Recent-ish cars that were once ubiquitous but which you don't see anymore

ednwireland

vauxhall viva sl with black vinyl roof - used to have one no radio, no intertia reel seatbelts , horizontal speedo

how far we going back

Wibbs

elperello wrote: »

And lot's of little local garages keeping them going.
Interesting that the insurance companies are not putting them off the road like here.
Ireland with no car building industry has no interest in helping people to keep older cars on the road.

Their insurance is usually cheaper for the older car. Not in Ireland of course. Then again the chancers that run that industry here... We may not have a car manufacturing industry here El, but we do have a few interested parties that want us to buy into new cars. The financial sector for a start(which includes the insurance biz). The more loans and PCP's the better for them(and often lock people into a 3 or 4 year "upgrade" cycle). SIMI would be another lobby, again wanting to get you into a new car. When the 08 crash happened and manufacturers were left with an overstock of cars and banks reticent to finance, they kicked off their own internal financing. The government want it too as new car sales mean bigger tax takes and the appearance of a healthier economy. There are quite the number of pushes towards reducing older cars on our roads, beyond the levels found in many other countries.

elperello

Wibbs wrote: »

Their insurance is usually cheaper for the older car. Not in Ireland of course. Then again the chancers that run that industry here... We may not have a car manufacturing industry here El, but we do have a few interested parties that want us to buy into new cars. The financial sector for a start(which includes the insurance biz). The more loans and PCP's the better for them(and often lock people into a 3 or 4 year "upgrade" cycle). SIMI would be another lobby, again wanting to get you into a new car. When the 08 crash happened and manufacturers were left with an overstock of cars and banks reticent to finance, they kicked off their own internal financing. The government want it too as new car sales mean bigger tax takes and the appearance of a healthier economy. There are quite the number of pushes towards reducing older cars on our roads, beyond the levels found in many other countries.

Interesting too that the same insurance companies operating in other EU countries are able to run riot here. Regulation missing in action!

Credit Unions, PCP and other sources of credit have a lot to answer for. Young people are tying themselves into a lifetime of debt upgrading cars that have plenty of life in them.

The manufacturers, dealers, finance providers, insurance companies all have their lobbyists getting the ear of Government.

Philb76

Some of the cars being discussed brings back great memories love seeing the old cars in France being used daily as well also think mod cons safety and probably snobbery is a factor as well loved my old 205 was a fast little thing but was a tin can on wheels and certainly wouldn't wanna be driving the kids around in it

Kintarō Hattori

I was just thinking when driving home that it's been an age since I saw a 7th generation Honda Accord (2003 onwards). I used to lust after that in the metallic blue with the beige leather interior. There seemed to be a ton of those on the roads at one point and now so very few.

As has been mentioned, it's a shame all he cars that have been sent to the scrapheap due to tax, finance deals, snobbery etc. Generally speaking I'd imagine anything from around 2000 onwards to be fairly safe.

colm_mcm

bri007 wrote: »

I loved the the Ford escorts, they still look great today. I seen one a few months back, looked in great nick, can’t remembed the year of it but definitely early 00’s

Wash out your mouth :eek:

Heres Johnny

The e39 is a funny one, I sold mine 3 years ago to get an e60 and regretted it for a little while but got over it. Im in a f10 530d now but never stopped admiring well kept e39 sports models and one day I was parking in a supermarket and i saw a beautiful e39 gleaming so went to have a look. It was my old one, unusually it was a 2004 car which was very rare, and the guy had really got it back looking brand new. Every scrape i put on it was removed, the rust spot on boot lid gone. New leather interior fitted. Wheels refurbished. All the regrets came back.
The equal of anything on the road today including my f10 530d I've no doubts about it.

V8 Interceptor

JoeA3 wrote: »

you'll see this in lot of countries, even in the USA... very old cars still in daily driver use. We are much more of a throw-away society here.

No NCT in the US. You can drive any old sh1t heap you like.

