What has been the "best" car you owned?

[clubchamp98]

Slotting a V6 under the bonnet transformed the performance ...

Well it would.
I was only 18 and prob could not handle that.

 

[MegaSteve]

Well it would.
I was only 18 and prob could not handle that.

I was only 19 when I owned my Savage... On crossply tyres she was an invigorating drive especially in wet conditions...

 

[clubchamp98]

I was only 19 when I owned my Savage... On crossply tyres she was an invigorating drive especially in wet conditions...

I had a JPS Capri British racing green special edition.
Lovely car but handled like a bus going around corners.
But in the wet it wasn’t good , no back end traction to speak of, but kept you on your toes.

 

[MegaSteve]

I had a JPS Capri British racing green special edition.
Lovely car but handled like a bus going around corners.
But in the wet it wasn’t good , no back end traction to speak of, but kept you on your toes.

Proper 'old skool' motoring that the youff of today probably wouldn't understand or appreciate ...

 

[Wilson]

For pure comfort easily the obscure Renault Vel Satis 3.0d Initiale.

Top spec as well.
View attachment 35113

I used to run a Fleet department, the business did a re-procurement on vehicles and Renault won... the Vel Satis was due to be the vehicle of choice for the Senior Managers, it was unveiled at a conference..... 30 minutes later I was asked to put together a list of alternatives, as they were threatening mutiny! I should add I wasn't part of the procurement exercise, and everyone loved the BMW's I got instead - I'm pretty sure Renault had bought the contract to get the Vel Satis out there.

 

[toyboy54]

Best is probably the one I have now, Sunset Orange G20 BMW M340i. Its just a great car and looks amazing with black trim and roof. My old Merc C43 coop was decent too.

But, my favourite, my all time favourite has to be a 2000 Vauxhall Astra G that was originally a 1.8 SRi but the piston rings went on it.
So me and my mate dropped a rebored 3.2 V6 from a Vectra in it. Gearbox from a diesel meant the closer ratios gave it nuts acceleration. Lightened flywheel let it free rev, polished butterfly, blanked EGR and a straight cat back custom 4" flow exhaust.

Was a flying machine. Got it fitted with a Reiger Infinity bodykit and it looked the part too.

Jeez Greig....Where did you keep it....RAF LEUCHARS?-

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

SAAB 900 just before GM got their hands on them. Best car by a mile.

 

[GreiginFife]

SAAB 900 just before GM got their hands on them. Best car by a mile.

SAAB was a funny one even after GM too over and the 95 moved to the Vectra platform. My mate had a 9-5S and the EGR valve went on it. The SAAB branded part was £120. The Vauxhall Astra part £80. Both were exactly the same. Both cars used the exact same Z19DTH GM diesel block. The Astra "version" worked exactly the same for £40 less.
We used to laugh that GM must think SAAB customers are wealthier than Vauxhall ones.

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

SAAB was a funny one even after GM too over and the 95 moved to the Vectra platform. My mate had a 9-5S and the EGR valve went on it. The SAAB branded part was £120. The Vauxhall Astra part £80. Both were exactly the same. Both cars used the exact same Z19DTH GM diesel block. The Astra "version" worked exactly the same for £40 less.
We used to laugh that GM must think SAAB customers are wealthier than Vauxhall ones.

I had a couple of post GM SAABs too. The diesel ones started to have all sorts of expensive problems, but I'd always stuck with petrol (as well as a weird hybrid version they did called Biopower where you could use unleaded or an Ethanol version (E85) or a mix. The Ethanol E85 was expensive in the UK because it wasn't subsidised like it was in Sweden but gave a really good fuel economy and supposedly more power. I used the E85 about twice, as there were only about a dozen garages around the UK you could buy it!). Anyway, the post GM SAABs really weren't as good as GM stepped away from the quirks that made the original SAABS interesting and different, in favour of standardised Vauxhall features, presumably to save cost. So GM were left with the premium SAAB brand, but after a few years of design modifications, everyone knew it was really just an expensive Cavalier/Vectra. No wonder they are no more. Disappointing really. When I then had to buy a new car it was a real struggle to know what to choose, as everything was so similar. I dithered for ages before going for a Mazda 6. Very very boring, but brilliantly practical.

