Worse built car you have ever owned
Discussion
Fiat X19
Best and worst car I ever owned. No room around the engine to work. Electrics were the absolute worst I have ever experienced in a car. The bodywork fell apart faster than I could put it back together..
However the only car I have ever owned which outran the police (rover V8), and the fastest car I have ever owned around a bend.
I doubt I will ever own a car which could beat that car around a bend. So many good memories of it around the yorkshire dales. People would obviously see me hoofing it and try to follow me. only had a 1300 engine. However if they made the mistake of trying to follow me around a bend disaster would usually strike. I had one ford capri bury itself into a brick wall and one ford escort that left the road both trying to stay on my tail around bends.
The car left me stranded at the side of the road a lot. Usually cos I drove it like an idiot and usually because there was an obvious problem which you couldn't get to with normal sized arms at the side of the road.
Best and worst car I ever owned. No room around the engine to work. Electrics were the absolute worst I have ever experienced in a car. The bodywork fell apart faster than I could put it back together..
However the only car I have ever owned which outran the police (rover V8), and the fastest car I have ever owned around a bend.
I doubt I will ever own a car which could beat that car around a bend. So many good memories of it around the yorkshire dales. People would obviously see me hoofing it and try to follow me. only had a 1300 engine. However if they made the mistake of trying to follow me around a bend disaster would usually strike. I had one ford capri bury itself into a brick wall and one ford escort that left the road both trying to stay on my tail around bends.
The car left me stranded at the side of the road a lot. Usually cos I drove it like an idiot and usually because there was an obvious problem which you couldn't get to with normal sized arms at the side of the road.
I bought one of the first "NEW" Mini' coopers, I forget which year "52" plate? it was so badly built we gave up in the 6-8 months we owned it and sold it back to the dealer. I think BMW had it for about 3 of those months
It could steer it's self along the motorway around the bend of the m27 by the airport, you had to constantly pull wheel to right to stay straight, they first of all tried to fob us off saying it was "a characteristic" of the car!! the boot/hatch lid would not close properly, things creaked and rattled in it that was never cured
They ended out replacing the whole of the front suspension...to a little improvement, and a new boot lid, the rattles they never cured.
I swore I'd never buy another.....until 2013.. when after talking to many people who all claimed they were "Good"....so i bought a 2012 Mini one, "Baker Street" so has very good spec....it had 7k on the clock when i bought it, it now has 168k, still on first clutch, and touch wood nothing wrong with it. It works very hard a learner car. (having a rest at the moment!) been a good car
I bought a Volvo 480....what a mistake....the boot used to fill up with water, mega electrical problems (maybe because the car was wetter inside than outside) but, on the flip side have owned a V70 since 1999, and 245k still on first clutch, rattles a bit now but it is 21 years old a great car
It could steer it's self along the motorway around the bend of the m27 by the airport, you had to constantly pull wheel to right to stay straight, they first of all tried to fob us off saying it was "a characteristic" of the car!! the boot/hatch lid would not close properly, things creaked and rattled in it that was never cured
They ended out replacing the whole of the front suspension...to a little improvement, and a new boot lid, the rattles they never cured.
I swore I'd never buy another.....until 2013.. when after talking to many people who all claimed they were "Good"....so i bought a 2012 Mini one, "Baker Street" so has very good spec....it had 7k on the clock when i bought it, it now has 168k, still on first clutch, and touch wood nothing wrong with it. It works very hard a learner car. (having a rest at the moment!) been a good car
I bought a Volvo 480....what a mistake....the boot used to fill up with water, mega electrical problems (maybe because the car was wetter inside than outside) but, on the flip side have owned a V70 since 1999, and 245k still on first clutch, rattles a bit now but it is 21 years old a great car
vikingaero said:
ChasW said:
Owned a 2007 Mini One from 2012-2018 until it reached 100k. During that time had to replace
Engine, clutch, radiator, catalytic convertor, bonnet release catch, hatch locking mechanism and many many sensors. The engine warning light was rarely off. Nice to drive but awful to own. I later discovered that 2007 was notoriously poor year for Mini quality!
