RE: PH Blog: Regretfully Yours
Discussion
murphy968 said:
Once (many years ago) I excitedly purchased an Escort Mk2 1600 Sport without really checking it over. Turned out to have no sills or floor. A mate's dad did some welding on the side so I took it to him for a patch up about a fortnight after buying it. He proceded (attempted) to weld in the new sill without removing or insulating the fuel line that runs along it. He lived on a farm and as we approached to pick it up my girlfriend laughing pointed to a burned out shell on the verge "ha ha, that's your car" she joked. It was. Unrecognisable. Nothing left at all. He was very apologetic and had buned off his eyebrows and fringe and also lost the overhead telephone wire to his house. He gave me back the cost of the care, which was a blessed relief. Bought a Mk1 RS2000 after that - now that was a sweet car, that I sold in 1995 for £2000! Worth ten times that now. Darn.
This is the best car-related story I've heard so far this year. Bravo, sir. I did a genuine lol. monthefish said:
Interesting.
Are these the ones that are properly, properly quick?
Been tempted by these in the past, but now, not so much.
500bhp, and that means nothing compared to the silly amount of torque they have from a stand-still. There's vids of them killing more modern exotics online.Are these the ones that are properly, properly quick?
Been tempted by these in the past, but now, not so much.
But aside from the straight-line tyre smoking mayhem I didn't like anything about the car. It tried to kill me, make me bankrupt, take away my driving license and scare my wife and kids
Biggest shed I ever owned was, amazingly, neither the 1.1 Mk1 Fiesta I had as my first car, nor the (hastily re-wired after some sort of engine bay fire) Mk1 XR2 Fiesta, but a car much, much later in my driving career.
No, the biggest Dodo I ever bought was a Toyota land Cruiser. Not the school-run-mum Colorado, but the fully-4.2td-monty Amazon. If you imagine this, on recovery truck (on several occasions), that's what I had:
Total and utter s
te.
No, the biggest Dodo I ever bought was a Toyota land Cruiser. Not the school-run-mum Colorado, but the fully-4.2td-monty Amazon. If you imagine this, on recovery truck (on several occasions), that's what I had:
Total and utter s
te.1995 Ford Probe 24v.
12 years ago and it still smarts! I was 26, and only owned it for 5 months. A terribly unfair charge of driving without due care and attention made it essentially un-insurable for me so I had to sell it on.
In my 5 months of ownership I lost £1,500 depreciation, and another £1,300 when the engine management computer broke and the exhaust fell off. The quality wasn't great, and the leather seats were so shiny and crap I had to hold onto the handbrake going round left-handers to avoid sliding into the door.
Sold it to a young lad who turned up to view it in a multi-story car-park (where I parked for work), gave me a Sainsbury's bag full of £10 and £20 notes on the spot and drove it away.
A very odd end to a financially painful experience!
12 years ago and it still smarts! I was 26, and only owned it for 5 months. A terribly unfair charge of driving without due care and attention made it essentially un-insurable for me so I had to sell it on.
In my 5 months of ownership I lost £1,500 depreciation, and another £1,300 when the engine management computer broke and the exhaust fell off. The quality wasn't great, and the leather seats were so shiny and crap I had to hold onto the handbrake going round left-handers to avoid sliding into the door.
Sold it to a young lad who turned up to view it in a multi-story car-park (where I parked for work), gave me a Sainsbury's bag full of £10 and £20 notes on the spot and drove it away.
A very odd end to a financially painful experience!
Edited by nelly_h on Friday 4th January 15:07
It's funny now but I wasn't laughing at the time! Plenty more where that came from though, it's been a long a chequered path from £100 Cortinas to £30k M Cars, with much hillarity and heart ache along the way!
