The worst car you've ever driven...
Discussion
Slow said:
I’m 6’4” and had to drive one for 30 minutes across town. When I got out at the other end my body genuinely just felt like I had drove for 6 hours it was that cramped and uncomfortable.
Can’t say they are awful cars for their target buyers - girls who live in towns where the lack of power/handling doesn’t matter.
My wife wanted a Fiat 500 a few years ago but went off them for several reasons, mostly due to style without substance. Can’t say they are awful cars for their target buyers - girls who live in towns where the lack of power/handling doesn’t matter.
Her interest was killed off entirely after seeing the Watchdog show highlighting severe driveability problems with Euro-6-compliant versions of the 1.2 engine.
colonel c said:
Morris Ital estate.
However I enjoy driving so just about anything with wheels and an engine is ok with me.
We had these as our main vans where I worked. Curious things. The radio faced towards the passenger, and I lost count of how many door window winder handles we snapped off.However I enjoy driving so just about anything with wheels and an engine is ok with me.
chim79 said:
Mokka 1.7 CDTI auto. Just awful. Noisy, agricultural engine, flimsy build, dark and cramped, cheap interior plastics and finish, no steering feel, rubbish gearbox, poor visibility, poor seats, lack of any comfort, tiny boot, impractical rear door.
I cannot think of a single target demographic that it would satisfy.
Wife has one of these but it is a manual. I agree with everything you have said, but she loves it. It is well kitted out, looks great, is very economical and cheap to insure and tax. I cannot think of a single target demographic that it would satisfy.
Unlike most of the Vauxhalls in this thread it has also been faultless since she bought it three years ago.
Lots of love for them on the Mokka forums on the internet as well
The worst one I ever drove was easily the CityRover. Jesus f
king Christ, what an absolute depressing pile of crap. There are literally no words to adequately describe how bad that car was. A depressing end to a once great marque.
On a similar note, an honourable mention must go to the Jaguar XE. Fairly nice chassis apart, what a piece of cynical, bean counter designed st. Not fit to wear the Jaguar badge. Bland, plasticky, creaky interior, dreadful materials, obvious cost cutting, ropey panel fit, hideous unrefined Diesel engine and a gearbox that was scared to stay in one gear for longer than two seconds.
Cynical, derisory pile of tat.
king Christ, what an absolute depressing pile of crap. There are literally no words to adequately describe how bad that car was. A depressing end to a once great marque.On a similar note, an honourable mention must go to the Jaguar XE. Fairly nice chassis apart, what a piece of cynical, bean counter designed s
t. Not fit to wear the Jaguar badge. Bland, plasticky, creaky interior, dreadful materials, obvious cost cutting, ropey panel fit, hideous unrefined Diesel engine and a gearbox that was scared to stay in one gear for longer than two seconds. Cynical, derisory pile of tat.
Slow said:
Ron99 said:
h3nde said:
My Type-R went in for some paint earlier this year (some bd keyed it last Christmas) and I was given a Fiat 500.
While not the worst car ever, if you’re a girl, it’s easy to drive and looks nice and whatever else those who are in the market for a 500 look for in a car.
But it wallowed around in corners like the suspension was made out of a Victoria sponge, the steering wheel was the size of a dustbin lid, the seats were flat and totally unsupported, I couldn’t believe how slow it was! (Never remembered any 1.2 being THAT slow) and being 6 foot 3 my knees were rubbing my earlobes.
On the plus side it used a quarter of the fuel my car usually gets through in a week and the gear stick was in the same place as my car so that was commendable.
st my pants when I got back in my car and put my foot down 
6'3" and you managed to drive a Fiat 500? d keyed it last Christmas) and I was given a Fiat 500. While not the worst car ever, if you’re a girl, it’s easy to drive and looks nice and whatever else those who are in the market for a 500 look for in a car.
But it wallowed around in corners like the suspension was made out of a Victoria sponge, the steering wheel was the size of a dustbin lid, the seats were flat and totally unsupported, I couldn’t believe how slow it was! (Never remembered any 1.2 being THAT slow) and being 6 foot 3 my knees were rubbing my earlobes.
On the plus side it used a quarter of the fuel my car usually gets through in a week and the gear stick was in the same place as my car so that was commendable.
s
t my pants when I got back in my car and put my foot down I'm similar height and too big to drive one.
Can’t say they are awful cars for their target buyers - girls who live in towns where the lack of power/handling doesn’t matter.
Jimboka said:
Saab93 2006
Awful plastics , creaked and rattled like an old ship
Awful unupgradeable Stereo
Yep, this is up there with the worst of them for me. It was clear to me after ownership why it really did to stand up to the GermansAwful plastics , creaked and rattled like an old ship
Awful unupgradeable Stereo
Also, 1998 Almere 1.4 at motorway speeds. Had to steer it left right three times before i managed to change lanes. Was shagged mind you
Vauxhall Meriva though really took the biscuit, disgusting to drive.
FlatToTheMat said:
Yep, this is up there with the worst of them for me. It was clear to me after ownership why it really did to stand up to the Germans
I like my 2004 9-3. The lack of upgrade option for the stereo does wind me right up, mind.My worst by some distance was a Chevrolet Kalos. Gutless and boomy engine (had to drop down to second to overtake anything on an A-road), zero steering feel, bouncy ride, wallowy handling, gearchange so light I could never tell if it'd actually found the gear I wanted, disgusting interior plastics, utterly unsupportive seats, awful driving position (felt like I was sitting on it, not in it)... I could go on. Just utterly hateful.
Mention of the Vauxhall Mokka reminds me of a colleague who had one as a courtesy car.
She came over to my desk at work, and uttered the immortal words we've all heard a million times; "You know a bit about cars, right?"
I replied in the affirmative, and she proceeded to tell me that the Mokka she'd been given was almost certainly broken, as it was nigh on impossible for her to drive.
I thought it odd that a brand new car should be broken, so we went down to the car park to take a look. I drove it around the car park, and apart from being really, really horrible, I couldn't find a technical/mechanical problem with it.
The gearshift was all over the place, the clutch bite point was odd, the steering felt like it had been lifted from a dodgem car, and the brakes didn't feel right at all... I broke the bad news to my colleague - it's not broken, it's just crap.
To be fair, she was used to a VW Scirocco 2.0 TDi DSG, which is not only a much nicer car to drive, it has an automatic gearbox.
She came over to my desk at work, and uttered the immortal words we've all heard a million times; "You know a bit about cars, right?"
I replied in the affirmative, and she proceeded to tell me that the Mokka she'd been given was almost certainly broken, as it was nigh on impossible for her to drive.
I thought it odd that a brand new car should be broken, so we went down to the car park to take a look. I drove it around the car park, and apart from being really, really horrible, I couldn't find a technical/mechanical problem with it.
The gearshift was all over the place, the clutch bite point was odd, the steering felt like it had been lifted from a dodgem car, and the brakes didn't feel right at all... I broke the bad news to my colleague - it's not broken, it's just crap.
To be fair, she was used to a VW Scirocco 2.0 TDi DSG, which is not only a much nicer car to drive, it has an automatic gearbox.
My experience of a Mokka was not good either. It was a while ago now, think it was a 63 plate 1.7 diesel 'SRi/SXi' type trim.
I dont mind the look of them - and the interior seemed tough and solidly built BUT...the engine was VERY noisy and vibey...like something from another era (although it went well enough)...and the ride was really poor. I know it was a sporty-ish trim but the ride was just too harsh to be acceptable IMO.
Now that i think about it, it probably was one of the most disappoiting 'new' cars i've driven in a while.
Another one would be another Vauxhall - a 2012-ish 1.6 petrol. I think i've mentioned it on here before on a similar kind of thread - it really was completely and utterly gutless. Super-dooper slushy zero response throttle. Engine must be strangulated to conform to newer emissions regs / mapping etc. (i think thats what happened to the Fiat Panda/500 etc 1.2 too - that engine used to be a really nice one to use on older models!
But it was everywhere - unresponsive engine, steering, gearchange, all controls were mushed up in a wooly web of crapness!
For example - a 2003/4ish astra with (possibly?) the same 1.6 engine was a much more responsive drive with better steering and gearchange too!
I find there's a difference though in a car that you expect to be decent...and it's bad (like the above)...and a car that you know will be bad...but you end up loving it.
Those accolades go to the 2010ish Chevrolet Matiz - a car that i wondered how it was still being produced - felt from another era...but like...superb fun to drive! (in a 'this is going to tip over' way) and the Suzuki Jimny - felt ancient...wobbly...slow..topply.....but i loved it!
"Character!"...............?
I dont mind the look of them - and the interior seemed tough and solidly built BUT...the engine was VERY noisy and vibey...like something from another era (although it went well enough)...and the ride was really poor. I know it was a sporty-ish trim but the ride was just too harsh to be acceptable IMO.
Now that i think about it, it probably was one of the most disappoiting 'new' cars i've driven in a while.
Another one would be another Vauxhall - a 2012-ish 1.6 petrol. I think i've mentioned it on here before on a similar kind of thread - it really was completely and utterly gutless. Super-dooper slushy zero response throttle. Engine must be strangulated to conform to newer emissions regs / mapping etc. (i think thats what happened to the Fiat Panda/500 etc 1.2 too - that engine used to be a really nice one to use on older models!
But it was everywhere - unresponsive engine, steering, gearchange, all controls were mushed up in a wooly web of crapness!
For example - a 2003/4ish astra with (possibly?) the same 1.6 engine was a much more responsive drive with better steering and gearchange too!
I find there's a difference though in a car that you expect to be decent...and it's bad (like the above)...and a car that you know will be bad...but you end up loving it.
Those accolades go to the 2010ish Chevrolet Matiz - a car that i wondered how it was still being produced - felt from another era...but like...superb fun to drive! (in a 'this is going to tip over' way) and the Suzuki Jimny - felt ancient...wobbly...slow..topply.....but i loved it!
"Character!"...............?
chim79 said:
Mokka 1.7 CDTI auto. Just awful. Noisy, agricultural engine, flimsy build, dark and cramped, cheap interior plastics and finish, no steering feel, rubbish gearbox, poor visibility, poor seats, lack of any comfort, tiny boot, impractical rear door.
I cannot think of a single target demographic that it would satisfy.
They seem to be the Motability car de jour at the moment. I cannot think of a single target demographic that it would satisfy.
Must be easy to get in and out of.
Johnnytheboy said:
chim79 said:
Mokka 1.7 CDTI auto. Just awful. Noisy, agricultural engine, flimsy build, dark and cramped, cheap interior plastics and finish, no steering feel, rubbish gearbox, poor visibility, poor seats, lack of any comfort, tiny boot, impractical rear door.
I cannot think of a single target demographic that it would satisfy.
They seem to be the Motability car de jour at the moment. I cannot think of a single target demographic that it would satisfy.
Must be easy to get in and out of.
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