Our Car Memories

[JW]

Think a lot of friends know I am a bit of a petrol head. My Grandad was a stock car racer along with my uncle Bernard..so I grew up watching motor racing pretty much 2 Sundays a month.
First car driven was my mums jet black Mini Clubman with cool mini lite alloys, the day I passed my test. I drove us to the fish and chip shop in Bishop Auckland and back home...was so exciting .
Started to work for Reg Vardys in early 1996 at a Rover dealership in Darlington selling new cars, first company car was a Rover Knightsbridge (basically a Metro with nightfire red paint job and cheap 3 spoke alloy wheels)..terrible car to drive. After 2 months the boss said to me, sell that shitty metro and you will get something nicer.
In the course of the next 7 years I was lucky enough to drive lots of great cars, mostly when I moved to Reg Vardy Jaguar in 1997. Escort Cosworths, Porsche 993/968 club sport (awesome car) Jaguar XJR / XKr supercharger (beautiful car but to heavy..Ferrari 348 (not great), 355 was one of the best cars they ever made and brillinat to drive, after that booked at day at Oulton park circuit to be able to give it full on in a 355.
In the middle of that I bought an Ac Cobra Replica - sounded great with a big block V8, but handled badly so you could never drive it very fast but all my mates loved it. After that I had blown loads of cash and went sensible and bought a BMw 318is which was lovely...then decided to move to Thailand and sold it. Here have had the use of company cars, when i opened Jw Property I bought a Honda City...its a great car, fast enough, great on fuel, flappy paddle gear shift.. One car just remembered that I drove here was a bright yellow Lamborghini Gallardo..owned by a certain Builder here who has long gone. Drove it round the lake at Kao Tao to the entrance of the palace...rapidly..certain guy almost crapped his pants!
Another great memory was going to the British GP (1995 i think the year it smashed down). We took an S type Jag, we got parked in a very wet field..walked for 2 mins....then heard the first engine fire up.. well we ran like hell thru the fields..like excited school boys. He had a fantastic weekend...I will never forget the noise of those beasts of cars..absolutely epic....much more exciting racing compared to what we watch now. F1 needs to get its shit together...less downforce..more overtaking possibilities.

[caller]

My father never drove, so had little knowledge of cars and I still recall on my first driving lesson being asked if I knew what the clutch did, and I answered, 'no'. I passed the test first time.

Cars in order and I am not a petrol head.

Old Austin 1100
Triumph 1300
Triumph 1500
No car
Austin Allegro
Ford Cortina Mk3 2 litre Ghia
Vauxhall Astra (lease car)
Rover 216sli (lease car)
Hyundai Coupe
Alfa Romeo 145
Honda Accord 2ltr engine

The Austin 1100 got me everywhere slowly, even loaded with 4 burly guy's and suitcases it got me up Porlock Hill on the way to N. Devon. I recall once lifting the hand brake up and the bodywork underneath came up with it!

My first brand new car was The Astra which was a lease car from the Govt dept. I worked for, great driving around London and other trips not so far away, but not so good for longer journeys, so when I relocated to Sheffield, I changed lease cars to a brand new Rover, which was navy blue and great for getting anywhere around the Country as I needed to travel a lot in my job, but was a pain in London as it had no power steering.

The Hyandai was brand new as well, via a special loan deal from my new employer in local govt. courtesy of the fact I was still required to have a car for my line of work, I traded that in for the Alfa which was great to drive bombing around country lanes, but was a tinny, rattly old thing and I traded that in for the Accord as by this time, I was travelling to far west Cornwall a lot (not work related) and after doing that in the Alfa, my body ached, in the Accord, it was like stepping out of a comfy armchair and it could travel comfortably at speed to get me down there quicker.

I bought the Accord when it was 2 years old and had been well cosseted. I decided it would be my last car in the UK before retiring here. I never expected to have to keep it for 12 years!!!! By which time, it was very much on it's last legs, but I gave it to a colleague who got 6 further months out of it, before it went to the great dealer in the sky.

My favourite car is my current pick up which I love.

I should add that I have had access to and driven lots of pool cars and vans when in Government, to suit all occasions and jobs. Everything from tiny Vauxhall vans to Beemers.

