Most boring car you've owned?
Discussion
maverick944 said:
I guess there's a concern that too much editorial content would get in the way of the Audi RS3 adverts?
Although miraculously they've all now disappeared? Did anyone actually read any of it? Presumably the usual earnest guff about steering feedback and performance in the automotive equivalent of processed cheese: super refined but f***ing bland.
Pass the stilton
griffo71 said:
Common factor in a few posts seem to be the lack of steering feel - one reason why I'm not overly keen on front drivers.
Don't know about that, I'm a sucker for FWD hot hatches and my current steer is pretty good. Seems to be that Audi's suffer from this lack of feel and an inability to ride properly (IME). They've had so many go's at it, but consistently manage to make cars that if they were on a colour chart, would be beige.My first and current car, a Passat 2001 with the PD 130 engine. It's boring, but does everything I use it for quite well and is surprisingly reliable. It just doesn't give me a reason to change it for something less bland.
The thing is though, I prefer to have something boring for everyday and something unusual.
For example: Silver Passat Estate vs. old yellow Fiat 500
The same goes for bikes: Silver BMW R1150RT vs. Buell XB9S
The thing is though, I prefer to have something boring for everyday and something unusual.
For example: Silver Passat Estate vs. old yellow Fiat 500
The same goes for bikes: Silver BMW R1150RT vs. Buell XB9S
E-reg Sierra 1.6 petrol, awful car. Much later a Focus 1.6 edge as a hire car when I joined a new company. Edge of what I don't know, can only suggest a cliff! Had it a week, only because it took them that long to replace it, positively dangerous on a motorway. Although my Dad changing a 3500 V8 Rover SD1 for a Cavalier 1.6D (non-turbo) takes the biscuit !!
Ford Probe 2.5 from somewhere in the early 1990s.
To be fair... given the budget at the time... the choice was between a probe with a small v6 or an older mondeo 4-pot that was renowned for its un-reliability.
So it was the best of the two at the time.
Buttt... it was sooooo boring.
Most boring that I didn't think would be quite so boring?
2001 Jaguar XKR
The engine was pleasant, sure... the comfort, great... it just wasn't interesting or fun really... unless you unleashed all of that torque all of the time.
It only surprised me once and that was joining a roundabout enthusiastically and forgetting that I had turned the traction control off. It was a three-lane in town large roundabout and there was a van on my front-left corner and a car on my rear-right corner and I'd floor it to be in the lane between them (not the wisest choice I had ever made, I admit).
The wheel span up so quickly and that corner was so relatively sharp... the slide was one of the best I remember holding. I was watching the road out of the passenger window and still moving... with lots of opposite lock and powering through the slide, I managed to catch it and pull it back round.
How I caught that and didn't touch another car due to the close proximity... I have no idea... lucky day for me to learn about turning down my enthusiasm a little
To be fair... given the budget at the time... the choice was between a probe with a small v6 or an older mondeo 4-pot that was renowned for its un-reliability.
So it was the best of the two at the time.
Buttt... it was sooooo boring.
Most boring that I didn't think would be quite so boring?
2001 Jaguar XKR
The engine was pleasant, sure... the comfort, great... it just wasn't interesting or fun really... unless you unleashed all of that torque all of the time.
It only surprised me once and that was joining a roundabout enthusiastically and forgetting that I had turned the traction control off. It was a three-lane in town large roundabout and there was a van on my front-left corner and a car on my rear-right corner and I'd floor it to be in the lane between them (not the wisest choice I had ever made, I admit).
The wheel span up so quickly and that corner was so relatively sharp... the slide was one of the best I remember holding. I was watching the road out of the passenger window and still moving... with lots of opposite lock and powering through the slide, I managed to catch it and pull it back round.
How I caught that and didn't touch another car due to the close proximity... I have no idea... lucky day for me to learn about turning down my enthusiasm a little
1996 Volvo 850 CD
It had interesting features, such as the surprise and delight integrated child booster seats, and it was a lovely, wafty, leather clad thing.
But it was an auto, and I only ever cracked a smile from the actual driving on the downhill to belgrave part of mount dandenong tourist road (in Melbourne, Aus).
So comfy though, I would have another one in a shot as a second car.
It had interesting features, such as the surprise and delight integrated child booster seats, and it was a lovely, wafty, leather clad thing.
But it was an auto, and I only ever cracked a smile from the actual driving on the downhill to belgrave part of mount dandenong tourist road (in Melbourne, Aus).
So comfy though, I would have another one in a shot as a second car.
If you equate boring to slow, then it has to be my 1992 Volkswagen Jetta 1.6D (not turbodiesel, just diesel). But it was my first car and I loved it and if my financial circumstances changed and I needed to sell my gas-guzzling Volvo turbo, I'd go back to it in a heartbeat.
I've loved every car I've owned, except for a POS 1994 Mercedes C180 that let me down, but even then, when it wasn't overheating or failing to start, the thrill of watching that three-pointed-star guide you down the road was pretty intoxicating. Just wish I would have bought a 190e instead.
My classic Mk5 Cortina was a pretty boring car back in the day, but now?
I've loved every car I've owned, except for a POS 1994 Mercedes C180 that let me down, but even then, when it wasn't overheating or failing to start, the thrill of watching that three-pointed-star guide you down the road was pretty intoxicating. Just wish I would have bought a 190e instead.
My classic Mk5 Cortina was a pretty boring car back in the day, but now?
Only one boring car, my current daily, which basically came about because, "Oh that's wonderful news darling, I guess we should sell the JCW and get something with a boot big enough for a pram and reasonable mpg..."
A Golf Estate. "I know", I thought, sitting at the dealer. "I'll spec it up a bit. 2.0TDi, Sportline trim. A bit of leather here and there. That will make it less dull."
It didn't. It's a great car, it's just got zero personality.
I call it the Golf GTA, which stands for "Generic Transport Appliance".
A Golf Estate. "I know", I thought, sitting at the dealer. "I'll spec it up a bit. 2.0TDi, Sportline trim. A bit of leather here and there. That will make it less dull."
It didn't. It's a great car, it's just got zero personality.
I call it the Golf GTA, which stands for "Generic Transport Appliance".
griffo71 said:
Common factor in a few posts seem to be the lack of steering feel - one reason why I'm not overly keen on front drivers
My most boring? Generally every time I approach a rental desk they never fail to disappoint...
I would not say fwd=no feel My most boring? Generally every time I approach a rental desk they never fail to disappoint...
Every car ive owned has been fwd
Peugeot 205 1.1 & gti 2 ford pumas,mg zs,citroen saxo vtr and a k11 micra
The micra was non pas though so i do wonder how much would of been lost had i got a pas model.
Ali_T said:
My one and only company car was a '92 Escort 1.4LX. I lasted 4 months with it before requesting a car allowance instead and buying a Civic VTi.
I remember having a Mk5 Escort 1.4 on the list of company cars to choose from back in 90/91 - about the time they'd just come out. Fark, they were crap! I kept the Citroen AX I already had instead.snuffy said:
I owned an Aston Martin V8 Vantage for 18 months - looks the part but my god it's so bloody boring to drive.
You've piqued my interest. How does an Aston Martin Vantage actually become boring? Isn't this a bit like saying "yeah, my girlfriend's Jessica Alba, but I find her a tad plain."citroen AX 1.4 diesel
the only exciting thing about it was the reliability
the gearbox fell apart, then shortly after the headgasket blew which warped the ally block. Got that sorted then sold it as the electrics were failing.
Not entirely sure why I bought it , should have got a mk2 escort which were peanuts at the time, would have been about as reliable but more fun to drive.
the only exciting thing about it was the reliability
the gearbox fell apart, then shortly after the headgasket blew which warped the ally block. Got that sorted then sold it as the electrics were failing.
Not entirely sure why I bought it , should have got a mk2 escort which were peanuts at the time, would have been about as reliable but more fun to drive.
You'd be surprised. The myth surrounding so many cars leads one to believe they are all magic to drive, but it ain't so. My 348TS was a case in point, with a gearbox that had three gears until it warmed up and then 3rd and 5th became available. And the handling was appalling on the limit. An E-type can be great or rubbish depending on the suspension set-up. I'm quite prepared to believe the same of an Aston since the only one I've driven was a DB3S and that was sheer magic since it was properly sorted. As a passenger's observation, they do seem cumbersome.
By some margin, a 1983 Vauxhall Carlton 1.8. Comfy, spacious, well equipped but an utter yawn to drive and worst still the most unreliable car I have ever owned - gearbox failure, head gasket popped and then it really excelled itself by catching fire in Hyde Park one summers day, as a result of a split power steering hose spraying fluid onto the exhaust manifold - bear in mind it was only 7 years old!!
The insult to injury was that the stupid insurance company insisted on repairing it, thereby extending the misery by a further year, when I could finally afford to chop it in and replace it with a '84 BMW 728i - a vast improvement in every sense, not least of which because it worked!
The insult to injury was that the stupid insurance company insisted on repairing it, thereby extending the misery by a further year, when I could finally afford to chop it in and replace it with a '84 BMW 728i - a vast improvement in every sense, not least of which because it worked!
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