What's the best car you've ever had?

[Philip Jarvis]

I’ve always appreciated nice cars and love watching programmes such as Top Gear and Fifth Gear.

After saving up for a couple of years, I bought my first car at the age of 19 for £900 – a red Mini 1275 GT. I had some great fun in this car. A friend of mine started out working as a salesman at a VW / Audi franchise and later went on to be co-owner of the dealership. As a consequence, he managed to get me some really good deals from cars that were traded in. I didn’t lose much on the Mini – after a couple of years I sold it for £700.

I then bought a blue VW Golf 1600 GLS for £1,500, selling it 18 months later for £1,475. I decided to stick with Golf’s, this time getting a maroon 1.2 litre version with sunroof (this was a luxury item in those days). About 18 months later, I failed to negotiate a bend whilst driving along a winding country lane and I ended up in a field after rolling down an embankment. This was my first write-off. Although I only paid £2,600 for the car, the insurance company gave me £2,750.

I then moved on to Fords – in order to keep insurance premiums down, my first was a Fiesta 950 Pop (another maroon one – Yuk). I kept this for about a year before selling it for roughly what I paid for it. I then decided to move on to more sporty cars – I got a white Ford XR2 and this was followed by a bright red Ford XR3. I loved the XR3 and kept this for about 3 years.

In 1992, I splashed out and bought a private plate – 318 PJ. I therefore needed a BMW to go with it. My first was a red “de-badged” 320i (the classic E32 model with twin headlights). After running this for a couple of years, I got a green 318i (E36 model) with rear spoiler and OZ alloy wheels. Several years later, I managed to afford my first brand new car. I got a blue 318i SE a matter of weeks after the launch of the new E46 model (“S” reg). Another 4 or 5 years later, I traded this in for another new 318i model (“51” plate). This one was silver with 18” “M” spoke alloys and “M” aerodynamic body styling. My wife still drives this car and it still looks the part with the 318 PJ plate on.

In December 2006, I bought the car of my dreams – a 2 year old Audi S4 Cabriolet 4.2 Quattro with another private plate – P777 JAR. The S4 Cab was bright red with black nappa leather seats. At 344 BHP, the burbling sound of the V8 engine was truly magnificent, especially with the roof down. It’s hard to describe the exhilaration I used to get when driving this car. Then, after only 6 months, it all came to an end one Saturday morning in late June 2007. I was driving along a dual carriageway doing about 55 mph when I came to overtake a VW Golf that was doing less than 30 mph in the left hand lane. It was a normal, everyday manoeuvre with no hint of danger. Then, a second or so before I was about to pass, without signalling, the Golf made a hard right turn across my path. It was as if it was trying to make an illegal “U” turn down the other carriageway. With no time to react, the front left side of my car hit the front right side of the Golf. Let me tell you – it’s no fun going sideways at 50 mph when both airbags have gone off and you can’t see. Everything happened so fast, and I’m not sure how I achieved it, but I managed to turn into the skid and bring my car under control. The impact had spun the Golf through 180 degrees and its front wheel had snapped off and bounced down the other carriageway. Fortunately, other than shock etc, there were no apparent serious injuries to either myself or the other driver. He was a lad in his early 20’s and, according to the police, it transpired that he had been out on a session the night before, he stunk of booze and he was arrested for refusing to give a specimen of breath. Both cars were written-off but I only lost £900 off the value of mine.

Since then, I have been driving a black Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI Quattro. It’s a decent enough car, but I still look back with fond memories to “the best car I ever had” – the Audi S4 Cab!!

[Kate Horton]

Nissan 100NX white with Targa roof... RIP 2007. Nickname 'the Delornean' many happy memories of driving around The Yorkshire Moors on a sunny day with the roof off. Best car EVER.

[Rosemary Roberts]

Best car yet is my current one, an ancient Mercedes Benz A Class 160. It's delightful to drive and offers a very comfortable ride. But even with my seat jacked up so that my head brushes the roof (the 160 is a very small car) I have difficulty reversing. I'm still waiting for a car that I can see out of well enough to park with confidence.

