Worst car you have ever owned and why.

[JIm260]

1985 XF Falcon, it seems Iike I was always taking it to the mechanics to get something fixed. Auto, starter motor, switches.....

[jaydee]

I pretty much do a lot of research before deciding on a car.
But my worst, unfortunately, was a 2 year old BA Futura.
Window regulators and door lock actuators packing it in more than once, headlights blowing, headliner hanging down, bonnet cable snapping, heater control system packing it in (dash out job) etc etc, all in about 5 years.
Engine wise and drive train, great.

[bb_zetec]

Seems you can get unlucky with any car really...maybe the built on a Monday or a Friday rings true perhaps? Two of the same cars one can be a real lemon and the other can keep on keeping on.

I know we had a LV Focus that felt like it was built on extra long weekend if you get what i mean. It literally started to fall apart in terms of body kit/paint/interior. Engine/trans wise no dramas.

Others say they had no issues with theirs.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by bb_zetec

Seems you can get unlucky with any car really...maybe the built on a Monday or a Friday rings true perhaps? Two of the same cars one can be a real lemon and the other can keep on keeping on.

I know we had a LV Focus that felt like it was built on extra long weekend if you get what i mean. It literally started to fall apart in terms of body kit/paint/interior. Engine/trans wise no dramas.

Others say they had no issues with theirs.

I also have an LV Focus that is falling apart but the engine and trans is good, maybe it's not just a coincidence

[Stubbie]

Rob S, yes was always interesting trying to cross 3 lanes of fast moving traffic with no engine power.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I also have an LV Focus that is falling apart but the engine and trans is good, maybe it's not just a coincidence

If you blokes bought a decent built German model you'd have had no issues, my XR5 was faultless.

[cheap]

Guys I was the only person who bought a 1980 GH Sigma?

Truly a POS.
Astron engine smoothness but with a propensity to drink fuel and oil at alarming rates, usual 19mpg from a 4 cylinder.
Brake fade.
Rusted out.
Vague steering.
Dashboard instrumentation electrical gremlins.
0-100km/hr in +12 Seconds
Just an awful car, I still bare scares

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by cheap

Guys I was the only person who bought a 1980 GH Sigma?

Truly a POS.
Astron engine smoothness but with a propensity to drink fuel and oil at alarming rates, usual 19mpg from a 4 cylinder.
Brake fade.
Rusted out.
Vague steering.
Dashboard instrumentation electrical gremlins.
0-100km/hr in +12 Seconds
Just an awful car, I still bare scares

All of that, yet they sold like hotcakes. The fact is, small cars back then were generally cr@p & the Sigma (with the 2.6) went better than most.

Dr Terry

[Mr Brooksy]

I can't say I've owned particularly bad cars... Ones that have not been to my liking or after modding them decided I wanted to move it on. In those cases it wasn't really the cars fault, I've either just not liked something I didn't expect not to like or circumstances meant I'd had enough.

The 'worst' car I've owned was an XE wagon 4.1L Auto Power steer etc. The reason I decided I didn't like it was simply that the rear felt 'light' and the power steering had no weight or feel. When you combine that with the fact I had pot hols everywhere on 20kms of dirt road with maniac city slickers racing along it like it was a rally stage... It didn't give me any confidence at all when having to get out of the way of some idiot driving 120kmh in a mini van or F250 in the middle of the road over blind crests and 40m drops on either side of the narrow road! So I pulled the motor and scavenged the best bits to put into my XE sedan with nothing 'power' in it!

The other car I've had that had an unceremonious ending was my BA Futura that was VERY modified. After changing almost everything other than the steel panels, motor and trans, supercharging it and then reverting to a big turbo... I got tired of not getting it to the point where I was happy, and moved it on. Was a great car, just had enough of the drama... I created.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by DJM83

If you blokes bought a decent built German model you'd have had no issues, my XR5 was faultless.

I intended to but I was on P plates at the time and it was banned in VIC for P platers

Now there's P platers with them everywhere, bastards.

Kids these days have it easy

The South African cars must have been built by blind child soldiers.

[Big_Daz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I also have an LV Focus that is falling apart but the engine and trans is good, maybe it's not just a coincidence

When I would get my FG XR6T serviced at Ford in the first few years I had LV Focus's multiple times. All where relatively new (being Ford Dealer loan cars) with low K's and without fail each one had quality issues, the funniest being the example with 500km's on the ODO. Outside Door handle on driver's door fell off into my hand and I had to get into the driver seat via passenger side. Most annoying part was that for what it was, they drive/handle VERY well...

