The Austin Metro Story

[@dohnny123]

I'm a mailman in Rosenberg Texas...I put my headphones in and listen to big car. I'm a big fan of car reviews like "Regular Car Reviews " and history lessons like these and "Motorweek retro" .This is right up my ally. Please keep making videos. I love these and tell everyone about them.

[@BigCar2]

I'm glad I'm entertaining you during your mail deliveries! BTW mail vans are mentioned in the EVs video for the 60s/70s and the 80s one also.

[@carl_marks1626]

Nicely put together. I used to work at a Austin Rover dealership in the late eighties. The reason why every metro succumbed to front wing rust was because a piece of foam was fitted from the factory in the wheel well between wing and body to stop vibration. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that after only a few years of British weather this piece of foam just rotted the wing from inside and once the rust became visible, it was too late.

[@NicksGarageUk]

I wonder if you worked on mine, 6201 miles from new

[@carl_marks1626]

Could be. The garage was called Ivy Garage and it was on Moston Lane, Manchester. Just had a look at your metro video and the car looks mint. Can’t be many left like that. The piece of foam that absorbs the vibration and water is located in the inner wing up inside next to the A post.

[@thegameshowgeek]

Assuming folks actually had their cars inspected on time, how much of that kind of damage was covered by that rust warranty Quentin Willson mentioned in his 1991 Top Gear report?

[@roygardiner2229]

Was that design flaw continued into Rover 100 production?

[@carl_marks1626]

In all probability. Austin Rover were natural bodgers when it came to car design. Montego, maestro and rover were all hacked together.

[@PassiveSmoking]

I can just hear an irate Alan Partridge crying, "They rebadged it, you fool"

[@des54321]

P

[@marcraygun6290]

"I'll just talk over you"

[@RasheedKhan-he6xx]

Had a D reg, bought for about £300 in 1998. Got 62mpg on one motorway run from London to Manchester although normally was around the 55. One day the clutch cable snapped and as I wouldn't have money to replace it till the end of the month I taught myself to start in 2nd gear and drive clutchless by matching revs at each shift. A skill that made me a smoother driver for life. Sold it for almost as much as I'd paid. The first and last car in my life that I didn't lose a lot of money on. Good times!

[@oddities-whatnot]

Haha good story. I hired a Metro to go camping with 2 mates in Cornwall. Picked it up from a garage in Urmston because it was cheap rates. Didn't take long to work out why, there was a problem with the choke, you had to leave it out for 5 miles before you could push it in, then the exhaust fell off in the middle of Cornwall somewhere. Got towed back to the campsite and had to wait two days for parts to get delivered to the local mechanic at "Parc An Creet Garage". It was a slower pace of life back then. Happy memories.

[@RasheedKhan-he6xx]

@@oddities-whatnot that's an even better story! Yes life was more relaxed and at least things could be fixed or jerry rigged or some ingenious solution found. Now you have to take it back to the stealer for an oil change.

[@emty9668]

When I met my wife for the first time she had one, terrifying me with her driving through Birmingham she was able to defy the laws of physics and always but always went round roundabouts in the outside lane whatever the exit. Stolen twice and recovered twice, the second time it had been valeted. So easy to park and fantastic visibility.

[@Londonfogey]

Yes, the visibility in 1970s/80s cars was amazing. Modern cars seem like those 1920s ones with a tiny back window, due to all the padding, headrests, pillars etc.

[@andrewmusisi7147]

Thanks so much Mr big car, I have extremely fund memories of my red Austin Metro 1.3L F reg, it was my first car when I came to the U.K. back in 1996. It served me well in my College days in South Wales, it of course had body corrosion issues at the floor pan, but other than that quiet an economical & reliable car, but could have done with a fifth gear , and an OHC (overhead Cam engine)as it labored on the Motorway, plus the occasional misfire when pushed to hard.

[@tonystamford]

Ah the metro, my first car in the late 80's. It was brown which was an awful colour but it helped to hide the rust, which was on every panel. It was very reliable though.

[@oddities-whatnot]

I think one of the engines was the same they shoved in the Mini (1 litre) in the 80s. I had one of them, strong engine I didn't half hammer it !

[@Aussiemarco]

My first car that I bought in the UK when I first moved here in 2006 was a 1995 Metro. Great little car, a joy to drive. I bought it from a backyard car dealer in Essex with 11 months MOT. I had 11 months trouble free, fun motoring for just £495 - but then it failed my first experience of the MOT test. The floor was completely rusted away and was ready to collapse at any moment 😭 It also had so much wrong with it that the list was as long as my arm. It should never have passed that MOT a year before. Dodgey Arthur Daley car dealer. My little red Metro ended up at a wrecker, probably where they all are now. It would have needed a total rebuild to get through that MOT in 2007.

[@Mcgee932]

I had an 1100s Rover Metro on a K plate - just before it became the Rover 100. loved it. Great first car! Red seatbelts too!

[@alannorman1773]

Loved this video thank you. Learned to drive in a Metro, first car was a Metro HLE and later had an MG Metro. Fond memories.

[@davidosborne3479]

I learnt to drive in a 1992 Metro, I was given a 1993 metro van from the company I worked for, and in 1994 my parents passend the roverr 100 on to me.

[@555jaybo]

Passed my test in a 1.1, then upgraded to the GTA then GTI, I would love one on my driveway today, though in fairness I bought another 1.1 K a lot of years later for nostalgia and the jack went through the sill the first time I got a puncture and scrapped it

[@jamesengland7461]

So, the Metro, designed to replace the Mini, was instead replaced by the Mini....

[@ericgeorge5483]

Ha ha, exactly!

[@johnburns4017]

The Metro was a hatchback Mini on even Mini subframes. That is why it looked odd as the wheels were too far inboard because of the Mini subframes.

[@piotrmalewski8178]

Better yet, put hydrogas suspension on a car that is supposed to be cheap. The only thing they could get with it was raising costs and making sure it's going to fail too soon and most garages would be unable to repair it, not gaining anything as an average driver could barely tell that cars have suspensions at all.

[@donaldasayers]

@@johnburns4017 They were not Mini sub frames, they were new for the Metro.

[@johnburns4017]

@@donaldasayers They were too narrow for sure.

[@johnmichaelrichards]

I loved the Metro. In 1980, my then-girlfriend had the original miniMetro; I learned to drive with BSM and passed my driving test in Metros; I drove Metro cars and vans at work; in 1986, my first new car was an MG Metro 1.3 MkII - I was working as a DJ and easily fit my gear in the Metro with the rear seats down. In 2003 my then-wife got her first car: a second-hand Metro Sport, and I fell in love with Metro all over again. All relatively easy cars to service and work on but the poor quality, thin steel bodies made them rust-buckets so few survive in their native UK which uses salt on its roads ib winter.

[@colinfarquhar8652]

i had 4 of these a 1ltr basic model , an MG metro , an MG turbo , loved that model and a rover 100 version , i thought they were great little cars if we still had a british car industry we could still have a current model of this great little car

[@richardrichard5409]

If they didn't buy them back then.....

[@christopherhall4024]

I love your channel, can't wait for more. I leaned to drive in an 'E' reg metro. One week before my test in October 1995 my instructor upgraded to a brand new Rover Metro. I still passed first time. The Metro is also worthy of the mention of MG and MG Turbo models, and of course the legendary 6R4.

[@joaocorreia6282]

Hi from Spain. The Metro was my 1st car. I had a 1.3 version. I will never forget the good times I had with it

[@andyhouston695]

Still own one at 44 yrs old and probably always will, something about them I just love them

[@gregmartyn1976]

I had a 1986 metro cityX for my first car and loved it. My dad had a metro before me and my sister's first car was a brand new 1992 metro. Great cars.

[@philipread8733]

I passed my test in a metro and had one for a few years. Great little car, and reliable !!

[@richardgardner7104]

A another great video! In the mid 90s, I used to see a Heinz 57 metro on a daily basis on my way to work. Red bodywork with silver lower half and 57 on the side. I believe this was a competition prize that Heinz did.

[@melesmelesfaber3866]

I entered that competition, never won a car though!

