What did you drive in the 90s?
Discussion
Passed my test September '89 aged 17
I then ran:
VW Beetle 1300
MG Metro 1300
VW Type 3 1600 Fastback
Rover Metro GTa
Rover Metro GTa
Volvo 340DL Variomatic - a low!
BMW Z3 2.0
Also passed my bike test in '97, so ran in parallel until 2000
Kawasaki KLE500
Kawasaki ZX6-R
Kawasaki ZX9-R
Honda Firestorm
Kawasaki ZX6-R
I used to change things pretty regularly. Now my car is a 2005 model and my three motorbikes date from 1997, 2000 and 2002 respectively.
I then ran:
VW Beetle 1300
MG Metro 1300
VW Type 3 1600 Fastback
Rover Metro GTa
Rover Metro GTa
Volvo 340DL Variomatic - a low!
BMW Z3 2.0
Also passed my bike test in '97, so ran in parallel until 2000
Kawasaki KLE500
Kawasaki ZX6-R
Kawasaki ZX9-R
Honda Firestorm
Kawasaki ZX6-R
I used to change things pretty regularly. Now my car is a 2005 model and my three motorbikes date from 1997, 2000 and 2002 respectively.
I held onto my 33 Green Cloverleaf in the early 90's for a while. I started getting access to pool cars at work for distances - eg a Mk 2 Cavalier - but I still wanted my Italian fix. Talking of pool cars there was also a fairly grim Montego and a far better Pug 405 - it was the letter that I would choose. Under the office in St Pauls there was a 205GTI. Used to take it out for a thrash at lunchtime.
Then I changed jobs and was finally given my own company car. 1993. Red Cavalier GLS. Whoop whoop. Pretty grim but it was free and I sold the 33.
Changed jobs two years later, much better car scheme = S14 200SX Touring spec. Ran that from 95 to 98. Came out of the car scheme and bought myself an S14a. Modded that and had a bit of fun. First "proper" cars that could top 150 and do the South of France with relative ease. Mates all had Corrado VR6's, Fiat Coupe 20V turbos & Prelude V Tecs. Lots of fun in the last days before speed cameras. Set some records that I'll never break...
A good decade.....
Then I changed jobs and was finally given my own company car. 1993. Red Cavalier GLS. Whoop whoop. Pretty grim but it was free and I sold the 33.
Changed jobs two years later, much better car scheme = S14 200SX Touring spec. Ran that from 95 to 98. Came out of the car scheme and bought myself an S14a. Modded that and had a bit of fun. First "proper" cars that could top 150 and do the South of France with relative ease. Mates all had Corrado VR6's, Fiat Coupe 20V turbos & Prelude V Tecs. Lots of fun in the last days before speed cameras. Set some records that I'll never break...
A good decade.....
I didn't pass my test until 1998, so only had one car in the '90's - a red Fiat Cinquecento Sporting, with the obligatory red seatbelts and 54 fairly bonkers Italian horses.
I had great fun in that car - bounced it off the limiter everywhere I went, never went anywhere near the brakes unless I absolutely had to, it would also cart me and all my stuff the 330 miles to University quite regularly. Get it on the to the M6, wind it up to 95 on the clock, stay there until Glasgow. Was great fun asking the reps in Vectra and Mondeos if they wouldn't mind either speeding up or getting out of the way, overtook a couple of Police cars in the borders at 85+, who only ever looked over in bemusement at how quickly you could make a Cinquecento go.
It was even mostly reliable, until I broke the gearbox overtaking people between St Andrews and Dundee. I lost 3rd, which is kind of a key gear in a Cinque, thankfully Fiat fixed it under warranty.
Sold it in 2002 for a Golf GTI 16v, which was a far better car, but being a Mk3, was nowhere near as much fun as the Cinque. I should have kept it and bought an E36 after I finished uni, ah well.
I had great fun in that car - bounced it off the limiter everywhere I went, never went anywhere near the brakes unless I absolutely had to, it would also cart me and all my stuff the 330 miles to University quite regularly. Get it on the to the M6, wind it up to 95 on the clock, stay there until Glasgow. Was great fun asking the reps in Vectra and Mondeos if they wouldn't mind either speeding up or getting out of the way, overtook a couple of Police cars in the borders at 85+, who only ever looked over in bemusement at how quickly you could make a Cinquecento go.
