Best and worst owned cars?

[MarkK]

First-1986(4 years old at the time) Renault 11 hatchback version, i imagined the hatch looked like a 944 and the front a Delorean-This car had serious quality issues[]!!
Best-my 944 Turbos ,leaning towards the "tuned" one[] a keeper...no car other car i have ever driven makes me use naughty swear words like this one[][]
Worst-The first one by a long shot,bits fell off and it left me stranded more than once,but it was better than the bus!

 

[pauljmcnulty]

First-1986(4 years old at the time) Renault 11 hatchback version

Didn't realise you were allowed to drive a Renault at only 4 years old, Mark.....[&:]

 

[SteveSJS]

Best - current car - 924S -

Worst - Austin Maxi - drank oil, gearbox was like a fairy tale... Grimm!!! Twice when changing down while going quite quickly into a roundabout no gear was available - frightened me witless. Othertimes it was like stirring a long knitting needle in a bag of marbles.

First - Ford Rochdale special back in the mid-sixties - fond, fond memories - it's dreadfulness (?) is masked by the passage of time I fear, but it was still great fun and surprisingly quick - 1172 side valve engine, you could decoke the thing on a Saturday morning, which I seem to remember needed to be done about once a month...
The Engine was mated to an MG J non synch gearbox - most of the time once moving you didn't bother with the clutch.

Eeeeee them were the days!!



S

 

[rob.kellock]

First - Triumph Acclaim HLS - sweet Honda engine, sold it to my Grandad (really)

Worst - MG Maestro 2.0EFi - rebuilt write off, electrics shot, learned the hard way never to buy a car in the rain

Best - in many ways the 944 but the crown has to go to the 996, stunning.

 

[MarkK]

The Renault was passed on to my brother's mrs after i had it, and going round a corner a wheel caved into the wheelarch,she wasn't a happy bunny[][]It was the "Broadway"dealer special edition..nice..[:'(]

 

[DivineE]

I'm really enjoying reading this topic but I have to admit I agree with Paul on the Metro. It might be built badly but its really good fun to drive! Anyway:

BEST: My old 1984 944 LUX (had to have the turbo because I'm power crazy but ultimately the lux was a better car and the early dash has more character. IMHO)

WORST: BMW E36 M3. Badly built, No brakes and no handling just a great engine with odles of power in a dull sallon. The fun wore off about as quickly as the rear tires!

FIRST: 1983 VW Polo (in custard yellow) the fastest and highest revving 1.1 I've ever known!

But the worst car ever driven ..so bad infact that I was put off after only 5 minutes of the test drive was the TVR Cerbera 4.5. I knew all the stories about how badly built they were but and was won over to wanting one by the power and the noise. When I went to look at a couple and the true horror of just how bad they were hit home hard! It looked like it had come out of a Chrismas Cracker! But worst of all they aren't even that fast! Most of them only produce 300-350bhp even when they are new! If your reading this and think I'm just being silly try driving to see one in your 944 turbo and then try to overtake as you would in the 944 when your driving the TVR! It just doesn't happen!

Regards,

Ben

 

[Neil Haughey]

Ok those late k series ones where pretty nippy, always wanted to put a k series in a mini but never got round to it. Problem with the metro was that many of them where dogs. The one I had cost me 180 quid and I only wanted it to get the engine for my mini. Seriously though apart from 1 half decent late model metro gti all the metro's I came into contact with where sheds. My brother used to work for that MiniBitz outfit down by franklins gardens (directly opposite the now non-existent Ritzy for those Northamptoners of a certain age to remember it), he may well have serviced your car if it ever went down there.

 

[Neil Haughey]

ORIGINAL: DivineE

WORST: BMW E36 M3. Badly built, No brakes and no handling just a great engine with odles of power in a dull sallon. The fun wore off about as quickly as the rear tires!
Regards,

Ben

I was always tempted by one of those but for some reason I was put off by all the stories of the doors rattling and the fact that a friend of a friend had to replace the gearbox on one when it was only a few years old.

