Peugeot 107 or a LaFerrari. The sheer thrill of being able to take your car for a shakedown is quite an evocative memory for every petrolhead.

While writing my reply to you I remembered another moment with my old Rover 623. I went to pick up a friend from a horse-riding club and didn't want to get my nice shoes dirty in the mud. Hence, I pushed the gate open with the car, and let it spring back by itself before moving on. Means nothing to anybody but it made me chuckle and appreciate the old shed for its' duties. I'd never do something like that in a well-maintained car, but having something you can add battle scars to without much concern is a rather refreshing thought.

RDMcG

19,093 posts

206 months

Tuesday 28th March 2017
quotequote all
sebhaque said:
Thanks for your reply. I completely understand and empathise - there's something about having a love of cars that makes us (as humans) incredibly self-aware and cognisant of what we do with our cars on evenings/weekends when we're not working. A car ticking itself cool after a little run around a country road, or after a lap or two around a track - even the bark some cars make on a cold startup - it doesn't matter if it's a Peugeot 107 or a LaFerrari. The sheer thrill of being able to take your car for a shakedown is quite an evocative memory for every petrolhead.

While writing my reply to you I remembered another moment with my old Rover 623. I went to pick up a friend from a horse-riding club and didn't want to get my nice shoes dirty in the mud. Hence, I pushed the gate open with the car, and let it spring back by itself before moving on. Means nothing to anybody but it made me chuckle and appreciate the old shed for its' duties. I'd never do something like that in a well-maintained car, but having something you can add battle scars to without much concern is a rather refreshing thought.
Sometimes even a straight road..( this one was in Marfa, Texas) has a very pleasant feeling just to go cruising and see what the next town has to offersmile........

sebhaque

6,402 posts

180 months

Tuesday 28th March 2017
quotequote all
RDMcG said:
Sometimes even a straight road..( this one was in Marfa, Texas) has a very pleasant feeling just to go cruising and see what the next town has to offersmile........
Have you driven from Indianapolis to Chicago? That's a fantastic drive. The road starts with some scenery (most notably the Benton County wind farm) before stretching out to your typical interstate. Only a 4 hour drive but a lovely road to while away the hours on. I pulled off at a junction about halfway down the route and grabbed a burger at a 50s-style diner. Lovely.

The old PH runs I used to go on (and, in fairness, am long overdue to re-join) were fantastic for the turnout of metal and the company of fellow petrolheads. With whom I can discuss the merits and drawbacks of Speed Sixes vs AJP8s without impunity from non-enthusiasts.

RDMcG

19,093 posts

206 months

Tuesday 28th March 2017
quotequote all
sebhaque said:
Have you driven from Indianapolis to Chicago? That's a fantastic drive. The road starts with some scenery (most notably the Benton County wind farm) before stretching out to your typical interstate. Only a 4 hour drive but a lovely road to while away the hours on. I pulled off at a junction about halfway down the route and grabbed a burger at a 50s-style diner. Lovely.

The old PH runs I used to go on (and, in fairness, am long overdue to re-join) were fantastic for the turnout of metal and the company of fellow petrolheads. With whom I can discuss the merits and drawbacks of Speed Sixes vs AJP8s without impunity from non-enthusiasts.
Never did, though I have covered all of Route 66 from Chicago to LA. Next adventure will be Highway 61....to follow the blues.

GeordieInExile

683 posts

119 months

Tuesday 28th March 2017
quotequote all
Favourite: 306 GTi-6 hooning through Northumberland on a beautiful summer's day. Just me, my car, a great road and some stunning views.

Most memorable: Crashing my Twingo GT in Glasgow. I hope I'm never in a car accident again.

Darryl247W

564 posts

122 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
quotequote all
Favourite recent one is diffing the MX-5 in the snow up the 11% Hightown Road above Belfast on the morning commute.

Old one is a highly educational 30 minutes of learning car control in my Capri in a snow-bound car park in 1993.

Mound Dawg

1,915 posts

173 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
quotequote all
So many but it always comes down to that first drive home in the first car you ever bought doesn't it?

