Cars that have a bad reputation, but you want one anyway.

Cars that have a bad reputation, but you want one anyway.

Author
Discussion

Tinkshusband

Original Poster:

280 posts

103 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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I've noticed that most of the cars i lust for have bad reputations for being crap or slow or both.

Everyone tells me they are heartsink rotboxes but if i had the money, A well sorted classic rangie would be a dream car.
I also love the original splitscreen bus, i know they were slow, rusted like it was going out of fashion and were generally not that good, but ive wanted one as long as i can remember. So, PH what "crap" cars do you long for?

RDMcG

19,139 posts

207 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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Alfa Montreal

Checkmate

628 posts

207 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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Maserati Biturbo.
Twin turbo V6, RWD, manual (optional), fantastic looking, and a wonderful interior. Just brilliant. But objectively a terrible idea, sadly.

caelite

4,274 posts

112 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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Ive always fancied an RX8. The wonky reliability I could handle but the 20mpg... Oooft.

Different type of 'reputation' but I have a guilty yearning for big diesel pickups with straight through exhausts, the more black and chrome the better, would need to get limo tints all around though because it would be someone embarrassing to be seen in by people you know xD.

TonyG2003

257 posts

92 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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I had three Citroen XM V6's. They had a terrible reputation for reliability which was probably justified in the series 1 (my one series 1 was a dog) but the series 2 were great especially the series 2 24v which was a pretty quick car for its time. Properly quirky cars too

cheddar

4,637 posts

174 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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Checkmate said:


Maserati Biturbo.
Twin turbo V6, RWD, manual (optional), fantastic looking, and a wonderful interior. Just brilliant. But objectively a terrible idea, sadly.
Similarly I desperately hanker after a Maserati Karif

The Mad Monk

10,474 posts

117 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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I had a Citroen ID19.

Oh Mother!

Puddenchucker

4,075 posts

218 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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Something big and French from the 70s or early 80s, such as Citroen CX, Renault 25 or 30 or Talbot Tagora.

Also a Mercedes SL500 (R230), but if the internet is to be believed, the roof seals fail allowing water into various (expensive) electronic components and with the uber expensive ABC suspension it's a matter of when, not if, it fails - both the struts and control module.


Pixelpeep7r

8,600 posts

142 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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TVR..

getmecoat

swisstoni

16,959 posts

279 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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I am a serial TVR, French barge and Merc SL owner so am not a Bork scaredy cat. hehe

XJ40

5,983 posts

213 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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Any old Jag...

Truckosaurus

11,254 posts

284 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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caelite said:
Ive always fancied an RX8. The wonky reliability I could handle but the 20mpg... Oooft....
I'm the other way around, I could live with the poor mpg (and oil usage) but reckon the 'quirky' engine characteristics - rebuild worries/flooding if you start or stop it the wrong way - would sap the enjoyment out of it.

Jimmy Recard

17,540 posts

179 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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I bought one!

Astra SRi 2.0 Turbo. It's ok but not amazing

SirSquidalot

4,041 posts

165 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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BMW E60 M5
Audi C5 RS6
Mercedes CL600


s3fella

10,524 posts

187 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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Checkmate said:


Maserati Biturbo.
Twin turbo V6, RWD, manual (optional), fantastic looking, and a wonderful interior. Just brilliant. But objectively a terrible idea, sadly.
I used to have one a gold one with 15 inch BBS wheels in fact. Dogleg first gear, as you say, amazing interior, (chamois leather headlining!)
But when you set off on a journey, it was a lottery as to how far you may get, and what sort of electrical stuff would gradually stop working en route! But in it's day, when it worked, what a tool!

rxe

6,700 posts

103 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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Yup, I'd love a Maserati, but the apocryphal tales of owner spending in excess of £30K just keeping the damn things working rather put me off. They have the same flaws as most Alfas, but the parts are 10x as expensive, and you can't get them from anywhere other than Maserati.

Other than that, I'm a serial Alfa offender, which most people would put in this category - but they've been cheap and reliable for me.

Tinkshusband

Original Poster:

280 posts

103 months

Friday 28th October 2016
quotequote all
caelite said:
Ive always fancied an RX8. The wonky reliability I could handle but the 20mpg... Oooft.

Different type of 'reputation' but I have a guilty yearning for big diesel pickups with straight through exhausts, the more black and chrome the better, would need to get limo tints all around though because it would be someone embarrassing to be seen in by people you know xD.
the rx8s are dirt cheap nowadays too. there was one for sale at the used car dealer opposite the end of my street for 2 grand a couple months back.

Monkeylegend

26,346 posts

231 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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TVR V8S
TVR Griffith
SL Mercedes.

None lived up to their reputation. Jury is still out on the SL I suppose though.

P5BNij

15,875 posts

106 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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NSU Ro80, I know most have been sorted by now but the apprehension is still there.

Edited by P5BNij on Friday 28th October 12:25

m444ttb

3,160 posts

229 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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I've owned an early BMW e36 328i Sport and a Porsche 996 Carrera. Both cars with a reputation for engine failures. Both had new engines shortly into my ownership, yet they ware probably my two favourite cars frown