Safe Speed Forums

as a follow on from another thread, i would like to see what results we come up with here to see if a common interest in driving and road safety reflects on the type of cars the members here choose to buy

my last car was a mitsubishi galant and i had that for 3 1/2 years. i am about to buy another one this week

_________________
Richie

SSAFA supporter
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=126025031585

I'm not at the moment

But my last car was a Rover 400 (because it was cheap!).
Prior to that (most recent at top):

Skoda Ocatvia diesel
Citroen C4 2.0 diesel
Ford Mondeo Estate diesel
Citroen Xsara diesel
Landrover Defender TDi
Vauxhall Nova (first car)

I haven't included hire / service loan cars etc, only ones I've owned or had long term as company cars (the only ones I've owned have been the Rover, Xsara and Nova) the company cars have been my choice from the lease list - I've tended to choose on comfort and most toys for the grade. Though to be fair if it was my money I'd definately buy another Octavia - a very practical car chomps up the miles and gets me from a to be in comfort and a minimum of fuss.

What does that say about me as a driver ???

If I could afford a 'fun' car in addition... I can think of a few

_________________
Gordon Brown saying I got the country into it's current economic mess so I'll get us out of it is the same as Bomber Harris nipping over to Dresden and offering to repair a few windows.

Chaos, panic and disorder - my work here is done.

http://www.wildcrafts.co.uk

Make what you will of this

VW Mk2 Golf GTI (H plate 100K miles £1500)
Ford Escort Sport (N 90K £900)
Honda Civic (L 100K £3000)
WV Passat (H £40K £1000)
Audi 80 Sport (A 90K £1500)

Before this I shared a car with my wife

Peugot 405 Estate
Vauxhall Cavilier Estate
Golf GTI

Gets a bit hazy before I re-married but includes several Golfs and Socorros, a Ford Escort (one of the two RWDs in the list), a Fiat 127, couple of 2CVs (actually my first wife's) and an Austin A55 van (DUG 785C - you always remember the first time )

_________________
When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

Cars ,I have bought in the past (not including boring estates for practical purposes)
Mark1 Escort 1300GT, Mark1 XR2 (2 of) Toyota Supras 2.8 and 3000 ( had a few of them) and Mark2 MR2

_________________
My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.

Current fleet:

S reg Honda Civic 1.4SE (that's Special Equipment!) 93k and yet to mis a beat.

H reg Honda C90, 33,000 miles

Company vehicle 58 reg Massey Ferguson 7480 Dyna VT with 180 hours on it

I had a MKII Golf Driver 1.8 before the Civic, faster and better to drive, but less comfy, less economical, less reliable and the Honda has lasted longer. Before the Gold were 3 pre VW Skodas.

My personal cars:

1990-2000: Mk1 Fiesta 1300S
2002-2003: Polo 1.4CL (joint car with Mrs Theboy so doesn't really count)
2003-2006: Puma 1.7
2006-present: Clio Trophy
Very shortly: Focus RS

So... a boy racer then.

if we are doing car history i better start again
V - galant GDI/GLS (car has both badges )
S - galant GLS
G - supra turbo
G - astra GTE
D - audi 80
H - rover 414i
L - rover 214 SLi
Q - XR3i cabriolet
D - nova saloon
Y - escort van

_________________
Richie

SSAFA supporter
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=126025031585

Current cars:

Saab 93 Aero HOT Convertible (2002) MapTun Stage 3(270bhp/370Nm)
Saab 9-5 SE Estate (2001)


Other Cars over the years - most recent first:
Saab 900S Auto
Daimler 4.0
Dutton Phaeton 1700 (Half-race)
FOUR Maestros (well two were my wife's) including an MG 2.0 efi
Vauxhall Ventora FE 3.3
Allegro Series 2 1500
XJ6 Series 2 4.2
Fiat 125 Special
Zodiac Mk IV Executive
Bond Minicar Mk F

also had BSA Star Twin 500

_________________
I won't slave for beggar's pay,
likewise gold and jewels,
but I would slave to learn the way
to sink your ship of fools

not

_________________
Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

1st car, a 1984 1.8L passat estate, bought from an auction for a monkey. Great car, handled like the proverbial bowl of porridge but floated over speed humps I'd be tempted to but another such wallowly car for that reason alone if I needed a car in london, great for road safety huh? My superstar rally driver work colleague didn't believe there was such thing a "loose front end", untill he borrowed one (not mine!) and promptly wrote it off.

2nd, an '88 1.8 Scirocco, bought it while the parents were on holiday and picked them up in it on their return so they weren't in a position to bitch about it

3rd, '99 1.9D seat inca (actually VW caddy) most reliable vehicle I've owned till some dipstick mechanic broke a protruding glow plug thread off.

4th, '94 Mitsubushi delica 2.8 TD

Lifted suspension, still miss this for how relaxing it was to drive, no-one ever got in your way Ideal urban runnabout, dealing with potholes, speedbumps, silly kerbing, and other aspects of our 3rd world roads with ease.

5th, '07 Purple Mercedes vito panel van 3.0 V6 TDI. Comically fast but not as well built as japanese stuff, I do miss my delica.

Note the theme with engine sizes, which means my next vehicle has to be over 3L

_________________
Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

But them's wot I call carrrs-zzzs

OK our cars?


Well you know we have Jags... currently XJ series and I think Vrenchen wants to replace current sporty Jag with the new babe. Family self indulge moment.. Yeah.,. I know .. we should go for something more practical given the riotous twins who now chortle and stretch when I tickle them and make silly faces at them aahhhhhh!

