Disappointed when I thought I wouldn't be.
Discussion
OK, as opposed to the other thread about nice surprises, here's my list of big disappointments:
1 Lotus Esprit, drove this way back, an early 80's car (non-turbo), felt gutless and was already coming apart at the joins.
2 Subaru Impreza WRX STi. Was fast but sounded just like my Mums old Datsun Cherry (gearbox whine) and seemed to come "uncoupled" on the limit - twitchy.
3 Mitsu Evo VI Makinnen edition. I really wanted to like this but it was twitchy all the time. And I felt a prat driving around bristol with a biplane glued to my boot-lid. And dumping to atmos noise was irritating. Plasticky too. Fast but hard work.
4 My first TR6, because everything broke within two months of purchase.
5 My first quattro - these things need a lot of TLC, which mine hadn't had.
What about you lot...?
1 Lotus Esprit, drove this way back, an early 80's car (non-turbo), felt gutless and was already coming apart at the joins.
2 Subaru Impreza WRX STi. Was fast but sounded just like my Mums old Datsun Cherry (gearbox whine) and seemed to come "uncoupled" on the limit - twitchy.
3 Mitsu Evo VI Makinnen edition. I really wanted to like this but it was twitchy all the time. And I felt a prat driving around bristol with a biplane glued to my boot-lid. And dumping to atmos noise was irritating. Plasticky too. Fast but hard work.
4 My first TR6, because everything broke within two months of purchase.
5 My first quattro - these things need a lot of TLC, which mine hadn't had.
What about you lot...?
Lotus Esprit S2 Turbo. Noisy, cramped, hot, crap interior and falling to bits at 9 months / 4000 miles!
Handled nice though, and went well once the turbo got it's act together, but the price to pay for all the bad stuff was just too much for me.
Oh and it blew up on the A38 leaving me stranded.
Andy 400se
>> Edited by andymadmak on Thursday 3rd October 18:04
Handled nice though, and went well once the turbo got it's act together, but the price to pay for all the bad stuff was just too much for me.
Oh and it blew up on the A38 leaving me stranded.
Andy 400se
>> Edited by andymadmak on Thursday 3rd October 18:04
No doubt I'll get slammed for this, but I didn't think that driving a 911 (996 I think)Carrera 4 was anywhere near as exciting as I had expected. I just thought it was like my Subaru, only far more expensive. Don't get me wrong, I didn't think it was a bad car, just not as good as I had hoped, especially given the price of the thing.
Destroyed a childhood dream of owning one....
Destroyed a childhood dream of owning one....
quote:
No doubt I'll get slammed for this, but I didn't think that driving a 911 (996 I think)Carrera 4 was anywhere near as exciting as I had expected. I just thought it was like my Subaru, only far more expensive. Don't get me wrong, I didn't think it was a bad car, just not as good as I had hoped, especially given the price of the thing.
Destroyed a childhood dream of owning one....
No, no Craig; in all fairness, Porschephile that I myself am, the first weeks of 993TT ownership - coming as it did apres Cerbera 4.5 - was similarly uninspiring, in the sense of sensory stimulation.
Sure, it was a match for any EVO VII on the twisties and technically humbled the Blackpooler. But it did not ignite my pantaloons. That required much work and things are now different but latter day 911s (993 onwards, I think we can all generally agree on) are renowned for this relatively low 'joie de vie' factor.
Nevertheless, they do grow on you - and how! I've said to the great Domster, flying ace and custodian of the Iron Cross, no less, that real 911 magic is very much an acquired taste, certainly next to the mania of Tivs and other performnace marques. (Although I acknowledge the sheer acceleration of most Turbo and lightweight derivatives can impress the uninitiated anyway.)
Whoops, waffleburgers. Apologies.
Some people here are going to shoot me down in flames, but I don't think I can keep this for me anymore...deep breath...
...here we go:
I was rather disappointed by the performance (acceleration-wise) of the two Cerbera 4.5 I went in
Please someone tell me that's because it was on a really too short circuit
But I still want one...
Edited in need for an thought reason:
I think I was disappointed because I had made myself quite an overwhelming opinion on this car; it happens about anything, doesn't it?
>> Edited by Thom on Thursday 3rd October 20:56
...here we go: I was rather disappointed by the performance (acceleration-wise) of the two Cerbera 4.5 I went in
Please someone tell me that's because it was on a really too short circuit
But I still want one...
Edited in need for an thought reason:
I think I was disappointed because I had made myself quite an overwhelming opinion on this car; it happens about anything, doesn't it?
>> Edited by Thom on Thursday 3rd October 20:56
Not the first time I've heard someone disapointed with the performance of a DB7. One of my directors had one and described it as a souped up Mondeo !! 
I was devastated to hear it, as it's always been one of my dream cars. However, he's now upgraded to the Vantage and is a lot happier
I was devastated to hear it, as it's always been one of my dream cars. However, he's now upgraded to the Vantage and is a lot happier
quote:Yup, Folembray is pretty twisty for a Cerbera.
