Your car history!

I know most people with an enthusiasm for older cars tend to be a bit more "car addict" than just obsessed with one marque.

So what've people had in the past? Are you all pure VAG nutters, are there other vehicles in your life? How did you get into Mk 1s? I've liked them since the mid '80s, when I was a kid - my mum got a 1979 GLi Cabriolet to replace a breadvan Polo, and I used to work on it and have lots of happy memories of standing on the back seat in Clumber Park, roof down, holding on to the roll bar. When I was getting to be old enough to drive, I hoped to get that car - but my dad ran it without oil and wrecked it.

She got another one, which I did get to drive for a while - a white/white/white GTi with a cheap bodykit (square lights) that hid front end damage - I always wondered why this Golf lacked the lovely conical dashboard, and the only Golf/Jettas I had were Mk IIs (a Syncro and various GTis). My Clipper is the first Mk 1 Golf I've owned myself, and it's not going anywhere - plans are to replace the roof, rebuild the top end, replace the gearbox and restore the interior. I want to keep it totally standard, though I've seen a few very tidy G60 installs on here and elsewhere that make me wonder if that might be fun.

The rest of the cars - that's a list I'll chuck up later, if people are interested. Most of them are inevitably sheds

My 1st VW was a 1.1.series 1 Golf which I bought off the editor of the North edition of the express news paper way back in 1982 the reg if i remember was HEN302N and it was a horrid metallic green so i had a mate spray it mars red and do the hatch mat black so it looked like a GTI which it did cos i got some wheel trims from VW it was a good little car till the revers gear went and the flor pan

after that got Reno 14 TS which was ugly but the fastest 1.4 on the market at the time
 
didn't get back into golfs till I met a guy on my basic course at RAF Cranwell and he visited me with his Auto Cabby and we went for a drive in the sun the following month I bought my current cabby GTI of ebay then last summer i bought my Campaign and i can never see me without either just wish the cabby would start have left it 2 months and now wont start

mk2 escort 1.3, 3 door harrier lookalike
mk1 golf 1.3 3 door series 1 same colour as Berts
Vauxhall nova sr 1.3
mk2 golf gti 8 valve white big bumper
mk1 golf gti helious blue campaign
Audi coupe 2.3
mk2 golf gti 8 valve Red big bumper
mk3 vr6 3 door twilight violet pearl
Audi a4 1.8 turbo kingfisher blue
Audi 80 convertible 1.8 silver
Audi tt 225 moro blue
Bmw x5 3.0 diesel sport  
MKI GOLF GTI SILVER CAMPAIGN

You could say its a german thing but i have only owned one car that i knew i would own again
and that is the mk1 golf

my mum had a red campaign for as long as i can remember, my first road legal car`s the citi

vauxhall corsa (was given to me for first car)
1990 vw golf 1.6 driver (sadly missed)
1983 vw golf mk1 1.8 gti

gone from worse to great and would not have it any other way although i bet the mrs would have something to say!

mixed bag for me, spent years borrowing my dads VW beatle. Mate was into VWs big time and took me out for a spin in a golf mk1 convertable one summers evening. So after a while spent months trawling and took the plunge, bought one from Fleabay.

Daily drivers (and thats over 20 years of car ownership below)

Peugeot 205 1.6gti
Ford fiesta XR2
Vauxhall Carltion 2.0 CDI
VW passat estate 1.9 TDI
Mercedes CLK

I started off with a Datsun something in Australia as my university car. I nicknamed it the Yellow Peril after a famous piece of artwork in Melbourne that was given the gong of disapproval by the locals. It looked more like the artwork after a truck bumped into it side on.

When it started limping and someone had keyed every single panel at the train station (still complete with truck ram damage - who would bother keying a wreck?), I moved onto the Girly Car of the Decade in Australia, a Ford Laser. I sold it when I moved to the UK.