 

[AliMc]

SAAB 900 just before GM got their hands on them. Best car by a mile.

My mates mother had a SAAB Coupe Combe, beautiful car, so quiet, made a bit of a change from the Anglia, Herald and Mini's that me and my mates were running around in having just passed our tests, useful for borrowing when there were girls to be driven around !

 

[USER1999]

Mrs Mogs had a SAAB 9000 CE, it was the biggest load of toot ever. It was horrible to drive, and even at 2 years old, with 12000 on the clock, bits were falling off it. Even the drivers door card fell off. Other bits of trim, bits of boot lid, it was just badly built, and very unreliable. Horrid car.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My first. 1984. Almost new Mk3 Ford Escort 1.6 Ghia - champagne gold it was. Loved it and never been as proud owning any car as I did owning that one.

 

[full_throttle]

My current car Skoda Superb 2.0D Auto

a pleasure to drive

 

[cliveb]

I'll see your Sylva and raise you this...

Is that a genuine AC?

Reminds me of the day the Sylva and Cobra Replica Owners Clubs jointly hired Goodwood for a track day.
I was flat out in my previous Sylva (a Leader 400) when a Cobra with Jag V12 went past me as if I was in reverse
Mind you, he did spin off at the next corner

 

[USER1999]

Is that a genuine AC?

Reminds me of the day the Sylva and Cobra Replica Owners Clubs jointly hired Goodwood for a track day.
I was flat out in my previous Sylva (a Leader 400) when a Cobra with Jag V12 went past me as if I was in reverse
Mind you, he did spin off at the next corner

We have seen it before, and yes, it is.

 

[Pathetic Shark]

Fiat X1/9 - first car I bought myself. Loved it.

 

[Billysboots]

I’m rather smitten with my latest motor - a VW Touareg 3.0 V6 R Line Plus. Absolutely beautiful car - insanely smooth 8 speed tiptronic gearbox, and more gadgets than you can wave a stick at. Can’t wait to get out on the open road and let it stretch its legs.

 

[BubbaP]

To maybe put a different slant on things, maybe not "best" but I have fond memories of some vehicles that were not high performance, nor high luxury but remembered for what they enabled. They moved people and luggage/kit to fun places, to mountains and snow, to sea & sun, etc. They were never winning awards in motor mags, but they did a grand job for us.

 

[ExRabbit]

After listing all the cars I have owned, if I have to pick one, it would be the Peugeot 405 Mi16 4x4

It ticked all of the boxes - decent performance, great handling and an enormous boot.

But I loved a few of my other cars more!

That no 1 would probably be my 3.0s Capri - I still have most of the insides!

 

[Crazyface]

What has been your "best" car and why?

Been driving for over 20 years now and between me and my wife, we've owned a fair few different cars. But my personal best has been a Toyota Avensis estate.

Bought it when it was 10 years old and had over 80,000 miles on the clock. Cost me just over 2 grand to buy and was originally meant to be a short term thing. Ended up keeping it for a few years and put another 70,000 miles on it. Apart from replacing a few wear items along the way e.g. tyres, brakes etc I hardly had to spend any money on it. It never gave me a moment of trouble. It was still running as smoothly when I got rid of it as it did the day I bought it. I only got rid of it because I felt it was time for a change and I regretted it afterwards.

I've owned cars before and since then that have cost me far more to buy and run. None of them have come close to the reliability my 10 year old, 2 grand Avensis gave me!

I've never been much of a petrol head. I've spent lots of money on cars in the past and have found spending more doesn't guarantee fewer hassles from them! A car is always a depreciating asset and I'm at the point that I resent spending a lot on them! So for me, "best" means the one that gave me fewest hassles in terms of finance and reliability.

Obviously though, a "best" car will mean different things to different people. Curious to hear from others on what represents "best" for them.

I had one. The MOT garage called them " bomb proof". And they certainly were. Brilliant cars.