Hi, long time owner of wilfully eccentric cars...up to almost 200 now.not at once...and no, I'm not 120 years old, just short attention span haha. Anyhow, my daughter is now 20 and nipping my heid, as they say up here, about driving. Really wanted to get her something unusual and she has inherited our eccentric tastes...probably as a result of being driven round in everything from smart cars to Porsches over the years. So...showed he an old skoda...and she loves the look of them. Good first car?...

Insurance is do-able, and I have a car in mind, just waiting on the guy sending pics. Main question I have is, heating/head gasket issues..? My mum had either a 120 or 130 which I briefly inherited and it never put a foot wrong until the head gasket went, then we just couldn't fix it...it was never the same..is this a recognised problem, or was it a one off....the cars have an alloy block is that right?..light but not the easiest for quick, easy hg replacement I'd have thought. I'm asking because obviously I will want her first car to be memorable for the right reasons, and also because it will be our family car..I own a smart car and mrs has a z3 bmw, so the skoda will be pressed into service anytime we all need to travel together....so, reliability and a decent heater are paramount....any advice on this and my idea in general much appreciated....gbn

a 120l was my first car - loved it. Wish I'd hung on to it.

Wrong forum but fancied a favorit too..but these seem as rare/rarer than estelle....!! And estelle sooo much more fun...!

They are easy to maintain and parts are cheap but starting to get rare. If you get a good one that's been well looked after then theres no reason why one couldn't be used every day. Go for a 5 speed version if you can find one if its and everyday car and probably do a few upgrades like electronic ignition.

Just waiting on pics from the guy selling it before I decide whether to take the plunge...

Is it one of the 4 (yes 4!) currently on Ebay? I think they are all 4 speeders. I currently have a 5 speed racer and a 4 speed knockabout and the 4 speed is fine on local runs and up to 60mph but above that it starts to sound strained and regular motorway journeys would not be good in it...thankfully I am lucky and I also have an Alfa Romeo 156 for that type of thing and access to my wife's Roomster for family ferrying!

No it's not from eBay, found a contact elsewhere....long way from me but may be worth it...have offer of cinquecento sporting too and i LOVE them so it's not a done deal either way...any opinions on the cooling issues..if there are any?

Re the HG issues, you are aware that they're wet linered blocks? Turn the crank even a few degrees with the head off and it's a full strip and reasonably skilled rebuild to reseal the liners. Also, was your Mum's checked for head warping following the overheating?

 

More generally, my main reservation about them is that I'm not sure how good they'd be at the 200 to 400 miles a day tags I tend to ask of my cars 6 to 12 times a year.

Re the HG issues, you are aware that they're wet linered blocks? Turn the crank even a few degrees with the head off and it's a full strip and reasonably skilled rebuild to reseal the liners.

 

Not strictly true......the liners reseal really easily and unless the block is full of crud they can be pushed back down - have done it a couple of times in recent years without problem. Worst case scenario, you might need to pop the pistons out but definitely not a full strip and rebuild. That's just scaremongering! Liner seals are still readily available as well....but none of that should be an issue on a simple had gasket change.....no reason to move the crank at all when doing it so the liners shouldn't move in the first place.

Re the HG issues, you are aware that they're wet linered blocks? Turn the crank even a few degrees with the head off and it's a full strip and reasonably skilled rebuild to reseal the liners. Also, was your Mum's checked for head warping following the overheating?

 

More generally, my main reservation about them is that I'm not sure how good they'd be at the 200 to 400 miles a day tags I tend to ask of my cars 6 to 12 times a year.

I have driven 500 miles a day in everything from 2cv, 1200cc beetles, v4 saabs and battle scarred volvo amazon estates....once, memorably, made.a 350 mile round trip in a lwb two and a quarter diesel landy with no overdrive..max 50 mph...haha, great fun...I just adjust driving style and journey time to the car....cover between 300 and 500 miles a week in my beloved brabus smart car, the fourth smart iv owned....my worry re head gasket etc was that given it's gonna be my daughters first car, I do want it to be reliable....

If there is nothing wrong with the head gasket and you service the car properly it shouldn't happen. Most HG issues occur because people stopped keeping the coolant topped up and failed to change it...ever! The Estelle if properly looked after should be no worse than any other classic from the era....besides....how many 200 mile journeys is your daughter planning on doing?

She won't be doing any! But we might haha...my other cars are two seat smart car and two seat bmw z3 so the skoda would have to earn its keep should we take the plunge...

It's difficult to condone anyone other than a hairdresser owning a Z3 unless its the M coupe version....Smart car is random and a bit 'green'. I guess you have quite an eclectic taste in cars!

I like convertibles...and regardless what the pundits say, z3 is every bit as nice to drive as mx5, and they are far higher quality, and much better made...echoes of classic 507 v8 coupe and with 140hp, always feels faster than the figures..z3m is on my list, but only as a roadster...I love the coupe, but hey, we likes a soft top...as for the smarts...they just appeal, both cerebral and emotional... Brabus puts out over 100hp per litre and am about to have it remapped to just over 100 hp....from 700 cc...which takes way the 96 mph limiter..car already FEELS quick through the gears, only the semi auto box hurts the acceleration. In gear though it's surprised a few drivers of much faster cars...and being the brabus it has full heated leather, cruise control, air con, paddle shift and an inter cooler and much stronger engine internals....it's a hoot I tells ya!!

Eccentric you say...some were bought for pleasure, some for profit, some were dogs, some were diamonds, you can sift thru and decide which were which haha..bound to have forgotten some, but this may give you a rough idea of the problem I have

Audi 90 2.3 '92....2002 also....had this one few months..lovely engine

Alfa Romeo gtv 2000 alfetta '85...lovely old car. real character......!!

Alfa 145 cloverleaf…proper old school hot hatch, loved it…

Alfa sud sprint green cloverleaf, full restoration, sold to alfa nut who re-restoring it!!

Bmw 525 i se '88....early noughties...rough as boars ****e but cracking engine

Bmw 735il manual....'88...Audi 80 sport '92....2002 or so....owned for a fortnight.....

.2001/2002....very rare special order lwb manual 735i..electricfront and rear seats!!

Bmw 735 i se '87...bought just after above cos i preferred auto..came from Kinross auction c/w 10 disc cd player which went in my beetle..car cost 150 quid!!

Bmw 320i tourer '89...2003/2004....leaking petrol tank, lovely engine..went well, drank like olly reed...

Bmw 316i '92...profit car.....2002ish....lovely to drive..cheap to buy!!

Bmw 318 is lhd '89...owned simultaneously with above 316i..sold via ebay..one of the best bmws i owned....

Bmw m535i '80....2005/2006?....solid but scruffy, bought for peanuts sold for profit..shoulda been more of id done my research...rare as rocking horse dung

Bmw 730i....owned start of last year....lovely old car..sold to guy on uk Saab forum...

Bmw 530d sport manual..fantastic car, made me a derv convert..

Bmw 316i compact, 96 p plate, low miles, German import, lovely little car, still own it

Bmw m3 evo, 98, coupe, Boston green, vadar leather, one of the finest cars iv owned, will have another

BMW z3, 1999, 58k miles, current steed.

Citroen Dyane '79...first car...1987ish...held together by prayers and sticky tape

Citroen visa '84..owned simultaneously with visa gt around '92/93 if memory serves

Citroen visa gt '83..see above

Citroen cx 2400 gti '80....total disaster..went right twice...'88ish

Citroen bx tzd estate '89...bought both in 2004ish..lost a fortune on em...why do i like Citroens...aargh

Citroen bx tzd estate '91..see above

Citroen xm 2.5 td estate '95....2004/2005..seem to recall having it bout concurrently with bx's..great car, cavernous...330k miles with fsh and still going strong!!

Citroen zx volcane td '95 n reg...lovely car, fsh, one owner, goes really well and was immaculate....bought just for money making but a good un nonetheless!!

Citroen ax derv…slow, 60mpg, made sense at the time..hated it in reality..

Citroen dispatch hdi van, went like the clappers, hugely versatile, missing 5th gear..

Citroen c5 estate, 3.0 v6 24v, absolutely stunning car, 53 plate with 50k miles and more toys than an ann summers catalogue…cheap as chips.

Daihatsu cuore '99....2005....cheap ex hire car sold to dealer friend for his sister.....still going around now

Daihatsu move '97...owned for three years..fantastic wee car..has proved irreplaceable and one of the ones i should NEVER have sold!!

