Driving your hero cars.Which exceeded/failed expectations?
Discussion
Have you owned/driven your "hero" cars and did they exceed or fail to live up to your expectations? Being a child of the 1980s most of my "hero" cars are from the 1980s and 1990s and even ignoring the exotica are now almost unattainable and may well struggle to live up to their £50k+ asking prices in today's market. I'm thinking stuff like the Audi quattro, E30 M3, Sierra/Escort RS Cosworth, DC2 Integra Type R, Delta Integrale Evo, Impreza P1 etc. I guess some of the newer ones, mk1 Focus RS, E46 M3, Golf R32, 8V Audi RS3, F87 M2, C63 AMG, Guilia QV are still somewhat attainable but I have yet to drive any of them.
Of the ones that I have owned/driven, the ones that didn't fail to disappoint were:
205 GTi 1.6 - my first performance car and every bit as quick and exciting as I hoped that it would be
BMW 325i (E30) - it felt quick to me at the time, lovely control weight, classic BMW soundtrack and more power than grip which led to suitably entertaining handling in contrast to the car that preceded it (more on that later), even though mine was the slightly "floppy" convertible version
Corrado VR6 - was faster and sounded even better than the BMW if that's possible, very neutral confidence-inspiring handling and put its power down really well even in the wet despite the lack of traction control
Impreza WRX Wagon ("Blobeye") - all the more surprising haven driven another Impreza and been disappointed but this is by far the quickest car that I have owned and very exciting to drive whilst being fantastically compliant on our bumpy British B roads. Other than the pretty poor fuel economy, a fantastic all-rounder
MINI Cooper (R56) - alright, the R53 (supercharged) Cooper S was probably the "hero" car of the new generation MINI for me but despite a slightly lacklustre engine this was a really fine handling and fun little car, which totally delivered on its looks (unlike the Fiat 500, which was a massive disappointment in terms of driving)
The ones that failed to live up to their "hero" status:
Clio 182/Ford Puma (the 90s coupe one) - coming from a 205 GTi and looking for a worthy more modern replacement, I strongly considered both of these but they left me wanting. The Ford was very competent but I just didn't gel with it, which was a shame, as Ford seemed to be on a roll at the time and "cooking" versions that I drove of both the mk1 Ford Ka and mk1 Focus at that time were both excellent. The Clio, I just didn't get on with at the time due to the rather odd driving position and the rather "industrial" sounding motor. I'm sure that on an extended test drive that the handling would have been great but it failed to excite after the 205 when the automotive press (Evo etc) had proclaimed it as the second coming.
NB Mazda MX5 1.8 - this is what I actually replaced the 205 with and although it was nice to have a convertible sports car and RWD for the first time, the 1.8 motor was not a revvy sports car engine like a K-Series and felt considerably slower than its 150 or so bhp and on 16 inch rims had too much grip relative to its power (it felt like it wanted to understeer like a FWD hatchback all the time rather than exit every corner/junction on a dab of oppo), which is exactly what its replacement (E30 325i) did!
Impreza WRX STI ("Blobeye") - I actually drove this before the Impreza WRX wagon that I owned for 3 years and on my admittedly short test drive it just felt very laggy and not particularly quick and very "crashy" ie overly firm damping, I really didn't like it, even though it looked like a "hooligan's dream".
Mustang GT - you had to work it surprisingly hard for the performance and it did admittedly sound fabulous but just too soft/vague overall and difficult to drive smoothly in traffic (manual transmission).
That's about it for me really, I drove a fairly recent Wrangler V6 in the USA a couple of years ago, a car that I think is very cool but expected to be pretty dire to drive but actually it was surprisingly decent ie on a par with an early Discovery rather than a "classic" Defender like I expected it to be I guess. I would still take the opportunity to drive my "hero" cars if given though, as I would rather have that experience than not have that experience, even if it turned out to be a disappointment.
So what "hero" cars that you were really looking forward to driving hit the spot and what were the "misses" for you?
Of the ones that I have owned/driven, the ones that didn't fail to disappoint were:
205 GTi 1.6 - my first performance car and every bit as quick and exciting as I hoped that it would be
BMW 325i (E30) - it felt quick to me at the time, lovely control weight, classic BMW soundtrack and more power than grip which led to suitably entertaining handling in contrast to the car that preceded it (more on that later), even though mine was the slightly "floppy" convertible version
Corrado VR6 - was faster and sounded even better than the BMW if that's possible, very neutral confidence-inspiring handling and put its power down really well even in the wet despite the lack of traction control
Impreza WRX Wagon ("Blobeye") - all the more surprising haven driven another Impreza and been disappointed but this is by far the quickest car that I have owned and very exciting to drive whilst being fantastically compliant on our bumpy British B roads. Other than the pretty poor fuel economy, a fantastic all-rounder
MINI Cooper (R56) - alright, the R53 (supercharged) Cooper S was probably the "hero" car of the new generation MINI for me but despite a slightly lacklustre engine this was a really fine handling and fun little car, which totally delivered on its looks (unlike the Fiat 500, which was a massive disappointment in terms of driving)
The ones that failed to live up to their "hero" status:
Clio 182/Ford Puma (the 90s coupe one) - coming from a 205 GTi and looking for a worthy more modern replacement, I strongly considered both of these but they left me wanting. The Ford was very competent but I just didn't gel with it, which was a shame, as Ford seemed to be on a roll at the time and "cooking" versions that I drove of both the mk1 Ford Ka and mk1 Focus at that time were both excellent. The Clio, I just didn't get on with at the time due to the rather odd driving position and the rather "industrial" sounding motor. I'm sure that on an extended test drive that the handling would have been great but it failed to excite after the 205 when the automotive press (Evo etc) had proclaimed it as the second coming.
