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I seem to have sparked a little disagreement when expressing my opinion of recent Rovers in another thread the other day. This LED me to thinking about all the cars I have owned over the years and how I came to have an LS.

What about all you others? How did you come to decide on an LS as you present car?

My previous collection consisted of quite a mixed bag of stuff. Some good, others not so good. I have tried to list some of my past cars below. I may have missed some as I have had quite a few since 1976 when I got bitten by the car bug.

Rover 2000TC - nice

Citreon Ami super estate - hilarious

Mini 1000 - fun

VW variant - Ummm no real memories

VW camper - useful but slow

1957 Morris Oxford - different at the time

Mercedes 450SE - big in every sense including the bills

Rover SD1 2600SE - a nice place to sit while waiting for the AA

Mini 1275GT - the most fun on the right side of the speed limit

VW Polo van - did what it said on the can

Citreon BX deisel estate - comfortable but it fell to bits

Jag XJ6 series 3 - Electrical fire nearly killed me

Audi 100 - very good ride, better than the LS I think

Mercedes 280E - still got it

Rover 213 (the little box shaped one) - economical, I just made it to the scrap yard with a knackered CV joint

Vauxhall Astra SRi - rusty body and heavy steering

Austin Ambassedor 1.7- I know, - - we needed a big car in a hurry

Toyota Corrola 1.3 hachback - dull to drive but brilliant in every other respect

Toyota Carina 1.6 Auto saloon - see above, did 125,000 miles in it with NO problems

LS400 - need I say more.

I'm sure there were some other but they obivously didn't leave much of an impression. Let me know what you have driven over the years what you thought of them. Remember, it's just some fun :D

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Oh silly me!!!

Of course there's another one, the one that started all this.

Rover 820 - unreliable piece of cr----------- sorry, I wasn't very impressed :winky:

I'm sure that there is a deep Freudian reason for forgetting that one.

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Ive had, a MK2 Capri, 3 MK2 Escorts , 4 MK4 Cortinas, 2 MK5 Cortinas (in keeping with the Essex Boy in me) 3 Rover SD1 2600s, a Rover 820 (never again! no sucessor to the SD1!!!) Rover Metro GTi, Ford Corsair and finally my Merc %00 SEc which I still have!

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OK Folks. Hope this doesnt bore you. Here follows my personal automotive history!

Singer Chamois (Hillman Imp) The most unreliable machine ever devised, bar none

2 Mini 1000's. Small, noisy, Fun

Capri 2 1600 GL. Dead flash back then (well I woz just a lad)

MGB GT. Old rustbucket, but new mortgage dictated

Cortina Mk3 2000GT 2 door. Probably my favourite car of them all. I don't know why, but I loved it

Cortina Mk4 2000 Ghia, auto. Hmm

Granada Mk2 2.8 GL. Big & my first car with electric windows. Those were the days

Granada M22 2.8 Saphire. Very pretty 2 tind job

Granada Mk3 2.8 Ghia X. Electric seats on this one!! I was on a roll, even the wife had Grannies!

Renault 25 V6. A fantastic radio

Audi 100 CD. Sorry, the ride in no way compares with an LS. It's a typical German Audi ride. Quite harsh

Vauxhall Rayale 2.8. Immaculate but a botched repair mean it needed wipers on the drivers door window

Renault 25 V6. I needed another of those radios

Rover SD1 3.5 Vitesse. Fast (in its day) no road holding, only car I ever had to carry a tool kit in. It could have been so good, but it was a BLMC/Leyland/Rover whatever

Vauxhall Senator 3.0 CD. Wonderful ride (switchable dampers) and the quietist until the LS

BMW 730. I did not want it, my wife did and the seller decided I was going to have it. I was glad once I'd driven it a bit. Shallow, but people react to cars like that

BMW 750iL Had the power the 730 misswed and so much space (the kids were getting bigger)

BMW750iL. OK I was on a roll. The cure was crappy BMW dealers, the amazing bills and I finally stuffed this one by belting into a shallow'ish puddle (5 inches or so) and locking the engine with water. Fortunatley the insurance paid up

Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 GL. OK I needed a car fast. I rather lik them

Renault Laguna 3.0 V6. Such a crap car. The only contender for Rover build

Ford Explorer. Erm. Well. It was in you face, you would not want to kick down as the engine sounded so awful, but it got us out of V Festival late one night and back home while one of my kids was still in the car park exit queue (off road has its uses)

Vauxhall Omega 3.0 Elite. Boring to look at (then the LS aint so great there), went well but kep breaking

To the present. LS400. 1995. Oldest car Ive had (times are hard) I wanted something comfy, quick, that would look OK outside a customers place.

I'd driven them at Millbrook years ago, and never forgott them. 140 mph round the 2 mile bowl.

I've done 20k in 11 months and nothing has broken. Definatly by far and away the best build car I have ever had.

I want a newer one now

Oh yes! A better radio than the Renault 25's

Thats the list mates. Ive probably jumbled them upa bit and missed the odd one off. If there is a theme I guess I like big, comfy, fast and the LS does all this. For the chronologically interested, all but a few of the above came to me 3 years old. Ex lease

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Brought back memories of all the money I've spent - frightening.

1957 Ford Popular - Working at a holiday camp and this was the 'camp car'. bought for £5. 3 forward gears, vacuum wipers and about 40 mph top speed - an added reverse light fitted that would have done justice to a 747.

1973 Ford Escort 1.3 HC Van - actually my fathers firms van, but was a suitable 'passion wagon' for a 17 yr old, as long as the girl didn't mind sitting on starter motors and alternators.

1974 Daimler Sovereign - again my fathers, but he lost his license so I had to drive us to work so couldn't stop me using it for personal use. 17 years old, 4.2 litres and an 8 track stereo!! Collecting a bird in that - ah bliss.

1976 Mini 850 - back to reality as I had left home and had to live within my means. A crap car that turned me against Minis for the rest of my life. Strangely enough my 18 year old daughter has just bought an '85 Mini 1000 and the revulsion is still there on sitting in it.

1979 Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 [i think the GTS] - boring, anodyne with no memories at all.

1983 Cavalier SRi Mk 1 - First car I ever really loved. A stunning beast for it's day. Collected my daughter from hospital in this - aaaaaaaahhhhh. Driving it on the day of collection from the garage and obviously not having listened to the rep when he had told me what the buttons did. Stopped at traffic lights doing the man thing of pushing any button in sight and the boot flew open - embarassed man getting out of car to shut it.

1987 Ford Granada 2.0i Ghia - Bye bye Cavalier as logistics of moving a wife, child and paraphanalia around hit home. Actually a nice car, but a big mistake not to buy the 2.8.

1985 Toyota Celica 2.0 GT - Divorce just through, expensive cars a thing of the past again, but a chance to get a credible car again. Nippy little thing that never let me down.

1985 Nissan Prairie - Money low, new woman in the life who owned dogs. Head turned by new found love so 'we' got something to carry us and the dogs in. What a disaster - Car and woman gone very soon.

1987 Citroen BX GTi - new job, more money and time to refresh the boy racer image. This was an absolute beauty until the cambelt went at 110 mph on the M11. Lots of mangled silver looking things when the engine was removed. Replaced engine, but never really trusted her again.

1990 Toyota Supra 3.0 - This being single again thing is great. This white stunner called to me from the forecourt as I was driving by and I could not resist. I must have been the only person in Britain who did not know about the head gasket problems they had and sure enough she did not let me down. It blew in Coventry - 2 reasons to be depressed.

1996 Alfa Romeo 2.0 GTV - working for myself now so obviously a man needs a sensible company car. This was an absolute money pit, but the feeling of driving this BRG beauty for 120,000 miles in 2 years will remain with me for ever. Constant fights with new wife on whether she could borrow it. The biggest head turner I have ever owned [apart from the Prairie, but that was in disbelief].

1994 Mercedes 500 SL - first attempt at trying the 'businessman' image. Hated this from Day 2 - Wondering what the hell I had been thinking on day 1.

