What was the worst car you ever owned.

[DustyBin]

Yes. It's truly awesome.

Nice! They’re a real anomaly these days being a genuine homologation special.

I have a MK3 Focus RS parked in the garage and drive a Fiesta ST Performance Edition day to day. All good fun!

 

[Cowley]

Nice! They’re a real anomaly these days being a genuine homologation special.

I have a MK3 Focus RS parked in the garage and drive a Fiesta ST Performance Edition day to day. All good fun!

Phwoar!

 

[Herefordian]

I've driven some rubbish hire and pool cars.

Chrysler PT Cruiser. The dashboard was shiny and it kept breaking.
Vauxhall Corsa, 2009. Cheap and nasty. Awful to drive.
Ford Fiesta diesel, 2005. Slow, noisy. Dull.
Rover CityRover. Nothing to like. At. All.
Peugeot 1007. Stupid doors, stupid gearbox.
Kia Rio diesel, 2015(?). More gutless than the Fiesta, ruined what's otherwise a good car.

 

[Lucan]

VW actually sold a rebadged version [of a Skoda Felicia] as a Caddy for a while:

As a Cadillac? That was stretching things a bit

the flexible tube link between the metal pipe from the petrol tank and the carburettor inlet was about 1/2" too short. ....
A friend who worked for BLMC (as it was then) said it was rumoured that they miscalculated the production costs and made a loss on every mini they sold! I wondered whether shaving 1/2" off the hose that let us down was one of their attempts to minimise the losses.

I expect it had been shortened by a previous owner when one of the original ends split. Nevertheless, I knew a guy who had worked in the Ford design offices. He said that everything was costed to 0.1 pence. When you are making millions of them that mounts up.

They [Reliant Robins] were cheap and I think you only needed a motorcycle licence.

Needing only a motorcycle licence was plain silly. The things managed to combine most of the disadvantages of a car and a motorcyle. They seemed to be designed to roll over if you were braking and turning at the same time (just as you might to to avoid a collision). I changed a clutch on one once and they were awful to work on. Oddly enough, the Reliant Scimitar was a nice looking sports car and in a totally different league from the Robin - I drove one once and always fancied one myself.

 

[AndrewE]

I expect it had been shortened by a previous owner when one of the original ends split. Nevertheless, I knew a guy who had worked in the Ford design offices. He said that everything was costed to 0.1 pence. When you are making millions of them that mounts up.

No, SWMBO had it from new. I had to buy a length of the fibre-reinforced clear hose to make sure it didn't happen again. Still got the off-cut!

 

[dgl]

A friend who worked for BLMC (as it was then) said it was rumoured that they miscalculated the production costs and made a loss on every mini they sold! I wondered whether shaving 1/2" off the hose that let us down was one of their attempts to minimise the losses...

Ford wondered how they could make one for the price they were asking so brought one and took it apart. They realised that it was impossible they could make it for what they were selling it for.

As for the worst car, I haven't owned a car but my Aunties KA must be the worst car that's been on that side of the family, brought brand new in 2006 replacing a Volvo 340 1.7GLE, had to have a fair amount of work on it over the years and got replaced by a K13 micra after 8 years as it wasn't really econimical to repair, was only on the road for two years after that. Also it's kit list seemed to extend to power steering, though at least it got the better tape radio rather than the very basic one they originally had as standard.

 

[Herefordian]

Ford wondered how they could make one for the price they were asking so brought one and took it apart. They realised that it was impossible they could make it for what they were selling it for.

As for the worst car, I haven't owned a car but my Aunties KA must be the worst car that's been on that side of the family, brought brand new in 2006 replacing a Volvo 340 1.7GLE, had to have a fair amount of work on it over the years and got replaced by a K13 micra after 8 years as it wasn't really econimical to repair, was only on the road for two years after that. Also it's kit list seemed to extend to power steering, though at least it got the better tape radio rather than the very basic one they originally had as standard.

My Dad bought a Ka in 2006 after his Fiesta was written off. It was cheap and he needed a car.

It was actually fun to drive, but after a few years it was full of rust, despite my Dad's best efforts.

He binned it and replaced it with his current, surprisingly good, 57-reg Ford Fusion.

