What was your first car and why did you choose it
Discussion
A 1979 VW Golf N (for nothing)bought in 1988 when I was almost 18.
It had a 1.1 engine and was bought from my local garage who got it as a trade-in. I wanted a beetle at the time but they were stupidly expensive for cars of similar condition.
The Golf cost £700
The advantage of it being so basic was that it had the higher models in the range had chrome rear window trim, but the GTi and the "nothing" had rubber.
So it looked like a GTi. Especially when I'd added a golf ball gear knob and those things to keep the driver's wiper in place at high speed.
I only wished I'd kept it somewhere rather than selling it for scrap several years later.
It had a 1.1 engine and was bought from my local garage who got it as a trade-in. I wanted a beetle at the time but they were stupidly expensive for cars of similar condition.
The Golf cost £700
The advantage of it being so basic was that it had the higher models in the range had chrome rear window trim, but the GTi and the "nothing" had rubber.
So it looked like a GTi. Especially when I'd added a golf ball gear knob and those things to keep the driver's wiper in place at high speed.
I only wished I'd kept it somewhere rather than selling it for scrap several years later.
My first car was a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting. Why? Because out of all the things I could afford to insure, the Cinque looked the most fun. The below review from Mr Clarkson helped massively in making up my mind, and he was quite correct - it was a lovely little car, even a trip down to the shops felt like you were doing the Mille Migilia, with it's throaty, revvy little engine, and the feeling that braking for corners was entirely optional.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iheko-roQfM
I loved it, and am really starting to wish I hadn't traded it for a Golf GTI. It was a Mk3 8v, and although it was quicker than the little Fiat, it was nowhere near as much fun. Or as reliable.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iheko-roQfM
I loved it, and am really starting to wish I hadn't traded it for a Golf GTI. It was a Mk3 8v, and although it was quicker than the little Fiat, it was nowhere near as much fun. Or as reliable.....
L559 XRP Rover 216 sli 5d with the grandad grey lower half, was cheap as a mates mum was selling it me.
spent too much being young modifying it, no silly body kits mind you, just breathing mods and a half leather interior.
Bought myself a rover 220 sdi to repalce it as the insurance jumped from £900 to £1500 (in 2003) after a claim and accident free year and donated it to my brother who subsequently crashed it and
spent too much being young modifying it, no silly body kits mind you, just breathing mods and a half leather interior.
Bought myself a rover 220 sdi to repalce it as the insurance jumped from £900 to £1500 (in 2003) after a claim and accident free year and donated it to my brother who subsequently crashed it and
December 1989, brand new Bedfordshire Scallywag van with rear seat convertion but no windows in the back.
Why? 17th birthday present.
Massively underpowered so spent most of its life at WOT, but RWD so huge fun in wet and icey conditions, suprising how much you can learn form a very slow speed 'drift' on a wet roundabout :-)
Suprising how comfotable it was to drive, had it for about 6 years and did over 100,000 miles in it
Why? 17th birthday present.
Massively underpowered so spent most of its life at WOT, but RWD so huge fun in wet and icey conditions, suprising how much you can learn form a very slow speed 'drift' on a wet roundabout :-)
Suprising how comfotable it was to drive, had it for about 6 years and did over 100,000 miles in it
It was not unusual for many people, especially kids to drive older cars, in my youth in the 50s
This is my 1934 Morris 8/40 bought to drive to work & uni in 1957.
It died one night when a particularly severe frost cracked the block, while waiting out side the pub to take 6 of us back to our flying training base, in central NSW. Antifreeze was not that good back then.
You kids that have not had the excitement of driving one of these semi-controlled, semi-guided, slow missiles have not really lived.
This is my 1934 Morris 8/40 bought to drive to work & uni in 1957.
It died one night when a particularly severe frost cracked the block, while waiting out side the pub to take 6 of us back to our flying training base, in central NSW. Antifreeze was not that good back then.
You kids that have not had the excitement of driving one of these semi-controlled, semi-guided, slow missiles have not really lived.
Yellow Vauxhall Viva, 2-door saloon, £495.
I picked it because I wanted to get mobile, and because all the Mk1 Escorts and Capris were too expensive. Shaped much of my future car choice, in fact - I went from this to a 1600 Firenza, then an 1800 Firenza, then the Sportshatch, and then the Droopsnoot that I still have. I 'almost' bought quite a few cars while I ran the Viva - an Audi Coupe 100S with rusty wings, and a BMW 1602 being the two I can remember.
I picked it because I wanted to get mobile, and because all the Mk1 Escorts and Capris were too expensive. Shaped much of my future car choice, in fact - I went from this to a 1600 Firenza, then an 1800 Firenza, then the Sportshatch, and then the Droopsnoot that I still have. I 'almost' bought quite a few cars while I ran the Viva - an Audi Coupe 100S with rusty wings, and a BMW 1602 being the two I can remember.
I had a Mini - can't remember what year it was but it was on black/silver plates so tax exempt.
It was blue at the back, yellow at the front and had gold wheels. It was a proper heap of st but I couldn't see past the "cool" paint job and wide alloys. It actually lasted me a few years before I resprayed it, sold it and bought......another Mini. The second one was a 1989 Mini Checkmate which I eventually modded to such an extent as to get an offer to feature it in a Mini magazine. That was a great car - I wish i'd never got rid of that one.
Mini's taught me a lot about spannering, engines and cars in general and led me to my first job at a Mini specialist in Lancashire. Good times!
It was blue at the back, yellow at the front and had gold wheels. It was a proper heap of st but I couldn't see past the "cool" paint job and wide alloys. It actually lasted me a few years before I resprayed it, sold it and bought......another Mini. The second one was a 1989 Mini Checkmate which I eventually modded to such an extent as to get an offer to feature it in a Mini magazine. That was a great car - I wish i'd never got rid of that one.
Mini's taught me a lot about spannering, engines and cars in general and led me to my first job at a Mini specialist in Lancashire. Good times!
Fat hippo said:
A chance to share just how boring or riduculous your first car was and why you choose it.
I'll start; in 1999 when I was 21 I bought a 4 year old e36 320i having read that it was supposed to be a good drivers car in various road tests when was at school during the 90s.
It was pants. It handled ok but was as interesting as watching paint dry and not much quicker than walking. Could have and should have got an e30 m3 or like a classmate, a 964 rs. But that's another story.
Really, should have waited a year or so for the launch of the new mini,
I don't mean to have a personal dig at you and I am just curious. What kind of background are you from when you and your mates can consider these kinds of cars at 21? Or was the bank crash really that bad in 2008 (coincidentally when I was 21)? I'll start; in 1999 when I was 21 I bought a 4 year old e36 320i having read that it was supposed to be a good drivers car in various road tests when was at school during the 90s.
It was pants. It handled ok but was as interesting as watching paint dry and not much quicker than walking. Could have and should have got an e30 m3 or like a classmate, a 964 rs. But that's another story.
Really, should have waited a year or so for the launch of the new mini,
I wouldn't have asked if you hadn't said classmates as I would have assumed you had been working after your GCSE's...
Edited by Swanny87 on Wednesday 22 October 12:05
Swanny87 said:
I don't mean to have a personal dig at you and I am just curious. What kind of background are you from when you and your mates can consider these kinds of cars at 21? Or was the bank crash really that bad in 2008 (coincidentally when I was 21)?
I wouldn't have asked if you hadn't said classmates as I would have assumed you had been working after your GCSE's...
I got my first car at 21 after leaving uni and started my first job in 99.I wouldn't have asked if you hadn't said classmates as I would have assumed you had been working after your GCSE's...
Edited by Swanny87 on Wednesday 22 October 12:05
My classmate lived with his dad in a 5 bed detached house after his parents split but his dad had a new range rover and merc sl500 at the time. This classmate then sourced a 964rs in 99 in ljd for around 29k euros if i remember correctly. Used his dads range rover for commuting the 2 miles to work.
He did start his own recruitment business in his early 20s but I would suggest his dad helped with the car.
All I knew about his dad was that he was a finance director, and his son once wore his dads 33k rolex at school back in the early 90s.
Just to be clear, he was a classmate not a friend
a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting bought for me brand new by Mum & Dad. I loved that car, despite a lot of my friends having much cooler first cars (Mini Cooper, Hillman Imp, Golf Mk1 GTI etc). Still see a surprising number on the roads. Mine was the silver grey colour. It is still the only new car I have ever owned or probably ever will do!
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