What's the worst car you've driven? (or bike)

martine · Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1267 Location: Bristol, UK

For a 'modern' car, mine's a Toyota Corolla from about 8 years ago...dreadful soft-spongy, under-damped suspension and it was pretty new as well.
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jont · Joined: 07 Jul 2006 Posts: 750 Location: Bristol

Brand new 1l Corsa as a courtesy car about 10 years ago (after someone crashed into me). Had done about 50 miles from new, and I think it had spent most of those on the rev limiter trying to get it to move.

Mind you, Father-in-laws Vectra diesel estate I drove a couple of weeks ago came close. Both completely soul-less, dull, slow, and completely unrewarding to drive.

WS · Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 56 Location: Poland

I think I will beat you all. The worst car I've ever driven was a Dacia 1410:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Dacia_1410.JPG

It was my parents' car for some time. When I drove it and had a passenger, my favourite joke was to ask how old they think the car was. Most answers were between 10-20 years old while in reality the car was 2-3 years old (parents bought it new and sold it after about three years). It was virtually falling apart before your eyes and would break down every month, more or less. It was noisy and primitive in every way. I think such subtleties as "car's soul" are far beyond what we are talking about here Laughing

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ScoobyChris · Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 1033 Location: Andover, Hants

Surprisingly (at least for me!) one of the worst I've driven recently is a Mk V Golf GT (140PD engine). I suspect it's not a bad car in the scheme of things but considering the price tag, it was poverty spec, uninspiring to drive and had very crashy suspension over anything but the smoothest roads which limited where progress could comfortably be made.

I learnt to drive in a D-reg Corolla (back in '94/5) and I remember wondering why anyone would chose to run one! My instructor sold it 6 months after I'd passed and bought a brand new VW Polo...

Chris

OILY PAWS · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 115 Location: Fife

Ford Escorts from circa 1990 to their demise, hellish to drive, yet the Mondeos and Fiestas from that era were great

jmaccyd · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 36

Drove one of the bottom of the range Colt's recently. The sort of thing that gives small cars a bad name - noisy thrashy, underpowered engine and horrible plastic interior

AlistairL · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject:

My grandad's Dacia Denem, had no power band to speak of, had a floppy gearchange and the key snapped off in the ignition when I turned it too hard.

A.
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Mr Cholmondeley-Warner · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 507 Location: Swindon, Wilts

Probably the Chevette I learnt to drive on. Early Sierras were pretty dire, too.
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fungus · Joined: 17 Feb 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Dorset

Probably an Austin A35 van. Bad brakes, sloppy steering, tendency to break clutch rods, rusting out at 6 yeards old.

Recent cars. Definitely a 1L three cylinder Corsa. Absolutely gutless, poor build quality. Horrible car.

Nigel

gordonb · Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 57 Location: Oban, Argyll

My wife's first car. Citreon AX 1.1.

Lynne · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 249 Location: Essex

Some old Austin Maxi that was given to us in about the mid 80s. It was an absolute b"£$%^&$ to get into first gear. Eventually I refused to drive it and made husband use the thing while I drove I err...can't remember what now Rolling Eyes

Lynne
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Angus · Joined: 09 Apr 2006 Posts: 188 Location: Colchester, Essex

mk 3 Escort - real Friday afternoon car. My brother had it from new for 2 years and I had it for another 4. Went through a battery, starter motor and alternator every year, skidded when you braked in the wet and spun if you braked mid bend (ok that might have been my fault Embarassed

)

And the Rover 820 automatic (no curtesy car available so I had the workshop manager's)

Virtually every Renault I get fobbed off with when mine's in the garage

jasonh · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 154 Location: Derby

The Citroen Saxo the driving school sent out when I started learning with them, despite knowing I am >6' tall. My large feet couldn't manage one pedal at a time, since the pedals were the size of Mini Cheddars and really close together.

The Vauxhall Corsa I tried the very first time I drove a car was nasty too: you could adjust the seat in three ways and still not get into a remotely decent position.

cochapman · Joined: 06 May 2006 Posts: 67

My current daily hack is probably the worst I've owned: a 1998 Rover 220 turbo (but not intercooled) diesel. It is slow, uncomfortable and ugly. Sadly, it also does about 50mpg, and when I'm communting 180 miles everyday I have to live with it.

I've driven some howlers of hire cars as well: a 3 cylinder Corsa is right down there with worst as were the crop of late 1980s/early 1990's Daewoos.

nuster100 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 579 Location: Yeovil, Somerset

Without a shadow of a doubt, it was my boss' Yugo 45 that I had to drive a 100 mile round trip in for a week whilst I was sorting out another car.

Jay
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