[@qq1960ify]

I inherited a 1981 Mini Metro in the 1990's. it was a disaster. It was a rust bucket. It had a manual choke which was very temperamental. You had to get it just right or the carb would flood and you had to pump the accelerator to get it started. The turning circle was ridiculously large. There are turns that I took in the Metro where I had to reverse to complete which nowadays I take in my full size van in one go. One thing I can say for the Metro, it certainly had character.

[@buffi944]

Maybe you did not look after it,

[@qq1960ify]

@@buffi944 🤣🤣🤣

[@pyeltd.5457]

Should have brought an AX Sport and then you would still be driving it today using 1 hand

[@iancropper4952]

Thanks for your video. It was great ! I had many Metros including an early MG Metro E Reg in white (second hand) and the last one I owned was a brand new GTa Metro in Red, I loved them all. They were an amazing little car and fun to drive.

[@mugofbrown6234]

How about a video on the Panda? Whilst I've out grown them, they were and are great little 4x4s with a long history.

[@lmlmd2714]

Seconding this. I'd love to know how on earth a 4x4 Panda came into being, and the fact they stuck with that concept in the new Panda as well - it's nuts. Brilliant, but still nuts.

[@torstenscholz6243]

@@lmlmd2714 The 4x4 Panda was very successful in the alps regions of its native Italy as well as in the Swiss alps as it was the cheapest 4x4 car available there. The original 4x4 Panda continued to be produced along the normal fwd Panda until production ended in 2003. Also, you can call the car odd, but it did its job and was a very good off-roader, thanks to it having a great Steyr 4x4 technical layout, unlike today's modern SUVs that would get stuck in the smallest puddle. Fun fact: There was even a short-lived 4x4 version of the VW Golf 2 called the Golf country. That was an oddball that would deserve its own story as well.

[@UberAlphaSirus]

All flat glass too. Bloody horrid cars, I remember I was about 8 being shoved in one and thinking this is a pile of death.

[@philiptownsend4026]

I have one and would enjoy to see that.

[@philiptownsend4026]

@@lmlmd2714 I have one. We like small cars and live at the top of a steep twisty hill in a country with long cold winters. 4x4 we need. It is also surprisingly fast with 95hp turbo diesel.

[@paulkelly7609]

Had a 1990 Metro GTA loved it wish I still had it

[@chrisshelswell3222]

I’m nearly 40 but my gran had one when I was about 10 so in the early 90s. The thing I remember most about it was the noise the reverse gear made. It was quite unique to the Metro as far as I remember. Quite a high pitched whine

[@sjprmc7510]

First car I ever bought back in 1995, was a 1983 Y Reg (GSB 810Y) and cost me £295. Loved it and wouldn't mind having another wee shot of driving one for a bit of nostalgia

[@iainmclaughlan1557]

It was the first car I bought too. In July 1995, it was a 1984 Mk.1 for £395 but it had 1 years tax so the seller told me I was paying £270 for it really. A462 RBH. Had it for 3 years, kept breaking down but loved it. Yes, I keep dreaming about it and would love to have a little drive in one.

[@JoeSmith-tl2fe]

My first car when I was 17 in 1995 was a 1983 gold metro city . It was a A reg and It was so basic it didn’t even have a passenger wing mirror . Me and my mates went to lots of scrap yards getting bits off crashed metros that had a higher spec . I even fitted a Rev counter to my car . Swapping out the instrument panel from I think a crashed 1.3 Vanden plas . I of course kept my Speedo as it had my milesage on . Also got a passenger wing mirror !!!

[@allanransby7119]

I worked in a company owned by the danish importer. Our director drove an MG Montego turbo. I was so in love with that car, so I'd ask him if he was satisfied with that car. "Keep away from that piece of crap" he answered. "It's noicy and everything "talks" inside" he said. I looked at the Maestro and found some new love for my old Ford Taunus 2,0

[@Stigtoes]

I bought a 1300 shortly after they were launched to replace my aging 1275 GT Mini which I loved. My most vivid memory is going to collect it from the showroom. I can't remember the full price but it was something and 25p. I made my cheque out for the rounded down price but the salesman demanded 25p in coins before he would release it. It was the last Austin/BL car I ever bought.