Scrof said:
murphy968 said:
Once (many years ago) I excitedly purchased an Escort Mk2 1600 Sport without really checking it over. Turned out to have no sills or floor. A mate's dad did some welding on the side so I took it to him for a patch up about a fortnight after buying it. He proceded (attempted) to weld in the new sill without removing or insulating the fuel line that runs along it. He lived on a farm and as we approached to pick it up my girlfriend laughing pointed to a burned out shell on the verge "ha ha, that's your car" she joked. It was. Unrecognisable. Nothing left at all. He was very apologetic and had buned off his eyebrows and fringe and also lost the overhead telephone wire to his house. He gave me back the cost of the care, which was a blessed relief. Bought a Mk1 RS2000 after that - now that was a sweet car, that I sold in 1995 for £2000! Worth ten times that now. Darn.
This is the best car-related story I've heard so far this year. Bravo, sir. I did a genuine lol. My second Ford Cougar.
It's not that it was a particularly bad car. My first Ford Cougar wasn't very reliable but it was young when I bought it (when I was also young) and I dearly loved it. When I eventually traded it in for a Mk2.5 MX-5 for my wife, I thought I'd made a mistake, so I bought another Cougar from someone in the owners' club.
It was nowhere near as nice as mine condition wise, either cosmetically or mechanically. It had never needed anything done according to the seller, but that car taught me the concept of "deferred maintenance". That car worked, but was pretty tired overall and needed everything done.
I sold it to a Polish lad for not a lot less than I paid for it, and have vowed never to buy the same car twice ever since.
I've also got a Rover 620Ti sat in the driveway with over a grands' worth of new running gear. I bought it as a non runner out of curiosity, having had a diesel version as my first car and loving that. I sorted the initial problem, got it running and concluded that the Ti is in truth just a typical naff FWD car. I was fixing everything else I realised was a bit old and knackered on it up for a family member who was short of money as a gift but they bought a different car after asking me for the Rover fixed up. We've fallen out now, and I have a Rover I don't particularly want... although it does seem a shame to do all that work and sell it on for the going rate of a few hundred quid. I suppose that's what you get for not telling family to go screw themselves whenever they come asking for help.
It's not that it was a particularly bad car. My first Ford Cougar wasn't very reliable but it was young when I bought it (when I was also young) and I dearly loved it. When I eventually traded it in for a Mk2.5 MX-5 for my wife, I thought I'd made a mistake, so I bought another Cougar from someone in the owners' club.
It was nowhere near as nice as mine condition wise, either cosmetically or mechanically. It had never needed anything done according to the seller, but that car taught me the concept of "deferred maintenance". That car worked, but was pretty tired overall and needed everything done.
I sold it to a Polish lad for not a lot less than I paid for it, and have vowed never to buy the same car twice ever since.
I've also got a Rover 620Ti sat in the driveway with over a grands' worth of new running gear. I bought it as a non runner out of curiosity, having had a diesel version as my first car and loving that. I sorted the initial problem, got it running and concluded that the Ti is in truth just a typical naff FWD car. I was fixing everything else I realised was a bit old and knackered on it up for a family member who was short of money as a gift but they bought a different car after asking me for the Rover fixed up. We've fallen out now, and I have a Rover I don't particularly want... although it does seem a shame to do all that work and sell it on for the going rate of a few hundred quid. I suppose that's what you get for not telling family to go screw themselves whenever they come asking for help.
Edited by jamieduff1981 on Friday 4th January 15:04
6 year old Maserati 4200GT Coupe riddled with rust. Gearbox like porridge handled like a barge, wouldn't go into reverse if it was cold. Kamikaze depreciation, flat battery every two weeks and a memory seat setting that crushed your face into the windscreen. It did make a nice noise though and the engine looked pretty. Traded in for a 996 Turbo. Who's a happy boy now?
Eeeeek just spotted it for sale.....
Eeeeek just spotted it for sale.....
Edited by Greasy Joe on Friday 4th January 15:10
Edited by Greasy Joe on Saturday 5th January 16:34
I know this is the oposite to the question asked but its a pretty good story anyway.
My first shed purchase was a Rover wedge 416sli Tourer. Bought sight unseen from a family friend.
I know you should never buy unseen but....
