The worst car you've ever driven...
Discussion
What a great thread.
I've driven some real dross, but excluding broken cars I'm torn between a late 1990s Chrysler Neon and a new Nissan Almeira.
I took the Neon as a part exchange on a Rover 827 with a faulty gearbox that I was desperate to get rid of, and regretted it within a mile. Heavy, clumsy, underpowered automatic piece of s
t. The interior was luxurious in the same way as a shabby hotel - it had loads of extras that didn't work, looked cheap and nasty and only really served to remind you what a sorry heap you were driving. I drove it down a dirt track and through a ford at full pelt hoping to destroy it but it just sagged and wallowed around uselessly and started squeaking at me. I ended up just scrapping it and feeling my sacrifice had improved the automotive gene pool.
The Almeira was a hire car in Thailand. I had been persuaded that small autos have come along way, and anyway it's for ferrying baby and parents around on holiday, not hooning around and racing tuk tuks.
If small autos have come along way in 15 years I pity the poor souls who drove them here. Exactly like the Neon it was an underpowered, indecisive, wallowing shoddy excuse for a car. It had some sort of hybrid semi CVT system which was just like an automatic anyway, with the added bonus of a slipping clutch. It handled like a wobbly pallet truck and and was terrible on fuel. The inside was like a pound shop - full of manky plastic tat bleeping and buzzing at you like a rehearsal for a divorce.
And then the stupid thing broke down when my father was driving it. I think it was the water pump. Unfortunately it was fixed and we were lumbered with the thing for 2 weeks. A truly hateful car.
I think between the two the Neon was more excusable. It was a small American car, and that's a stupid idea to start with. It was also built in the mid 90s, which is a long time ago now.
For Nissan, who built the 240z and the Skyline, to build a car that bad in 2014 is unforgivable.
I've driven some real dross, but excluding broken cars I'm torn between a late 1990s Chrysler Neon and a new Nissan Almeira.
I took the Neon as a part exchange on a Rover 827 with a faulty gearbox that I was desperate to get rid of, and regretted it within a mile. Heavy, clumsy, underpowered automatic piece of s
t. The interior was luxurious in the same way as a shabby hotel - it had loads of extras that didn't work, looked cheap and nasty and only really served to remind you what a sorry heap you were driving. I drove it down a dirt track and through a ford at full pelt hoping to destroy it but it just sagged and wallowed around uselessly and started squeaking at me. I ended up just scrapping it and feeling my sacrifice had improved the automotive gene pool.The Almeira was a hire car in Thailand. I had been persuaded that small autos have come along way, and anyway it's for ferrying baby and parents around on holiday, not hooning around and racing tuk tuks.
If small autos have come along way in 15 years I pity the poor souls who drove them here. Exactly like the Neon it was an underpowered, indecisive, wallowing shoddy excuse for a car. It had some sort of hybrid semi CVT system which was just like an automatic anyway, with the added bonus of a slipping clutch. It handled like a wobbly pallet truck and and was terrible on fuel. The inside was like a pound shop - full of manky plastic tat bleeping and buzzing at you like a rehearsal for a divorce.
And then the stupid thing broke down when my father was driving it. I think it was the water pump. Unfortunately it was fixed and we were lumbered with the thing for 2 weeks. A truly hateful car.
I think between the two the Neon was more excusable. It was a small American car, and that's a stupid idea to start with. It was also built in the mid 90s, which is a long time ago now.
For Nissan, who built the 240z and the Skyline, to build a car that bad in 2014 is unforgivable.
KarlMac said:
In 2011, Mini Countryman Cooper SD. Courtesy car I had for two months.
Couldn't fit in it, despite how monstrously huge it was. Knees, head and elbows constantly hitting various parts. Four fully grown adults was only possible when front seats were pushed forward.
Just awful. Hated every minute.
Snap. Hateful thing, which appeared to be incomplete inside. Oh wait, that's the styling you say? Didn't even need it for extended test drive, and the missus decided it was the worst car she'd ever driven. I'm at a loss as to how people buy them with so much choice out there.Couldn't fit in it, despite how monstrously huge it was. Knees, head and elbows constantly hitting various parts. Four fully grown adults was only possible when front seats were pushed forward.
Just awful. Hated every minute.