It was even mostly reliable, until I broke the gearbox overtaking people between St Andrews and Dundee. I lost 3rd, which is kind of a key gear in a Cinque, thankfully Fiat fixed it under warranty.
Sold it in 2002 for a Golf GTI 16v, which was a far better car, but being a Mk3, was nowhere near as much fun as the Cinque. I should have kept it and bought an E36 after I finished uni, ah well.
I passed my test in June 1990. I was a total Ford fanatic back then and my dad owned a small village garage so fixing stuff wasn't a problem.
I stared off with a 1978 Fiesta 1300 Sport which ended up with a fiberglass Supersport arch kit and stickers. I thought it looked great when I was 17.
I kept the 1.3S couple of years then stepped up a fraction to a 1988 Mk2 XR2. That was only 4 years old at the time and it turned out it was cheap for a reason. It had been in a bit of a bump and must have been slightly twisted as the sunroof leaked...It went OK though!
I think I only kept the XR2 a year as I got fed up with having a wet bum and bought a 1983 RS1600i. Loved this car (still do) but it came such a target for jealous people and thieves it had to go. It seemed like I couldn't leave it anywhere in Edinburgh without someone damaging it or trying to steal it. I had that about 4 years.
At this point a friend of mine bought Westfield so having had a go in that I decided I needed something similar. I'm 6'2" and I like the odd pie so I didn't really fit in to a Westfield and they were out of my price range. I sold the RS (for £1600.....) bought a Capri 1.6 Laser for everyday use and an old Sierra to built a Robin Hood 7 with. I know Robin Hoods are rubbish compared to just about anything else but they were big and cheap. I had great fun in it so I don't care what you think!
I then bought a flat in 1999 so I had to sell the 7 as I no longer had a garage. This was when my mate took me out on his bike.......you know what happens next. Kept the Capri for another 4 or 5 years until there was no way of bodging it though another MOT.
And that was the 1990's for me.
I stared off with a 1978 Fiesta 1300 Sport which ended up with a fiberglass Supersport arch kit and stickers. I thought it looked great when I was 17.
I kept the 1.3S couple of years then stepped up a fraction to a 1988 Mk2 XR2. That was only 4 years old at the time and it turned out it was cheap for a reason. It had been in a bit of a bump and must have been slightly twisted as the sunroof leaked...It went OK though!
I think I only kept the XR2 a year as I got fed up with having a wet bum and bought a 1983 RS1600i. Loved this car (still do) but it came such a target for jealous people and thieves it had to go. It seemed like I couldn't leave it anywhere in Edinburgh without someone damaging it or trying to steal it. I had that about 4 years.
At this point a friend of mine bought Westfield so having had a go in that I decided I needed something similar. I'm 6'2" and I like the odd pie so I didn't really fit in to a Westfield and they were out of my price range. I sold the RS (for £1600.....) bought a Capri 1.6 Laser for everyday use and an old Sierra to built a Robin Hood 7 with. I know Robin Hoods are rubbish compared to just about anything else but they were big and cheap. I had great fun in it so I don't care what you think!
I then bought a flat in 1999 so I had to sell the 7 as I no longer had a garage. This was when my mate took me out on his bike.......you know what happens next. Kept the Capri for another 4 or 5 years until there was no way of bodging it though another MOT.
And that was the 1990's for me.
Edited by Tasmin200 on Thursday 25th February 20:35
Started the decade in a couple of bay window VW buses, the first burst into flames after a fuel pipe popped off. (I only know this because I'd lost power a few days previously and just stuck it back on rather than tightened it up. 
) Lots of happy climbing trips with friends in that although the girlfriend I was hoping to take away in it as she wouldn't camp hated it. That lunched itself on the M40 and was my first engine swap.
Also had a couple of ex field bike Vespas I "renovated" and got back on the road.
Moved onto a Skoda 135 Rapide coupe. Loved, lowered it, then destroyed the head gasket after forgetting to close the bleed tap.
Failed to fix it as the wet liners had slipped. Met my now wife while driving this, thankfully she was clueless enough about cars to be vaguely impressed. 
