What's the best car you've owned?

[Tim Falce]

The best all round car I've ever owned has to be my 1995 1.5d Corsa Merit. I bought it when it was 3 years old in 1998 and to date has been one of the cheapest and most reliable cars I've owned. In the fourteen and a half years it's been in my family it's only had normal service items, a new rad due to the fan thermostat breaking when I had to change it, a new rear section of exhaust pipe last month after 148000 miles, one clutch at 120K, the release bearing went but the plate was fine and a couple of wheel cylinders.

I used it for a few years before my wife nicked it off me, we partly taught my daughter to drive in it and she then had it for 5 years after she passed her test. She's boiled the engine dry on one occasion (due to fan thermostat) she rear ended a BMW so hard it left the shape of the engine on the back of the radiator (second rad but not included in maintenance) and then drove 5 miles off the motorway with no water in it with no adverse affect.

The only real headache I've had with it was when for two years I put two new alternators and two batteries on it due to charging issues, eventually an AA man found the problem which was the glow pugs weren't turning off, they'd been on for about two years, which was being caused by a £5 sender unit in the cylinder head.

All in all it's a terrific car and I still use it daily as it does around 55mpg and the only niggle is that the heater has always been ****.

So what's the best all round car you've had, do tell.

[Peat]

Pug 205 GLD.

Welling up with nostalgia just thinking about it. Terrific motoring.

[dtype38]

Several contenders but on a points countback the prize sadly goes to a Volvo. I had it three or four cars ago: a dark green 850T5 estate with a manual box and Bridgestone S02 Potenzas. All the practicality of a massive estate, cruise all day long in comfort (and virutally un-noticed) at high motorway speeds, yet amazingly agile and seriously quick in the bendy stuff. If you have the nerve to chuck something that big, try braking on the ABS, turn in hard and floor it... you don't so much get a 'four-wheel' drift as as 'three-wheel' drift

Looks like this: Goes like this: (actually it goes quicker cos its a 2.3 turbo in the road car)

[bella]

1997 golf vr6. entirely unaffordable to run now because of fuel costs, but the milton keynes commute i had at the time just brought out the strengths and sillies of that car. predictable opposite lock on a roundabout? yes please.

i'm looking for a new car at the moment, and the v6 alternatives to the dull diesel i'm looking at just keep sneaking up on the broadside and fluttering their eyelashes.

*sob*

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by dtype38

Several contenders but on a points countback the prize sadly goes to a Volvo. I had it three or four cars ago: a dark green 850T5 estate with a manual box and Bridgestone S02 Potenzas. All the practicality of a massive estate, cruise all day long in comfort

Thinking back to the time I drove your Volvo, I didn't think it was that comfortable to be honest.

On the subject of comfort, at work I'm driving one of these at the moment. It's about the most comfortable truck I've driven but it's the slowest of all slow trucks in all slowdom. It seems to go back to my days in the 1970s when I used to drive to Italy every week in trucks that had engines less powerful than today's average family car.

[BertMk2]

My old Pug 306 DTurbo is the probably the best I've had, I finally sold it after 180K miles of trouble free motoring (apart from other people driving into it ). It was the first car I owned that wasn't a total ****ter. It's replacement is my current Fabia Vrs - which is quicker, better equipped, stops better and doesn't suffer from vicious lift off oversteer but it doesn't have the same character that made the Pug such a good car to live with. I'm not sure what it was specifically but the Pug just felt "right".

[JHamilton]

That's tough as I have had three that I loved. I was the caretaker of a '94 F150 that was the toughest thing I have driven. Everything rattled but it just kept going and going and had tons of personality.



That's it's oil spot just in front there... Still there to remind me of the ol' girl. I was avoiding an accident on the highway once and clipped a Grand Marquis. It opened up the side of that car like a tuna can but just flattened the trim a bit on the left front of the truck.

[dtype38]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Thinking back to the time I drove your Volvo, I didn't think it was that comfortable to be honest.

I sort of meant having plenty space and equipment. Yes the seats and ride were quite firm compared to say a Jaguar, but depends what you like.