As a disclaimer, I've even driven most of the other s
te cars, K11, Matiz, Corsairs 3 pot etc
Mercury grand Marquis
4.6 Litre V8 producing ~240hp in a 2 tonne body with a 4 speed slush box, rubbery suspension with no real connection between the steering wheel and the front tyres, a driving position that while ok when sat down, needed you to swing your arse in while holding the steering wheel (hard to describe, but how could they make access so 1950's!). As to performance !, there isnt any, never seen so much petrol burnt to make such little progress in a modern (2010) car !, still added a Yank flavour to our holiday. Want a Mustang or Camero next time.
On the plus side, it did have a big boot (big, i mean really big, You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean you make think a 407 has a big boot, but thats just peanuts compared to a grand marquis)
ps, 10 points to anyone who gets the boot quote
4.6 Litre V8 producing ~240hp in a 2 tonne body with a 4 speed slush box, rubbery suspension with no real connection between the steering wheel and the front tyres, a driving position that while ok when sat down, needed you to swing your arse in while holding the steering wheel (hard to describe, but how could they make access so 1950's!). As to performance !, there isnt any, never seen so much petrol burnt to make such little progress in a modern (2010) car !, still added a Yank flavour to our holiday. Want a Mustang or Camero next time.
On the plus side, it did have a big boot (big, i mean really big, You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean you make think a 407 has a big boot, but thats just peanuts compared to a grand marquis)
ps, 10 points to anyone who gets the boot quote
Edited by Gary C on Thursday 26th May 19:00
It has to be the (then) brand new 59-plate Astra 1.6 'Design' that I was given as a hire car once.
Whoever set up the suspension was an evil genius. They'd managed to somehow make it simultaneously crashy over every minor road imperfection but also wallowy through anything resembling a corner.
I can only assume that the horses in the engine were the crippled ones that get shot after the Grand National. All that the throttle pedal appeared to do was to make the engine louder, with no perceptible change in the rate of forward motion. To be fair to it though, it had a beautifully flat torque curve - there appeared to be precisely zero torque at any engine speed.
The final straw came when I got outdragged from some traffic lights by a fuel tanker, and yes - I was trying.
Anything that involved changing direction was a scary experience. I learned this on the first roundabout on leaving the hire centre, following a cooking-model VW Polo. I entered the roundabout behind the Polo and at the same (not excessive) speed. What followed was a total brown-trouser moment as the Polo navigated the roundabout without issue and I went sliding uncontrollably towards the kerb on the centre island. Last time I experienced understeer that chronic, it was on a 1986 Rover 213 with aged ditchfinders on the front.
The seats were so flat, hard and unsupportive that I'd have been better sitting on an upturned cardboard box.
The stereo was so unbelievably st that the sound leaked from the back of some chav's iPod earphones has more clarity and substance. If I turned it up loud enough to be able to hear over the thrashy engine note, then the amplifier started clipping and distorting the sound badly.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about it though was the realisation that people BUY these things.
Whoever set up the suspension was an evil genius. They'd managed to somehow make it simultaneously crashy over every minor road imperfection but also wallowy through anything resembling a corner.
I can only assume that the horses in the engine were the crippled ones that get shot after the Grand National. All that the throttle pedal appeared to do was to make the engine louder, with no perceptible change in the rate of forward motion. To be fair to it though, it had a beautifully flat torque curve - there appeared to be precisely zero torque at any engine speed.
The final straw came when I got outdragged from some traffic lights by a fuel tanker, and yes - I was trying.
Anything that involved changing direction was a scary experience. I learned this on the first roundabout on leaving the hire centre, following a cooking-model VW Polo. I entered the roundabout behind the Polo and at the same (not excessive) speed. What followed was a total brown-trouser moment as the Polo navigated the roundabout without issue and I went sliding uncontrollably towards the kerb on the centre island. Last time I experienced understeer that chronic, it was on a 1986 Rover 213 with aged ditchfinders on the front.
The seats were so flat, hard and unsupportive that I'd have been better sitting on an upturned cardboard box.
The stereo was so unbelievably s
t that the sound leaked from the back of some chav's iPod earphones has more clarity and substance. If I turned it up loud enough to be able to hear over the thrashy engine note, then the amplifier started clipping and distorting the sound badly. Perhaps the most surprising thing about it though was the realisation that people BUY these things.
I'm sure I've driven some stinkers but some have been affected by age, condition etc.
