What was the worst car you ever owned.

[DustyBin]

There were some Fords like that too - I think mark 1 Mondeos but may have been Sierras. The fitter at our company workshop used to put them up on a hydraulic ramp and get at the bulb from underneath as he found that was quicker, but it still took 45 minutes or more.

It definitely wasn’t Sierras, they’re a doddle to do anything on. There were a few Fords that could be fiddly including MK1 and IIRC MK2 Mondeos, but they weren’t 45 minute jobs, more like 10 minutes. At worst it was grill off and whole headlight out, only a few fixings.

Also Renault Megane, I believe?

I can confirm that the one with the weird shaped rear end was a pain! More so if you didn’t realise that there was an access point within the wheel arch…

 

[DelW]

It definitely wasn’t Sierras, they’re a doddle to do anything on. There were a few Fords that could be fiddly including MK1 and IIRC MK2 Mondeos, but they weren’t 45 minute jobs, more like 10 minutes. At worst it was grill off and whole headlight out, only a few fixings.

The fleet cars I had which were maintained in-house were C-plate and G-plate Sierras, and K-plate and P-plate Mondeos, and from the timescale it would most likely have been the G or K that I remember being problematic. It definitely took him around that length of time as I remember waiting and chatting while it was being done, and the explanation of why the car was up on the ramp. He also changed the bulbs on both sides, since a lot of the front trim that had to come off was common to both sides so it only took slightly longer to do both than just one (and of course the other bulb would be likely to go soon after). I can't now remember whether this happened just once or more times.

 

[A0]

That was an early 2000s Peugeot wasn’t it? Absolutely bonkers.

I thought it was one of the Renault Lagunas.

The irony of it being one of the French makers is that France actually requires you to carry a set of spare bulbs in your car, so you can replace a bulb should it fail....... That memo clearly didn't make the designers in question.

 

[DustyBin]

The fleet cars I had which were maintained in-house were C-plate and G-plate Sierras, and K-plate and P-plate Mondeos, and from the timescale it would most likely have been the G or K that I remember being problematic. It definitely took him around that length of time as I remember waiting and chatting while it was being done, and the explanation of why the car was up on the ramp. He also changed the bulbs on both sides, since a lot of the front trim that had to come off was common to both sides so it only took slightly longer to do both than just one (and of course the other bulb would be likely to go soon after). I can't now remember whether this happened just once or more times.

That is honestly very strange! You don’t even need a tool to change the bulbs on a Sierra (MK1 or 2), it was/is literally a 2 minute job tops. It may have been a very (very!) early Mondeo on a K-plate, in which case it’s quite possible he was removing the bumper to get the headlight unit out. If you know where all of the fixings are you don’t actually need to, but he wouldn’t be the first (or last!) person to do it this way!

 

[Jamesrob637]

Wasn't there a French car where you had to take the whole front off the car to replace a headlamp bulb?

Not the Citroen Pluriel??

 

[DelW]

It may have been a very (very!) early Mondeo on a K-plate, in which case it’s quite possible he was removing the bumper to get the headlight unit out. If you know where all of the fixings are you don’t actually need to, but he wouldn’t be the first (or last!) person to do it this way!

That might well have been the explanation. That Mondeo was the first one in our fleet, and I still have mileage records which show that I received it new on 18th May 1993. I don't have enough detail to know when it first needed a headlamp bulb, but it could have been one of the first he'd done. He certainly said that getting at it from below reduced the number of components that had to be taken off.

 

[70F]

Wasn't there a French car where you had to take the whole front off the car to replace a headlamp bulb?

Renault Modus - my late father had an 06 plate one which is still going with my father in law; Mark 3 Mondeo’s headlight bulbs were very hard to change - I took one of the two I had to Halfords for new bulbs and they wouldn’t touch it….

 

[DustyBin]

Mark 3 Mondeo’s headlight bulbs were very hard to change - I took one of the two I had to Halfords for new bulbs and they wouldn’t touch it….

They only take a few minutes to change, they’re not really difficult to be honest. You have to remove the grill though which is probably why Halfords wouldn’t do it; some stores won’t dismantle anything in case they cause damage. Whether that’s company policy or entirely dependant on the “skills” available locally I have no idea!

 

[dgl]

All this talk about difficult headlight changes makes me thankful my sister has her '14 Micra, a rubber boot, a power connector and a clip and it's out.

 

[pdq]

Worst car my parents had was a 1978 Renault 5 GTL. They bought it in 1982 with about 20k miles and it was scrapped in 1987 at around 85k. It basically rusted away as you can see from the front wheel arch and rear wing. The bulkhead had also corroded to almost nothing.


Aside from the rust, the heater never really worked, the gearbox was notchy; the rear windows had to be glued shut (see the tape on the pic); the driver's seat had just about collapsed; water came flooding in through the air vents when you went round a corner after it had been standing in the rain. And of course, being from the 80s, the seats were black vinyl.

A reminder that the car in the pic is 9 years old with 85k miles. It's impossible to think of a comparable 13 plate car being in that state.

