What Bugged You About Every Car You Ever Had?

I'll exclude few cars that haven't been in regular use. Also, every E21 would have looks as the best thing and lack of folding seats as worst thing, so I'll mention them here and try think up something more car specific. :)

1981 BMW 318i (E21)
Best thing: M10 engine + K-jetronic, probably the best combination for E21.
Worst thing: Everything I did to the car before it committed suicide by moose.

1982 BMW 323i (E21)
Best thing: The engine.
Worst thing: Nose heavy and less predictable handling than 4 cylinder models. That irritates me even more than constant electrical issues I've had with it.

1985 Talbot Horizon
Best thing: Cold start procedure. :lol: A good 2 minute process in sub -15C temperatures, loved it.
Worst thing: Apart from front wheel drive I can't think of any. It was crap in most ways, but it sort of felt right for the car. :)

1981 BMW 315 (E21)
Best thing: Handling. The best E21 I've driven.
Worst thing: 4 gears with close ratio diff. 4700rpm @ 100kph. :D

1997 BMW 523i touring (E39)
Best thing: Great camper van.
Worst thing: Too quiet and comfortable. I ended sleeping in it quite often, behind the wheel..

1987 BMW 318i (E30)
Best thing: Chassis and suspension was set up great for track use.
Worst thing: Too slow and a bit unresponsive steering.

1990 BMW 325ix touring (E30)
Best thing: Specced like a top end model should be. I also like from the technical/historical standpoint.
Worst thing: White
 
  • 2009 Ford Focus 2.0
    The good: The steering.
    The bad: The radio's lack of simple features like an accurate clock. The fact that the temperature gauge is not a real gauge. And Ford forgot a decent reversing light.
You're putting the radio above the instability under braking?
 
Car:

2004 BMW 330i

Pro: Jack of all trades, practical and sporty
Con: $500+ a quarter maintenance bill now that I've passed 60k miles

Bikes:

1981 Suzuki GS850G

Pro: it was $100 and gave me a mechanical education
Con: it was self-immolating

1995 Suzuki GS500E

Pro: I bought for $60 more than I sold the Burning Bike for, it is fun to abuse, came with upgraded rear shock and apparently, upgraded free float front caliper
Con: It's got 37k on it and has a 50k expiration point and being owned by a former pro racer and now me, it's falling apart a bit sooner and keeping me from riding it
 
:dunno: I'm not smoking Finnish rubber... must be a regional thing surrounding loud roads or tyres.

Yes, Scandinavian road surfaces are loud because they're so rough. 95% of Finnish and maybe 80% of Swedish drivers (guesstimate) opt for studded winter tyres, and the condition of our roads are a direct result of that. And that's why you notice when a car has shit sound insulation. Like our Octavias. I probably wouldn't mind if all our roads were made from the same surface they make pool tables out of, but sadly they are not.


We have the same (summer) tyres as you do, and mine are German, too,. Winter tires are obviously different, and the new Nokians I bought this fall actually made the car considerably more quiet than with the summer Contis.

- - - Updated - - -

I'll add the company van I spend anywhere from 1 to 3 hours every day in these days, a 2011 Renault Trafic.

Best thing: Practical, nice and effortless to drive, the cabin is well thought out and spacious. Has A/C and a webasto heater with timer. And an Aux jack.
Worst thing: Could do with more hp than the base engine offers. And it has a manual transmission. What's the point? It's a Trafic, not a Renault Sport Clio. Annoying seatbelt reminder. And the front of it is ugly as hell.
 
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1994 Buick Roadmaster:

Best thing: Enormous RWD land yacht. This thing was hilarious.
Worst thing: Vulgalour interior.

1997 Subaru Legacy Outback Limited:

Best thing: Jack of all trades. It can do a little of everything... It's just not the best at any one of those things.
Worst thing: The cup holders. They must have been an afterthought. I want to find the man responsible for them and have some words.
 
The couch in a car is a wonderful thing!


I have a 92 Roadmaster.
 
Fiat Uno 45 FIRE

Pro: It was cheap! 70 Finnish marks(about 12? or 16usd)
Con: The thing was a thief magnet.


