Cars you didn't like when they were new, but kind of like now...

[bunglebus]

2CVs. I used to mock them when I was a teenager, but I've always liked Beetles - and a 2CV is a French Beetle IMO. 

I really disliked the facelifted Sierra over the original Jellymould ones - now I prefer the later cars

[catsinthewelder]

PT cruiser,  boss bought one as a joke then kept it for a couple of years.  It drove really well and looked ok in satin black.  Had a few owners on here afterwards.

 

[Rightnider]

W211 Mercedes. Was a cab driver when they came out, and I didn’t like them in comparison with the 210, especially not the driving dynamics. 
 

They’ve grown on me over the years though.

[Lord Sterling]

The E38 7-Series and E39 5-Series BMWs to me, were such a disappointment in terms of how they looked compared to the E32 and E34 before it.

The E32 and E34 just had something so handsome, yet so business-like about it. Like wearing a nicely-cut suit. The E38 and E39 just looked so watered down, the E39 5er looked bulbous and unthreatening, like an overweight E36 3-series whereas the E38 7-Series looked too watered down, too straight and ungainly, like a plank of wood with some wheels. I hated the rear end with its E36-like lights which looked so much like an afterthought. 

In time though, they have grown on me and I certainly wouldn't kick one out of bed. The looks though will never win over the classic E32 and E34.

Austin/Rover Montego:

Yep, it surprises even me. I love these and want one yesterday.  Yet, as a little kid, I seemed to have an irrational hatred of them, I don't know why. I vaguely seemed to remember seeing them and hating them for the fact that they were often driven by beige older types whose noses were so far up their backside, and to me, the Montego reflected that. 

Of course, that's utter horse-shite and right now. I'd literally walk on hot coals for miles just to have one.

[Soundwave]

Rover R8. My mum used to have one, and in all honesty it wasn't a fantastic example. Plus being an impressionable child/teenager I swallowed up all the anti-Rover rhetoric that was abundant in the 90s.

Now I actually have one, and keep this quiet... but I think it might actually be my current favourite on the fleet. Hence why I haven't binned it despite it being off the road for a while.

[Spiny Norman]

Volvo 240. Always just bought into the idea they were slow, ungainly, ill handling tanks, but I kinda like them now. 

I mean they're still slow, ungainly, ill-handling tanks but so am I these days so... 

 

[warren t claim]

Renner 4 and the Porsche 924.

[FakeConcern]

23 hours ago, Remspoor said:

 

When you wrote this 

his reads you are wanting a A series MG version. 

 

I see why you thought that, I should have phrased it better...

19 hours ago, warren t claim said:

Renner 4 and the Porsche 924.

Come on Warren at least find some pics of them!

Renner

924

I've not been in a 924, but a colleague gave me lift in a 944

Which was nice...

[Cavcraft]

The Peugeot 206. Had one at work, hated it and then after driving it round for a while it grew on me.

[Missy Charm]

21 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

The E38 7-Series and E39 5-Series BMWs to me, were such a disappointment in terms of how they looked compared to the E32 and E34 before it.

The E32 and E34 just had something so handsome, yet so business-like about it. Like wearing a nicely-cut suit. The E38 and E39 just looked so watered down, the E39 5er looked bulbous and unthreatening, like an overweight E36 3-series whereas the E38 7-Series looked too watered down, too straight and ungainly, like a plank of wood with some wheels. I hated the rear end with its E36-like lights which looked so much like an afterthought. 

In time though, they have grown on me and I certainly wouldn't kick one out of bed. The looks though will never win over the classic E32 and E34.

Austin/Rover Montego:

Yep, it surprises even me. I love these and want one yesterday.  Yet, as a little kid, I seemed to have an irrational hatred of them, I don't know why. I vaguely seemed to remember seeing them and hating them for the fact that they were often driven by beige older types whose noses were so far up their backside, and to me, the Montego reflected that. 

