Most irish car

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118577736#Comment_118577736

Ah my first car. Engine started racing/choking on its own fumes after about 10 years. It got to a stage where I'd have to switch it off if I was stuck in traffic. But the starter motor was also bolloxed; one time out of ten, the brushes wouldn't make contact and there'd be nothing when I turned the key. But my "kept him on the road" mechanic had shown me where to hit the starter motor to fix that. Once in the late 80s on the quay of Waterford it wouldn't restart, but before I could stick on the hazards, the lad behind me had given me a beep to 'wake up'. I still remember the face on him when I got out of the car five seconds later with the hammer I kept ready, in my hand. I waved the hammer at him, all friendly like, to make it obvious I was just going to give the starter a quick belt. That was my most Irish car.

passatman86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118601659#Comment_118601659

Dare we start a new thread for most funny irish car experience related story

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118601659#Comment_118601659

I commend you for lasting 10 years 😁 , I had a friend who had a 70's VW beetle , it ran fine but my god the noise and fumes. The funniest thing was the ignition key was actually broken in half, with part of it stuck in the ignition. We'd make it up a hill, Just, We'd get out and push it enough to get over the hill , those were the days .

Sam Russell

I do not want to derail the thread or diminish the efforts of posters but ......

Surely, in a thread titled 'Most Irish car', is it not obvious that the cars be at least Irish? In the past, Irish spec cars were at the more basic level of the range sold elsewhere.

Also, at various times, particular models were favourites. VW Beetle - assembled in Ballsbridge, Triumph Herald - assembled in Dublin, Ford Cortina made in Cork. Morris Minor/1000. Austin Cambridge (Farina) - and its badge friends. And so on - it is a long list. German and Japanese feature a lot - particularly recently.

passatman86

Sam, i started the thread and mentioned popularity and car sales. Also people's memories can play a part if alot of uncles, granny's, neighbours etc owned similar cars. There is no rule as to it having to been assembled in Ireland - i even referred to Delorean up north but said they were hardly popular or everywhere. So i see your point and opinion that it should be irish "made".. But that wasnt the idea of the thread

Also i see you have good car knowledge - so dont feel im belittling you

route66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118602824#Comment_118602824

And no sign of any photos, never mind any of Irish cars.

It's not even funny anymore.

cml387

I know that Toyota did make a point of making their own television advertising specific for Ireland rather than use generic brand ads we have now.

Remember Brendan Kennelly advertising Toyotas back in the eighties (even though he couldn't actually drive).

To an extent that may have reinforced the "Irishness" of Toyota.

Sam Russell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118602941#Comment_118602941

You are missing my point entirely.

A typical 'Most Irish car' would be found in Ireland with an Irish reg - preferably on a photograph. Posters have been using Google to find photos of cars that (maybe) were sold in Ireland, but the photos are not of Irish cars - a bit lazy.

Plus the thread would be worth a story as to what makes that car 'Most' and 'Irish'. Perhaps it was the car they had as a child, with the whole family travelling down to the seaside or their granny's. Or maybe, the old banger that kept breaking down at the most awkward time. Plus a bit of craic would not go amiss.

Just showing a 1972 UK registered Ford Escort just does not cut it. That particular model may not have even been offered in Ireland.

CaboRoig

Maybe it was a localised thing but when I was a kid in rural 1970's midlands Ireland, there was a huge amount of Hillman Hunters. Closely followed I would say by Morris Minors.

route66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118604437#Comment_118604437

You just don't seem to understand that you are asking for things that:

>Many would consider not important

>In any case, have already been provided by many posters (not me, I'll admit)

>You yourself have not provided any of

You also make a note above how it would be nice to include human stories in postings - e.g. a reference to your granny - when this is precisely what passatman86 has mentioned in the post above that you replied to. Do you not read his post before you wrote your response?

And Lazy? How can you say that when you haven't posted 1 picture yourself. Are your rules only for the little people? As the OP, surely passatman86 is entitled to state what he considers appropriate content? He has already defined this above; perhaps you should read it?

Sam, I really think that if you don't have any thing positive to say in this thread, you should stop posting in it and leave it to those who have an actual contribution to make.

Sam Russell

This is an Irish VW Beetle, currently for sale at €13,000 on Done Deal. Now I had a relative that used to buy a new one every few years (like 4 or 5), but decided to replace it with a Datsun, only to find the Datsun rusted away almost before his eyes. Not impressed, he got another Beetle. They were the go to cars of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Replaced by the Golf when that arrived.

A nice Morris Minor for €7,500 in Kerry on DD. Plenty of these on the road and many now housing chickens, or rusting in peace in ditches across the country. Always popular in their time - but not known for speed - more for slow progress by the usually elderly driver - had the BMC A series engine that powered most of their small cars inc the Mini - another favourite car. Very reliable and easy to maintain as it was so simple in construction - and would survive quite well even without much maintenance.

Tabnabs

Renault 4, a favourite of 1980s Ireland

passatman86

@Tabnabs are they your own pictures, look great

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.vintag.es/2018/08/the-1959-shamrock.html

Tabnabs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118606456#Comment_118606456

No I just googled 1980s Dublin and up they came.

passatman86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118609569#Comment_118609569

Ah ha, they are great pics anyways

pajor

I would say that a good few lads who drove car vans got themselves a VW Caddy.

In the early 2000's in Cork it seemed like half of all the taxis were first gen Avensis. Basic spec too with the huge petrol gauge instead of rev counter.

As already mentioned, wanting a Mk1 Octavia must be a generation thing 😅 When I did my Leaving Cert in 2010 I wanted nothing more than a Golf IV, a few lads in my class had one. Pretty typical for 15 years ago.

Duke O Smiley

Back in the early 00s everyone and their dog was buying a new Mk2 Punto. They were everywhere. Probably the last well selling car for Fiat in Ireland.

Arthur Daley

The Bravo/Brava were fair sellers at the time. The introduction of the Stilo seemed to mark the decline we have seen since.