Best Car You've Ever Owned

[trebor79]

Favourite car I owned - Alfa Romeo MiTo the 155bho turbo petrol version. Lovely interior and an absolute hoot to drive. Did over 40mpg when driven sensibly.

Best car - my current wheels Kia Niro EV delivered just a few weeks ago. Cheap to run, comfy, eats miles and can burn away from just about anything at the lights if so inclined.

 

[william.martin]

Not mine, but my dad's Mitsubishi series 5 barbarian pickup, the only down side is the 24 MPG. It has a comfortable ride both on road and off, has; RWD, AWD, Diff lock, low range.

 

[camflyer]

I'm not a petrol head - all I want from a car is it to reliably and affordably get from A to B in a reasonable level of comfort.

To that end, I'm on my second Focus and never had a single problem with them. Not sexy but I don't care.

 

[DustyBin]

I'm not a petrol head - all I want from a car is it to reliably and affordably get from A to B in a reasonable level of comfort.

To that end, I'm on my second Focus and never had a single problem with them. Not sexy but I don't care.

The beauty of the Focus (any Focus) is its chassis; it’s superb by any standard. I’ve had run of the mill models as courtesy cars and hire cars over the years and I’m always amazed at how good they are to drive.

 

[Russel]

I've just part exchanged my trusty 57 plate Peugeot 107, for a 2014 Hyundai I20, so far so good, but I do miss the 'go kart' nature of the 107, for something cheap and basic it's got to be my favourite car I've owned so far.

 

[nlogax]

Mk4 Golf GTi. Bought it brand new, quite honestly it was the perfect car. Still miss it.

 

[DustyBin]

Mk4 Golf GTi. Bought it brand new, quite honestly it was the perfect car. Still miss it.

It’s interesting how individual opinions (and actual experiences) differ. I always remember the mk4 being slated at the time and it seems to have maintained it’s unfortunate position as the worst GTi ever in most peoples eyes. Similarly I had a Focus ST170 which I loved, but is definitely a car which divides opinion!

 

[nlogax]

It’s interesting how individual opinions (and actual experiences) differ. I always remember the mk4 being slated at the time and it seems to have maintained it’s unfortunate position as the worst GTi ever in most peoples eyes. Similarly I had a Focus ST170 which I loved, but is definitely a car which divides opinion!

It is one I've heard too. I also had a Mk7 which was also excellent but the mk4 properly stole my heart. Mine was US-spec and manufactured by VW Brazil, not sure if that made a difference or not but the 1.8T was a superb rorty little engine.

 

[A0]

It’s interesting how individual opinions (and actual experiences) differ. I always remember the mk4 being slated at the time and it seems to have maintained it’s unfortunate position as the worst GTi ever in most peoples eyes. Similarly I had a Focus ST170 which I loved, but is definitely a car which divides opinion!

+1 - I had a Mk4 briefly as a company car (not a GTi) but I have to say it was woeful. Unreliable, poor handling, stodgy. Just an awful car with no redeeming features.

I've driven a couple of Golfs since and have always been utterly underwhelmed by them. They're bettered by every Civic or Focus I've driven without doubt.

 

[mike57]

One car and one 4x4

A Vauxhall Astra 1.7 light turbo, purchased at 1 year old and 12,000 miles in around 1999. Not particularly fast (but better than the non turbo version). Driven in all weathers including a lot of trips over the A66. After about 10 years had 235,000 miles on the clock by the time I got rid of it. Never broke down, just the normal wear and tear stuff. Used it to tow a small trailer as well. Towards the end engine started to get a bit smokey on start up, and oil consumption was creeping up, and to be fair the rest of the car was worn out as well and it was clear that either some a major TLC was needed or a breakdown was just around the corner. Replaced it with a Focus, which was also good but not as indestructable.

The other was a Nissan Patrol diesel, owned from around 1989 for a few years. 6 cylinder engine was smooth, and enough power to reach and hold 70mph or more comfortably. Reliable. Two downsides were 24v electrics, and bodywork rust issues, which is why I got rid. On road was comfortable enough, would tow anything, and off road very capable, i never found its limits when visiting various isolated location to service electronics. Replaced with a Land Rover defender, which despite costing a lot more was actually no better than the Nissan. Wished I had sorted body rot out and kept it, I would have been better off.

 

[jfollows]

It is one I've heard too. I also had a Mk7 which was also excellent but the mk4 properly stole my heart. Mine was US-spec and manufactured by VW Brazil, not sure if that made a difference or not but the 1.8T was a superb rorty little engine.