Of course, that's utter horse-shite and right now. I'd literally walk on hot coals for miles just to have one.

Back in the days of driving old bangers, I briefly had one of those 'classic' (are they old enough?) BMWs:

Similar to that one, but in darker grey.  Engine was a 2.0 straight six and gearbox was manual.  Hated it.  I've honestly never had a worse car than that thing: it burnt oil, would randomly stop firing cylinders (had it running on three at times) and then start again, the interior fell to pieces, electrical bits stopped working,  it was rusty, the tyres were ludicrously expensive and, to cap it all, I found the car really dull to drive - it was like piloting a bulk carrier whose engines have been replaced by a single galley slave wielding a canoe paddle.  Awful.

And yet, those BMWs have got a certain something about them looks-wise.  I've always thought that and still do, but would warn that they might be a case of 'never meet one's hero'.  

This:

is a good looking car.  Didn't like them in their day 'cause everyone thought Hyundais were naff back then.  Was wrong.

[quicksilver]

Fiat Coupe. I thought they were weird ugly things when they first appeared (but I was only 10 at the time) but they've aged really well and now I think they look great. This blurple one lives locally and the shape and colour work so well together.

 

 

[FakeConcern]

6 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

Fiat Coupe. I thought they were weird ugly things when they first appeared (but I was only 10 at the time) but they've aged really well and now I think they look great. This blurple one lives locally and the shape and colour work so well together.

 

 

Turns out Chris Bangle knew what he was doing after all...

[Lord Sterling]

4 hours ago, Missy Charm said:

And yet, those BMWs have got a certain something about them looks-wise.  I've always thought that and still do, but would warn that they might be a case of 'never meet one's hero'. 

Already had a few E34s briefly, 520i, and 525i, not owned, just borrowed. I never find them other than great cars. Nice predictable handling but the interiors were always dull and drab, I hated the cloth interiors that madenm it look you were carrying a bunch of knives in your pocket, apart from the leather interiored ones, even then, the dashboards were pretty drab.

I'd absolutely have one again.

[Metal Guru]

70s 2 door XJ (coupe).
Always liked the XJ ( went to the Earl’s Court  motor show when it was launched in 1968), but thought the 2 door (it’s not really a coupe tbh) didn’t look right.

[Rocket88]

On 14/06/2025 at 09:39, EyesWeldedShut said:

If it has to be an Estelle then a Fastback please (My Dad bought a 1300 Estelle after I left home so that non-itch got a scratch now and then)

Matra Simca Bagheera would be my choice here - it was a shite card to have in our school bus Top Trumps tournament so was always discounted as a real car in real life by all of us lads.  How Many Left say 8 taxed and 14 SORN'd so that's an itch never to be scratched.

How many left tells massive porkies…. Though there’s more Murenas around

[aotb]

Both of mine were registered as just ‘Matra Simca’ when imported so don’t show up. Mind you, one is also registered as a four seater. 

 

[Marina door handles]

I have to admit I was another 2CV denier, I thought they were wibbly wobbly and crap.  Now I am intrigued they look like genuinely good fun, definitely would like  a go in one. 

[vanmartinrooy]

On 14/06/2025 at 17:05, GeordieInExile said:

Especially the 5 series. Really like them now, especially the estates. 

Exactly this. Didn't like them when they came out, now I have one 😂

Tbf there was a 2007 restyle which seems to have ironed out some of the awkwardness of the original

[EyesWeldedShut]

17 hours ago, Rocket88 said:

How many left tells massive porkies…. Though there’s more Murenas around

AFAIK I have never seen one of those in the flesh, ever. Google-foo tells me a galvanised chassis too?  No in my price range tho' : https://www.carandclassic.com/list/640/murena/  

[GeordieInExile]

11 hours ago, Marina door handles said:

I have to admit I was another 2CV denier, I thought they were wibbly wobbly and crap.  Now I am intrigued they look like genuinely good fun, definitely would like  a go in one. 

