1982 Austin Mini Metro L goes for a drive

[@stevesrover]

The sound when the engine starts and the gearbox whine when you set off is incredibly nostalgic!

[@antonioliguori9906]

Quanto era bella, era piccola fuori e grande dentro, economica ed affidabile e la superficie vetrata immensa la rendeva così luminosa che era un piacere viaggiare. Che nostalgia rivederla. Grazie

[@johnmuller8242]

Die Federung war ganz große Scheiße und keine Airbags und gar nichts, bin ich nach der wende kurz mit so ein Ding durch die Gegend gefahren

[@Radfordperson]

At the opposite end of the range was the Vanden Plas Metro. All the accessories including central locking, electric windows, glass sunroof, etc. etc. About 1986 I bought one for my Dad, he's been gone (passed away) more than two decades. The car is still here. The car you tested looks to me to need the front suspension pumped up a little. This improves the ride and makes the steering a bit lighter.

[@6ettinold]

Way back when Metro's were a very common sight ( and we were far better for it - beats all these copycat SUV's ) every other one would be sat on it's hunches because it needed pumping up. Hope your VDP is in good fettle.

[@TheRealD4]

@@6ettinold How do you pump up the front suspension?

[@dukenukem5768]

@@TheRealD4 : Dealers had the kit. A green-ish water based fluid was pumped in via valves a bit like big tyre valves. The front ones under the bonnet AFAIR, one each side, and a single for the rear.

[@ferrumignis]

@@dukenukem5768 The car sinking on it's suspension invariably meant that some if the Nitrogen gas had leaked from the displacers, it was rarely if ever a problem with the fluid leaking. Pumping more fluid in would restore the ride height, but with less gas in the displacers you effectively increased the spring rate giving a harsh, bouncy ride.

[@bendoyle5023]

I've been dying to find a KZbin channel like this that reviews old cars! Chuffed I've found it! It's nice to see someone else gets excited about seeing a mk1 Disco 😂 I have a 1995 Fiesta Frascati low mileage minter, best car I've ever owned!

[@lewishart9698]

My Gran had a new E reg Metro City, that had a manual choke, remember trying to see how many sweet wrappers i could squash into the rear ashtrays as a little nipper sat in the back😂. 20 years later To hear The whine of the gearbox now is so nostalgic and makes me want one. She replaced it in 2000 with a Rover Metro Tahiti

[@nicholaskennedy1748]

Haha ive just bought an E reg Metro city Lewis. There were no sweet wrappers in the back though

[@lewishart9698]

Nicholas Kennedy Haha...You'd be surpised how many parmaviolet, refresher and fizzers wrappers you can fit in those little ash trays 😂

[@justsumguy2u]

0-60 in 22 seconds, plus legendary British Leyland build quality--who wouldn't want one?

[@zenbudhism]

Get 1.3

[@mariaparatore7318]

I'd get the 1 litre

[@jeffallinson8089]

@@mariaparatore7318 I wouldn't, they were terrible.

[@ferrumignis]

@@jeffallinson8089 The 1 litre engines were perfectly fine for use as a city car.

[@jeffallinson8089]

@@ferrumignis My girlfriend at the time had a 1.1 and it was absolutely abysmal. Reliability was truly shocking.

[@neilspiers338]

The sound got me I loved the metro passed my test first time . after 11 lesson with BSM April 1982 at 17 years old

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

What a gorgeous colour, if I recall, that's 'Opaline Green Metallic'. My parents had a 1981 Bokkara Brown metallic miniMetro, in around 1990. At the time, I wanted to hate it. It had been purchased to replace a slightly poorly, yet very fixable 1984 Renault 25 GTS. The miniMetro weirdly won me over, and I spent my early teens looking after it. It was a 1.0HLE, weekends would be spent vacumming the interior, washing and polishing the gorgeous dark metallic brown finish (I really liked it) and hassling my dad to get it into the garage to have the Hydragas displacers pumped up. The car was a one owner example, and had a number of interesting items, such as the colour chart and the accessories brochure. You could kit your new miniMetro out, with the following, should you so desire. Front fog lamps, cruise control, sunroof, mudflaps, trip computer, electric front windows, air conditioning (yes, actual Air con!) and a host of other luxury items. As an aside, I know of one chap who has a boxed Air con kit!!. The car sadly vanished in 1995, when my father vanished. I wish 16 year old me had put up more of a fight to keep it.