[VincentD]

Never owned a car till I got here in Thailand, but learnt on a Datsun Sunny 1000 back in 1974. Got to drive Mum's little Fiat 750, the one with the suicide doors, and the guys at work used to love it when I picked up some of the girls at the airbase gate and ferried them to work. I knew just where to park. Dad had a love for VW's, there were two beetles and later a 1600 station wagon and the RWD Nissan Bluebird. I did a lot of maintenance and some mods on the cars; back then it wasn't difficult unlike today's modern cars.

In Thailand,

Mitsubishi Champ 1500 - bought when my son was born as I needed wheels, as well as something my wife could also drive.

Ford Escort Orion - bought at the 1994 motor show - okay car but it's more for milder weather - had to change the wiring looms after almost six years and was becoming a bit of a nightmare maintenance wise. The dealership and the spare parts sales lived in two different universes so support was abysmal.

SAAB 900 turbo - bought secondhand, and was the one I had the most fun with. Eventually modded to a stage 3, the only real problem was the torque steer. You can only do so much with a front wheel drive vehicle.

Nissan Xtrail - the present ride. Traded sideways for something a bit more practical, and wanted something with some 4wd capability. Although it's the first auto (all the rest were standard manuals), I'm very happy with it and have no intention of going to a CVT vehicle. Though there are the Nissan Almera and Juke also at home that my wife and son use.

P.S. When in Bangkok (pre-Covid) I preferred to use public transport so I didn't have to fight in traffic.

[Phyton]

After i got my DL, i bought a

- Ford Taunus 12 M In England Cortina called i think

after some month i drove with a friend thru France to England with Ferry, and had first time to drive on the "wrong" side. First days a nightmare experiance. My first holiday trip without my parents.

- Ford Taunus GXL
- Ford Mustang, 2,3 Turbo
- Mercedes 280 e, W123
- Citroen CX Diesel
- Volvo 264 GLE
- Volvo 760 GLE Turbodiesel
- Volvo 960
- Mercedes C 220 d W202
- Mercedes SLK 230 Kompressor R170

This was a dream car.......everyting top, but after 4 years i need more space and so followed a

- Mercedes E 270 CDI Station wagon W210

build in 10/2000 got in 2005 a repair for 3 doors and Tailgate because rost, one door new...."Das Beste oder Nichts" i got not the best!

- Toyota Auris Touring Sport Hybrid
- Toyote CHR Hybrid

When i move to Thailand for longterm, i don´t know right now what i will buy.....a sensible car like the Toyota CHR Hybrid or a pickup.

[traveller2]

My first car was a Vauxhall HB Viva, bought in the dark....as we all know, not the best idea. The following morning I found out why it was a 'bargain', more holes than a colander.
After that: Triumph 2000, Ford Cortina MK2 1500 GT, Ford Capri 1600, Datsun Sunny coupe, Mini, Vauxhall Belmont, Vauxhall Cavalier mk3, Ford Fiesta 950, Peugeot 206, Opal Manta Berlina, Nissan Quashqai, Audi A3, another Audi A3, Audi A5.
I've driven many other cars and vans through hire company's, work and other people.
I like the Audi's because they are very comfortable and civilised, but I also have a soft spot for my old Fiesta 950. The amount of abuse it took, the amount of gear I could get in it and it would take me anywhere, albeit slowly.

[a10ams]

First car I bought was a 1963 Morris 1000, the week I turned 17 in late 1972. It cost me £10, plus another £15 for welding and an MOT. I passed my test in it in 73, then sold it to a mate and bought a 1966 (FSN 154D) MK1 1500GT Cortina for £125. I drove that for most of 1973 and into 74 until another mate pestered me for it and I sold it to him for £150.

In the summer of 1974 whilst in Haverfordwest (another story) I was carless and jobless needed to get back home to Glasgow in a hurry to get my old job back. I had £120 in my pocket. My pal had a car dealer mate and he showed me a taxed and mot'd, but rough, Etype for £120. I didn't have enough money for petrol to get it home so I bought a 1964 (AEC 512B) Mk1 Cortina estate from him for £60 to get up the road. I had that for a year and a bit. Then a 1963 Humber Sceptre (£40), which I had until early 77.

