new member that doesnt want anything (yet).

Hi all, as I'm a new member I would just like to say that I get why you all like the little x1/9 so much as I've just bought one. I am 62, was bored with cars altogether, so I sold my mgzt car about 18 months ago. Just recently I started thinking how much I enjoyed cars when I was younger especially my alpha's and the little mini that I had back in the late 60's. So I started looking on the net for mini's alpha's and beetles. One day I decided to look at "time ending soonest" on ebay and came across my 1989 blue on silver blue x1/9 grande finale which is in almost as new condition, but it was too late for me to bid and luckily it failed to meet the reserve. So I rang and I arranged a lift and travelled 180miles because I was confident I was going to have it if it was as good as the pictures. Well, she looked beautiful, as good as I'd hoped, no rust anywhere and paint as smooth as glass and as straight as a dye. I used to be a panel beater and sprayer so I have an eye for reworked bodywork. She has a fabricated stainless exhaust system with two tail pipes on either side of the rear and I couldn't wait to hear her fired up. Well, with a turn of the key she limped into life on 2 cylinders, the poor bloke (Vince) didn't apologise enough, anyway we cleaned the plugs, contacted ignition again and music emanated from said beauty. So I checked the oil and it was still yellow on the dipstick which bore out the service history and we went on a test drive and well, you could have knocked me down with a feather, I LUUUUUVED IT, so I coughed up the full asking price and started to head for home in Bristol from Kings Lynne at 11pm, well we were chatting. To say it's sorta noisy in there is a slight understatement, but again it's music to my ears and I cant believe how capable that little engine is, I had to keep reigning her back on the motorway. Right, now I'll be honest I didn't like these when they first came out, OK it was cute but not really a mans car, not really. Well all I can say is has enabled me to enjoy driving again and I keep finding reasons to pop out and drive her. Vince didn't know if any tuning had been done on the car, but when you floor it, she takes off like a scalded cat. I told my mate that I was going to have a look at an x1/9, and almost before I finished saying the word x1/9 he shouted over the phone "don't buy an x1/9 they are rust buckets" which I already knew. The same as I new that the cars I was looking at (the beetle, mini and alpha's) were also rust prone, but I can't think of any car from the 50's 60's 70' or 80's that if you bought now in 2014, you can reasonably expect to have rust somewhere, usually alot. as far as people rubbish the cars build quality, I have to say I am well impressed with the build quality and the thickness of the metal, the bonnet weighs a ton. But, the three things that make the little x1/9 exceptional as a driving tool,it's the remarkable turbine smooth engine, the handling, and it's also the ability to put a mile wide stupid grin across yer dial. Who says you can't rekindle an old flame. This little marvel has certainly relit my dying embers (for driving anyway). Now I know your gonna say, they didn't do a two tone job in 1989 cuz that's what the chart says, but if this car has been sprayed in the last 10 yrs I would like to shake the hand of the bugger who did it. Newbee. Paul.

Hi Paul,

Like you I am 62 and the owner of a VS. The circumstances ere exactly the same when I bought mine. Did not make the reserve on Ebay made an arrangement to view the car and bought it. That was two years ago did not use it much the first year of ownership due to work however now every chance and I am in it. I took it to France last year and covered 900 over a weekend it never missed a beat its brilliant and loke you say puts the fun back into driving plus it gets admiring looks.

Tom