My new adventure

[MrGlennyC]

So, where do I start.
I'm going to start with apologising for the amount of reading you are now embarking on.
After reading a few 'readers cars' and the adventures we have had I thought I'd share what I've had and where I'm up to.
Age 17 and looking to get on the road, I had to settle for essentially what was the cheapest insurable car I could, yet not dropping money into the usual novas that a lot of my pals had. Step forward car number 1.
Skoda favourit 1300 16v estate (never has a 16v been so important compared to pals said novas!!!). Lovely little motor, but tbf wasn't the greatest motor to pull in. It did however make a pukka little wagon to ram full of tents, sleeping bags, as many people as we could squeeze in for many a weekend getaway.
Ended its life with me when, fully loaded, the rear springs and shocks catastrophically failed and its arse ended up smashing on the road. Loving the freedom that I had now found helped me decide on car 2. Ford Transit 1600 swb. Found this van being sold locally and was sold on the idea of lightweight and rwd. 1600 petrol, 4spd box and the most spartan machine I had ever seen. Loved its simplicity. Didn't love the gutless engine and pointless gearbox. Whilst I had the transit car 3 came along after a drunken purchase. Ford Sierra 2.0si (with the plastic hubcap version of the xr2 pepper pots-red with grey lower). Didn't last long however. On the day of picking it up, me, the Mrs at the time, and 3 pals decided to go for a drive to experience the power of a twin cam 2 litre engine (as an 18 year old!). After a day of driving with no issue we chose to drive the quick way home and went via the m25. Accelerated to mway speeds and all was well. That was u too the bonnet flew up and slammed onto the windscreen and roof. Quickly, and remmenescent of Ace Ventura, down came the window, head out of window, and guided the car to the hard shoulder.
Quick repair with someone's shoelaces got us home and the car was ruined. Now I have a smashed up Sierra and a useless van.
What to do.
Bingo! Remove engine and box from Sierra and install in transit. So we did. Took 2 days to do and was excellent. Although the 5spd box was fitted, 1st gear was over so quickly that, unless fully loaded, the van was quite happy pulling from standstill in 2nd gear.
Cars 4 (xpack Ford Escort mk2), 5 (Ford Fiesta 1300SS), 6 (Ford Escort S1 RST) deserve stories of their own so will skip this area which leaves me around 20 and expecting my 1st son.
Car 7 was purchased as a sensible set of wheels. Ford Escort mk5 1800 si. I loved it. It was an honest drive and looked nice from the outside but could contain new kiddie life on the inside. Wasn't the greatest though and started to cost the earth after it clocked over 100k miles so, after a few faithful years was sold. Car 8 was picked and purchased by the yet to become wife. Renault Megane 1600 dynamique. Wasn't the greatest, very much a so so car. Not great in areas but not to sad in others. Kept for about 2 years.
Another little one was well on the way and decided that we again néed an increase in space. Welcome car number 9. Mazda 5 2.0td. Absolutely loved this car. Loads of space, sliding doors, nice steer but 1 glaring issue. Power.
Contacted a company called Celtic Tuning and they sorted me out with a dpf replacement and full stage 1 remap. It made so much of an improvement that I soon had a bigger intercooler on order and took it up to 220bhp 385lbft. Wasn't the quickest from the lights (as its a big family holdall) but on the motorway in 6th, was the best rep mobile chaser I have ever driven. Ride the wave of torque and away it went. And went it did. Away from the outside of my house in the thick of night. bds!
Car 10 was needed, so looked via social media and found a rough diamond that needed a scrub. Saab 9-5 2.3hot aero. Rough diamond indeed. Rough as a brasses ring piece on the outside, but mechanically was strong and sound. Sure it had the ignition cassette issues from time to time, but when the seats are that comfortable and you get to marvel at the best drinks holder I have ever seen, as well as the funky low centrally placed ignition, all can be forgiven. It was a dark green and had the full saab factory kit, with sumptuous cream leather and power for days.
Promotion at work heralded my first and only company car. Car 11 Seat Ateca 1.0tsi. Well, despite being the base S version and being super spartan in regards to equipment it was actually a very nice and keen drive. Low weight due to being a 3cyl, yet had the flexibility and power of an engine a lot bigger due to the turbo. You ended up driving it like a diesel!
2 years in and reshuffles at work meant I wanted out, so needed a car.
Car 12 (and current daily) Peugeot 3008 2.0hdi
As I was now leaving my job(and London) I needed a car that again was capable of taking the family (now 3 kids) ticked the boxes of toys and equipment (HUD, heated electric leather, satnav, cruise, etc etc) and have enough oomph to keep me happy. Being the 150bhp version it was quick enough for me, but being a heavy family car, was never gonna drive how I wanted it to. And this is where this adventure and its documentation is going to start.
Car 13.
What can I say about 13? Well let me start and let's see what you come up with?
Twin cam 16v engine
Recaro interior
Tein suspension
Enkie wheels
Genuine pedigree and homoglation status


Any ideas?
Yep. You got it. The little Suzuki with the stoooooopid name. Car 13 Suzuki Ignis Sport. Picked this up cheap as a project to tinker and play with. Over the years I have also got into rc cars. Thing is they get expensive quickly. Traxxas erevo and Losi Dbxl. Not much change from 2.5 bags plus maintenance and repair costs! Rather than buy another rc car I wanted something that I could drive, rather than scream round a field so found the Ignis and set about getting it.
700 notes and 4 days later and what can I say. What a spend. What a purchase. What a car!!
Handles like its on rails despite wearing 185 (!) section tyres, screaming little 1500 dohc that loves the limiter, the stiffest suspension in the world and is so light, a fag packet seems heavy.
Plans?
Well apart from a full and major service including brake pads and discs and a general tidy up, my plans are to fit a tasty, but not rude, backbox (pipercross or similar) and improve the breathing (air ducts, hoses etc) I'm thinking of using as a trackday car.
What's the thoughts out here??
Thanks is advance for any help and/or ideas.

[Carlososos]

Awesome little motor. Great buy that.

[Mr Tidy]

That's a great summary of your car history so far!

And your Suzuki looks great - with many adventures ahead of it.

[MrGlennyC]

Love this cars sense of humour.
Photo bombing while the scoob has open heart surgery.