Pistonheads vehicles you don't "get"

[matsoc]

Definitely the MX-5, but not only for the lack of pace, I owned an Elise with 1.6 engine that wasn't quick but I really loved it. It is the full driving experience that didn't feel entertaining in every MX-5 iteration I drove.

I also don't get Lamborghini, especially lately, even if it is something more related to too extrovert looks outside and bland inside. The only Lambo I drove extensively is the Gallardo and I liked it.

[EGTE_RPF]

I never got the love for the B7 RS4, despite being a (former) big fan of fast Audis a while back (don't worry; I'm very much cured now).

Went to buy one twice, but there was just no grunt in the engine. The RS2 felt quicker, and the B5 RS4 was on a different planet for feeling quick (especially when so easy to tune up).

It handled pretty well and even rode okay (unless on Sports Suspension and even then only until the DRC failed...), but really: an RS with very little grunt?

Definitely cannot understand it. Believe the B8 could be even worse.



Anything that weighs more than 1856 Kgs also makes me shake my head, too (this figure just allows the E60 M5 to be okay :-) ).

[Sway]

One thing to bear in mind if you've driven an MX5 and not seen what all the fuss about it's handling is about - the fact that they have so much adjustment available in the geometry means that it's rare to find two with the same setup. Especially after several years of use and varying standards of maintenance.

After all, the vast majority of people just get the tracking sorted if it starts being a bit vague...

The vast majority of other cars don't adjust so easily, and so are far more consistent car to car.

[macky17]

cerb4.5lee said:

macky17 said:

cerb4.5lee said:

Its not a pistonhead type of car though and anything weighing 1800kg with a diesel engine and auto gearbox is going to be pretty awful and unexciting to drive but as a car to cover big miles in comfort with relatively good mpg it has its place I think.

Err... My dd is a 3.0d S XF jag which weighs 1800kg, is a diesel and an auto. It's bloody terrific to drive - responsive, quick with accurate steering and a great chassis. Your sentence needed the word 'German' in there somewhere.

It could have a Ferrari badge but those ingredients aren't going to make for a great car to drive for me.

Previous to owning/driving it I would have agreed with you. And we'd both have been wrong.

[SuperBaaaad]

SteveSteveson said:

Most Audi's. I understand the top spec ones. Either luxury wise or RS models. I don't like many of them, but I get them. What I don't get is the lower and mid range ones. Why would anyone buy a basic A1 or A3 when you can buy Golf or Polo that is exactly the same car to all intents and purposes, for a significant saving?

Because actually, Golf's aren't really the A3's cheaper cousin any more. Actually, for equivalent spec there's very little saving over the A3, and I know what I'd rather have on my drive. (Just bought an A3 btw, and went through the process of speccing up Golfs and there really wasn't a saving to be had).

[cerb4.5lee]

macky17 said:

cerb4.5lee said:

macky17 said:

cerb4.5lee said:

Its not a pistonhead type of car though and anything weighing 1800kg with a diesel engine and auto gearbox is going to be pretty awful and unexciting to drive but as a car to cover big miles in comfort with relatively good mpg it has its place I think.

Err... My dd is a 3.0d S XF jag which weighs 1800kg, is a diesel and an auto. It's bloody terrific to drive - responsive, quick with accurate steering and a great chassis. Your sentence needed the word 'German' in there somewhere.

It could have a Ferrari badge but those ingredients aren't going to make for a great car to drive for me.

Previous to owning/driving it I would have agreed with you. And we'd both have been wrong.

Don't get me wrong I have no doubt your Jag is a lovely motor but I just cant personally get excited about barges that weigh 1800kg and have diesel engines and slush boxes, as cars to cover big miles in effortless comfort absolutely they tick the box but to me they don't offer anything above that.

Driving a Jag XF though could change my mind from what you are saying as I only have the 640d to go on.

[SidewaysSi]

paralla said:

SidewaysSi said:

Seem to drive at least as well if not better than the opposition though. Maybe they know more than you think?!

Usually with fuel consumption and CO2 emissions that are far worse than the opposition.

But surely that sort of thing is less important?

[MarshPhantom]

SidewaysSi said:

paralla said:

SidewaysSi said:

Seem to drive at least as well if not better than the opposition though. Maybe they know more than you think?!

Usually with fuel consumption and CO2 emissions that are far worse than the opposition.

But surely that sort of thing is less important?

Not if they want to sell cars, company ones especially, where taxation levels are based on emissions.

[Kitchski]

VW T5 van. I've never understood what it is about these fantastically average vans that whets peoples whistles! Transit's nicer in every way, but not "cool". If we're at a point in humanity where image matters to commercial vehicle purchasers then I want off this rock.

[jamieduff1981]

SidewaysSi said:

paralla said:

SidewaysSi said:

Seem to drive at least as well if not better than the opposition though. Maybe they know more than you think?!

Usually with fuel consumption and CO2 emissions that are far worse than the opposition.

But surely that sort of thing is less important?

It's funny that isn't it. People talk on here as though BMf*****gW is the only brand out there but they're all lamenting BMW's awful throttle response and steering feel nowadays compared to 15 years ago.

Jaguar has just got better and better as driver's cars. The high performance ones are not on company car lists anyway and anyone who is willing to spend £40k+ on a new car is a moron if they let a few hundred quid a year diffreence in CO2 tax change their choice.

The throttle response is still there and the steering is still great. The ride is still better than the Germans and they corner as well.

Infact all the things Chris Harris said made the M6GC better than the XFR-S in his video are exactly the reasons why a driver should choose the latter - you can still enjoy it. If tracking super saloons is your thing you're unique. If you want to enjoy it on a real road, try the Jag before assuming that the BMW you don't like is the best you're going to get.