[@AnthonyFerran]

The Metro was my first car back in 1991when I started working. Driving like a go kart it was so responsive. Pity about the bodywork though as they probably rusted after 5 years or so😮

[@nightinp60]

Oh thank you for showing this lovely little car. I had one in the same colour I was given it as it was destine for the scrap yard. I had to weld the floor and inner sills to get it through the MOT. Then it was all stripped out to just the drivers seat and used as a van to cart rubbish and old bathroom and kitchen to the tip when we completely refurbished our house. The complete old bathroom was thrown in the back and the bath was on the roof. Well overloaded but it coped with the 4 mile drive to the tip. A brilliant little car, It sadly ended up in the scrapyard after the house rebuild. A great car, saved me a fortune on skip hire.

[@MarkPMus]

I’ve just found this channel, and this video took me back. Not quite to 1982. I passed my test quite late, I was 26, in an auto, in 1995. My first car was a 1982 X reg, automatic mini metro. I remember that as you put it into Drive, it made the most mournful howl ever, like a dog whose bone you’ve just confiscated. I only had it for a couple of months, but I loved driving it! Thanks for the video.

[@pjclark8624]

I can remember getting my mum to hire one for me from the BL main dealer in Sutton Road Maidstone the day after passing my test in '83. A primrose yellow 'L' on an X plate. This brought back lots of memories of that week long first independence looking for a car to buy. Thank you for 'A series' soundtrack.

[@nygelmiller5293]

a very professional, unbiased review of a working person's transport . If the review would have been by Clarkson or Quentin Wilson, or other old fossils, they would have had nothing positive to say about a car within most person's reach , and therefore without their preferred Ferrari price tag!

[@alunjones2185]

My wife had the basic Metro as a midwife. Same colour, same interior but without cloth seats. It was a smart and enjoyable car for the time - but expectations were different back then. 😊

[@louis-pierretalbot9151]

Fantastic that cars like these who were "for ever unwanted" eventually somehow survived untill today. In the future I'm quite sure that these cars will become very wanted and finally get the status ones predicted. You are going to see them on car motorshows as well. Most people wil remember them from back in early day's and mean a lot to them. They will bring back emotions...

[@radmansa5514]

The rust bubbles under the paint needs attention otherwise the car will be gone in a few months 👍👌, good video

[@sanchoodell6789]

Its amazing how this car from 1982 has dated so little. It still looks so modern now. Some 37 years later. Imagine in 1982 bringing a car from 37 years before would be from 1945 and any car from that period would look a lot more 'dated' in 1982. This car has lots of plastic, doors so you can get in and out of it easily, windows so you can see out of it when driving It also has windows that can be opened for ventilation. Lights so you can drive it at night. Mirrors so you can see behind you without having to turn your head around. Indicators so you can tell other road users what direction you intend to go in without the need to signal with your arms, break lights to tell other road users you are slowing down and/or stopping, Reversing lights to tell people that you are reversing the car. steering wheel to turn the vehicle in any direction , clutch, accelerator pedals, gear stick to move and control its speed and a break a pedal to help slow and stop it.Inside the car are seats so you can sit and drive and take other passengers. The car has a boot for storing belongings and transporting them. There are also instruments telling you your speed, and amount of fuel you are consuming and have on board. The doors have locks for security and it also requires a key to start its engine. Just like modern cars today, amazing!

[@2126beatz]

Love this comment 😂👍🏿

[@lundsweden]

Umm, yeah. But there's no cruise control, power steering, ABS, stability control, aircon, radio/infotainment, power windows/mirrors, trip computer ect. Even a stripper model has all these features now!

[@sanchoodell6789]

@@lundsweden Power steering? Electric windows? Those are for wimps! It's a small car so no need for those features. Easy to steer & could lean over even to operate the passenger window!

[@lundsweden]

@@sanchoodell6789 Lol, I know what you mean about leaning over and operating all 4 windows without electric windows. I have a real soft spot for tiny cars too!

[@dansdisapointedghost]

The First car I ever owned when I passed my test in November of 1999. Mine was an A reg in sky blue. You never forget your first love ❤️❤️❤️

[@SqueekyBums]

I remember my parents buying one of these brand new in 'primrose yellow'. It was actually a very good car. PFR 876X was the reg. Even the passenger side door mirror was an optional extra!

