Rather than clutter up XXX's thread with peons of praise for a fucking Focus, add your miserable purchases which turned out less horrid than you thought.....
Never wanted a Focus, never liked them, barely recognised their existence but stuck with the need for a decent hack for Mrs Rocker at short notice, I bought our Mk2 1.8 Style from a local Ford botherer who has a rather over-priced car lot nearby.
Hated it at first but gradually warmed to it and the first time we went long distance in it I actually began to see the appeal. Seats are frankly shit but the cruising gait and low-end torque were both welcome and unexpectedly ample. Chain-drive cam, minimal irritating frippery - wind up back windows, rear drums, plastic wheel trims, etc. The only thing that really pisses me off is the fly-by-wire throttle.
It holds all my DJ gear - two chunky powered speakers, decks, CD cases etc, will beat 40mpg on a 50 mph run and gives me a bit of FWD fun around the lanes when Mrs Rocker isn't looking and has that general feel of an early sporty front-drive Ford. Bits are cheap, it is easy to live with and I reckon it is actually one of the better things I have bought.
Cars you never wanted but ended up with and quite liked.
-
mercrocker
- Numb3rP14t3Fun
- Posts: 17057
- Joined: Fri May 17, 2019 2:53 pm
- Has thanked: 12281 times
- Been thanked: 8700 times
Cars you never wanted but ended up with and quite liked.
There's a great long bar in Rock & Roll heaven.......
-
BenHar
- Banned Grinch!
- Posts: 2341
- Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 2:16 pm
- Location: Reigate, Surrey
- Has thanked: 2133 times
- Been thanked: 506 times
Re: Cars you never wanted but ended up with and quite liked.
2005 Fiat Punto Sporting.
It had been over heated and was given to me.
Replaced the water pump and inlet manifold (plastic so it melted FFS).
Daughter passed her test in it six years ago and is still driving it.
it's great fun to drive. Feels like a go-kart and does 50 mpg.
Ben
It had been over heated and was given to me.
Replaced the water pump and inlet manifold (plastic so it melted FFS).
Daughter passed her test in it six years ago and is still driving it.
it's great fun to drive. Feels like a go-kart and does 50 mpg.
Ben
-
cuntbuster
- Posts: 266
- Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2022 11:18 am
- Has thanked: 501 times
- Been thanked: 99 times
Re: Cars you never wanted but ended up with and quite liked.
Peugeot 107. In yellow .
Far less shit than anybody who has not ever driven one thinks.
Far less shit than anybody who has not ever driven one thinks.
Who you gonna call
-
JimH
- Posts: 864
- Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2022 10:57 am
- Location: Under some hills
- Has thanked: 133 times
- Been thanked: 853 times
Re: Cars you never wanted but ended up with and quite liked.
Honda FR-V. Really useful little thing that crammed a lot into a small space. Genuinely sad when it died.
-
NorfolkNWeigh
- Posts: 1765
- Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 1:00 pm
- Has thanked: 1274 times
- Been thanked: 3398 times
Re: Cars you never wanted but ended up with and quite liked.
All those turn of the Century retro things.
S-Type Jag, took the piss out of them when launched. Loved the early 3.0 V6 manual we had in 2008.
New Beetle, again thought they were ridiculous until we had a Convertible one a couple of years ago. Very comfortable roomy smalll car ( Still looked like an SS staff car mind)
Bini, bought one during Lockdown and abused it something awful only a diesel but was like a roller skate. Kicked myself for never trying one before.
I now suspect that a Nissan Figaro probably handles like Lancia Delta Integrale and rides like a Citroen CX and I’ve missed out forever.
S-Type Jag, took the piss out of them when launched. Loved the early 3.0 V6 manual we had in 2008.
New Beetle, again thought they were ridiculous until we had a Convertible one a couple of years ago. Very comfortable roomy smalll car ( Still looked like an SS staff car mind)
Bini, bought one during Lockdown and abused it something awful only a diesel but was like a roller skate. Kicked myself for never trying one before.
I now suspect that a Nissan Figaro probably handles like Lancia Delta Integrale and rides like a Citroen CX and I’ve missed out forever.
