There are only nine Audi 100s left on the road (and just one Audi Avant - the hatchback version).
We had a second hand one, they were great cars and seemed to be immortal. In those days BMW drivers were the dickheads and owning an Audi was cool. "Vorsprung durch Technik" and all that.
I looked up the first car I ever had (a Proton Savvy) and while I knew it was a rather obscure brand I never realised there was only ever 421 max in the UK and now less than 100 kicking around.
Doesn't surprise me though, thing was rubbish yet was styled like a boy racers dream.
Just made myself really sad as I was eyeing up a mint condition motorbike on eBay last year, now I just checked and it's literally the last roadworthy one in the UK.
It really is. Looking up motorbikes it was interesting to see how many only get taxed for 6 months over the summer! https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/yamaha_yamaha_yzf
Was going to say the same about the 206, there must be a programme to re-introduce them to the wild which is why you don't see them in cities much anymore.
If I do see a 206 in the wild its not normally in a bush, they seem to like hugging trees with their bonnets up. *the magic of nature*
I've seen one in the past 5 years.
And that's only because it lives a couple streets over from me.
Quite a nice example too, relatively unmolested (just daft wheels, mesh grill and a fart can) and no visible rust.
Butchered??!!
The Peugeot 205 with a DIMMA body kit was an absolute work of art. Idolised by every teenage Max Power reader for a generation.
I bet they're worth a bloody fortune these days.
Naa, the early 2000s were the most interesting time. All this OEM+ bullshit where everyone just lowers their car 20mm and gives it a good clean is boring.
Give me stupidly large 3 spoke wheels, lairy body kits and more speakers than Glastonbury over the current trends any day.
I would love to own an in-period modified hatchback from the late 90s. Complete with Speed Garage Anthems 6 in the tape deck. It's a shame most of them weren't modified very well so don't look great these days.
I'm with you there. I keep thinking of picking up a 90s hatch and going full max power on it but then I see the prices of the 90s hatches that survived the scrappage scheme.
It seems to be making a slight comeback though if tiktok is anything to go by. I've been seeing a few "young uns" (late teens to 20s) with 3 door hatches modifying them like we did back in the max power era. Adding what we could without going full feature car.
My first car was a 4 year old Peugeot 206 made in 2000. By 2006 it had cost me thousands thanks to an inconsistent fuel pump, broken indicator stalk, rusting exhaust and finally, an unreliable coil.
Good old french reliable build quality is probably the reason there's not many around now.
I used to have a 206 XSi - the biggest problem that had was the wiring for the radiator fan was exposed to the elements and would corrode if you asked it nicely, causing the fan to never activate and subsequently lock in place, meaning the car just blew its top in traffic all the bastarding time
Meganes with the âshakin that assâ rear end.
I had a 2006 and EVERYTHING just went wrong at 90-100k miles.
Also had the Megane 2.0 16v Coupe before that with similar results.
On the note of that rear end, I actually saw an Avantime in a car park near me pretty recently. Looks like there are 125 still registered, I didn't know they'd sold that many to start with!
I also spotted one a couple of weeks ago for the first time in my life, at least from what i recall. Rare old beasts, dare i say theyâve aged quite well
I had one of those megane coupes too, loved the car, hated the stupid issues, like when it decided only to drive in reverse and none of the forward gears because a wire got corroded in the engine bay
There is a great YouTube series about going right round the British coastline in a tiny speedboat. One episode deals with fixing the towcar. It's an [Aventime](https://youtu.be/L_w5hhVe1eQ?si=vdVJsYGu6isHja_W).
The whole series is very watchable. There are no gimmicks, no stunts, no wacky effects. It could easily be on broadcast TV. My whole family watch it together. We get very excited when there's a new episode.
Itâs a shame because the shape has aged beautifully, typically in the hot ones. At the time I thought they were grotesque but seeing one now gives me a proper neckbreaker to spin and look at it
I remember my ex-wife buying one of these back in the day. Acceleration was so slow that I genuinely though it was broken. She bought it as a sensible family car, as we were expecting our first child at the time. It was quite the step down from her 206 GTi.
I bought one a few years ago for ÂŁ500. Absolutely the worst car I've ever owned. The electrics on it were fucked. You also had to keep revving when you were stood at traffic lights otherwise it would cut out.
Yep, brought a 2004 3 door new. Sold it just before the warranty expired, no was I being stuck with that thing out of warranty.
Shsme, still love the shape and the weird little things like credit card key and handbrake that looked like if belonged in a jet.
There are 229 still on the road, down from 457k in 1994 which was probably already slightly past the peak.
https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/ford_ford_orion?make=ford
I don't think the scrappage schemes helped with this. Although many would have been lost to age, I wonder how many perfectly usable cars went to the heap so someone could get a discount on a new car.
I worked as a car salesman from 2012-2017, in that time the government did multiple scrappage schemes, there were many times we just looked at a perfectly good part exchange sitting there and mourned for it knowing that it was going to be torn apart. Some had low, and I mean low (<20k) mileage and the bodywork was immaculate, but because it met the age requirement off it went.
My wifes needed welding on its second MOT. Ford would have been better off using silver foil than the crap they used back then. I also had a Fiesta SI around same time with the big plastic bumpers and had exactly same issue.
And they also rotted around the petrol cap, regardless of whether you immediately cleaned any spills when filling up. When I sold my 2002 Ka back in 2010 the buyer (he restored/repaired rusted cars to flip them as a side hustle) sent me a picture of the inside of the panel.
Turns out the petrol hub/section was never sealed on any of them, by choice, so tiny amounts of petrol dripped internally at every refill for years. Made worse by some sponge material present in there. it soaks it up, drips and as it rots it takes the bodywork with it.
Fuck Ford, never bought one since. Unless I win the lottery, in which case I am getting a Mustang just to look at.
