I thought I'd not really miss my old Mondeo estate. After all, plenty of people manage fine with much smaller cars don't they?
It went at the beginning of December. Since then I've bought some flat packed furniture for my office. Had to put the roofrack on the Qashqai when it would have easily gone in the Mondeo. Built a gate for my mother's house. again roof rack needed where previously it would have gone inside. Bought a Christmas tree, again roof rack job. Been to the tip today, two runs insread of one....Then there's the step now needed to reach the bike racks...
Then there's the way it drove. Inch perfect handling and feedback. Comfiest seats ever. Ergonomically perfect control positions for me anyway.
I miss it.....lots.
Do you miss any cars you've sold?
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Sun 2 Jan 11 at 12:41
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No, I miss one which I wrecked tho.
The laguna, really good looking in a "classy french tart" sort of way, comfy, sweet handler, blazingly fast on the motorway overtake, sweet sweet 1.9dCi engine.
Sigh
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 2 Jan 11 at 12:56
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The Sierra would lug anything about but a carp car.
The x plate Astra was a good motor should have fixed it rather than buy the brand new model daft idea.
The Vectra i love it hope to keep it for some time.
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Miss a few for their good points, mostly the old Landcruiser again lost through accident...tough simple basic totally reliable and ugly as sin.
There's a good few i don't miss one bit, list of topped by Rover 2300 Sdi and Pug 306 XLDT.
The maudlin Mondeo message could be the first sign of Ebenezer D'Bout's supernatural conversion to salvation following the throwing out into the cold of Betsy...just before Christmas too, the forces of good must be trying hard to break through following the callous abandonment of that loyal creature.
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Somehow I knew you'd have some words of comfort GB. Call it telepathy or second sight. I had hoped you were out today fettling your daughter's new Honda...
:-)
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I miss my '86 Audi 90 Quattro, but then I have to be sensible and think of the reasons I sold it. Clutch was on it's way out, I wanted something more aerodynamic (you could really feel the drag on a windy day) and the handling was understeery with that big tall engine hung out ahead of the front axle. Great noise and grip and high speed stability, but Audi annoyed me because they wouldn't reduce their parts prices for their older models, where BMW and VW did.
I'm going to miss aspects of my current car when I sell it, I know that.
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The Outback. It had few faults and many good points and just did everything I wanted quietly and smoothly without fuss or flash.
Pity it was a bit too small inside for a family of five and the 20mpg was getting a bit worrying even though I only do about 9,000 miles pa.
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My old Mk1 Fiesta 1.1L.
I 'slightly' modified it.
Keeping the 1.1 lump, but adding some Ford RS bits, meant that I could upset people with 2.0 Capris, 2.8 Grannys ect........
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I miss the Corsa sometimes because it had a rear anti roll bar and a slightly bigger boot, to things my Panda dosn't have.
I don't miss the repair bills or that awful gearchange which felt like mixing cement (or am I just use to slick Ford changes and my new Panda?)
I also miss some of the silly gadgets on the Corsa like electric mirrors.
I don't miss the Fiestas, one of them is my dads and the other two were complete sheds. I do miss my first Fiesta though simply because of all the bodges I did to it to make it work in the end though no amount of bodges could make up for lack of piston rings.
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If we all had our first very own car hidden away in a garage and now got it out after all these years you probably would think what a pile of turd.!!
After all mine was a mk3 escort it was rotting then so 20 years down road id be sweeping it up.!!
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>> If we all had our first very own car hidden away in a garage and
>> now got it out after all these years you probably would think what a pile
Agreed it would be rusty but i'd love to have a Volvo 122S Amazon to trundle round in again.
So many different cars in that imaginary fleet.
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I would like one of my Super Minx convertibles. It would only be for a ' fun ' car, though and I already have that covered. I've often thought that if I lose interest in the Jowett then a S-Minx ragtop would take its place. The Cooper 970S was fun...but impractical now....as it was then.
