Top Gear 20 worst cars ever.

[saabhappy]

Surely they all register, or you not a car enthusiast?

Well I thought I was, but what I meant was that they don't either make my pulses race or alternatively want to throw up. I'm not a fan of some of them, but they don't come anywhere near the 20 worst in my book. For once I agree withe Pete, who'll probably want to change his opinion of the TVR now, but if that's what TG think is one of the worst cars made then all I can say is they've not spread their net very wide. I owned one of these for a while, and for all the hassle it caused and the money it cost me it truly deserves a place on the list!

 

[Pete-M]

My mother had a 104 ZR shortcut in 1980. Beige, it was, with tweed seats. JJP744V. She didn't like it.I think the Corolla deserves to be in the list because despite Hirst's comments, I can't think of a single one I'd want to own. Not even the AE86 OMG RWD thing - I've driven one and it was like having a 2000 rpm Zanussi spin dryer instead of a 1500 rpm one, better, efficient, reliable, but nothing to keep the interest going. Did go sideways rather well, but even throwing it sideways didn't amuse me much. All too sanitised for me.Vectras are disappointing. I wanted to like them when they came out. I quite liked the look of them when they were new, but then I drove one and it felt worse than the Mk3 Cav. I've since driven about 200 different Vectras and the only one that I thought was okish was an SRi Estate I used for a weekend. The V6 jobbies can't half shift, but it's a combination of so many things about them makes them impossible for me to like. The bobbly seats, that fuckin' awful centre armrest, the truly abysmal ride, the plain nasty steering, the comedy handbrake and the generally 'couldn't be arsed' feeling about them. Wednesday night I drove a low mileage, S plate 1.8 GLS Auto for about 12 miles and it just brought the sheer hideousness of them flooding back. I think this is why I dislike them so much, they're not very good, but they could have been so much better. The Mondeo drives, rides and handles a million times better, and doesn't pretend to be anything other than a bloody good family car.

[carlo]

Does anyone have or can find a link to that 1996 Top Gear test of the Vectra? I do remember it as being very funny and would love to see it again. And I agree with their attempt to deride Vauxhall's cynical and slavish soliciting of the fleet market; I can't believe many Vectras were sold with anything less that 50% discount.

[Captain Mainwaring]

Surprised not to see the usual Aggro/Marina fare included.

[AnthonyG]

I don't think the TVR Cerbera deserved to be there, but the rest I have no problem with.

I agree. The Cerbera was bloody unreliable, sure, but I bet the early Lamborghinis (plus most Ferraris made before the mid 80s) were bloody unreliable as well, and they're not in anyone's list of the worst cars!

[Station]

I thought the Frontera was a Japan sourced Isuzu Bighorn?

Maybe 'Worst Cars' should've been 'Most Boring/Annoying Cars', or 'Cheap Reliable Cars that Sold Millions' for the majority!!

 

JC demanded Vauxhall give him a Lotus Carlton, unbelievably. They told him to fuck off, and then Ford gave him a Sierra Cosworth. I believe this is where his hatred comes from. He's so patriotic, yet is nearly always bleating on about how shit the country is. For this reason, he is a complete tool, whose opinions are complete misguided dog shit. I also think Richard Hammond is a complete prick for called the MGF/TF 'absolute rubbish', when it clearly isn't (because I drive one). Sorry for rant, for a car program it shouldn't get things about cars wrong.

 

I like these, just because it's a got a silly knob in it (not Richard Hammond):

 

[Station]

Sorry, this type of statement pisses me off:

Ironic really – the X-Type was just a Mondeo, but more expensive.

Like 'a Saab is just a Vectra'.

[warren t claim]

Sorry, this type of statement pisses me off:

Ironic really – the X-Type was just a Mondeo, but more expensive.

Like 'a Saab is just a Vectra'.

Or an Audi is just a Skoda.

[Rusty Pelican]

Tell a Ferrari owner you like his 85% Fiat

[Pete-M]

JC demanded Vauxhall give him a Lotus Carlton, unbelievably. They told him to fuck off, and then Ford gave him a Sierra Cosworth. I believe this is where his hatred comes from. He's so patriotic, yet is nearly always bleating on about how shit the country is. For this reason, he is a complete tool, whose opinions are complete misguided dog shit.

I think you'll find that he had an Escort Cosworth, and the Vauxhall story is a load of bollocks. I agree with him about the country as well, for a nation that had the wonders of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Thomas Telford, Sir James Chadwick, Sir Oliver Lodge, Winston Churchill etc etc etc to be reduced to a bunch of whining losers who want compensation for everything and saving from themselves for everything else is a fucking disaster. The UK still has some fabulous and beautiful things about it, but the fucking idiotic natives will vote Labour back in in May "Because Thatcher... blah blah" and that'll be it. Fucked. Which is why I'm leaving.

[Guest]

On the other hand, I live here and I'm really cool.

[Pete-M]

On the other hand, I live here and I'm really cool.

As I said, there are some good things about the UK. Hirstcabs of Wakefield being one.

[Gompo]

How different was the Vectra to the Mk3 Cavalier?If they wanted to move away from the image of the Cavalier (for reasons unknown, I thought they had an ok reputation) why did they make it look just like a slightly different Mk3 Cav but with a different name? To still appeal to Cav fans?