[@howardsimpson489]

I was a BMC Leyland etc specialist mechanic in NZ. From the first super lightweight thin steel Minis to the horrible early Metros. The best thing about all these A series cars was the spare parts commonalities. To my mind the best of all were the late 60's series 2 Morris 1100. The first ie series 1 were good but had thick steel and poor disc brakes. This was fixed with swinging caliper discs (A great UK invention), wider ventilated wheel rims and the best steel bodywork. The series 3 and 1300 were not as good, thin steel and fatigue cracks and the 1275 broken engine mounts and primary gear failures. I had a fleet of used 1100's that I hired out, many people bought those cars because with mechanics TLC they were really nice to drive. The Minis were great money makers, always giving trouble, rust, petrol pump, teeth off first gear, broken engine mounts, batteries falling thru corroded boxes, oil and brake fluid leaks, you name it.

[@emmausroad777]

I just loved my Metro. It was my first car after passing my driving test. Sky blue and very nippy. I had another white one some years later, and as you say, it has a soft spot in my heart for all these reasons. Thanks for a great video and trip down memory lane. (Still really wanted a TR6 though lol)

[@JonnyWisdom]

One of my earliest childhood memories was stood on the beige carpet of a brown Mini Metro. Give me a Metro Vanden Plas 500 with the rare pepper pot alloys over a Fiesta Ghia X Mk1 any day.

[@jamespassas9441]

A friend of mine had an MG Metro Turbo in the early 90s, and it was a great little car. It was very nippy, although with a bit of turbo lag.

[@gtrulez]

My mothers first car was a red early mk1 Austin Metro manual. She got it up till the mid 90's. I remeber that it was a very popular car back then. It had the deep headlights, 4 slotted wheels and double fog lights in the rear bumper. Most of them had just one. Also i remember the ride in the back seat was pretty rough over speedbumps. Later she bought a mk1 Renault Twingo to replace it wich was much more comfortable. The car went to a guy who would use it as a donor car for parts. He would make one good metro out of 2 or 3 crappy ones. Today not many are left, sadly enough.

[@vickielawless]

I've had 4 Metros, 2 A series and 2 Rover ones. The K series Metros especially are brilliant little cars. Euro NCAP has a lot to answer for, it's why people are driving round in oversized tanks these days!

[@scottwheeler1641]

So, people stopped buying Metro's because of the poor safety rating. But carried on buying the old Mini! Both cars had real character, unlike modern cars. I can understand why these cars are treasured as classics now.

[@Sonofdonald2024]

Great video.. My first car was an Austin Metro Mayfair second was a rover metro GTA then later I had a rover 100 . Great fun little cars

[@duttontube]

Great video as always. Brings back memories of learning to drive as my instructor used a Metro, but after passing I drove a Mini!

[@darrensmith6999]

Cant believe i missed this video !! Nice one thank you.

[@felixcat9318]

I loved my Metro (3door) it had a spacious cabin, drove well and could be serviced and repaired simply, quickly and economically by the owner. The tailgate and split rear folding seats gave it good carrying capacity for those 'van' moments. To be honest, seeing that NCAP video was the point that my enthusiasm waned, whilst I didn't expect to be involved in a front end collision, the prospect of being in the driver's seat if it did happen wasn't good to contemplate. I hadn't realized that an all aluminium bodied replacement was on the drawing board, that'll forever be filed under 'What Might've Been!' Thank you for another excellent video on one of my cars.

[@darrinheaven4643]

Granada TV Rental used the Metro as a van, the techs had to hump around 26" TVs, parts and tools in the back of these things. Glad to say I had an Escort 1.4 at the time.

[@Snootyboss]

Taking 10 minutes and a few seconds out from all the stress of hospitality at this time and enjoying the momentary step away from it all. I'll possibly have time to watch all the rest soon.....

[@bennyattar8862]

My boss had one on the early 90's. Had a lot of trouble with the suspension (leaks and seals), everyone else drove Subarus, Fords, Renaults, and no one envied him.

[@jh565bb]

they also had a tendency to rot after a few years, the electrics were bad and the later models had a major problem wit the crankshaft, causing it to go after 30k miles.This guy has skipped at lot of those issues for some reason.

