What was your first 'proper' car?
Discussion
FIREBIRDC9 said:
Bought this in 2013 when i was 21
Didn't really pay much attention to Japanese cars as a kid. But i got hooked on the idea of getting an MR2 in 2011 shortly after buying my first boring car.
Still got it!
Cost me about £600 to Insure.
Not bad after coming from £1800 to insure my first year of driving in my old car.
That's my photo of it from PHSS at MBW if I remember rightly? Didn't really pay much attention to Japanese cars as a kid. But i got hooked on the idea of getting an MR2 in 2011 shortly after buying my first boring car.
Still got it!
Cost me about £600 to Insure.
Not bad after coming from £1800 to insure my first year of driving in my old car.
Edited by FIREBIRDC9 on Monday 17th July 12:31
I always enjoy seeing that people have saved and use my photos
Probably this:
1991 Jetta GTI 16V, I got it in 1997, it was already on 73,000, but drove like new, this was the first car I bought from a dealer, and I felt all grown up (I was all of 26)....I kept the car till 2003, it did all I asked of it, eventually being passed on for 350 quid, its no longer on the DVLA database, which is a shame.
1991 Jetta GTI 16V, I got it in 1997, it was already on 73,000, but drove like new, this was the first car I bought from a dealer, and I felt all grown up (I was all of 26)....I kept the car till 2003, it did all I asked of it, eventually being passed on for 350 quid, its no longer on the DVLA database, which is a shame.
1998 Black Citroen Saxo VTR. Couldn't afford the insurance on a VTS which I really wanted. Got 3 years free insurance with the VTR. Must have saved £1000's as I was only 23 and no NCB at all.
3 years later dipped my toe in the Alfa ownership bottomless money pit pool
with a black 147 1.6 petrol.
Reasonable insurance at £850 for the first year. When it worked it was a fabulous car to drive and look at....it broke down quite a bit strangely
2 years later got my first 'proper' car E46 323i. Lovely engine (although not that fast) and felt rock solid compared to the Saxo and Alfa
Sadly it fell foul of the dreaded 6 cylinder rear subframe cracking issue and swiftly went up the road to be replaced by a 2004 Bora 150 TDI. Horrendous handling akin to a Tesco shopping trolley but jumping Jesus did it shift. I think it had been chipped by the previous owner because a out dragged a CTR and left it for dead
3 years later dipped my toe in the Alfa ownership bottomless money pit pool
with a black 147 1.6 petrol.Reasonable insurance at £850 for the first year. When it worked it was a fabulous car to drive and look at....it broke down quite a bit strangely
2 years later got my first 'proper' car E46 323i. Lovely engine (although not that fast) and felt rock solid compared to the Saxo and Alfa
Sadly it fell foul of the dreaded 6 cylinder rear subframe cracking issue and swiftly went up the road to be replaced by a 2004 Bora 150 TDI. Horrendous handling akin to a Tesco shopping trolley but jumping Jesus did it shift. I think it had been chipped by the previous owner because a out dragged a CTR and left it for dead
First car actually owned in my name was a 1989 XR2, think it was 1997 as I was 18 at the time. It was a revelation after driving the family's 1.0L Austin Metro followed by a 1.3L Maestro.
Loved that car and it got me hooked on fast fords for many years.
I fancied buying one out of nostalgia probably 10 years later but it drove like a turd so I didn't bother, but I still have a craving for one!
Loved that car and it got me hooked on fast fords for many years.
I fancied buying one out of nostalgia probably 10 years later but it drove like a turd so I didn't bother, but I still have a craving for one!
I feel for those of us that have not had their first proper taste of performance. Tough times for the younger of us.
I remember looking for my first proper performance car, I had a 1.4 n14 Nissan Almera previously, half decent thing to chuck about but gutless. That fell to pieces when I shoved it into a kerb (exhaust broke and wheel bearing went). Ended up driving my mum's 1.4 Civic, god did it roll but it was a good workhorse getting me to and from uni.
Anyway, landed a half-decent paying job and started looking, knew I wanted something not completely glacial. I was looking at Golf GTIs and all sorts but I wanted something engaging and a good steer. Mk4 golfs are not that.