Daihatsu domino '88...bought for 50 quid from guy down the road from me cos it was there.....added to daihatsu collection at the time...2006?

Fiat 127 '84....bought about '91 as 50 quid stop gap...

Fiat uno 60s '87...bought for mrs as first car..great runner..had it several years too..'94ish

fiat 132 2000 '81...bought after id written off reprehensible Renault 11..cracking big motor...'95??

fiat panda 750 '91...bought form pensioners in broughty ferry with 16k miles..like new....kept it for about four years....2000ish

fiat uno diesel '96....kept eating fan belts....why??who knows.....got it thru swap for equally dodgy escort estate....2004/2005

fiat panda 1000 '92...got this one for free...had it as spares for the 750...so same time...2000-2004..actually used it and sold it on cos it was so good!!

fiat punto td '94...personal record..owned this for twenty minutes in 2004......mate bought it just as i got home from buying it myself

fiat cinquecento sporting '94...absolutely minted wee car. Perth auction again 14k from new..owned 2004ish...loved it..owned this car twice, written off by family member

fiat cinquecento sporting '95..lovely wee car, 54k miles and fsh, one family owned from new..

fiat coupe 20v turbo..'98 r reg, again, minted car..two owners, fsh, totally immaculate with full leather and air con..favourite car, owned it three times

fiat uno 1.0 start '93...bought for 130 quid as stop gap 6 weeks ago (2007)...sold to mates son for field car!!

Fiat panda ‘93 1000cc, rough, rattly engine, refused to die or set off any speed cameras haha, bought on a whim, given in part exchange for seicento

Fiat seicento 51 plate..nice wee car, surprised me with its combination of relative refinement and frugality

Fiat panda 100 hp, 57 plate, hoot to drive flat out, suprisingly anodyne rest of time.

ford escort 55 van '79..first car i bought myself, unmitigated disaster...

ford granada ghia 2.8 '79...coupla months in early nineties...wheel came off one day with new born daughter in car.....lovely!!

ford sierra 2000glsi twin cam '91....had this car for holiday to Blackpool just about time I totalled my golf....mid to late nineties...

ford sierra saphire 1.8'92....just after first one...made a fortune on this one..!!....see a pattern...i buy a car..then buy more of the same....

ford sierra 1.8 glx '91 sapphire....got this free for picking it up from mums pal, sold same week...bout 2001

ford escort 1.4 '93..crap car bought for profit..unmemorable.....will have been 2000 on as this was my 'dodgy dealing' period

ford escort estate 1.6 '94...ditto above...swapped for uno diesel which was equally reprehensible

ford escort xr3i '91....nice car....really..lost a bit on it cos i paid to much and had a dodgy gearbox...used it for a coupla months in 2001 or so

ford Capri 2.8i '84...absolute stunner..bought as spares or repair...64k genuine miles with ffsh....unwelded...lovely lovely old car...2001/2??

ford escort 1.4 '96.....just like the other escorts i owned...briefly and unmemorably...nice one this un tho....2002

ford ka 1.3 '98.....had this for three months in 2003...turned me on to how good a wee car it is...super handling!!

Ford ka 1.3 ‘97...given this wee buz bomb, leaky petrol tank, drove superbly though, gave it to mechanic mare for work done

ford escort diesel '93...boring boring boring.......cant remember a thing about it...it was red....and boring......2002

ford Granada 2.8 ghia x injection estate '84...just last year(2006)....bought for 400 quid..one owner..sold for 1600!! happy days..

ford mondeo 1.6 16v..underestimated car, great ride, comfy, frugal

ford puma 1.6 , fantastic little car, loved it, one of finest handling cars iv owned

Honda civic 16-16i '89.....early noughties...turned me onto Hondas. Fantastic jewel like engine, great handling....pocket rocket

honda prelude 2.0i 16v 4ws '89.....2002ish...one of the best cars i owned...unstickable handling, lusty engine...owned for, oh...two months or so...

honda civic coupe 1.5i '96...first of a brace....low miles, one dr owner.....mrs ran this one for a year or so 2003ish

honda crx 1.5 '85.....bought just after 16-16i..frenzied wee pocket rocket...with no discernible floor...learnt me about japrot!!

honda crx 1.6 16v '92....2004/2005...lovely wee car, super handling...too low!!