[@SM-dt1pr]

I had a Y-reg Metro 1.3L. By then they'd deleted 'mini' from the name. I also had headrests and a radio. They had also deleted the separate washer bottle in the boot. It was my second car, after owning an absolute wreck of a 1976 mini for a year. The metro definitely felt like a step up. I'd have another one, but the only ones left seem to be MG Turbos for silly money.

[@ChrisG3253032]

I'd have one in the blink of an eye. I love British cars, afterall it seemed most cars on New Zealand roads were British til the '80s Japanese cars flooded the market. Now Brit classics are becoming rather rare sadly.

[@harrylove9520]

Chris. G my grandad designed it

[@dirkdiggler69]

VIJ6461 my first car, a 1985 blue metro 1.0 L with 46bhp, she was called Blue Thunder . My god a thrashed the life out of it. Good times

[@markf4720]

Haha, my first car was a 1986 metro 1.0 city in black. I absolutely thrashed mine as well, the exhaust used to bang against the underside when I tried to do wheelspins - it needed about 6,000rpm and full clutch dump to give a chirp! :D

[@mrmash3085]

Brilliant little car...my second car was one in 1989 . A Y reg it was in the Same colour green . Soon after a mg metro in black.( irish late sij 998) All these years later sat in garage i Now have a METRO' BADGED 1989 registered car in blue. In excellent condition. Keeps the 1987 capri company. Iconic little car was the metro good video mate. 👍🏻

[@roberthatfull3816]

My teacher had a brown one of these in the early 80s . You dont see too many of them on the road these days it kinda takes me back thanks for shareing this vid it takes me back to the 80s when there where loads on the road 🤘

[@SJR1985]

Fantastic little car, and fantastic KZbin channel. Proper guy, proper cars, proper reviews. Like when Top Gear was good in the 90s. Keep up the good work!

[@benc8386]

A fine example. The interior and boot space is really impressive and it's mainly because of the innovative suspension design. The rear springs are very compact and under the floor.

[@MajorKlanga]

If you think that was basic, my brother in law had an actual base model which his parents bought new for him in 1982 (posh giit). It had slippery vinyl seats and no rear wash wipe. BL didn't think it was basic enough so they later introduced the City which I believe deleted the rear parcel shelf. The optional head restraints would only have restrained the heads of people of short stature and would have reached your shoulders therefore increasing the risk of whiplash. In 1982 I doubt there were any superminis with power steering. Thanks for a well made and entertaining review.

[@furiousdriving]

I saw a mega basic one (its in Classics Monthly a few months ago) so basic it has one sun visor, no lighter, non-reclining seats, no side indicators of reversing lights (just the lens, no wiring and they handt made black plate), it was cruel motoring. This is luxury compared to that!

[@rachelhorner1769]

That was city model with one sunvisor

[@MrSteamywindows]

Yes indeed: our family car when I was growing up was a 1982 miniMetro City in Cinnabar red. And it was miserable. All the things you mention it was missing: no heated rear window, wash wipe, reversing lights, side repeaters, passenger door mirror, passenger fog light, fag lighter, reclining seats, head restraints, cloth upholstery, parcel shelf or its supports, glovebox, radio, door bins.......

[@forestdad]

Lol I had a second hand City without a parcel shelf I just thought the previous owner had forgotten to put it back in the car. Weird that I find that out 31 years after buying the car! Thanks.

[@furiousdriving]

On the basic Dacia's only the heater is standard - some still come without a radio!

[@Hotrodngaz]

Great video, and yes you're right, it is basic, but our 1982 MiniMetro City is even more basic, having no rear wiper, no heated rear screen, no rear parcel shelf, one sun-visor and only one door mirror. OOh, it does have reversing lights though, but BL decided that because it was the poverty spec car, they wouldn't put any bulbs in the reversing lights, apparently you had to buy your own :) I've subscribed and would just like to tell you to keep up the good work and I'll be looking forward to your next video. :)

[@iainmclaughlan1557]

Hotrodngaz my 1984 Metro was the bottom spec one too. Miss it.

[@NicksGarageUk]

I have one I’m rebuilding 6201 miles genuine , over on my channel

[@spacekii]

i really love your reviews! a charming style, reviewing really old, slightly terrible but incredibly charming little cars. glad to see someone has reviewed this weird little car that, for whatever reason, i really love

[@glenjarnold]

I had one exactly the same as this in 1990, even down to the colour! It made the trip from Kent to the Midlands on more than one occasion, with the Mrs, myself and two young lads plus luggage without a problem, so not all bad!