[@Rick01uk]

I had one of the early Metros, day after I bought the car it broke down on the way to work, had to be towed back to the dealership. The car was full of problems, was glad to see the back of it .

[@wyxzol]

I had one in 1980 and it had to have a new clutch very soon after buying it as the clutch plate had warped.. Not very impressed at all.....

[@carguyuk3613]

I had my first driving lesson in a metro (1985). Terrible car and a potential death trap in an accident. My grandfather had an auto metro and managed to drive it through his garage wall after hitting the accelerator rather than the brake. MG metro was way too fast for the power. The 6R4 is the one I would have (with a full cage); amazing engineering and performance. A few years ago I was involved with the demolition of Longbridge which included pulling down new West works where the metro was built (robots every where!)

[@nw8000]

Passed my test in one, Brilliant!

[@roygardiner2229]

@nw8000 Me too!

[@afonsolamy8099]

I like to watch this video before going to sleep the soothing voice helps a lot. My goal know is to watch them all

[@BigCar2]

My intention is to be a sleep aid to the world.

[@jdtseventyfour]

I had an MG metro when it had done well over 100k miles. it was great on fuel (40MPG) and great fun to drive. But like many cars of its era rust was its biggest problem. Mine was 13 years old when I bought it and had already had loads of welding done before I bought it and had more during its time with me. We ended up only having it for 2 years before scrapping it but parts of it live on in my Minijem GT kit car such as the steering column. Great memories thanks for sharing :-)

[@Deomon4711]

Thanks for your great videos and good luck with the new channel

[@555jaybo]

New Channel?

[@VONMEEK]

I have one still... i bought it a few years ago for nostalgia purposes... I still think they are great wee cars

[@martinevans1256]

Great video I had an mg metro and I had it for years and loved it

[@iseeolly9959]

So did I !

[@markdoran3114]

Me too - great to drive - but had a persistent misfire problem that I just could not fix - not quick by today’s standards, and hampered by only 4 gears - but the 17+ “MG” badges made it even faster !

[@EA-58]

Great channel…...and my first car :-) I'm getting old.

[@markfox1545]

I had a 1992 model. Its 1.1 petrol engine was incredibly smooth and free revving and really nice power for its size.

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

I had a metro turbo, an eighty six model. Gave me a lot of joy.

[@chaimshamza5850]

The montego and maestro were also chronically underfunded. Our government never wanted the responsibility of state run anything!

[@leeenglandland2978]

The Montego and Maestro where chronically awful.

[@Via_The_Void]

Yeah I know & that idiot Johnson wants to scrap the BBC licence fee now.

[@martytoal7019]

My son’s just acquired one, he’s 15 his intention it to recommission it in time for him to learn to drive, he’s got a bit of spanner spinning to do but it’s gonna be fun👍🏻

[@UberAlphaSirus]

keep the oil topped up in the carb.

[@lundsweden]

Looks like a good little car, we never saw them in Australia, Leyland were only selling buses here by then!

[@leftpastsaturn67]

My fondest memory of the Metro? Never having to drive one ever again.

[@leftpastsaturn67]

@barry rudge I'm happy to say I never had that "pleasure"... being a passenger in one was bad enough.

[@iseeolly9959]

My MG Metro handled better than my Mini, not a reliable vehicle but I did outrageous things with it, massive amounts of lift off overstear. From A to B, quicker than a Golf. It was a Go-cart. Sorry you didn't have the nerve to exploit it.

[@iseeolly9959]

@@leftpastsaturn67 I loved my MG Metro, but never sat in the back...rather bumpy?

[@leftpastsaturn67]

@@iseeolly9959 "Didn't have the nerve to exploit it"? No, I just don't drive like a dick.

[@mynameistechno]

British car history is really something else. alot of name changes, weird and super old history and many many cool cars to discover

[@geoffreymccarthy250]

Loving this channel. Really, very informative and interesting. Sure I’m not the first to suggest this but I’d love to see you cover the Mini itself. As for the Metro, it was my first car after passing my test and I loved it. She was Mabel. I stupidly replaced it with a Mark V Escort and always regretted it. My dad had 3 Metros in sucession when I was a child including an MG Metro to finish with. A little suprised it didn’t get a mention in your video in hindsight. But still great stuff.