Daveq

Mitsubishi's (car variety not jeeps)

colm_mcm

Daveq wrote: »

Mitsubishi's (car variety not jeeps)

You never see the old model Colt now, even the newer slightly funky angular one is a rare sight these days. Granted they didn’t sell in huge numbers to start with.

Duke O Smiley

What cars do Mitsubishi sell these days?

colm_mcm

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

What cars do Mitsubishi sell these days?

Space Star: 3rd world spec Suzuki alto rival
Lancer: 2008 model
ASX: 2010 model
iMIEV: comically overpriced €30k electric supermini from the olden days
Eclipse Cross: (New model, slightly awkward but at least different) Qashqai rival
Outlander and Outlander PHEV: Probably the strongest offering they have
L200: Reworked 2006 model
Pajero: I’m sure they have a few left. Same thing since 2000.


That’s what they have, no idea what is actually selling. You wouldn’t want to have Mitsubishi as the only brand you sell.
They’re owned by Nissan now (through some crafty Japanese emissions scandal based game playing on Nissans part)

Eric Cartman

colm_mcm wrote: »

Space Star: 3rd world spec Suzuki alto rival
Lancer: 2008 model
ASX: 2010 model
iMIEV: comically overpriced €30k electric supermini from the olden days
Eclipse Cross: (New model, slightly awkward but at least different) Qashqai rival
Outlander and Outlander PHEV: Probably the strongest offering they have
L200: Reworked 2006 model
Pajero: I’m sure they have a few left. Same thing since 2000.


That’s what they have, no idea what is actually selling.

their collection is ageing poorly, the Pajero has become almost irrelevant as everyone knew a new model was supposedly coming for the last 4 years except it hasn't shown up and now you can't even buy an old one except for whats left in stock and they're not discounting them at all.

cml387

Muckie wrote: »

The Ford Escort, rare to see a 00 one, specially the estate version, which i kinda liked!

Quiet fool.
The only Escort was the mark 3 XR3i.
With one of those you'd never sleep alone again.
OK I'm old.

Duke O Smiley

colm_mcm wrote: »

Space Star: 3rd world spec Suzuki alto rival
Lancer: 2008 model
ASX: 2010 model
iMIEV: comically overpriced €30k electric supermini from the olden days
Eclipse Cross: (New model, slightly awkward but at least different) Qashqai rival
Outlander and Outlander PHEV: Probably the strongest offering they have
L200: Reworked 2006 model
Pajero: I’m sure they have a few left. Same thing since 2000.


That’s what they have, no idea what is actually selling. You wouldn’t want to have Mitsubishi as the only brand you sell.
They’re owned by Nissan now (through some crafty Japanese emissions scandal based game playing on Nissans part)

There is a Mitsubishi dealer in Terenure that has just the one marque! Though lots of new-ish others too which probably make up most of the sales

Awful lineup altogether

Subaru is another one in a similar situation

Wibbs

cml387 wrote: »

Quiet fool.
The only Escort was the mark 3 XR3i.
With one of those you'd never sleep alone again.

Aye, because your mechanic was sleeping in the spare room.

Those XR3is were cool at the time alright and still retain a bit of that. If you were bopping to Duran Duran then they're a must have. Sadly Good luck in finding a nice survivor today.

Spook_ie

bri007 wrote: »

MG ZR I think they were called, old rover with body kit on it, seen many always wanted one when I was in college in 2003 and my friend bought one second hand and spent more time in the garage than he got to drive it..... nice looking car and quick for a 1.4

Rovers and MGs unappreciated classics.

Harry Palmr

Be interesting to do a data base by year of cars that drop off the tax radar - I suspect an awful lot of them in the 10-15 year period are small direct injection turbo engines which spent their lives tootling around town and then expired

firemansam4

Daewoo Lanos, I got mine in 2000 and there seemed to be a few about back then but I can't remember the last time I seen one now...

