'NATO Cars'

I saw Nato Cars mentioned in another thread, so it brought me to ask a few questions about the Company.

In the sixties at least, Nato Cars was based UK, but where? Bridgewater Somerset sticks in my mind!
Their company adverisements were 'every where' promoting cars sales. I remember the 'big sales packs. I remember a mate having to pick up his Ford Cortina GT car being delivered to Bremerhafen.

Did any of our forum members ever buy a car from the said company? Was the Company a decent one to deal with ?And its the cars supplied upto scratch?

When and why did the company go into demise?


Alan

NATOCARS started trading in the 1960s operating from behind a petrol station Bristol Road in Bridgwater (my hometown is nearby Taunton) and at some time moved on to an industrial estate nearby taking 2 or 3 units they were agents for car manufacturers and importers operating as a call centre sales mostly from Germany towards the end they did have agents in Germany working from offices in major garrison town went bust in 2005 but understand customers got their deposits back

I have sold cars on the British Forces market in Germany and the UK 1983 to 1988 and again 1994 to 2001 but not through them or ever bought a car from them but did once go for an interview when "professionally looking for a job" NATO cars gave a good service but were moaned about from time to time there was another set up Military Car Sales based in Frankfurt selling to British and US forces they to went bust bought a new Chrysler Alpine off them in 1977 had a drive shaft problem when a few months old when on leave in Taunton seems the car had no warranty but the dealer did then repair anyway thank goodness

Do any of you remember the Plymouth Cricket? In the 70s Military Car Sales bought a batch from USA they were LHD automatic Hillman Avengers for the US market and been unsold lying in the docks for a couple of years…they were awful cars and caused the company a few problems

Regards
Steve

Steve, I loved the Chrysler Allpine, it was a smart car.

Did yours ever suffer with the ignition module problem? (as did so many). The cars would fire up, but once the key was relased, the engine would stop!

Although not a BAOR story! Whilst on Cyprus in the eighties, one of my lads bought a brand new Fiat, imported from Italy as 'old stock.' I believe the car had also stood on the docks some where, as the chassis had rotted thru already!

Alan

PS. Still looking for someone who was in the early 70's, and maybe still is living in Osnabruck! I need local advice as to an Industrial area (many car garages/show rooms) including places that sold cars to the Brits.

This particular Garage/Sales place I am seeking, did not necessarily deal with Forces Sales, but my wife worked there. The building had a cafe/restaurant on the 2nd floor!
I have been struggling with the location of the area! It was S.E of Osnabruck!

Hi Alan, cannot remember having the problem the car was sold soon after to finance house purchase in mid 80s bought another but used this time and was a good car and great in the snow cheers Steve

alan8376 wrote:

Although not a BAOR story! Whilst on Cyprus in the eighties, one of my lads bought a brand new Fiat, imported from Italy as 'old stock.' I believe the car had also stood on the docks some where, as the chassis had rotted thru already!

In german FIAT is standing for:

Für Italinener Ausreichende Technik (For Italians adequate Technology)

Do any of you remember the Plymouth Cricket? In the 70s Military Car Sales bought a batch from USA they were LHD automatic Hillman Avengers for the US market and been unsold lying in the docks for a couple of years…they were awful cars and caused the company a few problems

Regards
Steve
My brother in law bought a Plymouth Cricket in the 70s brought it back from Germany when he was demobed, the only trouble he had with it, was he got done for drink driving, On the way to work the next morning
cheers Jerry

I know we have been down the Cars in BAOR forum route before!

Given the 6-8 hours drive from around Hanover area to the French ports. Would anyone agree that the cars we had bought for around DM500 were good value for money and reliable?

Did they ever leave you stranded? Has anyone have any good stories to tell, that is apart from the refuelling, when the Belgie and Dutch petrol stations were closed, or you had no forein currency?

Did anyone ever leave an imported car, or drive one around in UK beyond the legal BFG entitlement?

In 1975 I bought a Ford Taunus 12M, LHD, column gear change for DM200 (and I thought he was ripping me off!). I passed my test (BFG and UK (cos I answered 3 questions on the Highway Code!!)) in it. As a singly, me and my mates 'cruised' around it most evenings. A lot of weekends I came back to the UK in it (from Sennelager) - just because I could - and a LHD impressed the hell out of the local talent!! Basically that car became my life. I sold it 3 years later, and thousands of k's on, for DM250 and felt he was ripping me off!!

