Cars you've loved and lost?

[j0hnbarker]

Lots of car threads on here made me realise it was 9 years ago today that I bought this:



Unfortunately about a year later I was persuaded to buy a money pit of a house by my girlfriend. You can guess how the conversation went...

...'why don't you sell your car and pay for the new kitchen, bathroom and heating system. My 1.4 Polo is more practical anyway'.

Sob :(

[will852]

I've only had 3 cars in my time so far, the second of those was a humble MG ZR. (The tarted up older brother of the Rover 25!)

I replaced it this year with a lovely 3 series Msport which is better in every way...on paper, but I really miss the ZR.

It was loud, very shiny, low and is by far the best handling car I have ever driven, and I've been fortunate enough to drive some lovely cars!

I had it 4 years and it cost me roughly £2900 including everything but petrol over that time. It might be hard to believe, but - What a car....what a car!!

[amnesia]

I sold my Lexus LS400 yesterday - I loved it to bits... wife hated it.

[colin]

I'm relatively young though have owned a lot of old cars. There is only one which I can honestly say I miss; my old 1968 Land Rover SIIa 109" with full canvas.

It was by far the slowest, heaviest, most unreliable, most uncomfortable, worst-handling car I ever had. But I was 19, I moved from Glasgow to Naples in it, drove it around down there for a year and then drove it back. I would have another in an instant.

A special mention should also go to the patchwork Mk I Triumph 2.5 PI I had, which was murdered by a Hyundai.

That's a beautiful TR6, I always wanted one of those.

[Foxy100]

Unfortunately about a year later I was persuaded to buy a money pit of a house by my girlfriend. You can guess how the conversation went...

...'why don't you sell your car and pay for the new kitchen, bathroom and heating system. My 1.4 Polo is more practical anyway'.

Sob :(

You're an idiot. My wife has tried that on me but I've told her that she goes before the Healey does. She thought I was joking but I'm really not.

Here's one I sold 13 years ago:



I miss all three 924Ss, the Lupo GTi, the two Minis, especially the MGB Roadster and even the Renault 5 track car but the ones I really like I've stuck with - Healey 100-6, MX-5 and MGB GT.

[bulletmagnet]

Unfortunately about a year later I was persuaded to buy a money pit of a house by my girlfriend. You can guess how the conversation went...

...'why don't you sell your car and pay for the new kitchen, bathroom and heating system. My 1.4 Polo is more practical anyway'.

Sob :(

MTFU!!!!

Cars I miss:
Opel Manta GTE
BMW325i (E30)

Both lairy rear wheel drive cars from the 80's, they taught me how to drive properly :)

[KavKav]

Three cars I miss, for various reasons.

1. My first car, a Ford Popular. A 3 geared pig with the power of a lawn mower and vacuum wipers but I thought it was the biz when I was 17.

2. Granada Scorpio 3.0i with the leather. That car could almost fly!

3. Mercedes C240 Elegance Estate. Cracking V6 with the Tiptronic box. I sold it when it was 11 years old and it was still on it's original exhaust!

Happy days!

[GraniteQuarry]

1987 Golf GTI 8V - had it through my youth, aged 19-26, loved that car!
1995 BMW M5 Limited Edition - was stupid selling it, the last of the handbuilt M5s
2007 BMW M5 Touring - turns out they only made around 220 in RHD and mine was the only one in that colour, what an idiot! (gearbox was a 'mare though!)

Happy days

[sestrel]

I had one just like this.


V6 ford Essex, whole thing tilted when you revved it. Looked great. However, suspension was rubbish, it overheated, and smoke would issue from the overdrive switch sometimes. Fun though

[Skyman]

My Henna Red E30 M3, no pics but she was just great.

[benny.c]

For some reason I still miss my old Jeep...




And for lots of reasons, my 964T...

[wajhart]

My Saab 9000 CSE. Everything about it was exactly right.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Vauxhall Droopsnoot Firenza

Chevette HSR - Cosworth pistons and a few other choice parts...

Mostly

Audi Quattro Sport SWB

But I do love my Cayman S - so not all bad.......

[Dunnster]

I miss my first car, a 1977 Mkii Ford Escort in seven distinctive colours...green roof and pillars, red bonnet, silver front doors, brown boot (with GL badge and chrome trim), yellow front arches, black rear arches and sills of an indescribable hue. After achieving this state of perfection I eventually resprayed the whole car in Army surplus (racing) green with a gold speed stripe. Well classy! The windows didn't work well nor the stereo.....or the ignition for that fact....and I welded the exhaust up from three scrappers....but I loved it all the same and it never let me down in three years driving from Plymouth to Burton whilst at Uni.

[the.admiral]

Chronologically:

1. Renault 5 GT Turbo. I shiver even now at the insurance I paid back then.

2. MG Midget 1275 RWA. Road trip to the South of France and back when I was 21 or so. Got back home, had a celebratory beer with the parents and then backed it into the garage but forgot to shut the driver's door.......