 

[Ted633]

Mine was a 2001 Vauxhall Corsa 1.0. It was fine for a 1st car, although is was a bit gutless and having 5 doors with no central locking was a pain. Only reason is it my worst car is it the only car I've had that has had issues. Had a crankshaft posn sensor fail, oxygen sensor fail and an injector that needed replacing. Had it for 2 years then swapped it out for a Jetta as my insurance premiums became cheaper.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Needing only a motorcycle licence was plain silly. The things managed to combine most of the disadvantages of a car and a motorcyle. They seemed to be designed to roll over if you were braking and turning at the same time (just as you might to to avoid a collision). I changed a clutch on one once and they were awful to work on. Oddly enough, the Reliant Scimitar was a nice looking sports car and in a totally different league from the Robin - I drove one once and always fancied one myself.

Later Robins and Rialtos were actually very difficult to turn over unless you were really trying to achieve that. Most or all of the famous Top Gear bits were achieved by modifying the cars in some way, or otherwise "assisting" the process, I believe.

 

[MattA7]

Isn’t there a “microcar” that can legally be driven on a motorcycle license as it considered a moped due to its low engine power and 30mph speed restriction. Quiet unsafe though the crash tests non those things looked horrific.

 

[DustyBin]

Later Robins and Rialtos were actually very difficult to turn over unless you were really trying to achieve that. Most or all of the famous Top Gear bits were achieved by modifying the cars in some way, or otherwise "assisting" the process, I believe.

Correct, they were indeed modified to make them unstable; they don’t topple over anywhere near as easily in real life.

Reliant’s own engine is well respected and was quite advanced for the time with it’s alloy head and block. Whilst the three wheeled Reliants are seen as a bit of a joke, and I’ve personally never had the slightest inclination to own one, some of the engineering in them is actually very good.

 

[Herefordian]

Isn’t there a “microcar” that can legally be driven on a motorcycle license as it considered a moped due to its low engine power and 30mph speed restriction. Quiet unsafe though the crash tests non those things looked horrific.

You can drive anything which has up to three wheels on a motorcycle licence.

Four wheels or more (including quad bikes) and you need a car licence.

The Invacars could be driven without any licence at all. You just needed to very briefly prove you could actually drive it.

 

[Ediswan]

The Invacars could be driven without any licence at all. You just needed to very briefly prove you could actually drive it.

I recall them. I also recall seeing the remains of one that had been involved in a minor collision. No great surprise they were withdrawn from use.

 

[Herefordian]

I recall them. I also recall seeing the remains of one that had been involved in a minor collision. No great surprise they were withdrawn from use.

When I was growing up in Northampton one of my neighbours had one.

It looked absolutely terrifying to drive.

 

[dgl]

You can drive anything which has up to three wheels on a motorcycle licence.

Four wheels or more (including quad bikes) and you need a car licence.

The Invacars could be driven without any licence at all. You just needed to very briefly prove you could actually drive it.

I believe 4 wheeled vehicles that are limited to the same speed as a moped (48km/h iirc) can be driven on a provisional licence, having completed motorbike style CBT in a 4 wheeled vehicle (like a 3 wheeler), these are class AM vehicles. Naturally they can also be driven on a full mooed licence.
Look up the Axiam GT and the special version of the Renault Twizy

 

[Herefordian]

I believe 4 wheeled vehicles that are limited to the same speed as a moped (48km/h iirc) can be driven on a provisional licence, having completed motorbike style CBT in a 4 wheeled vehicle (like a 3 wheeler), these are class AM vehicles. Naturally they can also be driven on a full mooed licence.
Look up the Axiam GT and the special version of the Renault Twizy

I'd forgotten about both of those in all honesty. Haven't seen either in ages.

Learn something new every day.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

1996 Suzuki Swift 4 door version 993cc automatic P530PYW.

 

[Cowley]

1996 Suzuki Swift 4 door version 993cc automatic P530PYW.

I keep doing a double take but have you posted the same car in both threads Peter?

Best Car You've Ever Owned

We've done 'worst car you've ever owned' so how about 'best car'? Mine would be the Ford Focus I traded the problematic Renault mentioned in the other thread in for. Three years old, previously owned by an old guy who probably used it once a week to go shopping. Cost me £4000 plus the Megane...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[dgl]

I'd forgotten about both of those in all honesty. Haven't seen either in ages.

Learn something new every day.

My mum looked at getting one years ago as she has a moped only licence, wouldn't have been a good idea as she was bad enough on the bike (neighbour once commented on how much more confident I was on mine than her!).
An ex employee where I work only has a bike licence and has one of the more powerful Axiam's.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I keep doing a double take but have you posted the same car in both threads Peter?

Yes.

I only ever owned the one car... so I thought I'd see if anyone noticed... and it is, obviously, 100% accurate on both threads...

 

[Cowley]

Yes.

I only ever owned the one car... so I thought I'd see if anyone noticed... and it is, obviously, 100% accurate on both threads...

