Cars you love from brands you hate

[MisterH]

I was recently brought to thinking about this after watching someone doing a fantastic scale build of a BMW 2002tii. Now I am not a BMW fan, and I find their brand image, especially today, to be quite unsavoury. However, I just love the look of the old ones. The only BMW I love enough to want to really want to own is the BMW M535i E12, as it is the M car from when M-cars weren't a thing, and it is so evidently a motorsport special for the road, and even with the side stripes, it still manages to look subtle and refined.

Likewise, I adore old Audis because back in the day they actually stood for something. Buying an Audi was a bit like signalling your rejection of yuppie culture and buying with your head and heart, not your ego. It pains me to see Audi today as  very aggressive, almost gansta in its brand ethos and direction, completely at odds with its former, quite informed, but still potent, image. 

(ok so someone does have the balls to spec what is basically Triton Green, I'll give them that) 

So this begs the question, 

Are there any cars you love, from brands you hate (or used to love)? 

Just a bit of curiosity really   

[grogee]

Good thread. 

I've never been one for the medallion man Triumph sports cars up to the 'Six' but the TR7 absolutely floats my boat, preferably in hard top form. 

Probably not that bad to drive in spite of BL's efforts to make it out of Allegro offcuts. Especially now you can get one with fancy electronic ignition retrofitted. 

Ironically it's the one the Triumph lickers tend to disown. But then I love Underworld, and I hate Born Slippy.

[dozeydustman]

I can't say I really hate a car brand, I think many are overrated for what they are. I've never been keen on Fords but I loved driving this

It's been the only Blue Oval I've enjoyed driving. The rest have been pretty meh. Not woefully awful but not particularly great.

[grogee]

1 minute ago, dozeydustman said:

I can't say I really hate a car brand, I think many are overrated for what they are. I've never been keen on Fords but I loved driving this

It's been the only Blue Oval I've enjoyed driving. The rest have been pretty meh. Not woefully awful but not particularly great.

Wow we're all different I suppose. I can't think of a Ford I've driven that I didn't instantly like, APART from a 1995 NA diesel Escort that was gross. 

Saying that, I've probably found 'my' brand, since I am middle class and boring. 

[horriblemercedes]

I wouldn't say I hate any particular brands, however I think it's unlikely I'd buy an Audi although I really like the R8 V10.

 

I make an exception for sheds as then I just buy whatever fits my needs and seems good for the money

[grogee]

Pretty much universally disliked every BINI since the first one showed up with a miserable Chrysler engine. And they're massive outside and tiny inside, the opposite of a proper Mini. 

Buuuuut, the Clubman estate one is aaaaalllllrrriiiggghhht I suppose. 

[Dyslexic Viking]

I really dislike Audi and would much rather have the plague than an Audi made in the last 30 years. But I like the older ones and especially the 80 B2. So came as a bit of a surprise to many when I bought my B2 earlier this year.

[St.Jude]

Vauxhall Insignia for me. I had one as a hire car in a job for a week, and I thought it was a great drive. But I won't ever own a Vauxhall, or an Insignia, as I'm not a chav.

Same goes for the Ford Transit. Ford's are overblown, but the Transit van (Mk6 especially, followed by the Mk7) I would love to own one day and decorate it in Martini rally colours, a la Colin McRae.

[Split_Pin]

I think this is a lovely car in terms of image and build quality.

Audi were great until they started building cars for pond life.

[Agila]

Vauxhall and Renault for me. I don't hate either too be honest though.

VX220 turbo.

Lotus Carlton 

Megane r26r

Clio Williams

[grogee]

All of the current Merc range can get in the bin. Ugly, glitzy and garish. I can't think of a decent Merc from the last 15 years. 

Look at the state of this!

[MisterH]

1 minute ago, grogee said:

All of the current Merc range can get in the bin. Ugly, glitzy and garish. I can't think of a decent Merc from the last 15 years. 

