Most disappointing car you've ever owned?
Discussion
Apologies from a relative newcomer to PH forums if this has been done before...
But what's the most disappointing car you've ever owned?
What's the car that...didn't really do it for you....
Whats the car that....just left you feeling a bit...meh?
I'm not talking about disastrous reliability or things like that......just the car that has left you feeling a bit....hmm......
Mine would be the 2002 BMW 320i.
It looks good....was very nicely put together...and SWMBO liked it....
BUT...
It had the 2.2 straight six with 168bhp and 155lb ft torque....
To me, it just felt leaden. Smooth...but flat. Also, it was hard work to drive with a heavy clutch and gearchange. (heavier than other BMW's I'd tried before or since)
The engine was (IMO) too refined...I needed to hear and feel it working...but couldn't
Also, the steering was very light and devoid of much feel...and the nice big multispoke M style wheels looked great but gave a pattery ride and very bad tramlining /camber stuff.
So yeah....I didn't have it long...and I don't miss it! (even amongst some really crappy cars I've had before or since!)
But what's the most disappointing car you've ever owned?
What's the car that...didn't really do it for you....
Whats the car that....just left you feeling a bit...meh?
I'm not talking about disastrous reliability or things like that......just the car that has left you feeling a bit....hmm......
Mine would be the 2002 BMW 320i.
It looks good....was very nicely put together...and SWMBO liked it....
BUT...
It had the 2.2 straight six with 168bhp and 155lb ft torque....
To me, it just felt leaden. Smooth...but flat. Also, it was hard work to drive with a heavy clutch and gearchange. (heavier than other BMW's I'd tried before or since)
The engine was (IMO) too refined...I needed to hear and feel it working...but couldn't
Also, the steering was very light and devoid of much feel...and the nice big multispoke M style wheels looked great but gave a pattery ride and very bad tramlining /camber stuff.
So yeah....I didn't have it long...and I don't miss it! (even amongst some really crappy cars I've had before or since!)
A Vauxhall Carlton from 1985. It wasnt anywhere near 1985 when I owned it, more early 2000's but time and subsequent owners hadnt been kind to it.
I thought big barge, rear wheel drive, sort of a smoker that I could waft along in for a while would be a good thing, it was awful, stank, couldnt spin the wheels and didnt make it over 80. I think it'd been mis-timed, just had no torque. And it smelled of dog and old
It sat unloved in the garden for a while til I convinced a scrappie to come take it away, we were just on the edge of their catchment.
I thought big barge, rear wheel drive, sort of a smoker that I could waft along in for a while would be a good thing, it was awful, stank, couldnt spin the wheels and didnt make it over 80. I think it'd been mis-timed, just had no torque. And it smelled of dog and old
It sat unloved in the garden for a while til I convinced a scrappie to come take it away, we were just on the edge of their catchment.
)My MK1 Focus.
On paper it was everything I ever needed in a car - affordable, best 'handling in class', economical and not a bad looking car.
But that driving position?!
I'm not sure why it isn't more broadly documented online but the seating position in the MK1 (I had a MK1.5 / facelift 'Sport' model) is terrible. It's only comparable to that of a Transit! You sit on it rather than in it.
I've always wondered if the MK1 RS has this lofty seating feel too or if the bucket seats compensate for it a bit. I hated it so much it was the shortest ownership I've ever had.
On paper it was everything I ever needed in a car - affordable, best 'handling in class', economical and not a bad looking car.
But that driving position?!
I'm not sure why it isn't more broadly documented online but the seating position in the MK1 (I had a MK1.5 / facelift 'Sport' model) is terrible. It's only comparable to that of a Transit! You sit on it rather than in it.
I've always wondered if the MK1 RS has this lofty seating feel too or if the bucket seats compensate for it a bit. I hated it so much it was the shortest ownership I've ever had.
R56 MINI Cooper S. Sounded great with the fJCW exhaust, and in my spec it looked absolutely superb.
However the handling is nowhere near as nice as the 1st Gen, the oil consumption was hideous, it wasn't that economical, poorly built, and spent a very long time at dealers where they refused to acknowledge half of the issues it had.
Never again. The car I was originally meant to buy was the R53 1st Gen Cooper S. I purchased one in February and absolutely love it, and I don't see what took so long.
However the handling is nowhere near as nice as the 1st Gen, the oil consumption was hideous, it wasn't that economical, poorly built, and spent a very long time at dealers where they refused to acknowledge half of the issues it had.
Never again. The car I was originally meant to buy was the R53 1st Gen Cooper S. I purchased one in February and absolutely love it, and I don't see what took so long.
Mk2 1.8 MX-5 (1998). Nice but way too soft suspension for any fun and lots of body roll and no rear grip in the wet!!! It was terrible! My wife spun it twice and then wouldn't go near it. I didn't blame her after nearly wiping out 2 other cars on a straight, wet road with a slight camber.
Mk4 Golf GTi.
Had enjoyed a couple of GTi 16v Mk 2's previously and just fancied a Mk4.
My god it was awful.
It simply didn't handle under any circumstances. It felt massively front end heavy to drive, the steering was awful and had no feeling or feedback, the gear change didn't feel connected, it just bounced and understeered everywhere, the front end dived and bucked under braking, the daft plastic engine cover that hung down underneath caught on every speed bump or even on bumpy roads as the suspension wallowed up and down like a pudding.
It just was totally and utterly disappointing and frustrating to drive in any kind of a spirited fashion. If you tried to press on at all, you just found yourself at the helm of a big wobbling barge with very little input into the actual direction of travel.
I even fitted some coilovers to try to control the awful ride and handling. They only made a slight improvement.
Not really what you want from something aimed at the person wanting a sporty hatchbach.
Never again.
Had enjoyed a couple of GTi 16v Mk 2's previously and just fancied a Mk4.
My god it was awful.
It simply didn't handle under any circumstances. It felt massively front end heavy to drive, the steering was awful and had no feeling or feedback, the gear change didn't feel connected, it just bounced and understeered everywhere, the front end dived and bucked under braking, the daft plastic engine cover that hung down underneath caught on every speed bump or even on bumpy roads as the suspension wallowed up and down like a pudding.
It just was totally and utterly disappointing and frustrating to drive in any kind of a spirited fashion. If you tried to press on at all, you just found yourself at the helm of a big wobbling barge with very little input into the actual direction of travel.
I even fitted some coilovers to try to control the awful ride and handling. They only made a slight improvement.
Not really what you want from something aimed at the person wanting a sporty hatchbach.
Never again.
2000 Skoda Octavia TDI
By no means a bad car, In fact it's the only diesel I've owned which didnt break and cost me a fortune! It was quick enough for motorways, could do 60mpg and was a workhorse.
But my God are they bland! Bland as a bland thing. That's why I bought it I suppose, but also why i ended up selling it.
By no means a bad car, In fact it's the only diesel I've owned which didnt break and cost me a fortune! It was quick enough for motorways, could do 60mpg and was a workhorse.
But my God are they bland! Bland as a bland thing. That's why I bought it I suppose, but also why i ended up selling it.
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