480's and how many other cars?

Ral · Post by **Ral** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:24 pm

<whinge>
Just wondering, what with the number of people posting here regularly about their 15million gazillion 480's (not that I'm jealouse or anything) and their other three models they drive over the weekends, and hibernating the main 480 for the crappy weather season:

How many of you actually have the 480 as your one and only and thus main car?

It's been snowing around where I am, and since I live fairly out there in the sticks, there's quite a bit of road where it's not been salted at all, then I get to a quite bit where there's salt sort of solved into a giant McSnowslush and then I get to a proper bit of road where it just looks wet. But by that time I'm almost at work. And for all that, I'd like to put my car away for a bit, especially since it has a bit of rust at the rear wheel arches already, but I can't. Which is why I feel for you Dan.

mutter.

</whinge>

clubman_dan · Post by **clubman_dan** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:53 pm

i use mine as my daily driver. i hate the winter, i think because i have owned minis in the past and they seem to rust even when its the summer!
i just jet wash the arches out every now and again. and make sure its well cleaned and polished, regularly to stop the salt sitting against the bodywork too long

hjkort · Post by **hjkort** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:16 pm

Rebuilding mine to be a daily driver, but for the moment I have 3 cars.
One to get around (old banger of a Colt)
An old 340 wich needs a little welding before it's MOT (going to be used as a daily ride and then get git of that awful Colt)

1900sr · Post by **1900sr** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:42 pm

Although we currently have 8 cars, Jayne's 480 is her daily drive (although not at the moment, as we're in the process of sorting the new aquisition out for her). The toys for us are the Opels.

NV&Pvaleting · Post by **NV&Pvaleting** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:57 pm

Mine is used as a work car for window cleaning, and as a leisure car at the weekends, after some serious elbow grease every Friday night.
I had no option but to press it into service as I wouldn't like to drive anything else and I must earn a living.
That said the car is immaculate, and has individual seat covers to protect the full leather, and rubber mats that can be easily removed come the clean up.
The car is fitted with a roof rack that takes up to 4 long ladders and the boot is large enough to take all the materials we need.
I am proud to say that after 6 months of working day in day out with this car, it has only one minor scratch on the bumper caused by a careless neighbor.
The roof being very low aids the access to ladders and saves my back. It is reliable now but it wasn't always the case as can be testified by the bill for a new gearbox, new clutch and complete 2.0 engine plus fitting totaling just over a grand. After coming this far I'm not giving up on the car now, we will earn our keep together.

Sander · Post by **Sander** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:29 pm

I have only 1 car, my 480. Never had any problems with it (yet

) but that's probably because of the low milage

(it hit 55.555km 2 days ago

, bought it with 34.000km from the owner of a Volvo dealership but had to sell it when they got kids and it turned out you can't put child seats in the rear)

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:06 pm

Mine is a daily driver....122k on the clock and counting!! I live out in the sticks so I have a real head ache with all the mud on the roads from the tractors, along with the salt

I regularly do the arches and wash her when ever its is dry enough to and the roads aren't too wet for it to be a complete waste of time. She deals with it all very well.
I think a car should be used as much as possible, and of course looked after well to cope with it all. They don't like to sit about, the rot seems to set in sooo quickly when they do. After all, what is a car for??!! Besides, I'd miss driving her to much

Sophie · Post by **Sophie** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:01 pm

My 480 was a daily drive, but has been put away for restoration, to come out for a 1/4mile and a track day, then to be daily drive untill I can rip everything out again and turn her into a proper sunday/special outing car.
Daily drive atm are Citroen AX and MR2.

dave · Post by **dave** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:07 pm

I own too many cars!

Clivo (480 turbo engined clio) Only out in summer
Auto micra for work
Cav Sri
Volvo 940t (Will be getting used for tramp drifting!!)

Just keep collecting them lol

djdc · Post by **djdc** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:20 pm

Mine has been my daily driver for 13 years. But since it refuses to drive more often now I'll change it this year and take my Miata as a daily driver. Maybe I'll keep the 480. I'm not sure yet. My Z1 is driven just in summer.