Came into some money from my dad so bought a Nissan Sunny ZX coupe. Again loads of fun discovering lift off oversteer bombing about the place climbing.
ETA how could I forget the 2CV, bought with a friend to drive to Nepal. Plus an MOT failure bought for spares.
Kept the ZX a few years before moving on to a MK1 MR2. Less room for climbing gear and mates, but epic.
Another engine swap as the big end went.
Also passed my bike test and got a Suzuki Bandit 600 which was my first actual 90s vehicle.
) Lots of happy climbing trips with friends in that although the girlfriend I was hoping to take away in it as she wouldn't camp hated it. That lunched itself on the M40 and was my first engine swap.Also had a couple of ex field bike Vespas I "renovated" and got back on the road.
Moved onto a Skoda 135 Rapide coupe. Loved, lowered it, then destroyed the head gasket after forgetting to close the bleed tap.
Failed to fix it as the wet liners had slipped. Met my now wife while driving this, thankfully she was clueless enough about cars to be vaguely impressed. Came into some money from my dad so bought a Nissan Sunny ZX coupe. Again loads of fun discovering lift off oversteer bombing about the place climbing.
ETA how could I forget the 2CV, bought with a friend to drive to Nepal. Plus an MOT failure bought for spares.
Kept the ZX a few years before moving on to a MK1 MR2. Less room for climbing gear and mates, but epic.
Another engine swap as the big end went.Also passed my bike test and got a Suzuki Bandit 600 which was my first actual 90s vehicle.
Edited by Bill on Thursday 25th February 12:53
Afternoon
I passed my test in 1991.
I owned a
1986 VW Golf -not sure how it ever passed an MOT and was mostly running on 3 cylinders in my ownership
1995 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2L. highlight was vmaxing it in Germany doing an indicated 105mph - only to be flashed by some BMW to get out the way (I was overtaking a truck at the time......)
1990 Mk1 MR2 - owned this car for 6 years and still my favourite car I have owned.
I passed my test in 1991.
I owned a
1986 VW Golf -not sure how it ever passed an MOT and was mostly running on 3 cylinders in my ownership
1995 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2L. highlight was vmaxing it in Germany doing an indicated 105mph - only to be flashed by some BMW to get out the way (I was overtaking a truck at the time......)
1990 Mk1 MR2 - owned this car for 6 years and still my favourite car I have owned.
Passed my test in Dec 1990 - goes like this;
Yugo 45a. Fastest & most dynamically competent car on the planet
Skoda 120 Estelle "5 speed"
Skoda Favorit in resale white
Kia Pride 1.0 litre
Kia Pride 1.3 litre "big block" with whitewall tyres
Rover 214sei
Freelander 2.0 diesel softback - 1999
And hopefully to redeem myself, also in 1999 for fun;
Lancia Delta Integrale 16v - ruddy loved it. Was running 280hp & took it to the South of France that summer on holiday.
Yugo 45a. Fastest & most dynamically competent car on the planet
Skoda 120 Estelle "5 speed"
Skoda Favorit in resale white
Kia Pride 1.0 litre
Kia Pride 1.3 litre "big block" with whitewall tyres
Rover 214sei
Freelander 2.0 diesel softback - 1999
And hopefully to redeem myself, also in 1999 for fun;
Lancia Delta Integrale 16v - ruddy loved it. Was running 280hp & took it to the South of France that summer on holiday.
I passed in 1985 and I seem to be a little older than most of the posters on this thread so far, but here is my list throughout the 1990’s
At the turn of the decade Ford Escort XR3i
1992 Peugeot 106 XSi
1994 Honda Prelude 2.2 VTEC
1996 BMW M3 Evo Coupe (E36)
1998 BMW Z3 M Roadster
1999 Porsche 911 C4 Coupe (996)
Out of those, my favourite was the M3. The first properly quick car I owned.
Best Regards
Minglar
At the turn of the decade Ford Escort XR3i
1992 Peugeot 106 XSi
1994 Honda Prelude 2.2 VTEC
1996 BMW M3 Evo Coupe (E36)
1998 BMW Z3 M Roadster
1999 Porsche 911 C4 Coupe (996)
Out of those, my favourite was the M3. The first properly quick car I owned.