[Jon O'Neill]

Best car yet is my current one, an ancient Mercedes Benz A Class 160. It's delightful to drive and offers a very comfortable ride. But even with my seat jacked up so that my head brushes the roof (the 160 is a very small car) I have difficulty reversing. I'm still waiting for a car that I can see out of well enough to park with confidence.

Just how tall are you then? Do we have an ex-supermodel in our midst?

[Ian Volante]

I had my only car (a 1986 Ford Fiesta, 950 engine, but I got a 100mph out of it once) in 1995, but I've not driven since - cycling is easier round here.

[JimBentley]

I recently found a picture of my awesome first car, a 1984 Mitsubishi Colt:



This would have been taken in about 1992 and as you can see, I was modelling my hairstyle on Crystal Tipps at the time.

It was a great car. Sometimes it didn't start, but this was easily remedied by hitting the starter motor with a large spanner that I kept in the boot for just such occasions, and one of the doors used to fall off a bit sometimes (usually while going round a roundabout). Oh, and you can't really see it here but the passenger side rear window was just a sheet of plastic, after somebody broke into it and amusingly stole nothing (pretty much the only contents were about forty C90 tapes of hardcore techno, and a large spanner). Any speed over about 70mph was accompanied by a really frenzied shaking of the entire dashboard but I once got to 100mph on one of those long straight but hilly stretches of the A697, which was a totally amazing and terrifying experience.

However, I really should have bought a second-hand ambulance from a car dealer called Big Mike (no, really) in Stockton a couple of years later when I had the chance, that would've been cool.

[Phil Reynolds]

My first car, in 1984, was a royal blue Austin Maxi, registration number YAC 240S. The Maxi was notable for a number of things: being the first British car with a five-speed gearbox; being one of the first (if not the first) British car with five doors; and for being capable of converting rather niftily into a double bed. It also featured something called "hydrolastic suspension", which resulted in me having the following embarrassing exchange with an employee of Kwik-Fit:

Me: Can you take a look at the shock absorbers on my car - I think they might need replacing.
EOKF: Is that your car there sir?
Me: Yes.
EOKF: It hasn't got shock absorbers mate.

I subsequently had a succession of cars that could best be described as "boxes on wheels": a Talbot Solara (the front axle of which sheared completely in half while I was pulling away from the traffic lights at a major junction in Cardiff city centre), a Proton (please), a Mitsubishi Carisma and my other half's old Ford Escort. I think my favourite though would have to be the car I drive now: a flame red Peugeot 206 CC Allure. The hard top retracts into the boot in 20 seconds, and once for a laugh I even managed to drive a couple of miles with two people in what are amusingly called "the back seats".

[Kai Laddiman]

My first car...

[Rosemary Roberts]

Best car yet is my current one, an ancient Mercedes Benz A Class 160. It's delightful to drive and offers a very comfortable ride. But even with my seat jacked up so that my head brushes the roof (the 160 is a very small car) I have difficulty reversing. I'm still waiting for a car that I can see out of well enough to park with confidence.

Just how tall are you then? Do we have an ex-supermodel in our midst?

I'm only average height but the seat jacks up by a good six inches. And I still can't see out.

[Kevin Thurlow]

It's a long list..... Morris 1100, Hillman Minx, Ford Capri, Renault Fuego, Rover 216, Volvo 340, Austin Metro, Audi 100 (inherited from my father), Audi A4..... so I have bought a different make each time.

The Rover by coincidence had the registration C480LGC and I work for a company called LGC, sadly my attempts to sell the number plate (with free car!) came to nothing. I liked the Fuego the best of the above and managed to get it going allegedly at 115 (top speed given as 107 in the handbook) in the inside lane of an abnormally quiet M25. But it was a good car whatever the speed. The only drawback was that its super aerodynamic wedge shape meant that if you started going sideways, (as it did one icy day) it got difficult to control. Luckily I missed everything and just had to shamefacedly get it pointing the right way again.
The Capri was nice, but now I'm old and boring I drive sedate cars, but obviously Audis are good. The Volvo was the worst of the above - it had a CVT gearbox which was hopeless and kept breaking down, but I accept that might have been a one-off!