[otolith]

wolfy1988 said:

SAAB 95 Aero

I had a mint, low mileage full history 2002 95 Aero Complete with a stage 1 tune, uprated brakes and premium rubber. Sure it was quick in a straight line, it flew under the radar etc BUT it was not at all inspiring or rewarding to drive on anything other motorways (which are boring at normal speeds IMO)

At the time, I was very happy with my purchase but it hasn't left me wanting another, unlike the lowly high mileage 1998 523i that followed it, which was better in almost every way other than straight line speed but at least when it was as sat at high speed it just felt so more adapt and happy at that speed than the Saab ever did

They're not really a driver's car, they're just an awful lot of quick, comfy, practical barge for very little money. When we bought one, we looked at the German alternatives, but for similar money you were looking at buying a mega-miles shed from a council estate.

[Tannedbaldhead]

I look upon myself as a motoring Pollyana. I love just about everything I drive. I keeping reading PHers posting "this is ste, that is ste" then when I drive them I discover I quite like them.

Spose it's a good job I'm so easily pleased. Can you imagine how I'd have felt if I was as fussy as some on here then my new employer told me I had inherited my predecessor's Astra company car?

[Kenny Powers]

I would never buy anything built by JLR.

[SidewaysSi]

MarshPhantom said:

SidewaysSi said:

paralla said:

SidewaysSi said:

Seem to drive at least as well if not better than the opposition though. Maybe they know more than you think?!

Usually with fuel consumption and CO2 emissions that are far worse than the opposition.

But surely that sort of thing is less important?

Not if they want to sell cars, company ones especially, where taxation levels are based on emissions.

It's hardly a big difference and no doubt a price I and many others would be willing to pay. Besides,the market is more than just the UK-A few grammes of CO2 is not something I would care about. JLR are doing great things these days - much stronger product range than Audi, BMW etc.

[Neil E 99]

daemon said:

Lotus Esprit

Mate of mine has two. Pig of a thing to drive, willfully uncomfortable inside - i'd get my shins broken by it in an accident.

Ha Ha made me smile.
Loved mine to bits right up to the point I had to sell it. A sad day that was.
It could be hard to drive really fast sometimes as being 6'3" & 16 stone it wasnt made for people like me. Hit the throttle instead of the brake several times which caused a brown trouser moment.
But loved the fact they still kept makng it for a long time, though will admit was well past its best when it was killed off. Didnt find it a pig to drive gearbox was not as bad as all the hype.
Yes in an accident you may lose your shins but they do stand up well in a smack for a car of that era.
The way they handel, the feedback you get is great.It was 100% reliable yes really in 8 years and plenty of miles I had it. Add a decent exhaust to the V8 and the cars transformed. As with all Lotuses its the feel you get.
The the way Lotus set a car up out the box for the cost takes some beating.

[oilit]

I am not sure there are any cars 'I dont get' per se (unless I look at the US roads - but that's another topic.)

Most cars have a target audience - the fact you don't get it probably suggests your not the targeted buyer, there are many cars I wouldnt buy - Kia, etc but I get them, they are just not for me.

I have a defender - and love it, I have an Audi and think its the worst car I have ever owned....

The more annoying thing for me is the perceived values of these brands and their reliability over a few years motoring. The majority of road tests in magazines etc may at best be 6 months, maybe a year, but if a product is unreliable in the first 20k /12 months then it shouldn't be released - its what I class as a beta test.

The real reliability test is 3-5 years and 60-100k miles. thats what most owners will see miles or time wise - unrealistic I know for magazine reviews.

For example, my stable stories are as follows:-

Volkswagen is supposed to be a reliable dependable brand (at least that was how they advertised themselves a few years ago - remember the door shutting bulls**t). Our polo has just over 100k miles - had it from new and has had to have new inlet manifold, new front stuts, new rear wheel bearing and shocks and blows front bulbs on the daylight running lights almost monthly. I have never had to replace such items on a car with that sort of miles before...

The defender however has 54k and I have never had any problems, the Audi at 16k drinks as much oil as petrol, and the DB9 at 22k has been far more reliable than I ever expected from a half engineered british built product.

I swore after having XK8's with roofs stuck half open/closed and Range Rovers with blown diffs on outside lane of motorway that I would never touch a modern Jaguar or Landrover product ever again.

Maybe I should start a new thread to hear everybodies real life stories.

Edited by oilit on Monday 27th July 08:09

[kambites]

As much as I love mine, I can fully understand people not getting the Elise. It's heavily focused on particular elements of driving at the expense of others and that's always going to divide opinion. Same with the TVRs, although they focus on different things.

[skyrover]

Mikeyjae said:

Defenders keep coming up, Iv driven loads and I want one. Why? no idea as they are terrible on the road which is practically 99% of PH drivers comfort.

Take these things off road thou and I dont mean up a dirt track but in the right rough stuff. Wading so deep water is coming into the cabin, steep incline and decline terrains or even deserts then you will truely appreciate how good these machines are. I can only think of a wrangler that even comes close to a Defender.

I totally get a Defender and everytime I see one on a road I smile, hopeing they are getting used for the purpose they are intended. If not then what a waste.

IMO the reason defenders are cool is because it is so easily customised and changed.

It can be built into anything you want and wont be out of place anywhere you go.

Never has a vehicle been built, so suited to having crap bolted to it.

[derin100]

BMW Isetta.
In this day and age I don't "get it"...and I certainly don't get why people would be prepared to pay in excess of £30K for one!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

derin100 said:

BMW Isetta.
In this day and age I don't "get it"...and I certainly don't get why people would be prepared to pay in excess of £30K for one!

Because a decent Messerschmitt will cost £50K.