UKC

1. What car could you have bought but didnt and now regret it?
2. What was the most fun car you've ever had?
3. What car you once owned would you have back now to restore?

Give your age to put your choices into perspective.

I'm 44 so an 80's kid and a teenage driver. Dad was in the trade and so I'm heavily infulenced by Fords. Dad always had Fords and always had them in the garage so I knew all about em before I'd even passed my test. So

1 - Opal Manta. I got a Capri instead. The Manta just looked to sit 'right'

2 - Orion 1.6 Ghia X <XR3i with a boot, cheaper insurance!> Great fun around the lanes in 2nd & 3rd. on board 'computer' and mechanical ABS

3. Mk3 Cortina. Beautiful lines

In reply to blanchie14c:

I always had the hots for the Renault Fuege.....but it might of just been the advert!

In reply to blanchie14c:

I'm 39 and...

1. Volvo 480ES little sports estate. Always loved them.

2. Early 2 door range rover v8. Thrashed it and had so much fun on and off road.

3. Mercedes 190D. 2.5 litre 5 cylinder diesel. Lovely car that ticked ALL the boxes for me. Shame I didn't look after it!

Dom.

In reply to blanchie14c:

I'm eighteen and so hold little sway in terms of experience.

I've only owned the one but spent quite a while driving each of the seven cars I have used.

1. N/A

2. Mini, cooper s turbo charged brand new from the dealer.

3. N/A


Ps. Looking at my answers it really wasn't worth my time replying lol.

In reply to blanchie14c: a) A 1969 Porsche 911, so close but so much boring reality kicked in
b) Peugeot 205 Rallye 1.3
c) the Peugeot, worth a small fortune now

In reply to blanchie14c:

1. Little red VW Beetle back in 1992.

2. Golf TDi Sport from new. Shit+Shovel=off

3. My D Reg 995 mini. Loved it and drove it to death.

Don't really have a reply to Question 1 as most of the cars I've had have come and gone without leaving any impression.

However my red Peugeot 205XT was the most fun by far and I would readily buy back and restore my first car from 1975; it was a Morris 1000 van and if she could talk, she could tell a few stories!

In reply to blanchie14c:
1) 2001 Jag XJ 4L V8 - still not sure why I didn't buy it, although the readout of 9mpg on the dashboard could have swayed things!
2) 2003 Mini Cooper S - go kart, tons of fun on every drive. Used to head to Snowdonia every weekend and take the back roads all the way, took loads more time but was some much more fun, still miss it.
3) 1990 Toyota Corolla estate - a faithful old friend that took me on many adventures

In reply to blanchie14c:
1. Always wanted a Renault 5 GT turbo, but never got one due to being sensible
2. Toyota MR2 Mark 2 t bar
3. Not a car but a bike - Suzuki RGV 250

I'm 35.
Still want a Lotus Esprit at some point due to Bond.
The reason I got the MR2 is I used to deliver a paper to a guy who always had the latest one going from the Mark 1 through until I stopped my paper round.
Grew up with lots of 90s cars. XR2's and RS turbos. SRI 130's. GTE's, MI 16 205 and 405. GT Turbo. Charade GTTI. M3. And Scooby or Lancer too.

In reply to blanchie14c:

1) think it was a straight 6 Jag. Can't remember the car I just fancied the engine!

2) car: Rover 3500s, vehicle: ex-mil lightweight
The 3500s was scary after driving the Lwt and a diesel Landy, but oh soo much fun especially when late for work. The lightweight I had a lot of on- and off-road fun with, trialled, modified, more trials, broke it, fixed it, more trials/etc. Till in the end the chassis rotted out in the middle and more rules were coming in that I gave up.

3) the Rover 3500s, though I'd like someone else to pay the fuel bill and the speeding fines! I've never owned a Series 1 Landy but if I had the time and energy, and free choice, I'd really like to have one to restore in original condition. There is just something about pottering along in them that really makes you smile - such a different experience to the 3500s.


I'm 21...with 26 years of experience

In reply to blanchie14c: 1. Escort RS 2000
2. Marlin kit car, the most fun and best car i've ever owned bar none and also the only car i made money on when i sold it after 3 years of ownership.
3. Fiat x19, if i'd known as much about cars then as i do now i might have been able to keep it on the road.

In reply to blanchie14c:

A straight 6 jag nearly made the list for nearly bought...
But I took a flyer and bought one off eBay with no mot. Got it home, fixed it and got an mot, then drove it for a year. Great laugh glad I did it but would not do it again.

In reply to jonathan shepherd: Oh yeh, i'm 52.

In reply to blanchie14c:

VW Corrado

Ford Focus ST170

Mk1 Golf

I'm 32 and don't drive anything interesting down any interesting roads anymore.

