Morris Marina Appreciation
This is a video that I made after I saw Top Gear abusing and wrecking two Marinas. The Marina is seen by everyone as a creep, and loved by very few people, so this is a bit of a protest because the Marina is so badly abused by some people. Dedicated to the Morris Marina Owners Club and all the Marina owners that put a lot of effort on saving these cars.
awesome vid man, great song choice too.
top gear are dicks for just ruining stuff, B.L speacial episode the worst.
rustin in peace my 71′ 4door 1.8
Very under-rated cars. I bought my first one in 1974 and had loads of them over the next 2 decades. Very reliable, dead easy to fix so cheap to run and very good on juice too. All the mounts were there to change between the 4 engine options in an afternoon! I used to drop diesels in them too. Good to see their value rising and rightly deserving classic status. Shame the 2 door was never made into a hatch-back.I think even more would have sold. Great cars.
Hiya, thanks for this, my uncle had 2, my brother had the 1.8TC, and actually they were all great cars, HUGE boots for the day, roomy and powerful. Handling was dodgy but they were never properly developed, spares were pennies and took minutes to fit…. .
DB9555 you do not have a maserati… you are 14 years old!!! one quick click of your profile shows that…. pah… grow up …. a real maserati ownder wouldnt be adding the 3200gt bit to the end.. theres no need.,, if you allready own one
marinas rule!!!!!! rwd and british… whats not to like ?
They weren’t much kop really lets be honest!! However i have some sympathy with the point about Top Gear. In my opinion the british motoring press went from unjustified patirotism in the 1970′s and 80′s to Rover bashing cars that were inherently good. I think it was particularly unfair that Jeremy Clarkson took the piss out of Rover closing by stating Rover stood for Over as a lot of decent people were proud of the cars they were making and none were bad cars cont……
I once owned a mark 2 Marina coupe. It was comfortable, pleasant to drive and a nice place to be. The Marina was sturdily built and no worse than the Fords, Vauxhalls and Datsuns of the day and doesn’t deserve the abuse it receives.
Song is “Creep” by Radiohead
I didn’t think there was any Marina’s left here in Ireland!
That’s because Datsun’s/Nissan’s are the dullest, most boring cars ever made, good handling, excellent build quality and reliability rarely make for an interesting car. Marina’s are loved, in part, for their faults, not despite of them.
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My dad had a Datsun 120y which was much better than its BL competitors of the time BUT I have never heard of an owners club for a 120y
by the way, what’s the name of the song?
@BEEFYBAYONET !WELL SAID THAT MAN!
Strange that most of the people who’ve had some first hand experience of the Marina are far more positive than the ones who have been spoon fed their opinion by Clarkson and Co from Top Gear.
Yet as i keep saying the myth has over taken the reality about these cars but,sadly most of these posters are too gullible to see that,or too dense to accept it.
Now who’s for a game of Grand Theft Auto?
Me and my dad had a marina that we used for going to work,The boot was very spacious we had no trouble getting all our gear in there including a generator,With regular maintenance we had years of trouble free motoring,
Hi Chimp,
Not many will have driven them – and most of the posters will only have experience of cars from playing Gran Turismo or watching Top Gear. Not everyone will be able to afford an M3 in real life, let alone afford to insure one – so practical everyday cars they are not. I don’t have my Marina anymore but I recall that when things did go wrong I knew I could ALWAYS get it home. I changed the alternator at night with a torch in one hand and spanner in the other once – it’s so easy.
fair play to ya!
Marina owner in ireland.
My dad had the 4 door saloon in 1986 blue with black vinyl roof brown front wing and white bonnet LOL
My dad had the 4 door saloon in 1986 blue with black vinyl roof with a white front wing and brown bonnet LOL
The morris marina..oh dear…i worked for a BL – Austin rover main dealer back in the days,and we had the misfortune to sell these brand new….every single car,and i mean EVERY,would come in for its first 1000mile service,with a list of warranty faults as long as your arm….cure oil leaks,cure clutch judder,cure water entry to car when raining,cure poor starting,etc etc.
These cars were absolute rubbish.
Exactly right I’m 30 years old I have a Mondeo Titanium X (2.2ltrs of quick luxury!) a Suzuki GSXR750 (the best sportsbike ever made!) and a 1977 Morris Marina.
I have the Marina not because of the diving experience but the quirky fun and the happy childhood memories of my parents Morris Marina! Don’t give a toss what people think, I’m happy!
I love my Marina!
ever noticed if squinted at, it looks very much like an escort mk2?
cause it was influenced by a ford designer, i think any way, thats why i have mine today and im 23yrs old.
I had a 1972 automatic Marina in the mid 80s; the suspension was terrible, and dangerous in the wet…that said, today one would have better tyres on it than the tyre range of 30 years ago, and there are two Marinas near me in lovely condition. If the car had had coil springs all round like its 70s stablemate the Vauxhall Viva, it probably would have been the best of the family 70s cars made in Britain. It was certainly reliable and economical. I liked mine..
im 15 and prefer a marina with a 1.5 diesel to an m3 bmw
And to think my first car was a 850c Mini City,not a Maserati 3200 GT.
I really wonder how many people on here have ever sat in a Marina never mind driven one to give a true account of the cars worth?
Their comments are based on what Top Gear have said,Top Gear have created a myth about the Marina that has now outweighed the truth,but they won’t listen to the facts.
And i for one want to watch Marina’s on You Tube so keep up the good work mate,and no i’m not in the MMOC before anyone asks.
Let me remind you that some people here like the Marina, just read the first comments. And you have said twice that you own a Maserati. Do you think I’m jealous?. I drive a Daihatsu and I’m sure that any Maserati or Ferrari wouldn’t be half as satisfying. And yes, when I can afford it, I’ll get a Marina. Now get lost.
good point well made. but i think you need to learn that the world is not all that moral. and as for “averagness” as you call it, is a not a behavior i would exhibit. for example i have a maserati 3200gt which many people think is a bad car, but would i swoop it for a marina?!!! and also you talked about showing a car to people who love them. everybody here is either saying hate marinas or that they like the music. so bare that in mind.