Volvo XC60. Delivered minus some of the options we specified inc the towbar. Dealer couldn't quite understand why i was asking how it passed its PDI. Never ran properly, limp mode randomly, drove like a tanker, wheel bearings x 2 fell apart after 3 months, headliner fell off, eventually managed to give them it back after i had spent more time in their courtesy car than that hellhole. Cost me some money but i would rather have walked !
For me it was the most mechanically unreliable and at the same time the most fun: A 1974 Spitfire. Built by BL in the 70's it wasn't put together with much care. and by the time i was playing with it it was already 20 years old and had had a handful of careless owners. the body work was full of holes, the mechanicals were falling to bits and the electricals were particularly unsafe. If I wanted to drive it on a Monday, most weekends were taken up with fixing it! But when it worked it was a bunch of fun
The least reliable car I have owned was also a Citroen BX16v GTi.
My dad had one, the handbrake failed on a hill and it ended up on it's roof a few hundred yards down-slope.
Realistically, a Mk1 Fiesta 1.1L in Caribbean Blue. First car, but of an era when cars were not very reliable mechanically or structurally. Eventually rotted between the inner and outer wheel arch into the passenger compartment.
Had loads of Rovers - all fine apart from those with the K-series engine. Worst was a 75 (which was a nice enough car, but boring after a 2.0 T-series Turbo Tomcat) 1.8K. Had a broken wire in the coil pack loom which took ages to trace. Car would kangaroo once warm. And as soon as I'd sorted it, the rad holed and it overheated.
1.8D NASP Fiesta, 1.5D NASP 106 and 1.7D NASP Corsa - all gutless and dull - didn't have them long enough for things to go wrong.
I've never had a proper lemon, but the Fiat Regatta I owned in the mid-90s was probably the most underwhelming.
1.3 litre engine, terrible brakes and did more understeering than it did actual steering.
I'll always remember the terror of the brakes smoking and stopping working as I descended the Hardknott Pass. Though I'll admit it probably wasn't the best idea to drive over it in the first place.
I actually find our current 2010 Scenic more annoying though. It's very pleasant to drive and really comfy, but the electrics are so unpredictable I feel like going full Basil Fawlty as I'm stood there pressing the keyfob but unable to open the driver's door.
So far, the one I bought most recently...Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer...bought as it will tow my caravan; is an estate not an SUV; is a mighty sight cheaper than alternatives...now people will slate Vauxhalls, and whilst I don't 100% disagree, I have had lots over the years - Nova, Corsa, Vectra all without major incident etc. This one, however, is taking the biscuit (along with the cup, water and tea bags):
Owned it for 9 weeks. For 3 weeks, to date, its been at the garage. Arrived with a timing belt issue - this was repaired under warranty. Engine decided it did not like the new timing belt so destroyed it, ripping off several teeth, and itself. New engine required now being sorted under warranty.
Oh, did I mention it needs a new gearbox too?
At least I'm not paying for any of this, but still
Now, the worst car I've ever driven...Fiat Seicento as a courtesy car. Quite literally a death trap on wheels. Close the door - windows on both driver and passenger side drop open. Body of the car was thinner than a baked bean tin. Zero brakes; zero acceleration, obviously offsetting the lack of brakes; fuel tank leaked; engine oil leaked.
Ford Focus C-Max (04). Nice engine but drove like a double decker bus round corners and the extra space in the back was completely unusable. Awful.
Swapped it for an 02 Golf Estate TDI 2.0 (IV) which was an awesome car. Mechanically became expensive later on but still relatively cheap over a life time. I miss that car.
Mk7 Ford Transhit.
We had one as a home camper conversion. It was great to drive and never needed much done apart from the regular consumables. But... it started rusting at about 4 years old and thereafter it was a constant battle, initially just cosmetic but structural not long after. We got it through an MOT with a bit of welding and decided to only do that once then get rid.
Edit: I'm talking bollocks it was a Mk6
On a practical basis, my 1.3 Chevette - 77/78 registration, obtained by me in 1988 for £50. However, it was my first car and has mainly happy memories associated.
On a dullness basis, 1.0 Micra, 1988 E reg obtained in 1993 post uni. Totally unmemorable, also snapped a timing belt and munched the valves.
On an emotional basis, a Fiat Coupe 16v turbo. Lovely inside, ugly outside, door skins made of foil so they showed the slightest ding, dodgy alarm and I just didn't like how heavy it felt to drive.
Replaced with a brand new Honda Integra Type R (DC2) which was amazing and I never should have sold it!
Difficult choice between a Rover 220 Coupe and a Jeep Wrangler.
The Rover needed 3 engines in 15 months and I was only doing about 4k a year, I complained to Rover and they told the dealer to buy it back off of me.
