For the second time since 2005 I've experienced seeing a beloved coupe of mine pass into new ownership.

First it was the parting of my 16v na in 2007. I loved that car. I swore I'd one day get another Coupe.

Tonight I said a fond farewell to my LE.

We've had good times on some epic drives through the UK, Wales, all over Ireland, through the twisting roads of the Cooley Mountains and the Mournes. We've had waves from other Coupe drivers, admiring glances from passers by, looks of wonder from kids as as they say "look at the Ferrari!" and envious nods from folks at car shows.

True we've had some bad times; a blown turbo, a bottom end failure, a CHOD failure in the middle of nowhere on a rainy night, a groaning wheel bearing, a dented door, a faulty crank sensor, but nothing could deter me from parting with this car. No matter what, I could never walk away from it without turning around for a second glance back and think smugly to myself, "yup, that's MY Coupe".

With getting married, moving further away from work, a longer commute and becoming a father, priorities have inevitably changed over the last couple of years and the Coupe shifted from daily car to weekend classic car. The annual mileage fell lower and lower to extent that it was no longer reasonable to pay out tax, insurance etc just to have it gathering dust in the garage.

I made the conscious and difficult decision to sell the car, against the wishes of my wife.........


........and tonight a forum member collected the car and she drove off my driveway for the last time.

I didn't watch it drive off and the briefest of unanticipated distraction meant I didn't hear it drive off either

And so Coupe-less life begins again. It's a strange feeling.

My wife made me promise that someday in the future I'll have a coupe again and I've already decided it'll be a 16v non turbo like my first coupe, but that'll be a number of years away.

I'd like to thank the FCCUK for all the invaluable help it has provided me over the years. It's a brilliant Club with a brilliant forum. I've never come across such a bunch of helpful car nuts!! I may be coupe less, but I will still pop on the forum for a daily fix, to see if I'm missing anything, though probably as a lurker and not a poster.

I will be back in the coupe fold in the distant future and I hope with crossed fingers that this fantastic Club and Forum is still going strong then, probably with an emphasis on restoration of these beautiful classics.

Thanks again and all the best,

Daithi

She'll be well looked after mate

And thank you for such a detailed inspection and sell, and all the bits and bobs, very much appreciated

Good to know you'll be sticking around on here

I'm glad you're already thinking about your next Coupe and sounds like you've met an excellent, understanding wife too

And glad you've decided to get the best version when you get another!

My wife wouldn't let me chop in the coupe ten years ago when we bought the Cupra - I have not regretted that!

16v non-turbo.

Buy it now and stick it in a barn and have all the excitement of a barn find in years to come

Dammit.....I really want a 16v now. They are as rare as hens teeth!

Couple on eBay at the moment - One low mileage, but a little battered. Low price at the mo!

Is that the broomy with 56k on the clock? Think I saw that one last night.

By pure coincidence, my sister just bought an old townhouse, and at the bottom of the huge garden contains a former undertakers two-story outbuilding from the 1930's. There's still even an old lead-lined coffin that was used to take bodies home from abroad, plus some wooden coffins. How morbid

It looks to me like the perfect place to store a coupe securely for the near future. I'll keep an eye out for the right example, preferably a Blitz Blue 16v like my first coupe and stick it in there. I'll do a complete restoration sometime around 2023

Hi Daithi,

good to see your away with it again. On the hunt already. Ha Ha.

I have to say folks it was a lovely coupe and I wish the best of luck to the new owner. If you take as much care of this car as Daithi did then she will be around for many more years to come.

I will really miss those drives up the cooleys with the turbos spooling up and the roar of the exhaust echoing through the hills.

I have no doubt you will have another one in the future.

CollieD

Hi Daithi,
I was hoping you might have a change of mind and hang on in there! All the best and I hope you'll still come along to the niimc show for a look round!
Best Regards,
James

Hey COllieD - It's a real pity we didn't get a final blast up the Cooley Mts before I parted with the car, but it all happened so quickly. I'll try and get up to Kirkistown Track this weekend though and get some snaps of your Coupé tearing up the tarmac.

Hi Jamesy - I'll most definitely be heading to the NIIMC shows. They are a great day out. You never know, I could be in a Coupe again.

You selling Dixie anytime soon