Shite that surprised you?

[dugong]

We've all got a car that surpassed expectations - especially when cost is taken into account. Against the received wisdom of the pub expert, you've ended up with a car far better than it had any right to be. What's yours?

 

 

This pogweasel turd of an MX-3 V6 appears to be my moot point. The press were less than complimentary upon its release and the Internet is awash with people unimpressed with the coal bunker interior, expensive parts and divisive styling. 

 

Granted, it only has 8v MkII Golf GTI performance and drinking habits that make my Amazon look like a model of parsimony - but I defy you to find a better sounding £360 car. 

 

Nostalgia plays a part, too. I remember MX-3s new, recall how expensive and ludicrous over specified they were for their task in life and filed the memory into the 'must try' section of my brain. 

 

Potlessness is the silent handmaiden in all of this - I simply don't have the space, wherewithal or disposable income to run a Corrado VR6 as a toy.

[bub2006]

My reliant Robin. Among chorus of they topple over,no power etc I found it handled better than a lot of folk would believe,very nippy up to 65/70 And humiliated a few modern motors off the lights.

[skattrd]

Daihatsu Mira classic - my first Daihatsu and first kei. It was bought for £600 off the blue when I was working locally and wanted something small & economical to commute in. I never knew 660cc could be so much fun. Ever since I've had at least 1 turbocharged small Daihatsu in the fleet.

 

[dollywobbler]

I love those MX-3s. Always have. Pint-size pointless six-pot and cutesy styling mean limited appeal. All the more reason to love them.

 

As mentioned in the favouritest thread, my Sirion was surprisingly smile-inducing. And to keep the theme of this thread going, have an arse shot.

[dugong]

My reliant Robin. Among chorus of they topple over,no power etc I found it handled better than a lot of folk would believe,very nippy up to 65/70 And humiliated a few modern motors off the lights.

 

A friend's Rialto wound itself up to a terrifying 95mph, four up on the M56 back in the day. That wee all-alloy 850cc engine is quite an amusing little device. 

I'm not having this talk of stability, though - enthusiasts can claim they don't fall over but you'd be in trouble if you had to make an awkward maneouvre at speed or smashed the front wheel into a pothole swerving to avoid something. You can't cheat physics.

[dugong]

I love those MX-3s. Always have. Pint-size pointless six-pot and cutesy styling mean limited appeal. All the more reason to love them.

Parking it at work infuriates a colleague. Can you guess which one?

[MarvinsMom]

the austin metro.

 

 

i bought it after the rover 25 had turned up its head gasket..... was out of work and money was tight, so a £500 metro wasn't going to burst the budget.

 

then i found out both how much i liked it. i had actually learned to drive in one, and it was just like a mini with its sump of whining gears, and more compliant suspension!

 

when i started working again, i couldn't bear to sell it, deciding to keep my little fossil as a weekend toy.

 

and now 4 years on i'm taking it to the restoration show at the nec at the end of the month.....

 

[Ghosty]

MX3s are like a less sensible Nissan 100NX.

[dugong]

MX3s are like a less sensible Nissan 100NX.

Except MX-3s accelerate.

[DodgyBastard]

DSC_3095 by srblythe, on Flickr

 

Best car I've ever owned!

[steve_earwig]

I was quite surprised by a Vectra reversing out of a car park in front of me without looking earlier. Oh crap, have I misunderstood this thread?

[fred]

My Fozzer Turbo S

800 quid - never let me down is 4 years of owning it,

Gos like stink when needed -  and it looks like a tonka toy!

[oman5]

My allegro. After years of being told how shit they are,I was surprised to find it's a remarkably civilised device to drive. Even in lowly 1300 4 speed spec it sits at motorway speeds without seeming like its about to blow up, in fact up to about 40 mph it's quite sprightly. It does an easy 40mpg too.

[MarvinsMom]

i have so much want for an allegro......

 

i've heard the metro described as a small allegro (or a big mini) so. given that i'm reasonably certain i'd enjoy an allegro

[vulgalour]

 

A twenty year old 100,000 mile Vauxhall product is about as far from my first choice of steed to tackle a non-stop 450 mile trip as you can get and yet it performed admirably.  Surprisingly comfortable, incredibly economical and moderately refined even at motorway speeds.  Excellent at bullying your way through traffic, nimble and sure footed a really rather brilliant little car.

[oman5]

i have so much want for an allegro......

 

i've heard the metro described as a small allegro (or a big mini) so. given that i'm reasonably certain i'd enjoy an allegro

Funnily enough, the impression I got when I first drove the allegro was that it felt just like a bigger metro.

[Lukas]

The car that surprised me a lot was this one, a 2000 HDPIC Galloper II

 

 

Everyone told me it was bad quality, unreliable and not to recommend. I bought one and it was great! All the old-car-goodness of the original Pajero I with the comfort of a modern car. Great thing, would have another one!