Most cars in the 40 yrs since have been grey porage. Normally 50 quidders that needed a bit of work.
The exception might be the Renault 6, 1971 Ventoux engine. I welded a floor in in 18 gauge steel and it was brilliant and economical. It got SWMBO back on the road, I had the Range Rover for work and caravan. Sadly, the 6 met it's end outside the house when some young lad drove up it's chuff at some speed !
I've just been gricing one or two replacements for the Vitara,........ Grand Vitara, CRV, that sort of thing. Fired mine up today for the first time in a week and realised that, like Humpy, there's a lot you can do with this sort of old car. The tip, 3 metre timber, rubble, all the detritus I carry round in connection with my little job. All that would spoil a newer one...so the old girl, with her very smooth PSA diesel, stays for now. So, I've saved about £4k today !....good innit ?
Ted
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Have you really driven the panda fast enough round a bend to miss the fact it had an anti-roll bar?
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Yes! But then on the Corsa the road honding was so bad I couldn't really go round corners fast! The Panda is great round corners apart from the lean.
It is more of a problem because of carrying computers I need to be aware of it and not take corners quickly.
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Get shut of the panda and get a ford connect van them small ones, use one at work a diesel it does miles of mpg and you could kit it out in the back to hold your computer stuff & still have room to take your bird out down a quiet country lane.!!
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I really, really, really miss my '96 Saab 9000 2.3 CDE Auto. It was a fabulous car - fast, smooth, extremely comfortable and so relaxing to drive. It was such a wrench when I sold it but the current price of petrol, coupled with a 50 mile round trip commute meant it had to go.
Last edited by: Badwolf on Sun 2 Jan 11 at 16:47
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Just been to a quick job in it now. It is only every time I drive it still surprises me as it is always a lot better than I imagine. If it did have an ARB it would really be perfect.
Still not sure how long I will keep it but I might surprise myself and everybody else and keep it for years.
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Keep it 10 years, Rattle - then buy another new one.
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That is what my sensible head is saying or at least until none service items start to go wrong with it. Either way I am sure by the time I am 31 I could do without the £128 a month loan to pay.
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That's what we plan to do with the i10; run it till the 5-year warranty's expired then trade it in.
Had to think long and hard about the OP's question; there might be several cars (and a few more bikes) that I miss, but as for having 'em back again, in the condition they were in then, that's another matter.
The only car that I would consider, given those pre-requisites, is my old 1958 Land Rover. Early Series 2 SWB rag-top, with a 2.25 litre petrol engine, 5-bearing crank. Simple, and reliable.
The 1951 Series 1 which followed it was more fun, but I couldn't live with its dipsomaniac thirst for petrol these days.
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Rattle can you not raid the Abarth 500's parts bin for a rear ARB?
ARB £90
Fitting kit, bolts etc. £10
DIY fit
Insurance hike £30
Figures plucked out my backside so might be well off :-)
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It is not a major problem really so it is not worth it. People have talked about doing this on the Panda forum but my understanding is that the rear sub frames are not the same. You could easily bolt the rear subframe from a 500 onto the Panda as the floorplan is essentialy the same but it is a very expensive job.
The roll is only really a problem when approaching a clear round about and needing to get the speed up. It is not really the lack of ARB which causes the problem it is the high profile skinny tyres and the high suspension travel.
The ride is exellent over pot holes and it is perfect for places like Manchester but when you do have a high suspension setup an ARB should have been included.
Fitting stiffer springs and shocks from a 100HP would no doubt be the cheapest way of solving the problem but then the ride would be a lot worse, I think I would rather the bodyroll and a softer ride because of my back.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Sun 2 Jan 11 at 17:54
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>> The ride is exellent over pot holes and it is perfect for places like Manchester
>> but when you do have a high suspension setup an ARB should have been included.