Best Regards
Minglar
Edited by Minglar on Thursday 25th February 13:00
Passed in 1990.
Mk1 Fiesta 1.0 Popular (absolute poverty spec, I laugh today at my son moaning about something missing spec-wise on a car)
Mk2 Cavalier 1.6LX (total pain to get running right)
Citroen AX 1.1 (first brand new car - free insurance)
Saxo VTR (again free insurance)
Saxo VTS (again free insurance!)
Mk1 Fiesta 1.0 Popular (absolute poverty spec, I laugh today at my son moaning about something missing spec-wise on a car)
Mk2 Cavalier 1.6LX (total pain to get running right)
Citroen AX 1.1 (first brand new car - free insurance)
Saxo VTR (again free insurance)
Saxo VTS (again free insurance!)
Mini 1275GT (I think this crept into the 90's - sold to buy bicycle while student - stupid decision)
Ford Capri 1600L (scrapped)
Opel Manta 1800 Berlinetta Coupe (written off - d
head)
Ford Escort Mk2 1100 ( girlfriends mum gave it to me after Opel write off - someone smashed into it while it was parked. Shame as it was about to become my sister's car)
Mini 1275GT (1380) (reliving old fantasies)
Renault 5 GT Turbo (brilliant little car)
Triumph Stag (dunno what I was thinking, but it was nice anyway)
BMW 528i (E28 - 5 speed manual - sold - it was white, and alhough proper 3 pedal car, clutch was horrendous)
BMW 528i (E28 Auto - great car), sold to buy E32 730i in 00's)
Suzuki GSF600 (sold to buy TL)
1964 Royal Enfield 750 Inteceptor (still own)
Suzuki TL1000S (sold to buy ZX9R in 00's)
Ford Capri 1600L (scrapped)
Opel Manta 1800 Berlinetta Coupe (written off - d
head)Ford Escort Mk2 1100 ( girlfriends mum gave it to me after Opel write off - someone smashed into it while it was parked. Shame as it was about to become my sister's car)
Mini 1275GT (1380) (reliving old fantasies)
Renault 5 GT Turbo (brilliant little car)
Triumph Stag (dunno what I was thinking, but it was nice anyway)
BMW 528i (E28 - 5 speed manual - sold - it was white, and alhough proper 3 pedal car, clutch was horrendous)
BMW 528i (E28 Auto - great car), sold to buy E32 730i in 00's)
Suzuki GSF600 (sold to buy TL)
1964 Royal Enfield 750 Inteceptor (still own)
Suzuki TL1000S (sold to buy ZX9R in 00's)
Passed my test in '90 so here's my list.
First car I drove on my own was my mum's Metro.
My first car - 1200 Beetle - rotten as a pear and died pretty quickly to be replaced with
- 1300 Beetle - Started restoring it but the company I worked for went under in the recession so it was sold as a project.
Got a new job
- 1600 GT Beetle - Had this for quite a few years, restoring and modifying it to a pretty good level.
- Subaru G Wagon - was intended to be a donor car for another project which never happened. Failed it's MOT a year later and was scrapped.
That took me up to the end of the 90's
First car I drove on my own was my mum's Metro.
My first car - 1200 Beetle - rotten as a pear and died pretty quickly to be replaced with
- 1300 Beetle - Started restoring it but the company I worked for went under in the recession so it was sold as a project.
Got a new job
- 1600 GT Beetle - Had this for quite a few years, restoring and modifying it to a pretty good level.
- Subaru G Wagon - was intended to be a donor car for another project which never happened. Failed it's MOT a year later and was scrapped.
That took me up to the end of the 90's
Edited by CoolC on Thursday 25th February 13:13
Nelka said:
Passed in 1990.
Mk1 Fiesta 1.0 Popular (absolute poverty spec, I laugh today at my son moaning about something missing spec-wise on a car)
Mk2 Cavalier 1.6LX (total pain to get running right)
Citroen AX 1.1 (first brand new car - free insurance)
Saxo VTR (again free insurance)
Saxo VTS (again free insurance!)
