What is/are your "bridesmaid" cars?
Discussion
By this, I mean what car(s) for you have been strong contenders as your next vehicle for a number of years but you've never actually purchased.
For me, it has to be the Ford Fiesta/Focus. I've owned a lot of small hatchbacks and never actually owned a Ford but I've driven most iterations of the Fiesta and Focus and liked most of them.
First car was a mk3 Vauxhall Astra and I did look at a mk3 Fiesta and a mk5 Escort as well (mk1 Focus was out of budget) and I'd say that the Astra was equally as poor to drive as the Escort but maybe a bit better built? I didn't actually test drive the mk3 Fiesta but I think that it might actually have been a bit more fun than the Astra?
I sold Volkswagens in the mid-2000s so became a bit of a fan of the Golf. Had quite a few mk5 Golf TDIs as company cars and then when I left bought myself a mk4 Golf GTi. It looked good but was an absolutely terrible car. Gutless and yet terrible on fuel, badly built, unreliable, I know that I would have been a lot better off with a mk1 Focus Zetec, even a 1.6 would have felt more sprightly I think.
That was followed by a new Polo TDI. A better diesel engine than the equivalent Fiesta possibly but what a bland car to look at and drive. The mk7 Fiesta was out by then and I think that I bought the inferior car.
Later I looked at a mk7 Fiesta or a mk3 Focus but decided to try a 2013 (FK2?) Honda Civic instead. I've always liked the Honda Civic. In the 90s, they were so far ahead of everything else in terms of engines and suspension but again this was a massive disappointment. Really artificial steering, skittish handling, poor performance and economy (1.8 petrol), very rattly, starting to rust at 3 years old and quite a few electrical issues.
Latest car was a mk7 Golf, which I have been very happy with and I expect that a Focus would struggle to beat as an all-round package, although the equivalent Focus would possibly be more fun to drive. That being said if I was buying new, the mk8 Golf seems like a backwards step from the mk7 Golf in several ways, the Civic could be a contender, as I tried the previous generation (FK8?) and it was a really good car but the new one is hybrid CVT only, the new Astra looks good but not a fan of those Puretech engines, so on balance, I think I would go with a Focus but I have yet to drive a mk4. mk8 Fiesta still looks like a "go to" option in its class too. Too bad they are both being discontinued, as it feels like Ford have premium aspirations that their products can not deliver on.
I've never considered a Mondeo-class car but have also always admired the Mondeo as a good value alternative to the German "premium" stuff. I may be looking for a cheap and practical large hatchback/estate in the coming months, so a mk3 Mondeo may be a very good option.
To redress the balance, despite being a bit of a VW fanboi, I have never owned what I would consider to be a "proper" Golf GTi. I had considered a mk1/2 Golf GTi when they were cheap but had always wanted a 205 GTi, so bought one of those instead. Later having sold them new, I really fancied a mk5 Golf GTI and still consider them to be one of the best all-round performance cars that you can buy but the value for money and performance offered by "blobeye" Impreza WRXs compared to the Golf when I was buying was too much to ignore.
So, what cars have you often considered buying but always gone with something else instead, even if it turned out to be an inferior product?
For me, it has to be the Ford Fiesta/Focus. I've owned a lot of small hatchbacks and never actually owned a Ford but I've driven most iterations of the Fiesta and Focus and liked most of them.
First car was a mk3 Vauxhall Astra and I did look at a mk3 Fiesta and a mk5 Escort as well (mk1 Focus was out of budget) and I'd say that the Astra was equally as poor to drive as the Escort but maybe a bit better built? I didn't actually test drive the mk3 Fiesta but I think that it might actually have been a bit more fun than the Astra?
I sold Volkswagens in the mid-2000s so became a bit of a fan of the Golf. Had quite a few mk5 Golf TDIs as company cars and then when I left bought myself a mk4 Golf GTi. It looked good but was an absolutely terrible car. Gutless and yet terrible on fuel, badly built, unreliable, I know that I would have been a lot better off with a mk1 Focus Zetec, even a 1.6 would have felt more sprightly I think.
