Most disappointing car you've driven?

[akirk]

Anyhow, as for how good they are to drive - well, personally, I think they are the single most engaging car I have ever driven. It is, without doubt, in my top three all time cars.

I guess that explains the price - a great car will always sit way above the next rank and a company like this will always push the price up - they won't sell it for that price, but part of the process is that by advertising it at such high prices the market becomes used to seeing it at this price - and then is less resistant to paying the price...

Alasdair

[MrToad]

...my top three all time cars.

Now there's an idea for a great companion thread. Care to start us off?

I'm guessing your other two will be the LCC Rocket and the E39 540i, but I may be wrong.

[stefan einz]

Conscious that in my reply above I do not actually answer the question - what's the most disappointing car I've driven?

Tough one this, as I have driven a huge variety of cars, from the everyday to hyper sports cars. It would be easy to plug for one of the more everyday cars, as on average these are less exciting to drive than a performance car. But that would be unfair. So instead I've tried to think of the car that has most disappointed relative to my expectations for the car, and its purpose. This is not necessarily the same as the worst car I've driven (which is easy - a Skoda Esetelle).

So my answer is the Mercedes Benz AMG C32. This is a car from the early noughties, which had a six cylinder super charged engine, with a slush box. It was built at the time M-B and Chrysler were bed fellows, to the significant detriment of M-B's legendary build quality. The car itself was of course fast, but the engine was strained at high revs. The gearbox was awful - slow to shift and not smooth. The handling was ok, but in comparison to BMW M-cars on the era, it was nothing special. The steering was especially vague. I didn't own this car, but probably drove it several times on various trips, and even after some considerable wheel time, I could not warm to it.

Interestingly, since then AMG Mercedes have improved dramatically. Today, I think AMG trump BMW M cars in almost every respect - a complete reversal of the position ten years ago.

Cheers

[TheInsanity1234]

I can't tell you what the most disappointing car I've ever driven, because as of now, I've only ever driven 2 cars properly!

The first one was the Skoda Citigo which suited its purpose of bumbling around a small private road network and a car park, so certainly wasn't disappointing!

The second one is my mother's Yeti, which is a lovely car!

[waremark]

So my answer is the Mercedes Benz AMG C32. This is a car from the early noughties, which had a six cylinder super charged engine, with a slush box. It was built at the time M-B and Chrysler were bed fellows, to the significant detriment of M-B's legendary build quality. The car itself was of course fast, but the engine was strained at high revs. The gearbox was awful - slow to shift and not smooth. The handling was ok, but in comparison to BMW M-cars on the era, it was nothing special. The steering was especially vague. I didn't own this car, but probably drove it several times on various trips, and even after some considerable wheel time, I could warm to it.

God, I remember that one. Luckily I only got to drive it once.

I seem to remember making Stefan feel sick in that. Maybe that affected his memory of it! I found controlling the gearbox challenging but that was part of making it interesting. I am not nearly as sensitive to steering as most of you experts. I don't remember having a problem with the steering. The chassis was not nearly as capable as my contemporary M3, nor the engine note as inspiring, but the performance was really impressive.

[waremark]

Instead of choosing a car, I will go for a system - single clutch paddle shift gearboxes. More difficult than a manual to drive smoothly, less satisfying, and lacking most of the benefits of an auto.

My son has an Abarth 595 - a fancy version of a Fiat 500. It proves that this abominable technology lives on (as it does, although better executed, in various modern Aston's among others). The Abarth also bounces and crashes on bumpy roads.

[jont]

The Abarth also bounces and crashes on bumpy roads.

I think that's true of almost every modern car in "performance" variant guise, but particularly so when it's a fast version of something relatively mundane. To most people it feels "sporty", innit

[martine]

The Abarth also bounces and crashes on bumpy roads.

I think that's true of almost every modern car in "performance" variant guise, but particularly so when it's a fast version of something relatively mundane. To most people it feels "sporty", innit

Not true for Focus ST's - Mk2...or Mk3 I understand.

[stefan einz]

Instead of choosing a car, I will go for a system - single clutch paddle shift gearboxes. More difficult than a manual to drive smoothly, less satisfying, and lacking most of the benefits of an auto.

My son has an Abarth 595 - a fancy version of a Fiat 500. It proves that this abominable technology lives on (as it does, although better executed, in various modern Aston's among others). The Abarth also bounces and crashes on bumpy roads.

I'd agree with that. I've bought and sold two M3 CSLs (one when it was new; the other second hand a few years later); it is one of the best cars ever made ruined by an awful gearbox. Only the Ferrari 430 Scuderia and 599 GTO have single clutch gearboxes that do work.

As for the Abarth, interesting on the ride - I had thought of a Biposto, but early reviews very much suggest this is a pogo stick when it comes to ride quality. Order cancelled!