[@TheFakeRussian]

Way back then, when I was young and stupid I just passed the test and hired one of these from the local magistrate who ran a car dealership. Me and a mate decided to drive it to a place where there was a steep hill and at the bottom there was a humped back bridge. Yes! We jumped the car and completely collapsed the suspension. As I say, I was young and stupid. But despite everything I quite liked the little Metro. Prior to my "stunt driving" we went off to Blackpool for the day from Scarborough and it was surprisingly nippy in town and managed the A64 dual carriageway and M62 without much trouble. Even the thimble sized fuel tank held enough fuel to get us to Blackpool so as a first hired car it was a decent experience.

[@furiousdriving]

I think we all found a hump back bridge when we were young and/or stupid - I remember my friends Fiesta 5 up launching off one, lucky for us it survived and we lived to tell the tale!

[@markpedwell1250]

I worked at longbridge in the 1970s making the metro and in its day it was as good as any other small car on the road . Great car !. You have to have been there . Its easy to take the piss .but the kid in this video wouldn't have stoud a day on the track.

[@philipsudron]

I inherited my mother's shiny red 1982 X-reg Austin Metro which featured Halogen headlights, a radio and maybe one or two other extras. It was a lovely, well made car that was kept going in the family until eventually corrosion got to it in the early 2000s.

[@ferrumignis]

3:07 You mentioned that it had big air vents instead of a radio, but all Mk1 Metros have those air vents. If fitted, the radio sits in a pod which is attached under the heater unit. My father bought a brand new W reg 1.0 HLE which had a higher final drive for better fuel economy and 4th gear marked as "E" on the gear knob. Sadly it was a lemon and after spending more time at the dealers than on the road in the first year they took it back and dad paid the extra for an X reg MG Metro which was an excellent car and which was passed down to me about 15 years later and then I passed it onto my brother a couple of years after. I had to do some welding on it, but relatively little thanks to extensive waxoyling by my father early in it's life. He also bought a Mk1 Metro Turbo which he kept for a very long time.

[@arrangrant4614]

I learnt to drive in one of these in 1985 when I was 18 with British School of Motoring they had a whole fleet of these and must have been one of BLs biggest customers along with the Police

[@paultaylor9652]

Lovely Jubbly. I learnt to drive in a 1983 Metro City, and passed my test, now that was basic, no rear wash wipe for it.

[@robinforrest7680]

After the Marina, mum had a red A reg Metro L (1983?). By then they came with headrests. I loved it and was even allowed to take it to college in my final year at Swansea uni (1984/5). I never had any problems driving to and from Swansea to Falmouth via M4 - Severn Bridge (when there was only one!) - M5 - A30 - A39. I used to seriously bomb it along at 80 on the speedo (which was with hindsight perhaps wildly optimistic) but then again I didn't get overtaken very often! Happy days, and thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@nicholaskennedy1748]

Drove my 87 metro back from swansea via the m4 too robin - had no problems!

[@simonabbott7323]

Love that noise. My Dad had one that was the real poverty spec.....No radio, no cig lighter, no RWW, no heated rear screen, no passenger door mirror or sun visor and amber reflective plates in place of the side repeaters. No parcel shelf or side panels to support it and, oh yes, vinyl seats. AFAIR, it did not have a rear fog, had the black steel bumpers and the extra poverty headlights with the black surrounds. I remember fitting a radio in it and removing the glovebox to furtle around trying to find the green and white wire which was the ignition-fed feed for it. Was an early City. Rust in Pieces BVM 654Y.

[@jezzaqc]

Why have I only just found this? This is a gorgeous Metro - especially for its age! Despite learning to drive in VW Polo Coupé, my instructor changed cars a week before my driving test and so I passed my test in a Metro (well the ‘90s version anyway)!

[@matty6848]

My 1st car. I had a beige 1.0 litre City x cost me 250 quid from a student and had a huge rust hole in the drivers side wing. But it got me to work and back for 18 months and never let me down. God bless you Metro City X!

