Why Do You Drive That?
Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:40 pm
We are all used to the psychology applied to our choices of car. It is part of the advertising copywriter's lexicon, the comedian's repertoire and the road-rager's pre-conceptions. But what if you buck those trends? What if the car of your choice is either not really your first choice or because different wires connect your brain to those which your type diagram dictates?
As my name on here implies, I am a rock and roll man with a predilection for a certain German marque. Except that implication is only half true. Sure, I consider myself "Rocking" but I am not a Mercedes-Benz aficionado. My time with the three-pointed star came in the late 90s after a period of some 20 years of big Fords - first Zephyrs, then onto Granadas. I got disillusioned with modern Fords and bought a trade-in W123 and liked the basic nature of them and ran another 4 Mercs up to the long-term 190E I've just sold. So they were a practical thing but nonetheless a car I admired, and still do.
So, what's with the Volkswagen? I always wanted a VW camper as a kid, went off the idea when I drove T2s and ended up with a Bedford CF many years later. That was a great van and I would quite like another but it got a bit wearing having an inline 4 thrashing away under the dash, particularly at the level of previous use I was buying at. I drove a T25 and found it a revelation - light steering, excellent ride and all the racket way at the back. It also warms the bed up nicely....Unfortunately you do get saddled with Dubber accusations but I ignore those as much as I do the actual Dubbers.
You see, I've never given even a tenth of a fuck what a vehicle's reputation or intended market might be which brings me on to the Minor. Another car I never thought I would like enough to own but Mrs Rocker wanted an older car so it seemed sensible to buy something approachable and easy to look after. I bedded it in for her but never actually handed over the keys. It has been my daily on and off for most of the previous 16 years.....
Why a bleeding Focus? A bit of a knee-jerk purchase, this was. Merc had played up to the extent that Mrs R. was not willing to keep spending on it (it became her car) and lost trust in it. I figured a Focus was probably a modern Minor - cheap to buy, own and fix (mainly) and at the same time offering a decent enough drive when I wanted a go in it. It plays her CDs, takes the grand-kids car seats, hides her shit under the parcel shelf and she seems to like it. Job done.
Which ends me nicely on the Cowley? Why that one? One-owner local car, original reg. 1950s, easy B series engine, bench seat, column change. Why not? I also think it drives a hell of a lot better than a Consul and at less running costs than a Zephyr.
I've had plenty of other stuff long the way, mostly porridge cars but even a lowly 1256 Chevette was fun to drive compared to modern stuff and I've had technological masterpieces like a Citroen GSA, historic icons such as Mk1 Minis, Fiat 500 etc. Everyday cars have always appealed to me more than exotica, not to mention my pocket!
What drives or forces you to own yours?
As my name on here implies, I am a rock and roll man with a predilection for a certain German marque. Except that implication is only half true. Sure, I consider myself "Rocking" but I am not a Mercedes-Benz aficionado. My time with the three-pointed star came in the late 90s after a period of some 20 years of big Fords - first Zephyrs, then onto Granadas. I got disillusioned with modern Fords and bought a trade-in W123 and liked the basic nature of them and ran another 4 Mercs up to the long-term 190E I've just sold. So they were a practical thing but nonetheless a car I admired, and still do.
So, what's with the Volkswagen? I always wanted a VW camper as a kid, went off the idea when I drove T2s and ended up with a Bedford CF many years later. That was a great van and I would quite like another but it got a bit wearing having an inline 4 thrashing away under the dash, particularly at the level of previous use I was buying at. I drove a T25 and found it a revelation - light steering, excellent ride and all the racket way at the back. It also warms the bed up nicely....Unfortunately you do get saddled with Dubber accusations but I ignore those as much as I do the actual Dubbers.
You see, I've never given even a tenth of a fuck what a vehicle's reputation or intended market might be which brings me on to the Minor. Another car I never thought I would like enough to own but Mrs Rocker wanted an older car so it seemed sensible to buy something approachable and easy to look after. I bedded it in for her but never actually handed over the keys. It has been my daily on and off for most of the previous 16 years.....
Why a bleeding Focus? A bit of a knee-jerk purchase, this was. Merc had played up to the extent that Mrs R. was not willing to keep spending on it (it became her car) and lost trust in it. I figured a Focus was probably a modern Minor - cheap to buy, own and fix (mainly) and at the same time offering a decent enough drive when I wanted a go in it. It plays her CDs, takes the grand-kids car seats, hides her shit under the parcel shelf and she seems to like it. Job done.
Which ends me nicely on the Cowley? Why that one? One-owner local car, original reg. 1950s, easy B series engine, bench seat, column change. Why not? I also think it drives a hell of a lot better than a Consul and at less running costs than a Zephyr.
I've had plenty of other stuff long the way, mostly porridge cars but even a lowly 1256 Chevette was fun to drive compared to modern stuff and I've had technological masterpieces like a Citroen GSA, historic icons such as Mk1 Minis, Fiat 500 etc. Everyday cars have always appealed to me more than exotica, not to mention my pocket!
What drives or forces you to own yours?