The year is 1991.....

ba_barabus

.... and you need a new budget brand car. Posting on the FSO thread got me thinking. What would you buy as a budget car and why??

Lada (any of them) cheap and big in fairness. According to people who owned them they were easy to repair and reliable.

Proton, Mitsubishi Lancer cast offs. Honest and reliable.

FSO Polenez - Cheap and nasty as I recall.

Yugo - Cheaper and nastier and soon to have it's factories bombed into oblivion by the "allies".

Dacia (yes, still available new in 91) but cheap, nasty and bady built. A Renault 12 copy but with local parts and poor build quality.

Skoda, the Favorit wasn't actually all that bad.

Hyundai, Pony, Lantra, Coupe, Sonata....bland but reliable. Like a poor mans Japanese car.

Seat - Fiat cast offs but the Ibiza "by Porsche" and new Toledo weren't all that bad.

Fiat - Now galvanized, memories of rust still to dissolve however.

Things were very diverse at the bottom end of the market back then, from competent, interesting to down right dreadful.

Was anything else a budget offering in Ireland then??? I've left Japanese brands out as I recall they were no longer cheap by 91.

colm_mcm

Kia Pride (rehashed Mazda 121)

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

Kia Pride (rehashed Mazda 121)

Was that available new at that stage? I know they were in 96 but not 91.

My aunt in the UK had a 92 one. It was fine.

colm_mcm

They came out in 1991 I think.

Maybe not in Ireland though.

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

They came out in 1991 I think.

But we're they for sale in Ireland?

You're right though, they came out in 91. There was a few Mazda 121 versions knocking about Nenagh then but I never saw a Kia.

Daewoo was another for sale in the UK around then but didn't get here until 00 I think. I remember the big ads on tv and the ex Jag Leganza looking very impressive to my eyes.

Roen

Around that era my dad had a run of DAF, Yugo and Simca cars.
The DAF could go backwards as fast as forwards.

Odd times.

greasepalm

That reminds me as i need to take old reliable 1989 mitsubishi for a fuel top up,quality built and made to last.

BrianD3

The Dacia Denem (R12) was surely not on sale in Ireland in 1991? I don't recall seeing one of the road or in any price lists or magazines.

The Dacia Duster was on sale in the UK at about that time though, I have a What Car magazine from the end of 1990 which lists three Duster models in the new car prices and specs list. As far as I know, the Denem had been withdrawn from the UK market several years at that point.

Looking through the bad/cheap cars in the list throws up a few surprises. A proper car like the Fiat Panda - cheapest model was about GBP 4500. For another 700 more you could have had - a Reliant Rialto. LOL.

ba_barabus

BrianD3 wrote: »

The Dacia Denem (R12) was surely not on sale in Ireland in 1991? I don't recall seeing one of the road or in any price lists or magazines.

The Dacia Duster was on sale in the UK at about that time though, I have a What Car magazine from the end of 1990 which lists three Duster models in the new car prices and specs list. As far as I know, the Denem had been withdrawn from the UK market several years at that point.

Looking through the bad/cheap cars in the list throws up a few surprises. A proper car like the Fiat Panda - cheapest model was about GBP 4500. For another 700 more you could have had - a Reliant Rialto. LOL.

Yep the Dacia was still around. Dacia Shifters at least. Probably unregistered stock being honest but you could if you wanted have one.

And even in 91 a Reliant was a joke!

JoeA3

Posted this before on this forum but my Dad bought a Proton in 1991. He traded an ‘88 Lada Riva for it!

I remember thinking the Proton was quite a nice car at the time tbh! I mean, the competition at the time was hardly pulse raising so the Proton didn’t seem “budget” at all really. Paddy spec Escorts, Corollas, Kadetts of the day were all miserable.

BrianD3

I know you picked 1991 and don't want to hijack but from my mag the cheapest car on sale in the UK at the end of 1990 was the Lada Riva 1300L for £3146. Any guesses as to what the next cheapest car was? Hint - it wasn't a FSO, Lada, Skoda, Dacia or Yugo.

jmreire

But they all had one thing in common...they kept the motor trade busy !!! Even in a small rural village, there would be at least one workshop... no too much computerized systems back then. But I do remember VW bringing in an engine monitoring system back in the late 60's, it was called the "Sun Analyser" . It was the fore runner of what was to come, but was considered very advanced at the time.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I had an 88 Micra 1.0SGL back in 1991, I bought in Scotland for £1700 AFAICR. Can’t remember what the VRT was at the time but don’t think it was too bad. I wouldn’t even have considered a new car. It was a 5spd model (which was rare here) and done 55+ mpg all day long.

ba_barabus

BrianD3 wrote: »

I know you picked 1991 and don't want to hijack but from my mag the cheapest car on sale in the UK at the end of 1990 was the Lada Riva 1300L for £3146. Any guesses as to what the next cheapest car was? Hint - it wasn't a FSO, Lada, Skoda, Dacia or Yugo.