 

[Cowley]

Worst car my parents had was a 1978 Renault 5 GTL. They bought it in 1982 with about 20k miles and it was scrapped in 1987 at around 85k. It basically rusted away as you can see from the front wheel arch and rear wing. The bulkhead had also corroded to almost nothing.

View attachment 126906
Aside from the rust, the heater never really worked, the gearbox was notchy; the rear windows had to be glued shut (see the tape on the pic); the driver's seat had just about collapsed; water came flooding in through the air vents when you went round a corner after it had been standing in the rain. And of course, being from the 80s, the seats were black vinyl.

A reminder that the car in the pic is 9 years old with 85k miles. It's impossible to think of a comparable 13 plate car being in that state.

Wow. Those were the days eh?

 

[PG]

In 1980 my dad got the first new car our family had ever had. Oh the excitement! - a brand new car not something that had already been round the block and then some...

He got a Fiat Strada - futuristic styling but it made BL's contemporary models look reliable. He car shared the commute with a couple of colleagues and on his days to drive it was even odds that they'd be pushing it down the road to get it started. If they were off then the job fell to me and mum

Picture shows advert for Fiat Strada

At the time billboard adverts extolling the fact it was built by robots were running but the local scallies added some extra text - Driven by Berks

 

[Cowley]

In 1980 my dad got the first new car our family had ever had. Oh the excitement! - a brand new car not something that had already been round the block and then some...

He got a Fiat Strada - futuristic styling but it made BL's contemporary models look reliable. He car shared the commute with a couple of colleagues and on his days to drive it was even odds that they'd be pushing it down the road to get it started. If they were off then the job fell to me and mum

Picture shows advert for Fiat Strada

At the time billboard adverts extolling the fact it was built by robots were running but the local scallies added some extra text - Driven by Berks

Ah the Fiat Strada. I remember those adverts and I also remember looking at those headlights and thinking how modern they looked with all that clever plastic around them.
Looked a bit like the old Matra Rancho at the front. Did anyone on here ever go in one of those?

 

[GusB]

I inherited my dad's first car - a 1978 Ford Fiesta 1.1L - after he'd upgraded to a MK2 Cavalier. Mechanically it wasn't bad, although I did have to carry a hammer in the boot for the odd occasion when the starter motor jammed. The bodywork left a lot to be desired, though - the wheel arches were mainly composed of filler, and it was that issue that eventually led to its demise. There was none of your fancy electrical gadgetry either - if you wanted screenwash, it was supplied via a foot pump and in winter I often felt the crunch of ice underfoot.

I had another Fiesta after that one. The bodywork was sound due to the fact that it had been hand-painted, and there was absolutely no chance of the seaside air getting through the two-inch thick coating. Unfortunately the mechanical bits were rubbish - if only I'd been able to combine the two.

If I could find a tidy enough example I'd have another one in a heartbeat!

 

[PG]

Ah the Fiat Strada. I remember those adverts and I also remember looking at those headlights and thinking how modern they looked with all that clever plastic around them.

Thinking back I'm sure those were some of the earliest knock proof bumbers - as they were designed to absorb the energy of a minor parking bump without deforming. Also came with rear seat belts which were practically unheard of at the time.

 

[Cowley]

Thinking back I'm sure those were some of the earliest knock proof bumbers - as they were designed to absorb the energy of a minor parking bump without deforming. Also came with rear seat belts which were practically unheard of at the time.

There’s a thing to recall. The amount of miles travelled without seatbelts in the back of cars with the structural integrity of baked bean tins!

 

[MotCO]

Thinking back I'm sure those were some of the earliest knock proof bumbers - as they were designed to absorb the energy of a minor parking bump without deforming.

Probably incorporated to overcome the parking techniques of the Italians!

I once hired a Strada. The one thing I remember is the first and third gear positions were very close together, and easy to confuse one with the other.

 

[DustyBin]

There’s a thing to recall. The amount of miles travelled without seatbelts in the back of cars with the structural integrity of baked bean tins!

You’re probably being a bit generous there… I’d have gone with foil dish!

 

[bspahh]

You’re probably being a bit generous there… I’d have gone with foil dish!

Handbuilt by Robots

Driven by Italians

 

[MattRat]

I know it's meant to be about us, but my Dad owned an X reg Renault Scenic at one point. It's not the car he hated the most, I think that was a Fiat Uno, but I wasn't born back then, so I can't add my own experience about the vehicle:

That being that the Scenic always seemed to go wrong, and even when it was repaired, it still wasn't happy. Particularly the gearbox, but also the electric front windows. It was also thirsty being a 1.6 petrol without having the grunt to back it up. It could get some speed up, but it hated hills.

The only saving grace was that it was extremely comfortable, but when my Dad got a 2010 Ford Fusion, we both liked it much more because it was a fantastic workhorse. It also had grunt for days, and I wouldn't be surprised if it could tow the old Scenic up the very hills it hated.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Handbuilt by Robots

Driven by Italians

I remember the Jasper Carrott version of the Strada advert...

