What does your car history look like?

[Chris4410]

Just found a picture of my Alpina and Astra Coupe.

 

[Jcbmally]

Some different ones in my car history - i order as much as my memory allows -

Chrysler Avenger 3 door
Mk 3 Ford Cortina 1600XL
Mk 3 Ford Cortina 2000E
Austin Allegro 1750 SSS
Mini 1275GT
Mk2 1100 Ford Escort estate
Hillman Hunter 1750 GLS
Vauxhall Viva
Mk1 Ford Fiesta 950 L
Mk3 Ford Escort 1100 L
Mini Metro 3 door
Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 5 door
2nd gen Ford Fiesta XR2 (the one with the pepper pot alloys)
Series 1 Ford Escort RS Turbo
Vauxhall Astra 1400 5 door LS
Vauxhall Astra GTE 16V
Citroen ZX 1400 5 door
BMW 316i SE 4 door
BMW 318i SE 4 door
BMW 318iS 2 door
B6 Audi A4 SE saloon
B7 Audi A4 S-line saloon diesel
B8 Audi A4 S-line saloon
B8.5 Audi S4 saloon
SEAT Leon 300 Cupra hatchback
BMW 20d X3

I know my wife's car history too as we've been together since we were teenagers -

Datsun 100A Cherry
2nd gen Ford Fiesta 1100 L
Fiat Panda
Citroen AX 3 door
Citroen AX 3 door
Citroen Saxo VTR
Peugeot 206 1400 5 door
Mk 1 Ford Ka
Peugeot 207 CC
R56 MINI Cooper
Vw Fox
R56 MINI Cooper S JCW
Fiat 500 Abarth
Mk 2 Ford Ka
R56 MINI JCW
Mk 2 Ford Ka
R55 MINI Cooper S 5 door
B8 Audi A4 Avant diesel
Renault Captur
Vw up!

Some interesting, not so interesting & horrors in that lol lol

Dont feel to bad now with my "small" list lol.

 

[Jcbmally]

The type of car I learnt to drive in. Loved it.

View attachment 215680

Now that brings back some memories, mate had a 130 one just like it.

 

[Jcbmally]

WOW:
1. Morris Minor (split screen 803 cc)
2. Austin A30
3. Ford Anglia 105E

What our younger (fuel-injection era - post 1993 ) brothers just don't get is that there was now't on the road back then so you could easily 'BALLS-OUT' a 'technical term' of course a Morris Minor (split Screen) Ford Anglia 105E and/or Rover 60 - mine! - anywhere and everywhere, great FUN...

PS: the 105E Anglia block (plus Harry Mundy twin-cam head) was the base for the 60's/70's Lotus Twin Cam motors that led to many if not ALL FORD 4-pot derivatives! Just sayin'

View attachment 215679

Happy days... ​

Twin carbs

 

[Jcbmally]

I also remember having (briefly) an Alfasud but cant remember if it was badged "SSS" or "555", maybe a made up badge.. The reason it was brief --- bulkhead had rotted to the point the car split from the inner wings (had it 3 days). The one and only time I bought a car off the road side.

Plus point ---- I've owned an Alfa so I am a true petrolhead (according to Jezza Clarkson)

 

[pburv]

I also remember having (briefly) an Alfasud but cant remember if it was badged "SSS" or "555", maybe a made up badge.. The reason it was brief --- bulkhead had rotted to the point the car split from the inner wings (had it 3 days). The one and only time I bought a car off the road side.