1996 LS400 - After attending a meeting I got a lift with someone who owned one and love blossomed - went and bought one the next week. One look from the new wife 'it's like a tank, I can't drive that' - a warm glow inside. Owned her for nearly a year now [the car] and have got used to the 'how much?????' syndrome for repairs and parts.

Probably bored everyone to tears with the memory lane stuff, but I've enjoyed it...........................

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Well, chaps, this is real vanity publishing - but who cares?

My route to Motoring Happiness…

'55 Ford 100E van £0 Did 55mph flat out and 27mpg.

'65 Morris 1100 £365 Seemed fast and refined after #1.

'55 Jag XK140 DHC £55 Every single part of this car was completely knackered.

'52 Jag XK120 FHC £20 Top timing chain snapped – sold car for £5.

'50 Jag XK120 OTS £70 Owned it for 23½ years – sold for a wee profit.

'68 Cortina MkII £525 100,000 miles in 3yrs minicabbing. (See next entry)

'67 Cortina MkII £135 So easy to work on, but the opposite of durable.

'73 Alfa 2000 Berlina £250 Refined & v fast after previous two, but rotted to bits.

'68 Hillman Hunter £100 Had just bought a house so needed bargain banger.

'80 Opel Monza £2850 I loved this car despite its 3 bottom gears.

'77 Fiesta 1100 £0 Sold Monza to save £, but this never bettered 28 mpg

'85 Golf Gti MkII £2900 Owned 13 yrs, sold for £99 at 176,000m.

1996 LS400 £9160 Still in love after 1 year.

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OK Folks. Hope this doesnt bore you. Here follows my personal automotive history!

Singer Chamois (Hillman Imp) The most unreliable machine ever devised, bar none

2 Mini 1000's. Small, noisy, Fun

Capri 2 1600 GL. Dead flash back then (well I woz just a lad)

MGB GT. Old rustbucket, but new mortgage dictated

Cortina Mk3 2000GT 2 door. Probably my favourite car of them all. I don't know why, but I loved it

Cortina Mk4 2000 Ghia, auto. Hmm

Granada Mk2 2.8 GL. Big & my first car with electric windows. Those were the days

Granada M22 2.8 Saphire. Very pretty 2 tind job

Granada Mk3 2.8 Ghia X. Electric seats on this one!! I was on a roll, even the wife had Grannies!

Renault 25 V6. A fantastic radio

Audi 100 CD. Sorry, the ride in no way compares with an LS. It's a typical German Audi ride. Quite harsh

Vauxhall Rayale 2.8. Immaculate but a botched repair mean it needed wipers on the drivers door window

Renault 25 V6. I needed another of those radios

Rover SD1 3.5 Vitesse. Fast (in its day) no road holding, only car I ever had to carry a tool kit in. It could have been so good, but it was a BLMC/Leyland/Rover whatever

Vauxhall Senator 3.0 CD. Wonderful ride (switchable dampers) and the quietist until the LS

BMW 730. I did not want it, my wife did and the seller decided I was going to have it. I was glad once I'd driven it a bit. Shallow, but people react to cars like that

BMW 750iL Had the power the 730 misswed and so much space (the kids were getting bigger)

BMW750iL. OK I was on a roll. The cure was crappy BMW dealers, the amazing bills and I finally stuffed this one by belting into a shallow'ish puddle (5 inches or so) and locking the engine with water. Fortunatley the insurance paid up

Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 GL. OK I needed a car fast. I rather lik them

Renault Laguna 3.0 V6. Such a crap car. The only contender for Rover build

Ford Explorer. Erm. Well. It was in you face, you would not want to kick down as the engine sounded so awful, but it got us out of V Festival late one night and back home while one of my kids was still in the car park exit queue (off road has its uses)

Vauxhall Omega 3.0 Elite. Boring to look at (then the LS aint so great there), went well but kep breaking

To the present. LS400. 1995. Oldest car Ive had (times are hard) I wanted something comfy, quick, that would look OK outside a customers place.

I'd driven them at Millbrook years ago, and never forgott them. 140 mph round the 2 mile bowl.

