AROnline peeps behind the office door in the car showroom to see what skeletons lurk in the shadows: Mike Humble pays respect to the many people who insipred and nurtured his young passion for the motor trade rather than kicking him out of the showroom, while reckoning some sales staff of today, could stop & think about [...]

Uncovering the myths and incidents behind those showroom windows with a light hearted view! When it comes to part exchange valuations, everyone considers their car to be top book and mint condition. Of course, it’s a salemans job to give as little away as possible, but you would be amazed at what people expect their unwanted [...]

Another look into the dodgy world of car dealers in Sales Talk with Mike Humble: A couple of tales of the regarding the motor trades most loathed customer – the messer!  The 75 and the Black Rat: Just as turf accountants have their own language and tick-tack gesticulations, the motor trade has its own list [...]

AROnline takes a another look at the cars which once littered the streets of blighty which now are vanishing fast. We love the Rover Metro/100 and the mildy-sporting GTa proved that power isn’t everything when cheeky charm is in abundance. Mike Humble grabs the keys… The little bounder As cute as a Labrador puppy yet [...]

Another guest blog comes from Chris North, a sole trader and ex Sales Manager with Austin Rover – Honda – SAAB & Vauxhall. This man knows his onions (and his cars for that matter) I should know by the way… I worked with him!   My name is Chris North and this year marks an [...]

AROnline takes a look at some of the automotive blunders from both our own and rival makes. Your Driver: Mike Humble This one really deserved to win, even after 30 years, the Doyen looks amazing and fresh, but sadly a lack of experience, company ownership and changes in the sector trashed any chance of success. [...]

AROnline takes a look back at some of the memorable automotive blunders in more recent times from both our own, and rival makes. This time Mike Humble offers you a treat from our very own Austin Rover. Pray silence please for the Maestro HLE… The miracle Maestro? Now don’t get me wrong, but the Maestro is by no [...]

AROnline takes a look back at some of the memorable automotive blunders in more recent times from both our own, and rival makes. Mike Humble feels the pain of the people carrier driver and recalls Vauxhall’s answer to to the large MPV… The Vauxhall Sintra Gone, and probably best forgotten The Vauxhall Sintra: not a bad looking MPV [...]

Surviving 30 years in the parts specialist business these days is no mean feat, but to flourish in the way that Rimmer Bros has is a real achievement. Here’s their story of how they did it – and how the company continues to support its wide array of British classic cars. Thirty years and counting [...]

We take yet another look at the cars which once littered the highways and by-ways of the UK. This one is often regarded as a talented machine which was handsome, refined, well built and astonishingly capable when driven hard. Mike Humble  explains all – and gets emotional. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury… The Rover 620ti The quiet [...]

  AROnline gets down in the dirt as we take another look at the T45 cab system Leyland introduced back in the early 80′s. Another big seller in the commercial vehicle sector was the Leyland Constructor – a range of 6 or 8 wheel vehicles up to 30 tons GVW.   Mike Humble gets into gear and takes [...]

Mike Humble: AROnline hops on a bus that was destined for Shattered Dreams Parkway, only to find it was actually quite good yet was a victim of it’s own technology, it’s forward modern thinking, oh.. and an unhealthy dose of classic British Leyland union militancy!   Strange when you look back in time isn’t it? [...]

With the price of public transport skyrocketing, petrol not looking as though it’s going to drop any time soon and pay cuts going on left, right and centre, the need to find ways to cut spending is growing day by day. Car insurance is one of those things that we can’t get away with avoiding; [...]

Keith Adams takes a sideways look at one of those bangers, which once littered the streets of the UK. This one was loved and admired as a repmobile for a while, then fell into the hands of minicabbers, and bangerdom surely followed. But we’ve always loved the Citroën BX – perhaps unhealthily so at AROnline [...]

Another development of the Leyland/British Rail partnership was the Rail bus. This time it all came to fruition for BL in a period when the bus market was dying. But this time, it got nasty, and had it not been for the Swedes, Leyland would have most certainly been sent into bankruptcy. Story: Mike Humble Far from being put off [...]

Mike Humble fondly recalls the halcyon days of the UK bus and coaching scene from the 1970s, and pays tribute to the Leyland Leopard. For me, its all about the sound – you never forget the noises of your childhood, the school bell ringing to signal 3.30, the now almost extinct two tone air horns [...]

Another jovial look at some automotive blunders, which for whatever reason, were rubbish.We take a peek behind the Iron Curtain to see what awful cars they could produce when they put their minds to it. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury… The Lada Samara. Just because a car is dreadful, it doesn’t have to mean [...]

AROnline takes a look back at some of the memorable automotive blunders in more recent times, both our own and from rival makes.  Mike Humble Sometimes, an automotive manufacturer drops a proverbial clanger by introducing a model in haste or born of misguided advice. Ever since its formation in 1968, British Leyland never failed to be [...]

We love Bangernomics at AROnline and in the interests of running cars effectively, we choose 10 great and unusual first cars to run on a shoestring using the principles we hold so dearly. But just because a car costs under a grand, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be interesting, classic, reasonably dependable, and easy to [...]

We once again ponder while taking a sideways look at cars which once littered the streets of the UK. This one was solid, dependable, reliable and the favoured choice of many a cab driver – made in Blighty too! Ladies and gentlemen… Its the Nissan Bluebird. The not-so Trojan Horse If ever a poll was taken as [...]