I always fancied a go in one as well but the lack of power puts me off. Flimsy car made of tinfoil plus wheezy engine that will get it to 60 in roughly a minute feels like a recipe for disaster. 

[quicksilver]

On 15/06/2025 at 00:13, Lord Sterling said:

The E38 7-Series and E39 5-Series BMWs to me, were such a disappointment in terms of how they looked compared to the E32 and E34 before it.

The E32 and E34 just had something so handsome, yet so business-like about it. Like wearing a nicely-cut suit. The E38 and E39 just looked so watered down, the E39 5er looked bulbous and unthreatening, like an overweight E36 3-series whereas the E38 7-Series looked too watered down, too straight and ungainly, like a plank of wood with some wheels. I hated the rear end with its E36-like lights which looked so much like an afterthought. 

In time though, they have grown on me and I certainly wouldn't kick one out of bed. The looks though will never win over the classic E32 and E34.

Austin/Rover Montego:

Yep, it surprises even me. I love these and want one yesterday.  Yet, as a little kid, I seemed to have an irrational hatred of them, I don't know why. I vaguely seemed to remember seeing them and hating them for the fact that they were often driven by beige older types whose noses were so far up their backside, and to me, the Montego reflected that. 

Of course, that's utter horse-shite and right now. I'd literally walk on hot coals for miles just to have one.

The same could be said of the E36 3-series itself. At the time I thought it was a rather generic car with no really distinctive features and not a patch on the E30. Compared with the hideous bloated monstrosities BMW are churning out now it looks like a model of elegance.

[Zelandeth]

Just thought of another one.  Corsa B.

I haaaaaated the way they looked, both inside and out replacing the Nova.  Which in comparison to me was a nice, clean well proportioned design.  

I still prefer the Nova if I'm honest, but I don't dislike the Corsa now, and really quite enjoyed the one I had despite it being a pretty rough example.  

I do maintain though that in lower specs the Nova is a better driving car - the Corsa just feels kinda tinny in comparison.  Mine was the 1.5TD and having that bit of extra weight up front I found made a big difference in how the car felt.  It just seemed much more solid and planted on the road than the petrol ones I'd driven before.  It was also far quicker once on boost than it had any bloody right to be.

I'd still rather have an early-mid 80s 3 door Nova 1.2.  Especially if it's a white Antibes.

[urpert]

On 14/06/2025 at 20:43, IronStar said:

MPVs, but mostly Mk IV Espace that kinda epitomized the era here. I thought they’re all a bit shit, too big and not all that better at being a car than an estate.

Now that everything has turned into a humongous on the outside but small on the inside molten SUV blob, I see how much better MPVs were. Espace aged really well IMO, and once I got a lift in one, I absolutely see the appeal of a cavernous magic carpet. 

I’d like one of each model of Espace but particularly have a hankering for a Mk1 Matra-built one in that orangey red or bright blue. 
 

Also, AVAS but I’d quite like one of the final Carltons. Fond memories from when they were near -universal as minicabs. 

[Bayerischer Scheißsüchtige]

On 14/06/2025 at 08:55, D.E said:

BMWs of the Bangle era.

 

Yup. Hated them when new. Came to grudgingly respect the E85/86 Z4 as a kind of modern-day Triumph Spitfire/GT6, now think the E60 looks fantastic in M Sport trim (doesn't work in base SE spec IMO), and even own a mega-miles E66 760Li (facelift). Still think the E63/64 6-series is a sad-eyed droopy-arsed misjudgement, though. And how Joji Nagashima could manage to make a car both as bland and as ungainly as the E90 when he'd previously penned the sublime-in-every-way E39 (which just looks better and better with every new BMW revealed)... though I will concede that a facelift E92 non-M coupé is a handsome thing (the pre-facelift doesn't work so well, the smaller headlights make it look pinched).