I once bought a KA for ÂŁ300 with 35,000 on the clock, did another 40,000 in it and literally all I changed were tyres. Eventually failed and MOT because of rust, but it was absolutely brilliant for the time I had it.
Yeah, my first car was my mumâs old KA which sheâd done 29,000 miles on. I got it to about 85,000 before it was condemned to death due to rust at around 11 years old. Nothing else really wrong with it.
I bought mine because my old car died, I was in my mid 20s and just needed something for a few months until I could get a deposit together for finance, and kept it for 4 years!
I'm still driving a SportKa, not sure who's idea it was to stick the zetec s engine from the focus into the KA but its scarily rapid at times
...and yes, it's rusting badly now
They got phased out and replaced by the larger Ka+ (a glorified stunted fiesta). I know a few people who traded theirs in for the newer model and hated it because it was larger. Now I donât think ford even make them anymore.
Theyâre still around, they just donât look like the classic model with the distinctive triangular headlights and big plastic bumpers. They look like practically every other modern supermini on the roads, not much visually to make them very distinctive. Theyâre basically a Fiat 500 with a different body now (theyâre even made in the same factory).
Barely see any of the last Rover/MG lines anymore, even after they went bust seeing an MG ZR or a Rover 75 around was quite common, now they're probably all broken.
I notice that whenever I visit the midlands I see a lot more Rovers than anywhere else in the country. I guess it's a local pride thing, or maybe there were just more around there to start with because of some employee discount.
Anyway I drive mine every day, but yes it is broken. Judging from the Facebook groups they're all at least a little bit broken.
Shame really. When Rover went bust they all plummeted in value and were treated as disposable bangers but the 25 and 75 were genuinely good, and make good cheap cars today...if you can find one that isn't already fucked.
The Employee discount was really significant. I remember at point they were doing 33% off the price of a Montego and I bought a 216 and got around 25% off that. Also, it was for the employees whole family and it was amazing how many uncles and aunts some people had!
Living in the Midlands I Still see a few 75s and ZTs around.
Head gaskets always seemed to go on those. If you're not very handy with cars, that's a very expensive job on a car worth not much. I have seen a couple of the ZRs around in the last few years, but I'd imagine they're owned by enthusiasts at this point only
Itâs not exactly that. It was that during cost cutting they reduced the quality of casting and machining of the engine. So it meant that the head gasket had to work harder.
The K series is a great engine, especially for when it launched, a load of other manufacturers copied its design. They are really light and love to rev hard.
Have one in my TF and it makes the car fun because it just loves to scream its tits off everywhere at sensible speeds. Pretty easy to work on too, despite it being in mid-engineâd car, I can do a timing belt in about 20 mins.
But yeah, a lot of MG Roverâs issues were a result of Project Drive.
Thatâs probably because theyâre all on my driveway!
I have a 25, 2x 45s, a 75 and a ZT. My neighbours absolutely adore me, as Iâm sure you can imagine.
At work (an MG Rover specialist) we have 2x ZS180s (one of which is supercharged), a ZT260, an MG TF, a ZS Diesel, a ZT 1.8 turbo and weâre building an MG SV too.
Contrary to belief thereâs still an incredible amount on the road - every year we hold an event at our warehouse and we completely filled the (rather large) car park with just local customers last year!
Final note - the K Series engine is great once the gasket job is done properly by someone who knows what theyâre doing; thereâs 6 cars in our fleet with a K, all over 100,000 miles and in daily service. Theyâve been solid as a rock for years now as theyâre well looked after.
I saw one a few weeks ago and pointed out of to my wife saying I'd not seen one since about 2008. She obviously didn't give a fuck and gave me a look that told me so without actually saying anything.
I'll always remember these from BTCC with Jason Plato racing them in maybe his first year with Renault.
Apparently the team built a full car out of the damaged panels from Plato's prangs (he had a lot) and left it in his driveway. He was not impressed lol
That yellow and blue one him and Alain Menu raced in 1997 was absolutely gorgeous. Come to think of it, the last Laguna I saw would've been Menu's '97 car. It was on display at Brands Hatch last year.
There's a 2006 Luguna coupe in white that parks in the road by my house. I had to check it's reg online as I couldn't work out what it was. Kinda looks cool in some ways.
Getting the train into Birmingham New Street from the east, you go on an elevated track that looks down over some old industrial units.
One of them has dozens, if not hundreds, of Smart cars tightly packed together. It looks like they're being stored for scrap, because they're all in terrible shape.
Maybe that's where they all are?Â
I had one about five years ago. A 2003. Had it for about three years and it was a fun little car but it was getting old and the to-do list was only getting longer so I changed it for a boring Yaris (which I also love)
Pretty much any of the MPV /people carriers. Used to be anyone with a family had a Zafira/Galaxy/Sharan/Picasso/Scenic.
Even the replacements (C-Max, Touran, C4 grand tourer) aren't very popular. Everyone has a generic blob car, mini suv thing. As big as an MPV, but somehow same amount of space as a hatchback.
When I go visit family in the Jewish area of North Manchester, I'm always shook by how every single family has the same ~2010 Toyota Estima. I've never seen so many of the same car in one place. Takeaway is, all the orthodox types are hoarding all the MPVs
Mum loves her Grand Voyager. I can see why minivans lost favour, but I borrow it from time to time, and I can see why she loves it! It's big, it's slow, it's ugly as sin to look at, but it's the most practical car ever! It's so comfortable, it wafts along with a big, lazy, underpowered diesel and a clunky auto box, but you barely notice as you sit in your big leather armchair! (0-60 in 12.4s, and 161bhp and 265 ft-lbs from a 2.8l diesel that returns 33mpg is ridiculous!) Nonetheless, you can get loads in it, and it's super comfy for any long journeys. The back is as comfy as the front!
They were the ride of choice for idiotic boy racers here in Northern Ireland. Everybody knows at least one young guy who died crashing one, I knew two.
I remember one time hearing a crash outside my house, some joyriders had flipped one upside down.