That was followed by a new Polo TDI. A better diesel engine than the equivalent Fiesta possibly but what a bland car to look at and drive. The mk7 Fiesta was out by then and I think that I bought the inferior car.
Later I looked at a mk7 Fiesta or a mk3 Focus but decided to try a 2013 (FK2?) Honda Civic instead. I've always liked the Honda Civic. In the 90s, they were so far ahead of everything else in terms of engines and suspension but again this was a massive disappointment. Really artificial steering, skittish handling, poor performance and economy (1.8 petrol), very rattly, starting to rust at 3 years old and quite a few electrical issues.
Latest car was a mk7 Golf, which I have been very happy with and I expect that a Focus would struggle to beat as an all-round package, although the equivalent Focus would possibly be more fun to drive. That being said if I was buying new, the mk8 Golf seems like a backwards step from the mk7 Golf in several ways, the Civic could be a contender, as I tried the previous generation (FK8?) and it was a really good car but the new one is hybrid CVT only, the new Astra looks good but not a fan of those Puretech engines, so on balance, I think I would go with a Focus but I have yet to drive a mk4. mk8 Fiesta still looks like a "go to" option in its class too. Too bad they are both being discontinued, as it feels like Ford have premium aspirations that their products can not deliver on.
I've never considered a Mondeo-class car but have also always admired the Mondeo as a good value alternative to the German "premium" stuff. I may be looking for a cheap and practical large hatchback/estate in the coming months, so a mk3 Mondeo may be a very good option.
To redress the balance, despite being a bit of a VW fanboi, I have never owned what I would consider to be a "proper" Golf GTi. I had considered a mk1/2 Golf GTi when they were cheap but had always wanted a 205 GTi, so bought one of those instead. Later having sold them new, I really fancied a mk5 Golf GTI and still consider them to be one of the best all-round performance cars that you can buy but the value for money and performance offered by "blobeye" Impreza WRXs compared to the Golf when I was buying was too much to ignore.
So, what cars have you often considered buying but always gone with something else instead, even if it turned out to be an inferior product?
h0b0 said:
Range Rovers. I just can’t gamble with the reliability. I might consider it if I wasn’t married.
There’s a joke there somewhere on wife reliability.Any Audi RS. I’ve owned “S” but never plumped for RS due to reading horror stories. Probably overblown but they’re now set in my head.
h0b0 said:
Range Rovers. I just can’t gamble with the reliability. I might consider it if I wasn’t married.
Good call. I love the Land Rover brand and if I came into a large sum of money, a new Range Rover or Defender 110 would be my first automotive purchase but...as temptingly cheap as L322 Range Rovers and first-gen RRSs are, I just couldn't deal with the unreliability, downtime and repair costs and I can't justify a spare vehicle to use when it's off the road. That's a shame, as I've owned vehicles a lot less economical (but more reliable) than a diesel Range Rover/RRS.I could possibly afford to run a Freelander 2/Evoque/Discovery Sport but I don't like the Evoque, Freelander 2 is a bit old and the Disco Sport might be my best shot in the near future. The big Discoveries/Range Rovers/RRSs are very complex cars, I wonder if the less complex classic Range Rover or original Discoveries might have been cheaper cars to fix 20 years ago? Possibly not, my 2001 Grand Cherokee that I ran for a year was bad enough.
Out of interest, did you manage to find something more reliable that was comparable to a Range Rover?
cheesejunkie said:
There’s a joke there somewhere on wife reliability.
Any Audi RS. I’ve owned “S” but never plumped for RS due to reading horror stories. Probably overblown but they’re now set in my head.
Yeah, the V10 M5s and Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG are two more tantalisingly cheap cars that I would love to own but have never seriously considered due to the potential bork factor. Both very expensive cars to run even when they're not broken too.Any Audi RS. I’ve owned “S” but never plumped for RS due to reading horror stories. Probably overblown but they’re now set in my head.
white_goodman said:
h0b0 said:
Range Rovers. I just can’t gamble with the reliability. I might consider it if I wasn’t married.
Good call. I love the Land Rover brand and if I came into a large sum of money, a new Range Rover or Defender 110 would be my first automotive purchase but...as temptingly cheap as L322 Range Rovers and first-gen RRSs are, I just couldn't deal with the unreliability, downtime and repair costs and I can't justify a spare vehicle to use when it's off the road. That's a shame, as I've owned vehicles a lot less economical (but more reliable) than a diesel Range Rover/RRS.I could possibly afford to run a Freelander 2/Evoque/Discovery Sport but I don't like the Evoque, Freelander 2 is a bit old and the Disco Sport might be my best shot in the near future. The big Discoveries/Range Rovers/RRSs are very complex cars, I wonder if the less complex classic Range Rover or original Discoveries might have been cheaper cars to fix 20 years ago? Possibly not, my 2001 Grand Cherokee that I ran for a year was bad enough.
Out of interest, did you manage to find something more reliable that was comparable to a Range Rover?
It also sounds amazing and every time I go through the Holland Tunnel into NYC I play it like a church organ. The first time I went through a tunnel I thought they had piped the sound in until I opened the sun roof and realsied how loud it is.
Edited by h0b0 on Saturday 24th December 04:04
Oddly for me it's Hondas. My childhood cars were mostly Hondas so became an absolute Honda nerd in my younger days.
I've always wanted to own one but end up with bmws instead.
Really wanted an Accord Type R when I was at uni but ended up with a 328i Sport Coupe
Really wanted a Honda legend a couple years ago but ended up with an early 2000's 530i
Really wanted an S2000 last year but ended up in a Z4m
I've always wanted to own one but end up with bmws instead.
Really wanted an Accord Type R when I was at uni but ended up with a 328i Sport Coupe
Really wanted a Honda legend a couple years ago but ended up with an early 2000's 530i
Really wanted an S2000 last year but ended up in a Z4m
cheesejunkie said:
There’s a joke there somewhere on wife reliability.
Any Audi RS. I’ve owned “S” but never plumped for RS due to reading horror stories. Probably overblown but they’re now set in my head.
Internet folklore. I’ve had an RS4 for 12 months now and it’s only cost me £1000 in tyres, £1500 for a set of spare wheels, a few hundred quid for some boot struts, £350 for an oil service and £1200 for a set of rear brakes. Completely overblown. Any Audi RS. I’ve owned “S” but never plumped for RS due to reading horror stories. Probably overblown but they’re now set in my head.
h0b0 said:
Range Rovers. I just can’t gamble with the reliability. I might consider it if I wasn’t married.
I hear you. I've even been warned off by a family of habitual range rover owners (7 between the three of them, all under 5 years old) and yet I still went and bought one....For me though it's McLarens. I've been toying with upgrading my mustang to a McLaren for some time, but the normal running costs let along the 'oh crap' costs scare the bejesus into me!
georgejoshington said:
cheesejunkie said:
There’s a joke there somewhere on wife reliability.
Any Audi RS. I’ve owned “S” but never plumped for RS due to reading horror stories. Probably overblown but they’re now set in my head.
Internet folklore. I’ve had an RS4 for 12 months now and it’s only cost me £1000 in tyres, £1500 for a set of spare wheels, a few hundred quid for some boot struts, £350 for an oil service and £1200 for a set of rear brakes. Completely overblown. Any Audi RS. I’ve owned “S” but never plumped for RS due to reading horror stories. Probably overblown but they’re now set in my head.
white_goodman said:
Good call. I love the Land Rover brand and if I came into a large sum of money, a new Range Rover or Defender 110 would be my first automotive purchase but...as temptingly cheap as L322 Range Rovers and first-gen RRSs are, I just couldn't deal with the unreliability, downtime and repair costs and I can't justify a spare vehicle to use when it's off the road. That's a shame, as I've owned vehicles a lot less economical (but more reliable) than a diesel Range Rover/RRS.