[David Williams]

Best car yet is my current one, an ancient Mercedes Benz A Class 160. It's delightful to drive and offers a very comfortable ride. But even with my seat jacked up so that my head brushes the roof (the 160 is a very small car) I have difficulty reversing. I'm still waiting for a car that I can see out of well enough to park with confidence.

Just how tall are you then? Do we have an ex-supermodel in our midst?

I'm only average height but the seat jacks up by a good six inches. And I still can't see out.

So you have unusually low-slung eyes?

[Rosemary Roberts]

I'm only average height but the seat jacks up by a good six inches. And I still can't see out.

So you have unusually low-slung eyes?

That must be it!

[Jeff Clayton]

For me, the one in which I learned to drive - a 1994 1.4 Citroen ZX. It lacked certain mod cons, such as a rev counter and power steering, but was very patient!

Jeff

[Kathleen Batlle]

My favourite has to be the one I drive now, a VW Polo automatic 1.4. It's so sturdy, chunky and comfortable. With 2 prosthetic knees, it's great not to have to press the clutch pedal down to the floor to change gear. Mind you, I thought I was in heaven 35 years ago when I first learned to drive and bought a white 2nd hand Seat 850. Talk about happy, even though I seemed to be forever changing wheels because of the punctures I got through driving up our unmade lane. I do try to forget that I turned it over after I'd only had it 3 weeks, with my 2 year-old daughter inside, although I still have nightmares about that. I've never relied on a hand brake since and always left any other car I had in gear when parked, although that doesn't apply to the Polo of course.

[Allan Harmer]

Regrettably, the car of my dreams (BMW anything) is still on the garage forecourt.

With two kids about to go through uni, I can only justify a Citroen C8 for practical taxi duties and a new Toyota Yaris, which I got by using the scrappage scheme and exchanging my old Toyota Avensis, which I bought from new in January 1998.

Still, there is always the lottery!!

[kevin manthorpe]

... I liked the Fuego the best of the above and managed to get it going allegedly at 115 (top speed given as 107 in the handbook) in the inside lane of an abnormally quiet M25. But it was a good car whatever the speed. The only drawback was that its super aerodynamic wedge shape meant that if you started going sideways, (as it did one icy day) it got difficult to control. Luckily I missed everything and just had to shamefacedly get it pointing the right way again.

I liked my Fuego too, especially its quirky "European" (ie odd) features like the hidden door levers (hardly handles), the hatch release in the door jamb and the bonnet release in the glove box. Or was it the other way round? Either way I only had the car for six weeks when a fierce storm wracked Sydney's north shore and a big branch from the gum tree it was parked under crashed down on top of it. A sad discovery after I finally made it home from work that day.

I then got a Toyota Corolla Twin-Cam, which is what the other half had said I should get all along - it redlined at about 8,500 rpm. After changing the standard issue tyres for some higher performance ones, (what a remarkably noticeable difference that made - tyres ain't just tyres!), it was the ideal car for fanging it around the winding, hilly roads of Sydney or the open road out of town.

These days, particularly with the rate of depreciation on cars of any value, I'm happy with my Escort. I think its spoiler makes all the difference!!

[Kevin Thurlow]

"I liked my Fuego too, especially its quirky "European" (ie odd) features like the hidden door levers (hardly handles), the hatch release in the door jamb and the bonnet release in the glove box. Or was it the other way round? "

That sounds familiar - the other good thing was the space under the bonnet. If you needed to change a headlamp, you just reached in, unplugged the old one, put the new one in and off you went. It took about a minute. With all subsequent cars, I've needed a team of people to hold all the other stuff out of the way whilst one of them wrestled with the light fitting. Bad news about the tree - that would have really upset me.

[Jason Larsen]

They gave away an old car on our Price is Right a few months ago!

[Sue Sanders]

Actually, not my car, but when I was 17, my 19 year old boyfriend bought his first car - a white Ford Capri with seats that reclined right back, and a sunroof. He added furry dice and a windscreen sticker with Andy and Sue written on it. He used to let me change gear for him! That car was parked about 3 yards away when I lost my virginity on a tartan travel rug in a field!

[Alec Rivers]

My favourite car that I've owned is a silver Vauxhall Senator 3.0i Auto. I had to sell it when I could no longer afford to run it, and I still haven't quite got over that. It was such an amazing car. Fast, too. When I was visiting friends in Arnhem, Holland, we went for a drive into Germany. On an unrestricted section of motorway I took it up to 158 mph and the engine speed was still under 6000 rpm. Loved it. Miss it so.

[Chris Corby]

Actually, not my car, but when I was 17, my 19 year old boyfriend bought his first car - a white Ford Capri with seats that reclined right back, and a sunroof. He added furry dice and a windscreen sticker with Andy and Sue written on it. He used to let me change gear for him! That car was parked about 3 yards away when I lost my virginity on a tartan travel rug in a field!

I bet that made Andy jealous!

[Sue Sanders]

Actually, not my car, but when I was 17, my 19 year old boyfriend bought his first car - a white Ford Capri with seats that reclined right back, and a sunroof. He added furry dice and a windscreen sticker with Andy and Sue written on it. He used to let me change gear for him! That car was parked about 3 yards away when I lost my virginity on a tartan travel rug in a field!

I bet that made Andy jealous!

[Philip Jarvis]

I'm trading in the beamer, giving my wife the Audi and I'm driving down to Cambridge today to buy this:

http://www.cambridgecarcompany.co.uk/stock_item/111

Put the kettle on Charlie - I'll be popping in for a cuppa about lunchtime

[Charlie Reams]

I'm trading in the beamer, giving my wife the Audi and I'm driving down to Cambridge today to buy this:

http://www.cambridgecarcompany.co.uk/stock_item/111

Put the kettle on Charlie - I'll be popping in for a cuppa about lunchtime

I'd be happy to host you but I'm about 5000 miles away so maybe bring a flask instead.

[Philip Jarvis]

I'm trading in the beamer, giving my wife the Audi and I'm driving down to Cambridge today to buy this:

http://www.cambridgecarcompany.co.uk/stock_item/111

Put the kettle on Charlie - I'll be popping in for a cuppa about lunchtime

I'd be happy to host you but I'm about 5000 miles away so maybe bring a flask instead.

Damn - I logged off before I got the message. I was gagging by the time I got there. WOW - 5,000 miles. Not sure what time it was at your end, but I hope you're having a great time. By the way - my new car is great. Hope I didn't cause any subsidence damage from the 4.2 V8 385bhp engine when I burbled past your house.

[Philip Jarvis]

I've just placed an order for this beauty. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uHLqvT0 ... re=related I've gone for the 210 bhp TSI petrol engine with deep black metallic bodywork, full black leather seats, 19" alloys, panoramic glass sunroof and satnav. Oh - plus bi xenon and LED lights etc, etc, etc as standard. The fact that my eldest daughter Emily was able to get it at cost price helped. Delivery in 3 months.

[Ian Volante]

I had my only car (a 1986 Ford Fiesta, 950 engine, but I got a 100mph out of it once) in 1995, but I've not driven since - cycling is easier round here.

Things change, I'm now the proud owner of a Hyundai that's done nearly 200,000 miles now.

[Richard Priest]

My parents scrimped and saved to put me through private education. The downside of this was that the only car they could afford (when they could even afford one) was a Robin Reliant. Imagine the humiliation when I was dropped off in the morning amongst the offspring of doctors, lawyers and accountants.....

[Ben Wilson]

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270860318788 I do wish I'd seen this ebay listing a bit earlier.

[Dave Preece]

My first car was a V reg Datsun Cherry.

Best second hand car I've owned is H reg Nissan 300ZX.

Best of the lot, was my brand new 56 plate BMW 5 Series, it would do 66MPG or if you wish, 144MPH, like two cars in one!

[Ben Wilson]

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121645844903 Wonder if they'll accept a part-exchange?

[Gavin Chipper]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121645844903 Wonder if they'll accept a part-exchange?

I like how they'll post it.