The Devil's Alternative

[John F]

I'd like to add that my Maxi must be fitted with a 200 TDi because the only way to roll is in a diesel Maxi. PHACT.

[panhard65]

There are a lot of rose tinted specs here. The Maxi along with all the rest of the shite BL pumped out during the 70's was a bloody awful car in it's day. Even Ford were better but if you wanted a decent car you bought an import. BL just ruined every car that they had a hand in. The Rover P6 was and still is a great car but steer well clear of any built during the "glory" days of BL. Now for the rest, the Laguna would be unlikely to last a year and the same for the A class. The PT well just say no you wouldn't be able to live with yourself driving that American piece of crap, if you are a massive Elvis fan or like line dancing then it is the car for you. Best of a very bad bunch is the Picasso they are like cockroaches and will live forever even though the whole world is trying to kill them.

[John F]

 

Shouty "grab a winter bargain" (£2,100!!) advert here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUSTIN-MAXI-1750-/172020239048?hash=item280d348ac8:g:XKAAAOSw8-tWacbl

[D Spares & Tyres]

Sorry I picked Picasso, I actually want to get where I want without breaking down

 

Maxis always were shite, can't imagine them being any better with age

 

Lagunas.... You know....

 

P T, just embarrassing

 

A class, all the ones I've encountered have been broken

[155V6]

Laguna for me,would have to be a V6 though.Can you get them in manual flavour?

[richardthestag]

picasso for me

 

in pez for extra shiteness

[captain_70s]

British Leyland's shittest for me. For several reasons:

 

A: I've previously run BL shit boxes as daily motors before so am well accustomed to the constant misery linked to them.

B: It has usable hatchback practicality and is box shaped enough to fit large loads. Also it's A BED.

C: When it goes wrong you'll be able to fix it with a hammer, some jubilee clips and a length of string. The other cars will also go wrong but will need taking to garages to fix for much monies.

D: It has infinite levels of style. I'll take mine in brown 1750 form, with a roofrack.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

To my shame I picked the Laguna. I'm ever the optimist but it would need to be a manual pez.

[MrDuke]

Maxi cos I R masochist. Like the Capt said, at least when it breaks down you can fix it yourself. Every other week possibly, but still...  1750HL in Antique Gold, plzthx.

 

If I had an A-class I wouldn't be able to physically take it more than 200 yds from my house, so that's a non-starter. I could just about stomach a PT if it wasn't so utterly 'meh' to drive - actually, no, it would have to drive like a Honda NSX before I'd even consider it. The Laguna would be like a never-ending game of Russian Roulette, where you know the bullet's going to come up eventually and make every journey with clenched teeth and sweating palms. The Picasso I could probably put up with for about 25 minutes, as that's how long it takes me to get to the Menai Bridge, where I would stop it, get out, climb over the railings and swan-dive onto the rocks.

[Tamworthbay]

Laguna all the way, it's the least memorable of all so least likely to end up in 'didn't I see you driving. ......' conversations. I like shite cars but do have some standards.

[Zantimisfit]

I would have gone for the Laguna. I had one for a bit and it was both quite pleasant and (believe it or not) 100% reliable. As an added bonus it had plastic front wings that you could wobble! But Autoshite has made me very afraid of them and I dont like that idea of driving with a knot in my stomach, wondering where the car is going to roll to a halt...and then whether I will become one of those local newspaper stories where somebody disappears and a bloke walking his dog finds a skeleton three years later. Because that always happens!!

 

So...Maxi it is because 70% of reliability issues can be fixed with WD40, and some sort of tape. And, as captain_70s wisely observes, its a bed.

 

I would rather just stay where I am than have a PT Cruiser or Picarso

[garethj]

A tricky choice, I like my cars to get me places and the one that would probably survive a year with reasonable reliability is the Picasso.

 

I'd have to do something radically different though, hardcore valet on the inside, rent one of those blokes who clay bars a Lamborghini to do the paintwork and still try not to catch anyone's eye as I drive.

[SiC]

Laguna for me,would have to be a V6 though.Can you get them in manual flavour?

No unfortunately.

 

For me the Laguna... but that's only because I have a strange hankering for one at the moment. I'm on the look out for one that has a bunch of electrical problems. Being an Electronics Engineer, such challenges excite me and I secretly want them to happen to give me the excuse to fiddle with it - thus the Laguna II seems the ideal candidate.

 

Picasso - had one of these as a hire care once. 3 years old, the front bumper had lost most of its paint and there was a slow puncture on the back that made handling very interesting... Did 400 miles in that thing over a week. My memories of it are, not a lot really. Rubbery gearbox, LOL amounts of body roll and seats so unsupported that when the whole car was flip-flopping and falling over in the corners, you tended to slide off the seat into the door card/passenger. Mega cheap now though, again I not sure why but I would quite like one for the practicality. Maybe just because its got a shit digital dash.

 

A Class - Can't get the Elk test out of my head.

 

PT Cruiser - interior made out of recycled drinks cartons and exterior that is like your dad trying to be cool when you were a teenager.