-
FhakeConcern
- Cycle Cunt
- Posts: 697
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 6:00 pm
- Has thanked: 653 times
- Been thanked: 250 times
Re: Cars you never wanted but ended up with and quite liked.
Almost exactly six years ago we swapped the XM for a Renault Modus so Mrs Concern had a car. Despite how the thing looks and the awful colour she loved it from the off. Then the cam belt broke after about two weeks and we spent over a grand having it fixed! She likes it so much, we spent about £600 last week having a belt change to try and avoid another failure.
The thing is a 1600 pez and pretty nippy, it's also tiny (about the smae as a Mk2 Clio) so easy to slot into gaps no one else can get into. However it is very roomy inside and we've been amazed at the amout of crap we've squeezed into it over the years. It's funny to think it's nearly twenty years old now and we thought about changing it rather than having the belt done, but in the end Mrs Concern decided as she still likes it no point so hopefully it'll last another six years.
The thing is a 1600 pez and pretty nippy, it's also tiny (about the smae as a Mk2 Clio) so easy to slot into gaps no one else can get into. However it is very roomy inside and we've been amazed at the amout of crap we've squeezed into it over the years. It's funny to think it's nearly twenty years old now and we thought about changing it rather than having the belt done, but in the end Mrs Concern decided as she still likes it no point so hopefully it'll last another six years.
-
xtriple
- Paranoid Dog Parent
- Posts: 1961
- Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2019 3:26 pm
- Has thanked: 189 times
- Been thanked: 1573 times
Re: Cars you never wanted but ended up with and quite liked.
Mercedes SLK!
After the financial disaster that was the Bentley(s), I was a tad skint so I bought the CLK320 that I later sold to someone on AS, I believe it's still doing the rounds with someone on there now and still with the same ABS (intermittent) fault... When finances had recovered a bit and I was bored/pissed off with the rust on the CLK, I started to cast an eye for something else.
I really wanted another convertible (as was the CLK) and obviously, an auto so I was looking at newer CLKs but the buggers that had them for sale were, to a man (and woman) utter arseholes. Finally, my son suggested the SLK range, which I poo-pooed as they are too small and too 'girlie' for a butch, mean son-of-a-bitch such as myself.
After more abortive looking (now at Jag XK convertibles - rusty as fuck or massively over-priced... or both) I went and had a look at an SLK in a car dealer's yard. The one I looked at was an older model but I thought it was interesting and quite possibly, both mutts would fit in happily as they did in the MX-5.
Having decided that one 'could' fit the bill, I looked online and there was ONE V6 SLK for sale in the area, so I went and looked at it, took it for a drive (what a laugh!) and bought it. I didn't intend to keep it for long, just a bit of summer fun but here we are, 5 or 6 years later and I've still got it. The Jag was meant to replace it, so far, it hasn't.
there are lots of horror stories about them (cam chains/cam gears, auto gearboxes, rear subframes and rust naturally) Apart from the dreaded subframe, it's been (touch wood... touch a lot more) pretty reliable and it is fun to own and quite pleasant with the roof up though if you forgo Gummi-Pflegge the seals squeak which annoys the shit out of me. But otherwise, they are quick (5.2 seconds to 60) have great brakes (but use genuine MB pads as the other brands I tried just lack feel/bite) and they handle acceptably for all normal road driving, what it would be like on a track I have no idea, but as the dogs would be sick if I took it to one, I'll stay away.
I would recommend one to anybody but they can have rusty wings (the rest of the cars bottom bits are galvanised) I think mine were replaced by Mercedes under warranty as they are not rusty in the slightest and if you are being a real fuss-arse (who me?) you can tell the paint finish is not quite the same as the rest of the car. No one else would ever notice and the colour match is perfect and unless all things conspire (angle of the sun and brightness thereof) neither would I. I'd had it a couple of years before I started to suspect!
I have Waxoyled the shit out of it naturally, especially through the gaps in the wheels liners which seem to cause most problems and the edges of the wheel-arches. The ride is quite 'firm' which is a bit of a chore with the state of our local roads and so dodging potholes becomes a way of life.
I might replace it at some point (and the Jag) for one car, probably a newer SLK or possibly an alloy XK. On the other hand, I'll probably still have this when they close the box!