1 elderly owner from new
FRSH
57k
Garaged from new
12 months Tax and Test
£350!
2 months later someone drove into the back of me. I got £700 quid from the insurance and they let me keep the car, which was only slightly dinged but perfectly driveable. Nothing 5 minutes and a lump hammer couldn't sort out.
2 years and 40k later my mom needed a new car so I bought her a brand new Corsa trading in the rover in a swappage scheme and netting £1500. I enquired about what they would be doing with it. selling it through So and so auction house was the response.
After dilligently scanning the website and going to the auction when it appeared, I bought my old car back for just £300. My name was still on the documents!
Another 2 years and 40k later the dreaded tin worm got to the iriplaceable subframe so the car had to be scrapped.
It never once let me down. Only ever needed tires, one exhaust and a battery.
It was the most comfortable car around (admittably not great around the bends!) but handled my 100 mile a day commute with ease.
I genuinely shed a tear when I walked away from the scrap yard.
I think the cheaper a car and the better it proves to be you more you love it.
My first shed purchase was a Rover wedge 416sli Tourer. Bought sight unseen from a family friend.
I know you should never buy unseen but....
1 elderly owner from new
FRSH
57k
Garaged from new
12 months Tax and Test
£350!
2 months later someone drove into the back of me. I got £700 quid from the insurance and they let me keep the car, which was only slightly dinged but perfectly driveable. Nothing 5 minutes and a lump hammer couldn't sort out.
2 years and 40k later my mom needed a new car so I bought her a brand new Corsa trading in the rover in a swappage scheme and netting £1500. I enquired about what they would be doing with it. selling it through So and so auction house was the response.
After dilligently scanning the website and going to the auction when it appeared, I bought my old car back for just £300. My name was still on the documents!
Another 2 years and 40k later the dreaded tin worm got to the iriplaceable subframe so the car had to be scrapped.
It never once let me down. Only ever needed tires, one exhaust and a battery.
It was the most comfortable car around (admittably not great around the bends!) but handled my 100 mile a day commute with ease.
I genuinely shed a tear when I walked away from the scrap yard.
I think the cheaper a car and the better it proves to be you more you love it.
Our first "sensible family car", a two year old, 30,000 mile, Full Renault historied Grand Scenic. Bought in 2006 on a 54 plate, one owner, lovely family, genuine, straight and well cared for example.
The first year we had it, it was pretty much fault free. A bit of wind noise started from the panoramic sunroof, and the famous Megane electric window regulator bork (fixed free by Renault despite being 2 weeks out of warranty). It was once the warranty expired that the thing literally started to fall apart. Bits of trim fell off, the instrument panel went randomly haywire, the electric power steering would intermittently stop "assisting" when parking, the tyre pressure sensors went nuts until they were disabled permanently, a boost hose fell off, the glow plugs failed, the engine undertray got stuck in place when two of the captive nuts inside the chassis rails became un-captive (all this on a well cared for, religiously serviced 3 and a bit year old car, FFS), and to cap it all off, after several thousand pounds worth of failures, the clutch slave cylinder exploded, dumping us all at the side of the road.
This final, camel's back-snapping straw happened near a major supermarket distribution depot, and as we sat there waiting for recovery, I was praying for one of the big artics to put the damn thing out of my misery.
By the time the dismal piece of French merde had done 50k, it needed patching up constantly, and everything cost a fortune due to Renault's insistence on selling complete assemblies at hundreds of pounds rather than individual bits for a few pounds. That, and truly cretinous mechanical design which turned every job into an odyssey. 9 hrs labour for a clutch swap being a classic example. Not a single mechanic outside of the dealer network has any time for Renaults, at least in my experience.
The thing was an utter pile of shoddily engineered, badly made, appallingly designed crap that has ensured a Renault product will never again grace my driveway. I've been tempted by a couple of RenaultSport offerings since, but just couldn't bring myself to take the risk. This remains the only car I've ever hated so much that it made me angry to even look at it towards the end.