My partner bought a Mk7 Golf R which he still has, it's now our only car because I sold mine, he bought his when he took his automatic-only test in 1 week after I had a stroke (NB It turned out I had a critical illness policy which paid for the car, I'd rather not have had the stroke or the car but life happens) .... I now get to drive his car and pay a percentage of the insurance, and although it's not my perfect choice (I prefer larger cars, the car I sold because I wasn't using it was a Jaguar XFR) it's a pretty nice car.

 

[Recessio]

Imported 1999 Mitsubishi Shogun 3.5L, owned by my Uncle. That car - a 1991 design - had features that still weren't standard on cars ten years later (e.g. music controls on the steering wheel, automatic rain sensing windscreen wipers, multi-CD changer, ABS, heated seats, leather interior.)

Go anywhere, do anything, utterly dependable and an absolute beast. Think the only thing that went wrong was he busted a shock absorber once, but that was more driver error when ragging about, than a fault in the car. Absolutely fantastic off-road, supremely comfortable and adaptable interior.

Only problem was it was a couple of hundred quid to fill the tank (in 2008!), and it was more metres per gallon than miles per gallon! Only got rid of it because he couldn't afford it anymore during the Recession. I can't remember the reg number to check but I bet its still going strong to this day.

 

[A0]

Imported 1999 Mitsubishi Shogun 3.5L, owned by my Uncle. That car - a 1991 design - had features that still weren't standard on cars ten years later (e.g. music controls on the steering wheel, automatic rain sensing windscreen wipers, multi-CD changer, ABS, heated seats, leather interior.)

Go anywhere, do anything, utterly dependable and an absolute beast. Think the only thing that went wrong was he busted a shock absorber once, but that was more driver error when ragging about, than a fault in the car. Absolutely fantastic off-road, supremely comfortable and adaptable interior.

Only problem was it was a couple of hundred quid to fill the tank (in 2008!), and it was more metres per gallon than miles per gallon! Only got rid of it because he couldn't afford it anymore during the Recession. I can't remember the reg number to check but I bet its still going strong to this day.

"That car - a 1991 design - had features that still weren't standard on cars ten years later (e.g. music controls on the steering wheel, automatic rain sensing windscreen wipers, multi-CD changer, ABS, heated seats, leather interior.)"

Most of those things were standard on high end cars in the early 90s - Ford were fitting ABS on Granadas in the 1980s, Volvo and Saab often had heated seats.

By the late 90s such things were on much lower cars - I took delivery of a Peugeot 306 in the late 90s which had auto wipers, remote stereo controls, ABS and part leather seats - and that was a mid spec model.

 

[Stewart2887]

I've a Golf 8 estate, great to drive and loads of toys. But for driving thrill, my 1991 Mini Cooper takes the biscuit, but rusty and unreliable

 

[Recessio]

"That car - a 1991 design - had features that still weren't standard on cars ten years later (e.g. music controls on the steering wheel, automatic rain sensing windscreen wipers, multi-CD changer, ABS, heated seats, leather interior.)"

Most of those things were standard on high end cars in the early 90s - Ford were fitting ABS on Granadas in the 1980s, Volvo and Saab often had heated seats [...] By the late 90s such things were on much lower cars

"By the late 90" that's my point, most Japanese cars had these features as standard, even the lower spec models, ten years earlier. They were years ahead of us back then.

 

[A0]

"By the late 90" that's my point, most Japanese cars had these features as standard, even the lower spec models, ten years earlier. They were years ahead of us back then.

But a Shogun wasn't a "low end" model by any stretch of the imagination. It was an alternative to a Land Rover Discovery - itself a luxury car.

SUVs weren't so much of a thing in the late 80s early 90s, but if you bought a Volvo 700 series or Saab 9000 (which would have been a similar price to the Shogun) you'd have had most, if not all of the features you mentioned.

 

[trebor79]

I've a Golf 8 estate, great to drive and loads of toys. But for driving thrill, my 1991 Mini Cooper takes the biscuit, but rusty and unreliable

I wouldn't want to crash one either!

 

[Eyersey468]

The beauty of the Focus (any Focus) is its chassis; it’s superb by any standard. I’ve had run of the mill models as courtesy cars and hire cars over the years and I’m always amazed at how good they are to drive.

I'm on my second,I had a Mk2 and now a Mk3.5 and agree.