Plus point ---- I've owned an Alfa so I am a true petrolhead (according to Jezza Clarkson)

3 days owning an Alfa. Your a seasoned petrolhead

 

[joinerman]

Started with
P5 Rover v8
Vauxhal Wyvern
Ford Zodiac Mk2
Ford Zephyr Mk2
Ford Consul 375 Lowline
Ford Corsair 2000E
Ford Capri 3000E
Ford Capri 3000 GT
MGB
Ford Mustang Mach 1
Got Married
Mini
Morris 1100
BMW 320i
BMW 323i
BMW 528i
Vauxhal Omega 3.0
Vauxhal Seneta 3.0
Range Rover
Merc E320 Cdi
Toyota Surf 3.0
Landcruiser 80 series Best by far, kept it for 15 years & sold it for more than purchase price.
Golf 1.9 Tdi
Audi A4 Quattro 3.0 Tdi
Audi A4 Quattro 1.9 Tdi

 

[A4A4]

Wow, impressive. One thing, you saved a hell of a lot more money than me

Always paid cash in full for all my cars, so yeah in the long run it saved some money.

Never had a montly pcp, hp, pch or what ever they called nowadays.

My preferred plan was to pay any extra ££ monthlies on getting my mortgage paid off early.

This was achieved and been mortgage free for a while now.

 

[Alistair D]

1 - Lada 1200
2 - Magnum 1800
Edit: Honda Prelude
Ford Granada
3 - Audi coupe
4 - Lambo (kit car) pos
5 - Jag XJ6
6 - Rover 800 Sterling
7 - Escort xr3i (mk 3)
8 - Escort RS turbo (mk 4)
9 - Escort van
10 - VW Transporter
11 - Vx Cavalier
12 - Vx Vectra
13 - Jag S Type sport
14 - Vx Vectra SRi
15 - Merc E220 Avantegarde
16 - Audi A6 S-Line
I'm sure I've missed a couple early on, as it didn't seam like I kept cars very long in my youth.
1st 8 or 9 cars in 10 years, then the rest in 23 years.

 

[Willenium]

1994 Nissan Micra 1.0LX
1997 Nissan Micra 1.3GX
1999 Volkswagen Golf MK4 1.9 GTTDI
2003 Audi A4 2.5TDI Quattro SE
1994 Toyota MR2 Turbo (Current)
2009 A4 3.0TDI S-Line (Current)

 

[NevMan]

Always paid cash in full for all my cars, so yeah in the long run it saved some money.

Never had a montly pcp, hp, pch or what ever they called nowadays.

My preferred plan was to pay any extra ££ monthlies on getting my mortgage paid off early.

This was achieved and been mortgage free for a while now.

Smart man @A4A4

 

[5Phil3]

1. Renault 5
2. Peugeot 205 diesel
3. Peugeot 205 1.6 GTI
4. Honda Prelude Gen4 2.0
5. Honda Prelude Gen4 2.3
6. Volvo 340 Trampdrift
7. Afla 156 Sportwagon
8. BMW E36 328 Touring
9. Mazda RX8
10. Mazda MX5 Mk1
11. Jaguar X-Type 3.0 Manual
12. Jaguar XJ8
13. Audi S6 V10

I'm pretty sure there was something in between the Mazdas, but cant quite remember

 

[45bvtc]

Always paid cash in full for all my cars, so yeah in the long run it saved some money.

Never had a montly pcp, hp, pch or what ever they called nowadays.

My preferred plan was to pay any extra ££ monthlies on getting my mortgage paid off early.

This was achieved and been mortgage free for a while now.

SNAP!!!

 

[Harvey]

My list; I've been driving since 1995 and I tend to keep cars a good few years, some of which I've still got.

1. Vauxhall Astra L mk2 1.3L 5 door
2. Vauxhall Vectra Super Touring 200 #0005 of 38 produced, still owned since 2001
3. Vauxhall Astra Starmist 1.4L
4. Vauxhall Astra Starmist 1.4L, yes another one
5. Vauxhall Astra GTE 16v mk2, still owned since 2004 was stock now a fully fledged road legal track car with gnarly bits
6. Vauxhall Omega Estate GLS 2L
7. Vauxhall Frontera 2.2L 5 door
8. VW Touareg Altitude 5.0L V10, very sad day when this was sold but served it's time well
9. VW Amarok 3.0L V6, current ownership

My wife's list; driving since 1997 and again keeps them a while like me. She's a petrol head which helps.