3. TVR Griffith 4.0 250 Pre Cat. THE one car I really regret selling. It was hideously unreliable but when it worked, god did it work. When the rear number plate I'd just paid £30+ for fell off (Griffith owners will know the pain) I still smiled....you needed a deep sense of humour with that car.

[James.uk]

very few i miss...

Bentley Turbo R Hooper (small rear window)

Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z 5.7 V8

Ferrari 348, always ran hot.

My old XLH1200 Sportster, full custom bike with Buell engine... should have kept it.


I've given up good cars... too many green eyed people ready to key them... even got spat at once.

[stiglet]

Loads of cars I wish I'd kept so there may be a few posts


For starters my1968 Lotus 7 S III - Prisoner colours with a 1700 All Steel Cosworth BDA 9500 rpm no bother

[Andyg]

1st Car - 1959 Ford Pop 100e in old English White. With Aquaplan inlet/outlet manifold and twin SUs. Not fast by Ubbercool when I took it up to the Chelsea Cruise.

2nd car - 1979 Lanica beta coupe - killed by a coach in Epsom.

Citroen Bx - the most comfortable car ever

Citroen ZX - my first ever new car.


Really missing my 964, which is currently being rebuilt - just like Steve Austin - for about the same money!

[glyn696486]

My second car which was a red Citroen AX GT (F69 ODP) which i wrote off within 8 weeks of ownership a long time ago ;0(

[bulletmagnet]

My Saab 9000 CSE. Everything about it was exactly right.

I used to have an Aero in LeMans blue...it was lovely, fantastic interior too. Last of the proper SAABs before GM messed 'em up...

[spareparts]

My Mk1 MX5 R-Limited Roadster. Brilliant little car, went everywhere in it top down, life was great single :)

[Dunnster]

Loads of cars I wish I'd kept so there may be a few posts


For starters my1968 Lotus 7 S III - Prisoner colours with a 1700 All Steel Cosworth BDA 9500 rpm no bother

Oh.....my......God!!

[BrianT]

I owned this some years ago. Recently on another forum I mentioned this car by registration number, it was seen by the present owner doing a Google search. I had it totally restored and apart from the headlamps nothing has changed. It was really good chatting about the old girl to her present owner. Incidentally I paid £850 which included the restoration........reckon it might have gone up a bit since then.




Sorry if I have posted this before.

[wajhart]

I used to have an Aero in LeMans blue...it was lovely, fantastic interior too. Last of the proper SAABs before GM messed 'em up...

Yep, with you all the way. Mine was LeMans Blue as well. The company budget wouldn't stretch to an Aero, but that was the only way I could have improved on the CSE. When it was time to change, I looked at the 9-5 but it had no soul, so I went back to Volvo....

[Kingstepper]

I had 2 Opel Mantas like this one



I thought they were great looking cars. One had sports exhaust/Weber carburettor and sounded fantastic. Unfortunately both were written off (one on Christmas eve). Strong cars though!

[Groundrush]

I owned this some years ago. Recently on another forum I mentioned this car by registration number, it was seen by the present owner doing a Google search. I had it totally restored and apart from the headlamps nothing has changed. It was really good chatting about the old girl to her present owner. Incidentally I paid £850 which included the restoration........reckon it might have gone up a bit since then.




Sorry if I have posted this before.

I think this is the winner.

[Bootsy]

These threads are painful....

in no particular order






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: My stable these days is much more modest - family life seems to do
: that to you!

I now have my Hot Rod (pictured with me at Classic Le Mans last year)


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: and my 993


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[BrianT]

Incidentally this photo was kindly sent to me by the present owner. His father bought the car in 1972 so it has been in their ownership for 41 years.

[Barry]

A red 1970 Mini Cooper 998

Sold it to get a Black mark one Astra GTE.

I miss that as well (but not as much as the Mini)

[Stanford]

No pictures unfortunately, but my favourites have been: Austin Healey Sprite Mk2; Rover P6 2000TC and Golf GTI Mk1 Campaign.

[quoll]

1972 Triumph Spitfire Mk IV
1973 MGB Roadster
1991 Jaguar XJ6 Sovereign (XJ40)
1995 Jaguar XJ6 4.0 Sport (X-300)
1996 Jaguar XK8

Of those, the XJ6 Sport is the one I miss the most. It was a subtle shade of bright turquoise. I loved it. I have had lots of cars since, but wish I'd kept that one, even if everyone did call me Arthur Daily all the time.

[BrianT]

Hi Bootsy, I owned a Super 90 identical to yours back around 1960. Only difference mine had lovely Porsche emblems on the hub caps.

[Dave O'Sullivan]

This was pretty cool



Other than that, I miss my old V8 grand Cherokee. And my XJ40. And my X300. And my XR3. And my Hilux. And my mini.

This thread is horrible.... Sob.


As an aside, I have bought and sold a few cars in my time and the one sales car I really miss is a Mk1 Mondeo V6 Auto. I had it for a couple of weeks and loved it. Sold it for £600 and have seriously regretted it ever since.

