My music playlist was on random and brought up Garbage - Paranoid. This made me remember my first car, an old cream 1985 Honda Ballade.


(not the actual car - just some photo i got on Google images)

It had so many issues and these just added to it's character. The radio had trouble tuning into stations and it was a nightmare to mess around with the dials, so I had so old tapes from primary/high school that I listetned to. Garbage - Version 2.0 got stuck in the deck for a few months, hence why the song made me remember the car. It also had a decal saying "Paradise" (from the previous owner) on the side of the boot, so it was fondly called "the Paradisemobile".

The car was owned by a retired lady before me and she had this crazy big keypad input device installed above the ignition. Never knew exactly what it was for, but I assumed it was some secruity thing. It also had these sun gaurds on the front door mirrors (from the previous owner as well). It took me about a year to get up the courage and try remove them myself. It was easy enough and the car looked way better for it.

She gave never ending trouble with cooling and the gearbox, which made me an semi-expert at these things The old girl finally gave up when the gearbox gave in completely and the radiator was shot.

Although she was a real piece of work I still loved here - my first move into complete independence

So what was your first car? Or if you dont' have a car yet what is the car you are aiming to get as your first?

I had a opel coursa =D but an oooooooooooooooold model ... sjoe ... traded that bad boy in for my new aveo

My first car was a 2nd hand 1998 Mazda 626. Loved that car

I gots me a Blue Toyota Corolla E80 1.6 L 4A I4 (1983)

The old girl has many many problems, but can still give a hell of a lot of modern cars a run for their money.




That is not my car pictures, but that's basically how it looks

I didn't even drive my first car. It was an old polo. My uncle borrowed it while his car was in for a service, got it back with two broken seats, paint spilled all over the rear seats. My dad and I forced him to buy the car from us (since he ruined it) for double what we paid.
Then I got a old Tazz (didn't drive it) which we sold a week later. After that my dad bought me a 1995 Nissan something and a old Ford Eskort, which we later then sold. Then I got a Mazda Soho. That car lasted my three years. I finally sold it end of last year for a new Ford Fiesta 2010 diesel model. It's my pride and joy, and it is fast and powerful, and surprisingly light and diesel.

Katalyst said ...

I gots me a Blue Toyota Corolla E80 1.6 L 4A I4 (1983)

The old girl has many many problems, but can still give a hell of a lot of modern cars a run for their money.




That is not my car pictures, but that's basically how it looks

Awesome car, wish I can get my hands on the 1.6 or 1.8. I got so mamy idea for that little Toyota.

Enjoy it!

My first car – powder blue VW Volksie. Each time I had to put the car into reverse, I had to switch the car off, put in gear and start the car again.
If I placed the car into reverse while the engine was running, you just saw sparks…some fault with the reverse lights wiring.

I actually sold the Volksie for more that I paid and the money went for a deposit for a Toyota Conquest RSI

A Nissan Something or another. That got stolen
Then VW Citi Shuttle - eventually cost more to keep on the road than a new car. Sold and got...
VW Polo, which I still drive

1993 Nissan Sentra I think. After having it for a few months a taxi crashed into the front left corner/side leaving it looking nice and battered, but drive-able. Though I don't recall having major issues with that car, except once I couldn't brake properly and drove 20km home at 4kmph. Ended up selling it for a measly R10k.

2nd car (2003 Opel Corsa Lite) gave me endless mechanical trouble. Had to replace the entire electrical system in the first year, and subsequently the clutch broke, fuel injector broke, engine cylinders broke, leaked all the time, etc.
Still, some good memories of that car .

Now driving the wife's Peugeot 206.

Polo Playa 1.6

Came with R1200 monthly installments, parents said either get a job and pay for it or sell it got a job and then everything else is history lol

1998 Hyundai Elantra,

Was never a month that went by that something didn't break or go wrong with the thing.

Got t-boned at an intersection and it was good riddance.

DAEWOO LANOS.
White with black bumpers.
Still driving it, only got it in 2006 I think. Had to get a job first & save up for it, I wanted to buy it cash!
Nothing fancy, no air con, no power steering, which I will SO have in my next car!!
The previous owner took good care of it. All I had to do was buy seat covers, already had some nice mags & a cd player.
Still going well, just had a service not too long ago.

1993 Nissan Sentra. Was my old man's then I took it over in 2000 or so. Only got rid of it in 2010 so it lasted a good 16-17 years

1989 Golf II 1.6

It broke down all the time and cost more to fix than it was to buy

1983 Mini Clubman, still have the car, want to restore it to its original state, actually really miss driving the car

it is light on fuel, parts are the problem though hard to come by in the West Rand.

@Silentdeath have you tried contacting the Mini Club at http://www.mocsa.co.za/ ? These clubs tend to be a great place for getting help with restorations of older cars. They can help you with parts sourcing, but that may require importing due to the small resto community in SA.