Honda crx 1.6 16v’89 …gorgeous well preserved example bought from pensioner retiring from driving…2010

honda civic coupe 1.5 '94....2005...mrs stole this one away too....higher miles than first one but drove better..original honda alloys and wider tyres make the difference

honda prelude 2.0i '92....had this one in 2006...cemented my stereotype of honda owners....retire aircraft engineer owned it from new!!

honda civic 1.4i '96.....2006...good wee car to drive but dull....

honda accord coupe '95...2006..bought from Kinross market, kept coupla months......very well specced..would buy another tomorrow...

Hyundai accent coupe '96....bought for 'err again..after i sold her beloved honda civic coupe(first one...)..so about 2003/2004

hyundai accent coupe '95...bought from extremely eccentric lady in invergowrie..owned for 4 hours...sold to same guy who bought the wee cuore Daihatsu

jaguar xj6 series 3 4.2 '83...my first jag...scruffy but sound...i was big vern in this one!! early noughties again

jaguar xj6 series 3 4.2 sovereign '86...cracking jag..bought 2002ish...kept it for a year or so....a peach..one owner, 86k, fjsh..sage green with oatmeal leather..loved it!!

jaguar sovereign xj40 4 litre '90....2006...bought from owner of 12 years....underrated and undervalued cars....

jaguar xj8 sport, 3.2 litres of very un jag like nascar yowl. 98 model, great car, I likes jags me!

jeep wrangler islander 4 litre hard top lhd '92 ...2006.....cracking grin inducing performance....superb condition....the lure of big profit was too much so ebay..bye bye

land rover series 3 petrol lwb pick up '76...late nineties i think..seem to recall having it about same time as my Saab 95...

land rover series 3 diesel lwb truck '81....2005...no overdrive..diesel 50mph everywhere max!!..adored its brutal bruising charm..no two panels were straight!!

Land rover discovery td5, facelift model from early noughties I think..really liked it, felt wonderful to drive and had a bit of personality

Land rover discovery 200tdi, old g plate, one owner, 240k miles, drove spot on, utilitarian compared to the td5 but lots of charm, liked it lots

Mazda mx5 p plate, the best fun car iv owned, no question..want another

Mazda mx5, indeterminate age, cheapy, import, summer fun for pennies

Mercedes 190 '89...2001ish...bought with fubar engine and given to mechanic mate for work on my first mr2

mercedes 300 td estate '77....bought from guy i get a lot of cars from....lhd, loadsa miles...just kept on truckin...2001ish

mercedes 230 te estate '91...bought in Aberdeen about same time i had first honda civic coupe...2003/2004..great car but filler neck rotten

mercedes 230 e auto '89...pimptastic..black, full leather..amg kit, big alloys...looked fantastic!!..sold on ebay...owned 4 months..2004

Merc e class, 200 manual, early eighties, mint, built like a tank, bought from its one original owner, stunning old car, drove like a water bed

Mercedes A class 160, 99 model, same length as Ka, huge interior space

Mitsubishi galant 2000 gls '81...owned simultaneously with galant turbo...about 93/94ish

mitsubishi galant 2000 turbo '84..see above..again, total lunacy rwd fun...

mitsubishi lancer 1400(2000 engine, 5sp box) '76..absolute rocket....owned for a year or so....'89ish

Mitsubishi l200 crew cab, 98 import 2400tdi..great truck, Tonka tough

Nissan silvia 200 sx import..n/a huge sideways fun, solid, old school fun car

Nissan 300zx fairlady import. Again n/a but was a lovely old bus and quick enough, beautiful wheels and big rear spoiler..gearbox turned out to be achiles heel..

Nissan micra 2003 ‘bugeye’ great small car, may have another

Nissan 300zx twin turbo manual, lovely looking beast of a car, import, 89 ‘g’ plate, strosek kit

Opel manta 2.0 sr berlinetta '79...had this six months or so in early nineties....

opel kadett 1.2 2dr saloon '79...bought from pensioners in broughty ferry again who had owned it since '80...low miles....had it six months or so..2005..went to Ireland!!

Peugeot 309 gld '91...owned simultaneously for resale...job lot...crap cars....2002ish

peugeot 309 gld '91..see above

Porsche 944 '84...another of my records.....hour and a half of ownership....mint green metallic....2005/2006

porsche 928s4.. got this..for £500...yup that’s right..£500..mot'd, run, stopped, made a NASCAR noise..what more could a guy want..sold to weegie biker guys in for £3k plus.