[Bayerischer Scheißsüchtige]

On 15/06/2025 at 00:13, Lord Sterling said:

The E32 and E34 just had something so handsome, yet so business-like about it. Like wearing a nicely-cut suit. The E38 and E39 just looked so watered down, the E39 5er looked bulbous and unthreatening, like an overweight E36 3-series whereas the E38 7-Series looked too watered down, too straight and ungainly, like a plank of wood with some wheels. I hated the rear end with its E36-like lights which looked so much like an afterthought. 

I dunno, the E32 to me just looked like a big E34, difficult to tell 'em apart unless you were behind and could see that little concave radius on the E34's bootlid. The E38 very much smartened up a hitherto tired-looking design, and the E39 brought some much-needed curvaceousness where Audi's C4 100/A6, Opel/Vauxhall's Omega B and Giugiaro's Lexus GS300/400 had made the E34 look very old, and if you were after something a bit left-field, there was the Mazda Xedos 9 with its effervescent V6... and Alfa Romeo bringing style back with the 166... or there was the Saab 9-5 coming hot on the E39's heels, and the old 900 had already carved out a quite successful market niche for itself, especially after the facelift... Volvo had shown off the ECC which previewed the S80... the E39 had to be both restrained and tasteful but also a bit seductive, to appeal to those whose heads might otherwise be turned by the Italian or Japanese (or Italo-Japanese fusion, in the Lexus' case!) offerings, or even the cheaper, curvier competitor from Rüsselsheim, or its quirky Swedish cousin... and it had to sell in the US, to tempt people away from the Chrysler Concorde/LHS, Buick Park Avenue/Riviera, Oldsmobile Aurora and Lincoln Continental, all of which had thoroughly repudiated straight lines in favour of compound curves... Joji Nagashima absolutely nailed the brief perfectly. There isn't a bad line on the E39. Whereas the E34 is just that bit too boxy, too angular, and at least the E39 actually *had* styled tail-lights, whereas those on the E34 just... existed. 

[Lord Sterling]

6 hours ago, Bayerischer Scheißsüchtige said:

I dunno....

?

Well, the title of this thread is: Cars you didn't like when they were new, but kind of like now...

Hence what I wrote was based on my own opinion rather than a collective. I loved the E32 and E34 when they were new and still love them now.

I didn't like the E36 at all when new, but it's grown on me. I still don't love it, but can get on with it.

I wasn't overly impressed with the E38 either but I kind of like them now.

I hope this clears up any confusion 👍🏼 🙂

[chaseracer]

On 17/06/2025 at 09:08, GeordieInExile said:

I always fancied a go in one as well but the lack of power puts me off. Flimsy car made of tinfoil plus wheezy engine that will get it to 60 in roughly a minute feels like a recipe for disaster. 

They're not slow if driven properly/appropriately/without mercy.  Also, not 'wheezy': they're designed to run flat out, or piet au plancher, for hours.  Maximum power happens at 5750rpm...

Mine was a bit of a rocket ship even before the 720cc engine!  Just ask @Stinkwheel

[Urko]

P38 Range Rover - I thought it looked stupidly lardy next to the original (the irony!).  Now all cars have become obese tanks, the P38 looks sensible and well proportioned.

On a similar basis, VW Toerag, Audi Q7, Porker Cayenne - I thought these were really fugly when they came out (one of the very few things I agree with Clarkson about) - but they have mellowed (or maybe I have).

[catsinthewelder]

5 minutes ago, Urko said:

On a similar basis, VW Toerag, Audi Q7, Porker Cayenne - I thought these were really fugly when they came out (one of the very few things I agree with Clarkson about) - but they have mellowed (or maybe I have).

I've not mellowed, still hate them all.  Only difference the last ten years has made is that the owners are 500% more likely to have neck tattoos.

[Pieman]

Agreed.  They are overly fat hideous vehicles owned by egomaniac selfish cunts.