Were 1990s cars the best all rounders?

[magpie215]

Talking from the point of view.

Rust was being slowed down...galvanising and better paints.

Ignition systems and fuel injection

No overbearing emissions control

Not overly filled with tech so fairly easy to diy.

Thoughts?

[PositronicRay]

magpie215 said:

Talking from the point of view.

Rust was being slowed down...galvanising and better paints.

Ignition systems and fuel injection

No overbearing emissions control

Not overly filled with tech so fairly easy to diy.

Thoughts?

I run one as a daily. It does have the ability to chew threw vast amounts of cash periodically.

[w1bbles]

The favourite reading material in my smallest room is Performance Car's 'The Performance File' 1992. I generally go straight to eBay afterwards!

I would upload a photo of it here but Thumbsnap has cleverly realised that someone else owns the copyright...

It has details of 1992's best cars by category:

Superminis
Hot Hatches
Sports Saloons
Coupes
Executive Saloons
Performance Estates
Directors' Cars
Sports Cars
Supercars

Some of the entries:

Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evolution
Lotus Carlton
Alfa SZ
Ferrari F40
Ford Sierra Cosworth 4x4
Maserati Shamal
Nissan GTI-R
Renault Alpine A610
TVR Griffith
VW Corrado G60
Peugeot 205 GTi (both flavours)

And so, so many others. I never get bored browsing it! So yes, I think the 90s were pretty special for cars.

[Cyder]

No, by any real objective measure todays cars are by far and away the best all-rounders.

[GroundEffect]

Rose tinted glasses work.

2000s cars were in my view the best. I'm not a big fan of turbocharged engines, so when you had things like the M3 with either a 3.2 I6 or a 4.0 V8 it was glory days.

[PositronicRay]

Cyder said:

No, by any real objective measure todays cars are by far and away the best all-rounders.

This is the correct answer.

[monkfish1]

PositronicRay said:

This is the correct answer.

Depends what you mean by better. From a pure reliability standpoint, im pretty sure most manufactuers would show a downturn in reliability in the last 5-10 years.

Better from a competence/ability/economy point of view, yes, newer in most cases = better.

[Dapster]

You are safer driving about in a modern car with a knife pointing out of the centre of the steering wheel than a car from the 1990's. You'd be safer in a 2019 VW Polo than a 1990 S Class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVLUcteG00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidhx_f-ouU

Edited by Dapster on Tuesday 5th March 17:48

[Pothole]

Dapster said:

You are safer driving about in a modern car with a knife pointing out of the centre of the steering wheel than a car from the 1990's. You'd be safer in a 2019 VW Polo than a 1990 S Class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVLUcteG00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidhx_f-ouU

Edited by Dapster on Tuesday 5th March 17:48

That only counts if you crash.

[SidewaysSi]

From a driving point of view on road in the UK, most 90s cars are more fun and engaging than modern stuff.

Yes they are less safe but a well maintained or upgraded 90s can be a proper laugh.

This weekend I drove my modified 1996 build E36 328i back to back with a new FK8 Civic Type R.

The Civic was hugely competent and much quicker. But the BMW was a lot more fun to drive and as a car and driving enthusiast, that matters above all else.

Looking back with the keys to both which would I chose for a fun drive on road? The BMW.

Which would I chose as an easy to own and decent daily? The Honda.

The winner? The BMW.

[Boosted LS1]

Yes, a late saab 9000 turbo accomplishes most things apart from slinging it around the corners. Huge load space, comfort and a pretty decent tunable engine. Spares are cheap and the body's galvanised.

[JimmyJam]

Yep, my daily driver until recently was a late model Saab 900 Turbo. Pleasingly analogue yet easy to drive every day. Cheap to repair, holds it value, the most enormous fk off boot space and I think looks pretty cool too.

[Labradorofperception]

306 gti-6

I still think they are a good looking car, they handle well, but a little bit black inside. They are not as dated as say a Ford or Vauxhall from that era. I reckoned the interior had a hint of Saab the way it centre console seemed to incline towards the driver.

I always wanted the D-turbo, but my firm issued the cooking spec D, with no turbo. It had speedo delete, replaced by a calendar and moved at the speed of tectonic shift.

[CABC]

Fun?
of tech and production processes are better. but 1500kg hot hatch is different to a sub-tonne 90s hatch, and in some ways worse.

[300bhp/ton]

Some 1990’s cars do mix a good blend of efficiency (mpg and power) with simplicity. Making for engaging relatively lightweight unpoluted drives.

If this is “best” is quite subjective.

[300bhp/ton]

Dapster said:

You are safer driving about in a modern car with a knife pointing out of the centre of the steering wheel than a car from the 1990's. You'd be safer in a 2019 VW Polo than a 1990 S Class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVLUcteG00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidhx_f-ouU

Edited by Dapster on Tuesday 5th March 17:48

You truly are the king of misleading bullst

[Pica-Pica]

SidewaysSi said:

From a driving point of view on road in the UK, most 90s cars are more fun and engaging than modern stuff.

Yes they are less safe but a well maintained or upgraded 90s can be a proper laugh.

This weekend I drove my modified 1996 build E36 328i back to back with a new FK8 Civic Type R.

The Civic was hugely competent and much quicker. But the BMW was a lot more fun to drive and as a car and driving enthusiast, that matters above all else.

Looking back with the keys to both which would I chose for a fun drive on road? The BMW.

Which would I chose as an easy to own and decent daily? The Honda.

The winner? The BMW.

I agree, I had an E36 323i (2.5 I6) from new in 1998 until 2017. I would have bought the same again if it was on sale. Not too long or wide, reasonable turning circle.

[Dapster]

300bhp/ton said:

Dapster said:

You are safer driving about in a modern car with a knife pointing out of the centre of the steering wheel than a car from the 1990's. You'd be safer in a 2019 VW Polo than a 1990 S Class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVLUcteG00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidhx_f-ouU

Edited by Dapster on Tuesday 5th March 17:48

You truly are the king of misleading bullst

That's quite a punchy response! Is everything ok?

[300bhp/ton]

Dapster said:

300bhp/ton said:

Dapster said:

You are safer driving about in a modern car with a knife pointing out of the centre of the steering wheel than a car from the 1990's. You'd be safer in a 2019 VW Polo than a 1990 S Class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVLUcteG00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidhx_f-ouU

Edited by Dapster on Tuesday 5th March 17:48

You truly are the king of misleading bullst

That's quite a punchy response! Is everything ok?

You posted a vid of a Rover 100. Which is really a 40 year old Metro at the end of its production run. And then claimed that was proof an S Class Mercedes is less safe than a new Clio ffs! Not sure if I should laugh or cry

[coffeebreath]

Dapster said:

You are safer driving about in a modern car with a knife pointing out of the centre of the steering wheel than a car from the 1990's. You'd be safer in a 2019 VW Polo than a 1990 S Class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVLUcteG00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidhx_f-ouU

Edited by Dapster on Tuesday 5th March 17:48

W140 crash test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujEA0S9QxGI

It also has 500kg on a new Polo. I'd wager my chances!