All The Cars I Ever Bought

Austin Maxi 1750 HL

WHY DID YOU WANT ONE?

I was 19 and already had been through rather more cars than is healthy for a youngster – but I did manage to pick some good ones in between having my first few cars either crashed into or die. This Maxi was one that I’d consider one of my better buys, on account of it not letting me down, cruising the motorway well and me not being badgered by friends wanting a lift. I can’t think why. I happened across it on a Saturday afternoon following the premature death of a Honda Civic that I’d been running. The Denim Blue Austin Maxi 1750HL was on a small-time trader’s pitch on an out-of-town industrial estate looking dishevelled and unloved. There was no price on the screen, so I sought out the bored-looking owner who told me that I could have it for £60 if I took it away and never bought it back. I bought it on the spot, despite it having about 15 minutes of MoT left.

WAS IT A JOY – OR A NIGHTMARE – TO LIVE WITH?

I quickly realised, once I’d got it home to inspect it, that I’d bought a good one.

This was a good thing because I’d had a run of duds and needed calm in my life. There were no major issues and only a couple of minor ones – not bad for a £60 car. The tailgate struts had failed, but the long wooden prop in the boot came free with the car. A Saisho car stereo from Dixons replaced the dead radio, an oil and filter change bought me piece of mind and it looked a million dollars after a wash and wax. The engine was healthy, too, and felt like it was pushing out all 95bhp. My good vibes were proven correct when it passed its MoT first time, making me a happy bunny.

WHAT’S YOUR ABIDING MEMORY OF IT?

I really liked this one. The Austin Maxi was the least cool car on the road in 1989, and owning one should have been challenging from a social perspective for a 19-year-old. But I didn’t care what other people thought about me, so this was no issue at all – instead I could appreciate this practical, useful and honest family hatchback. I was on my own when I bought it and worried what my girlfriend would think of it. But she’d already put up with worse, and simply laughed when I turned up at her place in it, though she did persuade me to take a cab for a night on the town rather than drive. My most abiding memory of this car, however, was a spirited drive on the A57 over the Pennines on a glorious summer day, Guns and Roses blasting out of the cassette player and the plucky Maxi taking this challenging road in its stride, tackling corners like a dirty great Mini. It’s a freeze-frame moment that I can recall to this day in crystal-clear clarity. It was a moment of freedom and pleasure that only driving can bring you. Wonderful.

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR BUYING ONE?

Austin Maxis are still relatively cheap compared with more glamorous 1970s family cars, but nice ones are in demand and have quite a following, so their owners are perfectly happy to spend all the money on them. If you’re looking to buy one, you need to look for rust – front wings, doors and at the front end of the sills are all weak areas. Rot in the rear suspension mounts and subframes is more serious so check them closely. Engines are strong – as long as they’ve had regular oil and filter changes. Hardly the litany of issues the naysayers would have you believe…