[JimW]

Best all round? - BMW 320 Coupe. I'm on my third, Decently nippy, goes all day at a reasonably swift cruise if the motorway is the thing, gets me safely past people out taking the car for a walk on country roads. Current one has had a rubbish mechanical record but the 2nd hand warranty dealt with the problems without fuss. You either like the "German" virtues or you don't and I (obviously) do.

Best fun? - Jensen Healey. Sadly Lotus reliability and the demise of Jensen motors made keeping it too tedious (and expensive) for continue.

Regards

Jim

[Dave Brand]

Peugeot 405SRi. The fact that we kept it for 11 years suggests a certain amount of satisfaction!

The current Citroen DS3 is running it a pretty close second.

[bella]

Originally Posted by JimW

Best all round? - BMW 320 Coupe. I'm on my third, Decently nippy, goes all day at a reasonably swift cruise if the motorway is the thing, gets me safely past people out taking the car for a walk on country roads. Current one has had a rubbish mechanical record but the 2nd hand warranty dealt with the problems without fuss. You either like the "German" virtues or you don't and I (obviously) do.

the comfortable motorway ride is what i'll miss on my compact when it finally gets replaced. 10 years old, nearly 200,000 miles down and it's still as comfortable as ever, still does the top speed (eventually), and it still has a fair bit of pace, you just have to ask for it in a very specific way (ever since the turbo blew itself up and tried to take the engine with it).

the diesel soot cloud of doom is second to none as well

[nicanary]

It's interesting that the thread-starter had something mundane which would be abused by certain people on another website.

I have worked 6 nights a week for the past 17 years as a fast-food driver, and have been through a few.As a rule a new car is required every 3 years - 30k a year on short journeys, and N.Ireland has poor surfaces and speed-bumps galore in my town.Three sets of front tyres a year, one at the back; three sets of front pads, one at the back;three services etc etc..

I've had VW, Audi and Honda - but the only car that never had a problem (one light bulb only) was a 1.2 Corsa .It's a funny old world.

(I once got a Leon because I believed the mags when they said you got German build quality for a lower price - what a joke,12 separate warranty issues in 2 years)

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by nicanary

It's interesting that the thread-starter had something mundane which would be abused by certain people on another website.

That's why we come here. Seriously though, I've done all the flash cars thing in my youth and now a car is only a means to get from A to B as cheaply as possible, I tend not to break the NSL if I can help it so speed isn't a factor in my choice. I do also drive my Toyota Landcruiser, have use of my wife's Clio, that does 65mg btw, and I my race car so what the morons on that other forum think doesn't interest me.

[nicanary]

I wish I'd found this forum earlier - you've obviously guessed the name of the other site.

I've been on it today to ask for suggestions for the best car for my particular needs, but they treat the whole thing as some sort of joke.

I think that it's good to hear that a Corsa does its job - rember when VSCC members all had Reliant Kittens? Bling isn't always best.

[bella]

feel free to start a topic here and ask for advice and peoples experiences! we've got a cross-section of ages and interests here so there's bound to be someone who's driven or owned the car you're looking for without wearing the performance motorist goggles

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by nicanary

It's interesting that the thread-starter had something mundane which would be abused by certain people on another website.

I have worked 6 nights a week for the past 17 years as a fast-food driver, and have been through a few.As a rule a new car is required every 3 years - 30k a year on short journeys, and N.Ireland has poor surfaces and speed-bumps galore in my town.Three sets of front tyres a year, one at the back; three sets of front pads, one at the back;three services etc etc..

I've had VW, Audi and Honda - but the only car that never had a problem (one light bulb only) was a 1.2 Corsa .It's a funny old world.

(I once got a Leon because I believed the mags when they said you got German build quality for a lower price - what a joke,12 separate warranty issues in 2 years)

Yep. Sometimes the best cars are the worst ones.

[Nordschleife]

Best overall: Honda S2000. Awesome handling, 9k redline, decently fast at the track, convertible, cheap consumables (brakes, tires), utterly reliable.

Most fun: Turbocharged NA Miata 1.8. Lightweight + short wheelbase + 240hp/240lb-ft = FUN!!

Best "old school" sports car: 911 Carrera 3.2. 915 transmission and all.

[garcon]

I've had a looooooooong list of cars over the years, over twenty of them at the last count.

I have a few real favourites. Oddly enough, the most impressive on paper - a 2008 Impreza STI 330S - doesn't figure in that list, although it was an incredible car to drive fast.

I think my overall favourite was a 1993 Vauxhall Senator 24V. Lovely big and surprisingly fast barge with every extra of the day. I was devastated when I killed it on a patch of black ice.

Probably my next best was my first "nice" car - a bright red 1993 Nissan 200SX. I learnt a lot about turbo lag and oversteer in that car!

The worst, by a country mile, was a beige Maestro 1.6HLS. The less said about that the better. Utterly unforgivable heap of ****.

[dtype38]

Originally Posted by garcon

The worst, by a country mile, was a beige Maestro 1.6HLS. The less said about that the better. Utterly unforgivable heap of ****.

That's exactly the car at the bottom of my list too. Bought it as an economical commuting car when I couldn't afford the petrol for my old Jag. Horrible car. Bought it with used car warranty and about 40thou on the clock. At about 44thou the gearbox disintegrated but the warranty didn't pay out.... said it was normal wear on this car!!!!!

[wheelsportaddict]

For sheer fun to drive - the Lancia Fulvia S3 Coupe


For comfort and drive-ability - the Sierra Sapphire 2000e

[MagnetON]

A lot depends on the meaning of "best"

Car	Best Because...
Morris Minor 1000	Car I learned to drive in when I was like 12
Fiat 132	First car I bought when I passed my test... freedom!
Volvo 740 Estate	Company car, first turbo and the car that took me to Ireland
Audi allroad	It's my newest toy and is a nuttermobile!

[Paul D]

I suppose it depends on your definition of 'best'. Is it fastest/most fun? Best all-rounder? Or most practical/reliable/unbreakable?

Having spent my life in the motor trade, I've owned lots of cars, and a few stand out in my (fading) memory.

Back in their day, I once bought a 2.8i Capri from the auction. Didn't look like a bad thing, a little bit scruffy round the edges maybe, but on closer inspection on getting it home, it turned out to be a 'cut & shut'. To cut a long story short (pun intended!), the front half was a '79 two litre 'S', the back was a genuine '82 2.8i. Whoever had done it had done a pretty good job of hiding the join, so I decided I'd smoke it round for a bit while I decided what to do with it - I obviously couldn't sell it to a punter.

Well, what a car that proved to be! Fast (for its time), not too bad on fuel, and it handled superbly on the Yokohama A008 tyres it was fitted with - the tyre to have back then. I ended up using it for a year or more, went all over in it, and it had a few good thrashings too. Predictable tail-out fun whenever you wanted it, reasonably practical (hatchback, remember), and one of the most reliable things I've ever had. I literally never even lifted the bonnet - it never used a drop of oil or water, never missed a beat and I never laid a spanner on it - just drove it hard. Even had it airborne a few times over bridges and suchlike, and no cracks appeared near the join. What a car - great fun!

Does that make it the best car I've ever owned? Probably not, but it seemed like it at the time! Sold it to a mate eventually (yes - he knew it was a cut & shut) and it ended up getting nicked a while later...

[Alfaholic]

Alfa Romeo 164 3.0 12 valve pre-facelift version with auto box. Big, heavy, drank fuel and all the usual Italian car niggles but it was possible the best long distance cruiser I've owned with surprising agility on the twisty back roads, looked fantastic and the sound on planting the throttle to activate kickdown.....

[Peter Mallett]

I haven't bought it yet.

[Mike Wroe]

Best car for me was my dearly beloved and sadly missed Mondeo 24v Ghia X, bought it at 6 months old at a massive idscount from new and put over 245k miles on it before it finally died. Up until then it never missed a beat, still had the original clutch all I did was put in fuel (35 mpg) & service it regularly. Tyres lasted for 40k on the fronts and 80k on the back & I think it had 1 set of front discs but that was it. My other half still says it was the most comfortable car we've had, even better than the Jaguar and it had all the toys which all worked as well.