1. Vauxhall Nova Diamond 1.2L
2. Vauxhall Astra Arctic 1.6L but now with a 3.0L V6, still owned since 1999
3. Vauxhall Astra GSi mk3
4. Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8L mk2
5. Vauxhall Calibra SE9 2.5L V6
6. Vauxhall Cavalier Cesaro 1.8L
7. Vauxhall Vectra VXR Estate 2.8L V6 Turbo
8. Audi S3 mk3 FL, current ownership

As you can see we've both been slowly converted into the world of VAG. Pictures of the various vehicles...

Alas, no pics of the Nova Diamond I'm afraid

Astra L Max Power here we come!

Astra Starmist, one of the two I've owned but don't know which this one is.

Astra GSi, 202K on the clock and still made above book figures on the rollers.

Astra SRi, low mileage but required a bit too much work under the skin so waved bye bye.

Omega GLS workhorse 1.

Calibra SE9 lovely motor but started going pink so moved it on.

Cavalier Cesaro tidy and did what it says on the tin...rust.

Frontera workhorse 2.

GTE 16v complete with the legend himself John Cleland (BTCC with honours) who I met at a photoshoot back on 2009 at Knockhill circuit as I had a magazine feature with my car.

Vectra Super Touring 200 or ST200 for short, nuff said, still got it, going nowhere.

Astra Artic now with a lush V6 that I rebuilt and wedged under the bonnet. Wifey loves it so it's staying.

Vectra VXR Estate getting very very rare now with only 134 estate made.

Touareg Altitude V10 workhorse 3 in style, beast and will never be forgotten.

Amarok V6 workhorse 4 with all the AdBlue shenanigans and 550Nm of go.

Audi S3, got a diary on this forum for it here along with my Vauxhall fleet musing and tinkering.

 

[Q5 TRS]

From age 19,
Citroen Saxo 1.5 Diesel. 51 plate - slowest car I've EVER driven.
Citroen Xara Picasso 52 plate 2.0 Diesel - Turbo pipe kept coming off.
Fiat Punto 1.2 petrol 04 plate
Ford Fiesta ST 05 plate
Audi A4 Avant 52 plate - cam belt snapped on way home from Birmingham
VW Golf GTI 05 plate
Audi S3 Sportback 14 plate
VW Tiguan 17 plate
Potentially a 2021 Audi S3 8Y - looking for deals.
now 39.

 

[JohnM100]

Always paid cash in full for all my cars, so yeah in the long run it saved some money.

Never had a montly pcp, hp, pch or what ever they called nowadays.

My preferred plan was to pay any extra ££ monthlies on getting my mortgage paid off early.

This was achieved and been mortgage free for a while now.

Ditto with one exception - a short term low proportion HP on one car to secure the lowball price and make it bearable for the dealer through their bonus scheme, and also mortgage free. Buy new / nearly new and run them for a long time. Hence I only bought my 5th car in 2019 despite first car purchase >30 years ago.

Looking back I think my shortest driving ownership was over 5 and a half years - not counting the Fiat Coupe 16v turbo in Portofino Blue on which I put down a deposit but rejected before delivery as the inspection report revealed it had been in a bad rear end shunt or hit a tree backwards - I just walked away from that one but still wonder ‘what if’ as it’s a beautiful car.

 

[Ron240]

Yeah twin fogs in the bumper.

Just working my way through this thread and this is my first question.
I never owned one but I assumed (rightly or wrongly) that the 4 lights in the bumper of the XR2i were 2 fogs and 2 spots?
If that was the case and Ford had configured it correctly, it should not have been possible to have all 4 on at the same time.
Genuinely interested to find out about this.

 

[Ron240]

My car history in order from passing my test in 1984. All cars listed were my daily driver but for the early ones not necessarily registered to me (thanks dad).