NB Mazda MX5 1.8 - this is what I actually replaced the 205 with and although it was nice to have a convertible sports car and RWD for the first time, the 1.8 motor was not a revvy sports car engine like a K-Series and felt considerably slower than its 150 or so bhp and on 16 inch rims had too much grip relative to its power (it felt like it wanted to understeer like a FWD hatchback all the time rather than exit every corner/junction on a dab of oppo), which is exactly what its replacement (E30 325i) did!
Impreza WRX STI ("Blobeye") - I actually drove this before the Impreza WRX wagon that I owned for 3 years and on my admittedly short test drive it just felt very laggy and not particularly quick and very "crashy" ie overly firm damping, I really didn't like it, even though it looked like a "hooligan's dream".
Mustang GT - you had to work it surprisingly hard for the performance and it did admittedly sound fabulous but just too soft/vague overall and difficult to drive smoothly in traffic (manual transmission).
That's about it for me really, I drove a fairly recent Wrangler V6 in the USA a couple of years ago, a car that I think is very cool but expected to be pretty dire to drive but actually it was surprisingly decent ie on a par with an early Discovery rather than a "classic" Defender like I expected it to be I guess. I would still take the opportunity to drive my "hero" cars if given though, as I would rather have that experience than not have that experience, even if it turned out to be a disappointment.
So what "hero" cars that you were really looking forward to driving hit the spot and what were the "misses" for you?
Edited by Starsky80 on Monday 11th May 15:06
Edited by Starsky80 on Monday 11th May 15:06
Clio Williams - no doubt great in its day but these days its tiny and nippy at best. I'm not sure my mum's Fiesta couldn't have been quicker down a twisty road.
Calibra Turbo - smooth and did 150mph but chassis must have been made of wood.
205 GTI 1.9 of my youth was epic but would never ruin the memories by driving one today.
Lotus Elise - best car I ever owned. Forget it when people talk about good handing cars. Once you've driven one of those everything else feels like a London bus. Fast, light, cheap to run with A/C, 6 speed box, Toyota engine. What a car. If divorce wasn't so expensive I'd have another.
Calibra Turbo - smooth and did 150mph but chassis must have been made of wood.
205 GTI 1.9 of my youth was epic but would never ruin the memories by driving one today.
Lotus Elise - best car I ever owned. Forget it when people talk about good handing cars. Once you've driven one of those everything else feels like a London bus. Fast, light, cheap to run with A/C, 6 speed box, Toyota engine. What a car. If divorce wasn't so expensive I'd have another.
I've only really have one hero car and that the Lotus Carlton and was lucky enough to have one for a few days back in whenever it was and yes, there's was much concern on my part that it'd be a bit of a let down, classic case of "don't meet your hero" and all that and it wasn't. Yes it's old, mechanical, heavy and you're still sat in an 80's Carlton interior but it was awesome. Just one of those "What a thing!!!" situations and has done nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for them. Without a shadow of doubt, it'd be the first car based purchase if the means suddenly fell into my lap.
I have to disagree about the Puma. Saying that, I had lower expectations thinking the "drivers car" advertising using Bullitt was just a gimmick. That car drove way above what I was expecting. An average engine and not that quick in a straight line but the handling, feel, steering, gear change and the way it carried speed was a revelation to me. It remains the best handling FWD car I've ever driven.
I'd also say the 996 Carrera. The 911 is the definition of my hero car. I know the 996 was heavily criticised for the styling and the lack of air cooling but it's been my hero car since I was a kid. Being the base C2S model, I was expecting it to be good but not great. I was wrong. What a fantastic machine to drive. I think the manual gearbox helped as I drove a 996 C4S Tiptronic and was very disappointed.
Struggling to think of a hero car I was disappointed with to be honest.
I'd also say the 996 Carrera. The 911 is the definition of my hero car. I know the 996 was heavily criticised for the styling and the lack of air cooling but it's been my hero car since I was a kid. Being the base C2S model, I was expecting it to be good but not great. I was wrong. What a fantastic machine to drive. I think the manual gearbox helped as I drove a 996 C4S Tiptronic and was very disappointed.
Struggling to think of a hero car I was disappointed with to be honest.
Being born in the 70's the original 80's Esprit turbo was my hero car. Fully lived up to expectations in terms of ride, handling, acceleration and the sound of the wastgate opening just behind your head. A flawed car in some regards but that's part of the charm of it and in no way detract from the actual driving experience.