.

range rover vogue, '84, outstanding condition, one owner, fsh, 75k miles. Best rangy iv seen!!

Renault 5 mk1 tl '81...cracking car, early nineties

renault 4 gtl '83...bought after mk1 5...adored this car...early nineties

renault 19 16v executive '94....2004ish....fantastic handling car with lovely engine....full leather...had it 8 months or so...

renault fuego turbo '84..seemed like a good idea at the time, bought from under a tree in a country house early '90s...never ran properly..sold to renault nut at vast profit

renault clio 1.9 diesel '94...had this one about a fortnight...no discernible charm....2003ish

renault 11 gtd '88...worst car iv ever owned...bought as economical reliable transport for 120 mile commute....proved neither..'94ish

Renault 5 campus, 14k miles, minted, 2012

rover metro clubman 998 cc '89..first car i ever bought for money making purposes from Perth auction....mid ninties..surprisingly decent wee thing...

rover sd1 3500se '84...one of best ever...bought to cheer myself up after writing off gti....mid nineties...

rover p6 3500s '75...fantastic sound due to knackered exhaust.....bought in 2004ish....sold cos of vile paprika and black colour....Dundee united colours!!

saab 95 v4 estate '74...my first Saab. Fond memories..daughter cried when i sold this...93/94?...owned good few years...

saab 96 v4 '76....bought fortuitously from perth auction for 150 quid or so......late nineties early noughties

saab 96 v4 '74...bought from storage unit up near Montrose...owned coupla years....mid to late nineties

saab 99 gl 5sp '82..bought after rover sd1...good car but ran hot..all the time...mid nineties

saab 900i 3 dr '88...bought after 99...started long succession of Saabs. At one point i had 4 at once...

saab 900i 5 dr '84.....2001 ish..cracking car

saab 900i gls 5 dr '86...bought from auction again...with 64k miles and fsh..for 40 quid..yes 40!!...2002

saab 900 turbo 8v 3 dr '84....50 quid special bought from Thompson and potter Skoda in burrelton....2002/2003 or so..gave to saab mechanic for work done on other Saabs!!

saab 900 turbo 16v lpt 5 dr '93...perth auction special...rotten tailgate, great to drive...2002/2003 ish

saab 900 turbo t16s 3dr '86...bought after 3 day binge..huge mistake..bad buy, lost a small fortune....2003/4

saab 9000 turbo lpt '92...crap car...head gasket totally knackered...bodged up and passed on rapidly....2004

saab 900 turbo 8v 2 dr '88...one of best Saabs i owned...150 quid, fsh 80k miles, one owner...2003

saab 900 se auto '92...2006...perth auction again..happy hunting ground for saabs....nicest saab ever to drive....thirsty bugger tho

Saab 95 aero, fast, fun, but not for me…

Saab 900s ‘96, 5 door, basic spec, nice if dull car

Saab 95 se, 2.3 lpt, fantastic car…low miles, one owner..proper saab..erm Vauxhall

Saab 900 convertible, 98 gm model, cheap, forgettable.

Smart for two passion 599cc... 2000 x plate

Smart for two passion with 30k miles, a wee belter..should have kept it..d’oh..

Smart for two passion, another 30k mile car on a v reg..very early example

Smart brabus for two, 2007 model, my car forever, a wee, manic hoot

Skoda estelle 120, sold for my mum, ran around in it for a while, decent old car to be fair, liked it

Subaru legacy estate '96....2004..fantastic car...should have had it longer...escapes me why i never now??

Subaru impreza type ra, 93, 2.2 block, about 300 plus bhp, adjustable diff, bought cheap, still lost a fortune on it..bust water pipe thought to be hg, lost my bottle with it, cut loses and rran, wish I hadn’t haha

Suzuki sc 100 '81....owned for year or so from 88ish

suzuki wagon r plus '99...2007..good car but bit shabby underneath..130k miles!!!!.....went via eBay to someone equally eccentric in sw England

Toyota mr2 mk1 '89....2001..bought with u/s head gasket for pittance, swapped merc 190 with u/s engine for work done by mechanic.....loved the wee car...barter system!!

toyota land cruiser swb 2.4 td '89..bought back to back with one below in 2003/2004..tonka tough, great to drive...tiny boot..bye bye

toyota land cruiser swb 2.4 td '88...the better of the two...my mechanic mate owned this for ten years!!

toyota carina 1.6 16v '93...lovely old car bought on a whim thru boredom one friday evening in 2004

toyota mr2 mk1 t-bar '89.....superb..bettter of the two i owned...2005

umm alter 2 lwb crew cab pick up '92....2005...weird and wonderful machine...went to Germany!!

