The best car you’ve owned (alternative take on coolest car)

[Tayne]

Most powerful.

Fastest acceleration but 2nd highest top speed (though this is the only one I’ve taken to v-max).

Most economical.

Most capacious.

Most well equipped.

Cheapest to run.

Cleanest.

 

 

 

[Six-cylinder]

The least demanding car I have owned is my 1972 MGB GT.

14 years of ownership. It was a lower price BGT when I bought it.

On test drive I detected the clutch was worn and sure enough 2 years later I had to have a clutch fitted.

Stopping and thinking about it there has been a few other things as well.

• It would not start at Silverstone circuit even with a tow start. Mrs6C came with our Volvo XC70 and towed me the 12 miles home. I couldn’t work out what the intermittent starting problem was so called in an Autosparks, turned out to be the engine earth strap.
• The pair of 6v batteries lasted for years but in the end I had to replace them and elected to go for a single 12v.
• The fabric sunroof split and I had the fabric part replaced. Sad thing the original lasted 40+ years the replacement was splitting in 5 years.
• The brakes stared sticking on that turned out to be the master cylinder. The lovely thing about an MGB is how easy it is to get parts and how reasonably priced they are.
• I had a problem with the heater with low output and had that rebuilt, again no big drama as it is simply under the bonnet.

It was used in the 2018 M&S Christmas advert so has even earnt a modest amount of money.

So there have been a few things but it has never felt like an expensive or difficult car to own.

[Tayne]

 

[Six-cylinder]

15 minutes ago, Tayne said:

 

There were other versions of the advert.

[Wibble]

Probably my current Skoda tbh and I’m touching wood as I type this!

Enough spec, no ad blue, fast enough, comfortable and massive inside. Pain for ulez but still a great car, had it since 2017:

[Pauly.22]

My old m3. Fast, sounded good, looked the part, only 50 made worldwide in that colour. Sold it when kids came along. 

[artdjones]

2 Stand out. ( Library pics but right colour and spec.)

1. My Princess 2.0 HL auto, owned from 86 to 88. Comfortable, roomy, and smooth, with amazing road holding. 185/70/14s were considered quite large back then.

2. 2000 Xantia HDi 2.0 HDi SX.

Very comfortable, did 50 mpg no matter what you did, great road manners, and very gutsy for 110hp. Took it from 92k miles up to 156 in three years, then sold it as the road tax was very high. €710 pa. I sold it for a thousand, and noticed it for sale again two years later, now at 210k, and still looking immaculate.

[Shite Ron]

Has to be this, bought for a weeks wages, used as a reliable daily driver for over four years (until I had to have a company car) did over 16,000 miles the first year I bought it and travelled all over Europe and UK (at speeds I wouldn’t dare today). I did the first Cortina’s to Cortina trip in it, drove to Gibraltar and back ( over 4,000 miles in two weeks) many Le Mans trips, one four up with tents, bikes etc. all in the boot. More carrying capacity than any modern car and the most comfortable car that I have ever driven. Most importantly of all it always makes me feel happy when driving or just looking at it. All the car I ever need (but I still have many other cars which I love, there is no hope for me)

R8

[Split_Pin]

Probably this.

Bought slightly broken from @SRi05 in December 2021 for £350 with 6 months MOT. It had a battery light on due to the alternator not having an additional earth so worked absolutely fine. I fixed the damaged loom in the drivers seat for £10 with one from a scrapper to extinguish the airbag light and replaced the thermostat for another £20. Servicing aside it gave 2.5 years of faultless service. I did tickle it a bit though, Noobtune remap, wheel spacers and a genuine Saab Aero bumper lip pulled from a scrapper for £15 and painted for free in Ford red which was a perfect match.

Sold it because being a May 2006 registered petrol Auto, it had horrendous VED and I just got fed up paying it. That said it works out at something ridiculously small if you work it out as a daily rate. Still going with @MAF260 who has only improved it.

Ive had 3 other 93 convertibles since!

[Wibble]

8 minutes ago, Shite Ron said:

Has to be this, bought for a weeks wages, used as a reliable daily driver for over four years (until I had to have a company car) did over 16,000 miles the first year I bought it and travelled all over Europe and UK (at speeds I wouldn’t dare today). I did the first Cortina’s to Cortina trip in it, drove to Gibraltar and back ( over 4,000 miles in two weeks) many Le Mans trips, one four up with tents, bikes etc. all in the boot. More carrying capacity than any modern car and the most comfortable car that I have ever driven. Most importantly of all it always makes me feel happy when driving or just looking at it. All the car I ever need (but I still have many other cars which I love, there is no hope for me)

R8

The Mk5 is indeed, one of the most comfortable cars I’ve ever had. A massive improvement over the Mk4. Still want another.

