Soldato
This was a mk1, I think the succeeding model was a big step up.
Worst car you have driven
- Thread starter Milkyway
- Start date
A Fiat Citivan. Panel van variant of the Fiat Duna which was made in Brazil. God knows how it ended up being sold in the UK. Had an astonishing 55bhp, and never felt like you were in control of it, the suspension was so stodgy.
And, on top of the fact that it was terrible anyway, it also had a habit of dying after about 20 minutes of motorway driving. We never got to the bottom of why. Never happened on any other road type. It left me stranded on the hard shoulder a few times, waiting the ten minutes or so before it would start up again. On one memorable occasion it began dying as a traffic jam was forming and I was unable to get across from the middle lane. Then the jam dissolved and I was left sat stationary with cars whizzing past me on both sides. Thankfully it started up again a lot quicker that time.
And yes, I totally agree that it was bloody stupid to carry on even using it on the motorway after the first time it happened. But I was a student. Stupid things are obligatory. Just don't ask me about the equally dodgy Astravan that we towed down the M6 at 80mph+ on a 6 foot long tow rope at a similar time in my life. That was terrifying.
And, on top of the fact that it was terrible anyway, it also had a habit of dying after about 20 minutes of motorway driving. We never got to the bottom of why. Never happened on any other road type. It left me stranded on the hard shoulder a few times, waiting the ten minutes or so before it would start up again. On one memorable occasion it began dying as a traffic jam was forming and I was unable to get across from the middle lane. Then the jam dissolved and I was left sat stationary with cars whizzing past me on both sides. Thankfully it started up again a lot quicker that time.
And yes, I totally agree that it was bloody stupid to carry on even using it on the motorway after the first time it happened. But I was a student. Stupid things are obligatory. Just don't ask me about the equally dodgy Astravan that we towed down the M6 at 80mph+ on a 6 foot long tow rope at a similar time in my life. That was terrifying.
Soldato
Gotta be a 2009 Qashquai.
Was absolute dog. No feel in the gears, pedals or steering. Absolutely horrible.
Newer version is a big step up, and definitely tolerable
Was absolute dog. No feel in the gears, pedals or steering. Absolutely horrible.
Newer version is a big step up, and definitely tolerable
True most if not all of my experience has been the MkII based vehicles.
Gotta be a 2009 Qashquai.
Was absolute dog. No feel in the gears, pedals or steering. Absolutely horrible.
Newer version is a big step up, and definitely tolerable
Steering on Nissans in general is a bit "interesting" - usually far more capable than the feel you get which is a bit unnerving in a way in that you can chuck it into a corner and know it will do it but you don't have that feedback quite the same as other cars. For want of a better way to put it kind of video game like.
Soldato
- Joined
- 30 Sep 2005
- Posts
- 16,551
My first car was a 1.2 punto......and I loved it! It did more than it was supposed to. Loved that car
Never got on with the Audi. MPG of a performance car without much performance. Bad buy.
Caporegime
Rover / MG Montego Turbo, torque steer so violent it would try to change lane, harsh ride, crap build quality.
Drove it as a test drive after my Escort RS Turbo had been stolen (again!) Bought another Escort which itself got stolen…. :O
Drove it as a test drive after my Escort RS Turbo had been stolen (again!) Bought another Escort which itself got stolen…. :O
I’ve driven a fair few awful cars but many have faded into memory. More recently at the invite of Audi I got to drive a load of RS cars around Oulton. Most were good of course but the Q3 RS was just awful and I nearly stuck it into the barriers lap 1 when it decided not to turn it. Understeer the like of which I’ve not seen and I was not going quickly. Felt numb not that quick and just garabage for what it cost. I seem to recall the Audi guys agreeing with me too.
I had a 400 for 2 weeks once. I actually thought it was OK and it rode and went far better than my 1.6L Cavalier of the time.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 45,038
I hate driving my wife’s mini. I know they are meant to be amazing driving cars, but I just don’t like it. The steering wheel has massive notches that force your hands into particular places. I had to keep checking that my foot was actually on the accelerator.
Soldato
Hatchback one? Mum had one for 10 years, drove pretty well.
My awful list has a couple of entries from work hire car roulette in the early 00s.
Renault Megane Mk1 1.6. Offset driving position, controls on the centre of the dash canted towards the passenger as a money saving cut and paste from LHD measure. Awful visibility, throttle laaaag. <30mpg.
Corsa 1.2 "twinport". Slow, awful gearchange, lifeless steering, no confidence in the handling. Throttle laaaag again. My mid 80s Nova drove better.
