My best car is I’ve owned (I’ve only owned 2) remains my Vauxhall Astra old shape. It is extremely reliable, gives a reasonable turn of speed and is decent as a runabout. I am about to buy a motorbike for when I want to go fast…

It was an E36 BMW Compact 316i from 1996 with creme cloth interior, two airbags and CD changer, alloy wheels. My partner could never forgive me, which I think is stupid, considering that nobody got killed or suffered life-threatening injuries. After all, it was just a car… or was it?

The Compact was largely based on one of the sexiest looking mainstream cars, the E30 3 series BMW from the 1980′s. It had a fantastically balanced chassis. The 1.6 liter engine was not powerful at all, but that didn’t matter with this machine. The original music system sounded like a serious unit and every single moment of driving was a joy. The interior was elegant but simple, comfortable and practical. The car even had a climate control.

We purchased it for £3100. After a month of being totaled, the insurance company offered around £1800 as a settlement, which we promptly rejected. Their second offer was £3000. I was relieved, especially, as a day after the accident I removed the stereo, CD changer, bits of trims, carpets. I think I was still under shock and I just wanted to salvage as much as possible. That was in 2005 and I’m still keeping those bits in the hope that one day I would be using them in another.

Then the car had 54.000 miles on the clock. Today, it would be around 100-130.000 and would be worth around £1500, considering that we meticulously maintain our cars and get them serviced by main dealers. If I had that car today, I would probably try to keep it as long as it falls to pieces. For years, I have been looking for a similar car, but the two airbags and the climate control were not common until 1998. There is a 140 bhp version, the 318ti. That’s the one I really want now. I just cannot find any that’s worth buying and keeping. Meanwhile, prices dropped and for not a lot more, one can get 6 airbags and a more beautiful shape in the E46 estates and coupes.

Since the accident, we had a Subaru Impreza estate (1998, 2.0, 16v, AWD), a Mark 4 Golf (the dullest of the lot), two E46 BMW 318i Tourings (both fantastic, enjoyable and practical cars but very heavy and not as much fun) and now my partner wants the newer Compact, whilst I drive a 1983 SL 280 Mercedes roadster. Still, none of these cars gave me such an enjoyment as that simple, little Compact. Perhaps, it was partly the fact that we didn’t have to spend anything on it, apart from the usual Bosch wiper blade set. Or the eye-opening experience of getting out from a Renault Megane turbo-diesel, which, although thoroughly practical and economical, one day started to produce the most extraordinary annoyances that made it obvious that it had to go. Also, while having both the Megane and the BMW, the Renault was as fun to drive as driving a table or a truck, compared to the BMW.

In summary, if you have a smallish budget and want to buy an enjoyable and practical little car, test-drive a Compact, it is worthy of consideration. I wouldn’t spend several thousands on newer cars and these older examples show how overrated and complicated newer cars can be.

My friend had an old Astra, and is now salivating over the new one. Here’s a video that ‘leaks’ it: http://motoring.sky.com/news/new-2010-vauxhall-astra-caught-on-video.aspx

Classic sportscar looks and roars like a Norse god who’s just broken his favourite hammer. Being the wheel everything is heavy and clunky and connected to the car by rods and cables. The chassis feels raw and unrefined but you become a part of the car. This cars imperfections make it perfect

There are more refined cars and faster cars and many more sensible cars but nothing feels the same as an open top car that was designed to be a sports car and nothing else. I’ve driven Porches, BMW’s, jaguars and Ferrari’s and the only thing that came even close to the experience was a Ferrari 360 spider and even that felt a tiny bit clinical and lacked the smile factor of the TVR. Seriously if you have never driven one go for a test drive and it will change your world it is a completely alien experience.
Bought for £14000 and you’ll have to pry the keys out of my cold dead hand
Cool cars are now seen as being things like Audi’s and BMW’s and all other manufacturers of reliable cars but since when is having something sensible “cool” sportscars should be a bit wild and untamed Manufacturers are feeding us a seemingly endless string of dull and soulless cars. You can buy a chimera with 40,000 miles for less than the price of a new ford fiesta. Just something to consider.