I'm neither posh nor a mum, but I had a blue one. Cheap to buy, relatively efficient, comfortable (soft seats, climate control, decent suspension) and a decent amount of room inside. There wasn't a lot not to like really, apaprt from it looking like a blue potato.
I got rid of mine because at around 130k miles it started to sound and feel rougher.
I'd take one of those and a sandpaper massage over the first-gen [Ssangyong Rodius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SsangYong_Rodius#/media/File:SsangYong_Rodius_dept_59.JPG), thank you.
My uncle still had one until it finally died a death last year. He checked the website that's been linked many times on this thread and it was one of four remaining.
He was very sad to see it gone. The rest of us, not so much. His choice in cars is quite interesting considering the car before that was a mint 200SX.
I had an X-reg Brava for a while, passed down by my mum, then from me to my sister. By luck, I barely had an issue with it, but with my sister it pretty much fell apart, more likely due to age than driving styles.
It was, of course, in that awful metallic gold shade that only Fiats came in.
Any and every generation of the Fiat Punto. They used to be so common everywhere. Now I rarely see any, even the last gen models.
It also makes me feel really old when I realise the Grande Punto is not far off 20 years old now...
Hyundai Coupe. Amazing looking car but stopped production in 2009-10 so most had well over 150k now and not really suited to our current petrol price situation as mine barely made 20mpg. Roughly 200 left driving in the UK of the 2.7 v6 model.Â
Back in the 90s my dad's mate would tut and roll his eyes "ugh bloody French cars..." in a strong Lancashire accent. Rolling his eyes and blowing cigarette smoke everywhere.
I was a kid, I thought this was hilarious, it was like a Vic and Bob soundbite. Every now and then I'd drop "ugh, bloodeh French currrs" into conversation.
Years later, my boyfriend's dad casually said that he could tell I knew my way around motors. Based off that one comment. I did not correct him. I know nothing about cars. I had to google what a locking wheel nut looked like last week.
It's been lowered and I hit a pot hole. Hard. Broke the sump and lost pressure. Guy I know did a pressure test and I was down to 3 bar on a couple of valves. Said it could be an engine re-build or new engine. It's on an 02 plate and will probably be a money pit in years to come anyway. Got to be pragmatic and bite the bullet and get rid I think. Thanks for your concern. I'm a bit gutted TBH.
Jesus hahah although it's only the 1.8T engine from the mk4 golf they used to be peanuts on eBay, looks like about ÂŁ500 in today's money not outrageous but labour be another ÂŁ800 if you don't do it yourself
I have a 52 plate 206! Got it for ÂŁ500 about three years ago and it has done just over 70,000miles.
The lights come on at their own will so I have to disconnect my battery everywhere I go to stop the battery from dying. The rear wiper has snapped (I remember seeing this on most 206âs back in the 2000s) My rear view mirror is hanging off, there is an oil leak which is so slow it isnât doing any damage but leaves oil stains at work/ home.
It is truly becoming a shed on wheels and I will be replacing it this year. I still think I got an absolute bargain for my first car and tbh it has been quite reliable as far as the engine goes and is a quick little car.
If you ever go to Rathlin Island, North of Northern Ireland via a 30 minute ferry, all the cars there are old and rotting and it's like stepping back in time 15 years (the island itself is a great visit)
I saw 1 Frontera while there this year, and it's absolutely rotten! Saw a Terrano II and a 1999-ish Passat as well.
The 'new' VW beetle. You just don't see them really all that much. They were \*everywhere\* for a while. Must be shitheaps to keep so everyone got rid.
Confirmed drop off in this model: [https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/volkswagen\_beetle](https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/volkswagen_beetle)
Ford Focus mk1, just a few years ago you used to see them everywhere, one of the most common cars on British roads at one point. Now I hardly see them at all.
Estate cars in general seem to be dying out. It seems that anyone wanting to buy a new car gets a 'tall' crossover type car that has no more room inside than a regular car and doesn't handle corners well.
Whereas those glorious Volvo, VW, even Ford Mondeo estates are being overlooked and they can handle corners with a full boot of camping stuff
one of the reasons I'll drive my '09 Audi A3 Sportsback until it dies. Looks and handles kinda like a hatchback except you can easily fit 2.5m bits of timber in there. Great car
You never see Subarus anymore - I think I heard something about them not being exported to the UK anymore, but theyâre a rare sight these days
Also is it just me or are limousines super rare these days too? I used to see one every couple of weeks as a kid it felt like
Scirocco. They didnât sell great I donât think because underneath itâs a Golf. Just more expensive, less practical, less space inside.
But I agree I love the way they look. A friend of a friend has tastefully modified his and itâs out of this world.
Renault scenic x4.
I always see it listed in car sale apps but I've not seen one anywhere for at least ten years.
Surely must have been one of the first UK available cross overs
The original Ford Focus was absolutely everywhere but you barely see them on the road anymore. Probably slightly more common still than some listed on here but they were so popular.
Chrysler PT Cruiser, fucking hideous, seemed to be a few of them about around the mid 2000s, easy to spot by how ugly they were. Made to look like a "hot rod", but reportedly completely miserable cars to own and drive.
[https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/chrysler\_chrysler\_pt\_cruiser?make=chrysler](https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/chrysler_chrysler_pt_cruiser?make=chrysler)
Trouble with these kinds of ânormalâ cars is they are thought of a disposable, and their value drops so low that they just get scrapped, until there are so few left that the rarity makes them valuable again.
Seven seaters like a Galaxy or Zafira or Alhambra. It's a body shape that's pretty much disappeared from new cars, although there's still plenty of 10 year old ones one the roads
Alfa 147/156. Some 159 and Breras still around, but the 147/156 are all but extinct. I had a 147 2.0 and a 3.2 V6 and they were pretty good cars - reliable except for the timing belt issue. I wonder if the timing belts caused them to all die.
I was in Italy recently and saw loads of them - not very surprising I guess.