Hero GT is an Aston Martin Vanquish S and that didn't disappoint either. Utterly, utterly brilliant. Remarkable balance between ride and handling with an effortless ability to cover long distances in comfort.
Hero GT is an Aston Martin Vanquish S and that didn't disappoint either. Utterly, utterly brilliant. Remarkable balance between ride and handling with an effortless ability to cover long distances in comfort.
Did the 6th gear driving experience many years ago murci and gallardo both a tad underwhelming as you had to change at 5500 rpm ish, drove there in my lightly mapped torque monster 530d msport manual which was far quicker. At 6' 4" I squeezed in but wouldn't want to drive for long distances, but at least I ticked the box
toon10 said:
I have to disagree about the Puma. Saying that, I had lower expectations thinking the "drivers car" advertising using Bullitt was just a gimmick. That car drove way above what I was expecting. An average engine and not that quick in a straight line but the handling, feel, steering, gear change and the way it carried speed was a revelation to me. It remains the best handling FWD car I've ever driven.
I'd also say the 996 Carrera. The 911 is the definition of my hero car. I know the 996 was heavily criticised for the styling and the lack of air cooling but it's been my hero car since I was a kid. Being the base C2S model, I was expecting it to be good but not great. I was wrong. What a fantastic machine to drive. I think the manual gearbox helped as I drove a 996 C4S Tiptronic and was very disappointed.
Struggling to think of a hero car I was disappointed with to be honest.
I had a 1700 engine Puma about ten years ago, back when one could pick them up for almost nothing. It was a decent car and enjoyable to drive, although had shortcomings: the back seat was no good, the boot was small and the interior was poorly ventilated. Other than that (and having to wear at least one driving glove in winter), I liked it.I'd also say the 996 Carrera. The 911 is the definition of my hero car. I know the 996 was heavily criticised for the styling and the lack of air cooling but it's been my hero car since I was a kid. Being the base C2S model, I was expecting it to be good but not great. I was wrong. What a fantastic machine to drive. I think the manual gearbox helped as I drove a 996 C4S Tiptronic and was very disappointed.
Struggling to think of a hero car I was disappointed with to be honest.
The odd thing, however, is that I never found the Puma to be any sort of revelation in the driving department. It felt like what it was, which was a fast Fiesta with moderately improved handling. Perhaps those who really liked the Puma were the sort who had, prior to driving it, been spoilt by larger, more luxurious and less communicative cars. I hadn't, in that prior to the little Ford, I'd had a Fiesta of similar vintage, a Mark One Focus (more sophisticated chassis, if less driver focussed), a Xsara coupe and so on. The Puma was good, in class terms, but there was a lot of good stuff about at that point if one was willing to slum it with a hatchback.
Glitzy Mitzy said:
toon10 said:
I have to disagree about the Puma. Saying that, I had lower expectations thinking the "drivers car" advertising using Bullitt was just a gimmick. That car drove way above what I was expecting. An average engine and not that quick in a straight line but the handling, feel, steering, gear change and the way it carried speed was a revelation to me. It remains the best handling FWD car I've ever driven.
I'd also say the 996 Carrera. The 911 is the definition of my hero car. I know the 996 was heavily criticised for the styling and the lack of air cooling but it's been my hero car since I was a kid. Being the base C2S model, I was expecting it to be good but not great. I was wrong. What a fantastic machine to drive. I think the manual gearbox helped as I drove a 996 C4S Tiptronic and was very disappointed.
Struggling to think of a hero car I was disappointed with to be honest.
I had a 1700 engine Puma about ten years ago, back when one could pick them up for almost nothing. It was a decent car and enjoyable to drive, although had shortcomings: the back seat was no good, the boot was small and the interior was poorly ventilated. Other than that (and having to wear at least one driving glove in winter), I liked it.I'd also say the 996 Carrera. The 911 is the definition of my hero car. I know the 996 was heavily criticised for the styling and the lack of air cooling but it's been my hero car since I was a kid. Being the base C2S model, I was expecting it to be good but not great. I was wrong. What a fantastic machine to drive. I think the manual gearbox helped as I drove a 996 C4S Tiptronic and was very disappointed.
Struggling to think of a hero car I was disappointed with to be honest.
The odd thing, however, is that I never found the Puma to be any sort of revelation in the driving department. It felt like what it was, which was a fast Fiesta with moderately improved handling. Perhaps those who really liked the Puma were the sort who had, prior to driving it, been spoilt by larger, more luxurious and less communicative cars. I hadn't, in that prior to the little Ford, I'd had a Fiesta of similar vintage, a Mark One Focus (more sophisticated chassis, if less driver focussed), a Xsara coupe and so on. The Puma was good, in class terms, but there was a lot of good stuff about at that point if one was willing to slum it with a hatchback.
My mk1.5 Focus exceeded my expectations for feel having come out of a mk6 Escort into one, it felt amazing and so light on its feet.
Biggest disappointment was a mk4 Supra (UK TT Manual) I'd owned a mk3 Turbo previously (and s13/s14 200sx's) and it just felt a bit like a barge tbh, I bought an e36 328i Coupe instead.
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