Ever bought a car you couldn’t live with?

[John]

Wet fart washed-out black 1993 E36 BMW 325i saloon. I just sold a stunning Estoril Blue 1997 E36 BMW M3 Evolution coupe as I was taking on a hefty mortgage on my own and wasn't sure how the monthlies would work out. I didn't want the stress frankly and the M3 was not a cheap car to run, so I bought said saloon as my local dealer got it in as a trade so I paid trade for it. It did everything I asked of it very reliably. But it was a huge drop in power from the M3, looked dismal as fook and no air con. It was a manual too, which was fine for the previous M3 as the SMG is those is shyte, but for this car it could have done with an auto for those days when traffic was bad on business trips. Replace with:

White 1997 BMW E36 328i Sport thinking it would be as much fun as the M3 but cheaper to run. Quite the reverse and what the hell possessed me to buy it in white? I think I thought it looked fine in the pictures but in the flesh it was not for me. Slow as anything (193BHP vs 321BHP!) and handling was sloppy compared to the M3. I hadn't learnt my lesson about going for an auto either. I stuck with it for a year and gave in.

Black 2013 Mercedes CL500 4.7 V8 TT. I absolutely loved the look of this car - simply stunning. But I couldn't live with a large impractical coupe. Could never park it in a car park with fixed spaces as I couldn't get out of it with such huge doors. Not double-hinged either. Felt heavy and take-off was a bit digital in C mode I think due to that and it's ECU map. I also found the seats to be very uncomfortable and with the most basic leather option, quite nasty actually. This compared to Nappa on my previous E55 and Nappa on my current S500. I kept it for over two years but called it a day.

I don't begrudge the CL though as timing-wise it got me my current S500 which I love in all respects.

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

You surprise me there Gav. I remember doing many trips into London with my E55K as a chauffeur for my late mum and dad so she didn't have to suffer public transport whilst being unwell from cancer.

She said it was as comfortable as an S320 W221 (not her words - I knew what car they had!) they paid for for the first trip.

 

[Phil1968]

Not bought, but three company cars I had in the mid 90s, two Escorts & an Orion, the Mk.5 variant. Two had the 1.8TD engine which suffered horrific turbo lag & the other an asthmatic 1.4 petrol. They were absolutely dire & put me off Ford for life unfortunately. They then gave me a Lantra 1.6 petrol Estate from the (then) up & coming Hyundai brand & it was like a breath of fresh air in comparison. I can't think of any duds from what must be 50-odd company or privately owned cars in the last 35 years ...including the Morris Marina

 

[merc85]

@John , Nope Brutus was a handful, more akin to having a relationship with a whore, Great ride but you would never take it home to show your parents before Marrying it lol.

My E55k Estate on the other was sublime.

 

[slade1]

Original Mini, noisy, uncomfortable and no suspension.

 

[Skd884]

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.

No.

 

[DrNick]

Dutton Phaeton. When it worked it was great fun.
But it didn't work much and was unbelievably unreliable. I remember driving it once at night when without warning, all the electrics went out and the engine stopped. SImple fault, simple fix -I just reached under the dashboard, grabbed a handful of wiring and jiggled it about. It all started again. Only lost about 15 mph.
It had to go though. Untrustworthy and impractical. Taught me a lot though.

 

[Londonscottish]

In 1995 when I was waiting for my new company car to arrive (Nissan 200SX) I was given a Mondeo 1.8 as a long term loaner. Great steering, brakes and chassis and a zingy rev-happy petrol engine. Surprisingly good for a rep special. As I was going on hols for 2 weeks I gave it back to the hire company to save my employer some money, assuming I'd just get another one when I got back.

Oh no, they saw fit to give me a Nissan Terrano 4x4 thing. Possibly the worst car I have EVER driven. Horrendous when stationary, appalling on the move.

I called the hire company every day for a week until they gave me something normal again.

 

[A.J.]

In 1995 when I was waiting for my new company car to arrive (Nissan 200SX) I was given a Mondeo 1.8 as a long term loaner. Great steering, brakes and chassis and a zingy rev-happy petrol engine. Surprisingly good for a rep special. As I was going on hols for 2 weeks I gave it back to the hire company to save my employer some money, assuming I'd just get another one when I got back.

