Joey Shabadoo
My pronouns are "He", "Him" and "buggerlugs"
Allegros well represented I see
"what’s the worst car you’ve ever owned”
- Thread starter Jameshow
- Start date
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- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Fiat Tipo - the old shape. Like this one.
The aircon / heating never worked properly, a flexible bit of the exhaust by the lambda sensor leaked causing no end of warning lights, and the rest of the exhaust system was one piece. That's three pipes, two silencers and a catalytic converter, with a bracket at each end. When it rusted through, the back box hit the road and levered a huge crack in the rear bumper.
It was a delight to trade it in for a Hyundai Lantra, of all things...
The aircon / heating never worked properly, a flexible bit of the exhaust by the lambda sensor leaked causing no end of warning lights, and the rest of the exhaust system was one piece. That's three pipes, two silencers and a catalytic converter, with a bracket at each end. When it rusted through, the back box hit the road and levered a huge crack in the rear bumper.
It was a delight to trade it in for a Hyundai Lantra, of all things...
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Cletus Van Damme
Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
- Location
- Out in the sticks...
A Mk1 VW Scirocco 1.6 automatic. Just fell in love with the looks as it looked Italain not German, looked way better than Ford's Cortina's, Escorts etc at the time just IMVHO. It was rusty and used to over heat constantly. One of the back wheels fell off it driving around Carlisle city center.
Then a couple of years later, after a break owing a much better Mk1 Astra, thought I'd have another go as just loved the looks. Bought a 1.6 manual, it was too cheap. It just over heated, the head gasket went on it when I was driving home in the early hours so slept in the piece of crap, then got a bus home. Traded it in for a new Vauxhall Nova SR, got my mate to tow me close to the garage, then started it and drove it in. This was in 1989 wouldn't do it now. My friend was a mechanic in the garage and said the couldn't get it started.
The Nova was in a different class to those in every way. Still like the looks of the Mk1 Scirocco, and get sentimental when I watch the original Dawn of the Dead movie, when they are driving one around in the shopping mall killing zombies. At least that one didn't break down and get them all killed.
Put me off the brand for life, although they are obviously a lot better now. I was young and stupid and bought 2 lemons, although not sure they were that great to be honest.
Then a couple of years later, after a break owing a much better Mk1 Astra, thought I'd have another go as just loved the looks. Bought a 1.6 manual, it was too cheap. It just over heated, the head gasket went on it when I was driving home in the early hours so slept in the piece of crap, then got a bus home. Traded it in for a new Vauxhall Nova SR, got my mate to tow me close to the garage, then started it and drove it in. This was in 1989 wouldn't do it now. My friend was a mechanic in the garage and said the couldn't get it started.
The Nova was in a different class to those in every way. Still like the looks of the Mk1 Scirocco, and get sentimental when I watch the original Dawn of the Dead movie, when they are driving one around in the shopping mall killing zombies. At least that one didn't break down and get them all killed.
Put me off the brand for life, although they are obviously a lot better now. I was young and stupid and bought 2 lemons, although not sure they were that great to be honest.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
I started driving in a Vauxhall Chevette saloon, it was a bit of an old heap, but actually pretty reliable and I have fond memories of it.
I once had a Renault scenic Mk1, and whilst remarkably practical with 3 young kids, it got to about 60000 miles and most of the electrics stopped worked every other Tuesday.
I also had a couple of major mechanical issue with a Alfa GT coupe, but it was beautiful so I've forgiven it.
I once had a Renault scenic Mk1, and whilst remarkably practical with 3 young kids, it got to about 60000 miles and most of the electrics stopped worked every other Tuesday.
I also had a couple of major mechanical issue with a Alfa GT coupe, but it was beautiful so I've forgiven it.
DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
Carefully
DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
I had one of those, it was a belter, but a very early V reg 1979, it was Sat abandoned outside a house, the owner couldn’t be bothered with it, repaired the tailgate hinge, took for an MOT, told to fit 2 rear tyres and a back box, then ran it for 4 years, not bad for £30 !
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Citroen BX19 TRS.
From new and hated it from day two.
Had I been deaf I would've loved it but by christ the multitude of incurable trim rattles drove me crazy.
1/10 for overall ownership experience.
From new and hated it from day two.
Had I been deaf I would've loved it but by christ the multitude of incurable trim rattles drove me crazy.
1/10 for overall ownership experience.
presta
Guru
I don't really dislike any of the cars I've owned, I always spent ages looking for a good one, and never had a dud.
Mini van: Objectively the most lowly, but I'm very fond of it. It was my father's before me, and there was lots of father & son time repairing the rust.
HB Viva: OK. I didn't really have enough experience of others to pass judgement at that time.
Capri 1600XL: Loved it. Kept it for years until it was knackered.
V6 Cortina Ghia: Loved it. Kept it for years until it was knackered.
TR7: Lots of fun, but didn't tolerate being driven head on into the front of lorries very well.
Carlton CD: OK but I never really wanted it, a last resort because nothing else I wanted had enough headroom.
Accord EXi: Best car I've ever owned or driven. Superb, I'd have been happy driving one for the rest of my life. Kept it the longest and did the most miles in it.