Look at the state of this!

[New POD]

I've owned a great many Vauxhalls but realise there are other cars that would do the same job.  

So when replacing a 3.2 omega I went for a 1.4 T Astra obviously.  I really rate the Astra J for being a car.   Driven usually by ordinary people that just need 5 seats and some doors and that's it. No one buys one for image. Even the GTC isn't bought for image. Maybe the VXR is but generally they seem to be bought by enthusiasts and you don't generally see them driven by ducks. (The Corsa VXR however does seem to appeal to a demographic that drives like a twat. ) 

[Noel Tidybeard]

i'm deffo not a OMGFORDSCENE fan cos i find them mostly meh but i do like mk3 grananadanadas

[sierraman]

The old Audi’s were fantastic, 80/90/100 etc. They were bought by sensible types, folks that didn’t want to appear flash but wanted the comfort of quality. Hell would freeze over now before you caught me in any Audi made after 2000. 

Im not a big Vauxhall fan, if I’m feeling blunt I’d say I’d crack open a Bollinger if they sacked the brand off and renamed them Opel. On the other hand the Cavalier was a bloody fantastic car. If you could keep the rot out of the rear arches they’d run and run, they seemed light years ahead of the Sierra. 

Part of my dislike stems from the fact I spent a childhood being driven about in various base model Astras. If in the mid 90’s you had an Astra Merit, life had done you a bad turn. We went from a Sierra 1.6 GL to a 1.4 Astra Mk2 then a 1.4 ‘hi-torq’ Mk3 with it’s dreadful tweed upholstery and scratchy plastics. Things got better for a while with a Mk1 Mondeo GLX with the RS kit on, the respect I’d gained in his choice was quickly lost when my father bought a Zafira 1.6 Life. By this point relations had broken down to the point I refused a lift anywhere in it. As a teenager I’d have just as soon arrived on foot or the bus to an event than the Zafira. 

[Billy - Medhurst]

1st Decent / Dependable Renault I had ( Long gone now ). Usually skip them when car hunting due to bad luck with them.

[MisterH]

Just now, Billy - Medhurst said:

1st Decent / Dependable Renault I had. Usually skip them when car hunting due to bad luck with them.

Early one that too!

[dozeydustman]

2 hours ago, grogee said:

Wow we're all different I suppose. I can't think of a Ford I've driven that I didn't instantly like, APART from a 1995 NA diesel Escort that was gross.

The FWD Escort is one car I can certifiably say I do not like.

[RayMK]

VW.  Not true hatred, just indifference and boredom with their offerings.  The exception is the new, new Beetle, but I only like them in light or dark blue and with retro wheels. Shame that the engine is at the wrong end. In any other colour or with stupid glitzy alloys I can work up some hatred for them, so it's a marginal thing actually liking them at all.

[Billy - Medhurst]

1 minute ago, MisterH said:

Early one that too!

It was a long time ago ( 2010 ) But the only Renault I have rated. I did have a couple of 19's many years before but did not expect to undertake any long journey in them with out issue.

[bigstraight6]

How a car manufacturer can go from making one of the most successful simple World cars ever, to total shite today.

[MisterH]

1 minute ago, bigstraight6 said:

How a car manufacturer can go from making one of the most successful simple World cars ever, to total shite today.

Am I allowed to admit I have an illegal crush on the Renault Talisman? 

[timolloyd]

Talismans look amazing. Shame we don’t get them here.

[Shite Ron]

I am not sure I hate any brands although there are several I would not wish to own. Audi is probably the one I am closest to hating based mostly on their fake ‘quality brand’ image of the 21st century, I would genuinely prefer a Skoda. Sadly BMW and Mercedes are now no better and have also sold out. Vauxhall are another brand I do not rate but similar to Sierraman it is due to bad experience.My Dad traded in his 1600E for a Viva when I was very young and then kept the Viva for longer than five years until getting an Escort company car. I had a 4 year old Mk2 Cavalier which was the most unreliable car ever which didn’t help my perception of the brand. I do think the mk3 Cavalier is a very good car though from the two I had. I really like the last of the VX490’s with the tartan seats and also the Sportshatch. The Royale and Carlton’s are also great cars. If my Dad had bought one of those instead of a Silver 2 door Viva with black vinyl seats I may have had a different perception of Vauxhall.

