Wigan Album
cars you wished you'd have kept
14 Comments
Photo: Ernest Pyke
Item #: 22899
Bought it brand new from Foxfield Garage in Shevington. Collected it on Mon. 07 Mar.`94 with 4 mls.on the clock. It was a 5-door hatchback with 5 gears & metallic British Racing Green paint. First petrol was £2.132/gall. COST:- Car £8995 (inc.6mths.tax of £71.50). Metallic paint £198 (£220 less 10%). Total £9193 & Gordon Anderson knocked off the £3 so paid £9190 (inc.free 12 mths.AA). This was a saving of £1215 on list price which is 11.67%. Got Gordon to give me a set of Rover rubber mats & mudflaps.
Summary of running expenses for 1995:- Milage for yr. 3406. Petrol £179.41. Tax £125. Repairs etc.£156.80 (inc.£75 excess). Ins. £197.17. Total £658.38. Petrol consumption 42.24 mpg. Cost/mile 19.33p. Last petrol was bought on Thurs.10 Jun.`99 at £3.132/gall at 17,034 mls. Traded it in at Halls of Chorley on Fri.18 Jun.`99 for £2800 with milage 17,221. Took tax disc off & sent it for rebate. Owned it for 5 yrs. 3 1/2 mths.
these were a good motor, my father in law had a 1994 827sli rover, that could shift, thats why the police used them.
You must have gone through quiet a few diary's Ernest, what a record you have.
I had a couple of Rover 213's and a Rover 24SLi. both very nice cars. The Rover 213 had a Honda engine, whilst the 216 model had British Leyland engine. The Honda engine was generally thought to be the better of the two.
The car driven by Mr. Bucket (TV's Keeping up Appearances) looks life the 216 Model.
The repair bill seems very high on a car that's nearly brand new.
Rover cars or indeed any BMC, BLMC British Leyland were absolute rubbish. the paint awful, the colour range horrible. All cars de-value in price, but against Ford or Vauxhall (to name two) no comparison.
That's my own personal view, I was unluky enough to own three, a Princes..a Rover and marina, then I bought a Ford Granada 2.3 auto GL, best car in it's day. Best looking car.
stephen, I agree and a good petrol consumption too.
Mick. Yes I`ve got quite a number since 1941 at the age of 13. I`ve larger diaries to cover coach tours. Make notes when I`m on trips (free!) using public transport in the Greater Manchester Area. Then write an account on my laptop when I get home.
Jim, I had a bump in a narrow icy lane when going to Chorley G.C. Would have cost £522 to repair, hence £75 excess. The remaining £81.80 was for a service: labour £39.60, parts £30.02, vat £12.18.
My present car, a 1.2 Honda Jazz, is just five years old and bought in May 2010. This is my 15th vehicle since my first one, a Royal Enfield, From my Docs:-
My first vehicle was a ROYAL ENFIELD 350 c.c.MOTOR CYCLE. Reg. No. JP 5400.
Got my first learner`s driving license on Sat. 26 June 1954 at the age of 26. Bought it 2nd hand from a workmate--Gordon Smith--for £55 on Wed.07 July`54. Joined the RAC & fitted badge on Wed. 21 July`54. Passed the driving test, first time, at Bolton on Wed.06 Oct`54. Kept no record of milage or petrol. Traded it in for £40 at Miller`s in Wigan on Tues 11 Jan.`55. Owned it for 6 1/2 mths."
Gordon Smith played centre half for Wigan Athletic at that time.
I agree with what you say Garry,in my experience B.L./Rover were not very good compared with Ford or Vauxhall. Since 1959 I have owned:- 4 B/L, 6 Ford, 1 Hillman, 2 Citroen,
1 Vauxhall Zafira which is brilliant,had it seven and half years apart from routine servicing and tyres it has cost one new battery and one rear number plate light bulb. Now I am waiting for delivery of my new ford C-Max I hope it's as good. H.
Any one remember that silly looking mini metro BL brought out in 1980, it was supposed to match the ford fiesta. Not a cating els chance.
Stephen, my dad had a Rover that could shift - that's why the police caught him.
Garry, Harry C; Up until my present Honda Jazz, I`ve always had BMC and Rover cars. The best engine was a six cylinder in a Wolseley 1800. Just had one automatic, a Wolseley 18/85.
Have you heard the expressions :-
Ford, 4 wheels and a board, guaranteed to go if you push.
Vauxhall - valks all the way there and valks all the way back.
Ernest one question for you, where is (BL) Rover group to-day. That's right dead and buried, they are no more. Why..because sales were very low, no one bought them. Ford and Vauxhall on the other hand, were never out of the top ten, the smaller cars always the best sellers first or second. I rest my case.
1800 was 4 cylinders the 2.2 was 6 cylinders.I had wolsey (six) twin carb and six cylinders, fast but thursty. Harvest gold, gearbox went on it and would cost more than the car to fix it, so in the end fired it off and bought a Vauxhall cavalier, very good car.
Ernest, when you have to replace inner sills when a car is 2 1/2 years old (Austin Maxi) front wings rotting, change the exhaust every year (flexible section splitting) thats not a good car.
Ernest, P.S. The Mini was no better!
You are right of course Steven. It had an 1800 type body.
Extract from my motoring docs.:-
My seventh vehicle was a WOLSELEY `SIX` SALOON CAR. Reg. No. XND 290L.
Bought it second hand from Adshead`s at Horwich. Collected it on Sat.01 Feb.`75 with 15,222 mls (it was new in `73) on the clock. It was a 4-door, blue colour. First petrol was 66p/gall. COST:- Car £1395. Tax £25--0--0 was free. Less £225 allowance on Wolseley 18/85. Paid £1170.
Summary of running expenses for 1976:- Milage for yr. 5707. Petrol £157.99. Oil £3. Tyres £1.30. Tax £40. Ins. £47.25. Sundries+parts £31.82. Driving license 33p. MOT £2.10. RAC £9.Total £290.79. Petrol consumption 25.67 mpg. Cost/mile 5.095p. Last petrol was bought on Sun.22 May`83 at £1.786/gall at 59,005 mls. Traded it in at Select Cars at Golborne on Wed. 25 May`83 for £700 with milage 59,088. Owned it for 8yrs.4mths.