Ever bought a car you couldn’t live with?

[Martinjs]

I think I have only done this once, every other car has had enough redeeming qualities to make me accept it’s shortcomings until the next planned swap.

The only one that I couldn’t live with was (surprisingly) a Mercedes, a 1.6 petrol GLA premium that we bought new in July 20 and sold in March 21.

Prior to the GLA I had 3 C classes (two 204’s and a 205) and I think that was the problem. It’s not that the GLA is a bad car, lots of people like them and they do have their good points. But for me it was just a jacked up hatchback and not a particularly good one at that. Always felt like you were sat on it and not in it. Good motorway cruiser (surprisingly), not as roomy as it appears, very poorly prepared by the dealer on delivery. Creaks and crackles from the dashboard and worst of all, I couldn’t get comfortable in it, steering wheel wouldn’t extend far enough so had to have the seat too far forwards, I don’t have long legs but it always felt hunched.

So although it cost a lot to get back into a C class, the dealer did soften the blow with a generous trade in contribution and a massive discount on the new car.

I don’t suppose that one bad choice out of about thirty odd cars that I have owned so far is too bad.

 

[Petrol Pete]

I didn't buy it but ordered the wrong company car once . At the time we had gone from company car to the option of private car company use . At the time I got into the very tax friendly scheme with an Vauxhall Omega Elite Estate which had the BMW straight 6 intercooled turbo diesel under the bonnet and a manual gearbox.

I have said it on here before the Omegas were massively underrated cars at the time and mine was built in Germany and had more whistle and bells than any MB or BMW for the same price . It was a brilliant motorway mile muncher , and boy , did I put some miles on it. And it was very well built.

Anyway someone in the finance department decide that we service engineers were having way too much fun with our tax efficient 'Luxury' cars - plenty BMW 5 series , Merc's etc so the scheme was changed back to company cars. probably more complicated than that but that's what we wanted to believe

When my time came to say goodbye to my tax efficient luxo barge I ordered another Omega but by now the newer model had come out and I was stuck with the 2.2 diesel and it was a CDX not an Elite...way above my pay grade .

It was bloody horrible , the car was OK but the engine !! couldnt pull the skin off a rice pudding and was not even that good on fuel. I discovered later that (I believe) GM had no plans for this car but UK company car tax laws helped spawn it and GM didn't really have an engine for it so used a modified version of a pick up truck engine they had.

I could not wait to rack up the miles to get rid of it but was saved by a massively lucrative voluntary redundancy package before that time came. I laughed out loud when the company offered me the chance to take the car and it's bloated monthly payments and told them to come pick it up . It sat parked a few streets away for more than a week before they collected it.

Note: I did but yet another Omega . Another Elite but with a 2.5 V6 petrol automatic , great car ...until the cam belt went , long story but the full new cambelt and roller kit was in the boot at the time

 

[BPD07]

I test drove my sons 328i m-sport, liked it and so bought a 58 plate 325i slick top as a funday car for myself. It was very capable, comfortable and great all round. I just couldn’t get on with the BMW image. Managed to sell it too an enthusiast so didn’t take a loss and ran back to a Mercedes.

 

[A.J.]

My introduction to MB's was back in 1993 when a 190E appeared on our company car list. That was it for me, I'll have one of them and I thought I was the dogs dangly bits in the car, I loved it.

When it came to renewing my company car my thought was to have another. I used to cover 5,0,000 miles a year so I used to have two new cars a year. The reason being that it would be easier to sell a six month old car with 25,000 miles on it than trying to sell a car one year old with 50,000 miles on it. I was at the time the Fleet Disposals Manager of a major Vehicle Contract Hire Co. Well when I looked at the new list the 190E wasn't on there. When I questioned it I was told that as MB was not a franchise held within the motor group, which I knew anyway so it had been removed from the company car list

What now ? looking at the new list there wasn't much that interested me. Then I made the big mistake. Although an Omega CDXi which was my grade was on the list I decided to go for a Vectra CDXi foolishly. What complete rubbish that car was. The 16v petrol engine was fine but the suspension of the car was something else, it handled like a string of sausages, scared me once or twice

After that I had a couple of Omega CDX1's that were great cars then I moved on to the Audi product and had a string of A4 Avant diesels which I have to say that the engines were brilliant in them, 1.9 at the time

 

[BoristheBounce]

I didn't buy it but ordered the wrong company car once . At the time we had gone from company car to the option of private car company use . At the time I got into the very tax friendly scheme with an Vauxhall Omega Elite Estate which had the BMW straight 6 intercooled turbo diesel under the bonnet and a manual gearbox.

I have said it on here before the Omegas were massively underrated cars at the time and mine was built in Germany and had more whistle and bells than any MB or BMW for the same price . It was a brilliant motorway mile muncher , and boy , did I put some miles on it. And it was very well built.