But these Jags .. nice serene ladies as they are are the work horses which we use to go to and from work and my estate version does cater for the practicalities. Told Vrenchen to think harder about whether she needs the sporty version or whether to hit the more practical ..Ok -love them .. but they are not quite as challenging as

We also have a VW people carrier. It's OK to drive but I think I will have to replace this for a bus - given the twins and stuff which babies come with

But .. as you know . I am Mad Moggie because of the Morris 1000s I adore I am not Mad Moggie to match Wildcat.. but admit it sort of matches

I have a black saloon .. a navy convertable and house the estate for one of the Swiss. These lovelies will be shown at the next Cumbrian Classic Car Club Exhibition and we will be at the next Sizergh with these as they are signed up for this. (we got stopped in North Wales once in these. We were asked how fast they could go.. and Vrenchen drawled "as fast as we want them to". We were issued with producers but I really think they just wanted a better and longer drool given the reactions at the station

Then there's ....


STAG! I must put up a photo of "old scruffy turning back to pristine"

I have two in the garage (but the first edition belongs to one of the other Swiss and I've room for her here: Lovely cream model.)

Mine? Bought her in my penultimate year at Uni and went into serious debt over it British Racing Green. I will never ever part company. Over the years - me and Stag have had our ups and downs. She always tended to get overheated in heavy traffic jams. Oh .. she went a bit "scruffy" when I was a student and struggling to make ends meet after "over-extending" my budget. .. but once I started earning .. was able to "restore". She has her original engine and as late R reg .. one of the last ever built.

I have some other effort in the garage.. lurid shocking pink Trabi which one of the Swiss took a fancy to and sort of dumped on me Nasty .. lethal.. ugly.


Vrenchen? She should post up that she owns a Ducati and some Honda hellish bike thing she bought as a student.

Yep .. I think it's safe to say we are "besotted".

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !
But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.

Currently

Me: Jaguar XJ6 TDVi Mrs CE: Kia Sorrento

Previously

Volvo v50
Audi 180TT
peugeot 406
rover 200
Cavalier 1.8
Pure sh*te

) [quote][/quote] dcbwhaley , couple of 2CVs (actually my first wife's)

I went out with a girl for a while who had a 2cv....such an awful car and I wondered why anyone would buy such a car....then I found the back seat (so much space), I always wondered after that if that was why women bought them....lol

_________________
My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.

You're not drawing any confessions out of me

_________________
When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

_________________
My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.

From 2003 up until presently, I drive a 1994 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Estate. If you search my username, or that vehicle, or both, you will find it to be huge, yet not slow in the least for its size.

I had a brief 'crush' on the 1995 Chevrolet ImpalaSS, one of its mechanical brothers, developed from the Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 Police Package.

From 1993 to 1998, I drove a 1994 Dodge Intrepid. It was totaled by a Chevy Caprice police car, which led me to buy the first of three 1994 Chevy Caprices 9C1.

My fourth car was a 1994 Cadillac Fleetwood, the longest and widest car built by GM since 1977. Except for the suspension - classic big American softie - it was the mechanical 'big brother' of the Caprice.

To date, I have modified the Estate with police package brake and suspension kits; it neither handles nor brakes like it has a right to; I have managed to improve its braking and handling significantly during my ownership. In addition to keeping up with proper maintenance - much to Chevy's chagrin - I have also made modest modifications to the engine to improve BSFC - both gas mileage and power / torque - and transmission durability and longevity. At 194,000 miles, it has never handled, stopped, or accelerated better than it does today.

_________________
The Rules for ALL ROAD USERS:
1) No one gets hurt
2) Nothing gets hit, except to protect others; see Rule#1
3) The Laws of Physics are invincible and immutable - so-called 'laws' of men are not
4) You are always immediately and ultimately responsible for your safety first, then proximately responsible for everyone's
Do not let other road users' mistakes become yours, nor yours become others
5) The rest, including laws of the land, is thoughtful observation, prescience, etiquette, decorum, and cooperation

Sure it wasn't a DeLorean?

_________________
Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

I won't pretend that I'm not lucky - I am. Many people are often surprised at the mechanical condition of the cars in my care. Though I will also admit that the exterior of my cars has never been pristine, I take pride in and enjoy reaping the rewards that come from maintaining a car with the understanding that I will be driving it with gusto shortly.

I suspect that a significant number of the people who complain about the 'reliability' of their cars simply don't drive for the sheer joy of being confused about where my fingers end, and my steering wheel begins. That very strongly influences my decisions about how I proactively seek upgraded parts and almost never wait for a mechanic to tell me, "It's time to replace this" before I replace it with that upgraded part I had purchased well in advance (especially when it comes to the brakes, steering/suspension, emissions/driveability, and HVAC, in that order).

My LH car was one of the best examples I'd seen around my neighborhood for quite some time. However, I'll admit that the Intrepid's AC compressor was a recurring nuisance when a Caprice totaled it, and unwittingly sold me on what my next car would be in the process.

_________________
The Rules for ALL ROAD USERS:
1) No one gets hurt
2) Nothing gets hit, except to protect others; see Rule#1
3) The Laws of Physics are invincible and immutable - so-called 'laws' of men are not
4) You are always immediately and ultimately responsible for your safety first, then proximately responsible for everyone's
Do not let other road users' mistakes become yours, nor yours become others
5) The rest, including laws of the land, is thoughtful observation, prescience, etiquette, decorum, and cooperation

Spent a lot of time in Reliants! (A "Rebel", a Bond Bug (the most fun one can have in a car with one's clothes on!) and a "Princess Anne" Scimitar).

Had a LWB Series III Landie for a while...

Then spent a fair bit of time in some French contraptions (2 DSs, 2 CXs and BX)

Then went Italian (several Alfas).

Spent a while in several TVRs and more recently and MPV (well, we've all got to grow up sometime)!