Chopped in in early 2008 for a five year old Golf mk4 diesel. Which we still have as a second car / runabout, has now done 130,000 miles, which has never let us down, and which has needed virtually nothing other than servicing and consumables.
The first year we had it, it was pretty much fault free. A bit of wind noise started from the panoramic sunroof, and the famous Megane electric window regulator bork (fixed free by Renault despite being 2 weeks out of warranty). It was once the warranty expired that the thing literally started to fall apart. Bits of trim fell off, the instrument panel went randomly haywire, the electric power steering would intermittently stop "assisting" when parking, the tyre pressure sensors went nuts until they were disabled permanently, a boost hose fell off, the glow plugs failed, the engine undertray got stuck in place when two of the captive nuts inside the chassis rails became un-captive (all this on a well cared for, religiously serviced 3 and a bit year old car, FFS), and to cap it all off, after several thousand pounds worth of failures, the clutch slave cylinder exploded, dumping us all at the side of the road.
This final, camel's back-snapping straw happened near a major supermarket distribution depot, and as we sat there waiting for recovery, I was praying for one of the big artics to put the damn thing out of my misery.
By the time the dismal piece of French merde had done 50k, it needed patching up constantly, and everything cost a fortune due to Renault's insistence on selling complete assemblies at hundreds of pounds rather than individual bits for a few pounds. That, and truly cretinous mechanical design which turned every job into an odyssey. 9 hrs labour for a clutch swap being a classic example. Not a single mechanic outside of the dealer network has any time for Renaults, at least in my experience.
The thing was an utter pile of shoddily engineered, badly made, appallingly designed crap that has ensured a Renault product will never again grace my driveway. I've been tempted by a couple of RenaultSport offerings since, but just couldn't bring myself to take the risk. This remains the only car I've ever hated so much that it made me angry to even look at it towards the end.
Chopped in in early 2008 for a five year old Golf mk4 diesel. Which we still have as a second car / runabout, has now done 130,000 miles, which has never let us down, and which has needed virtually nothing other than servicing and consumables.
Edited by Limpet on Friday 4th January 23:20
Am I in the minority for not really regretting or hating any car I've owned?
I guess the least loved was my Pug 106 diesel, but it served a purpose and was had through necessity. Of which it performed as expected, while even netting me a couple of autotesting trophies and carting a Land Rover Tdi lump back from Wales for my Disco. But no regret and no hate on my part.
I guess the least loved was my Pug 106 diesel, but it served a purpose and was had through necessity. Of which it performed as expected, while even netting me a couple of autotesting trophies and carting a Land Rover Tdi lump back from Wales for my Disco. But no regret and no hate on my part.
2003 Vauxhall Vectra DTI SRI bought at 6 months old - I fell for the marketing and supposed long service intervals as I did a lot of miles at the time. Despite actually servicing the car more often than indicated service periods it was a complete hound.
Was continually having warranty work done (turbo, fog lamps, wheel hub, wheel bearings, rear dampers etc) and it failed its first MOT as the replacement dampers (vauxhall supply and fit) had failed again in under 12 months......then a number of sensors failed!
Was continually having warranty work done (turbo, fog lamps, wheel hub, wheel bearings, rear dampers etc) and it failed its first MOT as the replacement dampers (vauxhall supply and fit) had failed again in under 12 months......then a number of sensors failed!
murphy968 said:
It's funny now but I wasn't laughing at the time! Plenty more where that came from though, it's been a long a chequered path from £100 Cortinas to £30k M Cars, with much hillarity and heart ache along the way!
I can well imagine! Apologies if that seemed insensitive - I think it was the style of storytelling that made giggle rather than the story itself. I know I'd have been fuming if it'd happened to me!Digga said:
Biggest shed I ever owned was, amazingly, neither the 1.1 Mk1 Fiesta I had as my first car, nor the (hastily re-wired after some sort of engine bay fire) Mk1 XR2 Fiesta, but a car much, much later in my driving career.