I've done 20k in 11 months and nothing has broken. Definatly by far and away the best build car I have ever had.

I want a newer one now

Oh yes! A better radio than the Renault 25's

Thats the list mates. Ive probably jumbled them upa bit and missed the odd one off. If there is a theme I guess I like big, comfy, fast and the LS does all this. For the chronologically interested, all but a few of the above came to me 3 years old. Ex lease

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*** I cant remember them all, and the order might be a bit messy but here goes:

MK2 1600E Cortina

MK3 2000E Cortina

Triumph Stag MK2

MGB ragtop X2

Several 1600 Escorts and a lovely RS

4.2 Jag (7 year old and a rust bucket but I loved it)

Lancia something (I forget)

Sherpa Diesel Van (my job forced this one)

Granada 3.0

Granada Coupe 3.0

Capri 2.8

BMW 3.0 Coupe

Granada X 2.8

Transit Van (The job again)

MK3 RS Turbo Escort (torque-steer a gogo)

Porsche 924 Turbo

Porsche 944 Turbo (got the bug for a couple of years)

455 Transam HO (killer power spent £5k on engine mods - going thru mad stage I think)

Iroc Z (do a google search - look above and you'll see why)

Merc 500SL (fab fab car but some tw*t rear ended it doing 40mph)

Cosworth Sierra Sapphire (lasted 6 months before I had amassed 9 points so got rid)

BMW 325

Nissan 200SX (get one if you see them cheap enough then you'll understand !)

BMW 535

BMW 735

Omega 3.0 (mistake I admit it)

BMW 540 (this one ended my love affair with Beemers)

Mitsubishi Galant 2.5 (dont even ask!!)

Merc 500 SL ( again, but Ive still got this one - so far )

Jeep Grand Cherokee (Best town car Ive ever had and also the worst car over 40 MPH a great shame that one)

Nissan Skyline (like the 200SX you just gotta drive one to understand)

Merc 430 SLK

And finally a Lexus LS 430

Ive also missed at least half a dozen out now I look at the list, but you gotta stop this somehow

And yes I am older than them there hills. And yes I am a confirmed planet killing petrol head (anyone want the list of bikes as well?-)

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I sold my LS400 the other month,but the route to it was...

Vauxhall Royale

Austin A35

mk2 Escort modded

mk4 Cortina Ghia Estate

TR7 :angry: trouble some.

mk2 Escort more mods

Fiesta 1.1

mk2 Escort RS2000

mk1 MR2

Opel Senator

Volvo 760 Turbo Intercooler

Vauxhall Senator 24V

another Senator 24V

mk1 Lexus LS400

Toyota Aristo

May of missed a few,the 24V Senators were great cars,but my FAV car has to be the mk2 RS2000.

Cheers chips.

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Sod it

How did I manage that. Same post twice!!

If the first one did't bore your tits off then I was bound to get you with the second.

Some really interesting cars in all the posts so far and quite a few similarities. Keep them coming and apologies to everyone for the Bollox up

and the language

Nick

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Citroen BX 1.4

Another Citroen BX 1.4 :)

Citroen BX GTI Auto

Mk 3 Golf GTI 16V

Volvo V40 2.0 SE

BMW 323i SE Auto

BMW 330i SE Auto

Lexus LS 430 :D

the best car I have ever owned?? By a whisker the V40 surprisingly with LS close second and BMW 330i a very close 3rd

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My wife had a V40 - it had the roughest engine and the worst ride. I absolutely hated the thing! (Very reliable, tho')

Ah well, if we all agreed on everything, the world would become intolerable.

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1970 Hillman Avenger 1250cc

1976 Ford Escort

......then a mix of company cars for a few years

......then back to buying some

1990 Volvo 760GLE 2.4TD Auto saloon

1994 Mitsubishi Shogun 3000 LWB auto

1998 Mitsubisho Gallant 2000

1993 Vauxhall Senator 3000 DOHC 24vAuto (what a fast car)

1994 Lexus LS400 (after 2.5 years only changed pads and serviced by lexus) no breakdowns. touch wood

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Cortina Mk3 2000E - my first car so obviously the best in the world as far as I was concerned! ;) In Purple Velvet Metallic no less! Got written off in a crash :(

Cortina Mk4 2.0 Ghia - Friday afternoon job, lots of problems.

Cortina Mk3 2000E - a better example than the first, in Miami Blue. very tough mechanically, but I had to let it go due to a tinworm infestation.

Granada Mk2 2.8 GL - fine after trans rebuild and the secret internal fuel tank filter removed (kept clogging and causing the car to stall). No A/C though.

Granada Mk2 2.8 Ghia X - same probs as before, plus a few others! A/C always unreliable, persistent vibration from driveline despite most of the components being replaced and the prop aligned with a special laser jig that I made.

Besides, I really wanted a V8, especially after driving a '95 Ford Crown Vic.

So I therefore bought (on impulse) my current LS400 (UCF10) which is the first car I've ever owned that doesn't (1) vibrate, and (2) leak water into the footwells. A/C is bust at the moment though... :(

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My wife had a V40 - it had the roughest engine and the worst ride.  I absolutely hated the thing!  (Very reliable, tho')

Ah well, if we all agreed on everything, the world would become intolerable.

I agree V40 had rough engine and slow performance but it was the most comfortable car I have ever driven and was very reliable - more so than either the Lexus or BMW.

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Morris Minivan - more body filler than steel

Austin 850 Mini

Ford Prefect (anyone remember sidevalve engines and vacuum wipers?)

Austin A35 (needed transport while building the next)

Mini Marcos (built from 1098 Mini Cooper)

1275 Cooper S - v. modded

Lotus Europa - ugly but hell of a drive

MGB Roadster - had it 8 years & only rebuilt it twice

Lancia Beta Coupe - nice engine but the bodyshell started to disappear!

Vauxhall Cavalier Estate (when the kids arrived)

Ford Mondeo Estate (kids still growing)

Volvo 480 Turbo

Vauxhall Cavalier TD (put 138,000 miles on it from new - my Father still driving it!)

Mazda 626 Exec (put 147,00 miles on that, anyone want it?)

IS 200 Sport

IS250 Sport (waiting)

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Howdy - new member - first posting - evening all!

1980 Opel Kadett 1.2 (Vauxhall Astra)

1984 Opel Ascona 1.6 (Vauxhall cavalier)

1987 Toyota Carina 1.6

1992 Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 Station Wagon - first auto

1991 LS 400

1994 LS 400 (current car)

The LS is the best car I've driven (wouldn't be hard in the above company), but also the one that has given me the most grief in terms of bits'n'pieces going wrong. You don't have to be mad to run a Lexus, but it helps... :P

djp

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:driving: O.K Let's go on a more aesthetic road?

CITROEN!!!

AK400 Van (2CV, 425 cc!) Rolled it while retrieving Orange juice at 10 miles per hour!.

Dyane. Flat to floor and change gear, 30 degree lean in corners. But, on VERY snowy day on M4, was trundling past abandoned Saabs, etc!

Dyane.again.

Also DS23 in parallel. STILL my favourite car to look at, and still a great ride (I shall find out after 18 years, this weekend, when I'm borrowing one to drive an old/dear friend to her wedding!!) If they'd put a flat six in it (as planned) it would STILL be in my garage!

Several more DSs. inc.Safari.

Also a Traction (Big 15) Commerciale. Toured Spain in this in 1984, to everyone in Spain's great amusement!

GSA Estate. Great car, flat four, great ride, cruise at 90.....

Several more.

CX GTi. Lovely motor.

Then CX Turbo 2 Auto. They never MADE a Turbo Auto; mine was a hybrid. Drove like a turbine. But...was out accelerated by a Mondeo once! Life catches up. (At least I LIKED the CX! A Mundano? No thanks!!)

Then I had a Jeep Cherokee for 7 years. Like a powerful Armchair. Too pricy to service.