I quite agree. When you look at classifieds, you regularly see some Volvos, Fords etc with 200-400k on the clock. When you look at BINIs, there are a few with 120k/130k and the odd one approaching 180k, but most of them haven't lasted (or been crashed). My opinion is the French syndrome. Something makes them go bang because there's no build quality or longevity in them.Engine, clutch, radiator, catalytic convertor, bonnet release catch, hatch locking mechanism and many many sensors. The engine warning light was rarely off. Nice to drive but awful to own. I later discovered that 2007 was notoriously poor year for Mini quality!
[quote=Supercell
2) Absolute ditchfinders on the rear. Go outside now, Check your car tyres, if any of them read "Autogrip", make sure you are happy with your life insurance policy and Will as these would Pendulum the rear end out on modest bends and low/middling speeds. I think a combo of heavy front end/light back end did not help. Tyre pressures were not excessive either. Cheap tyres are not the cars fault, but still, let me pile the blame on the 207. Bought a new pair of Michelins for about £130, solved the suicidal rear end.
[/quote]
I was going to get more Continentals on my A4, the local garage couldn't get them (Corona time) and recommended Nankangs. I was a little sceptical but as trust this garage (Wooleys in Hingham, Norfolk) as they have always done well for me. I know the owners both race in 750MC and the person making the recommendation had them on his A4 so I went for them.
Admittedly I haven't pressed on in wet conditions but in the dry they seem to hold up as well as the Contis but for at 65% of the price; there were far cheaper options, Autogrip among them...
The only real difference is it seems to ride slightly better on the Chinese rubber. I suspect slightly softer sidewalls which might be an issue in a mid engine car but not a problem on a tub of lard like an Audi.
2) Absolute ditchfinders on the rear. Go outside now, Check your car tyres, if any of them read "Autogrip", make sure you are happy with your life insurance policy and Will as these would Pendulum the rear end out on modest bends and low/middling speeds. I think a combo of heavy front end/light back end did not help. Tyre pressures were not excessive either. Cheap tyres are not the cars fault, but still, let me pile the blame on the 207. Bought a new pair of Michelins for about £130, solved the suicidal rear end.
[/quote]
I was going to get more Continentals on my A4, the local garage couldn't get them (Corona time) and recommended Nankangs. I was a little sceptical but as trust this garage (Wooleys in Hingham, Norfolk) as they have always done well for me. I know the owners both race in 750MC and the person making the recommendation had them on his A4 so I went for them.
Admittedly I haven't pressed on in wet conditions but in the dry they seem to hold up as well as the Contis but for at 65% of the price; there were far cheaper options, Autogrip among them...
The only real difference is it seems to ride slightly better on the Chinese rubber. I suspect slightly softer sidewalls which might be an issue in a mid engine car but not a problem on a tub of lard like an Audi.
PHuzzy said:
VX220, no doubt about it.
Never really went wrong mechanically but you could never take it to be washed, the pressure washer phase would soak the occupants due to various non sealing gaps.
The inside of the windscreen would ice over any time it was cold.
The coolant expansion tank degraded unless an aftermarket cover was fitted.
Changing from hardtop to soft top meant realigning the windows and then they'd always rattle and never seal properly again.
The interior trim rattles were never ending.
The stereo fell out under heavy acceleration.
This list could go on forever.
It was a fun car but definitely not screwed together at all well.
Yep, pretty much my experience of them too. None of that stopped me buying 7 of them though! Fantastic little things. Never really went wrong mechanically but you could never take it to be washed, the pressure washer phase would soak the occupants due to various non sealing gaps.
The inside of the windscreen would ice over any time it was cold.
The coolant expansion tank degraded unless an aftermarket cover was fitted.
Changing from hardtop to soft top meant realigning the windows and then they'd always rattle and never seal properly again.
The interior trim rattles were never ending.
The stereo fell out under heavy acceleration.
This list could go on forever.
It was a fun car but definitely not screwed together at all well.
watchnut said:
I swore I'd never buy another.....until 2013.. when after talking to many people who all claimed they were "Good"....so i bought a 2012 Mini one, "Baker Street" so has very good spec....it had 7k on the clock when i bought it, it now has 168k, still on first clutch, and touch wood nothing wrong with it. It works very hard a learner car. (having a rest at the moment!) been a good car
The early R53 models weren't great. My cousin had a terrible time with hers, and managed to successfully reject it after 6 months as being unfit for purpose.The later ones are much better. We bought our first BINI in 2015 (R57 Cooper S) and were really happy with it. Apart from a roof squeak (fixed first time by the dealer) it was faultless in the 2 years we had it. Replaced with a 2017 Clubman Cooper D which again didn't give us any grief. Replaced that in early March with an F56 JCW. Too early to comment on that, as thanks to lockdown, it's still only got about 500 miles on it. Mrs Limpet really likes driving MINIs and unless one gives us a particularly bad experience, I can't see her changing.
