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(Research) What car should my character drive?

Lou TreleavenLou Treleaven
edited October 2010 in - Writing Problems
Can anyone suggest a car one of my characters would drive? He's in his sixties but still works and is a member of a model-making club (eiffel tower out of toothpicks type stuff). It's a comedy for 7-9 year olds so subtlety not needed, just a basic car that would be typical for an older person to drive, but also something that other drivers might look down on a bit as a bit of an OAP-mobile.
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Comments

  • flyingtartflyingtart
    A Nissan Micra. Everyone looks down on that.
  • boredrobotsboredrobots
    I think he should be completely bonkers and just run around making brumm brumm noises :D

    Either that or a Honda…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_man's_car
  • heatherheather
    Volkswagen beetle?

    Or maybe a Bedford van so he can transport his models in the back!
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    Yep, needs to be an estate.

    Vauxhall Mariva?
  • Lou TreleavenLou Treleaven
    Not an estate though, a little car. His wife would never let him get an estate just for his models! Maybe a Nissan Micra, then.
  • Lou TreleavenLou Treleaven
    Oh, but I've just remembered. It should be old because someone likens it to a dinosaur.

    What are those little old cars - are they Hillman Imps?
  • flyingtartflyingtart
    Here's one:
    http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.autohistoriallinenseura.fi/images/helakuvat2004/Hillman-Imp.-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php/ev-rally-car-5172.html&h=480&w=640&sz=94&tbnid=0LOezzWofR4HyM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhillman%2Bimp&zoom=1&q=hillman+imp&usg=__IBLrxOaqJ_aQ5oPMgVwT_Lc4_cY=&sa=X&ei=j5fBTOiFFZaSjAfWgu1W&ved=0CCIQ9QEwAg
  • collide-o-scopecollide-o-scope
    I've just bought a car that belonged to a bloke in his early sixties and he was delighted with it - when he traded it in he said it was like getting his dog put down - Mazda 323 1.5 gse - and it's a hatchback.

    Having said that, I have heard that the next generation of Nissan Micras are going to have a trilby on the rear parcel shelf as standard ;-)
  • caseycasey
    Morris Minor, Scoda, DAF, Ford Prefect Austin Allegro
  • snailmalesnailmale
    he sounds a bit of an 'anorak', so the interior should be an enviromental health hazard
  • JennyJenny
    I was going to suggest a SmartCar, but they haven't been around long enough to be considered "old"!
  • richtricht
    Sounds like a Volvo driver to me :-(
  • JennyJenny
    A Morris Traveller? Or are those considered classics now and therefore valuable?
  • snailmalesnailmale
    edited October 2010
    I'd thought about a Traveller, but if he'd had it from new he probably wouldn't know it was special. A scruffy Traveller then?
  • collide-o-scopecollide-o-scope
    fnar fnar @ 'traveller' (it has a whole new meaning these days)

    Me dad bought a Morris Traveller for 40 quid and he took us for a spin in it - hadn't gone half a mile when the nearside front wheel fell off at a junction. Man they saw him coming.
  • StirlingStirling
    Why not a classic from the 60's or similar? My Dad is in his 70's and he loves finding classics and doing them up.

    They are beautiful cars when done properly.
  • shellwshellw
    what about an old lada ?
  • NefertariNefertari
    why not an old camper van?
  • cekaceka
    Why don't you put the question to your character and see what he comes up with - he's got to drive the thing after all.
  • CarolCarol
    I was going to say a camper van too Kateyanne. :)
  • JennyJenny
    They've got personality, those old campervans - our neighbours have got an orange one!!
  • Lou TreleavenLou Treleaven
    Thanks guys - I think it will probably be a morris minor.

    I would ask my character, but strangely none of them know anything about cars...
  • JennyJenny
    My first car was a Morris Minor. It was a car with personality.

    It had leather seats (rather worn) and a back seat that could be unclipped to allow access through to the boot. Problem was the clip was rather worn too and if I stopped a bit suddenly the seat fell down.

    It only did about 23 miles to the gallon and when the dipstick came out of the thingy (technical term) it smelled of petrol.

    However it did have a functioning heater. And to begin with (until my husband fitted proper indicators) those little thingies (another technical term) that came out of the sides, except that the one on the right side used to get stuck, so I had to bang on the car to make it come out.

