Poverty spec cars.
Author
Discussion

superhans88

Original Poster:

183 posts

204 months

Monday 23rd August 2010
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As we all know, nowadays there's no such thing as a bad car and even the base models come with eveything you need, and so it goes on....

Of course there was a time when the common man on the street had to put up with seriously badly engineered and spartan cars, escort popular springs to mind. Any stories, interesting facts?

g3org3y

22,463 posts

220 months

Monday 23rd August 2010
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Back at school, friend's dad wanted a BRAND NEW Mercedes. Ended up getting an absolute base spec C180 - didn't even have a radio.

Mastodon2

14,324 posts

194 months

Monday 23rd August 2010
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My car doesn't even have a rev counter. I was driving it with my brother today, and he was shocked to find it didn't have ABS, traction control etc. Unfortunately it's not a TVR, and it is rather basic inside. At least one day when I'm driving a Lancer Evolution I won't be missing luxuries!

550Hep

3,135 posts

246 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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Dad bought a new 7 series sometime in the late 80's and had to pay for a stereo and rear electric windows IIRC!!!

Edited by 550Hep on Tuesday 24th August 00:05

OllieWinchester

5,700 posts

221 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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Poverty spec is good in certain situations, less to go wrong and lighter. I have a suspicion that the 'youth of today' (I'm only 26 BTW) would have a totally different understanding of poverty spec to us though. "Where is your keyless entry and integrated sat nav then?" My first car was a Mk2 Fiesta Festival which came with such luxuries as a passenger wing mirror and a radio. Gosh.

Timberwolf

5,374 posts

247 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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Mastodon2 said:
My car doesn't even have a rev counter.
My first car was a Polo CL. The instrument binnacle contained a 100mph speedometer, a fuel gauge, a temperature gauge, and an enormous clock. There wasn't even a separate indicator flasher for each direction, just one light for both.

The CL was the upscale model, featuring such delights as:

  • Driving lamps!
  • Red stripe on the radiator grille!
  • Rear wash/wipe!
  • Rear spoiler!
  • Three speaker stereo!
  • Um...
  • Er...
  • No, that's it.
Although, by the standards of the '80s... ever seen a Fiesta Popular?

Wacky Racer

41,315 posts

276 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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You still have to pay extra for door handles on a Morgan.....biggrin

dxg

10,732 posts

289 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
quotequote all
Timberwolf said:
Mastodon2 said:
My car doesn't even have a rev counter.
My first car was a Polo CL. The instrument binnacle contained a 100mph speedometer, a fuel gauge, a temperature gauge, and an enormous clock. There wasn't even a separate indicator flasher for each direction, just one light for both.

The CL was the upscale model, featuring such delights as:

  • Driving lamps!
  • Red stripe on the radiator grille!
  • Rear wash/wipe!
  • Rear spoiler!
  • Three speaker stereo!
  • Um...
  • Er...
  • No, that's it.
Although, by the standards of the '80s... ever seen a Fiesta Popular?
My first car was a Fiat Uno Formula (903cc pushrod engine).

It had a speedometer and in the space on the other side...

... it didn't have a revometer

... it didn't have a clock

... it *did* have a diagram with the tyre pressures on it!

g3org3y

22,463 posts

220 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
quotequote all
Timberwolf said:
Although, by the standards of the '80s... ever seen a Fiesta Popular?
Yep, had one. There was a foot pump to the left of the clutch for the screen washing system!

LFO

88 posts

203 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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Things that have been an option on cars.

Glovebox
Passenger side windscreen wiper
heating
seat belts
carpet
fuel gauge
Bumpers
wind-down windows



Mastodon2

14,324 posts

194 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
quotequote all
Timberwolf said:
Mastodon2 said:
My car doesn't even have a rev counter.
My first car was a Polo CL. The instrument binnacle contained a 100mph speedometer, a fuel gauge, a temperature gauge, and an enormous clock. There wasn't even a separate indicator flasher for each direction, just one light for both.

The CL was the upscale model, featuring such delights as:

  • Driving lamps!
  • Red stripe on the radiator grille!
  • Rear wash/wipe!
  • Rear spoiler!
  • Three speaker stereo!
  • Um...
  • Er...
  • No, that's it.
Although, by the standards of the '80s... ever seen a Fiesta Popular?
Sounds like a luxury barge - my instrument binnacle is...

  • A speedo, measuring up to 140mph, and with kmph on it too...in RED FONT!
  • 3 warning lights - handbrake, battery and oil.
  • A diagram of a car - serving no purpose at all!
Honestly, it would be racecar like in it's single-mindedness were it not in a Fiesta.

I feel lucky to have a rear windscreen wiper, rear wash? Forget about it! Spoiler? Yeah right!

EDIT: Forgot I have a fuel gauage too, but it's inaccurate, not moving at all in the first 50 miles then going down to 3/4 of a tank after the 70 mark. A needle that can't read linear fuel consumption? You bet! It even refuses to work at all when the weather is really cold!

Edited by Mastodon2 on Tuesday 24th August 00:24

Zip106

16,088 posts

218 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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My first van - a Bedford HA 1100, (1982 MY) only had a speedo and fuel gauge.

No temp gauge, or radio and only a very basic heater that didn't heat very well.

The windscreen wash was a button you had to pump with your hand (it was a poly bag in the engine bay!)

The wipers had only 2 speeds (just).

Indicators had one central green lamp on the dash that didn't blink.

anonymous-user

83 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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No ABS, no traction control, no climate control, cloth seats and no spare wheel.

I wouldn't have it any way.

snuffle

1,587 posts

211 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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no ABS
no PAS
no Electric windows
no Central locking
no Spare wheel
no Air con
Heater that just about fits the description
1 adjustable seat, but only forwards and backwards

welcome to a modern Lotus.

PetrolHeadSeb

368 posts

198 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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My first car was 1.6 Cavalier (I know, I know, but when I was 17 I thought I was smart because I had a 1.6) it had no rev counter, no central locking, manual windows and an analogue clock - it did have a radio though.

My current Saxo VTS has just turned more poverty spec than normal since the electrics are playing up. Now I have no heaters / interior lights which makes driving at night rather interesting indeed!

insanojackson

6,020 posts

273 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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my first car was an e reg fiesta 950cc popular, it had nothing at all in it lol, no luxury whatsoever.

on the upside i had it 18 months and sold it for 25 quid more than i paid for it.

anonymous-user

83 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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I have a hire car for work at the moment, Proton Waja, only has a radio cassette, I am waiting to go home this wekend to get in the store room and dig out my box of old cassetts

davhill

5,263 posts

213 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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Had a Bond Bug once, it had...nothing, except for a wheel shortage.
And a Gilbern Invader Mk.1. On (IIRC) 185x15 rubber with no PAS. Made me into Billy Biceps!

hornetrider

63,161 posts

234 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
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kazste

6,118 posts

227 months

Tuesday 24th August 2010
quotequote all
snuffle said:
no ABS
no PAS
no Electric windows
no Central locking
no Spare wheel
no Air con
Heater that just about fits the description
1 adjustable seat, but only forwards and backwards

welcome to a modern Lotus.
I would point out that my lotus must be slightly more modern as it does have electric Windows, abs, and central locking but you'll just tell me I'm a girl to have all that on my elise!