Growing up me & my brother where always into cars, unsure where it come from as my dad was a driving instructor with a string of average at best hatchbacks whilst my mum didn't have her own car until I was around 12, although she has had some pretty nice cars in the past (XR2, E34 520i)
The first car I remember us having was a red Mk3 fiesta around a G plate, I have a brief memory of the car in that I think it was a 3 door, the lasting memory was looking for it in Skelmersdale concourse shopping center because it had been nicked!
Shortly after that my dad joined the AA driving school, at the time (L plates) They used VW polo's, I can't remember what happened to the blue escort we had but the AA dropped us off a lovely little VW and we used that to move a few hundred mile away to Dundee. I don't remember when it happened but shortly after arriving my dad went down the road to the local Rover dealer and picked up his new (M Plate) Rover 114. The Polo and 114 looked something like this...
Now we had a fair few 114's. Mostly nightfire red 5 doors, but we did have 1 3 door nightfire red, a dark blue 5 door, a grey 5 door, silver 5 door and a dark green 5 door. At that time the cars got replaced every 6 months, and they could also be replaced for servicing or any repairs. The bottle green one we had was a replacement after a scaffold bar went through the windscreen on one. The bottle green one was in an accident so we ended up with the dark grey which we had to collect from Edinburgh.
After 2-3 years my dad ended up with his own Micra and left the AA, a year or so later we where moving back down to Liverpool and he joined a different school with a string of Micra's, he had 3 different ones until they gave him a brand new 1999 Tempest Micra in red.
Me and my brother have always had some banter about the cars of our childhoods, we're ford boys and nearly bought an xr2 before the prices went insane and always regretted it. A rover 114 would be great to get and make into an old driving school car, so would a Micra. My mums old 520i is also on the list of cars I need in my life.
Last year a Dark grey GSI 114 appeared on facebook marketplace for £1500, local but the photos where from the salvage auction, 3 months later it was still for sale with a reduced price and new photos. The grey color is actually quite rare which we liked but it wasn't our favourite red. A few popped up from time to time, my brother even stopped and left notes under 1 or 2. He actually sent me photos of one that I must have walked past 500 times but never realised it was there as it was parked inside a bush, sadly too far gone. The grey one was and currently is advertised at £500 without MOT but the seller has ignored messages from both of us.
The 114 kind of dropped off our radar, I haven't lived in the UK for a year now, he had a baby, but every few weeks I got another screenshot through on whatsapp. Ideally I thought we would spend £500 on a ropey one, spend some money on welding, paint and polish and appreciate it for what it is. 3 months ago he sent me one that was for sale not far away in a proper dealership. Over 2k, 40k car but the engine was replaced under warranty so only has 20k on the engine, full service history, original bill or sale, original matts and plates, all tax discs etc. It looked perfect and ticked every box except the price.
3 weeks ago he sent me the same car which had been reduced.
2 weeks ago he said he may go and see it.
Last week he said he was going to go and see it.
Yesterday he went to go and see it, he took my dad with him who even thought it looked like it was ready to work for the AA. He told me he was thinking about it. He then sent me this photo...
So for those interested, after a few years working for different driving schools my dad opened his own driving school, my brother actually trained up and is now a driving instructor trainer, I never went down that route but I do all the websites/marketing for them. So the idea of making it a classic driving school car really appeals. We're on the lookout for a period top box and dual controls.
We actually started in 2003 so the 114 is a bit too old for us, our starter cars where fiesta MK6's, we actually have 2, my brothers is my old one with a full ST conversion where I have a 1.4 sitting in the UK for when I visit - Thankfully I have already bought some dual controls for when I decide to remake one of those.
Anyway enough babbling, heres some extra photos which made it worthwhile, original bill of sale shows it comes from Bolton and cost £8430 new!
The first car I remember us having was a red Mk3 fiesta around a G plate, I have a brief memory of the car in that I think it was a 3 door, the lasting memory was looking for it in Skelmersdale concourse shopping center because it had been nicked!
Shortly after that my dad joined the AA driving school, at the time (L plates) They used VW polo's, I can't remember what happened to the blue escort we had but the AA dropped us off a lovely little VW and we used that to move a few hundred mile away to Dundee. I don't remember when it happened but shortly after arriving my dad went down the road to the local Rover dealer and picked up his new (M Plate) Rover 114. The Polo and 114 looked something like this...
Now we had a fair few 114's. Mostly nightfire red 5 doors, but we did have 1 3 door nightfire red, a dark blue 5 door, a grey 5 door, silver 5 door and a dark green 5 door. At that time the cars got replaced every 6 months, and they could also be replaced for servicing or any repairs. The bottle green one we had was a replacement after a scaffold bar went through the windscreen on one. The bottle green one was in an accident so we ended up with the dark grey which we had to collect from Edinburgh.
After 2-3 years my dad ended up with his own Micra and left the AA, a year or so later we where moving back down to Liverpool and he joined a different school with a string of Micra's, he had 3 different ones until they gave him a brand new 1999 Tempest Micra in red.
Me and my brother have always had some banter about the cars of our childhoods, we're ford boys and nearly bought an xr2 before the prices went insane and always regretted it. A rover 114 would be great to get and make into an old driving school car, so would a Micra. My mums old 520i is also on the list of cars I need in my life.
Last year a Dark grey GSI 114 appeared on facebook marketplace for £1500, local but the photos where from the salvage auction, 3 months later it was still for sale with a reduced price and new photos. The grey color is actually quite rare which we liked but it wasn't our favourite red. A few popped up from time to time, my brother even stopped and left notes under 1 or 2. He actually sent me photos of one that I must have walked past 500 times but never realised it was there as it was parked inside a bush, sadly too far gone. The grey one was and currently is advertised at £500 without MOT but the seller has ignored messages from both of us.
The 114 kind of dropped off our radar, I haven't lived in the UK for a year now, he had a baby, but every few weeks I got another screenshot through on whatsapp. Ideally I thought we would spend £500 on a ropey one, spend some money on welding, paint and polish and appreciate it for what it is. 3 months ago he sent me one that was for sale not far away in a proper dealership. Over 2k, 40k car but the engine was replaced under warranty so only has 20k on the engine, full service history, original bill or sale, original matts and plates, all tax discs etc. It looked perfect and ticked every box except the price.
3 weeks ago he sent me the same car which had been reduced.
2 weeks ago he said he may go and see it.
Last week he said he was going to go and see it.
Yesterday he went to go and see it, he took my dad with him who even thought it looked like it was ready to work for the AA. He told me he was thinking about it. He then sent me this photo...
So for those interested, after a few years working for different driving schools my dad opened his own driving school, my brother actually trained up and is now a driving instructor trainer, I never went down that route but I do all the websites/marketing for them. So the idea of making it a classic driving school car really appeals. We're on the lookout for a period top box and dual controls.
We actually started in 2003 so the 114 is a bit too old for us, our starter cars where fiesta MK6's, we actually have 2, my brothers is my old one with a full ST conversion where I have a 1.4 sitting in the UK for when I visit - Thankfully I have already bought some dual controls for when I decide to remake one of those.
Anyway enough babbling, heres some extra photos which made it worthwhile, original bill of sale shows it comes from Bolton and cost £8430 new!