In reply to Cameron94:

You're 18 and you've got a brand new £20 grand car? F*ck me I'm in the wrong job...

1. None, I bought an MGF on a whim last year. I'm sure I'll regret it when it goes in for the MoT next month.
2. See 1. Great cornering in the snow!
3. None, they were all highly replaceable.

(41)

In reply to blanchie14c:

1) Porsche 964RS, should have bought it straight away but thought about it and unfortunately when the time came I had my sensible head on they now go for about 40k more than I could have had it for.

2) Renault Clio 182 Cup, great handling and not so fast you can't give it some without doing silly speeds, it got written off in the last lot of riots when someone took a dislike to it.

3) Mk1 Escort RS1600 or Mk2 RS1800, both very rare now because most of them got binned in rallies.

In reply to blanchie14c:

1. The Libyan ambassador's Rolls Royce
2. Peugeot 305 GTI6
3. Sunbeam Stilletto

I'm 54

In reply to Mooncat:

3) Mk1 Escort RS1600 or Mk2 RS1800, both very rare now because most of them got binned in rallies.

Wow! Only something like a 100 RS1800's were ever built and most of those were snapped up by works/pro teams, which meant there was very few road going ones. You were indeed a privileged person to own one and I dread to think how much it would be worth now.

In reply to blanchie14c:

1/ Alfa 75 3ltr cloverleaf (the one with the Ferrari designed engine and transaxle)

2/ Saab 900 turbo coupe

3/ Series IIa 88" Landrover or the old sharknose 5 series BMW

In reply to blanchie14c:

Not cars but motorbikes (I couldn't afford cars).

1, A Ducati 916
2, A Honda VFR 750 FR - Red with a mig exhaust and single sided swinger. I really used to kick Fireblades into touch.
3, Yamaha 250 LC. I actually still have it sitting in my FIL's shed, rotting away

In truth I'd like to restore a Vincent blackshadow.

In reply to blanchie14c:

1. Black one
2. Blue one
3. White one

ALC

In reply to Mooncat:

I had a 1600 Mk1 (not an RS - great car.
There was a Mexico in a local garage for about 10 years, but I noticed recently that it's gone now.

In reply to blanchie14c:

Says it all really.

Wish I hadn't got rid of my '98 Almera, not the most flashy car in the world but it was indestructible.

On a focus just now, nice enough to drive and great to sleep in but it's been up on the ramps every other month since I've had it. Great engine but everything else seems to fall apart around it.

In reply to blanchie14c:

I am 33 and have a passionate hatred for Fords. (Used to have to drive Mondeos, Focuses and the occasional Fiesta for work so would not have one of my own)

1. VW Split Screen Camper

2. Vauxhall Senator 3.0L

3. Vauxhall Senator 3.0L (the same one as above)

In reply to blanchie14c:

Bit boring here...

1. Mercedes S-class limmo. It was on sale at the same dealer for the same price but 100,000 more miles than the VW Passat I did buy. Given the amount I spent on that bl**dy Passat in the year I had it I reckon the Merc would have been cheaper.

2. Worrying V70 2.5T AWD. I know a Volvo isn't normally thought of as a fun car, but it's amazing what you can get up to in a 17ft long two-tonne car with over 200hp and four-wheel-drive if you try hard enough. And I did.

3. None of them, to be honest. However I'd love a old 5.3L V12 Jag XLS to restore...

In reply to blanchie14c:

Im 33 so I started driving in the late nineties early noughties

1) Always wanted a Corsa SRI when I upgraded from my Nova but couldn't afford one so bought a 106 what a mistake!!!!

2)Seat Leon Cupra. Loved that car 180bhp turbo great fun but the fuel cost was crippling

3)A Nova 1.3 SR not sure why I want to restore one but loved my SR and would love another one for track day fun!!!

In reply to blanchie14c:
1. A Monaro vxr- always wanted a big v8 saloon but tried to be sensible about the financial implications- I still wish i'd just gone for it, even for a few months.
2. Mitsi Evo fq340- it was an absolute machine. Nothing could touch it for fun and performance and confidence inspiring ability. It made you feel like a driving god.
3. A mk1 Golf gti- it was my first car. I modified it with a 2l 16v lump, gas flowed head and hi lift cams and it was a flying machine. Changed it for a 306gti6 and still regret it now 15 years later.

In reply to Removed User: If my Dad is anything to go by you'll be forever working on it and very little riding... He's got a Vincent Black Knight.

