Cars you love from brands you hate

[FakeConcern]

Those BMW 2002s mentioned in the OP are lovely and probably the only ones I do like of a brand I dislike the image of, I could happily have one of them...

Again as mentioned in the OP Audi had a very different image as shown by this advert...

I would be happy with a Coupe like this...

 

or an A2 as mentioned above (although when I suggested Mrs Concern get one she didn't like it as it looks "like a pram")

 

Lastly, I've never been a Vauxhall fan, my dad had an F series estate in the early sixties, it looked great, but was actually porous with rust. He always maintained that you Vauxhall the way there and Vauxhall the way back again...

However, I'd have a Monaro...

A mate of mine from Citroen C4 VTS club days bought one in about 2013 for not much £££, but now the price is £stupid.

[barefoot]

I don't really understand the question but I have owned 3 X C2, Audi 200T.

[Metal Guru]

10 hours ago, St.Jude said:

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.

I haven’t driven many vans ( hire one every 2 years maybe), but I find Transits are horrible to drive. The driving position is just all wrong and the engines don’t seem all that either. I find Renault vans much better.

[grogee]

Don't like the ForTwo.

Do like the ForFour.

[bunglebus]

This

I know (old) Mercedes are very well engineered, and I will admit their 60s and 70s cars are often quite handsome in an overbearing way, but there's only one I truly love

[skoda_fan]

Kia. I'm sure I won't be the only one to have a "problem" with them. Boring/tedious/soulless/white goods/old people/insert Clarksonesque cliche here. Then I acquired my Rio from a relative because LRM/FSH/immac cond and it seemed too good to miss. I have to admit it does the job of being a car supremely well. Build quality is second to none (better than my admittedly 90's rubbish era SLK). Unfailingly reliable, responsive to drive and  exceptionally comfortable. It is my transport of choice when I just need to get somewhere. I recently borrowed a hybrid/auto Stonic and first thought was meh/yuk, but came away highly impressed. And I would love to try a Stinger. I can see why Kias sell. If you'd asked me two years ago I'd never have said any of this.

[sierraman]

13 hours ago, horriblemercedes said:

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

No, this is how it’ll play out to my mind... change name to Opel, all new products to be Peugeot based then pension Opel off to markets where Opel does well and a Peugeot to where Peugeot sells well. Running all these identical product lines offering the same thing is where BL went wrong partly.

[New POD]

6 minutes ago, sierraman said:

No, this is how it’ll play out to my mind... change name to Opel, all new products to be Peugeot based then pension Opel off to markets where Opel does well and a Peugeot to where Peugeot sells well. Running all these identical product lines offering the same thing is where BL went wrong partly.

Or where VAG is now. 

[sierraman]

3 minutes ago, New POD said:

Or where VAG is now. 

True. But they have definite places in definite markets. No frills Skoda, then the ‘premium’ feel is VW/Audi. Peugeot and Vauxhall are pitching at the exact same Market. 

[Split_Pin]

I dislike Skoda now.

Up until very recently, the Rapid was a no frills traditional hatchback, loved by taxi drivers in Glasgow.  However the recent Crossovers look too premium and they appear to look more private school than private hire.

I'd love an old Estelle though, or an early Favorit.

[KitKat]

Glad I'm not the only one here who dislikes BMWs. I find them all Ultimate obnoxious, clinical and soulless Driving Machines, and I'm afraid I can't think of a single one I really like. 

Not into Vauxhalls either. Can't think of a Vauxhall that I'd rather have over the rival Ford. But I do like a Lotus Carlton. 

[TheOtherStu]

19 minutes ago, KitKat said:

Glad I'm not the only one here who dislikes BMWs. I find them all Ultimate obnoxious, clinical and soulless Driving Machines, and I'm afraid I can't think of a single one I really like. 

Not into Vauxhalls either. Can't think of a Vauxhall that I'd rather have over the rival Ford. But I do like a Lotus Carlton. 

I've had 2 BMWs as company cars. To drive, I like them. They generally have a bit of poke about them, the auto gearboxes are half decent (once you get them going - anyone know why they are often sluggish to pick up initially? I've driven loads and always found this).

But the interiors.

I've driven them with work for years as test drivers. I've had everything from 1 series through to X5s and all manner of electric and hybrid nonsense. I've  never once thought "Ooh, they've finally caught up with Mercedes on their interiors".

They're usully black and utterly dull. Until about 2000, they were still fitting 3 series with tape players as standard. Imagine that. Paying top dollar for a car with a tape player that's the "ultimate driving machine".

