Out with the old, in with the new(er)

[Ed]

Looks great Oli, and I notice its got a VW area code reg plate too (Chelmsford, Essex), same as my car!

Glad you love your Maestro - it looks good and I love thta colour!

Ok, you had an expensive experience with the mini, but nothing is ever wasted! It's all part of life's rich pattern!

[The Professor]

Nice car Oli.
Happy Motoring.

[digital efi]

Mayfairs have a great spec, even if the name is a bit cheesy............I can't imagine many sales reps chose one when they were new!

The earlier ones were even better...............until AR realised that the only reason left to buy a VP was................in fact, was there any reason to spend extra on a VP? I seem to remember the first Mayfairs had wood, electrics and allsorts!

Let's not be too hard on Minis, though. Admittedly from a 21st century perspective they are not particularly practical daily drivers, but several generations grew up driving Minis when they were far superior to many other cars on the road: equivalent Fords had sidevalve engines, three-speed gearboxes and vacuum-operated windscreen wipers that slowed down the faster you drove!

Things have moved on of course, and probably in 10 years time people will be berating Maestros for not having anti-lock brakes, airbags, seatbelt pretensioners and all that stuff.

[Simon]

I quite like Maestro Mayfairs too, as it happens!

[malpas820]

Nice one ,oli,i do like that mate!

Looks nice nick for 20 year old..

Look forward to seeing you at the shows!!

[G51 NAV]

did the guy you sold it to say he was going use it? or was it for spares?

That would be a shame: it was in far better condition than the rusted-out heap I bought in July 07 and only had 29k on the clock. Funny how rare cars somehow end up with totally the wrong people (not always, but I have noticed it). If I'd not already spent an arm and a leg restoring the white and brown shed I bought, it would have been coming up here.

Looks good Oli, glad you've finally got a Maestro on the road!!

How right you are mate.
I just wish i had listened to you (and others) in the first place when i still owned my Maestro EFi.

I spent close to £1700 getting on the road with that Mini, that includes purchase and insurance etc etc etc.

That's £1700 i could have used to get myself insured on the EFi, what a ruddy brilliant car that would have been to motor around in.

Anyhow, you live and learn - but i can quite safely say it was one of the biggest mistakes i have ever made selling that car and choosing the Mini over it.

I never intend on using a Mini daily again, if i get another it will just be a weekend play toy. - Amazing how things change, isn't it? 3 months ago i was absolutely fanatical about Minis... Not anymore....!!!!

Maestros and Montegos all the way. Which i guess can only be a good thing, as i spose it us the "younguns" who will help with the future preservation of these cars.

Thanks for all the positive comments people.

Ray... all being well she should be at many, if not all of the shows this year.

Oli.

speaking of that old Efi i still have the spare keys for it in my possession!

did the guy you sold it to say he was going use it? or was it for spares?

[MaestroTurbo]

I never intend on using a Mini daily again, if i get another it will just be a weekend play toy. - Amazing how things change, isn't it? 3 months ago i was absolutely fanatical about Minis... Not anymore....!!!!



Oli.

I was equally as fanatical about my Mini as you were, at your age. I got my Mini when i was 14 and me and my dad restored it slowly over those years till i was ready to drive at 17. Hours and hours and all my pocket money was put into it, it had a lovely spec, and shortly after i passed my test and got driving it, within a month i was building a 1293 lump for it. But even after that, my mate in his 1.2 Punto was still quicker, and then a couple of months later the gearbox broke just like yours. Together with it being uncomfortable, unpractical, noisy and unsafe, i bought a Maestro from a salvage yard for £95, it only needed a bumper and a wing, a bit of tidying here and there and off it went.

It was a revelation compared to the Mini. Being able to travel places, anywhere in fact without being uncomfortable was a novelty. It went well considering it was the same engine! And it even handed well, despite body roll... I never looked back, and should have got one in the first place instead of messing about with Mini's. I grew up with Maestro's too, so i should have known better.

That first 1.3 was a legend, i got it an MG interior, MG wheels, put a nice stereo in it.... usual stuff. It led on to the Turbo i still have today which was bought using the money from the sale of the Mini... so i suppose that was no bad thing. Sadly, i lost interest in the 1.3 not long after, it needed a new crankshaft seal as it was leaking onto the clutch and caused it to slip. It ended up getting scrapped whole as my dad was fed up with having it on the drive. One of my many regrets in life!

[TLC]

[QUOTE=Oli i spose it us the "younguns" who will help with the future preservation of these cars

So us old ones arnt helping the future preservation of these cars eh :laugh::laugh:

Much better than a Mini.

How right you are mate.
I just wish i had listened to you (and others) in the first place when i still owned my Maestro EFi.

I spent close to £1700 getting on the road with that Mini, that includes purchase and insurance etc etc etc.

That's £1700 i could have used to get myself insured on the EFi, what a ruddy brilliant car that would have been to motor around in.

Anyhow, you live and learn - but i can quite safely say it was one of the biggest mistakes i have ever made selling that car and choosing the Mini over it.

I never intend on using a Mini daily again, if i get another it will just be a weekend play toy. - Amazing how things change, isn't it? 3 months ago i was absolutely fanatical about Minis... Not anymore....!!!!

Maestros and Montegos all the way. Which i guess can only be a good thing, as i spose it us the "younguns" who will help with the future preservation of these cars.

Thanks for all the positive comments people.

Ray... all being well she should be at many, if not all of the shows this year.

Oli.

[edders1690]

Looks a good car, should clean up very nicely, look forward to seeing it out and about this year!

Ray

[TLC]

I realy like that

[steve smith]

yeah looks good mate same colour as my old one