Cars I've driven and hated:
Chrysler Alpine: Pinch bolt on the steering column chews holes in your shoes.
Many Vauxhalls have the pedals too high to get my feet on them without lifting my heels off the floor, a PITA literally, the Chevette, & HC Viva are particular culprits. HC Viva had very poor engine revs pickup that made it a liability pulling out into heavy traffic.
I think I'd rather drive almost any of them rather than put up with this nonsense though:
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news...1&cvid=de801d317ef8473f9065deb57ef318e9&ei=88
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/everything-i-hate-about-modern-cars/ar-AA1qbMK4
Car locking you out
Seatbelts on dogs & shopping bags
Emergency braking when there's a speed limit on an adjacent road
Can't swerve in an emergency
You couldn't make it up.
Mini van: Objectively the most lowly, but I'm very fond of it. It was my father's before me, and there was lots of father & son time repairing the rust.
HB Viva: OK. I didn't really have enough experience of others to pass judgement at that time.
Capri 1600XL: Loved it. Kept it for years until it was knackered.
V6 Cortina Ghia: Loved it. Kept it for years until it was knackered.
TR7: Lots of fun, but didn't tolerate being driven head on into the front of lorries very well.
Carlton CD: OK but I never really wanted it, a last resort because nothing else I wanted had enough headroom.
Accord EXi: Best car I've ever owned or driven. Superb, I'd have been happy driving one for the rest of my life. Kept it the longest and did the most miles in it.
Cars I've driven and hated:
Chrysler Alpine: Pinch bolt on the steering column chews holes in your shoes.
Many Vauxhalls have the pedals too high to get my feet on them without lifting my heels off the floor, a PITA literally, the Chevette, & HC Viva are particular culprits. HC Viva had very poor engine revs pickup that made it a liability pulling out into heavy traffic.
I think I'd rather drive almost any of them rather than put up with this nonsense though:
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news...1&cvid=de801d317ef8473f9065deb57ef318e9&ei=88
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/everything-i-hate-about-modern-cars/ar-AA1qbMK4
Car locking you out
Seatbelts on dogs & shopping bags
Emergency braking when there's a speed limit on an adjacent road
Can't swerve in an emergency
You couldn't make it up.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
My mkIV Cortina 1.6 wasa dreadful car, but because it was a GL with Ghia wheels it's was a tractor beam for chicks.
gbb
Squire
- Location
- Peterborough
Never owned one but drove a 1600 DL (diesel)
THE worst car I ever drove awful thing. The engine being non turbo was just like...I can't begin to actually explain, awful
Had exactly what car, I actually liked it. Comfortable, fast enough, mine didn't suffer from rust despite it being already a banger when i got it. Typical BL cars some, many, rotted and were awful yet among them were reliable ones that ran well and didn't rot out
See above...
Had lots of Austin / Morris/ BL cars over the eons, only had one (a mini) that was so rotten it asks why I brought it ?
Maestro rotted out PDQ but was functional and cheap barring that. All my others, several minis, Marina, Allegro etc all functioned well. You had no sense of style with them, just functional cheap cars but that's all I wanted back then.
My own most hated, a 2007 Ford Focus. Technically nothing wrong with it but Fords advert sang out how you were 'in touch with the road' ...yeah you were, you could feel every bump, twitch and input you put into it, not my style or to my liking i literally grew to hate it. I'd grown to like Vauxhalls, longer gearing, more comfortable civilised relaxed cars. The Focus was only the second Ford I ever owned and would be the last.
I had a Hillman Hunter for a couple of years. The engine was fine, it was the bodywork which on a daily basis was rusting away in front of my eyes.
In the end the rear suspension collapsed because of the rust and I sold it to a scrap yard for £40.
Morris Marina 1800: Absolute sack of shoot, truly dreadful car. Literally smashed it up with a hammer in a fit of rage
Volkswagen Mk3 Golf: Dreadfully rusty, horrible to drive and no redeeming features. Whoever says they're well built cars is talking pure sh*te.
Audi 80 Mk1: Broke down pretty much every day
FIAT 126 (technically my mum's car): This is probably the worst of the lot, every last one of these horrible things should have been fed into the fragger at the metal yard, straight from the production line
Audi TT: Yet again fell for the 'build quality/superior marque' nonsense. It had relatively low miles (108,000, I think) and more history than the British empire, yet it was truly terrible. Everything that could go wrong did and the MOT cost a fortune because of all the stupid things (like the steering angle sensor) playing up. The timing chain rattle was the final straw, I wouldn't even look at one of these cars if it drove past me, let alone own one again
2006 Touran diesel: the odd times the engine worked properly (seemed to be constantly in limp mode) to be fair it drove really well. The bodywork was appalling though, I think only two panels didn't have rust and/or holes in them and it was very unreliable
1995 Passat diesel: In limp mode pretty much every other journey (that was fun on a 450 mile round trip family holiday). This was cured (some valve thing on the engine, wasn't expensive) and the car repaid me by continually absorbing water in through every possible entry. The rear footwells were always flooded (which played havoc with some ECU thing) and it leaked through the dashboard. It wasn't especially fast, was horrible to drive and the wife and I actually went to the pub to celebrate when I sold it
Volkswagen Mk3 Golf: Dreadfully rusty, horrible to drive and no redeeming features. Whoever says they're well built cars is talking pure sh*te.