Wartburg??

BrianD3

Nope - no Wartburgs in the price list.

Daihatsu Charade or a Fiat Tipo I reckon... Were Suzuki swifts cheap compared to fiesta & corsa etc?

ba_barabus

BrianD3 wrote: »

Nope - no Wartburgs in the price list.

I'm struggling now. Lots of cars but none I c asn think of would have been that cheap.

mloc123

ba_barabus wrote: »

Dacia (yes, still available new in 91) but cheap, nasty and bady built. A Renault 12 copy but with local parts and poor build quality.

Swap out R19 for Clio and it is 2019..

greasepalm

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

I had an 88 Micra 1.0SGL back in 1991, I bought in Scotland for £1700 AFAICR. Can’t remember what the VRT was at the time but don’t think it was too bad. I wouldn’t even have considered a new car. It was a 5spd model (which was rare here) and done 55+ mpg all day long.

Great car as i had one for many years in red with full sports kit and wheels.

BrianD3

Augeo wrote: »

Daihatsu Charade or a Fiat Tipo I reckon... Were Suzuki swifts cheap compared to fiesta & corsa etc?

Charade, Tipo and Swift were high end expensive motors compared to the heaps of sh*t being discussed here!

In the UK at least the Swift was considerably more expensve than the cheapest Uno, Fiesta, Nova.

ba_barabus

mloc123 wrote: »

Swap out R19 for Clio and it is 2019..

I've a mint 91 Clio parked outside and a 93 R19 gone in for some minor bodywork before it's first nct in 9 years !

BrianD3

ba_barabus wrote: »

I'm struggling now. Lots of cars but none I c asn think of would have been that cheap.

Hint - 2 cylinder engine.

ba_barabus

BrianD3 wrote: »

Charade, Tipo and Swift were high end expensive motors compared to the heaps of sh*t being discussed here!

In the UK at least the Swift was considerably more expensve than the cheapest Uno, Fiesta, Nova.

Metro was still considered good then, was the 2CV still available then? Fiat 126?

ba_barabus

BrianD3 wrote: »

Hint - 2 cylinder engine.

Trabant!

BrianD3

ba_barabus wrote: »

Metro was still considered good then, was the 2CV still available then? Fiat 126?

Got it! it was 3 pounds dearer than the cheapest Lada.

Cee-Jay-Cee

greasepalm wrote: »

Great car as i had one for many years in red with full sports kit and wheels.

Mine had skirts, rear roof wing and spotlight grill, 12” alloys and a tilt sunroof. The previous owner had also fitted an aftermarket central locking and alarm system. It was such a snazzy wee car back then!

Blue850

Fiat 126 was usually the cheapest car on the market

bal1000

citroen ax

ba_barabus

BrianD3 wrote: »

Got it! it was 3 pounds dearer than the cheapest Lada.

I'd rather the cheapest Lada

A friend's family bought one in 91, 91 TN 252 I think. I used to like it even if it was rubbish compare to my dad's Chamade and 323.

Sharp MZ700

Anything to be said for a Rover 216? Had a second hand one in late 90s cracker of scar, always thought they looked well even if they were a Rover..

ba_barabus

Sharp MZ700 wrote: »

Anything to be said for a Rover 216? Had a second hand one in late 90s cracker of scar, always thought they looked well even if they were a Rover..

They were a Rover high point. Great cars but they weren't budget offerings when new.

Probably Sierra money back in 91.

Sharp MZ700

ba_barabus wrote: »

They were a Rover high point. Great cars but they weren't budget offerings when new.

Yup, thought that when I was posting... It cost me next to nothing with low mileage in 96 I'd say, Never missed a beat and only moved on when the boot rusted to ****.

colm_mcm

Some of these will be uk only but would have been on sale in 91

Daewoo Espero was out in 1991
Fiat 126 Bis was still out
Hindustan Ambassador (later called Fullbore Mark 10)
Renault 5 Campus was very cheap, Clio was already out at that stage
Seat Malaga
FSO 125p finished up in 91 as well
Yugo Sana, Yugo was mentioned, but most people only remember the Yugo 45. The Sana was quite modern and loosely based on the Tipo, designed by Giugario too.