 

[cococola]

I bought a Metro just before I got married going on hp with the wife to be and the week before the wedding I rolled the car with my best man in the car breaking his collarbone[].The car was written off and I was paid out over the odds suprisingly and about 4/5 months later I started getting parking tickets from London for the same car!![]The Mrs swore that I did it on purpose because I didnt really like the car (talked into it by her) and 20 years on I still smile at the wedding photos of my best man with his straight armed photos[][]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

Ok those late k series ones where pretty nippy, always wanted to put a k series in a mini but never got round to it. Problem with the metro was that many of them where dogs. The one I had cost me 180 quid and I only wanted it to get the engine for my mini. Seriously though apart from 1 half decent late model metro gti all the metro's I came into contact with where sheds. My brother used to work for that MiniBitz outfit down by franklins gardens (directly opposite the now non-existent Ritzy for those Northamptoners of a certain age to remember it), he may well have serviced your car if it ever went down there.

 

[georgethackray]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty
First and in it's way worst - Allegro. Boy did I stand out from the other lads with their Capris and Escorts with my sludge brown velour seats and square steering wheel....was incredibly reliable though! And for some reason the girls liked it - maybe because it was just not trying to prove anything?

Best: Definitely my 944 S2 Cab. Before that it was my Ford Cortina. The Cortina was only car I have ever bought new. I was so proud of it.
First: A 1973 Austin 1100. The seller saw me coming. It cost £200.00 and had 3 weeks MOT left on it. I had no idea what an MOT was at the time until I took the thing to a garage and they told me I shouldn't have it back. The soundest parts of the car were the pieces of biscuit tin covering the holes in the floor. The sellotape holding them in place didn't stick because of the damp.
Worst: Despite the faults of the Austin 1100, it was my first car and I loved it. The worst, like Mr McNulty, was my Austin Allegro. Dark Brown colour, horrible seats, and yet, again like Mr McNulty, it helped me pull the most gorgeous girl I ever dated (present wife excepted of course []). Again, the dealer saw me coming, it was so bad that he gladly took the Austin 1100 in part exchange. It smoked after the first 5 miles, and blew a piston ring when I was bringing the above mentioned stunner home from a night in Blackpool. It did 20mpg of oil, 25mpg of Petrol. I learnt a lesson there!

 

[Fred Hindle]

First - Autobianchi Giardiniera -that 's a FIAT 500 Estate to you. - Given to me by my sister. Drove it on private roads around the estate. Hit a stone wall at approx 1.5 mph. Shoe lace caught on a pedal and didn't have the brains to switch the ignition off. After this one of the headlights was slightly inward looking but still worked.

Worst - Morris 1300 Estate Automatic - Was never happy after the engine blew the oil filter housing off its seat and put a load of oil on the drive. Gearbox made horrible noises and struggled setting off on the gentlest incline, very embarrassing when going fishing with three people in the car.

Best - Got to be my 944, bought it in 1993 and still sat on the drive today. Always brings a smile to my face. Even better than the 964 as an all rounder.

 

[peanut]

First was a 1950 Ford Prefect sidevalve in pillar -box red with bucket seats . I fitted lots of extra gauges including one from a washing machine.? 0-50 in 2 days
worst car was probably Datsun 260Z in orange. saw it on a flatbed lorry going to the breakers. Pleaded to buy it spent 5 years welding it and finaly gave up
Best car has to be any of my 3x 944's they are all incredable. I am so glad I sold my 928 last week and bought another S2 Everytime I look out the window a huge smile goes across my chops and I can't get rid of it. What a phenomenal car and so under-rated.

 

[cococola]

Glad to see you went upmarket in the end Fred!

ORIGINAL: Fred Hindle

First - Autobianchi Giardiniera -that 's a FIAT 500 Estate to you. - Given to me by my sister. Drove it on private roads around the estate. Hit a stone wall at approx 1.5 mph. Shoe lace caught on a pedal and didn't have the brains to switch the ignition off. After this one of the headlights was slightly inward looking but still worked.