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by cheap

Guys I was the only person who bought a 1980 GH Sigma?

Truly a POS.
Astron engine smoothness but with a propensity to drink fuel and oil at alarming rates, usual 19mpg from a 4 cylinder.
Brake fade.
Rusted out.
Vague steering.
Dashboard instrumentation electrical gremlins.
0-100km/hr in +12 Seconds
Just an awful car, I still bare scares

If a Mitsu 2.6 doesn't blow blue smoke, then the engine isn't running.

[bb_zetec]

Originally Posted by DJM83

If you blokes bought a decent built German model you'd have had no issues, my XR5 was faultless.

I diddnt know it was SA built until after it started falling apart. I saw the "Ford of Southern Africa" sticker on it and then got worried after that.

Ford were not exactly helpful either with the problems we kept having. The side skirt literally fell off while we driving. The little duratec 2.0 and 5 speed manual was a good combination though.

After it went back and forth so many times to Ford, the straw that broke the camels back was a recall notice i got saying the VIN labels information can wipe off and needs to be replaced.

I think they were literally painted by hand in an outside barn or something...the paint quality was terrible.

Franco...I wanted to get the XR5 too but budget couldnt stretch at the time to accomodate that.

It got traded in that weekend on a Suzuki that we still have to this day.

[Pis-ton broke]

Originally Posted by cheap

Guys I was the only person who bought a 1980 GH Sigma?

Truly a POS.
Astron engine smoothness but with a propensity to drink fuel and oil at alarming rates, usual 19mpg from a 4 cylinder.
Brake fade.
Rusted out.
Vague steering.
Dashboard instrumentation electrical gremlins.
0-100km/hr in +12 Seconds
Just an awful car, I still bare scares

i had one, i swap two motorbikes , one wasn,t running, for it. i think was a two litre? it was 5 speed. it was a good car, i evened loaned it to some (friends) for a coupe of weeks. i painted it with 4l of red equipment enamel. after a time i was able to machine buff it to a high gloss, the paint was $50 for 4l of protech paint, cheapest and good finished job. i ended floggin it off for 1k.

they put 302,s in them.

[Falcon SXR8]

Ba xr6 turbo. Anything that could go wrong did. Left me stranded multiple times in only 40 000ks of ownership all due to ford cost cutting in places they shouldn't have.

Biggest disappointment after coming from a bullet proof au. Because of that car i will never buy a modern falcon again.

[tbro4123]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

All you blokes that have been on earth for a few more laps of the sun, how do you find cars of today compared to say 30-40 years ago? In regards to maintenance, repairs, longevity and ownership?

Obviously the older stuff was much easier for DIY than modern cars, but we're you under the bonnet more often even on new cars back then?

"No such thing as a bad car, just ones that tested your sense of humour."

(NO rose coloured glasses were worn by this mechanic)

Were they better cars back in the 70s and 80s, not by a long shot, some went well (351 gt, xu1 and Commodore) but wouldn't go round a corner nor stop, grumpy when in traffic and sucked fuel like it was free. The seats were uncomfortable and poorly padded, they leaked air into the cab like a sieve. The A/C units were a joke, pity the poor bastards driving them all day in a suit.
I was lucky as our fleet of cars covered the whole range of cars available and manufactured here. I spent most of my time doing reports for the bosses in Canberra and costing for maintenance and running and explaining why at any time the fleet could be down by 20% on any given day (VN Commodore with leaking welsh plugs), so I got a fair idea of what to own and what not to.
The other thing was how do manufactures do a update model and go backwards??? Ford and Holden had that down to a fine art!!!!! My boss wouldn't allow any cars to be parked on the forecourt because most had at least one oil leak and we had a new workshop, so park the bloody things out the back on the gravel.


I love when people tell me how good the cars of 60s-90's were compared to cars after that time period, yep, cars these days go, stop, give great fuel economy, are comfortable and in my experience if you look after them you will "usually" get get a good run out of them.

Just a side thought, my LJ GTR Torana had less horsepower than my wife's SSS 2.4 Bluebird (Nissan factory test car) and used more fuel, handled worse and wouldn't stop in a hurry or in a straight line.

Yep, loves me an old car NOT!!!!!

stay safe

Terry aka Tbro

[Franco Cozzo]

Naturally aspirated 4 cylinder engines should be a crime punishable by death in this day and age.

We've got two MK7 Fiestas in our family, my old WS CL with 1.6L engine and the old man's WZ ST, with 1.6L Ecoboost engine & Mountune option ticked, both are manual.