Previous generation Punto's would bounce like billio at the rear end, i wonder if a decent pair of rear shocks would make a difference to the Panda, would make the ride no harder but control the back side a bit.
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It dosn't bounce at all really, the shocks do work very well. The press have always said the Panda rides a lot better than the Punto though.
Certainly if the shocks go I will probably replace them with more expensive ones. That said the Fiesta is 13 years and old and on 90k still has the original perfectly functioning shocks despite spending all its life on pot holes.
I do miss the boot light too but I solded that by fitting a battery LED cupboard light and attaching it with belcro.
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Do you know enough about suspension geometry to think an anti-roll bar would effect the changes you want?
I don't think the manufacturers would spend the fortune they do on R & D if it was so simple.
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I thought the lack of an ARB was simple, it is a cheap car and they have to cut costs. No point on having a Focus style multlink suspension on a £6k city car if that means robbing the owner of any equipment.
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I suspect your car has a 'twist beam' linking the two sides of the rear suspension. This will have the same effect as an anti-roll bar.
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>> I suspect your car has a 'twist beam' linking the two sides of the rear
>> suspension. This will have the same effect as an anti-roll bar.
>>
Technically that's still classed as independent suspension (yeah i didn't believe that either...).
The way it was explained to me is to think about what would happen if you put one spring supporting the body in the centre of the trailing arm and did away with the springs at either end. There's roll about the centre line.
The trailing arm to subframe mount is not a solid hinge, and the twist beam can twist easily because of the (relatively) long trailing arms.
The Abarth RARB isn't going to be spot on in terms of resistance but i bet it's close enough for an improvement in spirited driving in an "about town" kind of restricted way.
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Just bolting on an anti-roll bar may not necessarily be an improvement.
I understand to improve the grip at one end, you need stiffer roll resistance at the other end.
Would a very stiff anti-roll bar effectively negate the benefits of independent suspension?
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Yeah if you go too stiff with your ARB you get that bobbing behaviour where both wheels move up and down together as either wheel hits a bump.
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I miss my old Volvo 460 Xi, only lost due to accident. It was comfortable, pretty economical, spacious, only had the equipment that mattered and it felt like it would run and run. It was also mint, a true pleasure to own.
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I looked at this and though I know Humph's love of his Mondy was surprised not to see either if his Golf GTI's listed then I thought about my own Mk2. Fantastic car which I had for a couple of years, did 84k miles in it, the only thing it needed apart from standard servicing was a new back box and fog light bulb. Loved the car but somehow don't miss it.
My FIAT Coupe 20v turbo on the other hand was perfect for me at the time. Could take my mate, his wife and daughter to the airport with their suitcases (large and medium) and parafernalia no problem. Took me all over Europe at some rediculous speeds which would get me some time with big Dave at her Maj's pleasure in Blighty. Got to the stage where it was costing some big bucks to run not least the 12.5mpg on the autobahn but I miss her.
I think I will also miss my S60 D5 when she goes. Few minor issues at present (heater is not working on passenger side door mirror, expansion bottle is leaking around the seam and the gearbox has sprung a minor oil leak). Still a cracking car for 700+ mile drives on a single tank of fuel and heated seats for my derrier when it's very chilly (I know many cars have these now but a Volvo seat is something else).
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2.8 Capri. A cologne built version with the 4 speed box. And strangely fond of a Citroen ZX Volcane Diesel. A particularly sweet and free revving engine, quiet too. A later 306 Diesel with the same engine and box came nowhere near the ZX.
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I miss my original "Mark 1 " Scenic.
Was a T - reg, had the turbo diesel engine as opposed to the dci and other than aircon, had pretty much all the usable features I have in my car now.
If I still had that I could probably have cleared my mortgage with the money I have spent on cars since.
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About 10 years ago I traded-in a nice but bland Volvo S40 for a shiny ex-demo Polo SE TDI (back in the days when those VW TDI PD engines seemed to be unrivalled). Within about 6 months I was missing the space and comfort of the bigger S40.