The one that sticks in my mind as being truly dreadful, perhaps inexcusable, for a new modern car is the Vauxhall Mokka.
Had one on hire a few months ago for a 400 mile round trip. It was a 1.4 turbo which had my hopes up for at least a little bit of pep, but no. Utterly gutless engine with no torque to speak of and a general refusal to rev. Also sounded strained in the process. Gearbox felt like it was made from mdf, steering was lifeless and it had terrible body control. I struggled to identify a single redeeming feature and I was at a loss to understand why there's so many of the hateful things on the road.
It is the worst car I've ever driven and will probably remain so for quite some time.
The one that sticks in my mind as being truly dreadful, perhaps inexcusable, for a new modern car is the Vauxhall Mokka.
Had one on hire a few months ago for a 400 mile round trip. It was a 1.4 turbo which had my hopes up for at least a little bit of pep, but no. Utterly gutless engine with no torque to speak of and a general refusal to rev. Also sounded strained in the process. Gearbox felt like it was made from mdf, steering was lifeless and it had terrible body control. I struggled to identify a single redeeming feature and I was at a loss to understand why there's so many of the hateful things on the road.
It is the worst car I've ever driven and will probably remain so for quite some time.
legless said:
It has to be the (then) brand new 59-plate Astra 1.6 'Design' that I was given as a hire car once.
Whoever set up the suspension was an evil genius. They'd managed to somehow make it simultaneously crashy over every minor road imperfection but also wallowy through anything resembling a corner.
I can only assume that the horses in the engine were the crippled ones that get shot after the Grand National. All that the throttle pedal appeared to do was to make the engine louder, with no perceptible change in the rate of forward motion. To be fair to it though, it had a beautifully flat torque curve - there appeared to be precisely zero torque at any engine speed.
The final straw came when I got outdragged from some traffic lights by a fuel tanker, and yes - I was trying.
Anything that involved changing direction was a scary experience. I learned this on the first roundabout on leaving the hire centre, following a cooking-model VW Polo. I entered the roundabout behind the Polo and at the same (not excessive) speed. What followed was a total brown-trouser moment as the Polo navigated the roundabout without issue and I went sliding uncontrollably towards the kerb on the centre island. Last time I experienced understeer that chronic, it was on a 1986 Rover 213 with aged ditchfinders on the front.
The seats were so flat, hard and unsupportive that I'd have been better sitting on an upturned cardboard box.
The stereo was so unbelievably st that the sound leaked from the back of some chav's iPod earphones has more clarity and substance. If I turned it up loud enough to be able to hear over the thrashy engine note, then the amplifier started clipping and distorting the sound badly.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about it though was the realisation that people BUY these things.
Crikey, where did they go wrong, I loved my Mk1 1.6 SR.Whoever set up the suspension was an evil genius. They'd managed to somehow make it simultaneously crashy over every minor road imperfection but also wallowy through anything resembling a corner.
I can only assume that the horses in the engine were the crippled ones that get shot after the Grand National. All that the throttle pedal appeared to do was to make the engine louder, with no perceptible change in the rate of forward motion. To be fair to it though, it had a beautifully flat torque curve - there appeared to be precisely zero torque at any engine speed.
The final straw came when I got outdragged from some traffic lights by a fuel tanker, and yes - I was trying.
Anything that involved changing direction was a scary experience. I learned this on the first roundabout on leaving the hire centre, following a cooking-model VW Polo. I entered the roundabout behind the Polo and at the same (not excessive) speed. What followed was a total brown-trouser moment as the Polo navigated the roundabout without issue and I went sliding uncontrollably towards the kerb on the centre island. Last time I experienced understeer that chronic, it was on a 1986 Rover 213 with aged ditchfinders on the front.
The seats were so flat, hard and unsupportive that I'd have been better sitting on an upturned cardboard box.
The stereo was so unbelievably s
t that the sound leaked from the back of some chav's iPod earphones has more clarity and substance. If I turned it up loud enough to be able to hear over the thrashy engine note, then the amplifier started clipping and distorting the sound badly. Perhaps the most surprising thing about it though was the realisation that people BUY these things.
glazbagun said:
Hyundai Accent courtesy car I was given about ten years ago. A three door version of this. Didn't actually look terrible imo, but felt like it belonged in the 80's and everything felt quite spongy.