 

BL Maxi - older than me, so that makes it a classic car in my eyes and thus exempt because its cool.

[richardmorris]

Laguna for me- bit of a Hobson's choice though.

[AnthonyG]

Heart says Maxi, head overruled heart and picked Picasso. For a start its the most likely to work all year round, secondly I would find it useful as I could take the sodding mattress clogging up my spare room to the tip. Actually, the Maxi would good for that as well....

 

If I had a nice warm garage, it definitely would be Maxi. A nice blue 1750 HL.

[I_am_Diesel]

What a list of grim cars, I don't think I could have any of them. I'd rather fuck them all off, surrender my licence and buy a lame horse as transport.

[doobietoo]

In order of choice....

 

1. PT Cruiser

2. Maxi

 

The others are non starters for the following reasons....

 

Laguna too many around, not reliable as a rule and has no soul...

A class, as above and its not a real Merc

Picasso as above and its a blob....

 

I practice what I preach as I have a Cruiser as a daily....  couldn't have a maxi as a daily though as I would kill it in 3 months guaranteed

[MarvinsMom]

i'd like a beige Maxi 2 HL.....

 

 

hmmmmmmm, 

 

 

beige........

[Jimmycrackcorn]

Picasso for me, I've had the 2.0hdi and currently have the 1.6 pez. Out of everything I've owned these have been the most reliable and I'm really going to miss my current daily when I pull it apart and break it for parts. Well I won't be too sad as a 3.0 V6 is replacing it.

[scaryoldcortina]

What a list of grim cars, I don't think I could have any of them. I'd rather fuck them all off, surrender my licence and buy a lame horse as transport.

 

That was my first thought too, but picking Laguna means you are accepting the fact that Shanks' pony is going to be your main method of getting around.

[twosmoke300]

Lagonad for me . At least you don't stick out too much . They drive well enough too

[inconsistant]

I picked the A class merc so I can drive around in a car you all despise whilst looking down on you in your better shite.

 

Also I fucking hate elks.

[scaryoldcortina]

You mean sit fuming in a layby watching us drive past because the gearbox shit itself again?

[twosmoke300]

I couldn't live with the a class dash rattles !

Like the worst budget car reshelled by the yts lad

[Vince70]

It's an A class for me as I've driven a few and quite like the driving position and parking one is a doddle and it's a clever design but it would have to be a Spanish waiter as the semi auto can be a bit troublesome.

 

I couldn't say Laguna as there's no way one could possibly last a week without a major failure let alone a year and my overdraft and credit cards still haven't recovered from my last one about 6 years ago and after that I would never buy another post 2001 Renault ever again..

 

But I was very tempted by the Maxi and my dad had a trouble auto (not diesel) one back in the mid 80s but I'm wondering if I'm looking through rose tinted glasses and would worry about getting it near the salty roads during the winter months..

 

PT cruiser I could be tempted again but I only have Elvis's middle name so that's a no go.

[steve_earwig]

The heart says Maxi but the head says Picasso. I have a fair grasp of PSA stuff, know how to get parts cheaply, know a fair bit about the lectricks and the rear seats come out so it can double as a dog carrier and DIY-mobile. It probably wouldn't be too bad for my dodgy back. Sad about the Maxi but I don't think I'd be able to find many Maxi parts locally as they didn't import many BL cars, apart from Minis and the odd 1100 here, which means ebay with long waits and postage bumrape.

 

The rest? Meh, bring on the bulldozer

[purplebargeken]

Drove an A Class in France. It was ok. It didn't break down or splurt its gearbox innards.

 

Maxi - would have had one years ago but not now. Not sure why.

 

PT Cruiser. I'd try one for a while.

 

Laguna. I'd love to have a go in one. Have never driven a large'ish French mobile.

 

Picasso - upright, spacious, comfy looking. Looks the same going forward as well as backwards. May be able to sleep in it if needed. 

 

I'd go for the ........... Picasso as I have no soul left already. 

[fred]

Well has to be Maxi - be rude not too really

[HH-R]

If it was the only transport and therefore a commuting car then the Maxi would be out straight away, I'd not want one being buggered up by salt/stone chippings/bashed in car parks all day.

 

The Renault would be out because I'd end up crying into my Corn Flakes after it had refused to start for the 14th day in a row because the tyre pressure was wrong and no one could fix it.

 

PT Cruiser... hmm. No thanks.

 

Picasso... I'd roll one after the interior had been fumigated, and they're probably pretty hardy. I prefer driving smaller cars though which leaves the

 

A class. Just hope there are no Elk on the way.

[rml2345]

The only one on the list that's vaguely interesting is the Maxi.

So I picked the Picasso.

As much as I'd love to run a Maxi all year it would have to live in the street and accept all the abuse that a daily endures whilst being maintained by a mechanical simpleton. I'd spend the whole time worrying I was running it because you can form proper attachments to an interesting car.

The Picasso on the other hand is an appliance. It can be used and abused without guilt, scrapyards are full of the bastards and I wouldn't be heartbroken if Eddie Stobart parked a wagon in it.

Make sure it's that bloody blue.