The Wrangler was meant to be my long term car but it only lasted a year - every month was around £200 in repairs and the dealers were awful. It was only a couple of years old when I got it with 18k on the clock.
Fiat Coupe 16v turbo. Lovely inside, ugly outside
Ugly? UGLY?
A couple of my pals had them and they were stunning vehicles, inside and out - albeit the handling apparently wasn't quite there.
Im pretty uncritical when it comes to cars. My crapheaps all did the job well enough. At one point in my life I would be given cars to review and I was loaned the then new Vauxhall Frontera for a month. Gutless, unreliable crap that even on southern motorway cruises encountering the slightest hill meant changing down to try to stay at 65.
Hideous.
A couple of my pals had them and they were stunning vehicles, inside and out – albeit the handling apparently wasn’t quite there.
It had some neat details - the petrol cap, the key fob, the Pininfarina badges - but the overall look didn't do it for me. At least I didn't have to look at the outside when I was inside it.
Worst was a Fiat Panda which, at less than 10 yo and with around 30k on the clock, collapsed going over a speed bump. Rear end had corroded so much that bits of axle and spring littered the road. At least it was light enough to push home until it could be scrapped.
Honourable mention to the old Saab 9-3 1.9 diesel which had a season ticket for the AA lorry. Shame really as the rest of the car was good and if we'd bought a petrol one it might still be going.
Peugeot 3008 2011 plate, VW Caddy 05 plate. Both financial horrors mechanically.
I was loaned the then new Vauxhall Frontera for a month. Gutless, unreliable crap that even on southern motorway cruises encountering the slightest hill meant changing down to try to stay at 65.
We had a review one in for a bit. I remember that as well as being gutless, it also had the disconcerting feeling that the chassis was pivoting in the middle when cornering.
Were they supposed to be quite well-regarded for off-roading though?
It had some neat details – the petrol cap, the key fob, the Pininfarina badges – but the overall look didn’t do it for me. At least I didn’t have to look at the outside when I was inside it.
Fair enough, it certainly had a strong aesthetic.
Not being funny, but why did you get one in the first place though?
Audi A6 estate. Bought as a family wagon. Used, relatively high motorway miles. low owners. A complete and utter moneypit. Eventually wrote it off completely as uneconomic Cost about 70p/mile. Never again.
Not being funny, but why did you get one in the first place though?
I loved the inside - black leather, painted dash, PF badge etc. It was a nice place to sit. I was coming from a 115bhp hatchback so the jump in performance was great too. Just the handling and a few reliability issues let it down.
And
At least I didn’t have to look at the outside when I was inside it.
We had a review one in for a bit. I remember that as well as being gutless, it also had the disconcerting feeling that the chassis was pivoting in the middle when cornering.
Ironic we replaced our shite golf with an ancient frontera because a mate was getting rid of it.
It was a MK2 with a 2.2 dti. It perhaps had some chipping going on I don't know but it could shift certainly wouldn't have called it sluggish and it was a great tow vehicle. Never batted an eye lid no matter what I hooked on.we treated it like shit and It was put in ditches Nd trees and didn't bother just drove out and carried on.
Unfortunately a woman drove into the side of it as it was driving along and pushed it through a bus. It still reversed out and drove home but ultimately it was a write off due to chassis leg damage.
Would i have bought one new - would i **** . as above it was horrible to look at .
My first 2 cars were utter piles of shit!
1979 V Reg ford fiesta, bought in 1995 for £150, 2 tone cream and brown. absolute junk but my first car so also amazing! Broke down pretty much every week, eventually died on the drive from Halifax to see my girlfriend (now wife) at Nottingham Uni. I got the breakdown folk to take me to her place after the weekend, left it there and got the train home.
1982 Y Reg Mini Mayfair in brown, Also bought in 1995 for about £100 or something, following the demise of the Fiesta, only lasted a few months. Actually scrap that it was a great car in the short time I had it, went like stink from the lights but had a tendancy to over heat on the motorway.
Decided I needed to up my car game after that so bought a 1986 D Reg Fiat Uno for £650.....
BMW 325 Touring - 03 plate from memory. It was utter gash. I think it was a "Friday car" just before the Munich workforce p1ssed off to the Brau Haus for the afternoon.
When it worked, it was a lovely drive. But that was so infrequently that I ended up having to carry around a mobile jump starter with me everywhere I went.
in 12 months....
Wiring was awful - boot wire kept getting water ingression every time it rained, popping the boot glass, turning all lights on and killing the battery. It took BMW 3 attempts to not fix this. Thankfully a local auto electrician did find it.
New hedgehog resistor
New Battery (linked to the first point)
New Radiator - I returned to the car after work to find a massive puddle under it
New Clutch and rather expensive dual mass flywheel - My wife's waters had just broken and when you need the car most...the clutch goes.