[@michael32A]

Excellent video. My Granddad's final car was a Rover Metro, H reg', in cranberry red with an immaculate cream interior. Nice little car.

[@MartinMeadowsEvans]

My first ever car was a 1982 Y Reg Yellow Metro I loved it. I now drive a Skoda Citigo same sort of size.

[@markb4071]

I remember a friend moved to Worthing from Liverpool and paid to hire a Metro 1.1S for me to take them down ( have a weekend etc ) . I absolutely caned it there and back and vaguely recall it only costing about a tenner in petrol ( 1991ish, same as the last image in the video, red too ) was quite nippy and fun, even for an overweight bloke of 6'4". Don't seem to see many quirky little cars anymore. Enjoyed the film more than I thought I would :) Cheers

[@rogerswift1983]

first car I had at 18 (grandmother pass me down). I liked it, served it's purpose well

[@wofgangweidmann2444]

Mandy thanks your Metro Story. Very fine done Video!! In our family we drove fifteen Metro from 1985 up to 2017

[@PeaveyPV20]

Had become very dates by the 90s when the competitors had replaced similar models, sometimes twice over during the metros life span. Always had this image as a old biddys or vicars car. Mrs buckets neighbour had one in keeping up appearances, the city version, summed it up really

[@stewben1169]

Passed my test in the Austin Metro 1ltre had several run about’s in late 1980’s they where cheap to run.

[@RCFunTime]

Back in the 80s my mum and 5 siblings all passed test in the 1L metro! We kept it for almost 10 years. The only problem we had was the carburettor kept on cutting engine out - cheap fix, cheap motoring.

[@roygardiner2229]

Me too!

[@lawrencel1668]

What was the fix?

[@karstenjackson-lange5516]

i was in Germany in 1980 went to purchase the metro and ended up with an allegro glad I did now loved that car

[@paulmcnamara16]

I had a 1989 Austin GTa and loved it very much. Wasn't fast by super mini standards but it did handle very well. And on a good twisty A or B road effortlessly kept up with more powerfully cars!

[@robforrest12739]

My first car was a 1986 3-door 1.0 metro. Loved it!

[@jonathanbywater2063]

Yes we had one of the early models. At the time it was better than the competition with good fuel economy comfort and affordability. It was also easy to drive. But, even in 1982 I was wishing it had a 5 speed gearbox to quieten the characteristic whine. Fond memories though.

[@nimeshchokshi1921]

You pick interesting cars to make videos of. My favorite one so far is the Stag video.

[@charliemansonUK]

I owned a Mk1 MG Metro Turbo back in the late 80's and drove it like I stole it around the Lake District where I lived. Then had a Triumph Acclaim when the kids came along, I was really wanting an Allegro Equipe (phenomenal acceleration from a much lightened sporting version, little sound proofing, headlining etc... my brother in law bought one new and I wanted the sleeper). The Acclaim was a very capable car when driven hard...which I did. Then I had a second Metro a turd brown 1ltr in the E variation, really a 3 speed with a long 4th or overdrive marked E on the gear knob, good once you got her going up the A1 from Camvridge to Cumbria and back with 2 adults and two kids once a month or so when I joined the RAF, but no good for acceleration or steep hills! Had my final one in 2008 a low mileage Mk1 total poverty spec in immaculate condition but due to an injury at work I had to let her go, so gave her for free to a friend who ran the local village garage. I wouldn't mind another as a toy...in any variation of Metro, not the 100, never had or even driven one. Charlie 🇬🇧

[@massimoamodeo2455]

Girlfriend had a 1.4 90bhp rover 114. Wicked fast and fun, scary how near side window and rear hatch were to occupants head.

[@Kurvz]

Great video as always, My wife had 3 Metros and I drove her 1985 1.0L for years it was a great little car, I much preferred it to my brother-in-law's 1.0 fiesta which was slightly faster on the straights, but the metro always clawed it back up hill great memories .