Funny that I was thinking about the free insurance offers in the 90s the other day and you don't see them anymore. Mk1 Fiesta 1.0 Popular (absolute poverty spec, I laugh today at my son moaning about something missing spec-wise on a car)
Mk2 Cavalier 1.6LX (total pain to get running right)
Citroen AX 1.1 (first brand new car - free insurance)
Saxo VTR (again free insurance)
Saxo VTS (again free insurance!)
Passed my test in 1994, but couldn't afford to own a car.
I drove my parent's early Mk2 Cavalier 1.6GL for a short time and, when it failed its MOT, very kindly, allowed me to drive their nearly-new Mk3 Cavalier 1.6L. The Mk3 Cavalier was gutless in comparison with the Mk2, the radio was good, handling seemed ok (as I didn't know any better. On reflection, the chassis was terrible). I won't mention the crash...
Parents swapped to a Mk2 Mondeo 1.8, which I drove when home from university -A great car, vastly superior to the Mk3 cavalier.
Late 90s, I bought a Mk1 Mondeo 2.0 (probably little faster than a 1.8, but with 136ps and a close-ratio box that red-lined at 127mph) -A bit knackered (for the claimed mileage), terrible headlights, horrible seat cloth, but good fun to drive, frequently driven hard on all surfaces, and took a lot of abuse. Crashed soon after purchase, due to aquaplaning on terrible ditchfinders -replaced all tyres with Michelins and have always used quality tyres (and brakes, after experiencing fade on the cheap pads that had been used) since.
I drove my parent's early Mk2 Cavalier 1.6GL for a short time and, when it failed its MOT, very kindly, allowed me to drive their nearly-new Mk3 Cavalier 1.6L. The Mk3 Cavalier was gutless in comparison with the Mk2, the radio was good, handling seemed ok (as I didn't know any better. On reflection, the chassis was terrible). I won't mention the crash...
Parents swapped to a Mk2 Mondeo 1.8, which I drove when home from university -A great car, vastly superior to the Mk3 cavalier.
Late 90s, I bought a Mk1 Mondeo 2.0 (probably little faster than a 1.8, but with 136ps and a close-ratio box that red-lined at 127mph) -A bit knackered (for the claimed mileage), terrible headlights, horrible seat cloth, but good fun to drive, frequently driven hard on all surfaces, and took a lot of abuse. Crashed soon after purchase, due to aquaplaning on terrible ditchfinders -replaced all tyres with Michelins and have always used quality tyres (and brakes, after experiencing fade on the cheap pads that had been used) since.
Edited by MC Bodge on Thursday 25th February 13:30
Started the 90s with a Mk3 Fiesta 1.4 Ghia (bought on the Ford employee scheme), then
Mk3 Escort XR3i (dreadful unreliable dog of a thing)
Mk4 Orion 1.6 Ghia (in JRG, "Ford's small limousine"
)
Mk1 Fiesta Supersport (brilliant little go-kart)
Mk2 Escort RS2000 (bog standard black, lovely, should have kept it)
Mk3 "Series 1" Escort RS Turbo (200bhp and a seriously quick 1.6 for the time, 1 of 52 on a "D")
Sierra RS Cosworth (slightly breathed on, side exit exhaust, 17" TSWs, still squirreled away awaiting resurrection - yeah right)
(and at the same time) another Mk2 Escort RS2000 (1 of 7 in Calypso Green, 5-speed, twin 40s, 7" Superlites, lost in a fire)
I was in to my Fords then...
Mk3 Escort XR3i (dreadful unreliable dog of a thing)
Mk4 Orion 1.6 Ghia (in JRG, "Ford's small limousine"
)Mk1 Fiesta Supersport (brilliant little go-kart)
Mk2 Escort RS2000 (bog standard black, lovely, should have kept it)
Mk3 "Series 1" Escort RS Turbo (200bhp and a seriously quick 1.6 for the time, 1 of 52 on a "D")
Sierra RS Cosworth (slightly breathed on, side exit exhaust, 17" TSWs, still squirreled away awaiting resurrection - yeah right)
(and at the same time) another Mk2 Escort RS2000 (1 of 7 in Calypso Green, 5-speed, twin 40s, 7" Superlites, lost in a fire)
I was in to my Fords then...
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