Cars you loved more than you thought you would..

James Bond Junior

Inspired by the worst decisions thread what car did you buy that exceeded your expectations or turned out to be way better then you thought?

Back when I was working in the motor trade I sold my e60 530d and had nothing to drive except a 03 1.8 tdci focus I'd bought as a trade sale for sweet sfa. I put nearly 40,000 miles up on it and absolutely loved every bit of it. It had a few niggly issues while I owned it but nothing outside of wear and tear stuff. I sold it two years later and got 75% of the price I'd originally paid. As I used to say, ''twas a great little car!

I have a d5 s60 now and I knew I'd like it but nowhere near as much as I actually do. For the first time ever I genuinely don't know what I'd get that would top it.

Well citizens of motors what are the cars that pleasantly surprised you?

Four Phucs Ache

My current car, a 12 year old 1.4 focus.My car died earlier this year and with upcoming plans and arrangements literally had 2 days to get a car.Picked it up for less than a grand thinking I'll sell it on when I get something decent but 6 months and nearly 17000 mls up I still have it.

It's a little worker and I never thought I'd cope with "only" a 1.4 but it does 100 - 120 kph all day long quite happily and has enough power to make me forget what a 2.0 diesel feels like!

Left me stranded last night though in the rain.The wiper linkage came off its pivot point while going home, but got it fixed today.Not one bit angry at it because it owes me nothing!

I would like a feckin armrest though !

For Forks Sake

James Bond Junior wrote: »

I have a d5 s60 now and I knew I'd like it but nowhere near as much as I actually do. For the first time ever I genuinely don't know what I'd get that would top it.

Well citizens of motors what are the cars that pleasantly surprised you?

Strangely, also an S60 D5 SE Lux, it was bought in a hurry as I was giving up a company car, but needed something to keep under me for the new job.

Was meant to be buying an Accord, but that fell through. Ended up keeping the S60 for two years of the most trouble free motoring I've ever had. Those leather seats are unparalleled, it was thrifty, was better specced than most new cars (even had the spaceball gear lever). Only sold it as child no.2 had arrived and needed something with extra boot space. Had some amount of calls from Polish + Lithuanian lads when I put it up for sale; seem to be very popular with them. Only downer was the €1080 tax.

James Bond Junior

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Strangely, also an S60 D5 SE Lux, it was bought in a hurry as I was giving up a company car, but needed something to keep under me for the new job.

Was meant to be buying an Accord, but that fell through. Ended up keeping the S60 for two years of the most trouble free motoring I've ever had. Those leather seats are unparalleled, it was thrifty, was better specced than most new cars (even had the spaceball gear lever). Only sold it as child no.2 had arrived and needed something with extra boot space. Had some amount of calls from Polish + Lithuanian lads when I put it up for sale; seem to be very popular with them. Only downer was the €1080 tax.

The seats are just unreal.

goz83

I had a ford transit to shift and rather than putting it for sale with the hundreds of others on donedeal, I searched "swap for van". I seen a car I had never before seen...a Mitsi FTO. I did a swap a couple of days later and fell in love with it straight. I spent a few years driving FTOs there after. I only had the original one for a few weeks til I picked up a better one, but wow, great cars.

easygoing39

A 1989 1.1L Fiesta van.Body was a bit rough,but it had good mechicanicals and never let me down.After 3 years I traded it in against a 6 month old 99 Fiesta 1.25 and got 100 quid more than I paid for it.Happy and simplier days before the NCT started up!!

CiniO

01 Fiat Bravo 1.2 16v.

Got her in 2008, with 80k miles, for small money. Most similar fiat's like that were advertised for over €2k then - this one was for €1800 as it had few scratches and dents.
Lady owner - I took it for a test drive, pointed out that there is possibly a small leak from power steering pump (as there was a drop of oil there) and that at 80k miles clutch would be dying soon so it's a bigger job. I offered €1300 and she agreed without haggling.
It was meant to be second car in a family for short runs to keep us going for a year or two.
Eventually I had it for 7.5 years, and have done over 120k kms in it.

There wasn't any leak from power steering, and clutch was changed at 75k miles by the seller (she must have not known it, but it was in receipts she gave me) - so this clutch kept me going for whole 7.5 years.

I pushed the dents myself, cleared the scratches with sandpaper, and painted with spray paint which I bought for €10. Looked very good, and no sign of rust there for 7.5 years.

I had no trouble with engine, gearbox, electrics, at all.
All I did was kept changing oil and filters every 15k km.

Exhaust disintegrated when car was about 10 years old, so had to get new one for €300.

Also suspension was in bits at around 100k miles, so I rebuilt it myself, with new wishbones, rear bushings, new antirollbar droplinks, inner and outer tierods, 4x KYB shocks, and Eibach lowering springs.

With such new suspension setup, car was absolute pleasure to drive on twisy and bumpy country roads in area I live, and I loved driving it...

After that I had to fit new front wishbones twice, as they only last about 30k km.

I obviously did all servicing, and repairs myself, so I also learnt a good bit about car mechanics on that car.

Eventually last year I sold it for €900 (so €400 depreciation within 7.5 years) - I was nearly crying when buyer drove off.

Definitely my favourite car, and suits the OP's question of the car which I loved more than I though I would when I was buying it.

dr.fuzzenstein

Crashed a W123 once (broke my heart) and needed a cheap replacement quick. Got an 88 Mitsubishi Colt for buttons and thought I will hate this little tin box. Was a great car, was really eager and pulled well, handled great (well for such an old, small car, don't go by modern standards) and it was just all round fun. Miss it to this day.

MetzgerMeister

After I sold my 335i I bought a 2002 Ford Fiesta to do me until my current car (which I had a deposit on) became available for me to buy. My aim was to have something cheap to buy/run and easy to sell. Didn't have any expectations apart from it being a yoke to get me from a to b but I really enjoyed it.

My current car (330d) was also a surprise. I never liked diesel or auto cars but this has turned that whole paradigm on its head for me.

FortySeven

Love my current drive, civic type s.

Best ever was a 22,000 mile seicento I bought for 175 Euro. It we advertised at 300. Advert stated 'broken suspension, doesn't start and leak from engine. I took a bus to Dublin, push started it as battery was dead, drove it back to Galway and replaced a shock and a rocker gasket. Total cost of repairs 60 euros.

Drove it for 3 years as I saved for a mortgage. Nippy little bugger with the 1.1.

road_high

Bizarrely a VW Bora SDI, easily one of the best cars I owned! Cost nothing to run and total reliability too.

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

boardsuser1

My 2001 reg'd 1.7 petrol Ford Puma. She needs a lot of work underneath due to rust but it'll be worth it. That car is a bullet.

bear1

People will think I'm boring constantly nominating the same car but it's the truth.
Back in 2008 I was looking for a car to replace my dying Avensis.
Suddenly a blue vela 156 popped up with a nice 5 cylinder engine going for a good price.
Took a spin to look at it and fell in love.
Maf was ****ed on it and i had no idea until the mechanic simply unplugged it and it ****in flew down the road.
I bought it with 100k on it lived on until 250 plus.
It had the best momo leather seats I'd ever sat on and the torque was great.
It brought me to to Russian Estonian border, to Albania and to the lowest parts of Italy.
Had its fair share.of issues as I mentioned many times but my god could I not stop looking at it.

Cookie_Monster

04 Almera saloon.

my second car and first 'nice' purchase. That was a great car for throwing about the place and gave so much freedom at that stage of my life. Particularly remember the fun over Sally Gap in the winter.

Complexly realise it's a pretty mundane average car but I'd love to have something like that now as an option (or maybe not, rose tinted windscreen )

bidiots

James Bond Junior wrote: »

Inspired by the worst decisions thread what car did you buy that exceeded your expectations or turned out to be way better then you thought?

Back when I was working in the motor trade I sold my e60 530d and had nothing to drive except a 03 1.8 tdci focus I'd bought as a trade sale for sweet sfa. I put nearly 40,000 miles up on it and absolutely loved every bit of it. It had a few niggly issues while I owned it but nothing outside of wear and tear stuff. I sold it two years later and got 75% of the price I'd originally paid. As I used to say, ''twas a great little car!

I have a d5 s60 now and I knew I'd like it but nowhere near as much as I actually do. For the first time ever I genuinely don't know what I'd get that would top it.

Well citizens of motors what are the cars that pleasantly surprised you?

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Strangely, also an S60 D5 SE Lux, it was bought in a hurry as I was giving up a company car, but needed something to keep under me for the new job.

Was meant to be buying an Accord, but that fell through. Ended up keeping the S60 for two years of the most trouble free motoring I've ever had. Those leather seats are unparalleled, it was thrifty, was better specced than most new cars (even had the spaceball gear lever). Only sold it as child no.2 had arrived and needed something with extra boot space. Had some amount of calls from Polish + Lithuanian lads when I put it up for sale; seem to be very popular with them. Only downer was the €1080 tax.

Another call for the D5, I've the S80. Never sat in more comfortable seats! Tax is a pain but the initial cost works that out....

unfit2006

Really enjoying my V70 D5 which I bought almost a year ago. Super car. Great engine. Pity about the road tax.

James Bond Junior

bidiots wrote: »

Another call for the D5, I've the S80. Never sat in more comfortable seats! Tax is a pain but the initial cost works that out....

My father could not get his head around how I got such an unreal car for such small money. I explained by paying big tax is actually saving me money in the long run. 15000 for an 08 in the car I'd like right now vs 2k for an 06 Volvo d5. He is finally coming around to my way of thinking.

bidiots

Problem now is not only tax on these old barges, insurance is just as sickening regardless of NCB etc

flazio

01 Skoda Fabia, which I bought for €2500 with 70k on the clock at a time when similar Polo's fiestas and Yarisis were going for a grand more at least. Handled really well, the 1.4 power unit in a car that size turned her into something of a pocket rocket, plus other little things like the hidden glove compartment, intermittent rear wipers, front windscreen spray spreading across the windscreen rather than four little jets. Two reverse lights and handling like a car next category up. Really happy with her for nearly 5 years.

road_high

Not surprised at all the old Volvos getting mentions. The build quality and interiors are superb and once you avoid the 1.6d earlier S40, extremely reliable as well. Shame about the high tax...