1. 1966 Ford Cortina Mk.1
2. 1985 Rover 213 VP
3. 1986 Rover 216 VP EFi
4. 1989 Ford Orion GLSi (my first brand new car that I bought)
5. 1997 Ford Mondeo 2.0 Si
6. 2002 Volvo S40
7. 2005 Ford Focus 1.6 Titanium
8. 2008 Honda Civic 1.4 SE+
9. 2012 Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec S (my second brand new car and all brand new from this point on)
10. 2014 Ford Focus ST3
11. 2015 Ford Focus ST3
12. 2017 Honda Civic Type R FK8
13. 2018 Audi S3 Saloon
14. 2020 Mercedes CLA 250 (current car)

I also owned 3 brand new motorbikes during my Ford Orion period.
1993 Kawasaki ZZR 600
1995 Kawasaki ZX 6R
1996 Kawasaki ZX 7R

 

[NevMan]

My car history in order from passing my test in 1984. All cars listed were my daily driver but for the early ones not necessarily registered to me (thanks dad).

1. 1966 Ford Cortina Mk.1
2. 1985 Rover 213 VP
3. 1986 Rover 216 VP EFi
4. 1989 Ford Orion GLSi (my first brand new car that I bought)
5. 1997 Ford Mondeo 2.0 Si
6. 2002 Volvo S40
7. 2005 Ford Focus 1.6 Titanium
8. 2008 Honda Civic 1.4 SE+
9. 2012 Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec S (my second brand new car and all brand new from this point on)
10. 2014 Ford Focus ST3
11. 2015 Ford Focus ST3
12. 2017 Honda Civic Type R FK8
13. 2018 Audi S3 Saloon
14. 2020 Mercedes CLA 250 (current car)

I also owned 3 brand new motorbikes during my Ford Orion period.
1993 Kawasaki ZZR 600
1995 Kawasaki ZX 6R
1996 Kawasaki ZX 7R

Funny @Ron240, given your changes since 2017, thought you would have owned more cars than that, positively sensible

 

[pburv]

Just working my way through this thread and this is my first question.
I never owned one but I assumed (rightly or wrongly) that the 4 lights in the bumper of the XR2i were 2 fogs and 2 spots?
If that was the case and Ford had configured it correctly, it should not have been possible to have all 4 on at the same time.
Genuinely interested to find out about this.

Good question.
From memory it's going back some time lol
The outside were driving lights and the inner was either main beam or fog? It was my instructors car so didn't have that much knowledge of the details .
Here's the only bit of footage I could find with the lights on.
Ford FIesta MK3 XR2i ||CrockVTS - Bing video

 

[45bvtc]

Good question.
From memory it's going back some time lol
The outside were driving lights and the inner was either main beam or fog? It was my instructors car so didn't have that much knowledge of the details .
Here's the only bit of footage I could find with the lights on.
Ford FIesta MK3 XR2i ||CrockVTS - Bing video

Legal requirements them days were, I seem to recall - but I was oh so younger then...: for single additional lamps (either side) it was SPOT lamp NEARSIDE (kerb) and FOG lamp OFFSIDE and you readily understand why - driven home a few times back then (sorry) concentrating on that nearside/kerb spot lamp.

For the XR2 with 4 x additional lamps it might have been one of each either side i.e., spot/fog Near-Side and spot/fog Off-Side

You young 'uns would not have enjoyed such fun - over Cannock Chase on a dark and foggy night with all them crazy "Deer" about just wanting a bit of rutting!

 

[Ron240]

Good question.
From memory it's going back some time lol
The outside were driving lights and the inner was either main beam or fog? It was my instructors car so didn't have that much knowledge of the details .
Here's the only bit of footage I could find with the lights on.
Ford FIesta MK3 XR2i ||CrockVTS - Bing video

I disciplined myself to watch that video all the way through, and I think Ive got it now. Start watching from 3 minutes.
The outside lights are fogs which can be turned on by their own switch but should need the headlights on at the same time.
The inside lights are spot/driving lamps which are configured to come on with the main beam ( just like the Mk.2 XR2).
It would be possible to have all 4 on at the same time but if it was foggy you would not turn on your main beam, so in practice you would never run with all 4 on.
I could be wrong of course....but this seems like the most logical way.