JoeA3

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

There is a Mitsubishi dealer in Terenure that has just the one marque! Though lots of new-ish others too which probably make up most of the sales

Awful lineup altogether

Subaru is another one in a similar situation

Yup. Subaru dealer in Galway operates out of a portakabin and his forecourt is filled with a mixture of U.K. imports. Hardly a Subaru to be seen.

n!ghtmancometh

I bought a 97 Camry off the family of an old dear who passed away when I lived in Boston 2 years ago. She had got it new when she moved to Florida in retirement and drove it from the retirement village to the shops twice a week. Son drove it back to Boston with boxes of her stuff in it and wanted rid.

700 dollars and 40k miles on it, not a scratch on it either. I'd say the New England weather has made sh!te of it since. That model was still fairly common over there too, you'd see a fair few on the highways. Can't remember last time I've seen one here though.

Duke O Smiley

The days where a standard family car was a 2.0 petrol saloon like a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry (yes, 2.2) are long gone. The Japs dominated this class but they have completely changed track for Europe at least. Now its all small turbo petrol SUV this, and diesel VAG wagon that etc.

Daveq

colm_mcm wrote: »

You never see the old model Colt now, even the newer slightly funky angular one is a rare sight these days. Granted they didn’t sell in huge numbers to start with.

At one stage years ago between family, friend or neighbor someone had a space star, charisma, lancer and a colt. Only one was I never knew anyone with a Galant.

Mike2006

Fiat Stilo.... haven't seen one in years..

CrankyHaus

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

I was just thinking when driving home that it's been an age since I saw a 7th generation Honda Accord (2003 onwards). I used to lust after that in the metallic blue with the beige leather interior. There seemed to be a ton of those on the roads at one point and now so very few.

As has been mentioned, it's a shame all he cars that have been sent to the scrapheap due to tax, finance deals, snobbery etc. Generally speaking I'd imagine anything from around 2000 onwards to be fairly safe.

I got rid of one recently. Zero bother closing on 300k km. Between tax, insurance and rising fuel I'll save the bones of €5k driving a newer diesel for the next few years.

The only buyer I got was clearly not going to be paying tax on it, and probably not insurance either. He told me straight up that his last car was seized by the Gaurds the week before. So far as I can see that's the only person out there for whom running that type of car makes sense.

eviltimeban

I remember a lot of these cars on the road:

2003 Jaguar S-Type. I remember really wanting one of these!


2004 Chrysler PT Crusier. Actually had one of these. Was cool but really loud inside and couldn't turn for s**t.


2002 Golf GTI. Not many of these old ones around anymore.


2000 Peugeot 406 Coupe. I actually saw one of these last week and I was taken aback, as I hadn't seen one for years. I owned two of these, beautiful cars. Would still drive one today if I could!


1999 Audi TT. Still on my bucket list to own one of these!


1997 Merc SLK. These were also a very "Celtic Tiger" car.


1999 Mazda MX-5. There were LOADS of these around. What happened to all these sports cars??


1997 Jeep Wrangler. There were a few of these around, probably not practical for rainy weather though!

Muckie

Back around the late 90 and 00's there were plenty of classic Subaru Impreza and the Legacys about.
There was a make, think it was a Mazda i often used to mistake for the impreza.

It had a side vent on the bonnet, half the size of the classic imprezas.
Cant remember the name of it!

tc20

Muckie wrote: »

There was a make, think it was a Mazda i often used to mistake for the impreza.

It had a side vent on the bonnet, half the size of the classic imprezas.
Cant remember the name of it!

Is it the Xedos you're thinking of?

also, Nissan Maxima's seem to be rare enough on the roads these days.

theguzman

Older Hyundai Santa Fe's are getting rarer thanfully, what an ugly beast they were, they were a symbol of environmental carnage, egotism and low IQ all rolled into one for me.

Vicxas

The old FIAT Bravo/Brava combinations, they used to be a staple of meeting one in the middle of a backroad, now you rarely see one in the flesh.