Worst - Morris 1300 Estate Automatic - Was never happy after the engine blew the oil filter housing off its seat and put a load of oil on the drive. Gearbox made horrible noises and struggled setting off on the gentlest incline, very embarrassing when going fishing with three people in the car.

Best - Got to be my 944, bought it in 1993 and still sat on the drive today. Always brings a smile to my face. Even better than the 964 as an all rounder.

 

[MonkeyRacing]

First
MG Metro in many ways the perfect first car. Fun, chuckable, idiot proof or so i thought until attempting some rallying style antics one night the handbrake flipped it onto it's side. Climbed out the sunroof with the famed leaky BL petrol cap threatening to send us to kingdom come. Pushed back onto it's wheels with the aid of a couple of passers-by & we're off again. Next was a Fiat X1-9 which was great summer fun until meeting it's maker against a lamp post & a 1970 Mini 1450 Howley which sounded like half a Ford Mustang, awesome bit of kit.

Worst
Easily an ex-diplomatic 1974 Merc 240D Limo! Decked out with home hi-fi speakers, leopard skin seat covers and hanging disco ball! This beast was left hand drive with a column change & was bought primarily for going clubbing in. Would regularily get stuck in 4th gear which really focuses your attention when cruising across London & you're trying to time the lights so you don't have to stop. A Mk4 Escort really did not like towing it!

Best
Well the '44 is always a bit of an event, love it to bits. Even coming from the BM it still amazes me how raw it feels especially with no power steering. The 318is i have now is probably the best all round car i've ever owned & you see very few E30's now that are straight, original & unmolested. A few others of note BMW 528i E28, great noise in tunnels, Pug 205 1.6GTi - best handler, Fiat Uno Turbo - great fun baiting XR Fords at Goodwood.

Si

 

[Robert Edwards]

I agree with the 205, and also with the Merc. When D-B get it wrong, it's just amazing; but when they get it right, it's also amazing - I left the 205 off my list probably because some idiot ran into me at a crossroads and the impact (and resulting damage) made me realise that the striving for a decent power/weight ratio was at the expense of safety. The impact took place at perhaps 8 mph and m'car resembled a crumpled paper bag. But agreed - tremendous handling.

 

[Neil Haughey]

ORIGINAL: Robert Edwards

I agree with the 205, and also with the Merc. When D-B get it wrong, it's just amazing; but when they get it right, it's also amazing

What I have been reading recently says that the current E class has more problems then the current crop of Citroens.

 

[Robert Edwards]

Which is certainly saying something; it is the Citroen is one of few marques which I have never owned, as their reputation precedes them

Another worst car (although not mine, so it didn't really count) was the Sunbeam Tiger; only when I discovered that the floorpan was lifted directly from the Hillman Husky did the sheer awfulness of the thing make sense - otherwise it would have been a mystery as to why it was so reluctant to go around corners.

 

[George Elliott]

Neil, Merc allowed unit manufacturing cost to dictate their product quality.[]
The Tail swung the Dog, - because of the bean counters.
And now they have no beans.[8|]
George

 

[rob.kellock]

I've read that too but my last car was a Merc CLK which I ran for 2 years and 28000 miles and it's the only car I've ever had where nothing whatsoever went wrong with it. Only needed one service too but not sure how well that few oil changes will bode for future custodians...

 

[Guest]

First car - 72 VW 1200 cc.
Worst car - 95 Nissan sunny van ( Japanese reliability my arse ! )
Best car - I'm listing 3 cars here, love them all equally but for different reasons. My 75 VW 1303 that I've owned since 93 and restored her about 5 years ago ( will never sell her ).
My 83 944 lux which never missed a beat in 3 years of abusive ownership.
And my current 89 944 turbo (ex andrew sweetenhams). What can I say about this white beast _ I love her!!!

John Daly.