[@marksinthehouse1968]

Started driving in early 85 when I was 17 first driving my dads Mk3 Escort then BSM with the metro I found it a nice car drove a what your could call a basic city then a four door updated one ,went into a one man driving school passed my test on a mk1 fiesta later that year one lesson per week £7 then blimey ,passed second time ,but I did pass my PCV test first time on a metro ,an MCW metrobus at London transport we called them metros there ,really enjoyed the video and others you have done also subscribed to your channel ,all the best

[@jasonkilner8632]

I've found Rose tinted memories of my first car, a red Rover Metro 1.1k. When it rained and I'd parked ot facing uphill the footwells would fill with rainwater and it shook when it reached the blistering speed of 60mph. I had to buy a radio cassette player, hand brake grip and a passenger side mirror as optional extras. On the plus side it was reliable, easy to work on and cheap to run.

[@robi6659]

I had the rover metro Gti and lived it.

[@iseeolly9959]

Had an MG Metro, handled like a dream.

[@chrisredfearn1064]

So did I, until I blew it up on my way home one wet and cold night...Tiny car - MASSIVE explosion...!!

[@punkywozza4330]

Loved the Metro, I thought they we're great fun to drive, Loved a nice little B road and was always fun going through a hedge which led in to woodland area, Best £100 I ever spent.

[@gamingmadforever6363]

The gti and mg where my favourite cars. Pocket rockets, fun, brill❤

[@neilsg2001]

My Dad worked on this car and my great uncle was given one when he retired.

[@justsumguy2u]

I remember when Quentin Willson of the original Top Gear series did a review on the original Metro---he was quite harsh, calling it "a shopping trolley for pensioners" and claiming that it "rattled like a tray full of crockery"

[@hydorah]

He also mentioned savage depreciation and showed examples of premature corrosion. It was definitely what you might call a scathing review

[@unregistredhypercam]

My grandfather drove a 1982 miniMetro for over 20 years. I think it was all original apart from the battery and alternator when it was written off in 2004.

[@eddieroadrunner6691]

They rusted very quick just like all British cars

[@jh565bb]

He wasn't lying to be fair lol

[@marshalllucky]

quinten used to be our milkman before he got that stint on topgear :-(

[@savguarisco9515]

Great video and loads of info I didn't know 😃 I have had 9 metros and loved them all. Fantastic car and great fun to own 👌

[@richardbrice3499]

We had a 1984 A reg MG Metro. I was 21 and my mum let me take it to uni for the summer. Happy days! It was great fun to drive even if the points went out of tune constantly. I think it had the floors welded at the first MOT...and it was scrapped well before it was 10 years old with pretty low mileage. I bought a Lancia Delta in 1986, which everyone said would be a rust bucket. It easily outlived the Metro.

[@simonroyle2806]

My first driving test in 1982 was cancelled as the BSM Metro wouldn't start. The instructors bump started it but the examiner wouldn't let me do the test. Bizarrely I had 2 after passing!

[@pauldupre2269]

Thought I'd take a trip back in time & watch an early video of yours...A good friend of mine used to have an MG Metro Turbo, the laughs we used to have in that, a great bit of kit, can't find them now!!

[@gerardrahman7687]

Thank you for the video - it's well done. I have a soft spot for BL cars as many of my teachers had them. Sadly I did drive an auto Austin Metro as a courtesy car whilst my car was in for repairs - I didn't enjoy it. But I still have a soft spot for it!

[@stuartleckie]

Owned an MG Metro for a hot minute. It was a fun, nimble little thing, but a complete bar steward to work on. Looked nice with a set of Turbo alloys on it right enough.

[@massimilianomicor8775]

Thanks for this fine report and video. I'm italian but my father had a Metro and my Grandpa too: this second one became my first car in 1997, my second was a Rover 114 GTI (1994) bought in 2001. I was in love with that car. Just one little technical remark: why you say about new k series Metro "finally agian hydragas linked"? The handling was better on mk1 Metro with no link front-rear. On Rover Metro the link front-rear made the car unnaturally bouncing and moreover on powerful Gti releasing the throttle the car oversteered and was difficult to take on the road unless you lowered it discharging hydragas to limitate this effect. Metro mk1 has no this problem. Very nteresting the sales data statistics and development budget. Great video! Thanks again

[@BigCar2]

Thanks! It was my first video, and I learnt a lot doing it. Reviews said the handling was better with the 1990 Metro, but I've only driven the old 80's model so I can't personally compare them.