No, the biggest Dodo I ever bought was a Toyota land Cruiser. Not the school-run-mum Colorado, but the fully-4.2td-monty Amazon. If you imagine this, on recovery truck (on several occasions), that's what I had:
Total and utter ste.
The legendary land cruiser? What went wrong with it? More info please! No, the biggest Dodo I ever bought was a Toyota land Cruiser. Not the school-run-mum Colorado, but the fully-4.2td-monty Amazon. If you imagine this, on recovery truck (on several occasions), that's what I had:
Total and utter s
te.
A Porsche 911 Carrera 2. There I was a young blade about town earning a fair wedge and needing something flash to attract the laddiees.
Read all the road tests about how great they were. Had a thumb through the tory graph for sale adds. Tinternet wasn't big in those days. And walked into a local Porsche dealership.
There sat in the corner was this beautiful blue 911 convertible. I could just see myself cruising around town on a sunny day attracting the glances of all the young totty. I even convinced myself the tiptronic gearbox was a good idea. I mean, they were now being used in Formula 1 cars, so they must be good.
It fairness it was quick but overall a massive disappointment. With the convertible hood and associated chassis problem and the dire 4 speed gearbox that was never in the right gear for spirited driving it was a useless sports car. Yet at the same time the cramped diving position, rock hard suspension and badly insulated fabric hood a crap GT car.
To this day it still ceases to amaze me how they managed to release a vehicle with such bad qualities
Didn't take me long to realise I may well have bought into the 911 dream but definitely bought the wrong 911.
Read all the road tests about how great they were. Had a thumb through the tory graph for sale adds. Tinternet wasn't big in those days. And walked into a local Porsche dealership.
There sat in the corner was this beautiful blue 911 convertible. I could just see myself cruising around town on a sunny day attracting the glances of all the young totty. I even convinced myself the tiptronic gearbox was a good idea. I mean, they were now being used in Formula 1 cars, so they must be good.
It fairness it was quick but overall a massive disappointment. With the convertible hood and associated chassis problem and the dire 4 speed gearbox that was never in the right gear for spirited driving it was a useless sports car. Yet at the same time the cramped diving position, rock hard suspension and badly insulated fabric hood a crap GT car.
To this day it still ceases to amaze me how they managed to release a vehicle with such bad qualities
Didn't take me long to realise I may well have bought into the 911 dream but definitely bought the wrong 911.
My biggest regret was a brand new clio 182 cup. And it didn't even go wrong (I didn't have it long enough for that). But it disappointed on every level. Now my biggest mistake was to believe those morons at Evo magazine which must make me a moron surely? All I can say is that however much Renault paid them to write those lies month after month, it was worth it for Renault. For without that no-one in their right mind would have paid money for the least inspiring "sports" car of all time.
Slow, boring, whale-like. Hateful.
Bert
Slow, boring, whale-like. Hateful.
Bert
blacksunmanta said:
Metro, bought for a £100 with 30k on the clock, never been around a roundabout, needed £100 in welding. Sold it to the circus through an ad in the local post office. Always told they were using it as a clown car.
Surely we have a winner - "the bloke who bought my car was a complete clown..."Here's my greatest error. Spend about 6 months getting it working and though the MOT and completed 3 laps of brands on a track day before it holed a piton. I gave up and sold it - the LSD from the diff went for more than the car...
The exploding Escort debacle (see earlier) was certainly the most regretful mistake on my part, but the most disappointing purchase was certainly a brand new Audi S3. I'd run interesting (and rear wheel drive) cars all my single life and was driving a BMW M Roadster when the requirement came for a "family" car so I sold the BMW and purchased a brand new Audi S3. Nothing went wrong with it and it was a very "nice" car, but it was a soleless, uninvolving, unexciting car and I sold it within a year. I was disappointed that it was just so dull as I was actually very excited at the prospect of owning it. To replace it I decided two cars was the way forward and bought a second hand BMW 325i Sport (for the family) and a Porsche 944S2 (for me). I loved the 944 and it is probably my favourite of all the many cars I've owned (and much better than the 968 Clubsport I replaced it with).
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