In the summer of 1977 I landed myself a job offshore and with my first pay I bought a Porsche 356-engined beach buggy. I used that all summer until another mate pestered me for it in late November. I replaced that very early 1978 with a 1973 round wheel arch MG Midget. I kept that for almost two years and replaced it around Dec 79 with a 1974 MGBGT V8 (NGE 174M). I loved that car and kept it until number one baby arrived in 1984. I bought a 1981 Rover SD1 3500SE (ESB 399X). I sold that after about a year to a workmate. I replaced that with a 1980 Mk2 RS2000 (DFV 252W) which I loved dearly. I still keep in touch with the present owner. I sold it to fund the mortgage payments in 1989 while I took a six month reduced pay training schedule for a different job offshore. I bought an old Mk2 Escort 1100 for £200 meantime.

When the decent money started coming back in early 1990 I bought a Turbo Technics Sierra 4x4. A gem of a car which had me tearful in 1994 when I traded it in for a BMW 535i Sport. I ran that for four years until my sister's boyfriend asked me for it.

Then:

1997 Mercedes E320 Avantgarde. 1998-2001. Sold it to my brother
1998 Bought a Westfield, sold it just after I bought the Boxster.
2000 Porsche Boxster 2001-2005, traded in for ....
2001 Porsche 996 Carrera 4, still got it.
2001 1991 Mercedes 230C Coupe, had it for a couple of years and sold it to my daughter's boyfriend.
2007 Now living in Thailand, bought a new Fortuner.
2008 Bought an old CJ type jeep thing, still got it in Thailand
2012 Bought a Mk1 Escort, still got it in Thailand
2013 Traded in the Fortuner for a new Hybrid Camry, still got it.
2015 Bought a Mk2 Cortina, had it restored, still got it here in Thailand.
2018 While back in Glasgow for a holiday, bought a 1991 XJS V12 convertible, still got it.

Sorry for the long story ..... but you did ask.

[Dannie Boy]

That’s a fair old selection of some classic cars - I doubt many people could compete with that list!!

[PeteC]

A bit of nostalgia. 36.9 US cents per gallon in 1973 on the US east coast. My earliest memories of gas prices was in the late 50's when I recall seeing about 25 cents per gallon.

181485077_4069401729789401_5025374742841882687_n.jpg (46.82 KiB) Viewed 990 times

[Dannie Boy]

A bit of nostalgia. 36.9 US cents per gallon in 1973 on the US east coast. My earliest memories of gas prices was in the late 50's when I recall seeing about 25 cents per gallon.

181485077_4069401729789401_5025374742841882687_n.jpg

I think that when I first started driving, petrol was the equivalent of 3 imperial gallons for £1


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[HHTel]

I remember promising myself that if ever cigarettes hit £1 per packet, I'd definitely give up. Likewise I said that if petrol ever hit £1 a gallon, I'd sell the car and revert to pushbike!

[handdrummer]

I remember promising myself that if ever cigarettes hit £1 per packet, I'd definitely give up. Likewise I said that if petrol ever hit £1 a gallon, I'd sell the car and revert to pushbike!

Is it cheaper to smoke or drink?

Ah, the joys of riding a pushbike over the Rockies in the snow.

The big gas/petrol crunch hit the US in '73. I went straight out and bought a 10 speed and rode it everywhere I could in Los Angeles. I enjoyed it so much that I rode it until I went on road for 2 yrs. in '75.

[migrant]

A bit of nostalgia. 36.9 US cents per gallon in 1973 on the US east coast. My earliest memories of gas prices was in the late 50's when I recall seeing about 25 cents per gallon.


181485077_4069401729789401_5025374742841882687_n.jpg

I got my drivers license in 1972 and remember thinking I could get 3 gallons of gas for 1$

[dtaai-maai]

The one aspect of metrication I've never come to grips with is the price of petrol per litre. Oh, and I miss MPG too - miles per litre means absolutely nothing to me!

[HHTel]

Don't worry DM. The whole of the US has the same trouble.

[handdrummer]

Don't worry DM. The whole of the US has the same trouble.

That's why I left the US. I could deal with the shootings, stabbings, lying politicians, poor infrastructure, racism & lack of British food but I just couldn't take another day without the metric system.