I most miss a2003 S60 2.0 turbo that I had for a couple of years - so silky smooth and powerful. I think DP eulogises about the same model from time to time. The subsequent Volvo D5 diesel felt like a tractor in comparison :-(
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>> If I still had that I could probably have cleared my mortgage with the money I have spent on cars since.
Or not had the extension? :-)
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Two cars: predictably my 330d but less predictably my 1993 ZX Diesel - a car that did everything competently and was very economical and reliable, I wonder what I'd think if I were to drive one now (notwithstanding the obvious age related deterioration)?
Last edited by: idle_chatterer on Sun 2 Jan 11 at 23:52
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>>Or not had the extension? :-)
Would have paid for that as well!!
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Blimey this buying a car lark can get out of hand! That is an expensive few cars then? Best I stay with a company car and aim to save then!
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rtj70 - I would always stick with a company car if you are a car type person which you are.
Fine of you want to take your money and go and buy a Fiesta Popular Plus and keep the difference but other than that, company car every time.
Although my quote was slightly flippant, thinking of it since my first Scenic I have had a further 2 Scenics and my Altea, say on average £15k each, plus interest, plus dealer servicing... probably not too far off the mark!
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I really miss my Nissan Primera (Mk2). Yes, I know that it was never a fashionable car, but it ticked all the boxes for me. It was comfortable, utterly reliable, very practical, plenty quick enough for me, safe handling and cheap to run.
I did 130k in it from new, and would have been happy to trade it in for another one - but Nissan had stopped making them by them.
I also miss quite a lot my old Ford Capri and Vauxhall Cavalier.
My worst car was a Ford Fiesta in the 1980's. I was stuck with it for 18 months until I could afford to change it.
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"I thought I'd not really miss my old Mondeo estate."
You were always going to miss Betsy, Humph: if I remember right it was Mrs D'About who needed something smaller. An MPV is fine for ferrying kids around, but for every other purpose there's nothing like a good big estate that makes a van when you need it but is still good to drive even when you don't (which is certainly true of Mondeos and Octavias).
How long before your company will change the Cashcow? I think I know what sort of car might replace it!
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Well, Humph, it's funny that you should ask.
The Berlingo has not yet been assessed for insurance purposes (and I've gone and bought another one) and yet . . . well . . . having done the sensible thing and told myself not to bother thinking about getting it repaired, I'm now considering getting a quotation.
Aaaarghhh.
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My immaculate dark grey 1991 Mk2 VW Golf GTI 16V. Only weighed around 1100kg so 137bhp made it into a real rocket. Brilliant handling and steering and VW had finally sorted the brakes out by the time the last of the Mk2s were made. Miserable level of trim like all early 90s German cars, but the driving experience took your mind off it.
Bought at 2 years old, sold at 5 years old for what I paid for it as by that time it was almost the only one left in the country that had not been crashed, stolen or customised. I sold it because I had some money burning a hole in my pocket and thought I could splash out and buy something better. I was wrong.
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All the 'classic' cars that didn't make it with me to France.
The Honda Legend coupe we decided wasn't worth bringing with us. What a lovely motor that was.
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Ok, I started the thread with a little wistfulness over my Mondeo but there are a few more of the cars I've had which I would like another shot of just for old time's sake.
Volvo 240 saloon ( my dad's ) I learned to drive in.
Mk2 Cavalier Sri
Spitfire
Midget
Land Rover 90 3.5 V8
Golf Mk2 16V
BMW 525i saloon
Volvo 850 T5 Estate
Westfield
Granada 2.9 Ghia 4x4
Sierra Saphire Cosworth 4x4
The other 37 I can live without re-visiting.
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I would like to say that I miss my Renault Laguna(s)
- Comfortable
- Slick Gear Changes
- Ultra smooth clutch operation
- lots of clever functions.
