Insuring a fair approach

I want to talk in this article about a subject close to my heart. As a nineteen year old male living in the formerly industrial North, the fact that car insurance is expensive has become an accepted fact - unwillingly, but it is a cross which has to be borne. Give the size of the quotes I've been getting, it's unsurprising that many insure in their parents' names or don't bother at all. Seriously, let us look at the facts. I did a quotation the other day on a friend's old Austin Maestro Mayfair Read more [...]

Austin Montego 2.0HL

An MG on weed... "An MG on weed!" That's how the carburettor engined 2.0 Montego was sold to me as a concept, and it's a surprisingly accurate description. Known to me via the Maestro and Montego Owners' Club, Ed Davey owns a 2.0HL in very good condition - indeed, it's as new. Knowing it was the only mechanical spec I hadn't yet sampled he asked if I wanted a spin in E225CMV to complete the set, as it were. As a Maestro and Montego fan, I was unlikely to pass up that opportunity, especially Read more [...]

Holding a torch for the victims of car crime

I've been abusing the old blog of late, I'm afraid. I've been a bit wrapped up in capers, shows, and establishing the From The Captain's Chair website to really write anything for this place. But now I'm back I'm going to write about something really meaningful and deep. The destruction of your pride and joy. One night last week, I awoke to what sounded like an expensive firework at about half one in the morning. As I was trying to go to sleep, I heard another. Incensed at the idea that some Read more [...]

Rover 213SE

The Bucket Residence, Hyacinth speaking... I have to confess, I've not really got a huge soft spot for the SD3 series Rover. It's a bit...Honda to really excite me, and whilst I'd not be averse to a Vanden Plas EFi I would far rather own a Maestro or Montego. The SD3 has an image problem - the MG versions of the Maestro and Montego have made them acceptable in classic circles with the passage of time, and the youth element of the club scene is particularly vibrant. But the SD3 has always been Read more [...]

Austin Maestro Vanden Plas

Smooth operator... If you're not likely to put your foot down often, a Vanden Plas is probably the best Maestro in the real world. You get lovely wood cappings, leather trim if you go for a later one, or a digidash if your favoured variants are pre-84. Power steering was a later option, and automatic transmission was available for those who like myself prefer the lazy life. Some readers may question my logic in reviewing this car in addition to the MG1600 and 1.6 Mayfair, but trust me on Read more [...]