They both literally use the same amount of fuel, WS manages 6.3L/100km and the WZ 6.5L/100KM and I'm comparing notes that both driven by me, on the same roads and same driving style.

One makes an absolute ****load more power and torque though and still uses the same fuel.

Forced induction has to be the best thing that's come to cars I reckon.

[BA-XT]

Originally Posted by tbro4123

I love when people tell me how good the cars of 60s-90's were compared to cars after that time period, yep, cars these days go, stop, give great fuel economy, are comfortable and in my experience if you look after them you will "usually" get get a good run out of them.

Yep, loves me an old car NOT!!!!!

stay safe

Terry aka Tbro

Spot on!

Had a few arguments with people over this. "I remember my old XB. Could fix it on the side of the road..... Unlike today's cars..... Need a tow truck". You needed to be able to fix them on the side of the road..... They broke down all the time!

How often were you held up at the lights with a car and is bonnet up?

Let's not forget safety features.

I think it your daily driving anything pre VT / AU (Actually probably BA) your driving a very unsafe car.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by BA-XT

Spot on!

Had a few arguments with people over this. "I remember my old XB. Could fix it on the side of the road..... Unlike today's cars..... Need a tow truck". You needed to be able to fix them on the side of the road..... They broke down all the time!

How often were you held up at the lights with a car and is bonnet up?

Let's not forget safety features.

I think it your daily driving anything pre VT / AU (Actually probably BA) your driving a very unsafe car.

My VS Caprice is pretty crapola, doesn't handle, stop or steer overly well in comparison to more modern cars.

I cooked the rear brakes beating on it going up the local mountain range once, got up the mountain fine, coming back down required new underwear for myself and a couple other people in the town on the way down I blew through without brakes

When I eventually managed to pull it up, I got out and the rear rotors were blue with smoke coming off them.

It doesn't crash real well either, its something I'm pretty aware of when I'm driving it, before I blew the auto anyway lol.

Aussie car brakes up to VT/AUII were like opening the door and jamming a piece of wood against the road to pull up the car.

[tasdex]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

If a Mitsu 2.6 doesn't blow blue smoke, then the engine isn't running.

And the initial start up cam gear rattle for a few seconds ,,
All the latter Magna/verada’s the same .

[Tickford.]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

My VS *Craprice is pretty crapola, doesn't handle, stop or steer overly well in comparison to more modern cars.

*Fixed.

[mondeomatureguy]

Hi Everyone,
I once had a GH Sigma 2.6 litre four cylinder and it was great. I drove from Penrith to Alice Springs with out any trouble may be i was just lucky.

On the other end of the scale i had a HQ Holden Kingswood and besides breaking down on me five times it rusted outand i sold it for parts.

We all know that prices for old classic Cars have gone mad. I look back on my CL valiant charger I had and compare it to My Ford Mondeo i have now.

The Charger with front Disc brakes and rear drum brakes didnt stop that well compared to my Mondeos four wheel disc brakes.
I can go over 700k to the tank on my mondeo compared to 300k in the Valiant Charger.

In summer no air con in the Charger and it was stinking hot. The air con in the mondeo works just fine thanks.

There wasnt any safety features in the Charger but plenty in the Mondeo so i think i will stay with modern cars.

cheers

[bb_zetec]

Well i have my old '66 mustang and my FG Ute.

They are Chalk and cheese of course.....i wouldnt want the 66 as a daily driver, no way hozay.

The steering is primitive, brakes...what are they?? (going to upgrade to disk, it has drum all round!!).

Dont even mention safety...the lap belts are it.

Suspension is an ancient design with shims required to set the caster/camber in the upper A arms.

All the Suspension Arms/Joints require greasing constantly. Not like todays sealed designs.

Oil change every 5000ks...people would baulk at that today.

Having to press the accelerator half in when doing a warm start...or fully down to prime and reset the choke...who remembers doing that?

I have removed the points and it has electronic ignition to make it run better.

Yes the wheel will crush my chest if i have a head on in it.

But i enjoy it all the same as my FG...the sound of the 289 V8 takes you back to a different era when things were a lot simpler. Putting the roof down and going for a spin always brings a smile to my face.

It is the same with our old Aussie Cars, we appreciate them for what they are and what they were, but thank god cars have gone a long way in terms of safety and reliability.

The classics will always be what they are...a classic!

