company cars from the 80s

[Dieselman]

Soon after Ford introduced the 1.8 Sierra with 90bhp.

At no extra cost over a 1.6...

I opted for the 1.8 litre upgrade.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Nobody has mentioned the Austin Princess, the one shaped like a wedge of cheese. Quite popular in the late 70's early 80's

Sorry, more marque nerdiness: it was ony called the Austin Princesss in the New Zealand market. It was just the Princess here - a marque of its own created following the mid-1970s (post-Ryder Report) decision to abandon the policy of having separately-badged versions of each model. So it was bye bye to the recently introduced Austin, Morris and Wolseley versions (they never got round to MG and Vanden Plas versions), and hello Princess. Only British Leyland could have tackled marque rationalization by introducing yet another marque...

 

[Piff]

Not at all. In fact these were the first brand new cars that I had that went for more than two weeks without a failure. Even the Honda had ABS and heater control issues straight away.
The first XM was an early car and had a few issues, sticky front height corrector linkage and a main feed pipe LHM leak, would occasionally select sport mode suspension for no reason, and a failed wheel bearing, other wise no problems.

The second one had no problems at all from start to finish.

The Cavalier had the indicators fail, a front damper fail and misfiring in the first two weeks.
The misfiring and heavy oil consumption turned out to be the piston/rings, which blew in fine style 3 months and many dealer visits later.
The Sierra had a few moments with things, the biggest being gearbox failure as the clutch auto adjuster kept releasing the pedal part way through changes.

But the crowning glory goes to the Volvo...God that car was unreliable. It broke down completely twice in the first two weeks and just continued like that forever more until getting shot at 16 months old.
It was so bad I was given a 460 to drive pre launch.



XM are great cars.
The styling is very different, general quality is great, the seat comfort is as good as a W221 S class, the ride is supple, but the handling is pin sharp.

I take mine out for a blast all the time just for fun. Being early models they are not as NVH insulated as a modern high level car, but the feedback is much better. Last w/e I drove a late V6 and it was very refined, yet still handled very well indeed.
I bet I could have been quicker than you down the twisty lanes on the LOMP.

Everyone who's never had an XM loathes them, everyone who's had one loves them.

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I bought an XM J reg - great car. Had a couple of electrical issues with replacement parts around £100 each from main dealer.
Superb car though. Drove back from the French/Spanish border after a holiday, in no particular hurry. Arrived at Paris where we intended to stay the night but realised we were only about 3 hrs from Calais so continued & caught an earlier ferry. This is with 2 young children in the car. No stress. Extreemly capable car.

 

[Dieselman]

Sorry, more marque nerdiness: it was ony called the Austin Princesss in the New Zealand market. It was just the Princess here - a marque of its own created following the mid-1970s (post-Ryder Report) decision to abandon the policy of having separately-badged versions of each model. So it was bye bye to the recently introduced Austin, Morris and Wolseley versions (they never got round to MG and Vanden Plas versions), and hello Princess.

Do you mean they were originally designated as multi brands and that stopped, or were never designated as such.


Wolseley Princess.

Again, it's a shame it was badly executed, because the concept was good. Sort of Austin 1800 meets Aston Martin Lagonda.

 

[BruLan]

I had a Maestro Vanden Plas as a personal car ... the talking dash was a bit gimmicky but apart from that it was excellent.

Regrettably (????????)
Mine never had the Talking Dash
I wonder if any still exist as I recall none of my BL Cars gave any problems would like to see some looked after in later life

 

[MOCAŠ]

Do you mean they were originally designated as multi brands and that stopped, or were never designated as such.

The car was the replacement for the so-called 'Landcrab', so like its predecessor, it was launched with three versions (as shown in your picture), named Austin 1800/2200, Morris 1800/2200 and Wolseley 2200. Six months later, the Wolseley marque was scrapped and the Austin and Morris versions were replaced with the single Princess model, a marque in its own right.