I didn't own a car for years of living in London and Cambridge (no need), and then, one day, I saw a Golf Mk1 GTi Rivage sitting on the side of the road for sale. I bought it within the week and still regret selling that car: The Best Car Of My Life. The current GTi cabby is okay, but not the same.

That's it: four cars. Interest sparked only when I laid eyes on the Golf.

well my car history so far and in chronological order…

1968 Triumph Spitfire Mk3 - got when I was 16 and it's still going well (although it does tend to dissolve in slight moisture)

2000 Fiat Punto 1.2 16v ELX - first car after I passed my test… which despite being a Fiat, never went wrong despite years of abuse

2003 Honda Civic 1.6 Sport - loved this car… was sold prematurely when I got a company car, it lives round the corner from me now with a scuff on the bumper and it really needs a polish… would it be weird to go round and polish it?

2006 Honda Civic 1.8 ES - HATED this stupid roly-poly triangulated POS company car, glad I left that job!!!

2006 Saab 9-3 Estate 1.9 TDI Sport - another company car I had for about 6 months… never quite gelled with that one…

1996 Skoda Felicia 1.3 LX - purchased as a gift for someone who was learning to drive and couldn't afford a car… she didn't want it… was surprisingly fun though!

2008 Audi A4 2.0 TDI S-Line - company car… does everything very well, but it beeps at me all the time with various messages, doesn't really have any character, and no-one wants a car like that… although it went to Bruges and back on one tank of diesel…

1987 Volkswagen Golf 1.8 Clipper - little Greta, purchased when the Spitfire was off for restoration last year as a bit of a stop-gap, but now I've fallen in love with it… which is good really as having spent a small fortune on the Spitfire's bodywork, I'm now scared to use the thing, leave it in car parks / light breezes.

A5OPY said

My 1st VW was a 1.1.series 1 Golf which I bought off the editor of the North edition of the express news paper way back in 1982 the reg if i remember was HEN302N and it was a horrid metallic green so i had a mate spray it mars red and do the hatch mat black so it looked like a GTI which it did cos i got some wheel trims from VW it was a good little car till the revers gear went and the flor pan

after that got Reno 14 TS which was ugly but the fastest 1.4 on the market at the time

And now a stupidly rare car - when was the last time you saw a 14, or even an 18 or Fuego?

I've gone full circle,

Passed my test at 17 in 2002,

First car was an "89 Mk2 Golf 1.3 CL with GTI Bodykit". (that monumentally failed MOT after about 5 months) so onto:

"Polo 6n2 1.4 16v Sport."

Then when i was 18 i treated myself to a "mk4 V5 Golf"

Then got bored of that, next Was a "Bugeye Impreza Sport", which was fun for a while but a bit slow.

So then a "2006 Hawkeye Impreza STI Prodrive," (which was awesome but wasnt cheap to run)


So now got a "Jag X-type 3.0 V6 Sport"

As a bit of fun i had a Peugeot 205 GTI Fully Prepped stage rally car which i sold and bought……

          "The Cabby GTI…." as i said, back to a good old golf

(i also have a 1989 Landrover Defender 90 too, Thats for fun when its not sunny enough to fetch the golf out)

I've always liked Mk1 Golfs and bought my first one at age 15, with the intentions of 'doing it up' to use as my first car. It was a 1979 s1 1.5 GLS, LHD Auto. I don't know why I bought it as it knew I'd never be able to insure it, but it was cheap at £325. Sadly it turned out that some dodgy welding had been done on the underside so it went to scrap.

I then got into Mini's - my brother had been into Mini's and had already had 3 by the time he was 14 (he's now a mechanic!). I bought my first from a scrapyard for £150, a 1988 Jet Black LE. That was my pride and joy, I fixed it up and got it MOT'd. I ran that for about a year before fitting a supposed good 1275cc engine. It turned out to be a non-runner.  :cry:

I needed a car to get to college so bought a 1974 1000cc Mini automatic (one previous lady owner), intending to get back to the Jet Black on my next term break. That never came about and the Jet Black was sold on to a friend.