Big Brother · Post by **Big Brother** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:28 pm

I only used my Celeb for weekends and meetings, as my daily drive I use a 440 TD.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:31 pm

Mine's my daily driver. I have other cars, but at the moment none are up and running: a 1973 Lancia 2000i which has a problem with the electronic injection, a 1958 Lancia Appia Coupe which suffered a blown engine a year ago (but I still won the rally, even though it needed a tow home afterwards!), a 1936 BSA Scout which I rescued last year from an abandoned scrapyard (the car had been there since the early 1960s, so needs a major restoration), and a 1924 Seabrook, which I rescued from a farm back in 1970, and I am still trying to pluck up courage to restore it!
Needless, to say, even when I get one of them back on the road, the 480 will still be my main car.

barnsleyGT · Post by **barnsleyGT** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:43 pm

its my daily driver.

with the child seat in the back for the complete sporty look.....

it works really well tho for my small family (one three year old), boot easily copes with shopping and i dont mind dropping the front seat to get the brat in the back.

future classic my arse...it doesnt want hiding away or for weekends we need to drive them now...before they rust away

dave · Post by **dave** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:00 pm

You think the volvo rusts badly, try having a clio, i dont take it out incase it rust instanty!

barnsleyGT wrote:its my daily driver.

with the child seat in the back for the complete sporty look.....

it works really well tho for my small family (one three year old), boot easily copes with shopping and i dont mind dropping the front seat to get the brat in the back.

future classic my arse...it doesnt want hiding away or for weekends we need to drive them now...before they rust away

Darren · Post by **Darren** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:49 pm

My 'S' is a daily, and it was bought to be a daily...

I drove my (real) Mini until the engine was weak, electrics were non-electrical and the bodywork was holy, so I had to get a replacement, and a 480 was the only thing I could get insured on which I would (personally) drive!

Once my Mini has finished restoration, or should I say, roadworthy again, the plan is to keep the 480 for daily use and the Mini as a weekend toy. But, I must admit.. 4 litre automatic Cherokees are do-able once my insurance is up for renewal later in the year...

If I lived on the mainland, and had the storage, I'd say I'd probably have a little collection of cars too, but the way I look at it, if they arenâ€™t going to get driven, whatâ€™s the point on having them sitting!? (Unless your trying to recreate a Cadillac Graveyard, off course!) No offence, I'm just not much of a perfectionist!

k999ste · Post by **k999ste** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 8:33 am

i have too many cars too golf gti mk 2 (two of) volvo 480 (4 of) pug 309 goodwood, mini sportpack (last ones made) saxo vts (6k on clock) and an s60 2.0t and an s60 r (never goes out unless its nice. but i use my 480 every day

Dan the 480 Man · Post by **Dan the 480 Man** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:38 am

One 480-daily driver! I love driving it, don't see the point keeping it off the road-where's the fun in that??

Dad's Paris only a once a week and occasional trip car-i think he done around 2/3k last year. He'd drive it more if he needed to, but he doesn't...

Just drive the buggers!

Big Brother · Post by **Big Brother** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:09 am

Darren wrote:But, I must admit.. 4 litre automatic Cherokees are do-able once my insurance is up for renewal later in the year...

From what I hear dude the Cherokee has a build quality similar to that of an air fix model, plus its group 20 insurance. Infact I think I read the other day it had the worst feedback from buyers

mininax · Post by **mininax** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:22 am

gotta be daily driver!

I bought my 480 just to tide me through (famous last words)!

if i could afford insurance on 2 cars and a motor home my 480 would be a sunday car!

Only 1 prob
Couldnt imadgin a car with out boost now!

Do mini owners have sumin about 480's?
is the 480 a sophisticated mini! mines much like my mini was with dogjy eletrics and puddles (puddles not exsitent ne more good old silicon!)!

I drove my (real) Mini until the engine was weak, electrics were non-electrical and the bodywork was holy, so I had to get a replacement, and a 480 was the only thing I could get insured on which I would (personally) drive!

Once my Mini has finished restoration, or should I say, roadworthy again, the plan is to keep the 480 for daily use and the Mini as a weekend toy.

@ darren - Once it's finish restoration - ive bin saying that for a yr now

still lookin 4 a turbo engine!

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:51 am

My 480 is my daily driver. I just keep on trundling on! Havent even washed it since I got it haha. I do have an excuse though... I am looking at getting the arches professionally fixed at some point so if they get salty I'm not too bothered