worst car you ever bought?
Discussion
A fiat cinquecento, bought as a 350 euro experiment in teaching myself how to hold a spanner, figured i could fix the blow HG and get a cheap laugh out of it.
Fixed the HG, did some other repair work only to come to the conclusion it would need at that point at least another grand (was about a grand in) to get it through the MOT, so i'm currently breaking it for parts.
It makes my alfa 33 which i did max 1500km in and had a number of multi-hundred euro repairs to keep it running look sensible.
Fixed the HG, did some other repair work only to come to the conclusion it would need at that point at least another grand (was about a grand in) to get it through the MOT, so i'm currently breaking it for parts.
It makes my alfa 33 which i did max 1500km in and had a number of multi-hundred euro repairs to keep it running look sensible.
I once bought myself a lovely looking mk3 golf Gti 16v.
Searched for ever and found a lovely car with lovely high spec, leather, air con. I had to drive for three hours to collect it.
I think I'd already decided to sell it by the time I got home. I lasted 6 weeks but went back to a mk2.
Heavy, slow, uncomfortable, noisy, uninspiring and cheap. I think that model was the start of the decline of vw's build quality. Never really been impressed by any vw since then.
Searched for ever and found a lovely car with lovely high spec, leather, air con. I had to drive for three hours to collect it.
I think I'd already decided to sell it by the time I got home. I lasted 6 weeks but went back to a mk2.
Heavy, slow, uncomfortable, noisy, uninspiring and cheap. I think that model was the start of the decline of vw's build quality. Never really been impressed by any vw since then.
*Al* said:
Audi TT 225 Quatro, hated the thing even before i got home. Lots of warning lights on the dash followed.
+1Hateful thing. When I bought one it last about 10 minutes before I realised it was hesistating on the boost. Then I discovered it was burning oil. I took it out for a second drive and the engine management light and the ESP warning light came on. Handed it back the next day for a full refund!
Shame as I really wanted to like it, and for it to work. It drove right for a short while when I had it and it was quite good. It easily made rapid progress cross-country, even if it was utterly lacking in drama as it did so. Bag loads of grip, no engine noise, numb steering - but it was a looker. It was also a 'dream car' for my lass and she was hoping I would keep it so she could drive it too! Sadly I think I just bought a bad one. I would buy one for her, but I'd go over it with a fine toothed comb first!
And here it is sitting next to the Impreza I now own!
My current car, 04 freelander td4.
Has had in a vague order.
3 clutch master cylinders, on 4th.
1 slave cylinder,
2 prop shafts,
2 front prop shaft bearings, 1 rear bearing.
1 IRD unit,
1 VCU unit.
3 rear diff mounts.
1 rear subframe.
1 fuel pump.
It's sadly suffered from a first owner who was an arse to it, never looked after it properly and likely has ran it on petrol at some point.
I've had bad luck with garages lying to me, not doing correct work and fitting substandard part's when i was told it was genuine LR parts.
I've a folder filled with part's receipts I've bought it to get it back to proper shape again.
Still got it though, comfy and has never failed to get me home, even with a collapsed prop shaft bearing. Currently chasing an engine issue.
Yet i know other freelander owner's who have had no issues at all, not even the HG going on them.
Has had in a vague order.
3 clutch master cylinders, on 4th.
1 slave cylinder,
2 prop shafts,
2 front prop shaft bearings, 1 rear bearing.
1 IRD unit,
1 VCU unit.
3 rear diff mounts.
1 rear subframe.
1 fuel pump.
It's sadly suffered from a first owner who was an arse to it, never looked after it properly and likely has ran it on petrol at some point.
I've had bad luck with garages lying to me, not doing correct work and fitting substandard part's when i was told it was genuine LR parts.
I've a folder filled with part's receipts I've bought it to get it back to proper shape again.
Still got it though, comfy and has never failed to get me home, even with a collapsed prop shaft bearing. Currently chasing an engine issue.