[@gosportjamie]

I learned to drive in Metros, but from the other end of their production life, two 1989s and a 1986 from family driving school. The L was actually quite high spec when the cars came out, having things like the rear wash/wipe, 60/40 split rear seat and two sun visors as standard, about the only option I can see on this is the Opaline Green metallic paint, a colour that really suited these little cars. When they go their first face-lift and went over to the TD metric wheels in 1983 you even got a radio and head rests as standard. The basic and City models from the era of the test car really were basic, I think vinyl interior and front seats with non-adjustable back rests were standard equipment on the basic car, the City got the vinyl and houndstooth cloth seats of the same style as the Mini City had at the time. Needless to say, an early basic Metro was not a nice place to be on a hot summers day (my secondary school had one and it was utter torture, even the bursar got so fed up with it that it got traded in after 6 months for a yellow 1.3L ex-demo car from the local Austin-Rover garage, much more comfortable and, being a demo, it had quite a few extras on it like head rests and rear seat belts...) I might well have to chase this car up as early Metros are pretty rare now and it would make a nice, and usable blast from the past for me, I really rather did like the driving school cars, even if they could occasionally get rather bouncy when the suspension at each end got out of sync with each other...

[@tubaman66]

My first car in 1984 was a 1980 'W' reg Metro L in dark blue.Great little car although just about everything that could rattle did - dashboard, parcel shelf, mirrors etc etc. Each part had a different speed at which it rattled so you were pretty much never rattle-free. It also had a bit of a thirst for oil - about a pint every 100 miles, but as long as you knew that and kept it topped up there was no issue. Good brakes were mentioned in the video, but I don't remember that on mine - no servo and needing a firm shove to stop in anything like a hurry. Only let me down once in the 18 months or so I owned it, and that was only a loose lead on the coil so quickly sorted.

[@jumpfortyfour9965]

I had a MG metro turbo [ a super fun car ] with all the extras . very rare now it was silver and black .

[@mattsbeamer]

I used to hate these when I was a boy, now u have a soft spot for one. Once again Matthew, another great video! Thank you

[@furiousdriving]

nostalgia is powerful thing!

[@mattsbeamer]

Very true :D

[@idriveaclassic]

I drive a mini metro as my daily car. I always recommend everyone buys a metro 🥰

[@iainmclaughlan1557]

idriveaclassic yours looks awesome. Always sad looking at it wishing I kept mine.

[@harrylove9520]

My grandad designed it, I kid you not

[@iainmclaughlan1557]

Wow, great designer. Best looking car ever.

[@harrylove9520]

Iain McLaughlan thanks a lot, yeh he’s like the coolest grandad I’ll be sure to tell him :)

[@iainmclaughlan1557]

I make notes on the perfect 2020 Metro and this is based on what my customers say to me about my Škoda Citigo (I am a driving instructor) I wonder what ideas he has now for the Metro.

[@JamesSiggins]

This really takes me back, I had a B reg Mini Metro, love the gearbox whine.

[@kf-dk5pb]

Passed my test in a metro in 1983 and later bought the MG turbo (had to sell it as was stolen so often), and your right both cars once you hit 60 ish where ridiculously loud, but good fun.

[@tiakontikiadventures1536]

I had a Austin Metro Mayfair in white! She was awesome, tidied up the front wings, gassed up the suspension and repainted the cills! Changed to mg alloys....then she went for her mot and found out how many holes she had underneath! I was devastated!!! x2 years of good motoring though! Pretty nippy once she got going! Nice to hear the tranmission whine again!

[@stevenjones19-m8i]

Hi,the Mini Metro, my dad had one & my brother,after my dad had the city X ,the distinctive whine when you pull away with them, awesome video.

[@johngreen6375]

I had a Metro 1.3HL automatic with a full length vinyl sunroof. It’s reg was: C77 RAP. Despite the nickname I gave it, it was a great little car. Was passed down through the family. It died in 1999. They were just scrappers once things went wrong back then. Wish I kept the Registration though.

[@xyz2121]

This is a brilliant design in my opinion. Obviously far better with MG trim and mechanicals. I wish they had marketed this in the USA. The reviewed car looks like it has several rust spots.

[@markf4720]

Most metros had rust spots within a few years of leaving the factory!

[@Smithy67]

My first car was a 1978 (T reg) Mini Clubman, so when I got a 1982 (X reg) Metro HL, it really was a step up! It even had headlights flush with the front grille!

[@ChrisMcKeown560]

My Mum's 88 F-plate Metro had a manual choke. Little go-cart that thing was, I learnt to drive in it.

[@RichieRouge206]

I have got so many happy memories of A191 WDM in Primula Yellow. It was a standard Metro L with brown velour. Fabulous car 😎 it was a 1.3 with taller seats, headrests and rear wiper. Heady days 😊 My E-reg Nova 1.2 had a manual choke!

[@phoneybaloney1763]

Always remember my mum's 1984 Metro in midnight blue. Not as bad as people say, nor as I thought at the time. The engine had a defective no 3 cylinder from early days, but it wasn't apparent until later. Great handling.

[@chriswathen9612]

My parents had an E reg Metro L until the mid 90s. By then you got a few more toys as standard. Later owned 3 Rover Metros myself. The manual choke lasted into the 90s...I had a J plate which still had one.

[@darrenhillman8396]

Great review. Brought back so many memories of learning to drive in one of these way back in 1982. Superb visibility. Great town car.

[@jonnygti]

My dad had one of these, very slow, rotted and broke down on him, but it does bring back good memories as a child! And that unforgettable sound the metro makes when accelerating! I wonder what makes it sound like that?

[@morini500dave]

Passed my test in one in 1983,simple and confidence inspiring,that's why driving schools had them.

[@simonroyle2806]

I learnt to drive in a BSM Metro in 1982. My first test attempt the car wouldnt start (starter motor) so the Instructor bump started it, but the Examiner aborted the test in case I stalled. Second time I failed for speeding! Was lucky third time. Then had a yellow 81 basic Metro with plastic seats which was rusting by 86! Then had an 85 MG Metro 1300 which looked great, the gearbox jammed as the bearings were cheap plastic cased, fixed that and sold the car!

[@oli720-oli]

I loved driving all my metros!! ❤❤❤ I remember the manual choke too! 😊. Rusted like hell and the suspension always had to be pumped up....no power steering. Owned both the 3 dr and 5dr models..... Great video. Passed my test in a "D" reg metro "city x" 😂

[@davidrumming4734]

This is a mk1.0 generation, with the sunken headlights. A few years in, they did a modest facelift with flush fitting ones. Manual choke remained on some cars even after that. My folks had a 1983 poverty spec (BASE - not even an L) 1.2 Astra with manual choke and that didn’t have a cigarette lighter.

[@andrewmorley474]

The very first time I drove a Metro was my driving test ! I passed . It was a very easy car to drive. I have owned two . They were cheaper than walking and a lot of fun .

[@TerryClarkAccordioncrazy]

When I got my first reasonably capable motorcycle in 1983 I recall the head of almost all queues of ridiculously.slow moving traffic was one of these beauties.

[@O1Richard]

My dad had a 1996 N plate Rover 100 Kensington, in kingfisher blue/green. 3 door with charcoal colour seats. It was reasonably comfortable and quick for a 1.1 litre. That car only lasted 4 years as it was written off after a Transit van hit it head on while at a mini roundabout, not the most reassuring build quality but a fun little car and had a decent radio cassette player. December 1997 the Rover 100 model was killed off, leaving no direct replacement until 2003 with the CityRover or as many called it ShittyRover lol.

[@davidjames2910]

My Mum got one mainly for my sister and me to use when we started driving - a 1.0L in beige. It was not comfortable or quick but was more spacious than it looked and cornered surprisingly well. Already, by then the A series engine and sump gearbox were too noisy and slow for the time and the suspension was hard so, when we next bought a small car, we went forward in time to a Vauxhall Nova.

[@PillSharks]

The day I passed my test I borrowed my Dads immaculate Land Rover County and went off with my mates, also in the convoy was my best mate in his metro... unfortunately he hit his brakes at a junction and it stopped before the 2 ton Land Rover did! I smashed the back right up to the back seats of the metro and both front seats snapped and both mates were reclined in the broken seats!😂😂😂. The hardest challenge was taking the Land Rover with a small dent in the wing back to my father and explaining what’s happened to his pride and joy... lucky after spending 2 nights around my grandmothers he’s calmed down!

[@hermitageboy]

Nice 80s vibes lol. My mum had an 87 city x that we changed just before I started driving. I had a black rear spoiler put on it lol.

[@zebedep]

Amazing how these cars seemed to disappear from the UK's roads almost overnight. Great video!

[@paulanderson79]

Here's why: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYbWXptoaNijba8

[@marklittler784]

@@paulanderson79 Well that answers that one ! 😈

[@paulanderson79]

@@marklittler784 it's certainly alarming to watch that test. Not that anything else in the era was much better. I had a 1986 Montego which was probably very little better. But at the time we knew no different

[@benc8386]

I think it was the switch to unleaded petrol that finished most of them off. You could get additives but the A/A+ really did need a proper full lead diet. Obviously I'm referring to the earlier cars-- the Rover Metro was fine on unleaded.