Vauxhall cavalier mk1 1600 gl '79...great car, owned over a year from June '89

vauxhall cavalier mk2 cdi '84...Perth auction...mates old man fell in love with this car...quick old bus...2001ish

vauxhall cavalier mk3 sri '93...took it back for fubar golf I bought from dealer...golf blew engine..wasnt happy so got cavalier...2003

vauxhall cavalier 1800 l '89....got this from my mum...for nought....2003

vauxhall senator 3.0 cd '89...fantastic car.....absolute rocket..changed into top at 128mph every time!!!..2001/2002

vauxhall Carlton 2.0 cdi '91...liked this....big, bland, dependable....2002

vauxhall carlton 2.0 cdx estate '93...owned for a day then hit a deer..lost interest after that....2002

vauxhall astra 1.4 ls estate '97...mrs car for coupla years 2002ish

vauxhall astra diesel estate '92...crap car....2002

vauxhall nova diesel '92...auction fodder again...boredom is a terrible thing!!...2000

vauxhall viscount '66..the count...two speed powerglide tranny, e/window, leather, 34k with fsh..genuine barn find...loved it!!..2001

vauxhall astra convertible '90....2006 lovely old car in super condition...wind noise was very tiresome tho

vauxhall omega 2.5 v6 gls '98...2006..good car but dull

vauxhall calibra 2.5 v6 manual '97 p reg...2006 fantastic car. Extremely comfortable, punchy and economical

vauxhall frontera swb sport 2.8tdi '97 p reg...2007..low miles, superb wee truck...now resides in France thru eBay

vw derby lhd '78...one of my first cars....late eighties..?

vw polo estate '89...2005...bought for 80quid cos i missed a train..really

vw polo parade coupe '90...bought from auction for 15quid!!...says it all really 2005

vw polo estate '92....2001 low miles, 'orrible turquoise colour

vw golf 1.8cl '86...took as swap for one of my jags...with a large bag of gold also..obviously..2000ish

vw golf 1.6cl '88...bought and sold in a week..lovely old low mileage thing but it was gold....with brown tweedy seats..yeuch..2002ish

vw golf gti mk2 3dr '84.....my mate bought this one of me....2002ish

vw golf gti mk2 5dr '88..first 'good' car id have..bought with bank loan for couple of grand...written off after week hundred yards from my house...mid nineties

vw golf gti mk2 3dr '88...the one i took the cavalier sri back on...fubar engine....2003

vw golf gti mk2 16v 3dr '88.....2002/2003......dodgy reverse..fastest golf iv owned..180 k plus and went like a train

vw golf gti mk2 16v 3dr '88...bought very cheaply in Montrose....bereft of floor...cut my losses on this one...2001ish

vw golf gti 16v mk2 '91...oak green meanie..2006..lovely old car. Blew it up tho..obviously..but fixed this one cos it was such a good un

vw golf mk3 td '92...bought in Aberdeen 2003 or so

vw golf tdi 1.9 '96...mate gave me this...ran it till the tax run out 2007

vw golf gti '85 vr6 conversion..2008..hardly drove it, good fun, went well..

Vw golf cabrio, 96 p, low miles, fantastic fun car..

