Depressing cars
Discussion
Tannedbaldhead said:
northwest monkey said:
Tannedbaldhead said:
If that's how we feel about overly focused hot hatches imagine how Caterham drivers feel about their cars on a cold wet miserable day or when they're just not in the mood.
I had a similar view on a BMW M Coupe some years back. I was doing about 30k miles per year at the time but I got a big car allowance and a fuel card so running it wasn't a bother. I had the cash sat there waiting to buy and found a car I thought (and still do) that was perfect. It was black with red leather interior, went like stink and looked awesome. The test drive went well, the price was good and it was BMW Approved so the warranty was spot on.The only thing that put me off, was the thought that at 5pm on a wet Friday night, I'd be leaving Farnborough and heading back to Lancashire (about 250 miles or 6 hours on a bad day) in a car that demanded attention from you all the time. It was (still is) an immense car but the sheer effort in driving it when I couldn't be arsed just put me off. Ended up buying a 330 convertible instead - not exactly a diesel Focus but very different to the M!
If anyone suggested the M Coupe in particular should be avoided altogether just because as Northwest Monkey found it's not ideal for driving when you're worn out from a week and work and just want to get home to bed, then frankly they're in Top Gear sorts of territory.
Good cars, but it depends what you want to do with it. Schooners are often lovely ships, but not a lot of use for ferrying cars and passengers back and forth across the English Channel.
Jurgen said:
A lot of sporty cars mentioned here and can definately understand why. This is Pistonheads and we all (well quite a few) want the must fun, most hardcore car on earth. But they can be horrible to drive on a dayly basis. My current (only) car is an S2000 and that can be really nasty to drive sometimes. Cramped, very noisy on motorway, lots of mechanical noises, harsh, notchy gearshift when cold, etc. Becomes better once warmed up, but it's not a car you'd like to drive on a rainy winters day. However, on a good day it's awesome. Luckily I cycle to work, so mostly just use it for fun. It I had to use it daily if would be been sold a long time ago!
Love it, Honda S2000, officially less fun to commute in than a push bike.Play devils advocate slighty there by the way, my 350Z is fairly easy to live with in comparison by the sound of it, but cycling to work is fairly pleasant.
I really don't like the look of smaller audis and bmw's-------- the audi 1's, 3's yes I know there is the S version.
didn't mind the A4 when it came out, always thought it looked nice.
never liked the little bmw 3 series, its go worse with the 1 series.
I know people rave about them, but they look such a paupers version to the 5 and 7 on offer. which do look really nice.
equally those silly little X3's. why, why, why.
mind you, not as bad as my neighbours skoda roomstar. just why would you spend money on that ?
didn't mind the A4 when it came out, always thought it looked nice.
never liked the little bmw 3 series, its go worse with the 1 series.
I know people rave about them, but they look such a paupers version to the 5 and 7 on offer. which do look really nice.
equally those silly little X3's. why, why, why.
mind you, not as bad as my neighbours skoda roomstar. just why would you spend money on that ?
For me it was the 2003 espace we had a couple of years ago.
SWMBO had a lovely scenic, which some bell end drove into and wrote off.
With the insurance payout I insisted we go for the extra space offered by an espace. Big mistake.
Most unreliable, poorly built uneconomical pile of s
te that ever did grace our driveway
Sold after 6 months at considerable loss (not including the £100's spent on maintenance in that period...)
The worst bit is it was my choice to buy it. A fact that SWMBO enjoys casting up from time to time....
SWMBO had a lovely scenic, which some bell end drove into and wrote off.
With the insurance payout I insisted we go for the extra space offered by an espace. Big mistake.
Most unreliable, poorly built uneconomical pile of s
te that ever did grace our drivewaySold after 6 months at considerable loss (not including the £100's spent on maintenance in that period...)
The worst bit is it was my choice to buy it. A fact that SWMBO enjoys casting up from time to time....
Current Audi A3 stbox, 1.6 FSI.