Then I read about evo's best hndling FWD cars and saw the DC2 Integra, as much as I wanted one (also having been in a friends), I couldn't stretch to the price of a good one. So I looked lower down the list, where the clio 182 was mentioned. Loved the look of it, especially in the bright colours.
Bought the first one I saw, 8 years old, 56k on original tyres. Woops. Oh and it was black.
Still 5 years later and 33k, it's been an absolute hoot, I've even come to love the colour (the gold flakes are fantastic in the sunlight). I'll probably never sell it, I've seen so many people in the owners clubs who have "moved on" but come back. Difficult to get that step up in performance, but retain the handling and feedback without going old and risking huge bills. So then you go super saloon or evo/subaru but lose the directness and gain big running costs.
No idea where I'll go from here without compromising somewhere!
I remember looking for my first proper performance car, I had a 1.4 n14 Nissan Almera previously, half decent thing to chuck about but gutless. That fell to pieces when I shoved it into a kerb (exhaust broke and wheel bearing went). Ended up driving my mum's 1.4 Civic, god did it roll but it was a good workhorse getting me to and from uni.
Anyway, landed a half-decent paying job and started looking, knew I wanted something not completely glacial. I was looking at Golf GTIs and all sorts but I wanted something engaging and a good steer. Mk4 golfs are not that.
Then I read about evo's best hndling FWD cars and saw the DC2 Integra, as much as I wanted one (also having been in a friends), I couldn't stretch to the price of a good one. So I looked lower down the list, where the clio 182 was mentioned. Loved the look of it, especially in the bright colours.
Bought the first one I saw, 8 years old, 56k on original tyres. Woops. Oh and it was black.
Still 5 years later and 33k, it's been an absolute hoot, I've even come to love the colour (the gold flakes are fantastic in the sunlight). I'll probably never sell it, I've seen so many people in the owners clubs who have "moved on" but come back. Difficult to get that step up in performance, but retain the handling and feedback without going old and risking huge bills. So then you go super saloon or evo/subaru but lose the directness and gain big running costs.
No idea where I'll go from here without compromising somewhere!
Edited by Speed_Demon on Saturday 22 July 20:05
TheAngryDog said:
Technically my first 3 cars were cars I really wanted.
Age 18, first car, 2.0 Sierra sapphire gls
Age 19, second car, 2.9 Sierra xr4x4
Age 20, third car, Sierra sapphire rs cosworth.
Age 18, first car, 2.0 Sierra sapphire gls
Age 19, second car, 2.9 Sierra xr4x4
Age 20, third car, Sierra sapphire rs cosworth.
Straight into quick Sierra ownership with your first car and then going up a level in performance with the following two, I doth my cap, good sir!
njw1 said:
TheAngryDog said:
Technically my first 3 cars were cars I really wanted.
Age 18, first car, 2.0 Sierra sapphire gls
Age 19, second car, 2.9 Sierra xr4x4
Age 20, third car, Sierra sapphire rs cosworth.
Age 18, first car, 2.0 Sierra sapphire gls
Age 19, second car, 2.9 Sierra xr4x4
Age 20, third car, Sierra sapphire rs cosworth.
Straight into quick Sierra ownership with your first car and then going up a level in performance with the following two, I doth my cap, good sir!
e21Mark said:
Slammedorion said:
5th car @ 23 years old back in 2005
My98 Impreza Type R ( absolutely awesome car, spent sooo much money on it )
I'd rather have the GTT. My98 Impreza Type R ( absolutely awesome car, spent sooo much money on it )
My Impreza Type R was running over 400bhp on low boost (22psi lol)
EJ22t block 2.35
Updated pistons, rods, bolts, gaskets, fuel pump
2.5 crank
Adaptronics ecu
MD321t turbo
800 cc injectors
Fmic
Was a toy...
I had an Alpine turbo (LHD Euro version of the Gordini turbo) with a flowed head, Grp A carb, bigger turbo etc. It only made about 180bhp but was so light it went pretty well. Lots of pops and bangs thanks to being carb fed. It had awful torque steer though, but looked great. It only cost £450 as nobody wanted a LHD Renault 5 in the mid 90's. I imagine it'd be pretty sought after today though.
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