 

[45bvtc]

Maybe it's just the 60's rutting I remember and not the XR2's auxiliary lamps....

Not until the late 60's early 70's did we start getting 'proper' 7-inch headlamps like these:

Cibie Biode care of the rally guys and Ford in particular:

Could use 4 x 100 watt H1 bulbs and relay 'em together (wiring used to get a tad HOT mind (and melt near to the bub terminals)) but yes 400 watts of 'headlamp- lighting' and no need for auxiliary lamps: like here on my 1972 Lotus Europa Twin Cam....

Just perfect for a quick late-night run back on no-street-lamp Welsh roads...

Talking 1972 here...

​

 

[pburv]

Maybe it's just the 60's rutting I remember and not the XR2's auxiliary lamps....

Not until the late 60's early 70's did we start getting 'proper' 7-inch headlamps like these:

View attachment 216005

Cibie Biode care of the rally guys and Ford in particular:

View attachment 216006 View attachment 216007

Could use 4 x 100 watt H1 bulbs and relay 'em together (wiring used to get a tad HOT mind (and melt near to the bub terminals)) but yes 400 watts of 'headlamp- lighting' and no need for auxiliary lamps: like here on my 1972 Lotus Europa Twin Cam....

View attachment 216008

Just perfect for a quick late-night run back on no-street-lamp Welsh roads...

Talking 1972 here...

​

1972 was an extremely good year if I do say so myself.

 

[pburv]

Just working my way through this thread and this is my first question.
I never owned one but I assumed (rightly or wrongly) that the 4 lights in the bumper of the XR2i were 2 fogs and 2 spots?
If that was the case and Ford had configured it correctly, it should not have been possible to have all 4 on at the same time.
Genuinely interested to find out about this.

Here's a pic of all four lights lit up.

 

[Ron240]

Here's a pic of all four lights lit up.

Yep I seen that in the earlier video you posted.
While it would have been be possible to have all 4 on at the same time...if it was foggy and you had turned on the fog lights for their intended purpose it would actually reduce your visibility if you also turned on your main beam and spot lights at the same time.
Of course this would not stop boy racers driving in perfect visibility conditions with all 6 front lights blazing.

 

[pburv]

Yep I seen that in the earlier video you posted.
While it would have been be possible to have all 4 on at the same time...if it was foggy and you had turned on the fog lights for their intended purpose it would actually reduce your visibility if you also turned on your main beam and spot lights at the same time.
Of course this would not stop boy racers driving in perfect visibility conditions with all 6 front lights blazing.

I guess you can never have too many lights lol

 

[Jcbmally]

I also owned 3 brand new motorbikes during my Ford Orion period.
1993 Kawasaki ZZR 600
1995 Kawasaki ZX 6R
1996 Kawasaki ZX 7R

Maybe we should have a bike history thread as well

 

[pburv]

Maybe we should have a bike history thread as well

That's me out then.. lol

 

[45bvtc]

That's me out then.. lol

SNAP!

 

[Eric_RS6]

1. Rover 214Sli
2. Mondeo mk2 Zetec (full bodykit )
3. Mondeo ST24 (loads of mods)
4. Mondeo M3 ST TDCi (hybrid turbo'd!)
5. Mondeo ST220 (tuned and topped out on a dyno at 183mph - video proof!)
6. Saab 93 TTiD (mapped)
7. BMW 320i (slammed on BBS wheels)
8. Audi B7 S4 Avant (milltek, map, intake)
9. Focus Mk3 ST (more mods than you can shake a stick at)
10. Audi A7 BiTDI (modded)

 

[Ron240]

@Eric_BiTDI Your car history tells me that you have a thing for modifying cars...and you also had a soft spot for Mondeos.
I'm curious about one thing though...what was so bad about the full bodykit on your Mondeo Zetec, which the ST24 also has?

