What is the most nicely surprising car you've driven.
Discussion
I'd like to say the BMW 1-series which my friend owns and I regularly drive because she's flaky and always feeling too ill to drive. I find it a hideous looking thing but have to admit that if I walk up to it blind folded and ignore the diesel engine which I despise, it's actually a cracking car to drive. Pity she didn't buy a 6-pot petrol, and at least the coupe body instead.
In truth though, my vote probably goes to the MG ZT, which was just all-round surprisingly great to drive in every way.
In truth though, my vote probably goes to the MG ZT, which was just all-round surprisingly great to drive in every way.
MGZRod said:
Had a vauxhall insignia SRi turbo diesel beast for a couple weeks after my MX5 was written off. Bloody nice car. Good spec, rode well, the auto bod behaved very well. The steering was nicely weighted and gave decent feedback for the type of car, only problem I really had was it sometimes struggled for grip on cold mornings at low speeds when pulling out of junctions etc.
Really liked it to be honest! My MX was fairly modified, too but I could hold a damn good pace on back roads in the vauxhall.
It's posts like this which really make me question the validity of what is written on PH sometimes. We are all different so perhaps it's what makes life interesting. Really liked it to be honest! My MX was fairly modified, too but I could hold a damn good pace on back roads in the vauxhall.
Had exactly this car recently and when read good spec genuinely lolled, then again with the good ride comment.
Seriously this was the most hateful pos have driven in a long time. Have really tried to think of something that liked about it and got stuck at the point that the boot took a fair bit of stuff. Grip in all respects was non existent but that may have been tyres. Ride choppy. Poorly equipped frankly. That voice activated phone malarkey was just ridiculous. And that electronic handbrake! VAG have this sussed but that crap on the Insignia. Good job I have heel and toe sussed.
A couple of days later had to do the same 300 mile round trip and as didn't need so much load space deliberately chose to do the trip in our 14 year old 8v 1.4 Fabia runabout snotter. Despite the diabolical weather on the day it was a far nicer drive.
But each to their own.
Xtriple129 said:
Citroen 2CV.
Years ago I was experiencing another of my periodic financial embarrasments and bought one for £120. It was cheap, I was skint but needed some transport.
Spent the first few days feeling sorry for myself, then slowly realised how much fun I was having! Hilariously slow so momentum is King, lean over in the bends until the door handles scrape but never lose grip, brilliant sunroof, comfortable....
I know I'll get flamed for this but I'd have another if I could afford the prices they currently make!
The 2CV, great wee car, the most fun you can have with 30bhp. had three of them back in the 80's. Only true petrolheads will appreciate the 2CV for what it is ! Years ago I was experiencing another of my periodic financial embarrasments and bought one for £120. It was cheap, I was skint but needed some transport.
Spent the first few days feeling sorry for myself, then slowly realised how much fun I was having! Hilariously slow so momentum is King, lean over in the bends until the door handles scrape but never lose grip, brilliant sunroof, comfortable....
I know I'll get flamed for this but I'd have another if I could afford the prices they currently make!
Now on a positive note another vote for the 2CV and the Puma for exactly the reasons discussed.
One that gets some stick on here is the Audi A1. Expected to hate it. And I did especially as it had that hateful 1.6 eco diesel. But looking past the engine and replaced with the 185PS 1.4TFSI could be quite entertaining.
One that gets some stick on here is the Audi A1. Expected to hate it. And I did especially as it had that hateful 1.6 eco diesel. But looking past the engine and replaced with the 185PS 1.4TFSI could be quite entertaining.
SebastienClement said:
FiF said:
...Poorly equipped frankly. That voice activated phone malarkey was just ridiculous. And that electronic handbrake...
t. It had an electronic handbrake. That too was s
t. Hth.
SebastienClement said:
FiF said:
What explanation do you need. Pairing the phone was done by voice commands. It was st.
It had an electronic handbrake. That too was st.
This
Hth.
But it doesn't sound poorly equipped, even if the equipment is st. It had an electronic handbrake. That too was s
t. This
Hth.
te.Ok I see your point but in my opinion if some equipment is so poor in operation that it may as well not be there or at minimum replaced by something that works properly that is poorly equipped.
An analogy could be a hotel which gets lots of stars because it ticks the boxes in terms of providing lots of facilities, but when you try and use those facilities they aren't up to scratch and the rooms are dirty, the food unpalatable and cold and the staff surly.
It still gets x stars because it ticks the box for provides room service, say, but in reality you just wouldn't.
That's the point.
Edited DickyC sums it up far better than I
Edited by FiF on Thursday 13th February 10:25
FiF said:
Ok I see your point but in my opinion if some equipment is so poor in operation that it may as well not be there or at minimum replaced by something that works properly that is poorly equipped.
An analogy could be a hotel which gets lots of stars because it ticks the boxes in terms of providing lots of facilities, but when you try and use those facilities they aren't up to scratch and the rooms are dirty, the food unpalatable and cold and the staff surly.
It still gets x stars because it ticks the box for provides room service, say, but in reality you just wouldn't.
That's the point.
Gotcha An analogy could be a hotel which gets lots of stars because it ticks the boxes in terms of providing lots of facilities, but when you try and use those facilities they aren't up to scratch and the rooms are dirty, the food unpalatable and cold and the staff surly.
It still gets x stars because it ticks the box for provides room service, say, but in reality you just wouldn't.
That's the point.
Base model example of the current (mk7?) Golf, in 1.2TSi form, was better than expected. The wee engine turned out to be pretty decent, no roadburner but better low end torque than most N/A 1.6 petrols I've driven and pleasantly quiet too. Decent amount of kit for a base model too: air con, DAB, Bluetooth, iPod/usb input all standard. Much more comfortable and pleasant to use than I would have anticipated.
^^^^ That's what I use as a daily driver in Mk6 form, and it's really not a bad car. Shifts along nicely enough if you keep the revs up, is comfortable, cheap to run (reasonable enough tax here in car-hating Ireland), sounds marginally nicer than the equivalent diesel, and is so below the radar that it's practically invisible to all
Boring as a very boring thing mind, but then you don't buy a small-engined Golf expecting anything else
Boring as a very boring thing mind, but then you don't buy a small-engined Golf expecting anything else
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff