Worst car you've ever been in?

[Brendan]

My childhood was traumatised by my dad's Robin Reliant. As he had a bike but not a car license he was only able to drive a 3 wheeler.

He would toot and wave at other 3 wheelers. Sometimes it would tip on to 2 wheels going around corners, but worse was to come. One day he insisted on taking me to school(only the second time in 6 years). I insisted he drop me as far from the school gates as possible(did he heck) he drove into the playround as everyone rushed up to us. I got out red-faced only for my friends to say,
'what a **** car your dad has,' to which I replied, he wasn't my dad.

 

[DLax69]

Oh my lawd.

Where to start? Probably here:



4 banger, FWD, AM radio only, no A/C in the US Southeast

Speaking of "dads," when my father left, he bought the above as a parting gift for my mother; I was a teenager who attended a private school as a charity case...

 

[Karen64]

Skoda Estelle, family name - ‘Ivan the Terrible’ and ohh my god!! He was certainly all that

 

[DLax69]

Then there's this:


Didn't own it, but a guy I served with did, and when he was on duty I would use it...same story with the below:

 

[CatmanV2]

Worst car objectively, and with hindsight, was my mate's Mini. We had to open the bonnet and pour water on the engine to cool it every so often. But at the time it was a bloody car!

Parents had a Morris Marina, that was pretty dire, but I didn't know any better.

Sister had a Mk3 Ford Cortina. That was pretty grim looking back.

Then there was my first 75 V6. Turned out the back end was held to the rest by rust....

C

 

[Brendan]

You were lucky, at least you had 4 wheels. Forgot to mention, my dad had a Reliant van, but used some plywood and curtains to make a rear seat.

 

[Hurricane52]

Oddly, just seen a yellow Reliant on the coast road south of Aberaeron. We were on our way back from a football thumping at Felinfach tournament and it made me realise that things could be worse.

 

[Scaf]

Brother owned a Zephyr 4, bought from the scrappy and we commuted to London in it for a while, had to stop half way to top up brake fluid and water, only three gears working, seats knackered. It was truly horrible and dangerous.
Big rust holes that we taped over with masking tape and rattle canned ……. but needs must and we both got to and from work ok till his Zodiac was back on the road.

My recently purchased Trabant is pretty **** by most people’s definitions, whilst being quite cool at the same time

 

[HenrysDad]

For some reason we bought an MGB GT. It was terrible. Broke down on every conceivable occasion, Wife spun it in the rain a full 360 and carried on driving! I lost it on the exit of a roundabout and narrowly missed the armco. On a wet Belgian motorway at night the lights and wipers were so poor that I couldn't get out of the ruts in the slow lane, camions up our arses and memories of previous spins made it a fearful time. I nearly shat myself! Sold soon after.

 

[conaero]

My dad had a Fiat Tipo and it was dreadful to drive. A Rover Metro was another hateful car he had, that was awful too, think the Tipo was worse.

 

[HTAFC4200]

My dad had a Marina estate although I hardly remember it .... thankfully lol

He eventually moved onto Volvo, then a succession of Toyota / Lexus (all second hand and depreciated).

 

[Tallman]

Without question a friend’s Austin Allegro I used for a while many many moons ago. What a pile of sh!t - the interior was that colour too by the way.

 

[Brendan]

Oddly, just seen a yellow Reliant on the coast road south of Aberaeron. We were on our way back from a football thumping at Felinfach tournament and it made me realise that things could be worse.

I'm getting flashbacks

 

[Sam McGoo]

Oof, my mum and dad had some dreadful cars when I was a kid.
All would have been old and a few hundred quid I would have thought.
Some of the worst I remember being :
Austin princess
Hilman hunter
Volvo 343
Fiat uno


He then decided to redeem himself and had a couple of xj6, before having in turn each of the datsun Z cars.

 

[Kiwibrit]

My dad was a skinflint and even as ex military he bought a new Lada. I refused to get in it, so tbh I can't say anything but we did have it scrapped when he died 30 years ago

Probably worth more now than the 4200!

 

[happydaze]

Bought a Ford 10 once, (for 10 quid) to use while my car was off the road for a couple of weeks. On the way home, I applied the (cable) brakes. The Ford did a rapid 180 degree turn in the middle of the road!

I decided the car was not happy about leaving it's previous home, and wanted to go back. So back it went! The seller was quite good about it, and even offered to give me my money back. I was happy just to get out alive...

 

[DLax69]

My first car, $400 at the Bethlehem Twp Police Auction:



I burned the sole Polaroid I had of the actual car. Light bar was removed and it had been spraypainted beige when it got to me. Still had snow tires, so we used it to four-wheel in with 7 or so idiots stuffed in while I spun out. Ripped the radiator out the bottom by going over a tree stump. Reverse never worked, so I pulled through every space I could. Was good for hiding a couple of people in the trunk to avoid paying entry fees to events, etc. Eventually sawed off the top so I'd have a convertible...

 

[DLax69]

Brother owned a Zephyr 4, bought from the scrappy and we commuted to London in it for a while, had to stop half way to top up brake fluid and water, only three gears working, seats knackered. It was truly horrible and dangerous.
Big rust holes that we taped over with masking tape and rattle canned ……. but needs must and we both got to and from work ok till his Zodiac was back on the road.

My recently purchased Trabant is pretty **** by most people’s definitions, whilst being quite cool at the same time

No Reserve: 1977 Trabant 601 Limousine

Bid for the chance to own a No Reserve: 1977 Trabant 601 Limousine at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #104,506.

bringatrailer.com

 

[dem maser]

Austin BMC ADO16 was the earliest memory I have of my dads car and then things improved…..Marina and Ital followed in the 80s until they started their Japanese passion of Hondas

 

[DLax69]

A girl in high school had one of these:



She knew that I worked at a shop & enjoyed wrenching on cars. She asked me to look at her car because it was running badly...started with plugs and fluids. What oil there was in the engine was very thick, and very inky. Asked her when the last oil change had been and the answer was, "what do you mean?"