Best car in the world?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Apparently, BMW have apologised for supplying the Nazis* with cars during WW2.

 

I thought it was a smart business strategy myself.

 

 

 

[Lord Sterling]

A Matchbox Ford Sierra in Beige.

[sierraman]

I’m hoping one day if I work hard enough at school to afford a BMW. That’s the dream.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I want a Jaguar 5.3 Coupe. Alas, they're now out of my reach for a really good one.

 

That was kind of the point of the thread, alas. You didn't get it, but that's fine.

[BavarianRetro]

You'd *genuinely* be better with a Kia or Hyundai now.

[skattrd]

I can't believe there's mention of mk2 Cav and no mention of the much better looking relation , the Esperoo.

[AMC Rebel]

Ive never owned a J type mk2 Cavalier although I've driven many. However as a progressive Fwd family car of the early eighties it was a very good car that in reality ran rings around its immediate rivals and predated the Sierra by over twelve months in the market place. It was built to its price point simple as that.

The E30 not only arrived later to the market place, the E21 still had a year or so to go when the Mk2 Cav arrived,and the four door e30 didn't even arrive until 1985. It was built in an era when Beemers really were Beemers..and therefore occupied a totally different elevated position in the market place,they weren't ever meant to compete with one another on price or quality. The Mk2 Cav was a great family car, the E30 a great junior executive sports saloon.

Both excellent cars in their respective categories for their era. I wouldnt say no to a tidy example of either as a daily,but neither would be on my best car list I'm afraid.

 

In 1984 my boss had a brand new BMW 3 series - gave me a lift in it.  The dash had bits of fag packets and match sticks stuck in a various locations.  I must've looked a bit sideways about this because he said "this is supposed to be a German quality car, but the dashboard has more creaks rattles and squeaks than anything I've ever owned before - I keep taking it back to the dealer but they can't fix it"

 

A few years later (1988) I got a promotion at (different) work and the boss said "congratulations you can have a BMW" - and I stunned him by saying I didn't want one.  I'd driven colleagues 3 series with concrete seats and two foot diameter steering wheels, offset pedals and gutless performance (he wasn't offering me one with the proper BMW 6 cylinder engine).

 

I got a Sierra XR4x4 that was one of the Sales guy's cast offs instead - great fun.  When it came to the end of its lease I got a brand new BX19GTI - not superior to the BMs but much faster than the BM I could have had instead and much much more fun. 

 

Horses for courses - but even then BMW "build quality" wasn't all that.

[GeordieInExile]

Didn't realise the Espero was already five years old by the time we got it in the UK!

 

I remember in school we had to design an advert for a local Daewoo dealer and the winner would get their design used in their marketing. I did a natty design involving a Lanos. There was a beehive involved somewhere, if I recall correctly.

 

...I didn't win.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

 

I got a Sierra XR4x4 that was one of the Sales guy's cast offs instead - great fun.  

 

 

They were good to be fair. But they were so badly made. I bought a 1988 Sapphire in 1992, four years old with 90k and you needed screen wipers on the inside. The thing was forever condensating, the heater was abysmal and the whole thing was a biscuit tin really. Both front calipers had seized as well. Not a bad car but not very good either - the earlier Sierras I had were much better.

 

Iirc XR4x4 V6's were Cologne built rather than Dagenham. Nothing a 325i Sport couldn't sort out though. 

[New POD]

Wow. You’re making me want one.

Great cars. You should get one.

 

I think the 1275 Sport we had was the perfect warm hatch.

[angle]

In defence of the people picking Cavaliers or whatever - my uncle is lucky enough to own a few cars that could feasibly make this thread, but he's always said that most of them would be for sale at the right price. There's a few exceptions to that, but the only one that isn't for sentimental reasons is his R-reg E320 estate. He works from home, doesnt need a sensible car, but it's still the one he drives 90% of the time because its comfortable, quick enough, can be left anywhere and you can get three greyhounds in the back. He even failed to replace it with an E55, because he realised he'd lose his licence.

 

For Supernaut, here's his silly engined '57 Chevy 210 (not quite a Bel Air but it'll still set off car alarms when he drives past):

 

[DVee8]

Money no object

A Mercedes Benz 300sl gullwing in this colour

 

 

 

 

 

20 years ago I had a mk11 Capri 3.0 in signal orange but mine was a Ghia..

[Ghosty]

CX Tissier still with a Maserati engine. What can't it do?

