Current car, our 28th:
smart fourtwo coupe passion, SOFTTOUCH fully automatic
with optional, switchable, SOFTTIP clutchless manual.
Our previous cars:
Audi
- A3 - 1.8 SE (4 cylinder 20-valve) - Ming Blue pearlescent - leather -
air - sports suspension. Arrived February 1997. Traded in
for A4 Avant Auto, May 2002.
Reg. originally P569 PPV, now has A3 XCV.
- A4 Avant 1.8 (4 cylinder 20-valve) - Automatic - Silver - standard car.
Reg. originally S255 WYB, now has A4 TLX.
- ID19 - blue
- the most comfortable ride - died of acute tin worm.
Registration plate was subsequently worth considerably more
than several of my cars!
Reg. PR 22 - ID19 - black
- caused financial ruin with suspension, then gearbox failure
- left us without a car for a year.
Reg. unknown
- Punto S TD -
valley green metallic - our first Punto, which was very economical
but a good performer because of its turbocharger, runs on
Diesel fuel and Goodyear tyres. Used for 34,500 reliable miles in one year.
Reg. M920 ERT - Punto SX TD - silver metallic - we liked the Punto so much, we replaced
it with another Punto, our previous car, which was also economical
and a good performer because of its turbocharger, ran on Diesel
fuel and Michelin tyres.
Reg. N26 KRT
- Roadster 1.6, Silver, built 1989, imported from Japan 2000, bought by me August 2000.
- Known as Mazda MX-5 in the UK, Mazda Miata MX-5 in the USA.
- Reg G853 BRT
- Anglia 105E - pale
blue - modified; big valves, fully balanced, high compression,
etc.; would rev to 8,000 static and 7,000 on the road - did
a theoretical 104mph on holiday in France, long before speed
limits. It was running on Dunlop SP3s, the tyres to
have on any self-respecting cowboy car in the 60s!
Reg. 727 TPL - Anglia 105E - yellowish
green - cheap and reliable
Reg. 6944 (FW?) - Cortina Mk2 - surfoam
blue - not much you can say about Mk2 Cortinas... OK, the
1600E, in Aubergine, was an absolute classic in its day, and
since. But mine was a lowly 1200...
Reg. FCL 195E - Cortina 2000 GXL Mk3 - Daytona yellow - the most comfortable seats of our cars. Reg. BHK 446L
- Escort RS Turbo -
sunburst red - the most explosive acceleration. Loved the
car, hated the dealer service.
Bought August 1988, sold April 1989 - just nine months!
Reg. F904 JAR - Ford Fusion 3 1.4 Durashift EST. Nice high seating position, easier to get in and out with aging body. Fascinating gearbox - automated manual. Automatically changes gear but does so with an electronically controlled clutch, without driver input. You can swap cogs if you wish, using a 'tiptronic' style flicks of the gear lever, but you still don't need a clutch foot.
Bought September 2006, sold May 2008.
- Orion 1.6i Ghia - silver - pseudo class car, good performance, soggy
ride.
Bought August 1987, sold August 1988.
Reg E308 YHJ - Prefect 107E - white
- my first car. Quite rare, combining the 100E body - which
normally had an 1172cc side-valve with a 3-speed gearbox -
with the power train of the 105E: 997cc OHV with a 4-speed
'box.
Reg. 584 SNO
Land Rover
- Freelander Stationwagon XEi 1.8 - Epsom Green - better off-roader than 'real' Land Rovers, so owners think!
Reg. R861 XBV
Mercedes-Benz
- A160 Avantgarde Auto - Ocean Blue - rattlier interior trim and more sure-footed than I expected. Love cruise control. Comfortable for long journeys. Very complex electronics, which does amazing things, until they go wrong.
Bought March, sold September 2006. Reg. EU51 CYH
Morris
- 1100 - light green
- pumped water into the rear foot wells through rust-holes in the front of the rear wheel arches, had self-igniting
wiring, quickly replaced.
Reg. unknown
- 944 Coupe - sienna red metallic
- not surprisingly, my favourite of those we've owned - much
more a driver's car than a poser's car - exemplary handling
and brakes, surprising 30mpg economy.
Bought November 1989.
Reg. GIB 7753
- 4 TL - red - soft
seats and ride, died of electrical failure and age.
Reg. OPG 35E. - 4 TL - white - soft
seats and ride, did amazing economical service as 2-dog carrier.
Sold June 1984.
Reg. S84 WLB
smart
- fourtwo coupe, passion, black on black tridion. Harsh ride but not as harsh as A-Class. Astounding performance from 698cc turbo Mercedes-Benz engine and 6-speed gearbox switchable between fully automatic and tiptronic style clutchless gearchanging. High seating position, more space in the boot than you'd imagine. Unsurprisingly very economical on fuel, and VED at £35 p.a. (in 2008).
Reg. LJ04 PFY
- MR2 - white - Viv's
favourite, of those we've owned - styling and handling superb.
Bought April 1989, sold November 1989.
Reg. E534 DPG
- Beetle - red and black
- the friendliest car we've owned.
Reg. unknown - Beetle - orange -
the second friendliest car we've owned - passed on to daughter Jill,
who sold it in 1995 as a 24-year old good runner.
Reg. BYT 199H - Golf GTI 16v - silver
- cowboy car for grown-ups, fast and economical.
Reg. E24 EPB
- Golf 1.8 TDI SE Auto - Midnight blue - great performance, amazing economy, diesel.
Reg X181 EJE.
- 245DL automatic - pea green - the biggest, thirstiest car we've had - but great when we had two growing children and two big dogs.
- Bought June 1984.
Reg. XML 468T