New Electric mirror (not the car's fault....someone knocked it off driving past, but they cost a lot to replace nonetheless)
The final straw was when the wipers broke one Xmas eve....I couldn't see anything and had to stick my head out of the window like a scene from Dumb and Dumber to get home.
To rub salt into the wounds - everything is just so expensive to replace. But I knew that when I bought it. Just didn't expect such an influx of constant bills.
Citroen ZX 'Furio' The only furious thing about it was me after the constant engine fails (ie, randomly cutting out at low revs). It was also woefully underpowered. After six months (and a full top half engine rebuild) it went back to the dealers as not acceptable for a full refund and I got a Renault Clio RSi in exchange. I loved that car - such a stealth vehicle that could surprise many 'hot' hatches.
Unreliable cars from the 60 and 70 oh and 80s ...like Marina, ital, ford Anglia, maxi, Morris minor, minis ( Evil and wonderful), wolsley, rovers, ford Cortina's,
worse cars
Mini metro 1981, awful bucket .... sold it with three cylinders working.
Ford escort rs, bought new in the late 1980's after I owned and crashed a ford Mexico.... seriously shite car sold it in Birmingham to a man with a perm.
Seat Altea...job lot of random be parts that did not work.... seriously rubbish
Peugot 307 that had innumerate sensor failures in the first two years. Having said, after then it was pretty steady chassis, engine wise. Interior quality horrible.
Close competition from Audi A3 Tdi that had random electrical leaks so it would drain the battery every week or so . Carried a spare battery in the boot so I could always start.
The older members here certainly have an advantage when it comes to crappy cars.
1979 V Reg ford fiesta, bought in 1995 for £150, 2 tone cream and brown.
Might have been my old one, in which case I'm very sorry.
Another car which understeered terribly, but was my first motor so I didn't care or know any better.
My dad was given a Renault 4. He painted it with black Hammerite and gave it to me.
People saying Audis! VWs! BMWs! You haven't a clue what a shit car is!
Column change? No power? Suspension like a half inflated rubber dinghy in rough seas? That's what you got with a Renault 4. The only fun was taking mates in the back and scaring the shit out of them going round roundabouts too fast (ie. 10mph) - it seriously felt like it was going to roll on to its side (and then the other side as it swayed back and forth on the springs).
I gave it back and bought a Austin 1300, which was a Maserati in comparison.
1.3 Maestro - though it was actually my old mans and I used to borrow it - utter sh**heap. Also pretty much anything by BL (minis excepted). It makes me laugh when I see people restoring cars like this. In my kingdom they would be compulsorily scrapped...
Volvo V70 bought when kids started coming along - ostensibly to put them in something bombproof. How 5 cylinders can only push out 140bhp in a two tonne car is beyond me. The fuel consumption was disastrous by todays standards, it devoured tyres, the heated seat burst into flames one day on the school run, the suspension started shedding bits of metalwork, servicing meant remortgaging, I could go on...
I bought it with a bank loan for approx £15K and sold it 6ish years later for £100. Every car since has been on pcp - never buying a new car outright again.
Mercedes ML 420
Slow, wallowing, badly built, constant faults, expensive to run and fix, big but not spacious, the list goes on.
1988 Ford Escort Van - purchased in around 1996/7
I was properly tucked up for it - it was a rusty, unreliable death trap - i only had it around 18 months, and it needed constant work (including a new gearbox) in that time.
It was replaced by a 1990 VW Jetta GT (big bumpers) which was like driving a Maybach in comparison.
The Jetta then made way in late 2000 for a 1995 Landrover defender 110 van - which was my all time favourite car, and the one i regret selling the most.
These days i'm driving a 2018 BMW 220D 7-Seat family hauler - it is comfortable, fast and reliable - but lacks character..
But if 'character' means you get to spend more time with RAC/AA men then i'm all good.
My dad once bought an a-reg Austin Montego just dreadful in every way especially as this replaced hi Cortina which i loved. My Uncle had a Talbot Sunbeam back in 1980, thats was a hateful piece of rubbish - terryfying when doing anything above 30mph. He got this to replace his 70s poo-brown Vauxhall Viva.
Most hateful - Mitsubishi Lancer auto Estate. Slower than slow! It was 1.5 but felt like it was powered by a mouse, used way too much petrol too
Biggest world of pain - 2014 E63 AMG wagon. Was back at Merc more than with me. Made them take it back and now I’m in a brand new C300d wagon....that broke down within 20 hours....
CTRL+F "Toyota"
*not found*
Smiles in Midengine
Two cars qualify for me.
My god, these were terrible.
Alfasud, rusted before me eyes, people use the term rust bucket, they need to have owned one of these to understand the term.
Allegro, I don’t know what I was thinking of when I bought it.....A friend had a Marina, I was envious , the Allegro was that bad.