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

Some of these will be uk only but would have been on sale in 91

Daewoo Espero was out in 1991
Fiat 126 Bis was still out
Hindustan Ambassador (later called Fullbore Mark 10)
Renault 5 Campus was very cheap, Clio was already out at that stage
Seat Malaga
FSO 125p finished up in 91 as well
Yugo Sana, Yugo was mentioned, but most people only remember the Yugo 45. The Sana was quite modern and loosely based on the Tipo, designed by Giugario too.

The Malaga wasn't a bad car just like the Regatta. There wasn't many Sanas sold. Looked like a cross between a Tipo and a Samara. Possibly on a par with the Favorit.

The Hindustan must have been awful, even by 91.

colm_mcm

They were actually ‘building’ the Ambassador in the uk for a finish.
Fullbore were buying in new Ambassadors from India and stripping them down, repainting them and tarting them up for uk market. They had an Isuzu 1.8 petrol in them. They were offering them up till the late 90s. I remember seeing them in the new car guides back then.

I’d nearly buy one.

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

They were actually ‘building’ the Ambassador in the uk for a finish.
Fullbore were buying in new Ambassadors from India and stripping them down, repainting them and tarting them up for uk market. They had an Isuzu 1.8 petrol in them. They were offering them up till the late 90s. I remember seeing them in the new car guides back then.

I’d nearly buy one.

Jaysus, I wonder what would be a modern equivalent of that!

Triumph Dolomite tarted up for today?

alentejo

I had a crush on a Mazda 323f back in 1991. I remember I wanted a car with new Euro plates.

Old diesel

How about a 2nd hand "better" make.

I can't recall prices of the top of my head but say something like a 1987 Carina II 1.6.

Or a Rover 213 SD3 of similar vintage to the 87 Carina.

Edit I know Austin Rovers weren't great cars per se but the SD3 213 were pretty much a Honda design with Honda engine.

Was a passenger in one back then and it was rather agreeable imo.

Otherwise - I think id have had a new Uno if we are to strictly adhere to thread criteria

Arthur Daley

Surprised the Fiat 126 was still on sale in 1991. When considering the Panda also remember the Lancia Y10 which was a bit plusher.

Base model mini would have been in the reckoning also.

The 2cv tin snail finished up production in July 1990, last ones might have just about been knocking about into 1991.

colm_mcm

ba_barabus wrote: »

Jaysus, I wonder what would be a modern equivalent of that!

Triumph Dolomite tarted up for today?

More recently - City Rover

Mg3 to a much lesser extent

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

More recently - City Rover

Mg3 to a much lesser extent

I'd secretly like an MG3......

colm_mcm

Didn’t you want an MG6 at one point too?

I have a soft spot for ****e cars too, Proton Gen2 and Savvy particularly,

Had loose plans to fit FTO running gear to a Proton Jumbuck around 10 years ago.

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

Didn’t you want an MG6 at one point too?

I have a soft spot for ****e cars too, Proton Gen2 and Savvy particularly,

Had loose plans to fit FTO running gear to a Proton Jumbuck around 10 years ago.

Yes, I looked into getting an MG6 but they're not great. Doing too many miles now for an MG3.

I've a great model MG6 in burnt orange so in a way I got what I wanted without the unreliability!

Fto in a Jumbuck would have been interesting. I looked at a Satira GTi before in Scotland and loved it but tin worm was taking hold. Very good to drive though.

mloc123

ba_barabus wrote: »

I've a mint 91 Clio parked outside and a 93 R19 gone in for some minor bodywork before it's first nct in 9 years !

Would love a r19 phase 1 16v... had the chance to buy one 10yrs ago, bottled it

ba_barabus

mloc123 wrote: »

Would love a r19 phase 1 16v... had the chance to buy one 10yrs ago, bottled it

Be worth a nice but now and rare too.

SmartinMartin

My father 's pride and joy was his Proton. I remember it as a fabulous car, some upgrade from the hillman hunter at the time.

mondeo

I thought the Fiat Tipo was quite a nice car in 1991'.

Littlehorny

Father bought a brand new Daihatsu Applause round about that time, only big car I've ever seen by Daihatsu.
He wasn't much of a man for car maintenance and he put serious mileage up on it and it never let him down.

Nekarsulm

My uncle had a Subaru Mini Jumbo in 1991.
Also a two cylinder engine, I think he bought it in 1988, it was a cheap yoke when new.
Traded it in for the sophisticated luxury of a Renault 5!

road_high

Littlehorny wrote: »

Father bought a brand new Daihatsu Applause round about that time, only big car I've ever seen by Daihatsu.
He wasn't much of a man for car maintenance and he put serious mileage up on it and it never let him down.

Think they were loosely rebadged Corolla. Used be a few about