Anyway someone in the finance department decide that we service engineers were having way too much fun with our tax efficient 'Luxury' cars - plenty BMW 5 series , Merc's etc so the scheme was changed back to company cars. probably more complicated than that but that's what we wanted to believe

When my time came to say goodbye to my tax efficient luxo barge I ordered another Omega but by now the newer model had come out and I was stuck with the 2.2 diesel and it was a CDX not an Elite...way above my pay grade .

It was bloody horrible , the car was OK but the engine !! couldnt pull the skin off a rice pudding and was not even that good on fuel. I discovered later that (I believe) GM had no plans for this car but UK company car tax laws helped spawn it and GM didn't really have an engine for it so used a modified version of a pick up truck engine they had.

I could not wait to rack up the miles to get rid of it but was saved by a massively lucrative voluntary redundancy package before that time came. I laughed out loud when the company offered me the chance to take the car and it's bloated monthly payments and told them to come pick it up . It sat parked a few streets away for more than a week before they collected it.

Note: I did but yet another Omega . Another Elite but with a 2.5 V6 petrol automatic , great car ...until the cam belt went , long story but the full new cambelt and roller kit was in the boot at the time

I had the same car an OMEGA 2.5 with the BMW diesel engine but it was married to an Auto gearbox and was certainly one of the most comfortable and nice to drive cars I had, and I've had some nice cars.
I after two re sprays and many arguments with the dealership over other none mechanical problems I could only stomach to keep it 18 month, such a pity it was a lovely car.

 

[SpikyMikey]

Passat B5.5 Estate.
It replaced a fabulous MK1 Octavia (yes really!). I thought moving to a VW would be a step up. Hah!
The Passat had heated leather which was great, but otherwise the car was an old barge which handled like an ocean liner and rattled more than 2 skeletons bonking in a biscuit tin. It ate through two radiators in the time I had it and developed galloping rust in both front wings. Driving it at night was scary, as the halogen projector headlamps put out only slightly more lumens than a couple of anaemic glow-worms. All this on a car less than 6 years old when I finally got shot of it.

 

[merc85]

My old w211 e55k, aka Brutus. Complete animal always wanted togo at a whiff of the throttle, hardly a relaxed ride.

 

[SarahAnn200]

I've had 6 cars since last October. All changed for different reasons but mainly because I was offered what I paid for them and wasn't completely happy with them so changed.
The one regret and I keep kicking myself about it was a Seat Cupra 300 ST (estate) 4drive 300 bhp 69 pre reg that had sat at the dealer. I have always preferred the estate shape so that ticked a box and it was quick enough so another box ticked so I thought i would love it. Bought it January 2021, sold it February 2021. It was quick enough and had the 4 drive but that is it. The interior was so cheap. The door cards had vinyl that was supposed to look like carbon fibre but looked so tacky. The whole dash/media setup was 'el cheapo'. The satnav was very slow and I found later all of the owners know but just put up with it. I was used to the power hatch/boot lid with other cars and this wasn't, ok it's a luxury but just added to the cost cutting, the front grille was cheapo plastic rather than the better quality ones with other brands, even the carpets and mats were thin and bargain basement.
It just felt a very cheap car when I used it and I thought do I get rid now and lose a few thousand (4 thousand to be exact) or do I keep it for a couple of years, while disliking it and then get rid when it seems more sensible. I got rid. Haven't regretted it one bit. I see them now and think what was I thinking.

 

[SarahAnn200]

The only one that I couldn’t live with was (surprisingly) a Mercedes, a 1.6 petrol GLA premium that we bought new in July 20 and sold in March 21.

Prior to the GLA I had 3 C classes (two 204’s and a 205) and I think that was the problem. It’s not that the GLA is a bad car, lots of people like them and they do have their good points. But for me it was just a jacked up hatchback and not a particularly good one at that. Always felt like you were sat on it and not in it. Good motorway cruiser (surprisingly), not as roomy as it appears, very poorly prepared by the dealer on delivery. Creaks and crackles from the dashboard and worst of all, I couldn’t get comfortable in it, steering wheel wouldn’t extend far enough so had to have the seat too far forwards, I don’t have long legs but it always felt hunched.

I test drove a GLA45 recently before I bought the CLA45. I really wanted to like it as I liked the look of it and it would have been a good backup if the CLA45 purchase had fallen through. I liked the look of it, it had loads of factory extras but like you, I couldn't get comfortable in the seat. I'm about 5'4" but however I tried, I could not get comfy in the seat. It had the power seats so all sorts of adjustments but I could not get it right. I thought that it would feel like the BMW X2 that I had (that's the same idea, not a hatch/not a typical suv height) but it just felt quite bulky. So glad I didn't get it after driving the cla.

