"Courtesy" Car Hell.

[GregE240]

Barge went in for new bumper today, so a hire car beckoned. Wise money was on something dog rough, and suffice to say I was underwhelmed.

Its a 1 litre Corsa. It rattles like nothing else I've ever driven (er, apart from another Corsa). Given it has only 15K on the clock, I cannot believe people actually buy these cars. Its hideous in extremis. Why are Vauxhall plastics so rubbish when other car makers do it so much better?

Thank goodness I'm only in it today and tomorrow. Hopefully.

So come on then - whats the worst automotive courtesy you've ever been saddled with?

[Graham]

BL Ital...... gear box fell out when i went over a hump back bridge... mates made me park it round the corner when we went to the pub...

[MikeyT]

A Pug 205 Diesel - C reg, in a dark purpley blue with knackered suspension, a fuel gauge without a needle and a slow puncture.

Mind you, it did me for the two days I had it - gratis of course.

Is the Corsa from the garage or not?

[mechsympathy]

Is that one with a 3 pot engine. Bloke I know had one he took back to be told "they're all like that sir".

Had a Skoda 120 once, in beige. Classy.

[PetrolTed]

Friend of mine took his Bentley in to an independent for some tweaking the other day and they gave him a Roller

[plotloss]

What pisses me off is that you take your TVR in for a scheduled service, you then get a shite motor and they charge you for the priviledge of having a shite motor for 5 days instead of one whilst they sort out the problems that other people in the TVR warranty loop have introduced

Matt.

[FourWheelDrift]

plotloss said: What pisses me off is that you take your TVR in for a scheduled service, you then get a shite motor and they charge you for the priviledge of having a shite motor for 5 days instead of one whilst they sort out the problems that other people in the TVR warranty loop have introduced

Matt.

Not all of us though, I had a Tuscan for 4 days when my Cerbera went in for a service (this was a few years ago too when they were still quite rare). Thanks James

>> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Thursday 3rd April 11:36

[robkola]

I'm expecting a Corsa whilst the Chimaera's bumper is being sorted next week . . . have to get used to kids not shouting "nice car" but more like "to553r!"

Shall I stick a Pistonheads sticker onto it?

.. where's my bike pump?

[RichB]

I had a 4.0 Chimaera when my Griff 500 went in a for a week a few years ago. p.s. There certainly is a difference in performance Rich...

[sparkey]

My Co Freelander died last week and they gave me a courtesy Jag X-type. I didn't complain.

[nevpugh308]

I do 25k's worth of motorway miles per year. What did they give me ? A 1.0 Micra. For three months.

I was so pleased.

Bl**dy AA insurance.

(mind you, they do 102 downhill if you try hard enough ! ... bit scary tho)

[alfa dave]

Friend had an Elan when they first came out. So many problems. Had an Esprit as a courtesy though, had it for so long that we ended up taking it to Le Mans - which was nice.

[spandexx]

I had a 1.3 16v micra once (I bet you are green with envy)

But that ended soon after it had a mating with a wall!

[MikeyT]

RichB said: I had a 4.0 Chimaera when my Griff 500 went in a for a week a few years ago. p.s. There certainly is a difference in performance Rich...

Yeah, but you don't get as many admiring looks in the Griff rich ...

[tvrslag]

Got a Fiat punto 80 once as a hire car as the company hack was away being serviced.
Must confess it was a bit frightening being overtaken by lorries on uphill stretches of motorway!! The car wouldn't do over 80 on a straight, and overtaking required the use of a crystal ball.

[judas]

Renault 19... :shuddersinrevulsion: Quite possibly the worst car I've ever had the misfortune to drive, apart from my boss's Rover 600

[RCA]

MikeyT said:

RichB said: I had a 4.0 Chimaera when my Griff 500 went in a for a week a few years ago. p.s. There certainly is a difference in performance Rich...

Yeah, but you don't get as many admiring looks in the Griff rich ...

[granville]

Either a Mondeo turbo diesel (flat spot edition) or a spectacularly hateful Astra diesel.

Somebody once said third class driving's better than first class walking. Mass market Italian exotica aside (), I'm not so sure...

[trackdemon]

tvrslag said: Got a Fiat punto 80 once as a hire car as the company hack was away being serviced.
Must confess it was a bit frightening being overtaken by lorries on uphill stretches of motorway!! The car wouldn't do over 80 on a straight, and overtaking required the use of a crystal ball.

Cant understand this? My old Punto 55 would indicate 100 on the m'way without too much trouble, easily 85 uphill. Bloody great little car.
Oh yes, 'courtesy' cars. Well, we were lumbered with one of those horrid 3 cyl Corsa's when the wifes Golf Colour Concept was in for some bodywork. What a truly awful car - slow barely covers it and quite possibly the worst handling car I've ever driven.
Highly amused to be given a beaten up old Scirroco as a runaround when my Chimaera was in for a service... the joys of using specialists....

[Lv2spd]

Your stories make me thrilled to be an american.

Where 1 litres are laughed off the road. and 3 cylinders are only half a motor.