Oh no, they saw fit to give me a Nissan Terrano 4x4 thing. Possibly the worst car I have EVER driven. Horrendous when stationary, appalling on the move.

I called the hire company every day for a week until they gave me something normal again.

I got to use the Ford version, the Maverick, when I worked for Ford Motor Com. Even as a Ford employee I thought it was the most awful thing both to drive and to look at

 

[Williamwoo]

Alfa Romeo GT. I should have loved it – this was my 10th Alfa and I’d loved all the previous nine. It had a lot going for it – it looked terrific, it was well equipped, very roomy and practical for a 2-door coupe and it had that engine (3.2 Busso V6). However, it had a bone-hard ride (far worse than that of the Integrale I also had at the time) and the handling was very peculiar – sometimes the car would tramline, sometimes not; changes in camber would sometimes upset it and sometimes not. I just felt I could never ‘trust’ it, and therefore never really enjoyed it. I have to say though that it was extremely reliable and perhaps a subsequent owner has sorted the handling issues because I see it is still running today.

 

[Mr Filipov]

Ironically the car I could not live with was a 2011 W212. I had just just over a year and I had to get rid as the seat base was not comfortable for me whatsoever. I was really gutted as it was a brilliant car, but the reminder was that any drive that was over 20 mins was starting to cause me pain.

Moved to the dark side with a 5 series GT and the seats are just different level. My first one was sport seats and I’m now on the second one with comfort seats which adjust in whichever way you could possibly want. Could not be happier and it’s done some long drives around Europe, pre covid of course, where after 1600 miles I get out of the car just as fresh as when I jumped in.

 

[Gbrowncls55]

Had 6 911s in a row and then decided that as I was older now I should switch to a brand new 928GT manual. Hated it... and it kept going wrong. Had it 2 months and swapped it back for another 911 (964). Other than that one no others really. Not bad after 42 changes.

 

[fourwheels]

New 2015 Jaguar XE
Had four Jaguar’s in between Mercs and never a problem but the XE when launched had one problem after another and was back at the dealers every few weeks. Steering rack, wheel bearings, door trim, boot lid scoring bumper when closed, auto boot closure failing, but worse was you could drive it successfully then stop and it wouldn’t start again. Lots of the 2015’s had problems. Many owners weathered the storm and stayed with it waiting for updates. I couldn’t, so sold after a year and returned to Mercedes

 

[Mactech]

There has just been one. A lovely FF Range Rover. Great place to be. Fantastic drive, will go anywhere and my wife could 'see over the hedges'



However, in the space of 12 months it was into the dealers 3 times for 4 figure repairs. That's more than I have spent on 'outside regular service' on over 40 other cars....together, ever!
That just reeks of technical incompetence in the area of reliability. I couldn't live with that.

 

[gIzzE]

Only 2 that I really, really couldn't live with.

4.2 V8 Audi S4 Avant.
It was just crap.
Clutch horrid, pedals all different heights causing cramps in my shins, gearing terrible, far too short to get half decent 0-60mph times and doing 3500rpm on motorway and 18mpg, and it understeered like a good'un.
Bought with 13k miles on it, sold 8 weeks later with 15k miles on it. Horrid thing.

2010 E350cdi Avanatgarde Estate.
Had silly paramater steering which was horrible and dangerous.
Seats were just terrible. I had come from a BMW 530d which has almost perfect seats, and you felt like you were sat on the car, no thigh support as not enough tilt, and after an hour I had to stop and get out.
I could do 12 hours from St. Tropez to Norwich in the 530d stopping only for fuel once and for the tunnel.
MPG crap too.

The 2012 E350 petrol sport estate was amazing.