- Lots of room
- handled well unless it was snowy/icy
But I dont really becasue
- Why did only one window have "one press window operation"
- the thing was very poorly made, remove the ash tray and there was a wiring loom under there.
- brakes, either discs, pads or the system itself was always a issue.
- various things stopped working or started leaking.
i think i miss my Mk1 Astra
- Not 100% releiable but uber easy to fix when applicable
- parts cheap
- everything was DIY if you had the right tools and a bot of space
- good handling
- roomy.
I love the Vectra though, and I would miss it when it goes.
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That's a pretty decent list of notable machines Humph
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A few nice ones yeah but there have been several frogs in among the princes ! To be fair, quite a lot of the more interesting ones were company cars or the result of heart way outruling head when I got divorced the first time. Not that I'm planning to repeat that excercise, oh heck, you know what I mean....
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You had a Westfield?
I don't think you've mentioned it before. ;>)
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Humph, I'd like to know more about the 850 T5 Estate, a car I always wanted, I thought that was the best looking model, especially the mean looking front with it's squared off headlights, in dark green or black.
What was it like to drive in terms of power, handling?
How comfortable and quiet?
Mpg?
Reliability?
I still see 850 estates tooling around here, really durable cars, but can be expensive to fix I've heard.
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The 850 ? It was a hoot. To put it in context it replaced my 940 2.0 GL estate which while a worthy lugger was not exactly a ball of fire.
Lots of torque steer, stupidly fast in a straight line ( well, acceleration particularly ). Not hugely satisfying steering feedback though. Handled tidily rather than well. About 28 mpg in real life. Brakes OK. Nice slick gearbox. Comfy. Huge fun after a 9 series. Never had any bother with it reliability wise.
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You're a jammy bug ger to have had such a range of cars, Humph - my list of all cars I've ever had is shorter than your list of desirables
Singer Chamois Mk II - an alternative to the Mini that was no alternative, really
Mini Clubman - even by the late 70's it was well out of date
Yugo 45 - the thought keeps me awake at night, even now
AX11RE - - mmm, actually - did do rather well in a couple of PCT's in that
AX GT - could actually be a lot of fun, but such a light car with low profile tyresa complete no-go in snow, if I had one now it wouldn't have been off the drive for the past few weeks, whereas the AX11 would
assorted Octavia's - they do the job, wouldn't mind a VRS if someone else was picking up all associated tabs
Renault Migraine - not in a month of sundays
but if somebody could cobble together a decent car together out of the two Saab 94 V4's I had (one bog standard, one rally prepared, both rustbuckets) that would be a pleasing proposition, one that might reintroduce a bit of fun to my motoring
Last edited by: borasport on Mon 3 Jan 11 at 17:19
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Jammy? Well that's one way of looking at it I suppose. Might have been better to have spent less on cars and more on getting rid of mortgages etc.
Hey Ho !
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>>AX GT - could actually be a lot of fun, but such a light car with low profile tyresa complete no-go in snow, if I had one now it wouldn't have been off the drive for the past few weeks, whereas the AX11 would
There's a couple of AX GTs competing on local PCTs. They do very well.
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Where's that, then, BT ?
not been anywhere near a PCT fro 15 years or so, now.
Last edited by: borasport on Mon 3 Jan 11 at 21:34
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wife works for the PCT and will lose her job soon,can the OP say wheres these ax's are being rodded so we can complain about taxpayers monies being wasted?
.........concerned tax payer,,,
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Here you are:
www.classictrials.co.uk/GuyFawkes05/Robin%20Howard.jpg
This is my club:
sites.google.com/site/falconmotorclub/
There were a load of photos of 2010 Guy Fawkes event (including KIA Pride), but blowed if I can find them now.
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I don't miss any of my previous cars. I put this down to a combination of continual technological advances and specification improvements, and wise choices of each successive car.