In reply to blanchie14c:
1/ Ex road race Mustang with about 8.4l of supercharged engine. Drove it and it wouldn't go round corners, but had problems in 4th out of 5 gears, as it was at the bottom of the rev range on the motorway at 70mph
2/ Vauxhall Firenza with the 2.3 engine and droopy front. With a full Blydenstein tuning package. Got it cheap after owner got his wife and girlfriend pregnant at the same time!
3/ My currant Pug 306 1905 turbo diesel. It is very tatty but mechanically sound. Mileage approx 250 000! It goes like the proverbial and still does about 65mpg on a steady run across France, and is great fun round twisty Peak roads and in the snow (Last Monday went from Baslow to Owler Bar while the road was officially closed, never once threw it at the scenery or scuffed the snow banks). Love passing the young hotshots in their very smart (status symbol) very expensive, performance cars, with all the latest performance gizmos (traction control etc) which only help if you can drive.

In reply to blanchie14c:

Opel Manta GTE.

Test driven at up to 85mph on black ice including a steep hill and couldn't make this miracle machine go wrong. Wonderful. RSA refused insurance cover and by the time they rang to apologise for making a mistake with that the car was gone. Bar stewards. If only there were chassis as good as that around today.

In reply to Steve John B:

I drive a golf fsi not the mini, that is my sisters but it's a brilliant car to get about in.

In reply to blanchie14c:

1) - a 1989 Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 All black, in immaculate condition... I was offered it for a hundred quid as it was taking up space in a friends yard (and he'd had no luck selling it on ebay etc... I ummed and ahhed and bought a much more efficient car in worse overall condition and with more miles on the clock for a lot more cash.

2) - My first car, a 406 Estate... it was the 2.2 HDi engine and the previous owner had fitted an aftermarket intercooler and had it remapped to deliver a little shy of 190bhp and 400Nm of torque. I discovered this about six months after buying it, as the fuel efficency was lower than expected... Much like the Volvo mentioned above, It's suprising how much fun you can have with a big car if it's powerful enough. Ironically I bought it as a 'sensible' estate that had the capacity to do long motorway journeys fully loaded...

3) honestly, none of the car's I've owned to-date... If I was picking any it would be a fight to the finish between a 3.8L Mark II Jaguar or a 109 Landrover Series II Station Wagon (pre-1960 with the lights in the center not in the wings like the late-model ones that led into the Series IIa)

In reply to blanchie14c:

I'm 29,

I always wanted a ford Capri- got the chance to buy one when I was 18, hd the space and money but passed it up.

My most fun car was my first- an A reg volvo340 in 'wine red' (aka maroon) it was fun because I lived in the boonies and it gave me freedom.

As I'm only on car number 2, I can't really answer the third question!

In reply to blanchie14c:

I'm 31...

1. I once passed the opportunity to purchase an AMC pacer, identical to Garth's in Wayne's world. I often think of the fun i could have had driving round listening to Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody.

2. My first car was probably the most fun, a red Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9 with the half leather trim, it would kill you if you lifted off on a bend!

3. My Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 1, IMO the greatest car ever made, I've even considered selling the wife and kids to buy another!

In reply to blanchie14c:

I'm 29

1. Vauxhall Astra GTE - it was the digy dash that I wanted at the time!

2. Mk1 RS Focus - it came a cropper.

3. Mk1 RS Focus

In reply to MJ:

There were all sorts of rumours about the numbers made, it was probably about 400. I bought mine off a mate who managed to get 2 of them, he rolled the one he kept when he was ragging it in the sand dunes near southport. Great car though, used to eat RS2000's

In reply to johncook:

I'd have loved a Firenza droop snoot or a Chevette HS.

In reply to blanchie14c: 1. Was going to buy a TR4a for around the £8k mark, then daughter and heir to the StG overdraft arrived. Changed my mind then spent easily as much on ill-fated cars thereafter. Same car now is about £18k (((

2. New Impreza Turbo - it was awesome.

3. MG Midget - I'd actually finish it this time...

Good thread btw )))

In reply to Submit to Gravity:

Reminded me of the 6r4. Now that would be a great project car!

In reply to johncook:

Wow!

In reply to blanchie14c:

1 Renault 5 gt turbo. Girl friend now wife said it looked like a fiat panda!

2 Subaru wrx sit , awesome 312bhp

3 caviller sri 130 saloon.

Ben

In reply to blanchie14c: 1 caterham super 7
2 1965 mini cooper 997
3 austin healey sprite

In reply to Cadairmanuk:

That cause they did!


Nice, remember them well

In reply to blanchie14c:
1 1952 Riley RME 1.5 litre -- for about £45 in 1968 - Sadly it needed about £100 spending on it to make it roadworthy - and I could only just about scrape up the £45!

2 1964 Saab 96 850cc 3cyl 2 stroke -- with triple choke carb -- went like 'it off a stick, and it's roadholding was as good as a mini.

3 None of the ones I owned -- they were all 'bangers and rotboxes'. I then went on to 'company' cars in 1974 and until I got a Mk 2 Cavalier in '83 all of them were shite!

