Best 3 Cars....?

[Trem]

I thought it would be interesting to see what your favourite 3 cars are that you have owned. Not the best colour or the most expensive but the ones that made you happiest at the time of owning them.

Mine in order of Tremlove are -

1. My first Saab 9000 Turbo, loved it, seemed uber fast at the time and I could leave it anywhere.

2. Metro GTi, my first 'hot hatch' I was not very old and when I put my foot down it seemed like I was going back to the future!

3. Impreza Estate, got this as a bargain off Lester, I adored driving it and its only about a year since I sold it but I miss it every day *buys another*.

 

[Tom]

1. TVR Chimaera 4.0 - Just very fucking fast and sounded awesome. Expensive though.

2. 1998 Audi A4 1.9Tdi - Very reliable, solid, comfortable motor. 55mpg

3. Volvo V70 2.5 petrol - Big bastard cruiser, very comfortable

 

[DaGaffer]

1. Nissan 350Z - so good that I can't think of a car to replace it at the moment
2. BMW 330Ci - probably the best quality car I've owned, but everyone hates you*
3. Renault Clio 16v - I've owned quite a few hot hatches but this one had the best price/fun/ability mix.




*I'm convinced that in the real world, 3-series BMWs are slower than most other cars, simply because everyone hates you and won't pull over or let you out of side turns, so it takes much longer to get anywhere. I'm also convinced that the reputation for being driven by aggressive twats that the BMW has is deserved, but there are worse offenders; anyone driving a car with a VW TDi engine for a start

 

[Trem]

How tall are you DaGaffer?

The reason I ask is I always fancied a Clio 16v or Williams as a run about but they always looked uber tiny inside.

I'm 6 foot 4 btw.


I also have more problem with Golf drivers than BMW drivers, but both are popular rep cars so thats the problem I guess.

 

[DaGaffer]

I'm 6'. Clio was fine; it had a slightly peculiar driving position anyway, but mine also had a sunroof and I could still get comfy in it.

 

[Gumbo]

1. Lotus Elise (current car)
2. Hyundai Pony Pickup (first car, rear wheel drive, no weight, corkin' fun, wrapped it round a tree)
3. Modified Mini.

 

[nath]

1. Nissan 350Z

Gifv.

 

[Bodhi]

1) VW Golf GTI 16v. My current car and the car I had before this one as well hehe. Great cars, happy to mooch around and go with the flow of the traffic when you aren't really in the mood, goes and grips like stink when you are. No one has ever kept up with me round Darlaston Roundabout or the one by Trentham Monkey Forest. The slides you can catch through that one are insane as well. Like I said, great cars, but they don't like being driven into hedges at 50+mph, not one little bit.

2) Fiat Cinquecento Sporting. My first one, not that fast but mad fun nonetheless, was happiest being driven on its doorhandles. Was worth buying just to see nath trying to fit into it


3) VW Golf GTI 8v. Big and comfy, a great tourer, not as fast as the badge on the back suggested. I clearly should have bought a 16v from the off. Luckily, my 8v also met a nasty end when I lost it on a patch of diesel on a twisty backroad and span, getting neatly collected by an RS Turbo coming the other way. Saying that I have seen it driving around since looking all fixed with a shiny new coat of paint, so guess I didn't do too much damage after all. Still for the price of my excess I had a slightly older 16v, which actually worked out cheaper than trading up conventionally.

 

[old.user4556]

Hmm, feck - i've loved them all for different reasons. But:

1) Fiesta 1.1 - first car, very cheap on fuel, very cheap insurance, very cheap for servicing, the first car that truly liberated me. I could go wherever, whenever I wanted and didn't have to rely on a lift from mum and dad or a mate who could drive their parent's car. I truly cherished that little motor, it was brilliant. Also, it was very reliable in the time I had it - only the rear demister was wonky at times for a good year. How can you not love car like that?

2) BMW Z3 M Roadster - very fast, very well made, very reliable (apart from the obvious VANOS issue) made a brilliant noise from that slinky straight six pot coupled to a bespoke stainless steel exhaust. Turned heads everywhere, took a few birds out in it and it made their vaginas very wet indeed (well ... in my mind it did). I really wanted to give my mrs a good dicking in it, but it had to go sadly.

3) BMW 1 series, 120i Sport - a seriously underated car. Probably one of the best handling cars ever, the usual BMW refinements and superb build quality. Fantastic six speed box that's as tight, precise and notchy as a nun's axe-wound. Rear wheel drive goodness, arguably gorgeous modern lines (some folk hate 'em). Economical for a 2 litre petrol (averaging about 35 mpg at the mo). Driving position is just awesome, coupled with electronic lumbar support gives you complete confidence when cornering. Steering wheel is nice and small and the steering is perfectly weighted.

The only problem with the 120i? Leaves me gagging for that slinky six again, the 130i M Sport

 

[DaGaffer]

Sorry, I just can't get past the looks of the 1-series; the other Bangle designs have grown on me, but....no. And I'd have a Golf R32 rather than a 130i.

Having said that, if the rumours about a 1-series coupe are true, I might change my mind:

 

[Trem]

Very Alfa 156 on that pic imo.

 

[old.user4556]

Think that's the 2 series Gaff.

 

[DaGaffer]

Apparently the 2-series name may not happen; the 3-series coupe was going to be 4-series (a la 5/6 series), but they canned the idea, and the 2-series may go the same way (I think the idea is the whole 1-series range gets a 'halo' effect from the coupe and convertible models)

 

[Bodhi]

Think I'd still have either a new shape Golf GTi (in red natch) or a nearly new Clio V6 over the R32 or 130i, although I'd take the 130i out of the two. The R32 looks worryingly like a normal Golf with a cheap and tacky bodhykit on it.