Is this the most desperate advert in the history of motoring
Discussion
ClaphamGT3 said:
They would have been better advised to advertise them as
"FSO - they make a really good field-car for farmer's kids"
I used to think they were great; miles better than the MkIII Cortina's, Vauxhall Viva's, Mini's, Simca's & Skoda's that I also had
I think you've answered your own question there. MkIII Cortina - released 1971. Vauxhall Viva - released 1965. Mini - released 1959. Simca (1100?) - released 1967. Skoda (rear-engined models?) - released 1964."FSO - they make a really good field-car for farmer's kids"
I used to think they were great; miles better than the MkIII Cortina's, Vauxhall Viva's, Mini's, Simca's & Skoda's that I also had
Austin Maestro - released 1983.
Lakeland9 said:
My in-laws had a Maestro in the days when I was courting the current Mrs L. When I reached son-in-law in waiting status I was allowed to borrow it. God, it was crap. Understeered into corners and oversteered out of 'em. Flat vinyl seats that were like a sweaty ice rink to sit on. Steering and gears were as bad as each other.
The thought that there were cars out there at the time that were actually inferior ( What!!) to that POS only makes me grateful that my in-laws were so profligate with the shekels that they spent the extra to buy a Maestro!!
my brother had a 1.3 and we thought it was a relatively good steer for what it was. I could sit and defend, but alas that was the problem, no two cars were the same, ours was good, yours was bad.The thought that there were cars out there at the time that were actually inferior ( What!!) to that POS only makes me grateful that my in-laws were so profligate with the shekels that they spent the extra to buy a Maestro!!
Top job!
Lakeland9 said:
My in-laws had a Maestro in the days when I was courting the current Mrs L. When I reached son-in-law in waiting status I was allowed to borrow it. God, it was crap. Understeered into corners and oversteered out of 'em. Flat vinyl seats that were like a sweaty ice rink to sit on. Steering and gears were as bad as each other.
The thought that there were cars out there at the time that were actually inferior ( What!!) to that POS only makes me grateful that my in-laws were so profligate with the shekels that they spent the extra to buy a Maestro!!
My Mum had one, a 1.6L that was passed on to me in my early 20s. I managed to spin it in the dry braking (hard) in a straight line.The thought that there were cars out there at the time that were actually inferior ( What!!) to that POS only makes me grateful that my in-laws were so profligate with the shekels that they spent the extra to buy a Maestro!!
carreauchompeur said:
That F40 ad's superb!
I love the way the FSO ad was negatively comparing the car to a Maestro, now universally considered to be a decidedly s
t car. Top advertising! You bloody speed freaks, you!
The only crime the Maestro can be accused of was that it loved too much.I love the way the FSO ad was negatively comparing the car to a Maestro, now universally considered to be a decidedly s
t car. Top advertising! You bloody speed freaks, you!Edited by red_rover on Wednesday 20th April 20:51
benjfrst said:
it was a relatively good steer for what it was.
And the other poster is mistaken, they never had vinyl seats, although the van derivative did have vinyl squabs and side bolsters.
1300 Lada Riva was a much better thing than the FSO, and would be the natural competitor for that advert, as would the Skoda Estelle too.
Maestro was in a different league entirely, and what about the Godawful Ford Escort, the best selling car in its class, and very probably the worst too, FSO excepted.
To be fair to them, the Maestro wasn't great even then, and they kinda have a point.. It was 42% cheaper than a not-very-good competitor!
If someone, even relatively unknown, came onto the scene today flogging cars that were the same size and even in the same postcode performance-wise as other cheap hatches, but at £3770 against a basic Twingo's £6500, wouldn't they get their arm snapped off?
If someone, even relatively unknown, came onto the scene today flogging cars that were the same size and even in the same postcode performance-wise as other cheap hatches, but at £3770 against a basic Twingo's £6500, wouldn't they get their arm snapped off?
McSam said:
To be fair to them, the Maestro wasn't great even then, and they kinda have a point.. It was 42% cheaper than a not-very-good competitor!
If someone, even relatively unknown, came onto the scene today flogging cars that were the same size and even in the same postcode performance-wise as other cheap hatches, but at £3770 against a basic Twingo's £6500, wouldn't they get their arm snapped off?
The build quality or the styling might not have been the strongest point on the Maestro, but please for the love of god, do not get that mixed up with modernity. I've been in a later FSO Polonez and that makes a push-rod Escort seem refined and modern in comparison.If someone, even relatively unknown, came onto the scene today flogging cars that were the same size and even in the same postcode performance-wise as other cheap hatches, but at £3770 against a basic Twingo's £6500, wouldn't they get their arm snapped off?
Lakeland9 said:
My in-laws had a Maestro in the days when I was courting the current Mrs L. When I reached son-in-law in waiting status I was allowed to borrow it. God, it was crap. Understeered into corners and oversteered out of 'em. Flat vinyl seats that were like a sweaty ice rink to sit on. Steering and gears were as bad as each other.
The thought that there were cars out there at the time that were actually inferior ( What!!) to that POS only makes me grateful that my in-laws were so profligate with the shekels that they spent the extra to buy a Maestro!!
I had two c. 10 year old MG Maestros in the late 90's/early 2000's. I thought they were really rather good, certainly better than the XR2/XR3/Astra GTE etc (but not a patch on 205 GTi on the handling front), just tarred with the Rover 'old man' image (sorry, probably blaspheming). They rotted like hell, yes, but were beautifully free revving, handled well, and had a well put together interior with great seats (at least in MG form). They were also well ahead of their time with the digital dashboard (Audi Quattro and Astra GTE excepted), although only they seemed to get slagged off for it.The thought that there were cars out there at the time that were actually inferior ( What!!) to that POS only makes me grateful that my in-laws were so profligate with the shekels that they spent the extra to buy a Maestro!!
Having said that a) I may be mad and b) I wouldn't have a non-MG version if you paid me.
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