 

[MotCO]

I remember the Jasper Carrott version of the Strada advert...

Indeed, same here. Pity we can't repeat it.

 

[matacaster]

My father bought a vauxhall cresta 18 months old. First 3 letters of number plate were RAM. 7 accidents, 3 of which he wasnt even in the car. Car lasted 18 months before the steering became very vague coming down from Holme moss, he managed to get it home and drive it to dealers he bought it from. Told bulkhead to which steering box fastened and much else of chassis had rusted so badly it was curtains.

 

[DelW]

My father bought a vauxhall cresta 18 months old. First 3 letters of number plate were RAM. 7 accidents, 3 of which he wasnt even in the car. Car lasted 18 months before the steering became very vague coming down from Holme moss, he managed to get it home and drive it to dealers he bought it from. Told bulkhead to which steering box fastened and much else of chassis had rusted so badly it was curtains.

Maybe should be one for the "inappropriate advertising" thread, but as I was reading this, the scrolling advert just below it was offering me Nearly New Vauxhall Vans!

 

[Recessio]

Dad owned a Vauxhall Zafira. Unreliable heap of junk based on the Astra which was an unreliable heap of junk.

A few weeks after we finally got rid of it due to a repair bill as long as your arm, we were sat in the new car, at a set of lights listening to the radio, a story came on about Zafira's having a recall due to spontaneously combusting. "Boy, I'm glad that never happened to us". At this exact moment, like something out of a film, a low-loader pulled up next to us with a burnt out Zafira on the back!

Jeremy Clarkson described Vauxhall's then-owners GM as a pension and healthcare fund that occasionally decide to build some rubbish cars... I think he was on to something!

 

[MotCO]

Dad owned a Vauxhall Zafira. Unreliable heap of junk based on the Astra which was an unreliable heap of junk.

A few weeks after we finally got rid of it due to a repair bill as long as your arm, we were sat in the new car, at a set of lights listening to the radio, a story came on about Zafira's having a recall due to spontaneously combusting. "Boy, I'm glad that never happened to us". At this exact moment, like something out of a film, a low-loader pulled up next to us with a burnt out Zafira on the back!

Jeremy Clarkson described Vauxhall's then-owners GM as a pension and healthcare fund that occasionally decide to build some rubbish cars... I think he was on to something!

Can I respond in support of the Zafira? I have owned two, the first I sold with 120,000 on the clock, and the second I still own with 130,000 on the clock. Both petrol 1.8s. Without tempting fate (!), both were reliable, and the only expenditure apart from tyres, cambelt and brakes etc, were 02 sensors, 2 piston rings and oil cooler, none of which were that expensive. Still had original clutch, exhaust, etc on both cars.

 

[Recessio]

Can I respond in support of the Zafira? I have owned two, the first I sold with 120,000 on the clock, and the second I still own with 130,000 on the clock. Both petrol 1.8s. Without tempting fate (!), both were reliable, and the only expenditure apart from tyres, cambelt and brakes etc, were 02 sensors, 2 piston rings and oil cooler, none of which were that expensive. Still had original clutch, exhaust, etc on both cars.

Glad to hear you were luckier than we ever were! Think we got the AC recharged three times before we gave up on it. At least two replacement batteries too. The thing that killed it off was the entire electrical system finally giving up the ghost and taking down with it most things attached to it. Suspected needed a replacement battery again, wiring loop and most of the computery bits.

This was an 05 plate model.

 

[MattRat]

Glad to hear you were luckier than we ever were! Think we got the AC recharged three times before we gave up on it. At least two replacement batteries too. The thing that killed it off was the entire electrical system finally giving up the ghost and taking down with it most things attached to it. Suspected needed a replacement battery again, wiring loop and most of the computery bits.

This was an 05 plate model.

Maybe I'm wrong as I'm not a trained mechanic, but it sounds like the problem wasn't the battery, the battery was just the consequences of the fault, not it's cause.

I'd say someone should have gone through the whole wiring system with a fine tooth comb to find the fault, but that would likely have been so costly and time consuming, it would be better just to buy another car, which of course you did anyway so I guess I haven't got a point now....

 

[E27007]

you are describing a common fault , where Vauxhall mounted the alternator using rubber bushes, using the rubber bushes required earth straps for electrical continuity, the straps and rubber bushes would fail, and worse, as happened to our depot Vauxhall, the mechanic fitted new bushes but did not connect the heavy-duty earth, the car ran for a week then the wiring loom melted. Without the proper earth in place, the electricity was finding paths through the loom which were not intended to carry high current electrical loads

 

[Grumpy Git]

Can I respond in support of the Zafira? I have owned two, the first I sold with 120,000 on the clock, and the second I still own with 130,000 on the clock. Both petrol 1.8s. Without tempting fate (!), both were reliable, and the only expenditure apart from tyres, cambelt and brakes etc, were 02 sensors, 2 piston rings and oil cooler, none of which were that expensive. Still had original clutch, exhaust, etc on both cars.

Can you explain why you only replaced two piston rings, (on a four cylinder engine)?