3-Wheeled Cars

instead of the standard £42

Standard £42?!   
I'm getting mine on Saturday, and was thinking they were £35... 

for some reason those cars always make me think of a rats face.....

LOL even I would sink down in emberassment driving one of those things!
Besides I've already thought of a way to emberass her going to school..it involves, haircurlers,bunny slippers and a bathrob 

ah so you're enrolling her at my daughter's school then

that's what some of the mum's wear you get either the "Bathrobe" mum or the "I've just returned from clubbing this morning" mum 

The three-wheelers also have a cheaper excise license (road tax) -- Currently only £60 per year.   I'd agree that they're quite a rare sight these days though. 

Standard £42?!   
I'm getting mine on Saturday, and was thinking they were £35... 

The ministry sets the maximum allowable charge for the inspection, but many garages will charge less than the maximum (remember they are privately owned garages with ministry approval, not official government testing stations).

Got ya... thanks.
Im pretty sure im not paying £42 for mine!

Okay, I've just got to ask...why would anyone WANT a car with three wheels? What was the designer's original intent?

god knows! but i found some info here http://www.3wheelers.com/robin.html

Thanks for the link, Liz. From what I read there and some other sites, the purpose behind the design (and materials used) was to increase the strength and decrease the weight, ensuring good performance and increased mpg. _{Still think it's a weird looking vehicle...}

I saw it again today!  I guess there's one here in town and the guy driving it has been out and about a lot in the last couple of days.

According to the site I read, there is a very dedicated group of people who are into restoring the old Robins and a movement to bring them back. Is the one you keep seeing a blue van-like thing? I think they call them Super Robins?

I'm not sure about the law now, but at one time the 3-wheelers could also be driven on a moped license as they were classed as a "motorized tricycle" or whatever the official terminology was.     I think there was a strict and very low limit on the allowable engine size for that, but it did mean that a 16-year-old could drive the smallest ones (versus 17 for getting a regular car license).

The Robins and their ilk all have the single-wheel on the front.   The "bubble cars" of the 1950s/60s were also three-wheelers, but had the reverse configuration -- Two wheels at the front and single driven wheel at the rear.  I understand that arrangement was generally reckoned to be less stable though.  I can't say, never having driven any of them.

Is the one you keep seeing a blue van-like thing? I think they call them Super Robins?

Nope, just plain yellow.

Nope, just plain yellow.

Oh, the website i looked at showed a recently rebuilt blue one. The guy who rebuilt it said he's been driving it everywhere!

I don't know...I just don't get the attraction...

A mate of ours bought one on ebay accidentally and got it MOTd and insured. He sold it to another guy on Ebay who turned out to be 20 STONES! He came and looked at the car but backed out of the deal at the last minute. I wonder why!! 

I saw a Robin Reliant (a 3 wheeled car) yesterday for the first time in aaaaaaaaaaaaages.  I don't think they make them any more, surprised you've seen any to tell the truth, they are a pretty rare sight these days.

Im not sure but I think they used to be made here in Coventry. We still see lots of them around. Frank said there used to be a huge scrap yard or something full of these things just near the city centre. Also I think they were popular because I think all you needs to drive one was a motorcycle licence. Thats what Frank said anyway.