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 29th March 2017
quotequote all
Toss up between driving the Transfăgărășan highway or Lorna W riding me silly in a Mk1 Twingo with her head stuck out the fold back roof.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
I haven't been driving long (<2 years) so I don't have any stories that are half as good as the rest on this thread, but some highlights for me:

1) First passenger ride in my friends E30 318is when he first got it. We didn't really go anywhere exciting but it was special

2) Riding my 125 the (very) long way home after college, round Cheddar Gorge

3) My very first drive on my own the day after passing my test. Picked the car up, listened to the salesman drone on about paint protection and other nonsense I wasn't interested in and watched him try to open the fuel flap with the engine running (Grade A tt). Once I'd suffered that, I picked up a few friends and went on to explore 262 lb ft of VAG TDI torque on a dual carriageway. Again, didn't really go anywhere special or reach ridiculous speeds, but it was good fun

4) The very first time I was on a road so good that I actually teared up cry. Looking back, the road wasn't particularly special and I was in a diesel Kadjar (!) but something about that evening made me all emotional and it was 100% related to driving on that road

5) Various antics in work hire cars...both as a driver (Mondeo at Cheddar Gorge, C220d in Sport+, Ragging the tits off a 1.0 Fabia) and passenger (the time a colleague trimmed a hedge at the Defence Academy with a Ford Galaxy, and another colleague ripping the front bumper off the aforementioned C220d, we duct taped it back on for the way home)

JustCallMeMac

62 posts

118 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
1. Picking up what was, at the time, a very rare Evo 6 GSR directly from Ralliart in the Midlands a few months after being blown away by the subtly headlined "the supercar slayer has landed" and airborne pic on the front cover of the March 1999 edition of Autocar magazine and reading the review in awe and deciding I just had to have one. Loaned myself 'up to the eyeballs,' which took years to recover from but I do not regret it for a second. Put a smile on my face every time I turned the key, was pretty practical, if thirsty, for the general day to day yet utterly epic when conditions allowed. To this day I wish I had never sold it.

2. Simply enjoying a cross-country blat in my Caterham on a crisp spring morning or warm summers evening. Just the perfect way to unwind and it never gets old.

Edited by JustCallMeMac on Friday 31st March 10:40


Edited by JustCallMeMac on Friday 31st March 10:45

Yipper

5,964 posts

89 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Deciding on a whim at 6pm on a Fri evening to steal my brother's Fiesta and drive me and 3 mates from UK to Amsterdam with no breakdown cover, no European insurance, no driving documents in the pocket, and no hotel. Wanted his car to rack up the miles, not mine, lol. Spend the weekend looking at tulips and windmills. Drive home Sun evening and return the car littered with McD rubbish and the engine only firing on 3 cylinders. Told bro and folks for years we'd been at a festival up north thumbup

Bradley1500

766 posts

145 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Great thread – enjoyed reading others’ experiences. Couple of my highlights:

Driving to Austria in my BMW 328i coupe. We stopped just before crossing into Austria for an awful kip in the car as we were knackered. The next morning we woke for the final drive to our destination, and we would be crossing the Alps to get there. I was ridiculously tired but the spectacular views and blasts through Alpine tunnels soon woke me up. I will never forget that drive or the views – it was fantastic!

I think my most memorable experience thus far would be driving a Jaguar D Type around Goodwood in the pouring rain. It was part of an experience day, and unfortunately it had been raining most of the day. I was doubting my chances of getting a drive in the D Type, but the owner (a gentleman in his 80s!) said I could take it out with him accompanying me if I promised to take it easy. He was a brilliant instructor and a great sport for enduring the crap conditions. I couldn’t thank him enough after getting back to the pits. The experience day was finishing soon after, so I believe I was one of the last to drive the car too.

RDMcG

19,093 posts

206 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Bradley1500 said:
Great thread – enjoyed reading others’ experiences. Couple of my highlights:


I think my most memorable experience thus far would be driving a Jaguar D Type around Goodwood in the pouring rain. It was part of an experience day, and unfortunately it had been raining most of the day. I was doubting my chances of getting a drive in the D Type, but the owner (a gentleman in his 80s!) said I could take it out with him accompanying me if I promised to take it easy. He was a brilliant instructor and a great sport for enduring the crap conditions. I couldn’t thank him enough after getting back to the pits. The experience day was finishing soon after, so I believe I was one of the last to drive the car too.
That is a brilliant experience!....

TurboHatchback

4,151 posts

152 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Iceland, 1992 Landcruiser HDJ80, August 2016. There were many standout moments, crossing enormous rivers particularly but one image stays in my head: driving across a black sand desert stretching to the horizon at 50mph with the cruiser shifting around in the soft sand, a glacier and volcanos in the background. Honestly driving on tarmac can never compare for me.

NordicCrankShaft

1,719 posts

114 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Doing an indictated 125mph on the me in a friend's Ax GT. Genuinely thought I was going to die.

Legend83

9,947 posts

221 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Three stand out for me sorry!

1. A near-death experience in my first car, a 1.1l Ford Fiesta LX. Commuting from Hertfordshire to Oxford on a project as a trainee auditor, I was late having taken the back route through the country and got stuck behind a tractor. Saw an opportunity to overtake at last, and went for it.