On to a BMW 850! (you have to have owned a V-12 once in your life?Cost FAR too much to keep going and lost value faster than the Zimbawean dollar!

So here we are; the Series 3 LS400. Great to drive. Comfort, power, silence.Quality. (Just wish it looked like a DS, or a CX!) And why no traction control?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, assuming I get one soon (fingers crossed), my route so far is

78 VW Golf GLS (9 years I drove this since passing test in 1990, memories of youth aaah)

90 VW Golf GTi 16V (great fun)

95 VW Corrado VR6 (best car I ever owned)

00 Honda S2000 (amazing machine, engine & g/b, started trackdays with this)

97 Westfield 2.0 16v (THE most fun you can have on 4 wheels, love it and I still have it for my fun fix)

95 Vaux Omega 2.5 GLS (very competent but somehow I just don't care for it at all)

Still got the Westie but getting rid of the Omega for the LS400. Rationale is ultimate fun (westie) and comfy luxury(LS400) keeps both my car desires satisfied. Anything else is a compromise.

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Was in the motor trade since 1980, so had most things from Mini's to Mercedes with a few oddballs along the way! (Citroen DS, CX, GS, a few Saabs, Volvo's etc) which I won't bore you with.

Recent cars include;

Skoda Fabia vRS. Perfect little weapon, can't sell it as it's too good!

Skoda Fabia 1.4 Elegance 100bhp. Good estate, sold it for vRS

Skoda Octavia 1.9TDi Elegance. A very nice car indeed.

Toyota Celica GT4. Not reliable, Drunk fuel but strangely addictive in a hairy chested way. not exactly sporty, too heavy!

Toyota PicNic 2.0. Sweet MPV, also thirsty but a nice machine nonetheless.

Previous faves;

Merc W123's (230-280) Built like tanks, very comforting to own.

Merc 500SEL Bigger tank with more toys. Economy was surprising!!

Toyota MR2 (1600) A blast to drive, no use to man nor beast though :lol:

Rover 400 GTi Turbo. Driving was believing! 200bhp in a waffer thin Honda... :nuke: Oh dear *** did it go....

Plus loads of other stuff. Pop round and see my Holiday snaps too... :yawn:

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My route to Lexus is a disturbingly brand-loyal one...

- '73 Ford Escort 1100 van - with 3 orange lights on top, ex-recovery

- '78 Ford Capri 1.6L - the girls liked it anyway!

- '77 Ford Cortina 1.6L Mk4 - dangerous car, lethal thing

- '76 Ford Cortina 2000E Mk3 in roman bronze - what a shagpile!

- '81 Ford Escort 1.3L Mk3 - a real tin can

- '83 Ford Sierra 1.6L - nice gearchange

...then came a radical brand switch

- '86 Citroen BX16RS - unrefined mechanically, but practical and fast/comfortable

- '86 Citroen CX20RE - perfect ride but again, unrefined mechanically

- '71 Citroen SM - still own it; the ultimate car of all time, from another planet!

- '87 Citroen CX25GTi - beautiful in every way; written off by two bimbos :angry:

- '88 Citroen CX22TRS - OK but not a patch on the previous two

- '88 Citroen CX25GTi Turbo2 - awesome torque, brute power and comfortable

- '93 Citroen Xantia 2.0LX - very pleasant and practical

- '98 Citroen Xantia 3.0V6 Exclusive - ahh, that's more like it, some luxury

- '02 Citroen C5 3.0V6 Exclusive SE - like a computer on wheels, still own it

...and now...

- '97 Lexus LS400 Mk3 - wanted one since they came out in 1990, a long wait but well worth it. And about time I added a new marque eh...?!

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  • 1 month later...

Still own T25 VW camper 1986.

last car Volvo 340GL :)

Mercedes 450 SEL 1978

Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9 1978

Cadillac Coupe de ville.

BMW 635 csi

Toyota Camry 2.4

Toyota Cressida 2.8i

Mazda 929 estate

VW splitty 1967

VW splitty 1962

VW splitty 1957

Austin 3cwt pickup 1973

Fiat 124 estate.

Commer van

Ford Pop 1951

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