[@paulanderson79]

@@benc8386 yes, I do recall some comments about the a+ series engines being tolerant of unleaded fuel. I had a 1981 Fiat that wouldn't tolerate unleaded fuel - and 1049cc ohc engine - but there was also in the family a 1979 model with the 903 cc ancient pushrod engine that thrived on the stuff.

[@velkovskinikola2]

I love your videos, and I like that you always manage to find a mint samples even of rare models. Frankly speaking I would find almost anything of the era in that class west of the iron curtain a better option than the Rover 100.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Well, I must that I am really glad you decided to postpone your review of the other car you were going to film. One of my childminders when I was growing up had an early Metro on an X plate, rather like this one (albeit a different colour), and I think it was even more basic if that is even possible... Certainly lots of memories of the dashboard and the sound of the whining little A Plus engine with the four speed gearbox!

[@AliMackMechanical]

Had an Mg metro when I was a apprentice mechanic. Great little car just couldn't stop the tin worm the seat kept getting closer to ground. In the end there was more weld than orrigal car lol 😂. Another good video mate.

[@spankysmp]

Cracking video. One of these came up about hmmm 5 years ago at the ridiculous price of about £400 with mega low mileage near me, I really regret I didn't buy it at the time

[@iainmclaughlan1557]

This is similar to my 1984 Austin Metro. I had only one exterior mirror. There was no glovebox. I dream about it. I got headrests from a Vanden Plas at the scrapyard. I added a parcel shelf from the scrapyard. I miss it and wish I didn’t scrap it now. Love the gearbox whine. Loved the hydragas suspension.

[@stanleyleopard6799]

Yep, my first car was a Y reg Austin Metro City 1.0 in this exact colour - Opaline Green Metallic, still got the 'Holts Colour Touch Dupli-Color' paint stick. Fitted a Harrier radio from Halfords and Audioline speakers from Tandy (I think) on the optional parcel shelf. Nice little car, just a bit light on acceleration!

[@furiousdriving]

Harrier radio? Theres a blast from the past!

[@stevek3036]

Fact check: manual chokes were fitted to fords and Vauxhalls up to the late 80s on the smaller models. I know this because I a m old enough to have driven these cars when they were new

[@indenturedLemon]

funny thing, Metro never recieved autochoke, even with K-series it still have manual choke on poverty specs, although the top-of-the-line do get injection.

[@aston-martin-internationalist]

The following year I believe the L gained regular flush-fitting fully-integrated headlight/indicator unit and the square foam see-through headrests.

[@liverush24]

I had an '82 Mini Metro, in beige. Mine didn't have a glove box. It met its end ( with me at least ) when I accidentally mashed both the brake and accelerator pedals simultaneously. We crashed into a computer shop on a Saturday evening. They couldn't open on Monday as their roller shutter door was too badly damaged.

[@d4ve587]

Unbelievable little car.. They rotted out fast. But where reliable as could be for the times. My girlfriend had a merto city. I used to drive it like a go kart around bends was fun. Good Times 👌 😎😙

[@trabali5168]

this was definitley my generations first car (mid forties). also manual chokes were on a lot of 90s cars too.

[@williamegler8771]

I am in my early fifties and the oldest car I have ever owned was a 1972. It was the only one of the 35 I have owned that wasn't fuel injected but it did have a auto choke.

[@VintageLynx]

@@williamegler8771 My Dad drove Renault and Peugeot in the 80's and 90's and I drive a Škoda and it's only in the last 10 years that we have owned cars without carburettor or manual choke. My dad's Peugeot 309 was a new car for the late 1980s but had the choke. Same for my 1988 Skoda. So quite a few kept the carb and choke.

[@emjayay]

@@VintageLynx I don't think there was an American car left with a manual choke by around 1960, although carburetors persisted about as long as they did in Europe. By the late 80's single point fuel injection had been substituted on a lot of cars, then a few years later multipoint fuel injection.

[@davidgibson4840]

I had a 1990 GTA metro, I was great big brakes, mg turbo suspension and a hoot on the bends, loved it

[@Pmjs]

I passed my test 1st time in a BSM Metro mk2. My 1st car was an Austin Mini 850cc 1978S. After having his Škoda Estelle&Rapid my OH got a Rover 100.

