Before EVs

[phil4]

My Model 3 is my second departure from my preferred cars.

Previously my preference was for (and still is to an extent) smaller hatchbacks, or 2 seat sports cars.

I did change that once and had a 2nd Gen Prius, and now a Model 3 that also bucks the trend.

I did hold out hope for the ID3, and it might have been, but coming from a Golf R, I wanted something that looked and went well, and had decent tech. It's part way there, but really the model 3 just walks all over it, as you'd expect from the extra cost.

In the future, I fully expect I'll be back in something smaller, whether that's a Tesla Model 2, or something decent from another manufacturer. I just don't need a bigger car, and felt being roughly at the centre of rotation, the smaller car, and shorter wheelbase led to a much more nimble feeling car. I'm not unhappy with my Model 3 though.

 

[pgkevet]

Nostalgic deep joy:
1st car was an Austin A30 with flag indicators you had to thump to get out.
I had a hole drilled in the driver footwell to let the water out that came in through the bulkhead from puddles
I was a student in London late 60's.
The starting handle was useful when ya couldn't afford a new battery and bald tyes were de rigueur. But a nuisance if you stalled in Oxford street and had to get out and wind it up.
I had a back brake binding on a trip home... had to keep getting out and loosening the rear brake cable. When i limped to the village garage they told me the cable was the only thing holding the broken leaf spring on... and fixed it.
I had a flat tyre on the new M4 and didn't know until i got to a roundabout off it and couldn't steer a tight bend. Fortunately I was 6-up with my rowing buddies and they lifted up a corner while we changed the front wheel.
The end came when engine started making a nasty noise. I popped in a garage to ask a mechanic who confirmed it was the big ends. I asked him how best to drive it to get home - 80 miles. "Slowly" - so I limped it back at 20mph but when local garage pulled the engine the gearbox fell apart.
Lots of cars since then but the S is the only one I ever bought for myself as new.

 

[Dilly]

Car history. mmmm

starts in 1969

Bond mini car
Another Bond mini car that we bought for a tenner when it broke down outside our house
Austin A35 van with windows
Morris Minor 1000
Riley 1.5
Austin Cambridge estate
Renault 6
Renault 16TS
Got married
Triumph Bonneville, 250 BSA, 250 AJS, 2 x LE Velocettes
Ford Fiesta
Ford Escort (first ever brand Harry spankers car)
Vauxhall Cavalier CD
Land Rover Discovery
3 x Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Toyota Prius
Hyundai Ioniq Electric
Tesla Model 3

Ratings:
Worst ever - Renault 6 - handled like a lilo in a stormy sea
Most versatile/comfy - Renault 16 - loved it. Great for courting!
Best winter car - Discovery of course. I took that through several floods and hefty snow and ice.
Most toys - Ioniq - I’ll miss the aircon seats
Most exciting - no prizes there - Model 3 hands down

 

[pgkevet]

....
Most exciting - no prizes there - Model 3 hands down

Depends on your definition of exciting ... my old A30 on two wheels trying to race a mini round a sharp bend or my 2.6L Rover SD doing a complete pirouette from a standing start on greasy roads and blowing it's engine at 125mph southbound off the dartford crossing having fun at 2am or my 200SX when you misjudged the turbo lag and fishtailed off a roundabout and drifted the next bend.

Those days have gone

I've outgrown all that now and happy with a car that keeps a straight line and has working brakes and airbags and I drive to keep my licence.

 

[Dilly]

Depends on your definition of exciting ... my old A30 on two wheels trying to race a mini round a sharp bend or my 2.6L Rover SD doing a complete pirouette from a standing start on greasy roads and blowing it's engine at 125mph southbound off the dartford crossing having fun at 2am or my 200SX when you misjudged the turbo lag and fishtailed off a roundabout and drifted the next bend.

Those days have gone

I've outgrown all that now and happy with a car that keeps a straight line and has working brakes and airbags and I drive to keep my licence.