It is a "Sport" model which means stupidly low profile massively over wide wheels/tyres, lower ride height and the removal of anythng that could be termed suspension in any meaningful way at all. They offer an even lower S-line version - it is inconceivable to me that the "suspension" could be any harder than it is on mine.
I bought it in a panic as I couldn't stand the wallet haemorrhaging repair bills from my X350 Jag any longer, but I knew within a few days (2 years ago) I'd made an error. Irrationally, I hate it even more, the more people scratch and dent it in car parks. More rationally I hate it the more it goes wrong - like the coil pack giving up last week, the leaky exhaust , the jerky throttle, juddery clutch.
I hate its total lack of power or torque, lack of refinement, random hatchback release and random radio faults.
It is st st st.
Only lack of cash and fear of ending up with something worse is preventing me from changing it.
tbox, 1.6 FSI.It is a "Sport" model which means stupidly low profile massively over wide wheels/tyres, lower ride height and the removal of anythng that could be termed suspension in any meaningful way at all. They offer an even lower S-line version - it is inconceivable to me that the "suspension" could be any harder than it is on mine.
I bought it in a panic as I couldn't stand the wallet haemorrhaging repair bills from my X350 Jag any longer, but I knew within a few days (2 years ago) I'd made an error. Irrationally, I hate it even more, the more people scratch and dent it in car parks. More rationally I hate it the more it goes wrong - like the coil pack giving up last week, the leaky exhaust , the jerky throttle, juddery clutch.
I hate its total lack of power or torque, lack of refinement, random hatchback release and random radio faults.
It is s
t st st.Only lack of cash and fear of ending up with something worse is preventing me from changing it.
J4CKO said:
Love it, Honda S2000, officially less fun to commute in than a push bike.
Play devils advocate slighty there by the way, my 350Z is fairly easy to live with in comparison by the sound of it, but cycling to work is fairly pleasant.
I didn't say that Play devils advocate slighty there by the way, my 350Z is fairly easy to live with in comparison by the sound of it, but cycling to work is fairly pleasant.
My commute is only 1,5 miles, so would be a bit silly to use the car. But the S2000 is not a good long distance cruiser obviously. But luckily it does other things very well 
V8forweekends said:
Only lack of cash and fear of ending up with something worse is preventing me from changing it.
This could never stop me, I'd always want to try something new. My most depressing car was my 306, slow, expensive, scary in the wet without new tyres (got better when I changed to continentals, also no I'm not a driving god, but this is a family hatchback), the seats were horrid, the reliability was crap, and little feedback on going on. I rammed it into a Nissan in a Tesco car park and never cared that the bonnet ended up a different colour!
I had a woefully slow 205 beforehand, but everything worked, and was amazing.
Currently got a V70 which is fine, but the list of faults is getting longer and longer. Decided to go back to a MK1 Focus. I've had a few and they're reliable and drive pretty well.
My problem is that i'm bored by this Focus already, and I don't even pick it up until Saturday. Wish i'd gone for something a bit more interesting. Reliability is great, but so very boring.
My problem is that i'm bored by this Focus already, and I don't even pick it up until Saturday. Wish i'd gone for something a bit more interesting. Reliability is great, but so very boring.
2001 Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 Automatic, owned 2 or 3 years ago.
Boring blue colour.
Boring looks
Boring to drive
Terrible on fuel, you could watch the gauge going down.
Had got it on a 24-month finance deal (first and last time), but just ended up giving it back after 5 months, it was appalling, and a little part of me died every time I drove it.
Boring blue colour.
Boring looks
Boring to drive
Terrible on fuel, you could watch the gauge going down.
Had got it on a 24-month finance deal (first and last time), but just ended up giving it back after 5 months, it was appalling, and a little part of me died every time I drove it.
My Focus MK1 is the best car I've ever owned! Is a 2.0 though so fairly fun!
Most depressing car that I've ever owned is without a doubt my MK4 Golf GT TDi. Was good on fuel that's where the good points end! Either that or my 9-3 Aero because it kept breaking down!
Worst hire car I've ever had was a Chevrolet Spark. Genuinely absolutely horrifically awful!
Most depressing car that I've ever owned is without a doubt my MK4 Golf GT TDi. Was good on fuel that's where the good points end! Either that or my 9-3 Aero because it kept breaking down!
Worst hire car I've ever had was a Chevrolet Spark. Genuinely absolutely horrifically awful!
sgtbash said:
RumbleOfThunder said:
Funnily enough OP, I was going to mention the Vauxhall Corsa. I really detest them. The default choice for those with zero interest in cars. Ubiquitous, dull as ditch water, crap to drive and with no redeeming features whatsoever. They have the gall to market it with "put the fun back into driving". 
That is not at all true, there is a huge Corsa following, I used to own a Corsa C 1.8 SRi with high lift cams, Inlet manifold, 4-2-1 race manifold etc and was a lot of fun to drive.nipsips said:
My Focus MK1 is the best car I've ever owned! Is a 2.0 though so fairly fun!
It's a 2.0 Ghia i've bought. Thing is, i've already had a 2.0 Zetec and an ST170. This car won't do anything those cars didn't do, and I already know it inside out. Although i've never had one with the (apparently crap) trip computer, so there's an extra button to press. Woo.Jurgen said:
A lot of sporty cars mentioned here and can definately understand why. This is Pistonheads and we all (well quite a few) want the must fun, most hardcore car on earth. But they can be horrible to drive on a dayly basis. My current (only) car is an S2000 and that can be really nasty to drive sometimes. Cramped, very noisy on motorway, lots of mechanical noises, harsh, notchy gearshift when cold, etc. Becomes better once warmed up, but it's not a car you'd like to drive on a rainy winters day. However, on a good day it's awesome. Luckily I cycle to work, so mostly just use it for fun. It I had to use it daily if would be been sold a long time ago!
Thanks, you saved me the effort of typing that.The leaks too - don't forget about the wet shoulder.
Don't get me wrong though, its bloody fantastic!
Edited by Eddh on Thursday 24th April 13:53
Eddh said:
Jurgen said:
A lot of sporty cars mentioned here and can definately understand why. This is Pistonheads and we all (well quite a few) want the must fun, most hardcore car on earth. But they can be horrible to drive on a dayly basis. My current (only) car is an S2000 and that can be really nasty to drive sometimes. Cramped, very noisy on motorway, lots of mechanical noises, harsh, notchy gearshift when cold, etc. Becomes better once warmed up, but it's not a car you'd like to drive on a rainy winters day. However, on a good day it's awesome. Luckily I cycle to work, so mostly just use it for fun. It I had to use it daily if would be been sold a long time ago!
Thanks, you saved me the effort of typing that.The leaks too - don't forget about the wet shoulder.
Don't get me wrong though, its bloody fantastic!
Edited by Eddh on Thursday 24th April 13:53
307 Hdi 2.0 Turbo (90bhp) company car
How they managed such a pitiful 90bhp from a 2.0 turbo diesel i cannot get my head around.
What a hatefuly slow horrible car, the revs would rise comically slow, sounded like a bag of spanners and somehow just made more noise without actually going any faster (or so it felt) Didn't even achieve good MPG think it was high 30's avg.
The gearbox was horrible. Stirring porridge is being kind to it. Handled like a boat, massive body roll.
Was glad when the clutch and gearbox seemingly simultaneously killed themselves while parking it and i never had to drive it again.
How they managed such a pitiful 90bhp from a 2.0 turbo diesel i cannot get my head around.
What a hatefuly slow horrible car, the revs would rise comically slow, sounded like a bag of spanners and somehow just made more noise without actually going any faster (or so it felt) Didn't even achieve good MPG think it was high 30's avg.
The gearbox was horrible. Stirring porridge is being kind to it. Handled like a boat, massive body roll.
Was glad when the clutch and gearbox seemingly simultaneously killed themselves while parking it and i never had to drive it again.
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