[@gosportjamie]

I think you're right about Kenneth Williams having a Metro, I seem to recall him being regularly pictured driving an early Metro Vanden Plas...

[@calumanderson5617]

WOW !!!!! That car is identical to what my mother had even to the colour, interior and even the mud flaps and it was an X reg !!!!. I feel like I'm in back to the future as a kid !!!!😳

[@stepheng8779]

We had a white diesel Metro from the mid to late 90's. Absolutely faultless and peanuts to run did the 60 plus mile work run every day without issues, only got rid cos it was a 3 door and kids came along, my back was getting wrecked.

[@jimififul]

Bloody luxury- when I were a lad we had a "City." Dad paid extra for a rear wipe! Clove Brown yum.

[@jonnygti]

My dad had a City too, I’m sure it was called “city x” or something like that? It was white with some kind of stripe down the middle of the doors etc. If I remember correctly. One day it over heated 5 minutes after starting a journey, steam pouring out the engine bay, I was only a child but I remember!

[@jimififul]

@@jonnygti City X was like a City but you got rear wash/wipe and front head restraints as standard. You also got a passenger side sun visor, which was an option on the City. My Mum lasted about three months before getting Dad to retro fit one! My Mum worked for BL Finance, so she got cheap new cars but you pretty much had to take what you were given. I seem to remember it was £2,200 on the road in December 1983 - A299VOX!

[@jamesecroucher]

5:49 what a gorgeous innocent little engine noise the Metro had

[@davidrumming4734]

Just watched thus again. Before I got in one of these, I always said, get the fiesta. But, for all its flaws, the metro just seems more refined, less noise, nicer noise, smoother ride.

[@SarahWilson-fv5vo]

My first car was a B reg mini Metro, 1985, same colour as this one. Loved it.

[@lanehogger1532]

I think the rear wash wipe and split rear seats are the big extras on an L. My mum had an A reg HLE metro in that colour brand new. Had a medium wave radio, front headrests and better seats. Also the rear windows opened outwards. Great car, my sister wrote it off in 1990. Sad because I would have inherited it as my first car. Great memory thanks 😁

[@robhines4537]

Lane Hogger my mum also had a blue HLE brand new A reg (very special!) had horrible tweed seats, my brother ran it till the mid 90 and sold it on.

[@furiousdriving]

Yes, I think they were all options here, the HLE was pretty loaded though. Shame you missed out on it

[@markjohnrice]

That gearbox whine, love it

[@NicksGarageUk]

I’m currently restoring an Austin metro city on my channel with only 6201 miles from new,, love seeing metro videos

[@fredhicks7483]

I bought one of these back in 84......I liked it just fine. Looking back.......hmmmmm

[@darrenwilson8042]

I remember these - and the MG variants - none were fast but sat with your arse on the road with everything coming at you all frantically they were piss funny. In the end I preferred the brio of an Uno 903 cc base model and the sublime ride/handling of a basic 205 954cc 2 door. Both were just much better than the Metro.

[@t5jerry]

Opaline green metallic I do believe...

[@gosportjamie]

Yes, indeed, one of the better colours that these early Metros came in, it really suited the shape of these little cars...

[@kevinmurphy-steele5055]

I love listening to the transmission whine in 1st gear

[@JuiceTerry87]

Very distinctive sound. I know what you're on about without hearing it yet in the video

[@damieg82]

The MK1 Disco was the facelifted version though. Seeing a pre-facelift one is like truly spotting a unicorn.

[@furiousdriving]

Id love a 3 door, if I ever see another one

[@fodsaks]

Lovely review. Brought back a lot of memories.

[@keithmartin1328]

Yes. They were in almost every street in 1980s britain.

[@EA-58]

Owned one YEARS ago...fot some reason i love those cars. ( i'm getting old )

[@user-lx6bl2wd8g]

In about 1987 I had to go down to Surrey to pick up a Metro Automatic, great fun blasting round the countryside, pre cameras, of course.

[@furiousdriving]

Every road was more fun pre cameras :-(

[@TrevBec]

We had had a little little Metro in the late 90’s when we lived in Leeds. Ended up getting nicked and wrapped around a lamp post.

[@jimififul]

Opaline Green. Lovely! Sadly having had two Metros back in the day (and Dad had one before me) I wouldn't want one now. They were hard enough to live with in the 80s/90s!