Times don't change

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Mon May 22, 2023 2:38 pm

I remember in my teens my dream first car was an XR2 or XR3i but then moved onto lusting after an Opel Manta GTE

I distinctly remember the richer youngers at the time would buy these cars and would soon end up in a hedge or ditch

but of course it got to a point where insurance companies soon caught up.

Seems like today the M140i has taken the crown. Frequenting the forums you see youngsters buying these cars as values are slowly dropping and tuning them up and realising 4, 500 brakehorse and you know what's going to happen.

Insurance has sky rocketed over the past 12 months, owners who were paying a 1000 are now receiving renewals at 6 to 7k. Seem to be daily for sales now as owners are looking to sell up. Looking forward to my insurance renewal in July although it was only 370 last year.

Apparently this owner was trying launch control and wasn't insured,

Tim.

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Mon May 22, 2023 4:35 pm

I wonder if he was owner- I suspect only the driver!

Ps - I suspect you meant 4: 500 BHP

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Mon May 22, 2023 4:45 pm

ronk wrote: ↑Mon May 22, 2023 4:35 pm I wonder if he was owner- I suspect only the driver!

Ps - I suspect you meant 4: 500 BHP

yes I meant 4 to 500bhp.

I'm wandering it was more like a stolen car if the story is the driver was uninsured. You would have to be insane otherwise, but then again. There are plenty being written off

Tim.

mmm-five · Post by **mmm-five** » Mon May 22, 2023 5:30 pm

But you just know that were they to die, or kill someone, their parents would be all 'Daily Mail Sad Face' and "Me poor boy wouldn't hurt a fly", "He's never had a father figure", or "He got in with the wrong bunch...he's such a lovely lad"

jock156 · Post by **jock156** » Mon May 22, 2023 5:54 pm

This takes me back to my first job as a YTS in an Architects. Fresh from school into the big bad world.

2 of the Directors got brand new cars on August 1st 198?.

A white Opel Manta GTE and a gun metal grey Fiat Strada Abarth. Both were written off in “offs” within weeks!

Rich kid in the office got his brand new black Ford Escort XRI airborne by at least a foot

in the car park!

Those were the days!

Mr Tidy · Post by **Mr Tidy** » Mon May 22, 2023 6:08 pm

I remember replacing my MK2 Escort RS2000 with a 2.8i Capri as the Escort just wasn't quick enough!

Luckily I managed to keep the Capri out of the scenery - probably just as well it only had 160bhp really.

Pondrew · Post by **Pondrew** » Mon May 22, 2023 8:40 pm

I had an XR3i at 19. I was neither a rich kid, nor did I ever crash it. I worked hard and looked after it.
I had a friend with a mk2 RS2000, he wasn't a rich kid, but was a dickhead, so drove it into a tree at 70 mph. Engine ended up on the passenger seat. Of course he walked away with a sore elbow, and was banned for DD soon after!

john-e89 · Post by **john-e89** » Mon May 22, 2023 8:58 pm

First car was a 1.0 mini metro....I tried to get a speeding ticket i really did but it was having none of it....

jock156 · Post by **jock156** » Mon May 22, 2023 9:03 pm

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Mon May 22, 2023 9:32 pm

Consider myself lucky with my first motor being a Toyota Starlet 1.2 in Kermit Green

Next motor really upped the anti with a Mazda 323 1.5 GT with twin carburettors and 88bhp

Tim.

Southwestz4 · Post by **Southwestz4** » Tue May 23, 2023 9:30 am

Mr Tidy wrote: ↑Mon May 22, 2023 6:08 pm I remember replacing my MK2 Escort RS2000 with a 2.8i Capri as the Escort just wasn't quick enough!

Luckily I managed to keep the Capri out of the scenery - probably just as well it only had 160bhp really.

I too went from escorts to capri ...shall we say they are ' interesting and entertaining ' in the wet ...spent the first two weeks of ownership either going sideways or facing the way I just came from

Nothing a couple of concrete blocks in the boot wouldn't sort

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Tue May 23, 2023 11:05 am

Remember in the early 70s my mum wanted a Capri but my dad put his foot down and we ended up with a brown Hillman Avenger with a black vinyl roof

I guess even that was a step up from a Vauxhall Victor.

Next car was a new Talbot Alpine, my dad's first ever hatchback. Remembering him collecting it and then driving it into the garage with the hatch up

Within the hour was back at the garage to book the car into the bodyshop

Tim.

Pondrew · Post by **Pondrew** » Tue May 23, 2023 11:27 am

Southwestz4 wrote: ↑Tue May 23, 2023 9:30 am I too went from escorts to capri ...

Other way around for me. First car was a lovely (!) beige Mk3 Capri 1.6L (with Ghia wheels I may add). I am sure there was something wrong with the suspension, as it would bottom out around roundabouts and the tyres would howl. Obviously as an 18 year old I thought this was great!
I sold it to my mate and the second day he had it the propshaft fell off! We are still friends though!

sw4nny · Post by **sw4nny** » Tue May 23, 2023 11:40 am

My first car was a 950 mini,but it did have a 1.3 metro engine dropped in so it was quite nippy.

Pondrew · Post by **Pondrew** » Tue May 23, 2023 11:56 am

sw4nny wrote: ↑Tue May 23, 2023 11:40 am My first car was a 950 mini,but it did have a 1.3 metro engine dropped in so it was quite nippy.

There was a lad in my village who would buy old minis then drop a 1275gt engine in, do loads of work on the engines, strip the interiors and put in a cage and bucket seats, do suspension etc. He had some awesome little cars. They would go like a rocket and handle like on rails.

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