Ah, a bit like when they talk about the weather and say ‘Since records began’.

That first day must have been the windiest, wettest, most frozen, sunniest, hottest day on record.


(I pinched that one from Eddie Izzard I think?)

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Ah, a bit like when they talk about the weather and say ‘Since records began’.

That first day must have been the windiest, wettest, most frozen, sunniest, hottest day on record.

Exactly.

I could equally accutarely claim it to be the fastest / slowest, cheapest / most expensive, weakest / most powerful car I have had, and any other possible combination of opposites...

 

[mainframe444]

Two contenders - both were company cars issued to me when I joined the company and I had until the car I chose arrived:

A Citroen ZX Diesel estate - not intrinsically bad but it was the non-turbo diesel version and had been specced with an automatic gearbox. Gutless genuinely wasn't the word - it was dangerously slow, it made pulling out of junctions a scary experience. It's the only modern (i.e. built after 1970) car I've ever owned which was incapable of exceeding 100mph - I took it along the newly opened A50 between the M1 and Stoke and with my foot to the floor on the long sections of dual carriageway it resolutely refused to exceed about 96mph. Dreadful thing.

My wife had one of these for a while, it was the SX estate spec and a comfortable car. I don’t recall thinking it underpowered, though it would not have won a Grand Prix.

The biggest issue we had with it was when the load sensing valve on the rear brakes began to leak.

I was at a set of lights with my foot on the brake when I realised the pedal had sunk to the floor!

Manufacturers often use the same part across a range of different vehicles, not so the ZX estate, the valve was unique to this model and had to be sourced from France by the dealer.

 

[RuddA]

My worst car was my 2000W 1.4 VW Polo.
Not much power.
In cold weather the door lock froze. Wasn't prepared for that one day and had to unlock the boot and crawl through the car.
Then an engine sensor developed a fault and stopped the engine starting. Leave it an hour or two and it might change its mind and let you.

 

[A0wen]

My wife had one of these for a while, it was the SX estate spec and a comfortable car. I don’t recall thinking it underpowered, though it would not have won a Grand Prix.

The biggest issue we had with it was when the load sensing valve on the rear brakes began to leak.

I was at a set of lights with my foot on the brake when I realised the pedal had sunk to the floor!

Manufacturers often use the same part across a range of different vehicles, not so the ZX estate, the valve was unique to this model and had to be sourced from France by the dealer.

I think with a manual gearbox the 1.9d was OK - not fast by any means, but the autobox killed what little performance it had. According to t'interweb it had a 0-60 time of about 17 seconds - about 3 seconds slower than an Astra 1.4 petrol of similar vintage.

 

[hoagy_ytfc]

My worst car was my 2000W 1.4 VW Polo.
Not much power.

You're not kidding, 2000 Watts is under 3 h.p.

 

[RuddA]

You're not kidding, 2000 Watts is under 3 h.p.

Didn't feel far off that when wanting to overtake.



I did see it again being driven by its next two owners
1. A gardener with all the tools and garden waste in the back
2. My neighbours boyfriend. By then it had been given front & rear spoilers and flared wheel arches.

 

[MotCO]

2. My neighbours boyfriend. By then it had been given front & rear spoilers and flared wheel arches.

Did it make it go any faster?

 

[camflyer]

A 1995 Fiat Punto, 999cc, 55 bhp.

No power, terrible build quality and was constantly in and out of the garage for various problems. I was actually happy when it got written off in an accident as it made me buy something better.

 

[jfollows]

My first car, which I thought would end up being the worst, with the wisdom of hindsight was fine.
Ford Capri 2L M reg (early Mark 2).
Automatic transmission which dropped into neutral going round a roundabout when cold - solution was to ignore it having checked that the fluid level was fine.
"Automatic" choke which never worked, solution was again to ignore it although it sometimes entailed having to restart the engine in traffic.
A bit of an oil burner, solution was to go to Halfords and buy the cheapest oil and replace the plugs frequently.
Windscreen stolen when parked outside my house - at the time the car was reasonably common and presumably some cheapskate thief surveyed the area in advance. I was due to go to work on the Saturday morning and my excuse for not going was that my car was getting wet inside because it was raining and I was waiting for a friend to deliver an emergency windscreen.
I sold it after 18 months for not a lot less than I'd paid for it. It'd be worth more now!

My second Capri, a 2.8i, I bought a little later. Turned out that it had been in an accident before I bought it which killed its resale value, but I was sent to the USA by IBM and got a limited "loss on sale" deal which limited my losses. Great car, though!