Did the Ford Taunus have funny bull shaped horn bumpers?

Not sure if I gonna fall right into one here, but here goes - no just the standard chrome ones. I loved that car. It was cream with a black roof and bonnet. The front seat was, what I called, an all in one - the driver and passenger seat was all in one. Useful on dates!! You can tell I wasn't mechanically minded!!

ChrisP, I too had a Taunus, a 15M. Bought it in 1959 in Verden from a SNCO in Shiel Bks, cant remember what I paid for it but it could not have been much as I had very little spare cash. When I returned to the Borden to attend my Tiffy course in 1962 I took it with me. As you say the layout of a 3 speed column change and bench front seat had real advantages. I ended up giving it to my brother in 1964 as I was posted to an RA Drone Trials Unit and we were of to Canada and the USA. My brother, who was on his last six months at Borden, finally waved goodbye to the car clutching £10 as it was removed by a scrap merchant. Apart from a few minor problems, which I sorted myself being a VM, it never let me down.

Moving on to the NATO Cars theme. In 1989 when I was in Hannover I bought an Audi 80 from them, took delivery at their garage in Bridgewater, kept it until 1999 when I sold it to a Capt in the RMP in Sennelager for the same as I paid for it - thats what I call agood deal. Thankyou NATO Cars.

Bob

A very loose connection with NATO cars.For those that ventured to do the Zeebruge-Dover trip on a friday.By the time one neared the ferry,it was time to" pack dem tiger in dem tank".So,out came the 20 ltr jerry cans.Oddly enough empty 20 ltr jerry cans were easy come by.So,it was the norm to dump the empty can at the road side.This was such common practice,that a routine run was raised in order to retrieve the empties.Oh! how i miss the petrol coupons.

My experiences, good in the main, were with Rankins of Rheydt, a Fiat agent concentrating on BAOR sorts. Rheydt was the home town of one Dr J Goebels.

Conked out on a Dutch motorway one Boxing Day between Rotterdam and Eindhoven in snow with wife and new baby on board. Car temperature plummetted immediately. No mobile phones in those days, 1968. Beginning to panic, I was just contemplating climbing a fence and setting off across the snowy filed to a destant farm house when a Dutch police Porsche flashed by on the otherwise deserted road, drew to a halt and reversed up the hard shoulder. Tall Dutch copper uncoiled himself and came to see what was up. Immedately, he got on the radio and within a few minutes a Dutch AA type van appeared complete with the appropriate Fiat spare. Fixed up within a short time, no charge, we were on our way, complete with cheerful salutes from all hands.

alan8376, i remember a few of the lads buying cars from NATO mostly married men but my room mate bought one,is my mind playing tricks or was the main advantage the price as they were exempt purchase tax for x amount of time or the car stayed outside the uk,but if the soldier was posted before that time and returned to the uk then purchase tax would be due.


i seem to remember the odd car or two being passed around camp ie bought cheaply as the soldier was posted and could not afford to take the car back or maybe i have imagined it ?

on the topic of jerry cans even then i was a tight sod i tried it only once when going on leave,when the jerry can was full it was not a problem on the back of my motorbike but as i started to use it , by about antwerp the petrol would slosh about in the jerry can making the bike behave like the rider was drunk not a nice experience at speed.

As I said before my memories of NATO are limited to the early 70's.Opel GT and mini1275 GT,and the like. How I wish I owned one now.The 1275 GT.was good for a 110mph,which in those days for a car that size was shifting.Made even more hair raising,by the bum on the ground sensation.achieved in a mini.
Made even more exciting by liberal German Autobhan speed limits.

oldtimer wrote:

alan8376, i remember a few of the lads buying cars from NATO mostly married men but my room mate bought one,is my mind playing tricks or was the main advantage the price as they were exempt purchase tax for x amount of time or the car stayed outside the uk,but if the soldier was posted before that time and returned to the uk then purchase tax would be due.


i seem to remember the odd car or two being passed around camp ie bought cheaply as the soldier was posted and could not afford to take the car back or maybe i have imagined it ?

on the topic of jerry cans even then i was a tight sod i tried it only once when going on leave,when the jerry can was full it was not a problem on the back of my motorbike but as i started to use it , by about antwerp the petrol would slosh about in the jerry can making the bike behave like the rider was drunk not a nice experience at speed.