Audi 80 Mk1: Broke down pretty much every day
FIAT 126 (technically my mum's car): This is probably the worst of the lot, every last one of these horrible things should have been fed into the fragger at the metal yard, straight from the production line
Audi TT: Yet again fell for the 'build quality/superior marque' nonsense. It had relatively low miles (108,000, I think) and more history than the British empire, yet it was truly terrible. Everything that could go wrong did and the MOT cost a fortune because of all the stupid things (like the steering angle sensor) playing up. The timing chain rattle was the final straw, I wouldn't even look at one of these cars if it drove past me, let alone own one again
2006 Touran diesel: the odd times the engine worked properly (seemed to be constantly in limp mode) to be fair it drove really well. The bodywork was appalling though, I think only two panels didn't have rust and/or holes in them and it was very unreliable
1995 Passat diesel: In limp mode pretty much every other journey (that was fun on a 450 mile round trip family holiday). This was cured (some valve thing on the engine, wasn't expensive) and the car repaid me by continually absorbing water in through every possible entry. The rear footwells were always flooded (which played havoc with some ECU thing) and it leaked through the dashboard. It wasn't especially fast, was horrible to drive and the wife and I actually went to the pub to celebrate when I sold it
My mate had an Austin Allegro that caught fire whilst we were travelling to Norfolk.
It was in Thetford forest. First the windscreen wipers started up on their own, then all the dashboard lights came on just before smoke started to come out from underneath the bonnet.
My mate pulled over and we abandoned ship. By the time the fire brigade arrived it was more or less a burnt out shell.
Richard A Thackeray
Legendary Member
The Worst
A Ford C-Max
The first shape, on a ‘57’ plate
(1.8 petrol, might have liked it more as a diesel?)
Utterly vile, with the only redeeming feature being LED taillights!
- It constantly misted up, requiring ‘full time a/c’ (no apparent damp/moisture in it, or smell of it)
- 30MPG best ever MPG
- 3 cracked windscreens in 2 years (2 on insurance, 3rd was left, as chips)
It got to the point that l hated it so much, l used to leave it outside the house with all 4 windows down overnight, but even the local feral scrotes seemed not to want it!!
The 2nd worst was a FIAT Tempra estate back in about 1993, we’d had 5 consecutive FIATs before that
1 x Panda
3 x Uno (2 x new)
1 x Punto (new/first shape/1.7TD)
All were paragons of reliability/economy (barring an alternator on one Uno ‘cooking the battery’)
The Tempra was a ‘Friday afternoon car’
The Best
(excluding my present Kodiaq)
Skoda Octavia estate (1.6TDi)
March 2012 - May 2021
Bought with 7,000 miles
50,000+ miles added in first 2 years
Remapped to 150bhp & (more importantly!) 250ib/ft torque at about 70,000miles
MPG was impressive
79.6 MPG average to East Midlands Airport once!
King’s Lynn & back on 4 gallons (about 64MPG average
If we’d not bought a caravan, l’d probably still have it!’
A Ford C-Max
The first shape, on a ‘57’ plate
(1.8 petrol, might have liked it more as a diesel?)
Utterly vile, with the only redeeming feature being LED taillights!
- It constantly misted up, requiring ‘full time a/c’ (no apparent damp/moisture in it, or smell of it)
- 30MPG best ever MPG
- 3 cracked windscreens in 2 years (2 on insurance, 3rd was left, as chips)
It got to the point that l hated it so much, l used to leave it outside the house with all 4 windows down overnight, but even the local feral scrotes seemed not to want it!!
The 2nd worst was a FIAT Tempra estate back in about 1993, we’d had 5 consecutive FIATs before that
1 x Panda
3 x Uno (2 x new)
1 x Punto (new/first shape/1.7TD)
All were paragons of reliability/economy (barring an alternator on one Uno ‘cooking the battery’)
The Tempra was a ‘Friday afternoon car’
The Best
(excluding my present Kodiaq)
Skoda Octavia estate (1.6TDi)
March 2012 - May 2021
Bought with 7,000 miles
50,000+ miles added in first 2 years
Remapped to 150bhp & (more importantly!) 250ib/ft torque at about 70,000miles
MPG was impressive
79.6 MPG average to East Midlands Airport once!
King’s Lynn & back on 4 gallons (about 64MPG average
If we’d not bought a caravan, l’d probably still have it!’
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oldwheels
Legendary Member
- Location
- Isle of Mull
Forgot the MGB with steel bumpers. My wife liked it as she could swank about in it to impress her friends. Not as fast as it looked.
Bit of a rust magnet tho’ and the inner front wings eventually had to be replaced. It was eventually taken away by an enthusiast from Wales who restored such things.
Bit of a rust magnet tho’ and the inner front wings eventually had to be replaced. It was eventually taken away by an enthusiast from Wales who restored such things.