I could see a lorry coming towards me but it was a pin in the distance so I had no concerns about the manoevuer at first....foot down and nothing but noise. Slowly, achingly slowly, I inched past the tractor as the pin became a blob, and then turned to an obviously large vehicle that had no-where else to go. The driver clearly thought all was well because he did not let up his acceleration either.

I must have had about 50 ft of clearance with vehicles going at a combined 90-100mph heading directly on a collision course, only to pull across onto the correct side at the last second - one of those moments where you just go "WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!, FVCKKK!" then you think about it afterwards and it makes you shiver.

I never overtook in that car again.

2. Buying my first convertible (mk1 MX5) and driving it home like a boss with the roof down...only for it to start pissing it down and having to pull over and work out how to sort the roof having not really listened to the seller in a whirl of excitement. Cue many cat-calls and V-signs my way from passing traffic.

3. Getting into the drivers seat of a colleagues Tuscan, adjusting it but it not clicking home. I found this out when he told me to floor it in 2nd and I flew backwards at a rate of knots - had to pull over because I couldn't reach the pedals and hold the steering wheel at the same time! What a car that was.

Distraxi

45 posts

138 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Positive driving experience: Back in the 90s, driving home late one night through rural Bedfordshire in my ratty Fiat X1/9 with the top off. Winter, snow covered fields, and a big storm coming up from behind me: the stars and moon were out in front of me but snow was falling where I was. The view of the snow in the moonlight and headlamps, the feel of toasty feet and freezing ears (X1/9s have an amazing heater), and the sound of everything muffled except that lovely little 4-pot singing to itself: just magic. It's still my happy place 30 years later.

Negative driving experience: Young, stupid, and immortal, driving over a mountain at night with a couple of mates in my Hillman Avenger. Pass a car towing a horse trailer on a very short straight with a few hundred metres drop to the side. Never should have gone for it, but as I say, young, stupid and immortal. Get past him OK, pull in sharply as I'm running out of straight, but he's on main beams and his nose is in the air due to the trailer. So I'm completely blinded by light in the mirrors and I can't see the turn at all, leaving me a choice of going straight on, hitting the wall, and hopefully not bouncing over the edge, or taking the corner blind and praying I remember where it went and don't just drive off the cliff. I hit the anchors, went straight on, and thankfully stopped with the headlights about 6 inches from the wall. But the sensation of "oh my God, I'm going to die, I'm going to take my mates with me, and it's all my own stupid fault!" has stayed with me forever. I'd like to say it made me a more cautious driver, but see "young, stupid, and immortal" above: caution took a few more years to develop.

Passenger experience: In a mate's Superformance Cobra doing the Targa Tour (non-competitive and speed-limited add on to Targa NZ for non-caged cars - same stages, closed roads, following a pace car to keep speeds under control). We, and a couple of R35 GTRs, had "accidentally" dropped a long way behind the pace car and were now "having" to hurry to catch up, and my mate was determined not to lose the GTRs. Lets just say that the only way a Cobra - even a 550hp one - keeps up with a Gojira on a windy road is through some VERY committed driving. In a car with no roof, no cage, no driver aids, and no crash structure. I've never come so close to stting myself in my life. We kept up with them though.

Spectator experience: Leaving a Rally NZ stage after spectating. Narrow road, cars parked all down one side, spectators wandering all over the fields. Steady stream of traffic moving at 20 km/h or so. Hear a whining noise behind me and turn round expecting to see a lost rally car in the queue. Instead it's a fully laden Commodore reversing up the road in the queue of traffic. About 20m after he passes me, the driver spots a gap in the parked cars with no pedestrians in it, drops the tail into the gap, and slides it through a perfect J turn, leaving himself driving the right way without even losing his place in the queue. No idea who the guy was, but it was the best display of masterclass car control and casual confidence (or maybe foolhardiness and blind luck) I've ever seen. Couldn't have been more than a foot or two of spare space, and the potential for it to go horribly wrong in front of a large and unforgiving crowd - not to mention his passengers - was immense. Despite not being an actual race moment, this 2 second memory sticks with me like nothing I've seen at a rally before or since.

Boni

43 posts

131 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Mound Dawg said:
So many but it always comes down to that first drive home in the first car you ever bought doesn't it?
Not always. In my case, first drive home in first car ever bought, it was trip in crappy old small fiat, it was epoch BIMP (before internet & mobile phones). And in the middle of the nice 40 miles summer empty road I got flat tyre. And next I have learn hard lesson - always check in new car not only spare but jack too... it was here, but broken a bit. I finally swapped wheels with my superpowers and heavy cursing; fiat has fallen from jack a few times only. So I was back home hour late and with dirty hands. Ok, even small fiat was funny and gave freedom sensation for next year or two, but this first trip was bad trip...