Most boring car you've owned?
Discussion
Vocal Minority said:
Not that I have owned, but often used from the company pool - Audi A3 TDI, not sure which engine, presumably smallest.
Gutless and agricultural engine, wallowy handling, nasty gearchange, zero steering feel.
Basically one big steaming pile of car for people who don't care about cars and just want to get from A to B.
I hate A3s. Very poor ride, wallowy handling, characterless engines (except RS3)and incredibly average to look at. Gutless and agricultural engine, wallowy handling, nasty gearchange, zero steering feel.
Basically one big steaming pile of car for people who don't care about cars and just want to get from A to B.
I found myself being the custodian of a misery-spec Citroen Xsara thingy with a non-turbo 1.9 diesel engine. All 67hp of it.
It was so incredibly dull, to the point where I actually started to wonder if they'd specifically gone to the effort to make it so boring. It was the sort of car that was so slow that you needed to get a run up at hills, let alone motorways. Interestingly the guy who bought it off me lived down the road and managed to roll it about a month later. At first I was impressed that he'd found a large enough space to gain the required momentum to actually have a sizeable crash. I later came to realise he probably got some mates to man-handle the car onto its roof in an effort to escape the boredom of having to drive the car. Maybe.
It was so incredibly dull, to the point where I actually started to wonder if they'd specifically gone to the effort to make it so boring. It was the sort of car that was so slow that you needed to get a run up at hills, let alone motorways. Interestingly the guy who bought it off me lived down the road and managed to roll it about a month later. At first I was impressed that he'd found a large enough space to gain the required momentum to actually have a sizeable crash. I later came to realise he probably got some mates to man-handle the car onto its roof in an effort to escape the boredom of having to drive the car. Maybe.
Cheap doesn't mean boring of course- my Escort 1.1 van was a hoot , if not as much fun as my 2 CV . Not sure I'd get bored by a 320D either as they cost more than anything I've ever bought except for my self indulgent Seven. Just wish I was in a position financially to affect disdain at a car most people outside the PH demographic would love to own....
Jamiae said:
Baz Tench said:
330ci sport auto.
I had a manual 330ci in SE trim previously to it and always thought the sports looked far better, and maybe the engine would be more suited to an auto 'box, so took the plunge.
What a mistake. The box was dim witted and also felt a lot slower than the manual and was far more thirsty. It went around corners well (but then so did the SE), but the sport suspension couldn't seem to make much sense of normal road surfaces and was constantly at odds with itself. It was a low mileage BMW approved car, so I'm assuming that's just how they are.
The novelty tiptronic option soon wore off after about half a day or so.
I kept it for a year, just so I didn't lose too much on it in a short space of time, and chopped it in for an E39 M5. I felt alive again.
+1 for my most boring car also being the supposedly excellent 3-series. I had a great looking carbon-black, facelift E46 320d sport. The engine was economical and quite quick, but sounded horrid (until on the motorway cruise), but was the sensible choice for 30-40k miles a year as I was doing at the time. But the suspension ruined the car, and made the far less good looking SE seem the sensible option. Replaced with a fantastic E39 530i Sport as soon as mileage decreased, which was fantastic in every way, and has in turn led to the E39 M5 I now love.I had a manual 330ci in SE trim previously to it and always thought the sports looked far better, and maybe the engine would be more suited to an auto 'box, so took the plunge.
What a mistake. The box was dim witted and also felt a lot slower than the manual and was far more thirsty. It went around corners well (but then so did the SE), but the sport suspension couldn't seem to make much sense of normal road surfaces and was constantly at odds with itself. It was a low mileage BMW approved car, so I'm assuming that's just how they are.
The novelty tiptronic option soon wore off after about half a day or so.
I kept it for a year, just so I didn't lose too much on it in a short space of time, and chopped it in for an E39 M5. I felt alive again.
a 1.6 tonne lump of a car with a wheezy small diesel? You can't expect it to be anything other than a frugal motorway cruiser. It's a RWD Vectra basically.
If you're buying a BMW, buy one with a good petrol engine (like the one in your 530i) or a BIG diesel.
1993 Escort RS2000, brand new out of the showroom, poor performance, poor looks, and wheels that started to de lacquer after 5 months of ownership.
Also the bonnet was re sprayed due to a YTS mechanic closing the bonnet and leaving two palm print indentations!?!?
As I picked it up in the dark I didn't see this until the next day when I noticed overspray all over the near side lights and alloy.
Also the bonnet was re sprayed due to a YTS mechanic closing the bonnet and leaving two palm print indentations!?!?
As I picked it up in the dark I didn't see this until the next day when I noticed overspray all over the near side lights and alloy.
Breadvan72 said:
Cars you might think would be boring but were ace: I had a 1.8 non turbo diesel Peugeot 205. Slooooooooow, but great fun to blat about on twisty roads, and very fine around town. 59 BHP, 59 MPG.
the same for me Rover 214si (Bubble shape)every one says its just a sh*t rover but it was quite good fun, with a 104bhp 1.4 k series it was a hoot thrashing it about, and a short wheelbase meant fun on the twistys too.Without doubt a 2008 Mercedes c220 Cdi saloon (AMG Sport spec). The most terrible 4 cylinder Diesel engine I have ever had the misfortune of using - harsh, noisy, rough, utterly hateful. Steering had about as much feel as a pair of thick woollen gloves and the build quality was eclipsed by a pot from a activia multipack. The worst 2 years of enforced company car usage ever. An evil example of what happens when accountants and cost controllers rule car companies and the companies who out them on the fleet....
Gandahar said:
Surely a boring car is only how boring you drive it?
Less accomplished cars just have to be driven more on the door handles to make up.
I once had a Morris Ital that had to get towed 3 miles back to the main road by the local farmers tractor after I decided to do some rallying up a dirt track and ran out of talent.
If you think a car is boring you are just not trying hard enough.
Yes, quite, but it's a comparative scale, and one of the cars you've owned will have been less exciting than the rest.Less accomplished cars just have to be driven more on the door handles to make up.
I once had a Morris Ital that had to get towed 3 miles back to the main road by the local farmers tractor after I decided to do some rallying up a dirt track and ran out of talent.
If you think a car is boring you are just not trying hard enough.
Some of my cars have been less responsive to being driven with reckless stupidity than others.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff