Retired mechanical engineering draftsman Donald Beus has been a Volkswagen Golf fan from way back and finds his 2011 GTI MK6 with manual transmission an invigorating drive.
What are you driving and why did you buy it?
A Volkswagen Golf GTI MK6 two-door with six-speed manual transmission. It’s a 2011 model that I bought privately second-hand in 2018 and paid for it out of my mother-in-law’s estate — she survived for her 100th. It has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder intercooled turbo engine with camshaft valve overlap timing for quiet idling and a welcome surge of power output at peak revs, which makes it most invigorating to drive. Manual transmissions were considerably cheaper at one time than automatic transmissions and, in my opinion, are more satisfying to drive. I’ve been a Golf fan from way back.
What’s your dream car?
A Subaru Impreza WRX STi 22B. It’s a two-door, not oversized, but with a powerful engine and very drivable.
What was your first car?
A ’29 Chevy roadster, which cost 35 quid in 1961. It had an accelerator disc, much like a button, in between the clutch and the brake, and another button low in the firewall in the middle of the car in between the two doors which was the starter — and commonly someone would sit in it and say “what is this” and give it a kick and the engine would turn over. There was no fuel gauge, only a dowel dipstick to drop into the fuel tank at the back of the car to read the fuel level. In summer, you’d have to use the hand brake to help it stop and, when cornering, the wooden-spoke wheels clicked loudly — so you’d need to wet them to let them expand. I sold it to a doctor at RPH.
What annoys you most about other motorists?
Tailgaters! At one time, all cars had bumpers that were at the same height from the road and “nudging” was common from tailgaters. Not so these days, so it’s much more comfortable to drive when the car behind you keeps its distance.
What’s your favorite driving music?
There are two songs I love: Unguarded Moment by The Church and U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.
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