[scrog10]

BMW 628 CSI shark nose
I had it for three years. Reluctantly sold it for what I had paid for it 3 years earlier.
Now it would be worth at least twice that.

[h780]

Can't match most of those cars, just as my watch collection will never match many on here. Still: my first car was a 948 Morris Minor that I never should have sold. My second was an import MX5 that I still miss. Since then a string of beemers and mercs that are a little soul-less by comparison. The latest ML has my morris minor plate on it: at least something survived.

[h780]

I think this is the winner.

Agreed. A beauty.

[WORKSIMON]

My second car which was a red Citroen AX GT (F69 ODP) which i wrote off within 8 weeks of ownership a long time ago ;0(

Ditto, mine was a G reg 3 door in gray. Sold it to my best mate and then bought it back a while later only to sell it again :(

[joeytheghost]

My Fiat UNO 1.4 I.e. Turbo. Loved that when I was younger.I was paying £1450 third party only, in 1998!!! Ended up swapping it for a Punto as i had accumulated 15 points on my license!!

[Captainhowdy]

The cars that I had as a youngster that I look back on fondly are a Lotus Sunbeam, Astra Gte Mk1 and a Renault 5 Gordini Turbo

[Mikee]

Opel Manta...just can't beat them as a first "quick" car for chaps of a certain age to think back on...

wonder what it would be like to drive one now?

[pacifichrono]

I bought this mildly customized '69 VW brand new in the Fall of 1968 at Chick Iverson Volkswagen in Newport Beach, CA the year I got out of the Marine Corps. I washed it every day and hand waxed it every Saturday! I LOVED that car! My first wife "T-boned" it on the Third Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis during a winter snowstorm and it was never the same after that.

Sold it and bought a '70 Fiat 124 Coupe - - a beautiful car, but a piece of crap in its execution.

[andy tims]

Mainly this



Although I have fond memories of several others.

[Malcolm68]

For me, cars at completely different ends of the spectrum.

Like most, miss my first car. It was a dirty green coloured Fiat 126, christened it the snotbox. Went all over the place in it, let me down a few times but always bounced back.

The other was a Ferrari 430 Spyder. Loved the look, sound, everything about it but having 2 small kids meant anytime I wanted to go out in it, I needed a babysitter so it wasn't getting used do off it went.

Malc

[JeremyO]

My 1968 Cortina 1600E, fabulous car but had been well used by the time I bought it.

[miniman1983]

Ohhh, this will bring a tear to my eye.......where do I start?

My 1989 BMW 635csi Highline
My 1972 Mini 1000
My 1983 Mini 850 with the incorrect box which meant top speed was 40mph but it got there so so quick!
My 1972 Triumph Herald Conv.
My 1976 Rolls Silver Shadow

and more recently my Alfa 147 Ti.

Where did it all go wrong!!!!!!

[miniman1983]

Ohhh, this will bring a tear to my eye.......where do I start?

My 1989 BMW 635csi Highline
My 1972 Mini 1000
My 1983 Mini 850 with the incorrect box which meant top speed was 40mph but it got there so so quick!
My 1972 Triumph Herald Conv.
My 1976 Rolls Silver Shadow

and more recently my Alfa 147 Ti.

Where did it all go wrong!!!!!!

- - - Updated - - -

photo

[miniman1983]

and then...

[mrpgkennedy]

My first car, my 1998 elise, waited 18 long months for it, bought it brand new ran it as my only car for 3 years, then as my main car for another 6.

Died because it turns out lotus haven't heard of galvanic corrosion but have heard of non reparable chassis construction

Loved driving it, loved s bends, it was my first car so i never realised how badly and cheaply made it was.

Mind you the ariel atom has replaced it :)

[Zigster]

A red 1988 Ford Escort 1.3L F686 YPW

Might seem odd to miss it but I had that car through my 20s from graduating at 21 until my wife (to be) persuaded me to sell it to get an MX5 when I was 29. It was the urban warrior - never broke down, new tyres £25 each, wing mirror broken off £10 replacement from a scrapyard and 20 mins work to fit it, and so on. Small enough to park easily in London; cheap enough that I didn't worry about parking it at the side of the road.

It did numerous moves from flat share to flat share, holidays to the Lakes and Cornwall, trips to see family and friends. There are lots of other more (ahem) personal memories as well like an ex on a trip up the A1 to see family suggesting I pull into a darkened layby ... .

It was utterly dependable. Newer cars always make me think of a phrase a friend uses, "Tits and wheels. If it has either of those it will give you grief."

I still wish I'd kept it as the second car - old enough now to be an utterly ridiculous and incongrouous choice compared with everything else I own, and all the better for it.

[Foxy100]

I forgot the Bean 11.9 I had for three or so years. Fantastically unreliable so most journeys were epic. I had it through the petrol crisis in 2000 and while the queues for unleaded and diesel went round the corner, no one was using the 4* pump. I used it mainly as a pub car, or for journeys where I didn't actually need to get where I was going, so I have very fond memories of it. Pic nicked from t'internet (of the actual car):