Close call between a 1.3 Mk2 Golf or a VW Polo. Both put me off owning VW ever again which is a shame as I did have a Golf GTI for a spell which I loved.
Replaced with a brand new Honda Integra Type R (DC2) which was amazing and I never should have sold it!
I bought one in 1998. Got rid a few years back as it needed a fair bit of work.
Wish I had done it up and kept it. Fantastic car.
Skoda Yeti. Great design and very comfortable, but let down by a terrible gearbox and non existent customer service. Lost a lot of money on that car before part exchanging it. Feel bad for whoever has it now.
Had a Mk1 Fiesta - bought in the summer but come the slightest hint of autumn dampness the automatic choke played up. If you did manage to start it, it was liable to stall at low speeds until warm so quickly learnt left foot braking.
Nothing in the Haynes manual about auto choke for my year of car so went to the local Ford dealer to enquire. Chap spent ages on the microfiche (yes it was that long ago) trying to find info. All he could find was a note that cars intended for "hot climate" markets had auto choke & the relevant fiche was not issued to the UK. He even double checked the VIN plate to confirm it was a UK destined car. All he could suggest is that they were out of carbs with manual chokes when mine was going down the line and just grabbed one. An after market choke conversion cured it but was a PITA for a month or two until sorted.
Then I took on Mrs FB's Mk2 Fiesta after a job change. Fine until it had a hot starting issue- if it was warm (from a run) or been in the sun all day it wouldn't start, though would with a jump start. Battery/alternator/starter motor all replaced & wiring checked for earthing issues but never resolved. Eventually traded in.
My first car was an F reg Fiesta Firefly 1.1 with the eco version of the engine (lean burn i think).
On a gentle throttle it would regularly and randomly 'kangaroo' so hard you felt like you would headbutt the windscreen. Went back numerous times to Ford, mostly for adjustments to the 'timing'. Got worse and worse to the point it was undriveable so I gave up and sold it for pennies as a non-runner.
**** me if i didn't see the same car about 10 years later driving absolutely fine, all the rust fixed etc. Looked fantastic.
A second for 2006 Renault Laguna, horrible car. Felt like it was constantly going to break. and then it did. suspension snapped on my drive. key stopped working (one of those stupid credit card ones).
Total heap and was happy to ship it after not very long at all.
Mercedes ML 420
Worst for me after I had a side-on dead-stop collision on my bike at 20mph. And the driver drove off (but was caught and narrowly avoided prison). At least my mother had one of those hateful vehicles, which was the second to last thing I remembered before I lost 30min of my life.
Never had a proper lemon, but my first car, a 1977 Chevette rusted away before my eyes. Floor went the day I traded it in. Didn't do any maintenance though; so mechanically it was really good.
Really liked my 1992 Cavalier, but it had a leak in the boot that took ages to find under warranty, so smelled and started to rust within a couple of years. Sold it to a guy who loved them; apparently he'd had two stolen before...
Pug 205 "mini GTi" 1.4 twin carb. Looked *immaculate* when I went to view. Drove like all 205s so lots of roll but generally ok. V5 not present. Hmmmm, still bought it.
It had 10+ previous owners... f*+*ing piece of shit. Windows didn't shut properly so zero security and random dousings of the seat when it decided to let them slip down by a few cm.
Every. Single. Day on the way to work it would suffer petrol starvation or something to do with unbalanced carbs. Always in a traffic jam at exactly the same point. Was fine on the way home though.
Got it MOTd and there was more bandage holding the exhaust together than the garage had ever seen. They test drove it and pronounced it a death trap. Off to the auction it went...
59 plate Citroen C3 Picasso.
Bought after much 'French car cynicism' after several people told me they had owned French cars that had never had any problems & I was basing my impression on cars from years ago. The fact that my Wife's previous car (a Pug308) was a piece of crap should have been a warning.
For a small family it was a great car & I still like the idea of it, but.....it was just way too unreliable.
Our relationship didn't get off to a good start when it broke down on the way home. Well, strictly speaking it ran out of fuel, as the fuel gauge was telling me there was plenty left when there wasn't. Took the dealer 3 tries to fix it, as they decided to lie about the 'fix' the first two times.
Aside from that it just seemed to have something constantly going wrong with it - broken door lock, fuse for the power socket kept blowing but apparently 'no fault', drank oil, emissions sensor fault in hot weather that went away when it cooled down, lumpy idle when started in the cold, failed camshaft sensor.......
Annoyingly the things it did well, it did very well. But, we ended up hating the bloody thing & counted down the days until we could get rid of it; like a cassette walkman that worked well, but every now & again would chew up your favourite mix-tape.
Funnily enough, we got much more for part-ex than I was expecting, so it only cost us £3k in depreciation over 4.5 years.
Series 2a LWB Landy. Utterly awful to drive.
Would I have another? Absolutely!