 

[Eric_RS6]

@Eric_BiTDI Your car history tells me that you have a thing for modifying cars...and you also had a soft spot for Mondeos.
I'm curious about one thing though...what was so bad about the full bodykit on your Mondeo Zetec, which the ST24 also has?

Oh yes, every single car i have had has been modified!

The bodykit was aftermarket and not a standard one, was called a Streetfighter kit. with addition of M3 mirrors, neons and a spoiler. I actually didn't have a soft spot for them, they just always came along at the right time at a great price / spec. I do think the estate Mk3 ST220 was one of the best all rounders for the price (at the time).

 

[Ron240]

The bodykit was aftermarket and not a standard one, was called a Streetfighter kit. with addition of M3 mirrors, neons and a spoiler.

That explains it then...the official Ford bodykit on the ST24 was very nice and tasteful I thought.
I loved my Mk.2 Mondeo....in the best colour of the time.
I bought it at 6 months old and kept it till it was 9 years old. In that time it never let me down and I never had to replace anything on it other than tyres. It even still had the original battery in it.

 

[Eric_RS6]

That explains it then...the official Ford bodykit on the ST24 was very nice and tasteful I thought.
I loved my Mk.2 Mondeo....in the best colour of the time.
I bought it at 6 months old and kept it till it was 9 years old. In that time it never let me down and I never had to replace anything on it other than tyres. It even still had the original battery in it.
View attachment 216043

My Mk2 Zetec never had an issue at all, and the ST24 never had an issue, but it was highly modified, with essentially a ST200 engine in it.

I do keep thinking about buying a ST200 and fully stripping it into a track car, but you just cant get much power out of them!

 

[A4A4]

The car owned the least amount of time was my first car, it is the only car I wished I still owned today.

Checked and still showing up on the gov mot checker. But no MOT. Does this mean it's still alive and kicking.

Sold it way back in the early 90s in Cornwall when l was 20, so my guess its in a barn gathering dust somewhere.

This is the original newsagents ad which l displayed in the newsagents window to sell it. Sold it for a bargain £400.

 

[Ron240]

Checked and still showing up on the gov mot checker. But no MOT. Does this mean it's still alive and kicking.
Sold it way back in the early 90s in Cornwall when l was 20, so my guess its in a barn gathering dust somewhere.

According to DVLA it last changed hands on 25 September 1992, the tax ran out at end of November 1993 and there is no recorded MOT history.
I think it's safe to assume the car has went to that big scrap yard in the sky a long time ago.

 

[A4A4]

According to DVLA it last changed hands on 25 September 1992, the tax ran out at end of November 1993 and there is no recorded MOT history.
I think it's safe to assume the car has went to that big scrap yard in the sky a long time ago.

A pipe dream

 

[Frizzley]

Had to exercise few brain cells to remember some of the earlier ones of these

1. Vauxhall Viva HC - Metallic Blue
2. Mk3 Ford Cortina - 2.0 GXL - Daytona Yellow
3. Mk2 Triumph Stag - Pimento Red
4. Mk3 Ford Escort - White
5. Mk2 Ford Fiesta XR2 - Sunburst Red
6. Mk3 1.6D Ford Escort Estate - sort of aubergine
7. Mk1 Vauxhall Vectra 1.8LS - Titanium
8. Mk1 Freelander (3 Door) - Silver
9. Mk2 Vauxhall Vectra 2.2 SRI - Silver
10. Audi A4 S Line Avant 2.0 TDI - Black
11. Audi A4 S Line Avant 2.0 TDI Quattro - Black
12. Mk2 Audi A5 Sportback 2.0 TDI Quattro - Ibis White
13. Mk3 Audi A5 Sportback 3.0 TDI Quattro - Ibis White
14. Mk3 Audi TTRS Sport Coupe - Turbo Blue
15. Mk3 Audi S5 3.o TDI - Tango Red

 

[NevMan]

SNAP!

+1 snap