Vw golf van..mk3, diesel..rare as rockin horse ****e haha

Vw golf gti cabrio mk1..obligatory white with white roof and interior..tasteful haha

vw passat estate vr6 '94...2007..very rare car..swapped it for my beetle

vw camper '75....bought for holiday...sold on return..at profit..nice when it happens like that!!..2003

vw camper '74....bought 2004..never welded...or cleaned..sold it far to cheaply

vw beetle 1200 '72....bought in broughty ferry..low miles...miss m....i cried when i sold this..owned coupla years 2002-2004/5

vw beetle 1303 '73...bought form nice couple in anstruther.....heap of doo!!...went well with 1600 engine tho....2006

vw beetle 1200 '72....swapped for vr6 passat...lowered beam, cool stance, performance exhaust....2007

vw jetta gti engineering '86....2003ish.....went well and rare

vw polo estate '90...bought to go with the train miss one..sold as job lot...2005

vw caravelle 2.1i auto '89...thought it was lovely...was a nightmare..got my money back...2003/4

vw polo '96...2006 nice wee car

vw vento 96..mums old car...paid 80 quid to get it out of garage after she bought new beetle...sold it later same week....disaster of a car!!..2007

Vw polo 1.4 5dr, 2010, took as tradse in, sold same day, horrible

Vw golf mk2 gti 2.9 vr6 conversion, most fun iv had in a car, wee pocket rocket

Volvo 245 gl '88...bought at Perth auction for resale...very useable so kept it myself for several months....mid to late nineties

volvo 245 gle '89...bought 3 weeks after first one for same purpose...had this one a week!!!

volvo 245 gl '91..freebie from volvo forum...got it in glasgow..2006

volvo 760 gle '89..130 quid from family friend...2005

volvo 850 t5 '96...famously went out for a paper and rolls and came back with this one...2004ish

volvo Amazon estate '65.....same time as umm..2005..great old bus.loved its casual charm

volvo 343 lpg '79...2005 same as amazon..incredibly low mileage.....ran on gas...boring car...

volvo 164 '72.l..2006...loved it .will have another..went to germany too

Volvo s80 d5.186k!!.big miles but immaculate, one of best cars iv owned, 02 plate..

Volvo 854 t-5r gul yellow, manual, very rare car, will prob regret selling it, one owner for 15 years, hard to find like this

Volvo c70 convertible, 02 plate, gorgeous car, bit soulless.

yamaha rd250 '78...owned these simultaneously as a nipper..scary power band when yer 17....

Yamaha rd 400 '77

 

Eccentric you say

 

No....I said eclectic!

Above list should provide evidence of both eclectic and eccentric tastes I guess haha

I have driven 500 miles a day in everything from 2cv, 1200cc beetles, v4 saabs and battle scarred volvo amazon estates....once, memorably, made.a 350 mile round trip in a lwb two and a quarter diesel landy with no overdrive..max 50 mph...haha, great fun...I just adjust driving style and journey time to the car....cover between 300 and 500 miles a week in my beloved brabus smart car, the fourth smart iv owned....my worry re head gasket etc was that given it's gonna be my daughters first car, I do want it to be reliable....

Well, so do I sort of, but 3 of the 200 mile ones demand maintaining a 50ish mph average including stops or getting up at silly o'clock because they terminate at getting onto a ferry that only does one trip a day the direction I want.

I had a Skoda Rapid as my first car; I still have it actually. I had reliability issues, but to be honest with you the majority were self-inflicted and caused by trying to modify the car on a budget. I've since learnt that if you want a turn key reliable Skoda you're best keeping it standard; which is no bad thing. My first Rapid was a 136 and evolved into a lowered, big cam'd & carb'd terroriser; but it has since been joined by a 135RiC which is totally standard. Its very reasonable to suggest doing 1000 miles in a weekend in the RiC (I have done two such weekends this summer in it and returned 42mpg at an indicated 80mph (70mph realistically)). My 136 has been all-over too including round Eastern Europe and when it was my daily car, all over the country. 

 

As mentioned above, head gaskets can be an issue but if the cooling system is properly maintained it shouldn't be a problem. Even if it does go, they are very easy to change providing the liners haven't sunk. I think your biggest concern, particularly as you'll be doing daily usage is corrosion. Keep on top of that, maintain it, and you'll be on to a winner. 

 

I took this picture of my Rapid in my first week driving back in 2008;

 

 

And here it is in 2009 on the outskirts of Manchester, enroute to Wales for a weekend break;

 

 

Oh, and join the Owners Club. 

Hi

 

Just found this one is sunny Scotland. Any use?

 

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/classic-skoda-estelle-120lse-new-mot-and-taxed-unique-practical-classic-car/1030605233

 

Matt

Didn't fancy that one, and the guy I had been emailing down South has dropped off the radar...search goes on...