Next came a 1981 Mini Pick up, I stripped it down for a light resto, only to find it was a complete basket case, so it was all boxed up and the shell put in the parents garage (where it stayed for 7 years) I parted with it just before Xmas as I realised I'd never get it done.

Next came a 1990 Metro GTA, nice car, leaky sunroof!

Then came a 1991 Mini Cooper, to which I fitted a 1380cc engine with SCCR gearbox, you can't beat the scream of straight cut gears!

I fell out with Mini's quite badly at this point. I got it mechanically perfect but was forever fighting the rot in the body, with what felt like a constant need for patches and plates on the inner wings.

I then decided to go back to Mk1 Golf's and wanted a Rivage. I started to save my £ but spotted a '90 Corrado 16v for sale and decided to give it a whirl.I ran that for 1 year and then got into air-cooled VW's, my brother being at fault as he was restoring a 1960 split screen panel van.

I bought a '66 Type 3 notchback, fitted a 1600 engine and ran that for year. I loved the looks of the car but it was far too slow! I then decided I definately needed a Mk1 GTI.

Along came an '83 GTI in alpine white and I loved it to bits, but it really needed taking off the road and restoring. I was already restoring my girlfriends Mk1 Polo, so I would have to hold off with mine but I needed a reliable car so I parted with it after 18 months and bought the Sportline.

I didn't want to run the Sportline through winter so she's nicely stored away and I bought a '90 BMW E30 318is. This was a great car, but I was finding myself driving at ridiculous speeds everywhere. I sold it on and bought a Mk2 Golf CL, which I hated and so sold within 3 weeks.

I've now settled for a '90 Corrado 16V as my winter daily - although I fancy a Mk1 Caddy!  :scooter:

I've had some pretty poor luck with cars along the way.  Hopefully the Mk1 will change all that.

I started off with an M Plate Rover Metro Rio 1.1!  Great car, bought it off my uncle before he emigrated to Canada.  Unfortunately he worked in a pot ash mine next to the sea.  British Leyland + Teesside Smog + Salt Air = very rusty Metro.  I ended up pushing my thumb through the arches.  This got sold to a random.

Next it was my first rice burner!  An R plate Mazda 323F!  Great little car, but it had dodgy electrics.  Sold this to a local bookie and still see it around some times.

Then onto my first VAG.  1998 Audi A3 1.8.  Nice car but was a bit sluggish as it was the non turbo.  Ended up burning more oil than petrol so that was sold on.

Then back to rice burners.  A Honda CRX Del Sol.  Always loved these, and this one was no exception.  I bought it as a project, as it was rough round the edges.  Got it sprayed up and that was the first in a series of unfortunate vents.  The Spray was the worst job you're likely to see.  They glued on most of the panels rather than screwing them back, kept all the seals on and just sprayed over it all.  It looked like Mr Bean had been set upon it with a spray gun.  Then my neighbor reversed into it, caving in the front end.  Got that repaired and then it got nicked!  not heard a peep out of it since.

I then ran a crappy 1.1 Pug 106 whilst arguing with the insurers.  I could barely fit in the thing.

Next it was the 2004 A3 FSi.  Great car but lacked spirit.  Sold it on recently to fund the upcoming wedding.

Currently running a Dihatsu Sirion, quite possibly the worst car ever made.  Took that in PX for the Audi.  And of course the Cabby is in the garage, tucked up for the winter.

mk2 astra gte
mk2 golf 1.6 driver
mk2 golf gti 8v k-jet
mk3 golf 1.8 driver
mk4 golf gti 1.8t

Riley Elfs, Wolseley Hornet and Golfs:::

1962 Riley Elf Mk1 Downton Engineering conversion twin 1 and 1/8 " SUs (really!) - Rolled it in '64 (black ice syndrome) but it was straightened by the best in the business (no longer in the business!!!) - sold it in 1965 to buy an engagement ring ! (comments not invited but I celebrated my 43 Anniverary last Month!!

