What senior males talk about!

[Nemo]

Just been talking to a couple of old friends about cars, in particular the old Ford Anglia which we all owned at one time or another. Initially there were two models, the standard one and the one marked 'deluxe'. This deluxe version had a fancy grill and a heater, something that i don't think the standard model had.

But this got us thinking. At one time almost every type of car had a deluxe version. I don't know of any car that now has this and wondered when it went out of fashion, and was there any reason for its demise.

[swill453]

It's still around, it's just the name that changes. For a long time "Ghia" was the Ford range topper trim, then they came up with "Titanium" then "Vignale". Vauxhall has Platinum or something. Renault uses "Roland Garros".

Deluxe is too old hat I suppose.

Scott.

[Urbandreamer]

Deluxe is too old hat I suppose.

Scott.

1938 according to Wiki.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Luxe_Ford

[Watis]

It's still around, it's just the name that changes. For a long time "Ghia" was the Ford range topper trim, then they came up with "Titanium" then "Vignale". Vauxhall has Platinum or something. Renault uses "Roland Garros".

Deluxe is too old hat I suppose.

Scott.

'E' has had a chequered history.

On the Mk2 Ford Cortina 1600E, the 'E' stood for 'Executive' but on the Vauxhall Viva E, it stood for 'Economy'.

Watis

[Gerry557]

I have to admit that sometimes I struggle to see the differences in the various model versions of different cars.

There used to be magazines or probably websites that discuss the various options and recommendations on which version to get.

Models now have different wheel sizes and often the top of the range has the wheel sizes that are not recommended for the UKs pot holes and speed bumps.

Gone is the "any colour you like as long as its black"

[Howard]

Just been talking to a couple of old friends about cars, in particular the old Ford Anglia which we all owned at one time or another. Initially there were two models, the standard one and the one marked 'deluxe'. This deluxe version had a fancy grill and a heater, something that i don't think the standard model had.

But this got us thinking. At one time almost every type of car had a deluxe version. I don't know of any car that now has this and wondered when it went out of fashion, and was there any reason for its demise.

Were they the Anglia's with the windscreen wipers which were driven by the vacuum created by the inlet manifold? I owned one when I was seventeen and had the problem that the wipers slowed down and virtually stopped when the engine was working hard going up hills.

Still have a photo.

regards

Howard

[Redmires]

It's still around, it's just the name that changes. For a long time "Ghia" was the Ford range topper trim, then they came up with "Titanium" then "Vignale". Vauxhall has Platinum or something. Renault uses "Roland Garros".

Deluxe is too old hat I suppose.

Scott.

Not forgetting the 'Vanden Plas' badge. Who could resist the lure of the Allegro VP for instance.

PS. What senior males talk about ? - I met up with some old work mates last week, most of us being retired or thereabouts. I didn't even recognise a couple of them at first. Where the talk used to be about girls and cars it's all about pensions and health conditions nowadays.

[scrumpyjack]

I am in a group of 8 who meet once a month for lunch - age range 76 to 94 (I guess that qualifies as Senior?).
All still fully on the ball and interesting chaps but we ban 3 topics - health, religion and politics. Still always plenty to talk about.

[bungeejumper]

There used to be magazines or probably websites that discuss the various options and recommendations on which version to get.

Back in the good old days before company cars became a taxable benefit, the L, XL, LS and XS options (I might have made one of those up) were a way of showing everybody in the company car park just how far up in the pecking order you were. Or how low down.

But the real point of all those boot-bragger sticker-on numbers was that they were a great way of cranking up the car companies' profit margins. Poverty-spec cars were not priced at much more than break-even; but by adding stuff like executive floormats and cigar lighters and reversing lights, they could fatten up their margins most satisfactorily. Even today, a cheapie car that doesn't have cruise control has got all the cabling ready to go, and all it needs is a £12 switch from Amazon. Whereas you've probably paid an extra £750 for yours.

Models now have different wheel sizes and often the top of the range has the wheel sizes that are not recommended for the UKs pot holes and speed bumps.