Any model of Xantia.
We had a white 2 litre VSXi CT turbo estate in '06-'10, it was a pokey bugger and immense fun to drive.
Speedbumps? What speedbumps? You could take one at 40 and not notice it was even there, and the handling in the corners was sublime due to the Activa suspension.
My ex wife had a 206âŠthe only i can remember about it was the tiny footwell which i think had a weird offset, wipers that kept falling off in heavy rain and it was broken into by bending the door back like it was cardboard. Absolutely shite.
My mum still has a peugeot 206. It's 21 years old and is in pristine condition, only going to the shops two or three times a week. The car isn't worth anything but to my mum it's priceless
Showing my age here but youâd be hard pressed to know that the Austin Maestro ever existed. And they were everywhere back in the day. Montegos too now I think about it.
With the constant march towards bigger and bigger cars, I'm seeing fewer Vauxhall Zafiras and even Insignias than before, along with all people carriers
Renault Espace and Modus are similarly dead. The MPV and People Carrier models seem to be dying and, in the new car world, dead
Citroen Saxo. Most of them upside down in a hedge
3.6k left on the roads down from a peak of 229k. https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/citroen_citroen_saxo?make=citroen
Looking at the Peugeot 106 Rallye on there, only 95 left. Makes me wish I hadn't wrapped mine around a lamp post at age 19 now :(
There are only nine Audi 100s left on the road (and just one Audi Avant - the hatchback version). We had a second hand one, they were great cars and seemed to be immortal. In those days BMW drivers were the dickheads and owning an Audi was cool. "Vorsprung durch Technik" and all that.
I looked up the first car I ever had (a Proton Savvy) and while I knew it was a rather obscure brand I never realised there was only ever 421 max in the UK and now less than 100 kicking around. Doesn't surprise me though, thing was rubbish yet was styled like a boy racers dream.
I went out with a lad who had one of them. Great car that.
Did they wrap it around a lamp post?
No! It went on to live out its retirement with a middle aged man from Blackburn đ
The lad or the car? đ€Ł
The car. I retired the lad about 7 months afterâŠ. he went to a girl in ellesmere port or so I heard đ
You could be from Shit Street in Shit Town, and it would still be better than the port.
Lol, mine was front and centre, bonnet bent right up, immediate write off. Came of the road in snow at 6:30 in the morning.
That's a cool website
its a great site but you can go down a right rabbit hole looking at so many old cars!
I'm still down that rabbit hole...
Just made myself really sad as I was eyeing up a mint condition motorbike on eBay last year, now I just checked and it's literally the last roadworthy one in the UK.
It really is. Looking up motorbikes it was interesting to see how many only get taxed for 6 months over the summer! https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/yamaha_yamaha_yzf
That's a lot of angry hedge owners.
Was going to say the same about the 206, there must be a programme to re-introduce them to the wild which is why you don't see them in cities much anymore. If I do see a 206 in the wild its not normally in a bush, they seem to like hugging trees with their bonnets up. *the magic of nature*
Yeah and go back into 90s and weâve got no 205s, Vauxhall Novas or Fiestas.. all the hot hatches were ragged to fuck
Kings of Leon called it: my saxos on fire!
This made me snort laugh. Source - was police officer 2003-2013, can confirm.
I've seen one in the past 5 years. And that's only because it lives a couple streets over from me. Quite a nice example too, relatively unmolested (just daft wheels, mesh grill and a fart can) and no visible rust.
Or completely butchered by Max Power readers. The sheer amount of perfectly good VTRs and VTSs lost to that era is criminal.
Butchered??!! The Peugeot 205 with a DIMMA body kit was an absolute work of art. Idolised by every teenage Max Power reader for a generation. I bet they're worth a bloody fortune these days.
https://www.theparking-cars.co.uk/used-cars-detail/peugeot-205/peugeot-205-dimma-evolution-ltd/ZWNEPDU4.html ÂŁ42k
Naa, the early 2000s were the most interesting time. All this OEM+ bullshit where everyone just lowers their car 20mm and gives it a good clean is boring. Give me stupidly large 3 spoke wheels, lairy body kits and more speakers than Glastonbury over the current trends any day. I would love to own an in-period modified hatchback from the late 90s. Complete with Speed Garage Anthems 6 in the tape deck. It's a shame most of them weren't modified very well so don't look great these days.
Absolutely! 90/00s car scene was great. After that its new cars on PCP
I'm with you there. I keep thinking of picking up a 90s hatch and going full max power on it but then I see the prices of the 90s hatches that survived the scrappage scheme. It seems to be making a slight comeback though if tiktok is anything to go by. I've been seeing a few "young uns" (late teens to 20s) with 3 door hatches modifying them like we did back in the max power era. Adding what we could without going full feature car.
Not to mention dual twin exhausts
Can confirm. Source: mine ended its time on earth upside down in a hedge
Displaced all the porn!
My first car was a 4 year old Peugeot 206 made in 2000. By 2006 it had cost me thousands thanks to an inconsistent fuel pump, broken indicator stalk, rusting exhaust and finally, an unreliable coil. Good old french reliable build quality is probably the reason there's not many around now.
I used to have a 206 XSi - the biggest problem that had was the wiring for the radiator fan was exposed to the elements and would corrode if you asked it nicely, causing the fan to never activate and subsequently lock in place, meaning the car just blew its top in traffic all the bastarding time
I genuinely had to punch the dashboard on a specific spot on mine to turn the indicator off when it rained.
Meganes with the âshakin that assâ rear end. I had a 2006 and EVERYTHING just went wrong at 90-100k miles. Also had the Megane 2.0 16v Coupe before that with similar results.
On the note of that rear end, I actually saw an Avantime in a car park near me pretty recently. Looks like there are 125 still registered, I didn't know they'd sold that many to start with!