1965 Wolseley Hornet Mk2 - shared with my Dad - drove it all the time so long as I brought him home from the "Club" on Sat/Sun nights!…until I got married in '67

1964 Riley Elf Mk2 purchased in late '68…needed the boot space for a folding push chair!!!

1979 Westmoreland Rabbit - purchased new in Seattle

1971 Mach 1 Mustang 302 fastback in "Grabber Yellow" - daily car since wifey stole the Rabbit to take my daughter to Elementary school

back to Blighty…..

1982 Mk 1 GTI purchased new - still have it - awaiting some tlc

back to the good olde US of A

1979 Westmoreland Rabbit purchased used in  '81 in Pennsylvania

back to Blighty to use my GTI

Back to the Good olde US of A

1986 Mk2 Golf 16v - …square headlights but not a lot of oomph!!!

…back to Blighty

1996 Audi A4 Avant (estate) .. bought used in 2003 to give my GTI a rest…Auto Gearbox quit last year so traded in for a '97 Passat estate…still have it

1991 Karman Convertible Mk1 1.8 Auto - purchased & restored for my daughter (Traceycab)

50 years licenced motoring anniversary this year - not a lot to show for it - Elfs/Hornet, a "proper" Ford and a couple of VAG products

Cheers

MK3 fezzer ghia 1.3 silver
MK3 fezzer si 1.6 blue
Vauxhall Viva HC 1.3 (never on the road and finished)
Toyota Carina 2.0l auto red
Vauxhall Combo 1.7D silver (sold that one quick )
now my lovely MK1 Golf 1.1 red

so 6 cars in three years.
i dont think iv ever bought a car more than 6 months tax hehe..

i think i will be buying more than 6 months for my golf. i love it!

Great thread. Thinking about it I've had a lot more cars than I actually thought in my 19 years of driving.  :redfaced:

1979 Mini (white) - totally standard.  Kept it for a couple of years and then when we were buying our house/getting married it needed too much done for MOT.  Sold it to a guy we knew and he resprayed it, put wide wheels etc on.  It looked great and I was quite envious. Later met it at the scrapyard whilst looking for a part for my next Mini.

1985 Mini (Peugeot Miami Blue) - bought this as a horrible green colour. Got all the chrome stuff, had a 1275 engine fitted, got nice alloys and had it sprayed.  It was the mutts nuts at the time

1988 Astra (blue) - Sad, boring and very reliable

1989 Escort Cosmpolitan (white) - my first car with a sunroof and electrics, I thought it was great until smoke came out of the bonnet. Total scrapheap it was. Bought it as I couldn't insure an XR3i at the time

1991 XR2i (red) - I seriously wish I had kept that car.  :cry:  I sold it as the insurance groups changed at one stage and it was going to go up from £600 to £1700 (or something ridiculous)  I spent my life negotiating with the police over my speed.    I saw one for sale today and was going to go back for a look.  Hubby said even it is being given away, I aint having it  

1993 Mondeo (red) - was a nice car even though very square

1994 SR Nova (red, but often went pink) - loved it

1993 (Monaco Blue) Renault 19 16V - this was the dogs balls at the time although the petrol consumption was completely mad.  Traded it in when smoke came out of the bonnet vent and bought a sad but economical ………

1995 Fiat Punto (green) - Totally sad but it ran on air. Kept it a few months and saved some cash.

2001 Clio 16V (Monaco Blue) - the only car I ever bought brand new - ate coils  

2002 Mondeo Estate (silver) - Absolute piece of sh1t. Bought just before 2nd child came along. Kept it 4 weeks

2002 Renault Scenic (Monaco Blue) - Actually liked this car apart from the godawful fake walnut dash. That did my head in, so Delboy. Bad enough having to drive things like Scenics without that tat.

