Print

[crumbly65]

One thing has been constant in the 20 years since I became a Series II Land Rover owner (other than oil leaks), and that has been the number of people who approach me in car parks, filling stations and shopping areas and talk about my vehicle.

It's always to ask how old it is, and nearly always about how they used to own one/ learned to drive in one/ or used to be taken out in one when they were a child.

Almost without exception, those who used to own one say how much they regretted selling it.  The last such person was  a copper, doing a speed check Sunday on the lunatics who speed through our hamlet's 30mph limit at speeds of up to 70mph.

He saw me approaching, trundling along at my usual 30 mph, gave me a genial nod, and after I'd parked up, came over to tell me all about the 2A 109 and SIII he'd owned 20 years ago - and wished he still did.

So nice to be able to chat about something other than COVID-19, or the B word........   

[martinrh]

I've had mine for less than a year, but I've noticed it too.
Especially if the roof is off, more approachable I suppose.
Recently I was parked outside our local Co-Op an elderly gentleman told me how he had pulled a 23 ton lorry with a series once when in the army.
And last week I was loading up some stone, parked quite badly when a young trendy chap pulled up, wound his window down, said 'That's amazing' nodding at the Landy, and drove off!
I find it quite nice, I'm more used to people avoiding me :-)
The oil leaks can be quite embarrassing though.

[kev]

Excuse my ignorance, (and possibly other peoples) but what is the B word?

[cswagon]

It's only a guess but probably Brexit?

[Wittsend]

I've learnt to factor in some chat time when out and about - especially when in the LWT.

 

[Clifford Pope]

My observation is that people do this with all old cars. People are constantly saying of my Triumph 2000 "My dad used to have one of these". Now they are doing it with my Volvo 240. And my Ferguson tractor.

It's easy to imagine that the entire world used to have a Landrover, Triumph, Volvo, etc. In practice virtually everyone had something, and sooner or later they will meet one.

[Paul4978]

I stopped the SIIA to post a letter in the village. An old gent said " don't see many of those, these days ........... smells just right"

[Daisythelandy]

When out for the first trial run at the weekend I parked at the far end of a LIDL carpark and the other half went in for something. I noticed a guy looking across from the far side of the carpark and then he started walking straight over with purpose, of course it was to talk about the Landie. He said he used to have an early 90 and did miss it but now he has bikes, a Kawasaki 1100 Zephyr, iirc, nice I said.
 It does seem to be the done thing to talk to someone with an old vehicle, I've done it myself in fact, a few years ago I saw a Series three parked up at our local post office just as the owner come out, we had a good blether and it turned out his Landie once belonged to 'Tunnocks' (just two miles away) and was used to cart old Mr Tunnock about the factory site and an old armchair was fitted in the back for his comfort, I did ask if there were any Caramel wafer wrapers down the side of the chair, he replied, not a one....

Dave.

[crumbly65]

Yes - the "B" word - it WAS (and is) Brexit!  Remember it?  Probably better not to..........

Much better to talk with all & sundry about old Land Rovers - or indeed any classic car.  A very smart "Maigret" type Citroen (was it the Light 15?) pulled into the filling station the other day, sadly just as I was pulling out  Would've welcomed the chance to chat with the driver of that, but too much to-ing and fro-ing of the traffic precluded it.

I parked up in front of the Dry Cleaner's down at our local parade of shops last Friday, and the owner, a middle-aged Turkish lady, gave me a wave and ran out to ask how old my Series II is. 

She said "It's lovely - so cute" !!!!

SWMBO begs to differ..........

[Tom]

I mustn’t look very approachable.

Despite many, many glances as I drive past - I think I could count on one hand the number of people who have come over to speak to me about the Land Rover in the 10 years I’ve owned it.   

[genocache]

We've all heard, "Nice Jeep!" or "Hey? Is that a Toyota?, so it is nice when someone comes up and asks if that is a Series 2.

[gcc130]

It’s not only strangers though, I’ve sold landrovers and regretted it.
My biggest regret is selling my early 2a carawagon Several years ago.😟


Mind you, I still have first refusal if it comes back to the market.......

[AlexB]

I can only agree. When euroleafing in the Dormobile, it is amazing how much attention it receives, however, 3 years ago, mu wife and 1 flew to Alicante to pick up my retirement present - a 1972 Ami 8 Break - and drive it back to the UK.

The adulation was incredible ! There were folk videoing, photographing all the way, beeping horns and waving. It was amazing.

Is the word "chick magnet " ?  Definitely not ! but good fun

[Worf]

Parked up in my series 1 one day, and an old couple walked past. The woman was telling her husband in a very knowledgeable way " That one of those 5 wheel drive J##ps" I just said "no it isn't" and drove off. I suppose if you count the steering wheel...

[Peter Holden]

Our Romahome attracts that kind of attention when we are in France.

I got 2 compliments about the land rover when I was out on Sunday.

Peter