84 MODERNCLASSICS
YOUR DRIVES
Whydidyouchoosethecar?
I di dn'tchooseit, thecar choseme.
Before I bought it, I was looking for a
Golf MkII, but a friend of mine said he
had a car that was off the road. When I
saw it, the car was in bad shape – no
wheels and up on bricks. I decided to
buy the car because I saw its potential
as a real pocket rocket.
W hat’s the best bit?
The electronics that ’90s cars came
with – this one has a Magneti Marelli
ECU. And the turbo, of course – it gives
131hp, making the whole thing perfect
and dangerous at the same time.
W hat’s the worst bit?
If you get the turbo boosting in the
middle of a corner – you can die. It
takes ages to kick in – around three
seconds – so you need to be careful.
Any modifications?
No, I'm returning it to original condition.
The car has enough power already – I
like a car to put its power down on the
road, not wheelspin it away.
What'sit liketo run?
Well,hereon Madeiraislandmyself and
my friends don't have too much help.
Sometimes it’s difficult to get hold of
pa rts and tyres – thank god we have
th e internet, so that we can find them
fr om elsewhere around the world, as
well as a few mechanics who can help
us and fix our cars.
Any advice for buyers?
Careful with the turbo, read the manual,
ch eck the oils, filters and all the stuff
th at keeps the car in a good shape. The
more care you give it, the more the car
wi ll be good and preserved.
Any funny mishaps?
Last year I had five people in the car
an d was in the middle of the highway
when the car starts to misfire and slow
down. There was no smoke and no
other signs that there was a major
mechanical problem. I had to be towed
ho me, suspecting it was the turbo. My
mechanic checked the turbo, but it was
OK. It turned out to be the HT lead of
cy linder one – it had just popped out.
FIAT PUNTO GT
André Gonçalo Oliveira Abreu ‘It was in
bad shape – no wheels and up on bricks’
MERCEDES C320
AMG SPORT
Joe Melton ‘A mid-sizedfamily
car with a bit of excitement
Whydid youchooseit?
I was lookingfora
mi d-sizedfamilycar
th at alsohada bit of
ex citementto it. People
ar e shockedwhenI tell
th em it’s ten years old.
What’s the best bit?
I love the fact that
people do not expect
an estate car to
accelerate like it does.
What’s the worst bit?
The design of the back
seats. On long journeys
the rear bolsters tend to
push you towards the
middle of the car, so my
three children elbow
each other in the ribs
and stomach.
Any modifications?
I have carried out a few:
upgraded 19in alloys,
C63-style gloss black
grille with bronze detail,
Xtreme carbon front
splitter, Xtreme carbon
light brows, removed
chrome side strips,
AMG 507-style side
graphics in bronze,
engine cover wrapped
bronze, K&N panel
filters, customer remap
to 272bhp and 570lb-ft.
What’sit liketo run?
Itsgreat;verylittle
maintenancerequired,
ha rdlyusesa dropof oil,
th ereare a goodrange
of partsavailableanda
lo t of great online clubs
and forums, too. It is by
far the best car I have
owned – day-to-day
driving is a joy and
there are lots of good
specialists for servicing.
Any advice for buyers?
Look for a low-mileage
car with a good spec.
Cracked inlet pipes
cause poor idling and
smoking under
acceleration.
Any funny mishaps?
Watch out for the gas
struts on the boot –
they can wear and
cause the boot not to
fully open or drop
slightly when open. I
found this out after
opening the boot from
the driver’s door and
walking around the
back of the car... only to
pick myself up off the
drive ten minutes later
with a mild headache.
Best replacement part
I’ve ever bought!
Year 2008
Acquired November 2016
Mileage 113,000
Dream car 2009 Mercedes C63 estate
Worst car MG Metro
Other hobbies I enjoy playing hockey and golf,
and spending days exploring with the family
Looks a lot better
nowthan when
Andréfound it.
Year 1996 Mileage 122,352km (76,026 miles)
Acquired December 2016 Dream car Dodge Challenger
What did your Dad drive? Fiat Punto 1.9JTD Multijet and Fiat Strada 1.7D
Other hobbies? Walking in the mountains, cinema, swimming