I put exciting as a pleasant experience
The other exciting is the brown-trouser version. Renault 6 definitely came top in that class. It’s the only car I owned that suffered body roll in a straight line!

 

[Alex987854]

Mini estate (lasted six months before the engine seized)
Daf (variomatic gears are weird)
Mini 1275GT
Fiesta Mark 1 (base model. no radio)
Vauxhall Cavalier (surprisingly chuckable)
Honda CBR 600 (did a bike course as a bit of fun and ended up wanting one)
Mini (head gasket blew)
Vauxhall Vectra (first one that lasted long enough for me to trade in)
S type Jaguar (I really wanted to buy a Porsche but I couldn't afford what I wanted)
Jaguar XK8 (made a lovely noise in tunnels)
Landrover Freelander 2

Still have the bike (SORNed and not running) and the Landrover (for load lugging and really bad weather)

Most exciting is probably the second mini. It would go round any corner at almost any speed.
Most comfortable and best for a long drive was the S type.
Most expensive to own was the XK8.

Best overall is my model 3.

 

[Beady3647]

My progression:-

Reliant Regal (Delboy type)
Austin Allegro 1100
Austin Maxi 1500
Austin Maxi 1750
Ford Capri 2 litre
Ford Escort XR3
Ford Sierra Sapphire 2 litre Ghia
Ford Escort RS Turbo - got a DUI (when they caught up with me) in this hence.....
BMW 525
BMW 535
BMW 330i convertible
BMW 535i
Tesla Model S P85 D
Tesla Tesla Model S P100 - current

Had the RS Turbo 'chipped' in those days 0-60 in 3.5 was amazing!

Tesla has it all as far as I'm concerned.

 

[darkNstormy]

Mini, Fiesta, Rover 216, Volvo S40, Audi A6 4.2, Merc CLK, Honda CRV, Toyota Kluger Grande, Toyota Prado, VW Jetta, Holden SV6, Lexus CT, Lexus RX450h

 

[Electric Jim]

This will be my first 4 door car in years, since my old Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8GLi on an F plate.

In order:
Datsun 120Y (my old nans car, never drove it as it rusted away before I passed my test)
Ford Capri 2.0 Ghia (in hearing aid beige)
Talbot Horizon
Ford Capri 2.0S (in a much sexier black)
Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8GLi
<<many motorbikes for 15 years>>
Ford Escort estate, very basic model
Smart Roadster
Saab 93 convertible
Mercedes SLK 250D
Mercedes E220 Coupe

 

[Dilly]

This will be my first 4 door car in years, since my old Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8GLi on an F plate.

In order:
Datsun 120Y (my old nans car, never drove it as it rusted away before I passed my test)
Ford Capri 2.0 Ghia (in hearing aid beige)
Talbot Horizon
Ford Capri 2.0S (in a much sexier black)
Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8GLi
<<many motorbikes for 15 years>>
Ford Escort estate, very basic model
Smart Roadster
Saab 93 convertible
Mercedes SLK 250D
Mercedes E220 Coupe

I’m going back more than 30 years, but a guy in my office was nearing retirement and as a present to himself, bought a 6month old 2 litre Ghia Capri. After a fortnight he was moaning of backache from getting in and out and that the bonnet was too long. We did all tell him it wasn’t an old man’s car.

we worked on big site, manufacturing helicopter engines and one lunchtime, the horde of apprentices came racing down from their block to get to the canteen. Our car park was a row along our building adjacent to a sharp left turn which all but one of the apprentices took.
The bonnet of the Capri was shortened by a foot against the building. The boot didn’t fare much better.
Car was a write off and replaced with something more age relatable. Can’t remember what!

 

[fancealot]

My first vehicle was an Aprilia SR125 Scooter

Cars - 1st was a Nissan Micra (I looked like a gorilla in a budgie cage!!!), next was a Land Rover Freelander - Loved it, hated the expensive services and repairs! Next two were Mazda 6 Tourers, the first being the SE-L Nav, the 2nd was the Sport version, was looking to move to the CX5 until I saw the Tesla and I loved it and scrapped my idea for the CX-5