2003 VW Sharan (silver) - big mistake. Had gone to buy another Scenic and bought this on impulse. Was the petrol model and £20 of petrol wouldn't even knock the petrol light off. The engine management light was always on it too.  Took it back to the dealer after 3 weeks and begged him to take it back (which he did)

2003 Vauxhall Zafira (blue)- whilst another sad car, this car never gave me a minutes trouble. I sold it as I was bored of it. Still see it daily and its doing great

2003 MK4 Golf GTi (silver) - loved this car but the engine management light was always coming on and the petrol consumption was ridiculous

2005 Renault Grand Scenic (silver)- absolute piece of sh1t. Gave me nothing but grief - ate coils, dephasor pulley went, oil dropping out by bucket loads

2007 Freelander (black) - got this 5 weeks ago and am loving it so far.

1997 MK3 Golf Convertible - this belongs to my OH.  It is going for sale very shortly as he doesn't need it and its currently sitting in the space for the MK1 which comes out of hibernation at the end of this month.  

1st car: Mk1 Golf 1.1
2nd car: Mk2 Golf GTI
3rd car: Mk1 Astra GTE
4th car: Mk1 Golf GTI
5th car: Mk1 Golf GTI
6th car: Mk2 Golf GTI
7th car: Audi A3 1.8T
8th car: Mk3 Golf GTI
9th car: Mk1 Golf GTI

you might notice I like Golf GTI's

Mini clubman estate Nreg
mk2 escort 1600 sport Preg
Truimph Dolomite 1500se Vreg
Mk1 golf 1300 Vreg
Mk1 golf gti 1600 Yreg
Ford Fiesta 1100 Yreg
Ford Fiesta 1100 Mreg
Mk 1 golf gti 1600 x reg
Mk3 Golf gti 2000 8 valve Mreg
Audi A3 1.9 TDI x reg
Jeep cherokee sport 2.8 crd 53 reg
Mk1 golf gti cabby 1800 dreg
mk5 golf gttdi sport 57 reg
1967 Westfailia splitbus camper.

Saving the best till last :wink:

getting a mk1 was completely unintended.. i've always liked them though, my bro had a tintop for his first car i believe (not long after it died he bought a sierra ghia or something like that).
anyhoo.. i went to a neighbours classic car garage to look at a spitfire 1500 in RED!!! exactly the same car my stepmum had…HUSBAND DIDN'T FIT IN IT!! long-legged freak.  Couldn't afford the rally prepped mg-bt or the 'rocco… so took the mk1 that would become Gruber instead…no regrets.

previous cars are rather uneventful…
ford ka (biggest mistake ever, it was a understeering rust bucket but it was better than a cinquento! and bigger than a fiesta),
my mums clio (when she used my ka for partexchange on her new clio lol)
then gruber, who was my daily for a while

since i've started doing major stuff to her my dailys:
vw lupo 1.4 16v (sold to another lupo lover yay! who did get a complete bargain tbh)
skoda fabia vrs 1.9 tdi (current; boring to drive and look at but has power, space for taking old kitchen to dump or friends to burn, cruise control and a luxury 5 seats, Gruber only has 1).

Wanted a mk1 from the start, found a mk2 fast and fairly cheap so got it instead, loved it.
Mk2 Golf 1.6 cl (Smashed it up)
Mk4 Polo 1.4 (Cheap) Gearbox shafted when going through a big puddle…..

I dont know gear boxes so didnt know what to do so good bye.

Now ive got my mk1 Golf c 1.3, lets jsut say top speed in 30 year old cars for a little while doesnt help.

Overheated, burst radiator, burst pipes, warped head, apparently my pistons have no compresion and now ive left it as half an engine for along time now so its blatently knackerd but im slowly sourcing parts for a conversion and waiting to get my car off my drive (Bloody hill) so i can actually work on it.

Money enit.

Corrado planned also