Ive just got back off holiday from there and I was amazed at how many old cars there are there.
Loads of Morris Minors and I mean loads - I never went on a trip out without seeing 2 that i hadnt seen before.
Also VW's are very popular - many Beetles and Campers around.
Also saw a Humber Sceptre, Rover 80, Talbot Samba Convertible, countless 1930's cars in brilliant condition, a 1950s Alvis Convertible, well worn but clearly in use parked outside the local chinese and so many more esp 1960's cars.
Strangely, I saw about 7 Renault 11's although nearly all were somewhat smokey.
Lots of 60's/70's Landrovers around and a huge number of 1980's cars that I havent seen since I was a child, yet here they are all collected on this little island. It was totally bizarre but for a car lover, alot of fun spotting cars that you dont really see anymore.
Many of the cars were driven by older folk although there is just about every car dealer represented on the island so its not like these people cant buy new cars, they just dont seem to.
Even the early 90's cars like the Metros and Fiat Uno's were remarkably rustfree - Im guessing the climate somehow helps?
Just thought id share the highlight of my holiday and wondered if anyone else had been there and noticed the same thing.
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>>Even the early 90's cars like the Metros and Fiat Uno's were remarkably rustfree - Im guessing the climate somehow helps?
No,its mostly these people like the older cars,and do them up to original spec.
and spend a lot of spare time doing them up to spec,I have a friend, whom I see every year, who does the same thing,He has a rebuilt metro,And I mean rebuilt,I am looking forward to this years visit to help rebuild his next project,which is secret so far.
so its got to be a car older and more challenging than previuos cars,remains to be seen?
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Steve
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I would have thought IOW would have been a killer for cars! Warm, humid and salty, still seeing is beleiving. I think it must be as Steve.0 says, people are doing them up, an early Metro would never survive out there IMHO!
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Well the island isnt that small, so its not all coastline and salty air.
I dont think these cars have been done up in any way - they werent mint at all, just nowhere near as tatty as ones ive seen where I live. It has to be said that many of the owners are elderly so possibly quite well looked after from new.
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I do agree that IOW isn't small but it is totally surrounded by water and, on that basis, a wind from any direction, will be salty although a Northerly would be the least damaging. I am sure there are loads of pristine cars there but I suggest that it is because people have the time and inclination to fettle them and/or keep them smart and this is in spite of the atmospheric conditions there!
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Presumably they do not salt the roads?
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i was down there last year and it was interesting to be on a bus looking into peoples gardens to see all the old cars they keep,one of the reasons i was told is that no one from the mainland wants to pay the ferry costs to take them back and so they are run longer .
Thinking about it the reverse is true as well, it would be more expensive and take a lot of time to buy a s/h car from the mainland and bring it back.
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Probably don't have to salt the roads that much. I doubt the temp. on the IoW falls below zero that often in winter.
Chris M
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Its well known that the IoW is in a time warp and 50 years behind the rest of us.....
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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So they had 24-hour Tescos 50 years ago?
Having travelled most of the island, having assumed it would be like you say, behind the times, infact it has all the large stores, car dealers and modern ammenities you get on the mainland - and to buy a car on IOW and bring it over to mainland - £45 on the ferry, hardly a deterrent.
People assume its a small place, but theres quite a lot to it and some really superb driving roads, especially the south-west coast road where you can really have some fun!
I think it perhaps has more to do with the sort of people who live there as there do seem to be a fair few retired and early retired who are enjoying themselves with the old cars.
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So they had 24-hour Tescos 50 years ago?
Having travelled most of the island, having assumed it would be like you say, behind the times, infact it has all the large stores, car dealers and modern ammenities you get on the mainland
You mean they use money as well now? last time I went we had to take a flock of sheep with us for barter..
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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"last time I went we had to take a flock of sheep with us for barter.."
and entertainment?
Chris M
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Its well known that the IoW is in a time warp and 50 years behind the rest of us..... ------------------------------ TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Like the captain says as the ferry docks in Cowes "For those of you who want to adjust your watches, the local time is 1955"
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It also has alot to do with the fact that the pile of sh..... sorry isle of wight is not very affluant, therefore people keep the cars on the road longer. I alwys had trouble filling vacancies on the mainland for drivers due the wages we paid, but never had a problem filling the driving position we had on the island for the same money. Most of the work is tourist related in some way so when the summer season is over the island has high un-employment.
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>>I always had trouble filling vacancies on the mainland for drivers due the wages we paid
No surprise there,van drivers pay is rubbish for whats expected of them,But as for those that own older cars and run them on the Island.
who can blame them,some I know on the Island would rather spend a few pounds now and again for repairs-rather than buy new or few year old car.
Personally I would not buy a new car,but if you look around the Island there are a lot that do own New
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Steve
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Personally I would not buy a new car,but if you look
around the Island there are a lot that do own New <<
True - I saw a brand new Cadillac Escalade with the big chrome wheels out there struggling along a country lane with a 'footballers wife' at the wheel. It was the funniest, most out of place car I saw on the whole island!
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Most vehicle corrosion that attacks cars and drives them off the road is underbody, caused by salt.
IOW uses less of this, cos of climate, and therefore less corrosion problems = older cars still running.
Salty winds do happen but this tends to attack paintwork etc. Same reasons as happens on lots of other small islands, caribean etc. and warmer climates, india etc.
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