[AnnoyingPentium]

This thing, most likely. I bought it on 26,000 miles and sold it 18 months later on 64,000. Didn't get off to the best of starts (clutch at 31k, alternator and brake calipers soon after) but after that it got me through some awful and brilliant times. It's still going about locally and I still get paid to do some of the maintenance. Sadly looking pretty rough having been shunted into a wall and changing the shape of the driver's side rear quarter.

I'd have another Vectra B in a heartbeat, if I could find a good one. Here it is not long before I sold it.

[danthecapriman]

‘Best’ for me would mean reliable, hassle free and comfortable/easy to drive.

So it can only really be one.

Absolutely fantastic car. 
It came from someone my dad worked with who was in the Chilean navy and in the UK for work for a few years. Aturo was his name, really sound guy too. After I saw him with it I told him if he wanted to sell it I’d buy it, which a few months later he did. 
It needed a really good clean and a bit of work, but once I’d done that it didn’t put a foot wrong really for years. It was one of those cars I just gelled with and really liked owning and driving. I went all over the place with it and loved driving it. One of those cars I’d gladly get in and drive absolutely anywhere regardless of distance and have absolute confidence in.

If I wasn’t a stupid moron I’d still have it now. 

[IronStar]

Toss up between two Alfas

Fastest, comfiest, long distance muncher I have. ~500k km and counting. Near 200bhp on the wheels, but healthy appetite for parts as a result. Better at being an car, but not as good as being driver’s car as

Peak dependable. Bought as a “I need something more economical” when money was tight and office was still a thing. Never left me stranded, despite being objectively neglected for ages. Gave it on a loan to everyone who asked me for a car after 159 arrived. Directly responsible for me swearing that Alfas are the best thing since sliced bread. 
I’m currently in the process of throwing X times its value at it as a thank you. It will probably be one of the nicest 156s with the least desirable engine they have. 1.9 JTD is for the winners though, that engine is out of this world with reliability. 

[hairnet]

01 ep3 civic

current 17 plate (i know) pug 108

goes everywhere slowly and nae bother

[hairnet]

38 minutes ago, IronStar said:

 

 Directly responsible for me swearing that Alfas are the best thing since sliced bread. 
 

well no

hit your head

been out in the sun too long

or just plain loco?

or youre furiousdriving in disguise?

[Spiny Norman]

I often only keep cars for a few months, a year at most. I had this for over 4 years. It was 100% reliable, comfortable, fast, great to drive, didn't cost a fortune to run and there wasn't an angle it didn't look amazing from. 
Even inside. 

 

[mrbenn]

This, my mk1 Focus. Absolutely loved this car. Owned for over 10 years. Bought at ~60k and sold at ~140k miles.

Only went wrong once. Nothing ever really even wore out. 

Never failed an MOT with me, loved driving it. An excellent car from a great period of car design.

Now with @N19 and hopefully still providing sterling service.

[LightBulbFun]

in surprise to no one, has to be REV of course! its both the best car, in how its enabled me freedom of mobility which I have not had before and in its reliability and comfortability if thats a word! its features means I can drive it long distances with a lot less pain then I can regular cars

I have covered nearly 2000 miles since her return to the road in Late October 2024, which by the nature of things, has been either slogging it through Central London or bombing up and down various fast motorways/A roads! (because im either running errands in the city or on some out of town lightbulb related collection caper!)  and give or take a dodgy throttle cable and a couple dodgy drive belts, its done it all without issue  not bad for what will be this year a 50 year old fibreglass 3 wheeler!

[N19]

It is still in daily, reliable and generally unflappable service. I think the only thing that's "wrong" with it is that the tailgate button release isn't working at the moment. It's only really ever needed service parts in my time, and an exhaust section. When the weather gets better it is due a session of scraping the underside and re-undersealing for posterity.

36 minutes ago, mrbenn said:

This, my mk1 Focus. Absolutely loved this car. Owned for over 10 years. Bought at ~60k and sold at ~140k miles.

Only went wrong once. Nothing ever really even wore out. 

Never failed an MOT with me, loved driving it. An excellent car from a great period of car design.

Now with @N19 and hopefully still providing sterling service.