[bub2006]

 

A friend's Rialto wound itself up to a terrifying 95mph, four up on the M56 back in the day. That wee all-alloy 850cc engine is quite an amusing little device.

I'm not having this talk of stability, though - enthusiasts can claim they don't fall over but you'd be in trouble if you had to make an awkward maneouvre at speed or smashed the front wheel into a pothole swerving to avoid something. You can't cheat physics.

Having hit potholes,evasive manoeuvres and relatively quick cornering I can say first hand that it surprised me at first. Only thing I found is reversing quickly made the steering very twitchy. Had mine just under 110 on speedo but mine had ported inlet and exhaust, electric ignition and fuel pump,rejetted carb and trumpet intake. Previous owner had it on rolling road. Think it was somewhere around 60bhp. Would love another.

[bub2006]

20150128-02.jpg

 

A twenty year old 100,000 mile Vauxhall product is about as far from my first choice of steed to tackle a non-stop 450 mile trip as you can get and yet it performed admirably. Surprisingly comfortable, incredibly economical and moderately refined even at motorway speeds. Excellent at bullying your way through traffic, nimble and sure footed a really rather brilliant little car.

I must say I'm surprised how peppy the 3 banger is in mine. Economical and can still throw it into corners and it grips,just a fair bit of body roll.

[dollywobbler]

Having hit potholes,evasive manoeuvres and relatively quick cornering I can say first hand that it surprised me at first. Only thing I found is reversing quickly made the steering very twitchy. Had mine just under 110 on speedo but mine had ported inlet and exhaust, electric ignition and fuel pump,rejetted carb and trumpet intake. Previous owner had it on rolling road. Think it was somewhere around 60bhp. Would love another.

 

Having been forced to give it a dab of oppo in an original Robin, I can confirm that they are more stable than you might expect. I suspect the most dangerous thing you can do is give them more grip though. Like a Robin, a 2CV can be lairy going backwards. They're very good at falling over in reverse. Legend has it that a young mechanic managed to roll an Ami when it was brand new...

[doobietoo]

This

 

 

Paid £300 for it , owned it for 4 years it would cruise at 90 and do 35 to the gallon not at the same time though.It drove through floods that swamped 4x4s and it only ever cost me an mot and service a year. Never failed to start or let me down. It was like a faithful old dog. Still miss it.

[mouseflakes]

The shite that surprised me most was one that coincided with a powerful sneeze after a night on the Newcy Brown.

[Noel Tidybeard]

bought for 100 earth pounds and its still here nearly 5 years later

 

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squishy seats and french suspension- nuff said

[bub2006]

Having been forced to give it a dab of oppo in an original Robin, I can confirm that they are more stable than you might expect. I suspect the most dangerous thing you can do is give them more grip though. Like a Robin, a 2CV can be lairy going backwards. They're very good at falling over in reverse. Legend has it that a young mechanic managed to roll an Ami when it was brand new...

Regards the grip,I never had decent brand back tyres fitted. Rather have a bit of slide than grip and lift! I never knew cv's where the same backwards. Would llove a drive in one though. Doubt I will ever own one,prices are way high.

[dugong]

[MrDuke]

Pug 205 N/A diesel. The most smile-inducing cornering of any stock hatch I've driven, and far quicker than it had any right to be, considering the lack of a turbo. Even when the rear suspension called it a day, it could still hold its own through the twisty bits. Utterly dependable as well.

[Bren]

Seen as the glow plugs were changed without incident, my vectra is now in the good books.

 

I am surprised by the lack of smoke, cranking and lumpiness now they have been changed.

 

Al voxhalls are ace ad infintum....

[trigger]

 

This, I bought it as a bit of a laugh but it turned out to be a very comfortable and capable car once i sorted the head gasket, It was much more fun than i expected it to be and i actually came to be quite fond of it, It also went to show that those who slag the car off online all the time really didn't have a clue what they were talking about.

[forddeliveryboy]

I was surprised by an early Clio diesel, it was a far better all round car than a 205D which I came to loath over the few months I used it. Fast without trying across country, sure at 3rd lane speeds on the motorway, good steering, roomy - only the brakes let it down when moving quickly along twisting back roads.

 

 

Having been forced to give it a dab of oppo in an original Robin, I can confirm that they are more stable than you might expect. I suspect the most dangerous thing you can do is give them more grip though. Like a Robin, a 2CV can be lairy going backwards. They're very good at falling over in reverse. Legend has it that a young mechanic managed to roll an Ami when it was brand new...

 

There aren't many cars which are difficult to turn on their side when going backwards above 10mph. Factory workers used to turn what we would call Amis over when they came off the Vigo production line when they were pissed off with the management, or just bored.

[oman5]

i would love a go in a reliant 3 wheeler, I've never even sat in one. Not from any kind of prejudice, I just never knew anybody that owned one.