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Post by Ben on Nov 9, 2019 16:52:36 GMT
Flipping around Rodge's question about surprising cars, what is the one car you've owned that you'd thought you would like, but in the end did not?
I have to be honest, I don't love my current SX4. I mean, it's fine, it's reliable and all that, but I'd thought I would have enjoyed it much better, because when I test drove a new one many years ago, I felt it was quite lovely (which did sorta play into my decision in choosing one). But somehow now that I'm owning one, it just feels a bit meh.
I don't hate it. I just don't like it as much as the Lancer or even the Prius for some reason.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2019 19:57:38 GMT
Sunbeam Imp, it was good-ish but when I got a Mini that was better.
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Post by ChrisM on Nov 10, 2019 17:43:36 GMT
I am in the possibly fortunate position to say that I have liked every one of my cars
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2019 18:37:12 GMT
Part of the reason the Imp was not as good as the Mini was the fact it was a banana. Left hand good right hand not so.
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Post by Roadsterstu on Nov 10, 2019 18:58:39 GMT
I thought I'd miss the V60 more than I have (aside from the shove, I don't, really) so I think that means I didn't like it as much as I thought I would.
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Post by Boxer6 on Nov 10, 2019 19:49:08 GMT
The GTI. without a shadow of a doubt.
Buying the Mk.V, supposedly the epitome of the breed up to that point, should have been a motoring highlight for me. Instead, it seized only 5 days after purchase and I never did get to "feel the love" for it from then on.
I think the best I could say for it was it was "nice". That's about all really. |
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Post by Andy C on Nov 10, 2019 20:08:41 GMT
I’ve owned 3 cars and loved them all
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Post by Martin on Nov 10, 2019 20:19:08 GMT
I’ve not loved every car I’ve had thanks to needing to take company cars from the pool a couple of times, but I’ve never liked something less that I thought I would. When it’s been my choice, I’ve always had a proper test drive and chosen the right car.
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Post by Boxer6 on Nov 10, 2019 23:47:43 GMT
I’ve not loved every car I’ve had thanks to needing to take company cars from the pool a couple of times, but I’ve never liked something less that I thought I would. When it’s been my choice, I’ve always had a proper test drive and chosen the right car. I really liked the GTI when I test drove it - it's the seizure the spoiled it for me, plus I never thought it felt "right" afterwards. Another car would probably (possibly?) change my mind about them. |
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Post by PetrolEd on Nov 11, 2019 10:18:32 GMT
A few
Mk6 Gti - A good car overall just a little dull and didn't move anything forward from the Mk5 I had. poor reliability also didn't help it cause
Civic Type R - Hugely enjoyable when driven like it was stolen but terrible traction and a shocking ride was enough to make it a rather tiresome thing.
Focus St - Fit for purpose but just again a not very exciting car. Terrible torque steer makes it almost dangerous and not the most adjustable thing when really pushing on as understeer is its go to position. Also if you turn the stereo up it vibrates the door panels as its all put together a little on the cheap side.
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Post by Tim on Nov 11, 2019 10:30:36 GMT
I think the standout one for me was the Alfa GT.
Yes, it looked fantastic and had that wonderful V6 but the performance was a tad lacking - compared with the Fiat - and the suspension was stiff and crashy.
I think if I lived somewhere with smoother roads it would've made a big difference.
Having said that I keep looking at them and would happily have another, albeit with lower expectations this time.
The Audi A6 I'm driving at present is, to be kind, unexceptional.
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Post by LandieMark on Nov 11, 2019 10:55:14 GMT
My Phase 2 Volvo V40 T4. I liked the car - fast and comfortable with reasonable handling, but reliability was very poor which ruined the experience.
ETA: I've just checked the MOT and it looks like it soldiered on another 10 years after I got rid of it. It must have been scrapped as the details are not on the DVLA car check service.