Best cars I've had since have been a 1991 Honda Accord 2.2 exi ( top of the range at the time )- in Saudi, A '97 Hyundai Galloper 3.0 V6 4WD in Dubai -- both were very good for different reasons - but I'm now on to my second Skoda Octavia Estate ( I had the last one for 9 years so getting a new replacement about 8 months ago was an easy decision to make).

In reply to blanchie14c:

1) Mini 1275 Cooper K reg 1993 27K miles off an old lady last summer. £2K.
2) MG Metro Turbo (Closely followed by Cavalier mk2 Sri)
3) Any of the 3 above *(never owned a 1275 mini, but have owned 3x998's and 1 x 1098 Clubman)

I'm 46. I drive a 2.2 Diesel Accord. It's fast, it's comfortable, it's reliable, it's not got any rust, it's easy to service (did the rear pads and discs in about an hour last summer)

In reply to blanchie14c:


Hmm, tricky one this. I usually end up regretting what I did buy not what I didn't! I've never owned one of the 4x4 turbo rally-bred Japanese rockets and I no longer see one in my future.


BMW E30 with raised suspension, bash guards and knobbly tires. It'd go anywhere, sideways and it didn't matter if the odd knock made it any uglier. Brilliant fun.


My 1980s MR2 was great fun to own, looks great (IMO obviously) and would have made a brilliant high performance electric conversion. Alas I let the rust worms have it.

I also wish I'd had the inclination to save my 635csi while I had the time, space and money. Now i just have to hope someone else will

jk

In reply to blanchie14c:

1) 2008 XK-R. I was within inches of handing over the deposit, but my mileage is way to high so opted for an A5 3l TDi. Now got the Disco with a bootfull of muddy mountain bike and climbing gear.

2) Toss up between a 1974 Spitfire or the present 1967 boattail. I go the latter for the time I did a 2,000 mile epic around France, with my road bike behind the seats. The best bit was randomly encountering three early 70's Spiders as I passed Carcasonne. We made a little convoy of rust.

3) Probably the Spitfire. They're great to work on, though I always hankered after a Mk3 GT6 - really underrated car.

In reply to Mooncat:


I bought a lovely old Chevette one summer with great intentions of a ZX12R transplant and some rally bits behind the wheels. Drove it once, got distracted, flogged it a couple of years later

jk

In reply to blanchie14c:


Vauxhall Cavalier GSi

3 ltr Carlton GSi (12 valve)

Mk 2 1600 Ghia Escort.

45, started driving (passed test) in '85. Must be said though, from '84 to '97 I was much more into bikes than cars and by '98 I had kids so cars had to be 4 door.

In reply to blanchie14c:

1) A 1972 V12 E-Type Convertible - white with red leather - in 1980. One of my fathers friends was selling it and I had first refusal at a ridiculously cheap price. However, being a mechanical retard, I thought it would be a money pit, and bottled out. I dread to think what it would be worth now!!!!!

2) My current 911 4S Convertible. Just coming up for 2 years old, (so properly run in now) and it is utterly brilliant - both beast and puppy dog, and still as unique a driving experience as you can get.

3) Golf GTI MK I - possibly the best all rounder ever made.

In reply to teflonpete: A lotus Carlton would have been better (and worth a lot more now)

In reply to blanchie14c:
Silver Jubilee Bonneville, 76(?) miles on the clock...it was that or a house at the time.

Mini 'estate'! (proper old mini, not the bmw one) Vile snotgreen colour, just so much fun to drive.

I've only ever owned two cars. wouldn't mind putting a turbo on a Micra, though a nitrous on a Passat would make things very interesting...If I may be allowed to choose another: a full 'Vyvyan You Bastard' makeover of a Ford Anglia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Young_Ones_%28TV_series%29
http://tinyurl.com/dxzsbf2

In reply to sleavesley:

And was a whole lot more then than I could afford. Lovely car though, wanted one at the time but couldn't stretch to it having just started a family.

In reply to blanchie14c:

Age 41

1) Porsche 944
2) MkII Golf GTI 8v no power steering, skimmed head, K&N filter, 3.5" straight through exhaust with resonator, 18" alloys. 50,000 miles with smiles before I blew it up RIP.
3)MG BGT

In reply to blanchie14c:
1) Triumph Spitfire - paid deposit but Dad wouldnt let me go through with purchase as he said it looked a deathtrap
2) Nissan 350z - Still makes me smile after 6 years
3) VW Scirocco - 1982 version, electric blue, alloys blaupunkt stereo. I loved that car. Saw one recently at a classic show and it made me pine

41

In reply to daveyw: I also had an 82 Scirocco and nearly put that as my number 3). They were a great car, loved it.

In reply to Steve Perry:
Love them old Sciroccos, the new ones look real nice too but no 80s retro feel about them