 

[Lloyds siding]

My favourite was my 1974 Morris 2200. Supremely comfortable, quiet, roomy, pretty quick and excellent roadholding. It was ex-police and painted black. Fuel consumption: not so good. It was much more reliable than legend suggests. The motoring press had a downer on them and resorted to name calling...but then, I don't have a high opinion of the motoring press, and have been known to call them names too.

My best modern car was an Alfa-Romeo Guilietta...my sort of car. Quick, comfortable, very agile..and I liked the 'sport' setting...now and then...it was too demanding to drive on that setting for very long!

 

[Ladder23]

1999 Honda Civic Jordan, owned for almost 15 years and still have it today.

Its more of a personal show piece now it’s not driven everyday, in fact very rarely, but a fantastic car and so reliable.

on the flip side I owned a VW Golf Edition 30, a rare car again, but from day one I had issues and I regretted the purchase asap, I sold it within a couple of months. That was my final straw with ANY car which was not Japanese.

 

[LOL The Irony]

1999 Honda Civic Jordan, owned for almost 15 years and still have it today.

May I see some pictures?
(shame what Eddie's team has become)

 

[Ladder23]

May I see some pictures?
(shame what Eddie's team has become)

If I remember too I can upload one at the weekend, it’s not possible right now. Yes a big shame, I’m not a F1 fan by any measure, im huge into NASCAR, but I can recollect the cars well and they really stood out.

 

[DustyBin]

1999 Honda Civic Jordan, owned for almost 15 years and still have it today.

Is it yellow? Actually, were any other colours available?

160hp from a naturally aspirated 1.6 sounds fun. The last comparable car I owned was an ST170; I have cordless drills with more torque but having to actually drive the thing was very rewarding. Every car I’ve had since has had more power and loads more torque courtesy of a turbo, but it’s funny how you miss these things. I’ve forgotten what a rev limiter is!

 

[Ladder23]

Is it yellow? Actually, were any other colours available?

160hp from a naturally aspirated 1.6 sounds fun. The last comparable car I owned was an ST170; I have cordless drills with more torque but having to actually drive the thing was very rewarding. Every car I’ve had since has had more power and loads more torque courtesy of a turbo, but it’s funny how you miss these things. I’ve forgotten what a rev limiter is!

All Yellow, 500 made 001-500. But 3 prototypes making it 503, one was given to Eddie himself, and another was given to Vicki butler-hendison, the other I can’t quote.

honestly a great car, very hard to find one now with the original B16A2 engine, as most have had the originality torn from them and replaced with the later K20.

the sentimental value is far too much for me to ever part with it.

 

[LOL The Irony]

All Yellow, 500 made 001-500. But 3 prototypes making it 503, one was given to Eddie himself, and another was given to Vicki butler-hendison, the other I can’t quote.

honestly a great car, very hard to find one now with the original B16A2 engine, as most have had the originality torn from them and replaced with the later K20.

the sentimental value is far too much for me to ever part with it.

Does it still have the yellow engine cover?

 

[Ladder23]

Does it still have the yellow engine cover?

It does but that’s not original, they came with wrinkle black from new, and the Type R (EK9) was wrinkle red.

Mine has been replaced for a Spoon sports rocker cover, which is yellow.

 

[Bald Rick]

1999 Honda Civic Jordan, owned for almost 15 years and still have it today.

May I see some pictures?
(shame what Eddie's team has become)

Sometimes my mind works in weird ways.

I honestly thought a Civic Jordan would be pumped up with lots of extra plastic on the front!

 

[delticdave]

Pretty much every car I see near me with a VW / Audi DSG is being thrashed around by a boy racer type*, so I’m not surprised!

* I would have done the same 30 years ago if DSG had been available back then #hypocrite

We've had 5 DSG cars, (all 2.0 TSi engines) & we've never felt the need to thrash them....

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Dec 2022 ==

Two Golf R's (Mk. 7 DSG), hatchback & an estate, but a very is close 3rd would be a Mk. 2 Skoda Superb, 2.0 TSi DSG. Very much a sleeper, easy to live with & real space inside. I ran it for 8+ years (it's in Scotland now) but it was too long for my garage so it had to go.

 

[Back2front]

Mercedes for sure

 

[Richard Scott]

Mercedes for sure

Suppose it's horses for courses but a Merc was one of the worst cars I've ever driven! Know they also used to go through injectors like there was no tomorrow on the diesel versions.