 

[mrbenn]

1 minute ago, N19 said:

It is still in daily, reliable and generally unflappable service. I think the only thing that's "wrong" with it is that the tailgate button release isn't working at the moment. It's only really ever needed service parts in my time, and an exhaust section. When the weather gets better it is due a session of scraping the underside and re-undersealing for posterity.

 

Great to hear, I'm really pleased its still going well for you 😎

[Dan the van]

Not a car but a van.1.7 Vauxhall lpt engine.Bought at a year old/15k miles.Added another 210k in 7 years as owner/driver courier.Never let me down,comfy,quick,never less than 50mpg no matter how hard it was driven(very,all the time).Never needed anything other than service items.HG finally gave up at 225k and it was due a new clutch.I'd left the business by then and was labouring on a building site so didn't really need it.Regret selling it,didn't owe me a penny and deserved to get repaired but I sold it and bought a Merc estate.

[MAF260]

10 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Probably this.

Bought slightly broken from @SRi05 in December 2021 for £350 with 6 months MOT. It had a battery light on due to the alternator not having an additional earth so worked absolutely fine. I fixed the damaged loom in the drivers seat for £10 with one from a scrapper to extinguish the airbag light and replaced the thermostat for another £20. Servicing aside it gave 2.5 years of faultless service. I did tickle it a bit though, Noobtune remap, wheel spacers and a genuine Saab Aero bumper lip pulled from a scrapper for £15 and painted for free in Ford red which was a perfect match.

Sold it because being a May 2006 registered petrol Auto, it had horrendous VED and I just got fed up paying it. That said it works out at something ridiculously small if you work it out as a daily rate. Still going with @MAF260 who has only improved it.

Ive had 3 other 93 convertibles since!

This car is high on my list also, certainly the best car I’ve owned based on cost, reliability and grin factor. The VED is crazy, but I only tax/use it for 5-6 months so it’s mitigated.

Still looks fantastic and has more improvements to come.

[Carl1981]

180hp, 400nm torque, 45mpg everywhere, £30 ish Road tax and so utterly comfortable. Relaxing drive when you want it to be and beautiful handling with rapid progress when you fancy having some fun.

A particular point I loved was the steering wheel, it was like a work of art, and felt perfect in your hands. Such an underrated car with a poor reputation that I don’t think they deserved based on my own experience.

hands down best car I’ve owned, sold it a couple of years ago as a change of job gave me a company car, I was and I remain sad to see this car leave.

[Leyland Worldmaster]

Alison, innit. Bought in February 2014 with 124,000 miles I've put just over 180,000 miles on in twelve years.

Service bits; clutch and hydraulics and a couple of intercoolers. Oh and at 223,000 miles, the oil pump and balance shaft chain and tensioners were replaced- same time as above mentioned clutch. Oh and just remembered a couple of weldz and a flexi on the original zorst.

I broke previous cars quite soon after buying, but this one is fucking strong!

None of this has been easy mileage- Alison isn't a garage queen, innit!

 

 

 

[twosmoke300]

Best car was probably my old Vectra B estate 2.0 dti . Put 50k on that with next to no repairs . Did 45/50 mpg and was the first car I had with working AC 

My current Fiat ducato has been a cracker too . Bought on 48k and now on 105 k. Sadly getting a bit crusty but it’s gonna keep being patched up . No dpf , no advice , no dmf. 
 

[barefoot]

I've been deep-throated in this far more than anything else I've ever owned

[Matty]

On 04/02/2026 at 08:56, Dan the van said:

Not a car but a van.1.7 Vauxhall lpt engine.Bought at a year old/15k miles.Added another 210k in 7 years as owner/driver courier.Never let me down,comfy,quick,never less than 50mpg no matter how hard it was driven(very,all the time).Never needed anything other than service items.HG finally gave up at 225k and it was due a new clutch.I'd left the business by then and was labouring on a building site so didn't really need it.Regret selling it,didn't owe me a penny and deserved to get repaired but I sold it and bought a Merc estate.

Learnt to drive in one 👍

[Metal Guru]

3 hours ago, barefoot said:

I've been deep-throated in this far more than anything else I've ever owned

Saves paying the garage I suppose!

[D1GITALray]

My favourite car I've owned was this 2000 Beetle. It had a full ProjektZwo body kit on it, ProjektZwo alloys, had a nice leather retrim with beetle logo's on the headrests, and a BUG number plate. I sold it back in 2012 just after fixing massive electrical issues (standard VW) but do miss it. 

[The Vicar]

Easy one for me:

My '73 164. Reliable, comfortable, powerful, looked good, did everything a modern car could even at 50 years old.