Apart from always choosing the poverty spec cars for my (new-car) personal purchases, I didn't ever go for bigger wheels, and I still don't. All things being equal, on a standard sort of car, the main difference between a 16 inch wheel and a 19 inch wheel is that the 19 incher is more likely to feel as though you're driving on broken bricks. (We have a few examples of those in our family.) But okay, if you feel the need for enhanced cornering, and if you have a strong set of lower spine vertebrae, then maybe you can get something for the extra five grand that you'll probably be paying....?

Horses for courses. My trusty secondhand Toyota load-lugger is something called an Icon Plus, which allegedly means it's got an extra pivot in its rear suspension that sharpens up its cornering. Not that either I nor the salesman ever discussed the matter, it was just the right car on the right forecourt at the right price. Oh for the days when a pair of fog lights and a vinyl roof and a go-faster stripe and an INJECTION sticker on the back would turn the girls' heads.

BJ

[Gerry557]

It was GTI and Turbo that were the things to look out for.

I can't remember what GTI stood for, Go Topup Insurance probably. I remember many who's was more expensive than the car.

Now it's a range over 200 miles on a warm day

Fortunately the government cajoled me into a dirty diesel. I didn't worry about the environment cos they said it was the right thing to do plus I kept driving past filling stations for 700 miles and that wasn't at the larger end of the range for some.

[swill453]

I remember a programme on TV about company cars in the 80s. One of the sales reps said he could tell from his rear view mirror whether the Cavalier behind was a basic L model, or a GL or above. If it was only an L he didn't pull over, but would for one of the superior models.

Scott.

[Coldstar]

I remember a programme on TV about company cars in the 80s. One of the sales reps said he could tell from his rear view mirror whether the Cavalier behind was a basic L model, or a GL or aboveo

That takes me back! I worked for an American company on the late 70s, early 80s, no car when I started but got into sales and suddenly the co car seemed to be so important. Started with a Cortina, basic model but it was a NEW car!! Amazing.

Worked my way up over a few years to a Vauxhall Cavlier CD, then a Vauxhall Carlton CD (also a Rover 2000, worse car ever!) real prestige in those days. Left after a few years when I was offered a job as an MD for a small British company. They gave me a Jaguar XJ6! Took it back to my old company and my old colleagues couldn’t believe it, such prestige!

All gone now, but fun to look back on. Mind you haven’t talked about it to anyone for years, always seem to have other old guy stuff to talk about

[Nemo]

All gone now, but fun to look back on. Mind you haven’t talked about it to anyone for years, always seem to have other old guy stuff to talk about

Other bits coming back to me:

When much younger i lived in the Midlands and a friend of my fathers was a salesman. He was given a Mini (850 cc) as a replacement for his company's A35 and was delighted. His sales patch was all of Scotland!

A friend had a Morris Minor convertible. The engine was on its last legs and the hood leaked. it didn't half attract the girls though!

I once went out with a girl that had a VW Beetle. It was so basic that it didn't have a petrol gauge.

Happy and carefree days compared to today!

[tjh290633]

All gone now, but fun to look back on. Mind you haven’t talked about it to anyone for years, always seem to have other old guy stuff to talk about

Other bits coming back to me:

When much younger i lived in the Midlands and a friend of my fathers was a salesman. He was given a Mini (850 cc) as a replacement for his company's A35 and was delighted. His sales patch was all of Scotland!

A friend had a Morris Minor convertible. The engine was on its last legs and the hood leaked. it didn't half attract the girls though!

I once went out with a girl that had a VW Beetle. It was so basic that it didn't have a petrol gauge.

Happy and carefree days compared to today!

I had two Beetles, 1958 and 1960. Petrol gauges were not provided, but you did have a reserve tap above the clutch pedal. Only forgot to reset it once, fortunately ran out a few yards from a garage. I used to run about 10 miles past the point where the reserve had been turned on. That allowed me to fill up with 8 gallons. 38 mpg regular as clockwork.

TJH

[jaizan]

I have to admit that sometimes I struggle to see the differences in the various model versions of different cars.

Agreed. When they had L, GL and GLS, we knew where we were.
Now it might be Techna & goodness knows what else. I couldn't even put them in the right order.

I am in a group of 8 who meet once a month for lunch - age range 76 to 94 (I guess that qualifies as Senior?).
All still fully on the ball and interesting chaps but we ban 3 topics - health, religion and politics.

A good system.