Utterly useless in the wet or snow,

I strongly disagree! My first car was 76 Taunus (as the Cortina was named here) and it was a blast in the winter. It was so easy to get long, somewhat controlled drifts through long curves. No powersteering or electronics to mess with the driving. Just pure fun

Edited 12 June, 201610 yr by Gromle

That reminds me of My Hyundai Stellar - I only bought because it's predecessor had a cracked turbo and needed trading in RIGHT NOW.

 

But in the next 2 Highland winters that followed a low powered rear drive car on skinny tyres was perfect for opposite lock fun every day to work and back.

Since 1997 until now I have owned 20 or so cars.

My top 5 are

1. Clio 1.8 16 valve. (Valver) loved this car. 95 m reg williams blue with leather.

2. Impreza sti type r. 350bhp special car

3. Clio 172 phase 1. Owned 2 of these . one in year 2000 brand new and one now. Fantastic cars

4. Fabia vrs x2 great cars currently own once now.

5. Nova 1.4sr first ever car back in 1997. At the time it was pretty special

Renault 9 1.4 "Broadway"

 

Had the snazzy twin headlights from the 9/11 Turbo. For a car that was made of paper mache and frogs legs, it didn't do too badly. I stuck 70,000 on it over 3 years, with only a wet dizzy stopping it from running 100% for a while. Would crack a "fast 70" and no disgrace itself. The Evil One parked it round a tree. Finally got to the scrap yard because the Evil One's replacement didn't like it. Was the car I brought my son home from the hospital in, the day after he was born. Very sad to see that one go.

 

 

Morris Marina 1.3 "Super Deluxe"

 

Well, it held the road like a bar of soap, and that was on a dry day. Leaf spring suspension too. Can only assume that the "Super Deluxe" bit was due to it having an engine and steering wheel. Drove it like I stole it. Would also do an "enthusiastic 70", with only 4 forward gears (top speed unknown......speedo only went to 70) Was my first car.

Reading the posts here makes me think that either you're the bonding type (and then it doesn't matter what you drive, you love your car or, at least, feel at home with/in it) or you're not.

I've affectionate feelings towards the few cars I've owned (and towards a few Vespa scooters before that):

Studebaker Lark VI 1961 (a classic)

Citroën GS 1972 (ditto)

Saab 95 1970 (a Swedish classic - with freewheel!)

Mazda 323 1980 (mainly for persistently running despite demanding 1 litre of motor oil for each full tank of petrol)

Nissan Micra 1992 (not sexy at all, but oh so trustworthy)

and of course my present Felicia

I'll nominate my old 1972 Morris Marina 1.8TC. Plenty went wrong with it like bits falling of or just loose, 4 different shades of red paintwork ( I bought it in the dark), Back axle whined and steering was a bit vague.

However, it always started and got me to work on time and back then time that was all I was worried about.  Cost me £300 and sold the parts for £500 'ish 3 years later.

Renault 9 1.4 "Broadway"

 

 

Morris Marina 1.3 "Super Deluxe"

 

 

 

Snap! (almost)

 

I bought SWMBOs first car - a Renault 11 in a copper colour (that looked like rust) - she loved it but it had to go after she hit Bambi's mother in it - all those quad headlights were pointing in different directions after that and the engine mounts broke.

 

I learned to drive in Dad's Marina 1.3 SDL - and crashed it twice - oops.

Edited 13 June, 201610 yr by camelspyyder

Aye, I drove a Marina once - the play in the steering wheel was unbelievable and I felt only a very loose connection to the road - to get it to stop I'd to plant the pedal right into the floor and an age later it would slowly pull up to a stop.

A red l reg polo boulevard coupe 28222 miles on the clock got it in 2009 added 42,000 miles in a year and a half. Got it for 300pound. Didn't put a foot wrong. 4 speed box. Was very clean for its age, ended up scrapping it because I bought a corsa turbo that I only had for six weeks. Great work horse car.

