I don't know which car was the worst . I my poorer days in college and right after is believed in a theory one of my best friends advocated - "A car should be like a bic lighter , which is purchased for under a dollar and thrown away as soon as it's out of gas ." He said as soon as a repair cost more than the car , throw it out for another . So following that advice , here are the candidates -
1 - 1970 Toyota Corrolla (or Corroded). My family called it 'the rotten pumpkin'. It was orange with large rust cancers the size of your head . It was incapable of going more than 45mph . The holes were so big in the floor I couldn't take a date out when it rained , as she would be doused with a shower of water at every puddle . No idea of mileage , the odometer/speedometer was broken . No bumpers , and the brights were stuck on .
2- 1973 AMC Ambassitor . The electrical system was 'fixed ' by the previous owner . The ignition worked to turn the car on , but was ineffective for turning it off . You had to turn off the lights , or in the day time , turn them on , then off to turn the motor off .
3 - 1970 Dodge Tradesman Van . The motor was inside between the driver and passenger . It smelled of gas constantly and had to be driven with the windows down so the fumes didn't get so bad . I don't know about a cow on ice - but I always told people it handled with all the grace of a thrown laundry basket . I sold it for $200 (a miracle , it wasn't worth $50) . A month later I saw an article in the sunday paper about homeless people , with a big photo spread . Yep , there was my van and the new proud owners living in it .
4- 1972 Ford Galaxy 500 . Powder blue . It stared and stopped randomly . Wheel fell off on the expressway in Milwaukee . There was no breakdown lane . I was rear ended by a car going 45 , and that car was rear ended by another (no one hurt) . I had the rear liscence plate knocked off and a bent bumper . The other two were totaled .
A 1980 Volkswagen Scirocco ... cool looking car and fun to drive when it ran. I bought it in 1991 as a second car for $995 and it promptly cost me $1250 in repairs in the 90 days i owned it to keep it on the road. I sold it for $995 to another poor soul hoping to revive its sporty life.
VW ???
Nie wieder
Originally posted by Mangy MoooseI can identify with that. I bought my 1961 Sunliner for $800 and about 2 months later had to pay $300 for a shortblock! They told me the engine had been filled up with some kind of stuff to 'hold it together'. <sniff> The used car lot I bought the car from was gone.
A 1980 Volkswagen Scirocco ... cool looking car and fun to drive when it ran. I bought it in 1991 as a second car for $995 and it promptly cost me $1250 in repairs in the 90 days i owned it to keep it on the road. I sold it for $995 to another poor soul hoping to revive its sporty life.
VW ???
Nie wieder
🙁
Originally posted by Corsairheh. well mine was a moonstone silver (moonstone grey officially but i liked to refer to it as silver to make it sound cooler)
LOL - my missus had a Maestro. They were all difficult to control, basically because they handled like a bag of potatoes. Our Maestro originally belonged to a mate, it had been nicked and abandoned in Leeds, so we were told we could keep it if we went to pick it up (from London).
Not being ones to turn down a free car up the M1 we went. It had no ignit ...[text shortened]... My missus with her lurching Maestro and me with my puddlesome Ford - glorious days they were! 🙂
obviously, being 17, it was always filled to the brim with friends and we used to cruise about aberdeen lostening to bob marley up loud with the windows down.
and yes, lurch it did. i couldve entered it into the tall ships' race
it came to a sticky end when some idiot decided to pull out in front of me. in an armour plated rover 820, i whapped it right into his side. still managed to write off both cars competely and hit a third. luckily the guy had an out of date mot and the police were none too chuffed with him. aahhh memories.
and if i remember correctly the guy was the assistant rector at a close by rival secondary school.
halcyon days indeed.