[@massimilianomicor8775]

When you have the opportunity test a ‘90 Metro: before doing it press the rear bumper and check the bouncing and floating (car at correct riding height)... or in the meanwhile search any video of Metro k series car...you will understand. Compliments and continue these videos!

[@wofgangweidmann2444]

We were very lucky with all the different models, Metro Surf 1.0 up to Rover 114 gti . We never had bad fails with the little friend. They all were "Cars to beat the world" . In Germany we often drove as fast as possible on several Motorways. From our view one of the best small Cars ever made

[@steffanlloyd6237]

My mum has one of those early red ‘83 “Y” plate Austin Metro in 1988, before I went to school every morning , I used to warm the metro up for my mum , drive forward to front of the drive and reverse back , and quite nippy little car especially MG Metro which was my cousin first car back in early 90’s , even more nippy than the base metros . Happy days

[@Tangobaldy]

I had a metro. The gear box exploded and the bottom of my engine was gone. Easy to change with a fence post and a chain. It was a disgusting luminous green too, bit like a safety jacket

[@richardmiller3922]

I did learn to drive in one of these in 1983 and my sister owned one for approximately 4 years.

[@pugman205]

my mother had 2 of them and I have some rather fond memories of them. She had a hearing aid beige model, with a brown interior, and later a white F reg model. This was sadly stolen in Liverpool never to be seen again. Though I do have memories of going on holiday in it with my parents to Llandudno, where someone tried to break into the drivers door. Me being the smallest was sent in through the boot to unlock the doors.

[@555jaybo]

I had 3, started off with a 1.1L then a GTA and finally a GTI. Wish I still had one tbh. I now have an R53 MINI as my fun car but the fond memories of the Metro prevail over it :)

[@nomdeplume798]

I was an instructor for BSM from 1987 until l left for another company, but 12 months later I joined AA The Driving School and inherited a Rover 114SLi. The difference was ridiculous. The 1.0 Metro revved well but was pretty slow. The later 1.3GS was much better equipped but felt asthmatic and wasn't much quicker. The steering was heavy and unresponsive and handling was sluggish. Then there was the driving position! The 1.4SLi was a world apart. The engine would zip round to the red line, it was more roomy, the driving position was far better and the handling was superb on 155 section tyres. You really could steer it on the throttle like the magazines said. After passing l actually advised pupils to try and buy one if they could, something l'd never say about the old Metro. Right up until the Fiesta 1.25 Ghia arrived.

[@The-Advent-Sabre]

I had 3 metro's in total. My first a box standard MiniMetro.. but my next two .. well, I went for the MG Metro Turbo, which was actually my fav of all three as it just left things standing off the lights. Handling was good too, and had spoked wheels. Then finally I had the Rover Metro GTi which was great fun, not quite the poke of the MG Turbo, but held its own. I loved all three cars. They were great to drive, handled well, and took some pounding. Great little cars really, but alas time waits for no one.. not even cars.

[@herseem]

I'm glad you mentioned the stupidity over the initial hydragas arrangement, which was really sabotaging how Hydragas was meant to work. Hydragas was a brilliant invention and made cars like the Allegro (that I had 3 of) feel like much larger cars and they felt as though they were going round corners on rails instead of leaning precipitously like the Renault 5.

[@iseeolly9959]

Fucking hell, I had a Mk1 Renault 5, with a longitudinal engine?...I was once pulled over by the police for my erratic behavior on a round-a-bout....I grabbed hold of the roof and moved the car up-and-down by about 200mm, " It's got soft torsion bars mate!".

[@richardrichard5409]

Connecting front to front saved money over front to rear, around £21 per unit (per car, thats with the R&D and production changes costed in) yes they were that skint

[@herseem]

@@richardrichard5409 That is astonishing that they would sabotage the ride and handling to that extent for that amount of money

[@trzarector]

I was a expecting the legendary 6R4 to get a mention and the MG variants. Great video though!