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the one i had nicked last christmas
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Just out of curiousity and nothing more than nosiness BB, do you have "permanent" personal cars in your household or do you just run about in whatever takes your fancy from the stock in the business ? I think I'd be like a kid in a sweetshop !
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its too much faff putting them on the mid since i changed insurers as i now have to phone in.
the alternative is trade plates which isnt ideal.
anyway who wants to run a car they have just spent ages on minting.
not me.
so no sweet shop for me im afraid
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I miss two.
1985 Cavalier 1.8 SRi. My first performance car which is probably why I will always have a soft spot for them. Lovely, lovely engine, very comfy, and like most 80's performance Vauxhalls, seemed to love being thrashed. Engine was a bit peaky, but revved so sweetly to its 6700 RPM redline, and pulled so strongly past 4000 RPM that it seemed rude not to use the revs at any opportunity. The car was reliable and well made too.
2000 Mazda MX-5. Unlike Mr. Clarkson in the recent TG Christmas special, we very much fell in love with it. Turned even a tootle to the shops into an event. Totally, utterly reliable and painless to own as well.
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2003 Lexus LS. Enjoyed every aspect of it other than the running costs. I'd have another if I had lots of money.
Having just done the calc, a fill up of my current car is £40 today, the LS is £105, and both return about 400 miles to the tank.
For my annual mileage I'd have to find another £205 quid a month just to fuel the LS, never mind service, maintain and insure it etc.
Still a gorgeous drive though, for me.
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I am currently in posession of my 30th car. I can honestly say, hand on heart that I miss all of my previous vehicles for one reason or another.
Special mention must go to an Alfa 33 1.7 Green Cloverleaf for its stunning overtaking performance and glorious noise.
I could list them all out here to be frank, even those which others would consider "dogs" such as a 1975 VW Beetle, Mk1 Escort, FIAT Regata...........I've loved them all.
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>> I could list them all out here to be frank, even those which others would
>> consider "dogs" such as a 1975 VW Beetle, Mk1 Escort, FIAT Regata...........I've loved them all.
List them then. It might stir memories for someone on this forum.
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I miss my previous car, a 2007 Ford Focus Estate 1.8 TDci.
Decent engine, great handling and overall dynamics. Decent load space and cheap to run.
Shame the seats were so bad they caused severe back ache and the car had to go. I wish Ford would spend more time designing their seats!
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>> I miss my previous car, a 2007 Ford Focus Estate 1.8 TDci.
>>
>> Decent engine, great handling and overall dynamics. Decent load space and cheap to run.
>>
>> Shame the seats were so bad they caused severe back ache and the car had
>> to go. I wish Ford would spend more time designing their seats!
>>
When I bought my 2003 Focus (and my earlier 1999 Focus) there were two seat shapes. Comfortable ones as in my current Ghia, and uncomfortable sporty bolstered bucket ones in most other variants. I tried out both versions and decided in favour of the Ghia seats. I found that the bolstered bucket seats were like sitting on the rim of a bucket. It was just a matter of not buying a variant which had them.
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>> When I bought my 2003 Focus (and my earlier 1999 Focus) there were two seat
>> shapes. Comfortable ones as in my current Ghia, and uncomfortable sporty bolstered bucket ones in
>> most other variants.
My 2002 Focus LX had easily the worst seats of any car I've had. They were neither bolstered, or comfortable. Just flat, featureless slabs of semi squishy nothingness, which lost what little thigh support they had when you lowered the height adjuster, and the front edge of the squab tipped down towards the floor, and a 2 inch gap appeared between the squab and backrest.
By comparison, the 'sports' seats in the Zetec model were superb, although the Ghia seats were in a different class altogether.
I couldn't understand how such an otherwise thoughtfully designed and enjoyable car had been allowed to leave the factory with such dreadful seats.
Sports seats do not need to be uncomfortable. Despite heavy bolsters, and firm padding, the Recaros in my 11 year old Golf are second only to the mobile sofas in my former Volvo S60 as the best car seats I have experienced.