    When it eventually failed its MOT we advertised it and some Irishmen bought it for £10.
  • doradora
    [quote=Jenny]those little thingies (another technical term) that came out of the sides,[/quote]

    I lurve seeing cars with those. :)
  • PiperPiper
    [quote=Jenny]My first car was a Morris Minor. It was a car with personality.[/quote]

    That's the first car my mum had :)
  • B DarterB Darter
    I drive a Nissan Micra and I love it. It is a lovely almond green (women always consider the colours when it comes to cars). It's ideal for a sixty something (seventy in my case). I do drive another car and that is much higher up and easier to drive but not suitable for your character I don't think. (Focus).
    An old style VW Polo would be suitable.
  • JennyJenny
    BD - There are several lavender blue Micras round here. It's a very pretty colour!
  • collide-o-scopecollide-o-scope
    [quote=Jenny] I had to bang on the car to make it come out[/quote]

    Officially a banger then ;-)
  • JennyJenny
    :D
  • flyingtartflyingtart
    I've driven a Micra since 1997 and I love them too, but everyone else sneers at them. I blame Jeremy Clarkson.
  • snailmalesnailmale
    [quote=Jenny]However it did have a functioning heater.[/quote]

    When I was working on the project team, during the very hard winter of ,I think, 1982 I was returning from Hull to Worcester in my Humber Sceptre (a lovely motor) when the heater gave up the ghost. There had been a heavy snowfall and there was packed snow on the M62 motorway between Hull and the M1. There was also freezing fog, so I could hardly see where I was going. I dont know how cold it actually was,although during that spell there had been a record low of -25 in Worcester, but I gradually began to freeze from the feet up. Never been so cold in my life, and never so glad to see an M1 service station!
  • dorothyddorothyd
    I recall driving through France in a VW Beetle with ice on the INSIDE of the windscreen, with the heater (useless) full on.

    Barbara, I drive a dark green Ford Fiesta, so dark it is almost black, classy colour/ The number plate is NEL but 'she' is the Lady Eleanor, much too nice to be Nellie.
  • JennyJenny
    Just remembered something my first driving instructor said to me:

    "When you're stationary in a queue of traffic, you can take your feet off the steering wheel."
  • dorothyddorothyd
    :D
  • KJKJ
    A car for old timers? A Reliant Robin.
  • B DarterB Darter
    Jenny, yes I love that lavender colour and dark green Dorothy. I have seen several bright pink cars lately, all driven by women, can't say I like the colour.
  • JennyJenny
    Must be difficult to sell pink cars. I can't imagine many men would want to drive one!
  • SagesseSagesse
    Perhaps he could have an old scooter instead of a car?!

    A really old one that sounds like breaking wind and that feels like it is about to start going backwards when he travels up steep gradients?!
  • snailmalesnailmale
    [quote=Sagesse]A really old one that sounds like breaking wind and that feels like it is about to start going backwards when he travels up steep gradients?! [/quote]

    Sounds like me cycling
  • SagesseSagesse
    Wouldn't want to be behind you then ;-)
  • snailmalesnailmale
    Wise decision Sagesse
  • JennyJenny
    Lou - is it going to be a really old Morris Minor - one with the split windscreen?
  • doradora
    I think your character should drive one without any brakes. Just keep their foot on the accelerator

    nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeooooooow!!!!

    mwha ha hahahhhhhhaaaaaaaaa
  • N/AN/A
    my hubby and me are in the said age bracket and we've got a Suzuki Splash, bright red. Not sure we bought it because we're oldies, I do hope not, but maybe we did..... ! Would make a good car for your character I think. Our 'kids' call it the Splashmobile! :-)
  • JennyJenny
    Deirdre - it must be easy to find in car parks!!
  • Woll22Woll22
    Here is a suggestion, do you have a local rag[newspaper?] If so, there should be a section on used cars, take out the section or make a photocopy. Alright you may not get the colour but that does not matter really as you can put your own in but at least you will have some names. Same goes for houses. Paste them to index cards or scrap books. Collect character faces as well from wedding photos or any picture in the newspaper, you don't have to include all the info at the bottom.I hope this helps you
  • Lou TreleavenLou Treleaven
    Great idea - thanks, Woll!
  • doradora
    [quote=Jenny]it must be easy to find in car parks!! [/quote]


    How about a chitty chitty bang bang look-e-likey?

    Brum comes to mind.
  • BetsieBetsie
    I'm in the age-area of your character and drive a Fiat Panda (a little square thing in a pretty blue colour)
  • Lou TreleavenLou Treleaven
    Oh yes, my sister used to have one of those. It was brown with no heating and the roof leaked so you had to bale out the footwells after it had rained. Also the back seat pinged forward randomly causing the passengers (usually me) to let out an yell of agony. Then she had the cheek to try to get me to buy it off her!
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