[Lacquer Peel]

CX Tissier still with a Maserati engine. What can't it do?

Park anywhere.

[andy18s]

Anything 4x4 from Group B,not fussy.....

And unlimited use of the old Myherin, Kielder and Grizedale stages please

[John F]

CX Tissier still with a Maserati engine. What can't it do?

 

90% of the things a Discovery 300 TDi can do.

[sierraman]

I want a Jaguar 5.3 Coupe. Alas, they're now out of my reach for a really good one.

 

That was kind of the point of the thread, alas. You didn't get it, but that's fine.

I did. I suggested a CX.

 

There is a bit of a superiority complex running through the thread though. The point I was making was ‘the best car in the world’ is purely subjective. To a Welsh hill farmer a Subaru Brat Pick up is probably the best car I’m the world.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

At least Hitler had an appreciation of what the best car in the world means.

 

Yes, a 540K

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

There is a bit of a superiority complex running through the thread though.

 

I can't afford the cars I really want. I'm so superior. 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Yes, a 540K

 

 

I thought he had a 770K, the big bastard. Goebbels and Goering had 540K's I think. Lovely machines though. Unbelievable craftsmanship.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

I thought he had a 770K, the big bastard. Goebbels and Goering had 540K's I think. Lovely machines though. Unbelievable craftsmanship.

 

Not necessarily an easy drive if der Führer is your passenger...

[Guest Hooli]

Anything 4x4 from Group B,not fussy.....

And unlimited use of the old Myherin, Kielder and Grizedale stages please

 

 

 

Mmmm 6R4, bit noisey on motorways though I'd suspect.

[AMC Rebel]

For Supernaut, here's his silly engined '57 Chevy 210 (not quite a Bel Air but it'll still set off car alarms when he drives past):

 

 

My 56 (project) is a 210 - it's only a trim level designation - you could have the biggest engine (and dealer fit performance stuff) on the 150 (base model).  All the Bel Air adds is fancier trim and interiors. 

[Talbot]

90% of the things a Discovery 300 TDi can do.

To be fair, most vehicles can do 90% of what another can. It's only the 10% that makes a particular vehicle special.

 

I'm stunned at some of the humdrum bollocks that is in this thread. Metros? Cavaliers? fuck me. This is money no object beautiful ridiculous dream cars. Yes, I've had a MK2 cavalier and it was an *excellent* car. Loved it. Money no object, not a chance. CXs are in the same category.. I've had 5 of the fuckers and they were all absolutely shit.

 

I'll have one of these, for the sheer lunacy of it:

 

 

Practical? Highly unlikely.

Economic? Not a chance.

Decent all rounder? No way.

 

But just look at it. I desperately want one and would use it every day, for everything.

 

Actually, I'd have an entire collection of cars with a huge variety. Given that I've dailied everything from a Fiat X1/9 to a Series 2B forward control Landrover, I doubt there's much that I would look at and say.. "mm, maybe that's not the right car for today".

[Tadhg Tiogar]

….CXs are in the same category.. I've had 5 of the fuckers and they were all absolutely shit....

But....but...you only need one! 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I could be persuaded by this in lieu of an XJ-C.

 

Or just have both.

 

 

 

[Talbot]

But....but...you only need one!

Between the five of them there might have been one working car. The interiors fall to pieces, the engines were either pants or suffered OMGHGF, the bodywork rusts before your very eyes, the electrics are more on fire than not and they are a twat to work on due to compromised design.

 

About the only reliable part of any of mine was the hydraulic system, which is ironic as that's what put most people off them.

 

Another car I would desperately love to own, but it's never going to happen:

 

 

The original Range Rover is a beautiful bit of design work. Never intended to be, but it is. I've had three Range-Rover classics. Two 4-door models that were utterly rotten and a 2-door that was bought in 2001 for peanuts. It was also somewhat rusty and had a boat-anchor Perkins 4.236 engine in it (which now resides with drum up in Scotland). Kinda wish I'd kept it now as it would be Tax/MOT exempt this year.

[Steviemillar]

[sierraman]

I wonder how many of those old XJS have been restored in the original mustard colour.

[DSdriver]

I thought he had a 770K, the big bastard. Goebbels and Goering had 540K's I think. Lovely machines though. Unbelievable craftsmanship.

As the alternative to building it superbly was a nice vacation* on the Russian front, care and attention to detail was a priority.

*other 'wonderful' places were also available