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>> ............. although the Ghia seats
>> were in a different class altogether.
Good or bad, in your opinion?
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>> List them then. It might stir memories for someone on this forum.
>>
>>
OK, here goes. In order of ownership
Mk1 Ford Escort 1.1 Deluxe, FIAT 127 Sport, VW Beetle 1303, FIAT Regata 70, Citroen 2CV6, MG Metro, Ford Orion 1.6L, Citroen GSA, Renault 9 1.2 TS, Alfa 33 (Mk1) 1.7 Green Cloverleaf, Peugeot 309 1.3 Look, Volvo 360 GLS, Volvo 480 ES, Alfa 33 (Mk 2) 1.7 Green Cloverleaf, Mk 5 Ford Escort 1.4 LX, Mk 2 Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX Estate, FIAT Marea 115 ELX, Mk 3 SEAT Ibiza 1.2, another Mk3 SEAT Ibiza 1.2, MG Midget, VW Touran 1.9TDi S, Mk 3 SEAT Toledo 1.6, FIAT Ulysse 2.0, FIAT Stilo Multiwagon 1.9JTD, Mazda 6 2.0 TS, VW Touran 2.0 TDi SE DSG, Smart Roadster, VW Golf 1.9TDi SE, Volvo 360 GLEi, Ford Galaxy 1.9TDi Ghia.
The last three on the list are all current.
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>>Citroen GSA
Wow! Air cooled flat four.
>>Volvo 480ES
They were a nice looking car. The only thing I remember about them was that the rear wiper motor was prone to failing and a replacement cost a cool £450. Ridiculous.
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And not a single 4x4 on the list to wind him up about :-(
;-)
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>> And not a single 4x4 on the list
Nor will there ever be, unless I move to the Amazon or Siberia. Although a conventional saloon/estate which happens to have 4 wheel drive would appeal. Quite fancy a diesel auto Legacy sometime.
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>> Wow! Air cooled flat four.
Was a lovely sounding car, but knackered suspension and a leaking fuel tank made it beyond economical repair eventually. Sad. Even when I had mine, there weren't that many left.
>> >>Volvo 480ES
>>
>> The only thing I remember about them was that
>> the rear wiper motor was prone to failing and a replacement cost a cool £450.
Never went on mine. It had a bizarre and untraceable starting problem though. I took it up to 175,000 miles before a dustcart wrote it off - never experienced any other car with such a high mileage which felt so tight and new. Lovely drive, that was.
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Volvo 740GLE auto. Fantastic car, never missed a beat. Sadly sold due to an ex-wife who turned out to be more expensive to run than a Hummer. And just as stupid.
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OK, OK, I have been resisting this though I too miss the Mondeo, it was not an estate like Humph's though the 5 door hatch was very practical and it was simply great to drive and really very refined.
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The BX 19TGD estate. Bought 1993, a two yr old former NHBC company vehicle with 40k on the clock. Retired to the scrappy in 2005 after a prosepctive £750 MoT bill and a warning of more to follow.
Great load lugger, comfy seats. Not fast but no slouch once in it's stride. The XUD engine never needed more than oil and the odd glow plug. Hydropneumatics gave no more trouble than McPherson struts and conventional brakes would have done (a height corrector and a couple of calipers).
Only time it needed flatbedding was when the alternator failed - engine kept running but no lights is a bummer!!
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I can't speak for anyone else, but I've learned a thing or two from this thread.
1) you often don't appreciate the qualities of the car that you are currently driving, until you get rid of it (applies to me very much), and
2) We get rid of cars too soon. How much does this chopping and changing cost us? We could pay off our mortgages with the money we waste.
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>>How much does this chopping and changing
>> cost us? We could pay off our mortgages with the money we waste.