Build quality seems to have gone up a notch with each of the three we've had.
Mouserat said
Not many Mini's are used to bomb up and down the M1 doing 40K miles a year like a diesel Mondeo or 5 series. There mainly driven by women with tiny heads doing short commutes, never switching of the start/stop, knackering the battery after 4 years causing a host of electrical problems that were never noticed because Radio 1Xtra was turned up too loud.
I am not sure what you meant about the "start/stop" My Mini is used for teaching learners....the start/stop is activated many many times a day driving around Southampton's traffic lights and numerous "stalls". I had to replace the battery when the car was 6 years old, for any battery that is good going with the amount of work mine has to do. I would suggest that even 4 years for a "start/stop" battery would be reasonable
and what is radio 1
?
Not many Mini's are used to bomb up and down the M1 doing 40K miles a year like a diesel Mondeo or 5 series. There mainly driven by women with tiny heads doing short commutes, never switching of the start/stop, knackering the battery after 4 years causing a host of electrical problems that were never noticed because Radio 1Xtra was turned up too loud.
I am not sure what you meant about the "start/stop" My Mini is used for teaching learners....the start/stop is activated many many times a day driving around Southampton's traffic lights and numerous "stalls". I had to replace the battery when the car was 6 years old, for any battery that is good going with the amount of work mine has to do. I would suggest that even 4 years for a "start/stop" battery would be reasonable
and what is radio 1
?Ford Mondeo ST220. Owned from nearly new.
The sagging rear bumper (known fault) and a reluctance to fix it (under warranty) by every main dealer I spoke to, despite there being a recall and fix notice from Ford was something that really annoyed me. I fixed it myself in the end.
I lost track of the number of times the headlight washer cover flew off. As I recall, for what was a small piece of plastic, they were ridiculously expensive to replace too.
I've never known a car to suffer with such terrible paint chipping on the front bumper. It looked like it had a polka dot paint finish.
The Recaro front seats were so uncomfortable (for someone who doesn't normally suffer with back problems) that every drive of any distance left me in pain.
The 'stainless steel' exhaust rusted after just a couple of years and approx 30,000 miles. Cheap stainless steel could be the only explanation.
And the general feel of 'cheapness' left me completely underwhelmed. I couldn't wait to sell it and took a massive hit in depreciation.
I also hated the fact that the accelerator pedal moved when the cruise control was on. As the speed increased or decreased, so the pedal would go down or come up. It was really annoying and felt like a cheap engineering solution.
The V6 engine was the only redeeming feature.
The sagging rear bumper (known fault) and a reluctance to fix it (under warranty) by every main dealer I spoke to, despite there being a recall and fix notice from Ford was something that really annoyed me. I fixed it myself in the end.
I lost track of the number of times the headlight washer cover flew off. As I recall, for what was a small piece of plastic, they were ridiculously expensive to replace too.
I've never known a car to suffer with such terrible paint chipping on the front bumper. It looked like it had a polka dot paint finish.
The Recaro front seats were so uncomfortable (for someone who doesn't normally suffer with back problems) that every drive of any distance left me in pain.
The 'stainless steel' exhaust rusted after just a couple of years and approx 30,000 miles. Cheap stainless steel could be the only explanation.
And the general feel of 'cheapness' left me completely underwhelmed. I couldn't wait to sell it and took a massive hit in depreciation.
I also hated the fact that the accelerator pedal moved when the cruise control was on. As the speed increased or decreased, so the pedal would go down or come up. It was really annoying and felt like a cheap engineering solution.
The V6 engine was the only redeeming feature.
2001 Mk4 Golf Gti 1.8T
Was the first year they switched to DBW throttle and had the AUM engine code.
I went through so many coil packs, boost sensors, MAFs, boost/vacuum hoses, crank position sensors, diverter valves and all sorts trying to fix the famous 17705 boost pressure drop fault code and never did.
The window regulators broke for fun, the door handle broke, the door open sensor did something funny.