[Mr Lobster]

I agree with him about the country as well, for a nation that had the wonders of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Thomas Telford, Sir James Chadwick, Sir Oliver Lodge, Winston Churchill etc etc etc to be reduced to a bunch of whining losers who want compensation for everything and saving from themselves for everything else is a fucking disaster. The UK still has some fabulous and beautiful things about it, but the fucking idiotic natives will vote Labour back in in May "Because Thatcher... blah blah" and that'll be it. Fucked. Which is why I'm leaving.

I've been reading The Making of Modern Britain or somesuch in the last week which shows what a great past we had. Yes politicians were probably just as corrupt but at least were prepared to do the right thing and stand up for the country. The country isn't all that bad but it's not that great in some respects either.Labour back in in May. I really hope not.

[Pete-M]

How different was the Vectra to the Mk3 Cavalier?

I think there were quite a few changes. Longer wheelbase possibly.None of them worked very well, quite a few made the Vectra worse to drive than the Cav. To give the Vectra a small amount of credit, they're a bit quieter than a Cav on the motorway and they had an RDS clock.. Unfortunately, the arse end on them seems to constantly float in a most nauseating fashion. Cav's didn't do that.

[Richard]

How different was the Vectra to the Mk3 Cavalier?If they wanted to move away from the image of the Cavalier (for reasons unknown, I thought they had an ok reputation) why did they make it look just like a slightly different Mk3 Cav but with a different name? To still appeal to Cav fans?

I think it was more about harmonising the Vauxhall and Opel model names, hence the Nova became Corsa and the Kadett became Astra.

[Station]

I think you'll find that he had an Escort Cosworth, and the Vauxhall story is a load of bollocks.

My uncle was press and publications manager for Vauxhall. I didn't read it somewhere, he told me about 15 years ago.Cav had the same uninspiring drive as the Vectra (Cav felt like the middle was entirely made out of rubber). But I'm completely sure it was made for the road and not the race track. I love the Cavalier though, it hasn't dated too badly either.

[Pete-M]

I think you'll find that he had an Escort Cosworth, and the Vauxhall story is a load of bollocks.

My uncle was press and publications manager for Vauxhall. I didn't read it somewhere, he told me about 15 years ago.

I bow to your uncle's knowledge. Must have been a bloody hard job, that. I still doubt that Clarkson hates Vauxhalls because they wouldn't lend him one... I hate them and I used to get lent the bloody things every day.

Cav had the same uninspiring drive as the Vectra. But I'm completely sure it was made for the road and not the race track. I love the Cavalier though, it hasn't dated too badly either.

Sit in a Vectra doing 70 mph on the flattest bit of motorway you can find (I'd suggest the M6 Raceway) and the back end will be floating up and down out of phase with the actual road. They did it when they were brand new, ffs. I have never been in a Vectra that didn't do it. Combined with the same floaty vagueness even at 50 mph on an A-road I really can't work out how they ever persuaded people to buy them. Cavaliers didn't do it, Omegas didn't do it, Novas didn't do it (unless the rear shocks were shagged). Lazy design. Nothing to do with the race track, this is something that should never happen, but it happens at below motorway speeds in a Vectra. It's worse if you're sitting in the back, but experience taught me many years ago to make other arrangements if the only way of getting somewhere was in the back of a Vectra.

[Mr H Sceptre]

I agree with him about the country as well, for a nation that had the wonders of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Thomas Telford, Sir James Chadwick, Sir Oliver Lodge, Winston Churchill etc etc etc to be reduced to a bunch of whining losers who want compensation for everything and saving from themselves for everything else is a fucking disaster. The UK still has some fabulous and beautiful things about it, but the fucking idiotic natives will vote Labour back in in May "Because Thatcher... blah blah" and that'll be it. Fucked. Which is why I'm leaving.

I've been reading The Making of Modern Britain or somesuch in the last week which shows what a great past we had. Yes politicians were probably just as corrupt but at least were prepared to do the right thing and stand up for the country. The country isn't all that bad but it's not that great in some respects either.Labour back in in May. I really hope not.

Nah, Autoshite will walk the election in May. Reckon we could field a candidate in most constituancies.....

[Station]

Sit in a Vectra doing 70 mph on the flattest bit of motorway you can find (I'd suggest the M6 Raceway) and the back end will be floating up and down out of phase with the actual road.

I know, I drove two and even when I wasn't really aware of handling etc when I was younger, I kind've knew there was something wrong. I think they had that awful speed sensitive PAS as well - only done totally wrong. Ovetaking on the motorway was horrible. My mate used to go round that corner on the M53 just after Hooton at about 80mph, and I used to close my eyes as the car bobbed all over the place.

[Captain Mainwaring]

I thought the Frontera was a Japan sourced Isuzu Bighorn?

Isn't that name reserved for the Trooper ilk?

[Milford Cubicle]

Isuzu Mu = Vauxhall Fronterror

[Tayne]

.

[Polystratus]

Nah, Autoshite will walk the election in May. Reckon we could field a candidate in most constituancies.....

Get my vote if you bring back rolling date tax exemption for older cars, and not some idiotic fixed date.

[pogweasel]

How much IS it now to stand for election?

[saabhappy]

£500, I think.

[saabhappy]

£500, I think.

Think I'd buy a car instead.

[Cavcraft]

A grand isn't it? I'd stand if I could afford it, it'd be a right laugh.I don't know why Clarkson hates Vauxhalls but he's a bit of wanker a lot of the time so I shouldn't be surprised really.The Cavalier was always going to be a tough act to follow and I'm glad they didn't decide to carry on the name as it would have tainted the Cavalier's name. Having said that they're not as bad as some say, but it's Groundhog Day going over it again and again.