I also seem to remember that at one time if a soldier was posted to Northern Ireland for four months,that time was not taken into consideration in exempting him from purchase tax if he had to return with the car to the UK

If I have remembered correctly in the 'old days' you had to have been outside the UK with the car for a year and not to sell for two years on your return if you wanted to sell paying purchase tax and in some cases import duty today after 1 year BFG registration they can sell straight away and buy another car in the case of a UK posting they only need to have the vehicle for one week with BFG registration BUT unlike the 'old days' the number of BFG registrations you can have is strictly controlled as the system has been abused over the years...a long story!

I do remember when I took my BFG car to UK and had it UK registered I got a number plate beginning XX----!
------
Don

In 1974, I made friends with a NATO car salesman when his wife when into labour in the tower block flats. By the time the ambulance arrived I’d delivered the baby. For that, he sold me a Chrysler estate for £1,027 pound with 5 miles on the clock. I picked it up at Bremerhaven and had it for 10 years. No import dute and he didn't claim his commision on the sale.

Silky

I also remember their advert in the AKC with the two Ronnie’s and John Clesse.
John was the officer, Ronnie Barker was the WO and Ronnie Corbett was the private.

Corbett said, I bought my car from NATO cars because I know what I’m doing.

Barker said, I bought my car from NATO cars because he knows what he’s doing. Nodding his head towards Corbitt.

Cleese said, I bought my car from NATO cars because they know what they are doing. And he too nodded toward the two Ronnie’s.

Silky

I too had a Taunus 12m. Trying to work out how much the journey from Herford to Sunderland cost, approx 800 miles. I had a full tank plus jerry cans but can't remember the cost of BFG coupons in 1968. Keith

I also bought a Taunus

Silky

28 FIELD AMBULANCE

One Friday night we travelled to 28 Field Ambulance for a Sergeants Mess games night. On the way, Del Burgess asked if I wanted to buy his old Ford Taunus 17M. He had been given the car by his father-in-law and it wasn’t working properly. I eventually bought the car for fifty marks, and wrote a bill of sale on the back of a cigarette packet.
I was on duty that Sunday and asked the REME lads to have a look at it. A few minutes later they where driving around the camp. They informed me that the distributor leads had been put on in the wrong order, and that the vehicle was now tuned and running perfectly. I bought them a crate of beer each, and they told me that for an extra five crates they would give it a full service next weekend and re-spray it for me.
A few days later I drove a pillar box red car home. We put L plates on it, and Jan went out for a drive. She soon got used to the column gear change and thought that the car was fantastic.
Four of us in the flats would go out for a drink on a Sunday. A few months had passed since I bought the car, and this day I was the duty driver: it was my turn to drive while the others three drank beer.
While we were sitting in the pub, a German approached and asked who owned the Ford Taunus outside. He then offered me a thousand Deutschemarks for it. I sold him the car and wrote him a bill of sale on a beer mat. He went off with the car, and even left money for our taxi home.
I don’t think Jan has ever forgiven me for selling that car.

I will dig it out, i have some old Soldier mags with those adverts in .

For Canadians in BFG we had to own the car 1 year prior to returning to Canada to get it in tax free. Exception was made for European wives married in Europe to Cdn soldiers. They came over first time as immigrants. They could bring all house hold possessions, cars and wine cellar tax free. Even if the car was purchased just prior to leaving for Canada. Many a new vehicle arrived in Canada with little mileage on the clock this way. The Base Commander of Shilo on arriving in Shilo from Germany in 75 tried to beat the taxes on his Mercedes classic. Rank had no privilege that time. Customs got their money.

Also Germans when first in Shilo for training tried for tax free gas. It was pointed out to them that the price they paid here was equal or less than Canadians paid for in Germany for the BP coupons.

The one and only brand new car i ever bought was in Munster, i cant remeber who sold it, if it was NATO or not. These guys used to hang around outside the NAFFI complex. Anyway it was a peugeot 204. very nice little car. They were very popular, and we had a swag of 504's around camp as well. last time i saw a 504 was as a taxi in Tukey a few years ago.