ADUK Archive

I was thinking about this last week, while suffering the use of a hire car, and was thinking about the worst and best car I had ever driven.

Worst first. Either the LandRover with steering that needed inputs for a hairpin bend, just to keep going in a straight line because there was so much play in the steering. Or the hire car in the U.S. the last few weeks. A Dodge Charger*, less than 30mpg no matter how I tried to drive it, supertanker steering response, and an automatic gearbox with only "D" and "L" options going forward, making it a pain to drive in slow traffic or for speed control down hills, and adding to brake wear.

Best car? The GT2 I spent a few laps of an airfield in - one of these driving experiences things. But probably the Boxster I currently have (and, as the thread starter, I'm exercising I a right to have an alternative) the 924S I owned for a few months last year.

*I was offered a $70 a day upgrade into a Panamera, in retrospect I might have got better mileage!

Worst?
There can be no doubt it was a Hillman Avenger; probably the most awful piece of kit I have ever had the misfortune to drive.
I say probably because there have been quite a few others which would vie for that exalted position

Best?
I'll let you know when I find it.

Got me thinking...

Worst... As above win Landrover.. Mine the safari LWB. Horrendous to steer, especially on ice & snow. I'm sure the steering wheel did connect with the wheels somewhere...

Best... A bit circumstance related... Datsun 120y estate was new and a fairly new import (1975?). Suddenly a modern car after the new mini estate where the past literally fell off when it got washed...

River 216 Vitesse (Honda engine I think)which had a bit more umph than I'd been used to. Stopped by the Rozzers on the way back from a church meeting because of the brisk driving on a country road (no offence was taking place). He was probably a bit surprised to find two vicars the car

The 85 plate BMW318d which I drive now isn't a sports car by any means but it is generally good to drive.

Worst : FSO Polonez. Heavy and lifeless steering, gutless and rough engine, gearbox felt like it was from a series 2 Land rover, over assisted disc brakes all round if you so much as looked at the brake pedal you'd nut the windscreen.
Interior was trimmed in a nylon material that allowed you to slide around on the seats which had no side support whatsoever.
The handling was hilarious,it would either plough straight on with terminal understeer or spin at very low speed according to how it felt on the day. It rolled about with lean angles that a 2CV would have been proud of before it headed for the nearest ditch.
Mix all of the above with looks only it's mother would love and you have truly the worst car I have ever driven, and this was a 2 year old 13,000 mile immaculate example. Not all bad though as I sold it for twice what i paid for it a week later... result.

dvenman wrote:I was thinking about this last week, while suffering the use of a hire car, and was thinking about the worst and best car I had ever driven.

Best (or worst) for what? You may be able to say that a Rolls is better than a Bentley. I don't think you can say whether a Rolls is better or worse than a Ferrari - they are good at different things. Less obviously, I am not sure you can say either is better than a Ford Focus.

And whether a modern easy to drive car is 'better' than an older more demanding one .....

waremark wrote:

dvenman wrote:I was thinking about this last week, while suffering the use of a hire car, and was thinking about the worst and best car I had ever driven.

Best (or worst) for what? You may be able to say that a Rolls is better than a Bentley. I don't think you can say whether a Rolls is better or worse than a Ferrari - they are good at different things. Less obviously, I am not sure you can say either is better than a Ford Focus.

And whether a modern easy to drive car is 'better' than an older more demanding one .....

How tactful! I feared for a moment that my noisy 4-cylinder diesel might have been up for a less than complimentary mention when I saw your name. You'll be pleased to hear though that having indirectly chided me for making my other half learn to drive in something so cumbersome I'm planning to replace it ASAP with something decidedly more nimble and civilised.

As for me, the worst car I've ever driven was a Peugeot lunchbox-on-wheels that I hired last year in France. Completely gutless, noisy, uncomfortable and not especially economical. It's only saving grace was that it was easy to park in the city. Honourable mention goes to a Freelander that one didn't so much drive as sail, with turbo lag that could be measured using a watch.

Best is much harder. Biggest grin though was courtesy of a Boxster earlier this year. In the Highlands, sun shining, roof down and with a clear road ahead...

Surely the challenge for a driver is to get the best out of the worst car?
The best, on public roads, within reasonable limits, make it too easy.
Then, it's not fair to compare cars from different eras.

Bloody hell the hairs are getting very thin around here! To the splitters - just say which you liked most, and least.

For me, worst were probably the company Ford Tauruses they used to give us when we visited the mother ship in Alabama. Hard to believe 2.5 litres (or whatever it was) could produce so little go. The 1300 Austin Maestro my wife owned for some years was a sprightly gazelle in comparison...

Best is the best 911 I've driven so far which is probably a 997C4. Boxsters or Caymans come very close though.

Fair enough, so just for the splitters - what's the one car which stands out in your memories as the best, and the one which is the worst? Maybe like if you could only ever drive one car for your past, what would it be, and which one from your past would you avoid like the plague?

It's all entirely subjective, I really didn't think people would take it that seriously !!

Favourite car, purely for the fun factor, has to have been the 1100 Mini Clubman that went like a 1275. Best car is a bit more difficult but probably the 1992 Nissan Primera 2.0 auto, which was a lovely car in every way and didn't let me down until it was 20 years old. Worst has to be a non-turbo diesel Peugot from the 1990s, one of the pool cars at work, which was a total dog to drive.