I was rather disappointed by the performance (acceleration-wise) of the two Cerbera 4.5 I went in
Please someone tell me that's because it was on a really too short circuit
Oh, and the latest one you had a ride in had a real wimp of a poor driver....
Now, get yourself a ride at Silverstone and your opinions might change.
>> Edited by jeremyc on Thursday 3rd October 22:14
quote:
I was disappointed about two years ago when my mate appeared at my office with his silver TT 225.
mate of mine has got one of these. The handling is superb, but after getting off my bike and into the TT, I was wondering when all the power was going to appear.
Nice well built car though. Still only a car in the end. Guess I like the revvy thrashiness of a bike, and the big-torque of V8 sportscars too much !!!
Carl
quote:
Some people here are going to shoot me down in flames, but I don't think I can keep this for me anymore...deep breath...
I was rather disappointed by the performance (acceleration-wise) of the two Cerbera 4.5 I went in
Please someone tell me that's because it was on a really too short circuit
I took a 4.5 out from Castle TVR a couple of months ago and was alarmed at how undramatic it felt to the Griff. However since then I've bought an early 4.2 (which is a little more raw) and have decided that it is just a different sort of car. It is more refined than the Griff but it also has an utterly full on loon side which is fantastic.
Try another one.
D.
funny that Thom, but I didn't find the 4.5 as responsive or aggressive as the 4.2 Cerb. That's why I went for one instead.Just personal taste I guess.
My biggest dissapointment are as follows.
1. Viper. Easily the biggest automotive dissapointment of my life so far. Handled like a London Bus, had the interior of a Skoda Estelle, a hideous driving position, dreadful gearbox and the most ridiculously large steering wheel I have ever seen.
2. Boxster S. Nice handling but the car itself was poor on legroom for me and the power was like my old MR2, poor. Compared to Bennno's 996 it felt very,very cheap.
3. Audi TT 225. Nice to drive but like the Boxster it felt very slow in comparison to any TVR I have had. The quality of the interior in the TT puts Porsche to utter shame. If this car had 100bhp more I would buy one...
4. Escort Cosworth. This guy took me out in his to impress me.... I wasn't. I then returned the favour in the Cerbera and he was totally gobsmacked. Felt like an ordinary Escort to me with a bit more power.
My biggest dissapointment are as follows.
1. Viper. Easily the biggest automotive dissapointment of my life so far. Handled like a London Bus, had the interior of a Skoda Estelle, a hideous driving position, dreadful gearbox and the most ridiculously large steering wheel I have ever seen.
2. Boxster S. Nice handling but the car itself was poor on legroom for me and the power was like my old MR2, poor. Compared to Bennno's 996 it felt very,very cheap.
3. Audi TT 225. Nice to drive but like the Boxster it felt very slow in comparison to any TVR I have had. The quality of the interior in the TT puts Porsche to utter shame. If this car had 100bhp more I would buy one...
4. Escort Cosworth. This guy took me out in his to impress me.... I wasn't. I then returned the favour in the Cerbera and he was totally gobsmacked. Felt like an ordinary Escort to me with a bit more power.
Caterham 7 with the MGF's 1.8 VVTi K-series.
I'd desperately wanted a 7 since forever and really wanted to like the car, but was so disappointed. I wanted something crushingly fast in a straight line that also handled well and could be used as a road car. I thought I could live with a 7, but it felt just O2 SLO in a straight line the steering made my wrists hurt after only 10 mins (ok, I'm a limp-wristed wuss I guess) and it was just too cramped.
So I bought a Chimaera 500 the next day instead.
I'd desperately wanted a 7 since forever and really wanted to like the car, but was so disappointed. I wanted something crushingly fast in a straight line that also handled well and could be used as a road car. I thought I could live with a 7, but it felt just O2 SLO in a straight line
the steering made my wrists hurt after only 10 mins (ok, I'm a limp-wristed wuss I guess) and it was just too cramped. So I bought a Chimaera 500 the next day instead.
I've got a good one (well, one that people will disagree with anyhow).
When I test drove an Elise 111s (S1) I was hugely disappointed. I'd wanted an Elise for ages, and to finally drive one was pretty high on my list of stuff to do.
Sadly, I didn't like it.
It didn't feel quick (despite being easily the quickest car I'd ever driven), and the test route just took in a load of dual carriageway with the odd roundabout, which didn't show off the cars abilities at all.
The brakes didn't fill me with confidence either, as I'd never driven a non-servo'd car - I couldn't get any sense of feel out of them at all, although I'm sure it's just because I didn't know what to look for.
Huge disappointment all round.
Dan
When I test drove an Elise 111s (S1) I was hugely disappointed. I'd wanted an Elise for ages, and to finally drive one was pretty high on my list of stuff to do.
Sadly, I didn't like it.
It didn't feel quick (despite being easily the quickest car I'd ever driven), and the test route just took in a load of dual carriageway with the odd roundabout, which didn't show off the cars abilities at all.
The brakes didn't fill me with confidence either, as I'd never driven a non-servo'd car - I couldn't get any sense of feel out of them at all, although I'm sure it's just because I didn't know what to look for.
Huge disappointment all round.
Dan
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