Yet i know other freelander owner's who have had no issues at all, not even the HG going on them.
bravonovember said:
GroundEffect said:
172 Cup.
Hateful thing.
Looking at buying one. Can I ask why?Hateful thing.
The 172 cup is still the closest anyone has come to recreating a 'modern' 205 GTI. Make sure the rear shocks aren't leaking (which most are, without people realising), and it's a bloody riot of a drive.
Thom987 said:
Alfa 156 JTD. Clarkson reccommended it in the Sunday Times many years ago, just as I was about to buy a Lexus IS200. Big mistake, it was back at the dealers more often than it was on the road. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.
thats what you get for listening to Jerk Clarkson 
mine was Renault Laguna, 10 times electrical failure before seliing.
It's a toss up between the 2000 Pug 206 GTi I bought in 2003 and my 1996 BMW 328i Sport.
The 206 was rubbish to drive and while I was used to cheap plasticky Peugeots there was just too much of it. The seats were uncomfortable and the exhaust back box snapped off after a couple of weeks. It was bought jointly with my then girlfriend and seeing as we were 1/3 the way through a terminal downward spiral we sensibly sold it and went our separate ways.
My 328i Sport I really loved. It went well and was nice to drive. However it treated me very badly. During te first year of ownership I needed a new bottom end (nikasil!); ABS pump; suspension and brake pipes. The lacquer on the bonnet was also mysteriously damaged. In the next 7 years it was vandalised twice (once by scumbags and once by a body shop!) and had a very unfortunately accident. In addition to needing a shed load more work. Broke it for £1500 back in March having paid £7700 in 2004. Don't dare add up the stack of receipts as I fear I lost over £10k on it!
The 206 was rubbish to drive and while I was used to cheap plasticky Peugeots there was just too much of it. The seats were uncomfortable and the exhaust back box snapped off after a couple of weeks. It was bought jointly with my then girlfriend and seeing as we were 1/3 the way through a terminal downward spiral we sensibly sold it and went our separate ways.
My 328i Sport I really loved. It went well and was nice to drive. However it treated me very badly. During te first year of ownership I needed a new bottom end (nikasil!); ABS pump; suspension and brake pipes. The lacquer on the bonnet was also mysteriously damaged. In the next 7 years it was vandalised twice (once by scumbags and once by a body shop!) and had a very unfortunately accident. In addition to needing a shed load more work. Broke it for £1500 back in March having paid £7700 in 2004. Don't dare add up the stack of receipts as I fear I lost over £10k on it!
John Galt said:
Ignore him. I was actually going to ask him why he thought this myself, until I realised that I really didn't care. Given his user name though, and his profession, I find his statement all the more baffling...
The 172 cup is still the closest anyone has come to recreating a 'modern' 205 GTI. Make sure the rear shocks aren't leaking (which most are, without people realising), and it's a bloody riot of a drive.
I'm a fan of the Renault Sport 172 - could not live eth the cup. Just a personal thing. The 172 cup is still the closest anyone has come to recreating a 'modern' 205 GTI. Make sure the rear shocks aren't leaking (which most are, without people realising), and it's a bloody riot of a drive.
The engine a screamer lovely.
Toyota Aygo.
I fancied a change and thought it'd be fun driving a light, agile city car. It wasn't. Kept it for four months and got rid.
EDIT: Actually, I forgot I bought a 2005 Golf (in 2009) from a main dealer that was totally f
ked and had bald tyres. I swapped it after three weeks.
I fancied a change and thought it'd be fun driving a light, agile city car. It wasn't. Kept it for four months and got rid.
EDIT: Actually, I forgot I bought a 2005 Golf (in 2009) from a main dealer that was totally f
ked and had bald tyres. I swapped it after three weeks. Edited by PumpkinSteve on Sunday 29th July 19:22
My 2001 Audi S3 that I owned a few years ago.