[cooperplace]

Ford Tempo, in the US. 2.2 litre 4 cyl, 3sp auto, in a car the size of falcon. Gutless. No handling. Unreliable. Worse than any ford made in Australia, IMO.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by BA-XT

Let's not forget safety features.

I think it your daily driving anything pre VT / AU (Actually probably BA) your driving a very unsafe car.

You better get out of my way....cause this very unsafe car's still working.

[Citroënbender]

Moi, aussi. The 31-year-old DD’s biggest safety issue (from my experience) is weak tail illumination compared to newer cars. Unless a motorist is paying attention, the old 21W stop and blinker globes no longer suffice. Especially as it anchors well! I pulse the brakes approaching a stop, in hope of the flashing getting noticed more.

[mick taylor]

I would say the worst new car I owned was a VS V6 5sp S ute, crap seats worst handling car that I ever owned shocking understeer stupid savage oversteer RTS C'mon ! but I got it to handle real well, cost me money tho to do so. the main thing was to get more neg camber, the stock settings are positive camber and that is a joke.
The brakes were fine, they got the pad material sorted in the VS, problem was when people go to replace the std pads they put sub standard pads to the original in.
Back in the days the std Bendix pads were total crap way substandard to the Bendix pad Holden used in the VS.
Look I have driven on the race track with the std VS Holden pads and they were impressive, but my Father in law is a mechanic and he put new pads in my wife's VS I did not want him to put new pads in as I had a set of std VS Holden pads sitting for it that I took out when I replaced them for metal king in my ute.
Well the new pads he put in were the most shocking crap I have ever experienced, my wife's VS did not have ABS and I had the car loaded coming home from holiday and I did a brake test from 110KM/H I jumped on the picks and the bastard did not even lock the wheels and it did not even pull up sharp ! f#%*!&^ what a death trap ! and I had driven 2 other VS with ABS that must of had the same crap pads fitted.

I pointed this out to brake so called specialist back in the days and I may as well been talking to a brick wall.

I had a XG ute as well and the only thing that was wrong with it was the std brake pads were crap, so much for 4wheel disc ? at 210KM/H and hit the brakes hard and you had brake fade at 80KM/H Metal King sorted that problem out, but they did not make the Altimate Bendix pads for the XG.

The difference that brake pad material you use can be astounding.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by mick taylor

The difference that brake pad material you use can be astounding.

There's no standard for aftermarket replacement parts - tyres, brake pads etc, our market is flooded with cheap bull****.

Check out European Union's ECE R90 standard for aftermarket brake linings.

European legislation came into effect September 1999 titled ECE R90 that stipulates that all brake pads sold for use on vehicles manufactured after this date must be tested and comply to R90 standards. This test which involves taking each homologated vehicle used on the public roads within Europe and comparing the front and rear brake performance with the original parts to those of aftermarket offerings has closed the door to cheap and nasty imported brake pads throughout Europe.

The test includes cold and hot brake friction analysis and if a part has been approved to R90, it can be safely assumed that the product is equal to or better than original equipment product.

The regulation was designed to guarantee that discs and drums used as spare parts will provide equivalent performance (in terms of functionality, safety and efficiency) when compared to the original product they are meant to replace.

https://ebcbrakes.com/ece-r90/

https://www.brembo.com/en/company/ne...-brembo-brakes

Can't go wrong with something that meets ECE R90, Bendix these days is just a marketing company, they slap their brand on crap coming out of Chinese factories, the Ballarat facility is only there for a token effort because of the massive cleanup bill if they close it down

TRW is a good brand of pad that meets ECE R90 sold in Australia.

[Citroënbender]

Is there effective policing of the ECE-90 type regs, though? Or is it yet another case of counterfeit parts, with fake approvals? I’m already suspicious of many E-marked vehicle lighting components sold via Eastern Europe.

Look at the stuff that gets sold online here, almost certainly counterfeit but no “teeth” in any compliance efforts and you can bet infringements are passed off as mistakes/misunderstandings…

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Is there effective policing of the ECE-90 type regs, though? Or is it yet another case of counterfeit parts, with fake approvals? I’m already suspicious of many E-marked vehicle lighting components sold via Eastern Europe.

Look at the stuff that gets sold online here, almost certainly counterfeit but no “teeth” in any compliance efforts and you can bet infringements are passed off as mistakes/misunderstandings…

Like anything, buy from approved resellers buying the genuine thing from the manufacturer,

Like OSRAM/Philips lighting products, most of the crap sold on eBay here are Chinese fakes.

If you're buying something out of Eastern Europe on eBay then I'd say there's going to be a lot of fakes going out