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Post by johnc on Nov 11, 2019 11:34:43 GMT
My last Mercedes, a C230K. Due to business issues at the time I had to keep it for 7 years and whilst it was a comfortable and pretty quick means of transport, it never excited me in the way my previous long term E300-24V did. It had also started to show some signs of rust on the wheel arches and rust from stonechips spread under the paint like a spider's web - very un Mercedes. It also had an irritating requirement for new tail light bulbs every few months which just annoyed me. However in its defence it only broke down once when it overheated due to a faulty fan switch relay (the original design put it in the wheelarch where it was constantly covered in all the crap off the road, so a non recall update moved it elsewhere only after a flat bed recovery) and I did about 110,000 miles in it. Mercedes Glasgow also pissed me off regularly telling me I needed new tyres almost every service when they were only half worn.
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Post by racingteatray on Nov 11, 2019 16:19:16 GMT
Oh my BMW 330d Touring. I only kept it 3 months, which cost me about a grand in depreciation (or rather perhaps the difference between buying from a dealer and selling privately).
I liked the E91 Touring as a car - great size, nice design, very user-friendly - and had it been a 335i manual instead of a 330d manual, I'd have no doubt liked it overall a very great deal more and kept it for much longer.
But I didn't like the 3.0 turbodiesel much - massively competent of course but not remotely exciting except perhaps compared to a 2.0 turbodiesel. Plus it would have been much better as an automatic. And it simply wasn't nearly as much more economical as I had expected. I doubt it gave better MPG than my 440i does today.
And it's the last time I bought a car without a sunroof and, as it had a black leather interior sun protection glass, it just felt very dark inside.
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Post by Stuntman on Nov 11, 2019 20:53:58 GMT
I blow hot and cold over my GT4, so that's potentially the one such car for me.
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Post by LandieMark on Nov 11, 2019 22:35:15 GMT
I blow hot and cold over my GT4, so that's potentially the one such car for me. That's interesting. Is it a practicality thing after the versatility of the old Cayman? |
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Post by racingteatray on Nov 12, 2019 10:00:38 GMT
Or perhaps too much of a good thing vs something that was not too fast to spank.
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Post by PetrolEd on Nov 12, 2019 12:16:25 GMT
I blow hot and cold over my GT4, so that's potentially the one such car for me. Really! Absolutely loved mine.
Not as usable as something like a GTS but on the right road at the right time I'd only ever want for something like a GT3 or 570S over the Gt4.
If I remember you were always hot and cold over the M3 but that must be coming up 10 years in your ownership?
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Post by Alex on Nov 12, 2019 13:36:17 GMT
I blow hot and cold over my GT4, so that's potentially the one such car for me. You’ll have to forgive me for feeling rather little sympathy for you on that one! |
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Post by Martin on Nov 12, 2019 14:12:25 GMT
I know two people who had a GT4 and decided it was a bit firm for our roads and you need to go really/too fast to really enjoy it (they loved it on track) and have swapped them for the same era Spyder, which they think is a much nicer road car.
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Post by johnc on Nov 12, 2019 14:22:20 GMT
One of my clients traded his GT4 for a 911S (last of 991.2) just because it was much less hardcore as a daily driver. The Boxster GTS I was taken out in recently also felt a bit too hard for my liking on our poor roads. I don't think it is the car's fault at all - the blame lies entirely at the feet of the Council who think that poorly repaired patchwork surfaces qualify as roads.
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Post by Tim on Nov 12, 2019 14:26:18 GMT
I think the Audi A6 I'm driving at the moment falls into this heading.
I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't as dull and unresponsive as this.
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Post by Stuntman on Nov 14, 2019 21:45:12 GMT
(Been working away for a couple of days, so slightly late in replying)
I blow hot and cold over the GT4 because in my opinion/experience it's great on a dry, well-surfaced road but it's either uncomfortable and/or a handful when the roads are any combination of cold, wet, bumpy or narrow.
My old Cayman was 'nice' in virtually every situation. The GT4 is altogether more serious and special, but considerably less usable. I don't fully trust it in the cold and wet - and therefore the stakes are a bit too high for me to take any liberties with it.
I would probably derive more pleasure and satisfaction from a 718-6 if they do actually release one. This would be because it would have more suspension compliance, and the option to put it on (warrantly-friendly) N-rated tyres that are not Cup 2 or Winters.
Of course, if I'm offered a 718 GT4 allocation I may probably still say yes...
The M3 has really grown on me over the years, as I've said on here many times. It took me about 3 years to bond with it fully, but I've now had it for 10-and-a-half years and really wouldn't look to change out of it unless it broke catastrophically.
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