Boring to drive, heavy, crap interior and pretty unreliable - door latches, steering rack, rust, seized calipers, snapped springs and turbo amongst other things. I spent quite a lot on it too, trying to improve it and maintain it. I think that's one of the reasons why I hate that car, the money it lost me.
Boring to drive, heavy, crap interior and pretty unreliable - door latches, steering rack, rust, seized calipers, snapped springs and turbo amongst other things. I spent quite a lot on it too, trying to improve it and maintain it. I think that's one of the reasons why I hate that car, the money it lost me.
My Ausitn Allegro 1300 closely followed by the 1750 Equipe that i stupidly bought.
Both where hateful pieces of turd. Horrible, nasty, vile things.
Handled badly, sluggish, crap gearboxes, awful interiors, that disgusting stripe over the arse end of the Equipe.
Just generally stty things as are most things British Leyland. IMO.
Ugh.
Both where hateful pieces of turd. Horrible, nasty, vile things.
Handled badly, sluggish, crap gearboxes, awful interiors, that disgusting stripe over the arse end of the Equipe.
Just generally s
tty things as are most things British Leyland. IMO.Ugh.
Edited by fatboy69 on Sunday 29th July 20:11
When I bought a 53 plate Renault Megane.
The biggest disappointment by far. Sure, I knew what I was letting myself in for as far as ride quality, performance, economy etc was concerned - that's not my gripe.
My gripe is how bloody unreliable they are. It was one of my first "fully loaded" modern cars that I've owned (i.e. it had all the electrical toys), which although fun at first, all decided to systematically fail one by one.
After sinking over £1,500 into it to keep it roadworthy, I bit the bullet and got rid. That has sullied my view of French cars, even considering the "ooh, it's French; that'll be trouble!" statements I thought "it can't be THAT bad!".
Well, it can.
Learnt a number of things here:
Listen to mechanic friends when they say "them be trouble!"
Listen to electrician friends when they say "them be trouble!"
Don't get suckered in by FMDSH/12mnths tax and test/lots of leccy toys
Don't buy a Renault of that era
In fact, don't buy any car of that era (I bought the car when it was circa 65k miles and around 5 years old - thus approaching major servicing intervals i.e. cambelt etc)
It was the first commuting car that I thought "right, I'll look after this properly and get it serviced etc" and it repaid me by throwing up the arms and fking off. Typical French! 
By contrast, the Vectra I owned before that was a bloody tank and would take any amount of abuse.
The biggest disappointment by far. Sure, I knew what I was letting myself in for as far as ride quality, performance, economy etc was concerned - that's not my gripe.
My gripe is how bloody unreliable they are. It was one of my first "fully loaded" modern cars that I've owned (i.e. it had all the electrical toys), which although fun at first, all decided to systematically fail one by one.
After sinking over £1,500 into it to keep it roadworthy, I bit the bullet and got rid. That has sullied my view of French cars, even considering the "ooh, it's French; that'll be trouble!" statements I thought "it can't be THAT bad!".
Well, it can.
Learnt a number of things here:
Listen to mechanic friends when they say "them be trouble!"
Listen to electrician friends when they say "them be trouble!"
Don't get suckered in by FMDSH/12mnths tax and test/lots of leccy toys
Don't buy a Renault of that era
In fact, don't buy any car of that era (I bought the car when it was circa 65k miles and around 5 years old - thus approaching major servicing intervals i.e. cambelt etc)
It was the first commuting car that I thought "right, I'll look after this properly and get it serviced etc" and it repaid me by throwing up the arms and f
king off. Typical French! By contrast, the Vectra I owned before that was a bloody tank and would take any amount of abuse.
To add t the VAG love, mk.2 Golf GTI. Fell apart in quite epic fashion: water pump, rear brakes, gear linkages, idle control valve (x3), earthing points, distributor and the engine was smoking like a train by the time I finally managed to get rid of it. It was so bad it genuinely almost made me give up on cars as an interest
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