 

[Piff]

Not bought, but three company cars I had in the mid 90s, two Escorts & an Orion, the Mk.5 variant. Two had the 1.8TD engine which suffered horrific turbo lag & the other an asthmatic 1.4 petrol. They were absolutely dire & put me off Ford for life unfortunately. They then gave me a Lantra 1.6 petrol Estate from the (then) up & coming Hyundai brand & it was like a breath of fresh air in comparison. I can't think of any duds from what must be 50-odd company or privately owned cars in the last 35 years ...including the Morris Marina

My first employer gave me a Datsun van (120Y?) followed by a Marina then an Ital. Both awful cars. Changed jobs & in the next job I was given the boss's hand-me-downs. 1983 1.3 Escort followed by a 1984 1.6 Orion. Then a 1986 Audi 1.8 Coupe which was a revelation compared to the Fords. The boss moved on to an Audi 2.2 Coupe Quattro which I was really looking forward to. But no, the boss decided we should both have new cars. So in 1989 he got a Volvo 480 and I had a Volvo 440. At the time I lived on a busy road & pulling off the drive was a nightmare as there was a flat spot just after pulling away. So spot a break in the traffic, accelerate out & the engine would then die half way across the road before picking up again. Returned the car to Volvo dealer many times & they tried replacing various sensors before giving up & labelling the problem as a "design feature". Boss asked why I kept taking the car back. I explained the problem & he said that his did the same but but wasn't a problem for him as he didn't have to pull out onto a busy A road

 

[Phil1968]

My first employer gave me a Datsun van (120Y?) followed by a Marina then an Ital. Both awful cars. Changed jobs & in the next job I was given the boss's hand-me-downs. 1983 1.3 Escort followed by a 1984 1.6 Orion. Then a 1986 Audi 1.8 Coupe which was a revelation compared to the Fords. The boss moved on to an Audi 2.2 Coupe Quattro which I was really looking forward to. But no, the boss decided we should both have new cars. So in 1989 he got a Volvo 480 and I had a Volvo 440. At the time I lived on a busy road & pulling off the drive was a nightmare as there was a flat spot just after pulling away. So spot a break in the traffic, accelerate out & the engine would then die half way across the road before picking up again. Returned the car to Volvo dealer many times & they tried replacing various sensors before giving up & labelling the problem as a "design feature". Boss asked why I kept taking the car back. I explained the problem & he said that his did the same but but wasn't a problem for him as he didn't have to pull out onto a busy A road

Ha ha I had an Ital too, a van, it was my first company vehicle in 1987 on a Y-reg (1983). In beige With the venerable 1.3 A+ series. And yes I agree, they weren't great. It had a low ratio diff for van duties so it only did about 85 flat out. And I had to drive it all over the country for my job

 

[Phil1968]

Dutton Phaeton. When it worked it was great fun.
But it didn't work much and was unbelievably unreliable. I remember driving it once at night when without warning, all the electrics went out and the engine stopped. SImple fault, simple fix -I just reached under the dashboard, grabbed a handful of wiring and jiggled it about. It all started again. Only lost about 15 mph.
It had to go though. Untrustworthy and impractical. Taught me a lot though.

I had one too in the early 90s, with a Ford 1600 crossflow. Bearing in mind they were a kit car, they were always a project in progress, as mine was too

 

[Piff]

Ha ha I had an Ital too, a van, it was my first company vehicle in 1987 on a Y-reg (1983). In beige With the venerable 1.3 A+ series. And yes I agree, they weren't great. It had a low ratio diff for van duties so it only did about 85 flat out. And I had to drive it all over the country for my job

I managed to write off the Ital - they put me back in a Marina
At the time I had a 12' Sprite caravan, these Morris's really struggled with the hills in Norfolk with a caravan on the back.

 

[Jonesy161]

I thought I’d treat my wife to European car of the year.........1979, she’s not forgiven me yet!
Within the first year, we were reversing off the drive, put full lock on and the lower control arm ball joint popped out.
I also seem to have avoided brownie points on subsequent choices.

 

[Piff]

I thought I’d treat my wife to European car of the year.........1979, she’s not forgiven me yet!
Within the first year, we were reversing off the drive, put full lock on and the lower control arm ball joint popped out.
I also seem to have avoided brownie points on subsequent choices.

Not surprised! I wouldn't forgive you either.