My recent purchase of a Mercedes E320 estate has vastly improved my perception of Mercedes and diesels. I used to think they were over priced and overrated, now they are less than a quarter of the price of a Cortina or Granada and more economical they are much more appealing.

So I suppose in summary the cars I love from the manufacture I dislike the most is:

[bigstraight6]

40 minutes ago, timolloyd said:

Talismans look amazing. Shame we don’t get them here.

Not bad, but I’d still rather have an R4!

[TheOtherStu]

As above with the blue oval, I'm afraid I'd struggle to own one.

Unless it was a Mustang. Old or new (but not in between much)

Do I need to show you what I mean? Oh go on then

And equally, I'd take the 2008 Shelby GT500KR (and yes, I'm aware what the KR stood for)

Otherwise, obviously OMFGITSANRS2000ORMEXICO are nice, but not in my garage of dreams.

And Lancia. Oh my Lancia. How ugly and shit most of your cars were. But I would still love to own a Delta. Even if it weren't a real Evo or even a Turbo.

I just want to put a cage in, paint it white and put Martini stripes all over it.

As for ze German People's Cars, again, there are few that do it for me. From modern times, I'd love to own a Phaeton W12. SImply because I'll never be able to afford a Bentley with one in or an Audi R8.

I'd love to own a floppy top Karmann Ghia

And lastly Fiat. The Missus has one. I'm not a fan and would never own one (although I may yet own an Abarth 124, but not the Fiat version)

Except this. It's a thing of beauty. Fiat Dino.

 

[chaseracer]

11 minutes ago, TheOtherStu said:

Except this. It's a thing of beauty. Fiat Dino.

 

Mio Dio! C'è del trambusto nei miei pantaloni!

[sutty2006]

The VW Passat B5/5.5 from, well, VW. Actually I like a lot of their stuff, it’s just seams hindered with a certain “pineapple” scene. 

[horriblemercedes]

2 hours ago, sierraman said:

The old Audi’s were fantastic, 80/90/100 etc. They were bought by sensible types, folks that didn’t want to appear flash but wanted the comfort of quality. Hell would freeze over now before you caught me in any Audi made after 2000. 

Im not a big Vauxhall fan, if I’m feeling blunt I’d say I’d crack open a Bollinger if they sacked the brand off and renamed them Opel. On the other hand the Cavalier was a bloody fantastic car. If you could keep the rot out of the rear arches they’d run and run, they seemed light years ahead of the Sierra. 

Part of my dislike stems from the fact I spent a childhood being driven about in various base model Astras. If in the mid 90’s you had an Astra Merit, life had done you a bad turn. We went from a Sierra 1.6 GL to a 1.4 Astra Mk2 then a 1.4 ‘hi-torq’ Mk3 with it’s dreadful tweed upholstery and scratchy plastics. Things got better for a while with a Mk1 Mondeo GLX with the RS kit on, the respect I’d gained in his choice was quickly lost when my father bought a Zafira 1.6 Life. By this point relations had broken down to the point I refused a lift anywhere in it. As a teenager I’d have just as soon arrived on foot or the bus to an event than the Zafira. 

Changing the name of the company is all it would take to change your mind? Even though the cars are the same? 

[ProgRocker]

Pretty much concur with what has been said already about Audi. I really liked the A2 and thought that it was a great idea for a car. Its the most modern one I like. Wouldn't consider any other with an A or a Q in the model designation. The 80/90/100/200/v8 and Coupe models were cool.