Felt like a proper Friday special.
Was the first year they switched to DBW throttle and had the AUM engine code.
I went through so many coil packs, boost sensors, MAFs, boost/vacuum hoses, crank position sensors, diverter valves and all sorts trying to fix the famous 17705 boost pressure drop fault code and never did.
The window regulators broke for fun, the door handle broke, the door open sensor did something funny.
Felt like a proper Friday special.
Interesting how many people are mentioning VX220s. I'd have to agree though 
Great cars but shoddy build quality! I had snapped gear cables, seized radiator fan, total radiator failure as actual failures...
Then niggles I remember were needing 2 people to open the front bonnet, headlights turning off driving over bumps, heater adjuster broken, rattly windows, squeaky hardtop, iffy ABS, engine mounts. It actually conditioned my mind into thinking it was normal to be fixing that much stuff.
Great cars but shoddy build quality! I had snapped gear cables, seized radiator fan, total radiator failure as actual failures...Then niggles I remember were needing 2 people to open the front bonnet, headlights turning off driving over bumps, heater adjuster broken, rattly windows, squeaky hardtop, iffy ABS, engine mounts. It actually conditioned my mind into thinking it was normal to be fixing that much stuff.
Peugeot 309 - it felt like you drove along leaving a trail of broken interior, exterior and mechanical parts behind you...
Closely followed by VW Touran - while I eeked 4yrs/100k out of it, from a 3yr/30k start, bloody hell that thing ate certain parts and proved expensive to fix. Suspension parts X multiple, egr, dpf, clutchs (first one at 35k!), AC, ABS pump X 2, injectors x4, washer bottle pumps X2, wiper motor, boot struts, odd electrical gremlins, power steering, radiator split, turbo recondition, all wheel bearings at 60k(!) etc etc. It was practically falling apart when I finally sold on for 'spares or repair'...
Closely followed by VW Touran - while I eeked 4yrs/100k out of it, from a 3yr/30k start, bloody hell that thing ate certain parts and proved expensive to fix. Suspension parts X multiple, egr, dpf, clutchs (first one at 35k!), AC, ABS pump X 2, injectors x4, washer bottle pumps X2, wiper motor, boot struts, odd electrical gremlins, power steering, radiator split, turbo recondition, all wheel bearings at 60k(!) etc etc. It was practically falling apart when I finally sold on for 'spares or repair'...
Renault 5 Turbo 2. Owned from new.
I bought this in 1983 from Renault Export in London. Went to collect it from Paris from their export collection centre and as I drove out filled it at their fuel filling station (as it came with about 10 miles of fuel). As the attendant filled it, he started pointing out bits that were missing, which included badges and a wing mirror!
I had to drive to the other side of Paris to their Alpine Centre to collect the bits (which was closed for lunch). I was expected to fit them myself.
When back in the UK, the started motor went bang and I had to wait weeks for a new one to arrive and when it did, it turned out to be the same one as fitted to another of their cars (the 25 I think).
Every time I cleaned it, I found bits that had dropped off. Some I couldn’t find a home for, so I used to keep a box of bits in the garage which I would delve into whenever I found a hole that looked like it needed filing.
After about 6 months a friend smashed it up pretty badly and the ‘specialist’ repairer bodged the rebuild and tried to rip me off. We came to an amicable resolution whereby he bought the car off me and thereby relieved me of the problem. I was glad to see the back of it.
I cannot believe what they are fetching these days. Rose tinted glasses and all that!
I bought this in 1983 from Renault Export in London. Went to collect it from Paris from their export collection centre and as I drove out filled it at their fuel filling station (as it came with about 10 miles of fuel). As the attendant filled it, he started pointing out bits that were missing, which included badges and a wing mirror!
I had to drive to the other side of Paris to their Alpine Centre to collect the bits (which was closed for lunch). I was expected to fit them myself.
When back in the UK, the started motor went bang and I had to wait weeks for a new one to arrive and when it did, it turned out to be the same one as fitted to another of their cars (the 25 I think).
Every time I cleaned it, I found bits that had dropped off. Some I couldn’t find a home for, so I used to keep a box of bits in the garage which I would delve into whenever I found a hole that looked like it needed filing.