Current car is a 700pound 2003 Peugeot 206sw used as work horse for last two years. Done 30k in that time. Changed the rear axle last year. That's all. Most likely I will get a fabia vrs next year When the 206 is done.

I owned an Austin Allegro   -  However it was the 1750 super sport with a 5 speed box, mega comfy seats    (and a round steering wheel!)

 

I actually liked it although the dreaded tin worm munched it away

2 cars of my past spring to mind

 

(my 2nd and 3rd cars, first car I only had for a few months)

 

1987 Renault 5 1.4 GTL drove it for over 3 years explored a lot of Scotland in it up and down the the west coast mostly, never let me down apart from the back box falling off at the Tore Roundabout north of Inverness.....

 

1993 Seat Ibiza 1.2 SLXi (last of the old Fiat 127 derived chassis with System Porsche Engine)which I had for nearly 3 years, It had plenty of latin flair, though it did let me down on 1 occasion after I drove it a little bit quick on a dirt track.... did something to the starter motor... oops

I bought a 1303 beetle as my first car (that I spent my own money on).

It was full of rust, rolled like a fishing boat in a storm, sounded like a Bren gun and the brakes were appalling but I bloody loved it!

It would do laps of roundabouts with the back end out (after a Scandinavian flick) and it was hilarious on a b road.

I want another...

I would love another  one as well, my VW had drum brakes front and rear and loved a bit of rust

I had an Austin 3litre when my wife became pregnant with our first son, it was replaced with a Renault 4, what a brilliant little car, rolled like a drunken heifer riding a tandem, stuck to the road like glue, turned into a van in a couple of minutes by lifting the back seat out, had a crazy gear change and a heater so hot you could weld with it, always gave 40mpg when beaten with a big stick, and was lime green, nothing not to like. I'd have another instantly.

I would love another  one as well, my VW had drum brakes front and rear and loved a bit of rust

 

Yeah, disc brakes are for whimps and cowards ;)

I had an Austin 3litre when my wife became pregnant with our first son, it was replaced with a Renault 4, what a brilliant little car, rolled like a drunken heifer riding a tandem, stuck to the road like glue, turned into a van in a couple of minutes by lifting the back seat out, had a crazy gear change and a heater so hot you could weld with it, always gave 40mpg when beaten with a big stick, and was lime green, nothing not to like. I'd have another instantly.

For some unexplained reason I like these - there's only a handful left on the road - I found out the number not so long ago and posted on here (can't remember exactly but somewhere between 10 and 50).

Edited 14 June, 201610 yr by Brian69

2 cars of my past spring to mind

(my 2nd and 3rd cars, first car I only had for a few months)

1987 Renault 5 1.4 GTL drove it for over 3 years explored a lot of Scotland in it up and down the the west coast mostly, never let me down apart from the back box falling off at the Tore Roundabout north of Inverness.....

1993 Seat Ibiza 1.2 SLXi (last of the old Fiat 127 derived chassis with System Porsche Engine)which I had for nearly 3 years, It had plenty of latin flair, though it did let me down on 1 occasion after I drove it a little bit quick on a dirt track.... did something to the starter motor... oops

a mk1 ibiza system porsche?! Omg want so badly!

a mk1 ibiza system porsche?! Omg want so badly!

Sadly I sold it 15 years ago, kind of regret doing so as now they are extremely rare, also there is a posibility that mine was one of the last registered as it was a 1993 L reg

I learned to drive in my parents' 1.6 MG Maestro and a Citroen Visa. After I'd passed I got the use of both backwards and forwards before getting my 1st set of wheels (mk2 Escort Van, slow, smelt of petrol, but my 1st experience of oversteer)

The Visa was really nippy for a wee car and seemed unburstable. Easy to get noisy wheel spin in 1st which seemed important at the time.

The MG was horrible to look at, but had twin 40s and lovely induction roar. Took the outside shoulders off the front tyres learning about power under steer on wet roundabouts.

And then I got a wee Subaru micro van. It was awsome. Rear wheel drive, 2 cylinder 665cc boxer engine over the back wheels, lift off oversteer if you tried hard enough.