One of the cars my dad had has always stuck in my mind, the Chrysler Avenger (1976-79, previously Hillman (see upthread)). Great car. In bright yellow!
Of my own, the third Metro I had was brilliant (yes, I know you’ve already established they were crap, but I loved it). It was a 1991, I can’t remember whether they were still Austin then, and mine was the sports version - yes, you read that right, a sports Metro 1.1S. It even had a spoiler above the back window factory-fitted.
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Now I think about it, it had a Rover badge but was off the Austin production line as Rover took over about that time. You can see the sports spoiler above! My wife and I (then girlfriend) pootled around northern France in it in one holiday, it was brilliant. Nippy as anything and you could park almost anywhere. I did have to have a new set of hoses on it.
The worst car I had was an original Fiat Panda. One day, I started the car and a spark jumped across the engine block and set the air filter on fire. Debated whether to let it burn or not, but in the end the decision was made for me when a ‘helpful’ chap came out of his house with a bucket of water. When I sold it, after fixing it up, the chap who bought it rang to complain the brakes were no good. I told him the truth, the brakes were absolutely fine (in fact the pads were quite new). It’s just that they were basic brakes and not servo assisted in any way. You had to stand on the bar stewards just to slow down. Stopping was another thing altogether.
And finally, I remember my Dad driving us to the Isle of Wight in a Talbot Horizon.
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Some bottom-feeder cut my Dad up at some lights causing Dad to brake hard. The brake pads came off. It’s three o’clock in the morning and we’ve a ferry to catch at 7. So Dad drives the rest of the way slowing and stopping purely using the handbrake. The car was fixed by the mechanic around the corner from where we were staying on the island.
Happy days!
