Older cars you have seen

[thejuggler]

N reg Rover 418SD turbo estate. M1 north near Sheffield. I cn't remember seeing one when they were new, so quite a rare thing.

 

[dgl]

A few on Thursday evening at Weymouth Bike Night, including a cute little Honda flat bed lorry, Austin Mini, and a Fraser Nash BMW of some sort.

 

[david1212]

Today G plate 1968-1969 Mercedes 4 door saloon and H plate 1969-1970 Volvo saloon - 144?

N reg Rover 418SD turbo estate. M1 north near Sheffield. I can't remember seeing one when they were new, so quite a rare thing.

I has a P plate 1996-1997 from 2000 until 2005. The engine was the 'bomb-proof' Peugeot. The main input shaft seal went in the gear box so strip to replace plus a new clutch which was ~£500.

 

[birchesgreen]

Over in Nottingham earlier today, spotted a K reg TR6

 

[Siimo]

A family I know have an G-reg LHD Peugeot J9 camper, beige, in very good condition. They previously had a LHD Renault 4.

 

[Bishopstone]

M-prefix (94-95) Toyota Carina spotted doing a supermarket run in Eastbourne. Looked good enough for the minicab circuit still.

 

[greyman42]

Cars do seem to get a little bigger with each generation, even before everything started turning into a crossover. As the Polo grew it meant VW had to introduce the Fox (and later Up!) to fill the "A" segment the Polo had outgrown. I can't think of any counter-examples where the next generation was smaller than the previous, but there probably is one somewhere in the history of automobiles.

Some of the Mercedes models from the 60s and 70s were big cars but it is hard to compare with todays models.

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This seems to be the case with older models.
For example, if you compare the original BMW M5 with the present M5 model it looks much smaller. More like a current M3.

I meant X not M.

 

[Deepgreen]

We have a 'P' registered BMW 740i parked outside our house; it's really an 'L' reg (whatever year that was) but the P reg is a personalised plate. It's the Missus' little runabout, not that she runs around in it much these days as it's not ULEZ compliant. I've christened it 'Hilda'. Seems appropriate, somehow.

Interesting - it's illegal to apply plates which make a car look younger than it is, so how have they got away with putting a P plate on an L car, I wonder?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Sep 2025 ==

There’s a chap in the Hope Valley who drives a 1950s Austin 40. To be quite clear, it’s an ‘old banger’, not a restored classic.
View attachment 187114

The fresh pool of what I assume is oil is a worry!

 

[Bald Rick]

Interesting - it's illegal to apply plates which make a car look younger than it is, so how have they got away with putting a P plate on an L car, I wonder?

Presumably suffix P (1975/6) on a prefix L (1993/4)

Meanwhile I saw a 1989 BMW 325i convertible today, hood down, absolutely spotless.

 

[Dr Hoo]

The fresh pool of what I assume is oil is a worry!

My grandfather had an old A40 and that dripped oil from new. He always had a tray in garage!
That’s why you carry a can of oil in the boot isn’t it?

 

[stuu]

Saw a Reliant of some sort this morning, haven't seen one in years. Extra points as he had a 5ft long model of the Bismarck in the back

 

[telstarbox]

1968 Porsche 912 hiding in the back of a Bermondsey bar last night!

 

[Sun Chariot]

1968 Porsche 912 hiding in the back of a Bermondsey bar last night!

When I knew Bermo 25 years ago, the only cars I'd expect to find at the watering holes, were stolen ones...

 

[Dr Hoo]

Not strictly a car but I’ve just had a A-prefix Leyland Freight Rover (faded) red van chug past, looking every one of its 42-ish years old.

 

[Sun Chariot]

On our way eastwards on M27 yesterday, my wife and I saw a very well maintained A reg (1983-1984) red Alfasud - and it's years since I saw one roadworthy.

 

[Bald Rick]

On our way eastwards on M27 yesterday, my wife and I saw a very well maintained A reg (1983-1984) red Alfasud - and it's years since I saw one roadworthy.

Was it red, or just very rusty?

 

[Sun Chariot]

Was it red, or just very rusty?

Ooooh you tease

 

[Jamesrob637]

Reliant Robin in the Netherlands on Sunday, left hand drive too: couldn't grab a photo though.

 

[Bald Rick]

Two today:

Firstly an Alfa Romeo Giulia, around 1964ish (I didn’t see the plate). In red, and no it wasn’t rust. Beautiful machine.

Then a 1973 Merc 450SL. And it was being driven enthusiastically, I struggled to keep up with him on two roundabouts and a stretch of the A414.

 

[Minilad]

Bright yellow Dino 246 passing through Stow on the Wold. Been awhile since I've seen one in the wild

 

[telstarbox]

Late 90s Renault Megane (the version before the backside one) in a nice deep green yesterday. Was that the time when metallic paint became popular?

 

[Sun Chariot]

Pushing the boundary a little but this utterly gorgeous 1959 Piaggio Vespa oozes 'class', parked up at a local retail park.

 

[dgl]

Again in Dorchester a H reg Peugeot 205 GR, looked to be in pretty good condition too.

 

[Bald Rick]

Again in Dorchester a H reg Peugeot 205 GR, looked to be in pretty good condition too.

Funnily enough today Insaw an F reg 205 GTi, in full rally trim. Looked incredible.

 

[Cambus731]

Saw a beautiful red Cortina mk5 four door saloon heading south on Main Road Broomfield, Essex last week. Unfortunately I was on a bus so wasn’t able to photograph it.

 

[Sun Chariot]

This morning, en route to local supermarket, I passed a "mint sorbet" coloured Austin Ambassador, Y reg (1982-83).

 

[CarltonA]

I saw a G Reg Volvo 740 estate in Henley on Thames yesterday. It was covered in mould and bird droppings and was a right old mess inside. But still roadworthy somehow and parked outside Wetherspoon.

 

[telstarbox]

Very nice Rover 100 P4, two tone grey and black. 1961 according to the MOT checker (although it doesn't have one!)

 

[birchesgreen]

G reg Volvo 440 (?) parked around the corner from me right now.

 

[RuddA]

Very nice Rover 100 P4, two tone grey and black. 1961 according to the MOT checker (although it doesn't have one!)

Far better than the Rover 100 I am more familiar with