Above and below is what I remember of my first car, it was a Blue Hillman Avenger (DSC441L), with a hideous White vinyl roof, the engine was a 1500cc, with automatic gearbox, easier for my grandad to teach me road positioning, and let BSM worry about teaching me the gears. Must have done something right, passed my test first time a few weeks after my 17th birthday.
Next was my 1256cc Vauxhall Viva (HSG966N), which started off in red as below, but somehow got re-sprayed Mercedes Blue. The engine also blew up in this and got fitted with a reconditioned one for £350.00, bear in mind the bloody thing only cost £200.00, but I got another year out of it before Frankie Pratt bought it from me for £350.00. I did actually have the magnum wheels, spot lights and yes the furry dice just like the picture below. The main thing I remember about this car is that it was so bloody slow, even Taxi's would leave it standing at traffic lights.
Next up was my pride and joy, Mark V Ford Cortina 80 2.0Ltr GL (UGA146W) in Silver as below. Got this car from Ratho for £1000 in 1986, it was very fast, and yes could beat Taxi's away from the lights. Only one small problem, the only time it would take off like a bat outa hell was when it had just started up and the automatic choke was running. I had it to the garage time and time again, until a 16 YEAR OLD "APPRENTICE" Mechanic spotted a tiny pin hole in the diaphragm, woohoo replaced diaphragm and now it's nippy all the time, even the time I embedded it into the rear of a parked car one morning at 4:30 going to work. Tried changing the tape (an invention before the CD) and looked down for a split second, and that was the end for the Cortina, but I did get a courtesy car for the next 2 weeks, a Rover 216SE in Red like the one below.
So after driving the courtesy car for a week I decided I want my own Rover and discover one at a remote garage at Turnhouse near the old airport, it was a nice metallic Sage Green colour 216S (D706BSG) and only 1 year old, I'd never had a car that new before. However the salesman was good, very good, there has just been a lady in front of you interested in that car sir, she is just away to get her husband to put down a deposit, but if you were to put a deposit down, it would be yours, £100 handed over and the car is mine, just another £3900 to find D'oh, good job for Grandads. Well kept this car for some time and done some extreme mileage in it, following ice hockey up and down the country, think I eventually traded it in with over 100,000 miles on the clock, after 5 years for the newer model, in White as below
Well Reg Vardy arrived in Edinburgh, well Seafield which aloud the everyday guy to be able to afford a newer car but with higher mileage, usually because they have been hire cars or company cars, so in I went just for a look around and out I came with another 1 year old Rover 214Si (J246YSS) cost £4875 and £1000 trade in from the old Rover. The car was beautiful inside and out, and handled well and had "POWER STEERING" but it couldn't pull the skin off sour milk, don't get me wrong I wasn't a speed freak, but I did like to put the foot down on the Motorway and feel the car pulling, but kept it a couple of years anyway till after the first MOT, then back to Vardys for another look around
I didn't need to look for long a Black Ford Mondeo 2Ltr Ghia (K524ESE) and only 2 years old £5000 and a trade in of £2000 for the milk float above. Had to wait a week for it, it seemed for ever but when it came oh boy, was it worth it, sporty, fast, comfy and spacious, my bestest car ever, and the wife still thinks it is to this day.
So after driving the courtesy car for a week I decided I want my own Rover and discover one at a remote garage at Turnhouse near the old airport, it was a nice metallic Sage Green colour 216S (D706BSG) and only 1 year old, I'd never had a car that new before. However the salesman was good, very good, there has just been a lady in front of you interested in that car sir, she is just away to get her husband to put down a deposit, but if you were to put a deposit down, it would be yours, £100 handed over and the car is mine, just another £3900 to find D'oh, good job for Grandads. Well kept this car for some time and done some extreme mileage in it, following ice hockey up and down the country, think I eventually traded it in with over 100,000 miles on the clock, after 5 years for the newer model, in White as belowWell Reg Vardy arrived in Edinburgh, well Seafield which aloud the everyday guy to be able to afford a newer car but with higher mileage, usually because they have been hire cars or company cars, so in I went just for a look around and out I came with another 1 year old Rover 214Si (J246YSS) cost £4875 and £1000 trade in from the old Rover. The car was beautiful inside and out, and handled well and had "POWER STEERING" but it couldn't pull the skin off sour milk, don't get me wrong I wasn't a speed freak, but I did like to put the foot down on the Motorway and feel the car pulling, but kept it a couple of years anyway till after the first MOT, then back to Vardys for another look aroundI didn't need to look for long a Black Ford Mondeo 2Ltr Ghia (K524ESE) and only 2 years old £5000 and a trade in of £2000 for the milk float above. Had to wait a week for it, it seemed for ever but when it came oh boy, was it worth it, sporty, fast, comfy and spacious, my bestest car ever, and the wife still thinks it is to this day.Well the two daughters were here now and the Mondeo was just eating up the petrol, so we couldn't afford to keep it and had to trade it for something more economical, don't laugh, a Daewoo Matiz 900cc (V760ESC) in green as below and no word of a lie, it went like shit of a shovel, it would leave Rover 214Si's standing at the traffic lights and many other models too, I couldn't believe it, nor the other drivers I passed on the motorway at over a ton haha. The four doors were also good for the kids seats. It was affectionately known as the Frog because of its green colour and bubble head lights. A couple of years passed and we had a bit of money again, so upgraded again to a slightly larger car
Ford Ka 1 year old 1298cc (CV52CYS) again in green and a nice little town run around, very good on petrol and quite nippy, the only let down was the boot space. 4 Morrison bags and it was full, the kids ended up with 6 or 7 bags each on their laps after shopping, needed something bigger
Which brings me up to today, a Lightning Silver Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 Club, 7 seater MPV (NV55LSK) £6985 and a £2000 trade in from the Frog. It is my favourite car of all time although the wife still preferred the Mondeo, or so she says. Never want to get rid of this one, well not just now anyway.
Ford Ka 1 year old 1298cc (CV52CYS) again in green and a nice little town run around, very good on petrol and quite nippy, the only let down was the boot space. 4 Morrison bags and it was full, the kids ended up with 6 or 7 bags each on their laps after shopping, needed something bigger
Which brings me up to today, a Lightning Silver Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 Club, 7 seater MPV (NV55LSK) £6985 and a £2000 trade in from the Frog. It is my favourite car of all time although the wife still preferred the Mondeo, or so she says. Never want to get rid of this one, well not just now anyway. 
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