After the financial disaster that was the Bentley(s), I was a tad skint so I bought the CLK320 that I later sold to someone on AS, I believe it's still doing the rounds with someone on there now and still with the same ABS (intermittent) fault... When finances had recovered a bit and I was bored/pissed off with the rust on the CLK, I started to cast an eye for something else.
I really wanted another convertible (as was the CLK) and obviously, an auto so I was looking at newer CLKs but the buggers that had them for sale were, to a man (and woman) utter arseholes. Finally, my son suggested the SLK range, which I poo-pooed as they are too small and too 'girlie' for a butch, mean son-of-a-bitch such as myself.
After more abortive looking (now at Jag XK convertibles - rusty as fuck or massively over-priced... or both) I went and had a look at an SLK in a car dealer's yard. The one I looked at was an older model but I thought it was interesting and quite possibly, both mutts would fit in happily as they did in the MX-5.
Having decided that one 'could' fit the bill, I looked online and there was ONE V6 SLK for sale in the area, so I went and looked at it, took it for a drive (what a laugh!) and bought it. I didn't intend to keep it for long, just a bit of summer fun but here we are, 5 or 6 years later and I've still got it. The Jag was meant to replace it, so far, it hasn't.
there are lots of horror stories about them (cam chains/cam gears, auto gearboxes, rear subframes and rust naturally) Apart from the dreaded subframe, it's been (touch wood... touch a lot more) pretty reliable and it is fun to own and quite pleasant with the roof up though if you forgo Gummi-Pflegge the seals squeak which annoys the shit out of me. But otherwise, they are quick (5.2 seconds to 60) have great brakes (but use genuine MB pads as the other brands I tried just lack feel/bite) and they handle acceptably for all normal road driving, what it would be like on a track I have no idea, but as the dogs would be sick if I took it to one, I'll stay away.
I would recommend one to anybody but they can have rusty wings (the rest of the cars bottom bits are galvanised) I think mine were replaced by Mercedes under warranty as they are not rusty in the slightest and if you are being a real fuss-arse (who me?) you can tell the paint finish is not quite the same as the rest of the car. No one else would ever notice and the colour match is perfect and unless all things conspire (angle of the sun and brightness thereof) neither would I. I'd had it a couple of years before I started to suspect!
I have Waxoyled the shit out of it naturally, especially through the gaps in the wheels liners which seem to cause most problems and the edges of the wheel-arches. The ride is quite 'firm' which is a bit of a chore with the state of our local roads and so dodging potholes becomes a way of life.
I might replace it at some point (and the Jag) for one car, probably a newer SLK or possibly an alloy XK. On the other hand, I'll probably still have this when they close the box!
Re: Cars you never wanted but ended up with and quite liked.
Wife's 307CC 2.0 diesel thing
It was a genuinely good car, did 50mpg over 40k, in 2 years, never failed to start and always got her home in all weathers
It cost me 1300 quid plus 700 quid for dmf and clutch and 500 quid for a set of cross climates, was really nice to drive, had all the toys and the roof came off on sunny days, the replacement 308cc petrol was shit in comparison, her current RCZ is better but too low and firm.
I genuinely liked the 307 and would recommend to anyone, although I wouldn't buy another if that makes any sense.
It was a genuinely good car, did 50mpg over 40k, in 2 years, never failed to start and always got her home in all weathers
It cost me 1300 quid plus 700 quid for dmf and clutch and 500 quid for a set of cross climates, was really nice to drive, had all the toys and the roof came off on sunny days, the replacement 308cc petrol was shit in comparison, her current RCZ is better but too low and firm.
I genuinely liked the 307 and would recommend to anyone, although I wouldn't buy another if that makes any sense.
CBA
-
LynehamHerc
- Boomer, gammon, senile old fart and Eurosmasher!
- Posts: 20735
- Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 1:37 am
- Location: Here
- Has thanked: 13864 times
- Been thanked: 3637 times
Re: Cars you never wanted but ended up with and quite liked.
Just because really, wife doesn't want another due to age (hers did fail the mot catastrophically with rot 2 years after I'd sold it) as her car needs to be a certain age as she gets a car allowance and I prefer estate cars to impractical cabrios.
CBA