Whats the best 'crap' car you've had?

Hadrian

Vacuum operated windscreen wipers? That takes me back. For those who don't know they would stop when going uphill with full throttle. My old Ford, E93A, Prefect (1950 something) was sidevalve and no water pump therefore no heater. Carried an Alladin Parafin heater in the back - working!! Had to scrape off the frost INSIDE in order to see in the winter of 1962/3. Also my boss in 1956 had a pre-war car that had 90 degree play on the steering wheel. He didn't think that particularly worrying. Drivers of todays cars don't know they're born, stop wingeing!:rotfl:

DaveMacD

Hadrian wrote: »

Had to scrape off the frost INSIDE in order to see in the winter of 1962/3.

I've got to do that just now with my van. When it thaws out, all the water runs into the light fittings.

leachyd

First car was a C reg Vauxhall Nova - Wouldnt call it crap though! Bought it for £300, then put a £330 stereo in it....What a chav!

mark55man

omg this brings back memories

my car life has gone a full circle

Vauxhall Viva - having a bump in that was like a war in a 3rd world country - you noticed other people having a bad time, but didn't feel anything much yourself

Austin Allegro - me and my little bro had one (each) at the same time - boy people paid attention when we roared into town - mine was shi1t olive - his was kidney-brown

Audi 80 - nice - paid £600 from a mate doubled on insurance when rear ended (sweet)

(Got Boring then as a family man - Cavalier, 306, Laguna)

X-type - as a company car - sweet but so costly to run

Zafira (until it burnt out)

and now back to Audi A4 X reg 1.9TD 150000 - 60mpg @ 25p a mile mmmmm

cyclonebri1

mark88man wrote: »

omg this brings back memories

my car life has gone a full circle

Vauxhall Viva - having a bump in that was like a war in a 3rd world country - you noticed other people having a bad time, but didn't feel anything much yourself

Austin Allegro - me and my little bro had one (each) at the same time - boy people paid attention when we roared into town - mine was shi1t olive - his was kidney-brown

Audi 80 - nice - paid £600 from a mate doubled on insurance when rear ended (sweet)

(Got Boring then as a family man - Cavalier, 306, Laguna)

X-type - as a company car - sweet but so costly to run

Zafira (until it burnt out)

and now back to Audi A4 X reg 1.9TD 150000 - 60mpg @ 25p a mile mmmmm

The 1st car I ever drove was a VX viva ha, SL 90 to give it credit. My dad learnt to drive in it and so did I;)

shark_DB

I might upset a few with this one but mine was a mini, a clubman estate to be exact with the fake wood trim down the side and double opening rear doors. Me and a mate had gone to look at it and I could not resist it for £270 and it was tax free. I am 6ft3 so it looked a bit comical getting out though it was good fun to drive, with the added bonus that you could see the road through the floor pan.

anewman

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Today the crap car is gone, standards have been raised, to the benefit of us, the consumers:T:T:T, just a few posters that live in the past,

I'm not sure this is true. Going by today's standards (scrappage) a car has reached the end of it's useful life at 10 years old. Too many things are built as throw away items, and I get the impression cars are designed intentionally to make you part with more money on parts (VW's plastic thermostat units [prone to breaking to pieces eventually] which cost £30+ and you can't buy the £5 thermostat on it's own come to mind). I read on Honest John forum something about releasing data of MOT failures being a possibility, suggestion being car manufacturers will then try to improve on those stats making cars last longer and better quality.

I've still got my 1994 1.3 Skoda Favorit GLXIe. Had for a few years as a first car and it's not been bad at all. Never broken down, yet. I think it may go off to the scrap yard eventually due to rust in the inner wings near the suspension mountings though. If it fails on nothing else substantial might try get myself a mig welder :money::eek:

cyclonebri1

anewman wrote: »

I'm not sure this is true. Going by today's standards (scrappage) a car has reached the end of it's useful life at 10 years old. Too many things are built as throw away items, and I get the impression cars are designed intentionally to make you part with more money on parts (VW's plastic thermostat units [prone to breaking to pieces eventually] which cost £30+ and you can't buy the £5 thermostat on it's own come to mind). I read on Honest John forum something about releasing data of MOT failures being a possibility, suggestion being car manufacturers will then try to improve on those stats making cars last longer and better quality.

I've still got my 1994 1.3 Skoda Favorit GLXIe. Had for a few years as a first car and it's not been bad at all. Never broken down, yet. I think it may go off to the scrap yard eventually due to rust in the inner wings near the suspension mountings though. If it fails on nothing else substantial might try get myself a mig welder :money::eek:

Couldn't agree with you more on that one, but I think it's more a case that we have generally become much more affluent, and expect better, are prepared to put up with less. It's more a case of not wanting to be seen driving a 10 year old car than them being dead at this age. On the same vein the mechanic wants more for his labours so external maintenance becomes more costly.

I can't get my head around the governments scrappage scheme. I can't possibly believe it's more economical/green to scrap a car and build a new one than to run it a while longer.

Purely a measure to get people spending (and borrowing:mad:), in my view.

robredz

A 1984 Skoda 120 LSE, bought for peanuts, lasted us a good couple of years at zero outlay, then sold on for what we paid. great fun, they were reasonably quick, good on fuel and gave a few escort pilots a shock.

cyclonebri1

I had an NSU 1200TT, think it was a '68 car, anyone remember that one, used as rally cars in the days of the mini and mk1 escort. One of the 1st cars to be fitted with a standard front spoiler, and boy did it need one, rear engined and very light. I'm sure the front wheels lifted at 80 plus, quick and quirky tho';)