Autosport

I'm loving all the love for a Volvo here

My own special car was my Renault Clio, I had it modified to within an inch of its life. Body kits, Alloys, lights etc only thing I didn't touch was the engine due to the insurance as they wouldn't insure it if I did. Ah the memories of cruises at the weekend, drifting etc

Now however it's my current car, my V40, it's like a wolf in sheeps clothing, small but mighty, it has everything I want and need, Power, Cup holders, Sensors, Camera and the essential blue tooth. I lov my car ❤️

ShadowHearth

bidiots wrote: »

Problem now is not only tax on these old barges, insurance is just as sickening regardless of NCB etc

That is so true.

I always loved my older cars with character. Payed extra tax, but would get waaay more of a car for that.
Unfortunately now older nice cars are just impossible to run when you add high tax amd mad insurance.
I noticed a lot of cars under 06 just plummet in price lately.

My surprise car was 206 pug 1.1 that I bought for 400eu with tax and nct on it. I needed a run around while my Scooby was for sale. Drove it only a bit more then a month, but it was shocking to me how was it possible to drive so cheap. Double mpg, tax is just hilariously low, low insurance, no need to slow down for ramps as it's just soft suspension compared to wrx. Pretty much all of my cars were special in one way or another, never really had just a to b cheap car ( if I don't include 00" 1.6 mondeo I bought for 500eu)

bidiots

ShadowHearth wrote: »

That is so true.

I always loved my older cars with character. Payed extra tax, but would get waaay more of a car for that.
Unfortunately now older nice cars are just impossible to run when you add high tax amd mad insurance.
I noticed a lot of cars under 06 just plummet in price lately.

Not to derail an excellent thread idea, but since its been mentioned here...

What can be done about the obvious push by Simi and the motoring world, to push people out of 'older' cars and into newer ones(probably via pcp).
If my car is forced to undergo a yearly NCT and passes, surely I'm as road worthy as a 'new' car.
Yet, my insurance quotes deem otherwise.
Is my car more costly to be underwritten? Hardly!
Insurance companys will blame rising payouts etc...not my problem if I have a 10year plus NCB, well you would think that maybe
Sickening:mad:

MetzgerMeister

There's already plenty of threads for PCP and insurance (even a forum). Let's keep this on topic folks!

fancy pigeon

Definitely the ones that stand out are... The W202's. There's a surprise!

When I first got one, I was expecting it to be wallowy, slow, boring, thirsty... How wrong was I An absolute workhorse that takes lots of hard driving and miles in it's stride, in comfort. The very car that put Mercedes very high up on my estimation list

Another car would have to be the various XUD Peugeot 406's I've had, but I could sh*te on about how great they were all day long

littlevillage

overall... its got to be my current car, a 2008 Subaru Forester 2.5T petrol commercial.. Test drove a 1999 one and didn't like it...but this came up at an auction about 4 years to the day ago. I put a half-ass lowball bid in on it and low and behold, nobody else bid and the hammer fell. I haven't looked back since. My expectations were pretty low, but its just a brillant car all round. Great power, faultless reliability and superb traction. It does like a drink however (but then again, so do I ;-) )


other cars that I have owned and their pro's and cons.


2001 Suzuki Vitara 2.0 petrol, SWB. Oddly endearing and a hoot to drive. Grip is poor in 2wd mode
2002 Volvo V70 D5-2.4. Luxurious comfortable car, Diesel Engine brilliant. Good tyres essential and it shreds them in Months. Big road tax.
1997 Toyota MR2 2.0. Drop dead gorgeous, but awful skittish to drive.
2000 Opel Astra van 1.7TD. Cheap and Reliable but slooooooow :-(
1996 Toyota Townace 4wd 2.2TD. A wierd and dangerous car to drive (what was I thinking ??)
1998 Ford Mondeo 1.8TD. Nice to drive but Engine gave up after 100k Miles.
1991 Nissan Primera 2.0d. Charmless, nasty and glacially slow :-(
1992 Mitsubishi Pajero 2.5TD. Not bad, but a bit wobbly and agricultural to drive
1998 Alfa-Romeo 156. 1.8 sport. Gorgeous fast car, simple as. Build quality maybe not what it could be though
1995 Rover 214SEI. Quick, but too lightweight = very dangerous , hence I totalled it on a slippery country road.
1992 Rover Metro GTi 1.4. zippy but a death trap and nasty interior

Notch000

got a '98 micra few years ago while on the dole, I bought for 700e, great car altogehter, 1.0 sweet handling, tight powerless steering, fantastic gear box, a snappy handbrake & could understeer into lift off oversteer all day long in the wet with its skinny chineese tyres,
It was so much fun, like a go cart round town. I sold it 12 months later for 550 E and it only ever cost me an oild change and a wheel bearing in 12,000 miles, I upgraded it to an '98 almersa HB after that that was another suprisingly good car, 2 breat bangernomic wagons.