 

[Accused]

Chrysler 300c.
Loved it but it hated me everything went wrong. The day I bought it, it went limp mode on the way home garage took it back for 8 weeks, when I got it back same again.
Merc om642 engine drove brilliant bit it had failed turbo, swirl motor, egr and a loom failure in my short ownership. Numerous less severe issues such as fuel leak, coolant leak gear selector failed..not to mention never ending suspension issues.
I had it mapped...ecu blew mapper had it 12 weeks!
Final straw I disconnected the battery working on it and the wcm blew, written off as no Chrysler dealers left to fit and code it....
I like to live dangerously so now own a 2005 CL500!

 

[chic0821]

After 2, S class Mercs, ordered a 6 series Grand Coupe thinking it would be sporty yet comfy. It was neither sporty or comfy but did look nice. Traded it after about 6 weeks for another S class. lost a fortune mainly due to large discounts they give on pre registered. Will stick to Mercedes

 

[MercedesDriver]

Volvo V70 3.2 petrol was just dull to drive and I don't think I ever felt less enthusiastic about any of my cars. On paper it looked as a capable car but in reality was just horribly boring place to be in. The only thing I liked about that car was seeing it go to its new owner.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Lincoln Continental MK4 Coupe
I loved the car but fuel costs were too much for me at the time.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

X3

 

[A.J.]

Volvo V70 3.2 petrol was just dull to drive and I don't think I ever felt less enthusiastic about any of my cars. On paper it looked as a capable car but in reality was just horribly boring place to be in. The only thing I liked about that car was seeing it go to its new owner.

I had a V70R way back, it was in metallic orange, and I bluddy hated it. I had forgotten about that one. It was uncomfortable, squeaky, it ate tyres like a dog ate bisquits and it didn't go like I thought it was going to go. It did follow a Sierra Sapphire Cosworth however

 

[Rpp999]

Always liked the look of a Scimitar v6, part /ex my Mk2 Lotus Cortina for one, had it for about a week, it was terrible. I had to beg the dealer and part with £50 to get my Lotus back.

 

[AMGeed]

I can remember the only car I bought on HP. A K reg Vauxhall Cavalier SRi that I took for a short 10 minute test drive before buying.
A couple of days later I had to pick up someone from Gatwick Airport, around 120 miles from my location.

I set off and before getting even halfway, I had to stop and rest my backside , the seats were so unforgiving and uncomfortable.

Sold the car pretty soon after for quite a loss and bought a Cosworth Sierra. It was luxury in comparison to that Vauxhall.
Never taken a short test drive since.

 

[Monkeylegend]

Both my TVR's, a V8S and a Griffith 500.

Constantly worrying about overheating and dreaded the sight of brake lights, the heat soak particularly in the Griffith made it uncomfortable to drive, and the tramlining in the Griffith made it a bit scary on full acceleration.

Also the constant worry about things falling off and the split fuel hose on the Griffith spraying petrol over the exhaust manifold was the final straw.

The looks and sound were great but not enough for me to want to keep them.

I kept my Morris Marina longer

 

[fabes]

2002 Renault Laguna 2.2DCI Initiale, bought 1 year old privately from a colleague who was emigrating.

Lovely looking & driving luxury (top of the range!) with all electrics, sat nav, big sunroof, big alloy wheels (for the time) powerful, pretty fast but quiet diesel estate.
And it looked great in mid burgundy with mid grey leather interior.

But then it cost Renault more than they sold it for originally in the latter two years of its three year warranty and then a further year with the independent warranty I bought who took a proper bath on it, but fair play, they all paid up every time....
I was a glutton for punishment, but when it went, it was the nicest car I had had.
I really liked it and every time it went wrong (and was fixed fully under Renault warranty no questions asked) that was of course the last time it would fail on me, surely.....

I think I can remember many of the failures including most of the electrics, the climate control unit, a heated seat matrix, a cylinder (that was expensive!) , fourth and sixth gears (also not cheap), multiple parking sensors, more electrics, something that led to it creating a James Bondesqe smoke screen under load (that was a week or so in the dealers), oh and an alloy wheel failed.
However, apart from my time, and a few hundred to Warranty Direct or whoever, it cost me, personally, nothing more than some tyres.
I really liked that car and it suited a young family well, but when I was told I couldn't get an affordable, pay anything (and they did) warranty for it - they declined to renew it - , as it was running okay, it was sold pdq.

I also bought an MG Midget in a fit of summer madness one spring, spent quite a bit sorting it out but the little sod kept breaking down what ever I or the garage did, so that went quickly, but I took the bath on that one.

 

[jamesfuller]

Passat V6 4Motion

I've had quite a variety of cars, some have really tested my patience for one reason or another. The Passat did nothing wrong and the heated leather seats where just fine, just such a mind numbingly boring experience that 6 months was all I could manage.