I actually drove the worst version of that car from the south coast into central London (and back again) It belonged to a mate who was disabled so it was a poverty spec 1.3 auto. I would have preferred to drive my own car up but using his meant we could park outside the door for free at the motorshow. In second place on my s
ttest (vehicle) list was a bedford rascal I once hired, geared so that in 5th the speedo acted like a rev counter (ie 70mph was 7000rpm), and on the motorway I got stuck in the wash from a coach and couldnt overtake. That and the really disconcerting feeling of feeling the front tyres understeering under your arse cheeksGary C said:
Mercury grand Marquis
Sorry... Not entertaining thatHired one ages ago, my colleague was driving... I was in the passenger seat with my arm out the window.
(For those tho don't know... the car has an full length bench seat in the front )
We took a turn around a corner.... the leather seats were so cheap... the driver slid along to the middle... and then (with his arms still on the wheel ).... bumped up next to me...
We both looked at each other with a WTF!!
Any car with such cheap seats and suspension that can propel the driver to the far end of the passenger seat while going around a corner... has true comedy value and is a keeper.
Edited by Troubleatmill on Thursday 26th May 19:19
I believe this is a Nissan Versa. Or as they, absurdly, say in the US; a Knee-Sarn Versa.
Muzzer79 said:
I usually take a weird form of pleasure from driving a st car. It's like a reminder of how good the car I choose to drive every day is.
However, this, driven whilst on holiday in Florida, was a hateful car.
It's a Nissan something. P.O.S.
t car. It's like a reminder of how good the car I choose to drive every day is. However, this, driven whilst on holiday in Florida, was a hateful car.
It's a Nissan something. P.O.S.
Agent XXX said:
118 D
without question.
SO SO dull
You've not driven many cars, then? - or even driven anything more than a decade or so old!without question.
SO SO dull
Not sure which is the worst I've driven. Probably a close call between a MkII Fiesta 1.1 with the wheezing, rattling OHV engine and 4 speed gearbox and the MkIV Escort with the wheezing, rattling 1.6 CVH which had the added bonus of hardened valve stem seals at 50k miles, so it smoked like a testing lab Beagle.
I genuinely believed that there was no such thing as a bad car and most people were complaining just to sound interesting (and many cars mentioned in this thread are perfectly decent), but then I drove a 2014 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2. Truly an utterly awful car. I had terribly back ache for 2 weeks after driving it for only 1 day, managed to achieve 34mpg on the motorway, struggled to find radio 2, dangerously slow to get up to speed on slip ways and the sound system was so poor I used the speakers on my phone and barely noticed the difference.
The 2014 1.2 ibiza I had was a revelation in comparison, as was the 2014 1.25 Fiesta.
The 2014 1.2 ibiza I had was a revelation in comparison, as was the 2014 1.25 Fiesta.
Vauxhall Astra (the generation just finished) - huge on the outside, the inside was weird all the space disappeared. The gearbox may well not have even been connected to anything, again the ride like many others truly odd (probably down to the 19" wheels some came with), rear visibility. Although what no one has mentioned is the aggressive stop/start which would kill the engine at about 3 mph...
Ford Fiesta Auto - cannot remember the engine but as one other poster stated it could never decide on a gear!
Ford Fiesta Auto - cannot remember the engine but as one other poster stated it could never decide on a gear!
It's one of two -
The first was a clio hire car in Cyprus. Not sure what size engine it had, but I would guess it was two gerbils, one of whom was a bit under the weather!
The second was another hire car, but a fiat panda. Hateful little thing, with no road feedback yet ridiculous amounts of road noise and body lean! I'm not entirely sure what the accelerator was connected to either, but it didn't appear to be the engine!
The first was a clio hire car in Cyprus. Not sure what size engine it had, but I would guess it was two gerbils, one of whom was a bit under the weather!
The second was another hire car, but a fiat panda. Hateful little thing, with no road feedback yet ridiculous amounts of road noise and body lean! I'm not entirely sure what the accelerator was connected to either, but it didn't appear to be the engine!
Brazilian made VW type 2 transporter. Ineffective brakes, vague steering with a massive dead zone, but super heavy when out of the dead zone. Heavy clutch, no power, rattled like hell. Holes in the floor let water in and my feet got wet, the gear stick is about three feet long and totally flexible. I'd even go as far as to say a deathtrap. And it was only a couple of years old!
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