What's the worst garage loan car you've been given?

[VeegasS4]

I've just dropped my car in for a service and bit of work that needed doing, to be faced with the prospect of a 2000 plate 1.4 Rover 25 5 door in gold as a loan car.

Although the prospect of a walk in the rain was slightly more appetising and I did feel the need of having a paper bag head wear, I did drive off.

Anyone else had any truly awful loan cars?

[Kell]

I'd say this one comes pretty close:



W reg 323i with >200,000 miles on the clock.

Having said that, it ran perfectly well and was better than no car at all.

[Dave Hedgehog]

2010 1.2 polo duel cluth

just the most dreary hateful box of beige, made worse by truly terrible electric steering which would change weighting randomly, even if you took the same corner in an identical fashion the steering would be different every time

hateful thing


the most dangerous was a carina estate where the back shocks had gone, but it was huge fun as it would drift at 20mph lol

[essayer]

In 2011, an N-plate A4 that had such a loose front end that when you went over speed bumps the whole engine, suspension and steering wheel would feel like they were falling out of the front of the car

[Qubit]

A knackered old Clio that subsequently broke down (on holiday in remote Devon) and the garage had to come and collect both me and the Clio.

[Bill]

I can't remember exactly what it was but it was the owner's hack. It smelt like his dog had died in it, the front seat had collapsed and the engine warning light was on. It was raining and just far enough to make walking back to work unfeasible in the time.

[dapearson]

Dave Hedgehog said:

the most dangerous was a carina estate where the back shocks had gone, but it was huge fun as it would drift at 20mph lol

glad to see that heritage is still present in my avensis estate.

[LY99]

Dropped my VX220 in for some work and got given a Chevrolet Matiz as a loan car. It got worse when I opened the door to find it was an auto.

Kept it locked in 2nd gear all the way up the Fosse way as if it went into 3rd it started to slow down.

After 2 days it started making funny noises just so I took it back and got given a Ford Ka

Worst week of my life.....

[PHmember]

Back in about 1999 I got given one of these to replace my Mk2 MR2 whilst work was being done. As a 24 year old at the time I was gutted to see this waiting for me:


Turns out it was BRILLIANT fun as it was SO awful you didn't care about it.

It went from being the worst courtesy car to being the best :-D

[Bill]

I also once got a Micra with a cvt gearbox and a Subaru main dealer loaned me an ancient Justy that appeared to have no suspension.

[Bill]

Aaaand, once when my bike was in for a service I got a 125 twist and go scooter. Which would have been fine but I was wearing full leathers and a race rep helmet so got some comedy double takes pulling up necpxt to other bikes at the lights.

[DonnyMac]

5 Series went in for some work, I came out with a Cincquento (sp?) I'm 6'2" and don't particularly like driving with my knees.

[plasticpig]

A 10 year old Yugo 45. One mile away from the garage and the gear linkage snapped so I had to drive it back in first gear.

[jfdi]

Basic Mitsubishi Colt when the Alfa 147 went in for some work. It was brand new with less than 100 miles on it but it scared the hell out of me.

arrive at corner
turn steering wheel
wait while tyres scrub the road and warm up to get some grip
at last the cars starting to turn

Seating position was like sitting on an up turned milk crate and acceleration out of junctions was also really scary, however at least this limited the speed you could enter the next corner at.

So next time you're stuck behind an old dear in a Colt crawling along have patience, they are going as fast as they can.

[JDMDrifter]

Local MOT station near me gives out Ford Ka's. Decent little motor, however they are painted bright orange and decorated with advertising.

Subtle isn't the word

[0llie]

In 2012, I got an '02 Fiat Stilo 5dr in Brown with 120k on the clock. It was knackered. And it wasn't a suitable replacement for my Land Rover which had gone in for the work, it really struggled to get across a muddy car park

However, it was given to me at short notice and at no charge, and had better waterproofing qualities than my coat.

[Phil Dicky]

Back in 1987 my Cavalier SRI had a fault which I kicked up a stink about. Garage repaired the car but gave me a Lada Riva as a courtesy car....so they had the last laugh

[David87]

Without doubt, this Honda Logo. Now, it wasn't actually bad to drive, but it looked a bit like the car from The Inbetweeners and was just generally deeply uncool.

[austinsmirk]

my wife was loaned a brand new citroen DS3 or C3 - I forget it was so bland for about 3 weeks. I cannot believe just how bad a car it was, given it was something like a £15k brand new car. I think a 1.4 hdi engine which had nil power in, some stupid half panel retracting windscreen cover thing inside to give you an extra large windscreen - wtf ?) it might as well have been a car from the 80's just nothing had moved on in terms of built quality, fit/finish etc.

fiat stilo also springs to mind as horrid.


I can remember my fathers brand new Volvo saloon being in for servicing I guess, in the 1980's and him turning up to pick me up at school, outside the gates, just as everyone is leaving, in a brown vauxhill viva of all things: and it looked old and beyond help even in 1980 something !!! quite why he was loaned that I will never know.

[gazchap]

A silver Daewoo Lanos, with keep fit windows that didn't work, no working heater controls, a sunroof that was sealed shut and the unmistakable smell of dog permeating the entire car (along with nicotine.)

In the middle of a heatwave, it wasn't the best car for me to be driving around in.