After about 6 months a friend smashed it up pretty badly and the ‘specialist’ repairer bodged the rebuild and tried to rip me off. We came to an amicable resolution whereby he bought the car off me and thereby relieved me of the problem. I was glad to see the back of it.
I cannot believe what they are fetching these days. Rose tinted glasses and all that!
Byker28i said:
Anything built by British Leyland.
While I endorse the basic sentiment, it is not entirely fair: my parents had a Triumph 2000, a Rover P5B and a Maxi that were utterly and completely reliable. My mother also loved her MG Montego but didn't really have it long enough to draw any conclusions as to reliability because the scrotes from Blackbird Leys kept twocking it. psi310398 said:
While I endorse the basic sentiment, it is not entirely fair: my parents had a Triumph 2000, a Rover P5B and a Maxi that were utterly and completely reliable. My mother also loved her MG Montego but didn't really have it long enough to draw any conclusions as to reliability because the scrotes from Blackbird Leys kept twocking it.
My parents old 1.6 Maestro was pretty reliable until the cam-belt snapped (probably having never been changed, knowing my parents). Limpet said:
oldaudi said:
Had a 2006 Renault Scenic. Horrendous thing and I’m ashamed to admit I owned one. Glass fell into the door and hands were cut to shreds trying to retrieve them. Roof lining started to collapse. Interior lights fell out and would dangle by their wires. Electric window buttons collapsed into their surround. Electric dash would flicker but never actually needed replacing. The middle arm rest could be moved back and forth but got stuck in the rear position so too far back to use when driving. Screw heads showing everywhere, general fit and finish was terrible. Puddles of water in the rear storage. Parcel shelf made from thin card. Stereo would only work from the left despite what the balance and fader said on the dash. Vile thing.
Yup, I had a 2004 one, bought at 2 years old, regularly serviced exactly to the schedule, and it was the worst car I have ever owned. Including the various few hundred quid sheds I smoked about in in my early years of driving. Edited by oldaudi on Monday 6th April 11:13
My conclusion after two years with one is that the Scenic II is a collection of cheap, crap components chucked together in a way that wouldn't have looked out of place on a 1970s British Leyland product. Ours also suffered with the dreaded window regulators failing, the iffy digi-dash, and an electrical system that seemed to work by voodoo.
The obvious cost cutting was everywhere. Acres of flimsy plastic trim everywhere secured by as few fastenings as they could get away with. Plastic clips that broke when disturbed, or sometimes of their own accord. The rear window blinds built into the doors both broke. The guides on the panoramic sunroof "wore out" and needed replacing. Both of these before the car was even four years old.
By the time we sold it six months later, and with just 54k on the clock, the grey coating on the gearknob had completely worn off, leaving a sticky matt black plastic residue, the seatbelt had worn a hole in the B-pillar trim, various bits of trim had fallen off or broken, and it was pot luck whether an electrical component would work properly (or at all) when you operated it. It rattled and creaked like a 20 year old Transit, which was all the more incredible considering it had a really lovely, smooth ride.
It was silly things that really showed how badly made it was though. By the time I sold it, several of the captive nuts in the chassis rails that the engine undertray securing screws thread into had become "un-captive" meaning it was impossible to remove several of the undertray screws. By trying to undo them, you were just spinning the nut on the other end of the screw. The plastic(!) hydraulic pipe on the clutch chafed on something and split, losing the clutch and immobilising the car. Several months after that, the clutch slave cylinder exploded, immobilising the car again. A gearbox out job to fix which due to the car being designed without any consideration for maintenance, cost us a grand to fix at an indie (Renault dealer wanted £1,400)
Credit where it's due, the 1.9 dCi engine was about the only good thing about it. Still one of the smoothest and least 'diesel sounding' four cylinder diesel engines I've ever encountered. Punchy, smooth, frugal and reliable. Lovely thing. The rest was just a catalogue of shoddy engineering and blatant cost-cutting. I haven't owned, or seriously looked at another Renault product since.
Edited by Limpet on Monday 6th April 13:32
I wouldn't ever buy a newer one but at least they look more "premium".
I know there are people on here who will say they've owned one and it had no problems whatsoever, just as I'm sure there are people with Honda Civics that have caused them nothing but trouble.
To answer the thread title.. Probably a Fiat Cinquecento
te engine coupled to a rusting from the inside out turd body mated to the chocolate gearbox was the perfect recipe for crap pie. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff