Is the mark 1 Almera the greatest car ever?

Badger2009 wrote: »

Just because farmers like a car wouldn't make it 'the greatest car ever' for me. In fact, I have no interest whatsoever in towing a trailer with my car so I wouldn't rate that at all.

The thing about it is that a farmer will be likely to subject a a grunt car such as an Almera or a VW Vento to the harsh conditions you'd see on a farm - rough roads, dirt, dust, water, and likely subject it to uses, often abusive uses, that it was never intended for such as pulling a cattle box or driving across a field with the back laden down with a quarter ton of feed in the boot and back seat. Couple that with hit-or-miss servicing and the sons rallying it around the local backroads and you have a very very good test of the durability and robustness of the car.

Any car that can put up with that sort of use for a decade or more and not fail has proven itself in my eyes for reliability and robustness. And that is also what I value in a car when buying - something reliable, robust and economical. I couldn't care less about the latest gadgets or they style of the bumber and headlights.

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

No they were gravity fed. I think it was only bigger engines that used mechanical pumps.

Well unless you had the fuel tank on the roof how could it possibly be gravity fed? That's nonsense. It probably had an electric in-tank delivery pump or a mechanical diaphram pump driven off of the engine.

zilog_jones wrote: »

I don't see value in a car that can take punishment. I'd much rather have something that is comfortable, safe, handles well with reasonable performance, and isn't boring as sin to look at - while being totally dependable if you actually look after the thing.

I had a French car that was reliable (outside of normal old car stuff), and it probably couldn't take an awful lot of abuse or neglect but I had no interest in doing that to it so it didn't matter to me. That's not to say I wasn't afraid of "spirited" driving or flooring it...

I get you. I suppose we just have different priorities in what we value in a car. I'd have no interest in looks, va-va-voom, or the gadgetry - none of it is any good in my eyes if it breaks your heart with problems.

I have a 2004 N16 Almera saloon, 1.5 petrol with a few years.

It doesn't get regular servicing. It's reactive hit-or-miss at best.

I went to change the oil about 2 years ago and the plug was so tight the sump metal ripped. I patched up the tear with JB Weld epoxy putty and filled new oil. Due to this botch up, it will never get another oil change.:D

I haven't washed it in about 2 years. It did get a blast of a power hose from a Polish mechanic about 6 months ago when I had him replace my worn down to the metal clutch that had been slipping for about 6 months. He removed 80% of the dirt and I've no intention of washing it again myself either.

There is a leak into the boot somewhere that makes it damp. I don't care.

Some of the backlight bulbs on the centre console are blown and the drivers seat fabric is badky frayed in places. Meh.

The bodywork has had a hard life, lots of dents n scrapes but its OK because the dirt hides most of it.

It's got 2 alloys and 2 steel wheels. The front tyres were worn and I had two steel wheels with good tyres that I put on instead of buying new tyres.

The car cost me 1100 when I got it because its an unpopular model presumably. Despite all the abuse and neglect, it starts and drives every. single. time. period.. It suits my needs and it is fairly economical to run. I will not be parting with it until it is shagged or until insurance costs become unacceptable.

It costs me nothing and I think I'd be mad to get myself into debt just to have a 3 year figure numberplate and the headlight style de jour.

I'll stick with my jalopy dull-box thanks!

I know a lad that pulled a Welger round baler around with a VW Vento from time to time if they were stuck for a tractor to move it.