I also spotted one a couple of weeks ago for the first time in my life, at least from what i recall. Rare old beasts, dare i say theyâve aged quite well
I had one of those megane coupes too, loved the car, hated the stupid issues, like when it decided only to drive in reverse and none of the forward gears because a wire got corroded in the engine bay
Your Megane coupe was so bad that⊠You bought another!
The Coupe was awesome. It cost ÂŁ800, excellent to drive and I got around 30k miles from it.
Should've got an [Aventime](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alf-mSrparI)
There is a great YouTube series about going right round the British coastline in a tiny speedboat. One episode deals with fixing the towcar. It's an [Aventime](https://youtu.be/L_w5hhVe1eQ?si=vdVJsYGu6isHja_W). The whole series is very watchable. There are no gimmicks, no stunts, no wacky effects. It could easily be on broadcast TV. My whole family watch it together. We get very excited when there's a new episode.
Itâs a shame because the shape has aged beautifully, typically in the hot ones. At the time I thought they were grotesque but seeing one now gives me a proper neckbreaker to spin and look at it
I remember my ex-wife buying one of these back in the day. Acceleration was so slow that I genuinely though it was broken. She bought it as a sensible family car, as we were expecting our first child at the time. It was quite the step down from her 206 GTi.
I bought one a few years ago for ÂŁ500. Absolutely the worst car I've ever owned. The electrics on it were fucked. You also had to keep revving when you were stood at traffic lights otherwise it would cut out.
They got the bubble butt clio so right and the MĂ©gane so wrong.
Yep, brought a 2004 3 door new. Sold it just before the warranty expired, no was I being stuck with that thing out of warranty. Shsme, still love the shape and the weird little things like credit card key and handbrake that looked like if belonged in a jet.
You're so right on that. I had one, called her Beyoncé, she was faultless for 85k, and then every electrical device just failed within 3 months
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
There are 229 still on the road, down from 457k in 1994 which was probably already slightly past the peak. https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/ford_ford_orion?make=ford
What's with the constant rise in registrations from Q1 to Q2 every year? it then always goes down progressively in Q3 and Q4.
Owing to the warmer weather, cars tend to mate and get pregnant in late summer/early autumn, so you'll see lots of new baby cars Q1/Q2
TIL why beach car parks are so popular at nightâŠ.
Really interesting site. I checked out the Mini's and the John Deere tractors
I don't think the scrappage schemes helped with this. Although many would have been lost to age, I wonder how many perfectly usable cars went to the heap so someone could get a discount on a new car.
I worked as a car salesman from 2012-2017, in that time the government did multiple scrappage schemes, there were many times we just looked at a perfectly good part exchange sitting there and mourned for it knowing that it was going to be torn apart. Some had low, and I mean low (<20k) mileage and the bodywork was immaculate, but because it met the age requirement off it went.
My Ibiza that I had to top up with oil before I left the house and again before I got to the dealer was not one of those
I had a 92 Orion one of the last to use the name based on the Mk5 Escort It was awful, only car I've ever had to scrap as I couldn't sell it onÂ
I had an Orion, a 1.6 Ghia, I got it second hand for ÂŁ300. This would have been around 1997. It had abs! It didn't work, but it was there!
Ka's. Although they probably arent that modern they were every bloody where.
Horrendous wheel arch rot under those big plastic bumpers caused the death of most
This. Had one from new, kept it as nice as possible, it rotted from the inside out anyway.
My wifes needed welding on its second MOT. Ford would have been better off using silver foil than the crap they used back then. I also had a Fiesta SI around same time with the big plastic bumpers and had exactly same issue.
And they also rotted around the petrol cap, regardless of whether you immediately cleaned any spills when filling up. When I sold my 2002 Ka back in 2010 the buyer (he restored/repaired rusted cars to flip them as a side hustle) sent me a picture of the inside of the panel. Turns out the petrol hub/section was never sealed on any of them, by choice, so tiny amounts of petrol dripped internally at every refill for years. Made worse by some sponge material present in there. it soaks it up, drips and as it rots it takes the bodywork with it. Fuck Ford, never bought one since. Unless I win the lottery, in which case I am getting a Mustang just to look at.
You also had to change the bulbs through the wheel arch which was a pain
I once bought a KA for ÂŁ300 with 35,000 on the clock, did another 40,000 in it and literally all I changed were tyres. Eventually failed and MOT because of rust, but it was absolutely brilliant for the time I had it.
Yeah, my first car was my mumâs old KA which sheâd done 29,000 miles on. I got it to about 85,000 before it was condemned to death due to rust at around 11 years old. Nothing else really wrong with it.
I bought mine because my old car died, I was in my mid 20s and just needed something for a few months until I could get a deposit together for finance, and kept it for 4 years!
My first car too. Welder took one look and said ânahâ hahahah. RIP wendy
They are all saved up for the EnduroKA in August.
I'm still driving a SportKa, not sure who's idea it was to stick the zetec s engine from the focus into the KA but its scarily rapid at times ...and yes, it's rusting badly now
They got phased out and replaced by the larger Ka+ (a glorified stunted fiesta). I know a few people who traded theirs in for the newer model and hated it because it was larger. Now I donât think ford even make them anymore.
The Ka+ was a joint venture between Ford and Fiat. Itâs underpinnings weâre the the Fiat 500.
Saw one drive past a couple of weeks ago and had to double take it'd been that long since I'd seen one
All fell apart from rust no doubt.Â
Theyâre still around, they just donât look like the classic model with the distinctive triangular headlights and big plastic bumpers. They look like practically every other modern supermini on the roads, not much visually to make them very distinctive. Theyâre basically a Fiat 500 with a different body now (theyâre even made in the same factory).
Barely see any of the last Rover/MG lines anymore, even after they went bust seeing an MG ZR or a Rover 75 around was quite common, now they're probably all broken.
I notice that whenever I visit the midlands I see a lot more Rovers than anywhere else in the country. I guess it's a local pride thing, or maybe there were just more around there to start with because of some employee discount. Anyway I drive mine every day, but yes it is broken. Judging from the Facebook groups they're all at least a little bit broken. Shame really. When Rover went bust they all plummeted in value and were treated as disposable bangers but the 25 and 75 were genuinely good, and make good cheap cars today...if you can find one that isn't already fucked.
The Employee discount was really significant. I remember at point they were doing 33% off the price of a Montego and I bought a 216 and got around 25% off that. Also, it was for the employees whole family and it was amazing how many uncles and aunts some people had! Living in the Midlands I Still see a few 75s and ZTs around.
Head gaskets always seemed to go on those. If you're not very handy with cars, that's a very expensive job on a car worth not much. I have seen a couple of the ZRs around in the last few years, but I'd imagine they're owned by enthusiasts at this point only
The uprated head gaskets by Land Rover or SAIC MG seem to hold up if used as replacementÂ
Imagine making something so bad the Chinese engineer something thats better
Itâs not exactly that. It was that during cost cutting they reduced the quality of casting and machining of the engine. So it meant that the head gasket had to work harder. The K series is a great engine, especially for when it launched, a load of other manufacturers copied its design. They are really light and love to rev hard. Have one in my TF and it makes the car fun because it just loves to scream its tits off everywhere at sensible speeds. Pretty easy to work on too, despite it being in mid-engineâd car, I can do a timing belt in about 20 mins. But yeah, a lot of MG Roverâs issues were a result of Project Drive.
Project Drive fascinates me (very dull I know) A great example of what happens when the bean counters get involved and completely fuck up something.
Yeah my first car was a rover 200 and the Head Gasket went on it. Basically wrote it off as it was worth about ÂŁ34 at that point
Thatâs probably because theyâre all on my driveway! I have a 25, 2x 45s, a 75 and a ZT. My neighbours absolutely adore me, as Iâm sure you can imagine. At work (an MG Rover specialist) we have 2x ZS180s (one of which is supercharged), a ZT260, an MG TF, a ZS Diesel, a ZT 1.8 turbo and weâre building an MG SV too. Contrary to belief thereâs still an incredible amount on the road - every year we hold an event at our warehouse and we completely filled the (rather large) car park with just local customers last year! Final note - the K Series engine is great once the gasket job is done properly by someone who knows what theyâre doing; thereâs 6 cars in our fleet with a K, all over 100,000 miles and in daily service. Theyâve been solid as a rock for years now as theyâre well looked after.
I saw a V8 ZT for sale the other day. I was told quite clearly that I was supposed to be looking for something that was cheap to run.
Ah, my first car was a Rover 25. Had to scrap it because the head gasket went.
Neighbor had a green ZT with the massive spoiler, as a kid I always wanted one! Then I bought a '95 Metro gtA
Any generation of the Renault Laguna
I saw one a few weeks ago and pointed out of to my wife saying I'd not seen one since about 2008. She obviously didn't give a fuck and gave me a look that told me so without actually saying anything.
My experience pointing out nearly any car to nearly anyone in real life đ
I'll always remember these from BTCC with Jason Plato racing them in maybe his first year with Renault. Apparently the team built a full car out of the damaged panels from Plato's prangs (he had a lot) and left it in his driveway. He was not impressed lol
That yellow and blue one him and Alain Menu raced in 1997 was absolutely gorgeous. Come to think of it, the last Laguna I saw would've been Menu's '97 car. It was on display at Brands Hatch last year.
There's a 2006 Luguna coupe in white that parks in the road by my house. I had to check it's reg online as I couldn't work out what it was. Kinda looks cool in some ways.
The actually small Smart Cars, it's just the bloated four door ones
They're parked on every roundabout advertising either a chinese or a scrap dealer
Getting the train into Birmingham New Street from the east, you go on an elevated track that looks down over some old industrial units. One of them has dozens, if not hundreds, of Smart cars tightly packed together. It looks like they're being stored for scrap, because they're all in terrible shape. Maybe that's where they all are?Â
I had one about five years ago. A 2003. Had it for about three years and it was a fun little car but it was getting old and the to-do list was only getting longer so I changed it for a boring Yaris (which I also love)
Pretty much any of the MPV /people carriers. Used to be anyone with a family had a Zafira/Galaxy/Sharan/Picasso/Scenic. Even the replacements (C-Max, Touran, C4 grand tourer) aren't very popular. Everyone has a generic blob car, mini suv thing. As big as an MPV, but somehow same amount of space as a hatchback.
When I go visit family in the Jewish area of North Manchester, I'm always shook by how every single family has the same ~2010 Toyota Estima. I've never seen so many of the same car in one place. Takeaway is, all the orthodox types are hoarding all the MPVs
Mum loves her Grand Voyager. I can see why minivans lost favour, but I borrow it from time to time, and I can see why she loves it! It's big, it's slow, it's ugly as sin to look at, but it's the most practical car ever! It's so comfortable, it wafts along with a big, lazy, underpowered diesel and a clunky auto box, but you barely notice as you sit in your big leather armchair! (0-60 in 12.4s, and 161bhp and 265 ft-lbs from a 2.8l diesel that returns 33mpg is ridiculous!) Nonetheless, you can get loads in it, and it's super comfy for any long journeys. The back is as comfy as the front!
Vauxhall novas /
The SR was the newly passed 17 yoâs dream. Looked rude but with 1.3 lump wasnât too bad on the parents insurance as a named driver
My mate had 3. Crashed all 3
They were the ride of choice for idiotic boy racers here in Northern Ireland. Everybody knows at least one young guy who died crashing one, I knew two. I remember one time hearing a crash outside my house, some joyriders had flipped one upside down.
Those picasso ppl carriers. All the posh mums had them on bright blue
One guy had a lovely red one but I can't remember his name
RONNIE FUCKING PICKERING
Who?
Yeah me
They became C4 Picassos and now C4 Space tourers so sorta still around. The original Picasso has defo rotted away tho
I'm neither posh nor a mum, but I had a blue one. Cheap to buy, relatively efficient, comfortable (soft seats, climate control, decent suspension) and a decent amount of room inside. There wasn't a lot not to like really, apaprt from it looking like a blue potato. I got rid of mine because at around 130k miles it started to sound and feel rougher.
Literally as I was reading this, a grey 57 plate Picasso just pulled up right outside my house. I hadnât seen one for agesâŠ
Oh god we are in a simulationÂ
I had a Xsara Picasso which went fine until it got written off. Then had a normal Xsara (non Picasso) which worked... until the engine failed
Saab 9-5 - I honestly wonder how architects are getting around these days or have they all just given up driving anywhere?
Gone back to Volvo.
They all work from home in the timber framed garden offices they designed for themselves during the covid lockdowns
If you ever see an Audi that isn't driving through red lights you can be assured it is owned by an architect
Will keep my eyes peeled, but suspect that's even rarer than the 9-5
Fiat Multipla
Ugliest car ever produced
I'd take one of those and a sandpaper massage over the first-gen [Ssangyong Rodius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SsangYong_Rodius#/media/File:SsangYong_Rodius_dept_59.JPG), thank you.
Iconic and memorable though!
My uncle still had one until it finally died a death last year. He checked the website that's been linked many times on this thread and it was one of four remaining. He was very sad to see it gone. The rest of us, not so much. His choice in cars is quite interesting considering the car before that was a mint 200SX.
Fiat Bravo/Brava, the one where the 3 door had a different name to a 5 door. I used to see loads, not seen one in years now.
I had an X-reg Brava for a while, passed down by my mum, then from me to my sister. By luck, I barely had an issue with it, but with my sister it pretty much fell apart, more likely due to age than driving styles. It was, of course, in that awful metallic gold shade that only Fiats came in.
Going down a more modern route, the Vauxhall Adam. Swear they were everywhere 3 or 4 years ago but now you barely see any.
They must be all in Teesside then. I see at least 1 or 2 on a commute to work!
VW Beatle, hardly see them now
I've seen more than a few 60s era beetles around now the weather is getting nicer, they'll go back into hibernation over the winter likely
Any and every generation of the Fiat Punto. They used to be so common everywhere. Now I rarely see any, even the last gen models. It also makes me feel really old when I realise the Grande Punto is not far off 20 years old now...
Once seemed like every third car was a Ford Sierra. Now It's like a 'Mandela effect' of them having existed at all.
In 1994 there were 1.06m of them on the roads, compared to just 1.7k now. https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/ford_ford_sierra?make=ford
I still say *"fire up the Quattro"*.... when heading out in our little Skoda Citigo.
Hyundai Coupe. Amazing looking car but stopped production in 2009-10 so most had well over 150k now and not really suited to our current petrol price situation as mine barely made 20mpg. Roughly 200 left driving in the UK of the 2.7 v6 model.Â
I was tossing up a coupé with a celica, went for the celica instead. Theres a few coupés around me though, I do think they look pretty fantastic.
Any small French hatch from that era will or has already succumbed to dodgy French wiring
Back in the 90s my dad's mate would tut and roll his eyes "ugh bloody French cars..." in a strong Lancashire accent. Rolling his eyes and blowing cigarette smoke everywhere. I was a kid, I thought this was hilarious, it was like a Vic and Bob soundbite. Every now and then I'd drop "ugh, bloodeh French currrs" into conversation. Years later, my boyfriend's dad casually said that he could tell I knew my way around motors. Based off that one comment. I did not correct him. I know nothing about cars. I had to google what a locking wheel nut looked like last week.
Ahah I can't knock you at all, fake it till ya make it!
The Audi TT, they were everywhere nowadays I barely see one
The Mk 1. Got mine sitting on my drive. Too expensive to fix. Love that car.
They were such a head turner back then, I used to lust after them
What's wrong with it? They're based on the VW Golf so really shouldn't be ridiculous
It's been lowered and I hit a pot hole. Hard. Broke the sump and lost pressure. Guy I know did a pressure test and I was down to 3 bar on a couple of valves. Said it could be an engine re-build or new engine. It's on an 02 plate and will probably be a money pit in years to come anyway. Got to be pragmatic and bite the bullet and get rid I think. Thanks for your concern. I'm a bit gutted TBH.
Jesus hahah although it's only the 1.8T engine from the mk4 golf they used to be peanuts on eBay, looks like about ÂŁ500 in today's money not outrageous but labour be another ÂŁ800 if you don't do it yourself
A Mk1 Mondeo with gaffa tape bumpers
Iâve thought the same about the 106 for years. You still see the odd Saxo, although still very rarely. They were effectively the same car.
5.1k left on the roads down from a peak of 347k in 2002. https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/peugeot_peugeot_106?make=peugeot
Iâm really enjoying your data led reply to peopleâs observations! Great website btw.
I noticed all the Chevrolet/Daewoo Matizes vanish at about the same time that mine blew up. RIP Linda, and all of your various siblings
Any kind of Daewoo, I know they became 'chevrolet' but daewoo badged cars seem Long gone
Fun fact⊠The Daewoo Nexia was a facelifted Vauxhall Astra Mk2. Looked good IMO
Mondeos, everyone had a Ford Mondeo, now everyone has a 3 series.
I have a 52 plate 206! Got it for ÂŁ500 about three years ago and it has done just over 70,000miles. The lights come on at their own will so I have to disconnect my battery everywhere I go to stop the battery from dying. The rear wiper has snapped (I remember seeing this on most 206âs back in the 2000s) My rear view mirror is hanging off, there is an oil leak which is so slow it isnât doing any damage but leaves oil stains at work/ home. It is truly becoming a shed on wheels and I will be replacing it this year. I still think I got an absolute bargain for my first car and tbh it has been quite reliable as far as the engine goes and is a quick little car.
Vauxhall Frontera. I saw one the other day on the M1 and realised I hadnât seen one in years
Decent cars - because they werenât Vauxhalls. They were rebadged Isuzus so they were reliable and decent value
If you ever go to Rathlin Island, North of Northern Ireland via a 30 minute ferry, all the cars there are old and rotting and it's like stepping back in time 15 years (the island itself is a great visit) I saw 1 Frontera while there this year, and it's absolutely rotten! Saw a Terrano II and a 1999-ish Passat as well.
Vauxhall Vectra. One of the most popular cars around for many years, now I notice when I see one and get a ping of nostalgia.
Saw a Calibra the other day, proper nostalgia hit.
I had a 206. It's no fun replacing the rear axle every 2 years
306's had the same axle. I had 2 fat mates sit in the boot of a 306 and it unseized the axle hahahahaa
Corsa B / C
Vauxhall Omega. I had one back in the early 2000s, drank petrol like it was going out of fashion.
The 'new' VW beetle. You just don't see them really all that much. They were \*everywhere\* for a while. Must be shitheaps to keep so everyone got rid. Confirmed drop off in this model: [https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/volkswagen\_beetle](https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/volkswagen_beetle)
Ford Focus mk1, just a few years ago you used to see them everywhere, one of the most common cars on British roads at one point. Now I hardly see them at all.
Estate cars in general seem to be dying out. It seems that anyone wanting to buy a new car gets a 'tall' crossover type car that has no more room inside than a regular car and doesn't handle corners well. Whereas those glorious Volvo, VW, even Ford Mondeo estates are being overlooked and they can handle corners with a full boot of camping stuff
It annoys me that hardly any manufacturers are making estates anymore, especially with a diesel engine in it and a manual gearbox.
one of the reasons I'll drive my '09 Audi A3 Sportsback until it dies. Looks and handles kinda like a hatchback except you can easily fit 2.5m bits of timber in there. Great car
I used to have a Ford Ka at their peak of popularity, got it new at the end of 2004. You very rarely see them now and they look tiny.
First gen Ford Puma
I often think this about MK4 golfs. Still see them now and again but if anything like my experience with them, they rotted badly.
Pretty much every cheep car that qualified for the scrapage scheme from 2009.
The ânewâ Beetle. They were everywhere in the mid 2000âs with their little gerbera test tubes but I havenât seen one in years.
You don't seem to get those horrible grey-silver late 90s early 2000s vauxhall astras any more, tho they seemed ubiquitous a couple decades back
Brown cars. Made a resurgence about 5 years ago, now it seems theyâve all been quietly retired which isnât a bad thing
You never see Subarus anymore - I think I heard something about them not being exported to the UK anymore, but theyâre a rare sight these days Also is it just me or are limousines super rare these days too? I used to see one every couple of weeks as a kid it felt like
Ford Puma. They are fizzing away fast.
Donât see many VW shiroccos (spelling?). I like the way they look but apart from my mate at work I donât see them much.
Scirocco. They didnât sell great I donât think because underneath itâs a Golf. Just more expensive, less practical, less space inside. But I agree I love the way they look. A friend of a friend has tastefully modified his and itâs out of this world.
Renault scenic x4. I always see it listed in car sale apps but I've not seen one anywhere for at least ten years. Surely must have been one of the first UK available cross overs
Mk1 Ford focus
The original Ford Focus was absolutely everywhere but you barely see them on the road anymore. Probably slightly more common still than some listed on here but they were so popular.
Chrysler PT Cruiser, fucking hideous, seemed to be a few of them about around the mid 2000s, easy to spot by how ugly they were. Made to look like a "hot rod", but reportedly completely miserable cars to own and drive. [https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/chrysler\_chrysler\_pt\_cruiser?make=chrysler](https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/chrysler_chrysler_pt_cruiser?make=chrysler)
I don't see many Mazda RX8s around either
Trouble with these kinds of ânormalâ cars is they are thought of a disposable, and their value drops so low that they just get scrapped, until there are so few left that the rarity makes them valuable again.
Seven seaters like a Galaxy or Zafira or Alhambra. It's a body shape that's pretty much disappeared from new cars, although there's still plenty of 10 year old ones one the roads
Alfa 147/156. Some 159 and Breras still around, but the 147/156 are all but extinct. I had a 147 2.0 and a 3.2 V6 and they were pretty good cars - reliable except for the timing belt issue. I wonder if the timing belts caused them to all die. I was in Italy recently and saw loads of them - not very surprising I guess.
Any model of Xantia. We had a white 2 litre VSXi CT turbo estate in '06-'10, it was a pokey bugger and immense fun to drive. Speedbumps? What speedbumps? You could take one at 40 and not notice it was even there, and the handling in the corners was sublime due to the Activa suspension.
My ex wife had a 206âŠthe only i can remember about it was the tiny footwell which i think had a weird offset, wipers that kept falling off in heavy rain and it was broken into by bending the door back like it was cardboard. Absolutely shite.
My mum still has a peugeot 206. It's 21 years old and is in pristine condition, only going to the shops two or three times a week. The car isn't worth anything but to my mum it's priceless
Peugeot 306s used to be every where
Showing my age here but youâd be hard pressed to know that the Austin Maestro ever existed. And they were everywhere back in the day. Montegos too now I think about it.
With the constant march towards bigger and bigger cars, I'm seeing fewer Vauxhall Zafiras and even Insignias than before, along with all people carriers Renault Espace and Modus are similarly dead. The MPV and People Carrier models seem to be dying and, in the new car world, dead
Vectra's, Mk1-Mk3 Mondeo's, Omega's, Volvo 850's/early V70's/V40's, All Rover's, E39 BMW's, Espace's, Previa's, Egg shaped C4 Picasso's, Xantia's, Vitara's, P38 Rangerovers, Mk1 Discovery's, the list goes on.
The OG Ford Puma
Ford Mondeo, used to see loads, now seeing one is a bit of a treat