Your first car

[OuterDistant]

I don't know much about the Austin Aggro except that the initially promising design never materialised and that it is supposed to be more aerodynamic in reverse than in forward.

Apparently, that's true for the majority of cars that have a grille at the front.

 

[Sun Chariot]

...I had to brake suddenly, put my foot on the wrong pedal and went through a hedge.

Classic! What a Benny Hill moment!

 

[gg1]

Er, not really. If the Shove-It is going to be likened to a Mercedes then you'd really have to be comparing it to a wheelbarrow. Or walking. Or perhaps taking a blunt and heavily rusted cut-throat razor to some intimate and highly sensitive part of your anatomy. There really isn't any other way that you could make that connection.

We had a series of Morris Marina hire cars whenever we went on holiday when I was very small. They were OK and certainly never broke down.

I don't know much about the Austin Aggro except that the initially promising design never materialised and that it is supposed to be more aerodynamic in reverse than in forward. Apparently they were also structurally weak so that if you jacked one up and then opened all the doors it would flex and you wouldn't be able to get them shut again.

However, the old Skoda Estelle was a brilliant car. A neighbour had a succession of them and they were bomb-proof. The only time his was ever off the road was when he was getting his extension built and a brick fell out of the bale and went through his windscreen.

But if we're talking about unusual first cars, this neighbour bought his son perhaps the oddest car when he passed his test. For several years he unashamedly drove around in a bright blue Reliant Kitten, for which he still has my undying admiration.

O L Leigh

Something tells me you may not be keen on Chevettes

Admitedly my dad's Allegro wasn't that bad, but the Marina and the Skodas were completes sheds, constantly breaking down. There's also the fact that as an 11 year old in the mid 80s, being picked up from school in a Skoda didn't do a lot for your street cred

 

[O L Leigh]

Bitter experience, hard earned. It was not an automotive high point in my life. My sister and I were only saved having to push start the damn thing because we lived on a hill and had a drive that sloped down to the road.

Mind you, whoever bought the old bus must have fixed it up pretty good because for quite some time afterwards I'd see it tooling around town.

O L Leigh

 

[Lampshade]

Deleted, already answered

 

[Eng274]

Strewth, Austin Allegros take me back.. My Dad drove a BROWN Allegro for a short period many years ago.

I was being picked up from school one day, I had been told we were getting picked up in a different car while the Volvo 264 was away getting work done to it. The glee on my face must have been pretty obvious as he walked towards a shiny, brand-new (back then) M-reg Renault grand Espace. Being the joker, he NEARLY put the key in the lock, then about-turned and opened a horrid, disgusting BROWN Austin Allegro my face fell so far it nearly hit the deck. That car was a turd on wheels in every sense of the word, I've no idea what engine it had, but it was slow and sounded awful, and the interior reminded me of lentil soup.

The emotional scarring has only recently healed, I've never talked about this horrific episode before.. I now know that Espaces are truly awful, and I am ashamed to admit that I thought it was a nice car when I was eight.

 

[ACE1888]

MPP 341P Austin Aggrevation..sorry Allegro, had one once as a second car at the time, had the best ever car heater in it, start it up and it was quite 'tropical' inside within seconds, somewhat 'interesting' suspension system they had too...

 

[Wyvern]

The car I passed my test in:
http://www.realcar.co.uk/vauxhall_14hp_saloon.htm

 

[ainsworth74]

The car I passed my test in:

I thought you just bought a license when those were on the road rather than having a test

The first car that I actually got to drive regularly after I passed wasn't my own so probably doesn't really count but still it was a 1996 Honda Civic and it was truly awful with an engine far too small for the body it was lugging around meaning it accelerated about as fast as a slug.

 

[33056]

Believe it or not, I have never personally owned a car hock:

Learned in my mother's Hillman Imp estate, which was repaced by a mini (never drove Dad's as it was a firm's car). Then went to live in London so didn't need a car after which I have always shared a car with the other half whose name the insurance is in (I am merely a named driver).

Only other things I have driven is the odd hire car and various cars / vans / minibusses through work.

Useless fact no. 1,001: Our car is 9 1/2 years old and only has just short of 54,000 miles on the clock (we have had it from new). My mileage by rail last year was just short of 52,000 miles so no prizes for guessing my / our preferred mode of transport

 

[flymo]

Back to Allegro's for a mo, didn't they used to have a square steering wheel or at the least a square with rounded corners? My neighbour in Newcastle had a purple one and I remember it being propped up on jacks for weeks while the suspension was being re-fitted to the car. It hadn't been removed, it was just being re-fitted as it decided to try to escape.

 

[passmore]

Morris Minor Station Wagon, when I was living in London with my late wife.

Sold it in 1972 when we moved to Bucks. Since then, I haven't owned a car.

 

[90019]

Back to Allegro's for a mo, didn't they used to have a square steering wheel or at the least a square with rounded corners?

They had a quartic steering wheel

 

[Sun Chariot]

Oh thanks for posting that photo, 90019 - THAT takes me back!

I never could work out why Austin produced a Vanden Plas 'executive spec' version of the Allegro. I mean, you're a successful 1970's citizen - your car reflects your success - well, you just wouldn't buy one, would you...

 

[RyanB]

My first Car? A Peugeot 106, and I can now finally drive it properly, no more having a parent in the car supervising me whilst I learn, just (literally, I had 13 minor faults, one more and I would have failed!) passed my test yesterday at the 6th attempt! Words cannot express the joy I felt!

 

[anthony263]

My first Car? A Peugeot 106, and I can now finally drive it properly, no more having a parent in the car supervising me whilst I learn, just (literally, I had 13 minor faults, one more and I would have failed!) passed my test yesterday at the 6th attempt! Words cannot express the joy I felt!

Congratulation's

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I've never owned a proper car, but I did have a really good "laser wheels" Lamborghini Countach. It was a lovely shiny silver grey and had wheels that shined like CDs do, I loved that car......

 

[Wyvern]

passed my test yesterday at the 6th attempt! Words cannot express the joy I felt!

Congratulations. Right now you are probably the most dangerous as a driver as you will ever be.

 

[Zoe]

I had 13 minor faults, one more and I would have failed!

No you wouldn't, you are allowed 15 minor faults unless you accumilate several of the faults in the same category.

 

[red circle]

My first was a Mk1 Cortina GT 653 UOO ,cost 50 quid and a tenner to get the suspension tops plated.
As for Vauxhall Chevettes, Dad bought one new many years ago and it got him exactly 60 miles before expiring with no oil in the gearbox.