Fiat Uno 70S

Pro: It was a step up from the 45, it had a luxurious interior and a big 1.3 engine!
Con: As with the 45, thief magnet.


1989 VW Golf 1.6 CL

Pro: Well built
Con: Very unreliable, a lot of rust, pierburg 2e2


1989 Honda Civic 1.6i

Pro: The engine and the equipment
Con: Rust.


1988 Honda Civic 1.6i-16

Pro: That wonderful ZC engine, it's rare.
Con: It was riced out when I got it.


1987 Volvo 240 GL

Pro: Built like a tank, RWD awesomeness.
Con: Went through fuel like a tank, achievement in how much an inline 4 can go through fuel likea car with twice the cylinders.


1989 VW Golf 1.3 CL

Pro, it was cheap, it was only for 3 days.
Con: It was rusty, it leaked vital fluids and it was not going to pass inspection.


1989 Honda civic 1.6i

Pro: It was cheap, the equipment, the running costs
Con: Been in an accident, front bumper wrong color, slight dent in the hood
 
The couch in a car is a wonderful thing!


I have a 92 Roadmaster.

The couch was amazing, as long as you didn't try to turn with any sort of enthusiasm. Then, the lack of side bolstering was an issue.
With that said, man was that car comfortable on the highway... 80MPH just above idle, very quiet, tons of leg room and a very cushy seat.
 
You're putting the radio above the instability under braking?
The inaccurate clock annoys me every time I want to switch from USB drive music to radio news without having to listen to radio advertising first (news begin at the full hour exactly). The instability under braking, as you call it, has so far only annoyed some of my passengers (you and public, and I'm not even sure public the stoic was annoyed :p).

Summary: Altogether, the handling of the car is better than I expect from a simple compact car. But a factory option radio still not getting something right in 2009 that's been a no-brainer in third-party radios since the 1990s bugs me, yes.
 
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The instability under braking, as you call it, has so far only annoyed some of my passengers (you and public, and I'm not even sure public the stoic was annoyed :p).

I feel we might some day need a thread "What bugged you about other people's cars", along with an FG member edition :lol:
 
The inaccurate clock annoys me every time I want to switch from USB drive music to radio news without having to listen to radio advertising first (news begin at the full hour exactly). The instability under braking, as you call it, has so far only annoyed some of my passengers (you and public, and I'm not even sure public the stoic was annoyed :p).

Actually, the inaccurate clock is exactly the kind of thing I was going for with this thread. This isn't really a thread about a certain car failing to win hearts as a package, but rather more detail-oriented stuff. Even complaining about handling is too vague a point, I really want to incite discussion about switchgear placement for instance. :)
 
Renault Megane Grandtour 2009
Good: It has an awesome big trunk. And it proved usefull considering all the crap i needed to transport for work.
Bad: It's french. Can't realy complain since it was a company car and the first real car i have driven for more than a couple weeks. Everithing before were small vans.

Volvo C30 2011
Good: The builtin ipod connector.
Bad: Awfull gear ratio.
 
1986 Daihatsu Charade 1.0
Best : it was free
Worst : overheating, oil consumption

1993 Daihatsu Charade 1.0
Best : indestructible until some cloth eared bint rear ended me on the highway
Worst : the crap after market radio my stepdad "installed"

1994 Mazda 626 2.0 diesel
Best : fairly luxurious for the time
Worst : that engine couldn't power a lawnmower

1998 Toyota Corolla 2.0 diesel
Best : rock solid and utterly dependable
Worst : poor mileage, I barely managed to do 8,5l/100km

2000 Toyota Yaris 1.3
Best : everything, I utterly loved that car, mileage lower than published (5.5l/100 km without driving like a grandad)
Worst : no aircon (but then again, none of my previous cars had it either)

2006 Toyota Corolla 1.6
Best : comfort, superb aircon
Worst : sluggish

2010 Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart
Best : blast off when the light turned green
Worst : the OEM radio is offensively bad

2013 Subaru XV 2.0
Best : ride comfort, pretty good OEM audio
Worst : lacks some power at higher speeds
 
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1996 Peugeot 406 2.0 16V SV
Best: Cheapest in the country, quietness, comfort and durability. Some 90s Peugeot handling left despite being large car.
Worst: Cheapest in the country: clear coat problems, minor accident repair. Passenger airbag cover peeling off. 3rd party clutch cable.