I could possibly afford to run a Freelander 2/Evoque/Discovery Sport but I don't like the Evoque, Freelander 2 is a bit old and the Disco Sport might be my best shot in the near future. The big Discoveries/Range Rovers/RRSs are very complex cars, I wonder if the less complex classic Range Rover or original Discoveries might have been cheaper cars to fix 20 years ago? Possibly not, my 2001 Grand Cherokee that I ran for a year was bad enough.
Out of interest, did you manage to find something more reliable that was comparable to a Range Rover?
Very much this. Personally went with the current shape X5, now it has proper air suspension all around - just need to put it on some decent all season tyres. I could possibly afford to run a Freelander 2/Evoque/Discovery Sport but I don't like the Evoque, Freelander 2 is a bit old and the Disco Sport might be my best shot in the near future. The big Discoveries/Range Rovers/RRSs are very complex cars, I wonder if the less complex classic Range Rover or original Discoveries might have been cheaper cars to fix 20 years ago? Possibly not, my 2001 Grand Cherokee that I ran for a year was bad enough.
Out of interest, did you manage to find something more reliable that was comparable to a Range Rover?
Have looked at lots of 335/340 estates but never quite managed to buy one.
Jaguar X350 XJ8. Sorely tempted, never quite got round to it.
Range Rover Classic V8. Again, tempted, never got round to it.
2CV6. They look like great fun, had a couple of interesting Citroens in the past, including a Traction Avant, but never even sat in a 2CV.
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. Very tempting, the borkage factor combined with RR part costs put me off, nonetheless I keep an eye on the classifieds…
Range Rover Classic V8. Again, tempted, never got round to it.
2CV6. They look like great fun, had a couple of interesting Citroens in the past, including a Traction Avant, but never even sat in a 2CV.
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. Very tempting, the borkage factor combined with RR part costs put me off, nonetheless I keep an eye on the classifieds…
Great thread 
For me it’s the Audi A6 for the last 20 years and since 2008 the Jaguar XF.
I’ve come so close to buying both and somehow ended up (with the exception of an Alfa 159 owned for a year and an E Class Mercedes) getting a BMW.
The last time was in August 2019 when I saw with Mrs Rob 131 Sport in a supermarket car park on the Adriatic coasts new Audi A6 3.0 50TDI S Line Quattro in metallic white.
I loved the looks and when I got back, I test drove one and also (unlike some of the previous generation A6’s) love the way it drove. There was clearly nothing to stop me now
The problem was that I just couldn’t find an ex demonstrator with full leather, and I just didn’t quite gel with the Alcantara
Off to BMW again 
For me it’s the Audi A6 for the last 20 years and since 2008 the Jaguar XF.
I’ve come so close to buying both and somehow ended up (with the exception of an Alfa 159 owned for a year and an E Class Mercedes) getting a BMW.
The last time was in August 2019 when I saw with Mrs Rob 131 Sport in a supermarket car park on the Adriatic coasts new Audi A6 3.0 50TDI S Line Quattro in metallic white.
I loved the looks and when I got back, I test drove one and also (unlike some of the previous generation A6’s) love the way it drove. There was clearly nothing to stop me now
The problem was that I just couldn’t find an ex demonstrator with full leather, and I just didn’t quite gel with the Alcantara
Off to BMW again Various models of Lotus. I’ve test driven an Esprit, an Exige and an Evora.
Just love how they drive and handle, but each time they’ve been pipped by a more established marque that feels more “worth the money” in terms of quality and luxury.
I’m now sorely tempted by an Emira, and may well go and test drive. Am hoping that this time the build quality and feel of it does the job!
Just love how they drive and handle, but each time they’ve been pipped by a more established marque that feels more “worth the money” in terms of quality and luxury.
I’m now sorely tempted by an Emira, and may well go and test drive. Am hoping that this time the build quality and feel of it does the job!
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