 

[Dieselman]

The car was the replacement for the so-called 'Landcrab', so like its predecessor, it was launched with three versions (as shown in your picture), named Austin 1800/2200, Morris 1800/2200 and Wolseley 2200. Six months later, the Wolseley marque was scrapped and the Austin and Morris versions were replaced with the single Princess model, a marque in its own right.

You're really a 14 year old that is into cars, aren't you?

 

[MOCAŠ]

You're really a 14 year old that is into cars, aren't you?

I was once...

 

[Charles Morgan]

You're really a 14 year old trainspotter that is into cars, aren't you?

Fixed that for you.

 

[gIzzE]

I didn't think ford produced the 2.8i capri in orange.

Not a clue, I don't remember it at all, that was what he said. I will ask him next week.
Mind you, he is colour blind, however I don't think he would ever confuse black with orange!

 

[tali]

Regrettably (????????)
Mine never had the Talking Dash
I wonder if any still exist as I recall none of my BL Cars gave any problems would like to see some looked after in later life

The talking dash stopped from early B reg

Isn't this Sunburst Red.?..better known as Red Oxide.

Not a clue, I don't remember it at all, that was what he said. I will ask him next week.
Mind you, he is colour blind, however I don't think he would ever confuse black with orange!

Afaik it's Cardinal Red

 

[gIzzE]

Mum said she thought it was red, and not even an orange red, more a blue red if that makes senses?

It was probably Jewish Racing Gold or Dog ****e Brown!!

There are no photos as he only had a it a day!

 

[Dieselman]

Was it this one. Looks more Blue to me.

 

[BTB 500]

The talking dash stopped from early B reg

My Maestro VDP was an 85/C and had it ...

 

[del320]

The car was the replacement for the so-called 'Landcrab', so like its predecessor, it was launched with three versions (as shown in your picture), named Austin 1800/2200, Morris 1800/2200 and Wolseley 2200. Six months later, the Wolseley marque was scrapped and the Austin and Morris versions were replaced with the single Princess model, a marque in its own right.

MOCAŠ, you really should have completed your dissertation by reporting that the Austin name was revived for the Ambassador for the final two year hurrah.

For BL, this must rank as one of their most ambitious facelifts which, sadly, yielded fewer than 440,000 sales. Apart from the front door skins, all new panelling attempted to create a car that the Princess should have been from the outset.

Trouble was, cost-cutting pus continuing labour unrest just hammered more nails into BL's coffin. It could have been a great car - indeed CAR magazine gave it a favourable review in a comparative test with the SD1 - but, hey-ho, apart from the half dozen or so remaining owner - who cares!

qv Thatcher thread...

*Note the swage line - remind you of any current MB models?

 

[MOCAŠ]

MOCAŠ, you really should have completed your dissertation by reporting that the Austin name was revived for the Ambassador for the final two year hurrah.

Yes, perhaps the only instance of a car undergoing a sex change along with its facelift (given that ambassadors tended to be male).

 

[gIzzE]

Was it this one. Looks more Blue to me.

No, I think she meant the red had a blue hue to it rather than orange.

 

[Dieselman]

No, I think she meant the red had a blue hue to it rather than orange.

I meant no wheels.

 

[Palfrem]

The car was the replacement for the so-called 'Landcrab', so like its predecessor, it was launched with three versions (as shown in your picture), named Austin 1800/2200, Morris 1800/2200 and Wolseley 2200. Six months later, the Wolseley marque was scrapped and the Austin and Morris versions were replaced with the single Princess model, a marque in its own right.

Drink in the splendour from yesterday in Brum

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Drink in the splendour from yesterday in Brum

My grandad had the Morris 1800 in the same maroon colour as the Wolsey closest to the camera, and when he died my parents inherited it. I would have been 4 years old at the time, and I think we had it for close to 20 years. I learned to drive in it too. Wonderful car.