Honourable mention for the Nissan Almera 1.6 SLX. Drove OK, but utterly depressing to look at and be in. Unlike the two above the controls worked, they just looked ugly! All the toys. Who fitted an electric sunroof and AirCon at the same time back in 2000? Gearlever was hilariously long and spectacularly ugly. The next week I got a choice between that and a Vectra. I took the keys for the Vectra without a second thought.
Man of Honour
When I came back from the Gulf in 1997 the Hercules landed at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire. I was based at RAF Laarbruch in Germany so had to overnight in accomodation at Lyneham then drive a hire car to Heathrow early the next morning for a onward flight. The hire car was some crap made by Proton. The thing was awful, bordering on unsafe to drive. It was wondering all over the place and the brakes were barely useable. On top of that it was very uncomfortable, had a very dated cabin and the engine was gutless. Not a nice exprerience at all.
The worst cars I have ever travelled in were Citroens with that fancy suspension they had in the 70's and 80's, it always made me seasick even on a short journey.
The worst cars I have ever travelled in were Citroens with that fancy suspension they had in the 70's and 80's, it always made me seasick even on a short journey.
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With the scrolling speedometer?
Soldato
My grandad's 90s (not sure of the age) Rover Metro, this was only a few years ago as well.
It's the most scared I've ever bene driving, I remember pressing the brakes and having a bit of a panic as it didn't slow down at all lol. Me and my dad made him buy a new car after that.
It's the most scared I've ever bene driving, I remember pressing the brakes and having a bit of a panic as it didn't slow down at all lol. Me and my dad made him buy a new car after that.
As a passenger... The Renault 5 experience.
Boy, did they lean... my elbow was almost on the ground.
(Never been in a 2CV... but apparently they are quite fun).
Fun to watch racing.
https://images.app.goo.gl/P5SEM9A27kJW761B8
Boy, did they lean... my elbow was almost on the ground.
(Never been in a 2CV... but apparently they are quite fun).
Fun to watch racing.
https://images.app.goo.gl/P5SEM9A27kJW761B8
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Soldato
A Greek Hyundai Atos hire car, absolute pile of junk. When you depressed the clutch and came to a stop the sticky throttle would make the engine rev its nuts off so it was really embarrassing at junctions and car parks 
Soldato
Without a shadow of a doubt, a Seat Ibiza 1.4 think (possibly 1.2) it was that I had on loan for a week around 5-6 years ago so it was a modern one. think it was around 2015 when I had it...
My god... I got in... never in my life had so much GREY cheap plastic... it's like they went out of their way to make it as bland and dull as possible. Rubbish gutless engine that really wasn't fit for purpose in that size of car, terrible driving position and space... just an absolute shambles... I never realised how lucky I had it until I drove that car. It just rattled, the engine sounded terrible (and it wonly had about 5k on the clock)... just really poor. the "slam" of the door put me off as well, it was like two thimbles hitting eachother.
So for me, the worst car you drive has to be based on the era it was in... saying a 1980's car was rubbish... well yeah compared to modern cars it probably was... but WAS it bad in 1980... in 2015 I can't believe that anyone made a worse car than the Ibiza I drove.... but they probably did lol
EDIT: Think I've found it... think it was like this only I had pure GREY seats... I mean... could they produce a more dreary interior? Low cost I get, zero imagination I can't accept.
My god... I got in... never in my life had so much GREY cheap plastic... it's like they went out of their way to make it as bland and dull as possible. Rubbish gutless engine that really wasn't fit for purpose in that size of car, terrible driving position and space... just an absolute shambles... I never realised how lucky I had it until I drove that car. It just rattled, the engine sounded terrible (and it wonly had about 5k on the clock)... just really poor. the "slam" of the door put me off as well, it was like two thimbles hitting eachother.
So for me, the worst car you drive has to be based on the era it was in... saying a 1980's car was rubbish... well yeah compared to modern cars it probably was... but WAS it bad in 1980... in 2015 I can't believe that anyone made a worse car than the Ibiza I drove.... but they probably did lol
EDIT: Think I've found it... think it was like this only I had pure GREY seats... I mean... could they produce a more dreary interior? Low cost I get, zero imagination I can't accept.
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Don
My mate's wife's car which was a 1994 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Automatic. 0-60 in 16s or there abouts....if the road was flat.......or downhill (preferrably).
I had to drive it for some reason that I can no longer remember, but I do remember driving it up the A404 from Marlow towards the M40 which goes up a hill. It's a dual carriageway with a 70 limit and the little Corsa's speed dropped, and dropped, and dropped, until it stabilised at 40mph, full throttle.
I had to drive it for some reason that I can no longer remember, but I do remember driving it up the A404 from Marlow towards the M40 which goes up a hill. It's a dual carriageway with a 70 limit and the little Corsa's speed dropped, and dropped, and dropped, until it stabilised at 40mph, full throttle.