1993 Mazda MX-5 1.6
Best: The usual MX-5 stuff, everything was 100% original when bought.
Worst: Hail damage, total lack of comfort after modifications. Center console cup holder / ash tray missing.

2001 Citroen Xsara VTS 2.0 16V
Best: The engine has more character than the whole VAG 4-cyl department together. Four wheel drifted one highway ramp at 100km/h, still alive. Price.
Worst: Rocking driver's seat. Huge amount of idiotic things done to it by previous mechanic. Ended up spending quite a lot of money to fix them. Lexus-lights.

2000 Peugeot 406 Coup? V6 PlatinumBest
Best: 1700 km in 20 hours back to home after buying it. In comfort. The looks. Paintwork after friend polished it.
Worst: Driver's seat heating broken. Leather needs work. Not as nice to drive as my 406 sedan was. Front dampers totally worn, rear dampers unnecessarily hard Bilsteins.
 
2002 RenaultSport Clio 172
Best: The way it drives, packed with kit, engine has loads of character and power, good on fuel, can't have more fun for less.
Worst: Ergonomics. No reach adjustment in the steering wheel, so if I sit far enough back to operate the pedals comfortably, I can't reach the wheel. Cup holders are basically useless due to their location, plus the previous owner installed a volt meter in one. Clutch is super heavy and makes extended periods of stop start traffic a chore. Getting old now with over 200,000km under its belt. Accessory belt squeaks when the air con is on.

1986 BMW 318i
Best: Got it for a steal, became very attached to it. Fun to drive. I adore the looks. Surprisingly comfortable for long journeys. Economical.
Worst: Sloppy gear change, buzzy fuel pump. Sun damaged paint, cracked dash, torn seats. And that I sold it.

1993 Saab 900i 2.1-16
Best: The Saab-ness. Wrap-around windscreen, unmistakeable fastback shape. Those seats. Comfortable and quiet. Super spacious. Hipster as fuck.
Worst: When it broke. Gear change is a tad unpleasant. No cup holders. Indicator stalk doesn't stay engaged.


Other cars that I don't own, but drive a lot:
2005 Holden Commodore wagon
Best: It's brilliantly practical, fold the seats down and anything will fit in. Awesome cruiser - complete isolation from noise, bumps, roadkill...
Worst: Interior is falling apart. Engine is characterless. Autobox is dumb. Back seats are rock hard. It's a boat.

2006 Holden Astra 1.8 auto
Best: Still looks up to date. A very competent car - comfortable, drives well, spacious enough, fairly well made.
Worst: Droney, coarse engine noise, auto ruins performance. Digital stalks take getting used to. Where are the cupholders? Seats could use more support.
 
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2008 Subaru Legacy 2.5i SE


Best: Handling
Worst: Interior quality
 
1996 LOLvo 960 Wagon
Best: Seats were comfy and supportive, stereo, practically a rolling hotel room
Worst: No side bolstering on the seats, shitty plastic in the interior, body roll because the suspension was about as stiff as Oscar Wilde watching a lesbian porno movie, reliability.

1995 Lexus SC400
Best: Looks, engine noise, performance.
Worst: Cramped, interior did not hold up well in the heat.

2000 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.
Best: Feels faster than it is, roomy, go fast parts are cheap as long as they aren't platform specific, handles surprisingly well, air conditioning is super effective.
Worst: Fuel economy, platform specific go fast parts are expensive, slow.
 
2006 Honda City I-DSI
Best: Low end torque couple with the CVT gearbox, reliability, fuel consumption, interior ergonomics, so much spaaaaaaaace.
Worst: Ridiculously slow, ridiculously dull, ridiculously unconnected to the road, ridiculously not equipped with folding rear seat, feels ridiculously flimsy, and looks ridiculous.
 
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