>>
Maybe so, but we are car enthusiasts. Not everything in life needs to be the most rational financial decision. I doubt any of us here are starving because of it.
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>> 2) We get rid of cars too soon. How much does this chopping and changing
>> cost us? We could pay off our mortgages with the money we waste.
Not quite all of us. I'll probably be trading my car in this year after owning it for six years. Not as long as some people here, but long enough for me.
As for paying off the mortgage, you don't have to buy new all the time. That's the best way of chucking money down the drain.
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" ... you often don't appreciate the qualities of the car that you are currently driving, until you get rid of it ... "
True, you just don't. Applies to most things in our lives, I guess...
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My 1946 Rover 16, The freewheel made driving in traffic so easy.. The view along the bonnet. The glow at the top of the headlamps at night.
I forget the heavy steering , the axle tramp and the brake fade not to mention the petrol locks on a hot day.
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Looking back through (very) rose tinted glasses...Mk 1 Golf Gti (aum 880x), only 1.6 and 105bhp but a hoot to drive. Later a Mk2 RS2000, modified and used by me for road rallies when a motor club member, UrQuattro 20V turbo (my bestest car ever) and sold at a considerable profit after 3 years ownership, Saab 9000 2.3 Carllson and finally H273 XCX a 1.6 TD VW Transporter Syncro. A fabulous workhorse for many years, and which I should never have sold.
The most disappointing, which I was really excited about buying, were a Spitfire, Marina 1.8 TC Coupe, and a Sierra 2.8 4 X 4...erm, thats it. Not bad out of the 40 odd cars I have owned in the past 38 years.
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>> The most disappointing ... Sierra 2.8 4 X 4
What took the shine off the Sierra?
They were all gone off the roads by the time i sat my test (2002) so i never got a shot of one, but we had one, in fact 2 or 3 when i was growing up and they always seemed cool cars to me.
The indicator stalks were made of recycled toothbrush handles i remember, but the seats were comfy and i loved the gearstick, it was comfy to use for little paws when i was "driving" in the driveway (keys never left in sight, it's like they didn't trust me :-( ).
I always fancied a saphire when i was growing up, didn't even have to be a cossie, but that would have been a bonus.
Last one i sat in was my dad's '92 saphire and it would have been a 1.8 or a 2.0 but i remember it could shift.
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A good friend of mine had an XR4x4. ISTRC it looked good, sounded good, handled nicely, but didn't really have the performance that you would expect from the soundtrack and the barely 20 mpg fuel economy he used to get out of it. The 2.8 version was only about 150 bhp IIRC, which ain't a lot for a big car with a heavy AWD system.
I still remember the Sierra's interior fondly. The way the centre console wrapped around the driver and the way it felt like you sat "in" it, thanks mainly to the high transmission tunnel, were very memorable. In fact, for something designed nearly 30 years ago, it still looks remarkably fresh today.
tinyurl.com/27jp3y6
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Ahhh I didn't realise they were so down on power.
That dashboard is so short at the top, towards the windscreen, I'd forgotten that, everything else is as I remember it. Well, different trim level I guess in the centre console.
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I had a 1988 Sierra Sapphire (saloon) new as a company car. It was just after they upgraded the model from the old 1.6/1.8 engine to the new 1.8 CVH type that would run on unlead. At the same time they added better seat materials and tint glass plus some other small improvements. I upgraded the tyres to a larger low profile type from new and also went for the nice met grey many of the Coswoths were in. It was a really smooth comfortable car for its day with a good stereo.
Regarding cars I miss... well in truth I don't really miss any of them as such.... each time I change it's for good reason and cars do improve greatly over time.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Fri 7 Jan 11 at 12:13
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I also fondly remember my 1987 Opel Manta 1.8. Not particularly fast but so much fun to drive even at low speeds. Wet roundabouts were entertaining!
Total rustbucket but a breeze for DIY (longitudinal engine)
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Which car do you miss? - Zero