My latest one, a 330e was plenty quick enough. But you charge it up all day and you get 25 miles out of a charge. You can't go over 50mph on electric (the later one has this fixed). It cost £33k and had no touchscreen and the basic stereo with a terrible sat nav. No Android Auto or Apple Car Play, because BMW are too cheap to pay the £20 odd licence (although you get their app, which makes absolutely no sense and never really worked properly on Android). Cloth seats from the 1970s.

Plus you only got 25 miles out of a charge, which means you lose half the boot to heavy batteries.  But hey, it make the BIK worthwhile.

The interior was just so drab, it was soullless.

 

I bang on about Pugs because even though ultimately, they're pugs and you'll get so much depreciation, but I'd drive a 508 every single day over a 3 series.

[GeordieInExile]

4 hours ago, grogee said:

Don't like the ForTwo.

Do like the ForFour.

Don't like either of these.

Do like this. A lot.

 

[skoda_fan]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

I dislike Skoda now.

Up until very recently, the Rapid was a no frills traditional hatchback, loved by taxi drivers in Glasgow.  However the recent Crossovers look too premium and they appear to look more private school than private hire.

I'd love an old Estelle though, or an early Favorit.

Agree. I couldn't even tell you what their model range is now. My moniker has become a misnomer.

[motorpunk]

Sort-of-on-topic.. ish. 

The only electric car I could love;

 

[New POD]

2 hours ago, motorpunk said:

Sort-of-on-topic.. ish. 

The only electric car I could love;

 

Come the revolution, every car manufacturer will be forced to build exactly that car. Every single firm will have to build it to the same design. If they want to change anything about the design, they will have to obtain approval from the commitee. And all manufacturers will be given the design change and allowed to copy it if they want.

They will all have to retail it at the same low price.  They will have to provide a 10 year 300k mile warranty.  In return they will be allowed to build any other car they want. But they'll have to gear up to build at least 50% of their output making the blob. 

All 17 year olds who want to go to university will be taught how to service them with a tool kit costing £12.50.  If they do not get a pass they can not go to university. 

Anyone claiming job seekers allowance, will also have to pass said course before they get access to benefits. 

Warranty claims will be publicised, with number of road side failures for all brands available. 

The only thing that will convince people to buy one brand over another will be the actually reliability and customer service of the dealership. 

They will be electric with an optional 2 stoke diesel generator for those that live more than 3 miles from a charging point. 

The price will be....

£67 per month. 

[motorpunk]

1 hour ago, New POD said:

Come the revolution, every car manufacturer will be forced to build exactly that car. Every single firm will have to build it to the same design. If they want to change anything about the design, they will have to obtain approval from the commitee. And all manufacturers will be given the design change and allowed to copy it if they want.

They will all have to retail it at the same low price.  They will have to provide a 10 year 300k mile warranty.  In return they will be allowed to build any other car they want. But they'll have to gear up to build at least 50% of their output making the blob. 

All 17 year olds who want to go to university will be taught how to service them with a tool kit costing £12.50.  If they do not get a pass they can not go to university. 

Anyone claiming job seekers allowance, will also have to pass said course before they get access to benefits. 

Warranty claims will be publicised, with number of road side failures for all brands available. 

The only thing that will convince people to buy one brand over another will be the actually reliability and customer service of the dealership. 

They will be electric with an optional 2 stoke diesel generator for those that live more than 3 miles from a charging point. 

The price will be....

£67 per month. 

When the revolution comes, Komrade, I’m right behind you.

[twosmoke300]

Am I the only one that finds that all modern BMW’s have steering that is so heavy you think it’s broken ?

Do they do this to make you think it’s sporty and actually has some feel / feedback ? 

[Rocket88]

Any car that any manufacturer has developed at the bloody Nurburgring. This fixation with being able to hurtle round corners at eleventy seven mph, whilst your spine shatters into a million pieces has got to stop….

[jmsguzzi]

Don’t like VW’s but I’d love a Lupo GTI or a Corrado VR6, completely unmodified ofcourse.

 

 

[jmsguzzi]

Also find pretty much all Lamborghinis from the Countach onwards really naff, but I like the Miura and Espada. Still really Meh about Ferraris as well, even the classic good looking ones, don’t mind the 400 or 456.

[New POD]

2 hours ago, motorpunk said:

When the revolution comes, Komrade, I’m right behind you.

I'll be wearing my stab vest. 

[Motown]

Nissan Sunny Coupe

 

[Yoss]

8 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I dislike Skoda now.

Up until very recently, the Rapid was a no frills traditional hatchback, loved by taxi drivers in Glasgow.  However the recent Crossovers look too premium and they appear to look more private school than private hire.

I'd love an old Estelle though, or an early Favorit.

I can highly recommend an early Favorit. I might* be biased. 

7 hours ago, skoda_fan said:

Agree. I couldn't even tell you what their model range is now. My moniker has become a misnomer.

Indeed. I can't even tell the difference between the Škoda and Seat SUV offerings without looking at the badge. I know they are slightly different but without putting them side by side I can't tell the difference which begs the question, why have both brands? 

Until recently (by which I probably mean 15 years ago) not only were Škoda the value brand of VW but they had a nice simple range - small hatch plus medium and and large saloon - just like all car makers used to be. I don't think the whole of VW group had an equivalent of the Octavia, a classic three box saloon (Jetta doesn't count, it's a Golf with a boot). Now they're just the same as everyone else. 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

2 hours ago, jmsguzzi said:

Don’t like VW’s but I’d love a Lupo GTI or a Corrado VR6, completely unmodified ofcourse.

Corrados are gorgeous. 

My first example was a tornado red 16 valver back in 2000. It was ten years old at the time but immaculate. It drew so much positive attention. I'd still be up for a VR6 example. 

[grogee]

1 minute ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Corrados are gorgeous. 

My first example was a tornado red 16 valver back in 2000. It was ten years old at the time but immaculate. It drew so much positive attention. I'd still be up for a VR6 example. 

@Cluffy has one but it's in bits. Valve seals turned into timing chain turned into clutch and now the garage is full of bits. 

[MisterH]

20 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Corrados are gorgeous. 

My first example was a tornado red 16 valver back in 2000. It was ten years old at the time but immaculate. It drew so much positive attention. I'd still be up for a VR6 example. 

The Corrado presents me with a bit of a conundrum: I should absolutely love it, it is (relatively) niche, characterful, and has great performance. But I can't. The rear quarter design is just wrong, the way it kinks up at the back makes it looks like it's stuck in a permanent wedgee. It's a shame because 2/3rds of it is just so right  

[Dick Cheeseburger]

2 minutes ago, MisterH said:

The Corrado presents me with a bit of a conundrum: I should absolutely love it, it is (relatively) niche, characterful, and has great performance. But I can't. The rear quarter design is just wrong, the way it kinks up at the back makes it looks like it's stuck in a permanent wedgee. It's a shame because 2/3rds of it is just so right  

I've owned an inordinate amount of mk2 Golfs over the years but only two Corrados. I love the chunky lines of the mk2 Golf but the Corrado is prettier. For me, it's the front end which is a bit clunky.

Hammond reviewed a  VR engined Corrado a few years back and suggested the values were going to go skywards. They're increasing steadily but they've never been loved to the same degree as the mk2 Golf. 

I regret selling the my ultimate mk2 six years ago, which was running a 2.8 VR lump in a 8v shell. That sound...

[Soundwave]

Really don't like Hyundais - particularly modern ones, but TBH any era Hyundai puts me off. The very essence of tedious, mediocre, throwaway motoring. My mum has an i10, and it's hateful - not even in an endearing way like most AS stuff is.

On a more general note, I'm also not keen on the latest generation of EVs.

However, I saw an Ioniq 5 the other day which is both of the above, and I'll admit I actually sort of want one!

[TheOtherStu]

9 minutes ago, Soundwave said:

Really don't like Hyundais - particularly modern ones, but TBH any era Hyundai puts me off. The very essence of tedious, mediocre, throwaway motoring. My mum has an i10, and it's hateful - not even in an endearing way like most AS stuff is.

On a more general note, I'm also not keen on the latest generation of EVs.

However, I saw an Ioniq 5 the other day which is both of the above, and I'll admit I actually sort of want one!

I promise you I had one of these (F2 Evolution), this was anything but dull

I'm toying with another, but they're rust buckets and would be a true piece of AS.

1 hour ago, Motown said:

Nissan Sunny Coupe

 

Aww, no love for an S15 Varietta with an electric, leaky drop hood?

The wonderful thing with Nissan is that they've ticked pretty much every box. Proper 4x4s and trucks. SUVs of all sizes (including proper ones that actually are 4x4 and can go offroad). Sports cars. Sad chelsea tractors. 1L old folks cars. Everyday family wagons. Hell, they were even in there in the early days of MPVs. They seem to have cracked most of the markets.

I still can't see me owning a Nissan (although that particular one above is £21k + Import costs and if I had that, it would be high up my list). I'd like to have considered the 350/370Z drop top as a more powerful replacement for my MR2, but they're a very heavy pile of shite. I'd go down the Porker route first.

I'd like a Skyline R34, but they're just stupid money.

I would be up for an Elgrand, but I'd need either a dirty diesel or one that's been converted into LPG because I couldn't afford to run or tax the bastard thing.