Best ever real world car?

[Scruffy Bodger]

I'd go with the 405 too, a decent one mind, not an old dog of a thing which most people will have experienced in anywhere near recent years. They really are a good all rounder. You'd think that European car of the year award won by such a wide margin that's never been beaten meant something?

[CLINT]

All old cars are shit. They're a headache but, as old cars are an absolute pittance why are we even discussing shit like Mondeos and French crap? They were recyclable junk when they were new and of no fucking interest to anyone with a pulse.

Someone I know has recently bought a 51 plate A8 2.8 Quattro for 600 quid and it's clean. It might go wrong. In fact it probably will. But it was 600 quid and I'd rather push that that own a car that is right at the bottom of the food chain. Have some ambition people FFS.

Yeah but what mpg does that get? Will I knock the exhaust off when I visit my friend with his potholes farm driveway? Can I put large objects in the boot? What are spare part prices like? Are they an easy DIY fix? Nice cars but not all that useful to me.

Who gives a fuck? Are you a car enthusiast or not? Let those on The Beige talk about boring old shit. I’ve got an old petrol 7 Series and had a threesome with a couple of hookers on holiday. That’s how I roll. You can be sensible when you’re 85 or dead.

I am an enthusiast and have several cars I love but a 7 series would be a shit everyday car. I'm not doing 250 miles a week in a 20mpg saloon that can carry fuck all .nice cars but utterly pointless as an everyday car, unless you just drive to an office and back every day

[nebuchenezer]

The one you bought cheap, fixed up and ran for five years without issue then sold it

[AutoshiteBoy]

I had an A4 Avant. It was shite. And it wasn't even a diesel. And you have the gall to bitch the Mondeo? Fucking loon.

[John F]

Nah. Mondeos are basically shit by any standard. Soz mate.

[Hooli]

The only time I've driven an early mundano it surprised me. It was better than people said and not that much worse than a Sierra. Except for the wank FWDness of the handling of course.

[CLINT]

Mondeo are perfectly competent, reliable but forgettable white goods. Not really the best real world car but I can't really slate them either.

I like small cars anyway, no point dragging all that extra weight around everywhere

[John F]

I had to drive a 1993 ("K") Mondeo 1.8 from Yorkshire to Aviemore & back about 15 years ago. It was fucking dismal... ride quality was poor, fuel economy was poor, seats were uncomfortable, etc. etc.

I'd done the same trip before in a 1988 ("F") Mk 4 Escort 1.3 Bonus, it was far more pleasant.

[bub2006]

The point of the thread unless I'm mistaken is about motors that can do everything you want be it shit carrying to the tip,garden centre,days out or any other bollocks folk want to do. Along with parts being plentiful and cheap,reliable to a degree and cheap to run and maintain. That's why I said about a picasso. You cant do tip ruins,shit carrying etc in an a8. Parts aren't cheap and you cant bomb down to the scrapyard on a sunday morning for a front wing,bumper and headlight that was damaged when you happened to be fucking about on country lanes the night before and bin it to fit it so you can use it to go to work on monday. Cars like the a8,large executive cars in general,older classic cars,anything not run of the mill is certainly not a good idea when you can only afford to run one car and it needs to do absolutely everything. If I gave up the motability car I'd be back in something french before the day is out because I can only afford one main vehicle and can be had ten a penny on gumtree. My wife loves toyotas but the prices for early 2000s avensis are obscene.

I also mentioned old A4 Avants. Worth fuck all, as practical as you like. Fuck that TDI shit off as well, 2.8 V6, 25 mpg on a good day, auto box, leather.

Life's too fucking short to drive around in Gallic misery, sitting in a grey plastic and cloth cocoon.

I cant afford 25mpg sadly but I do like the a4. I had a n plate tdi which was a decent steer. I admit french cars aren't aesthetically pleasing but they do a job and can be picked up for a couple hundred notes any day of the week.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Yeah but what mpg does that get? Will I knock the exhaust off when I visit my friend with his potholes farm driveway? Can I put large objects in the boot? What are spare part prices like? Are they an easy DIY fix? Nice cars but not all that useful to me.

Who gives a fuck? Are you a car enthusiast or not? Let those on The Beige talk about boring old shit. I’ve got an old petrol 7 Series and had a threesome with a couple of hookers on holiday. That’s how I roll. You can be sensible when you’re 85 or dead.

I am an enthusiast and have several cars I love but a 7 series would be a shit everyday car. I'm not doing 250 miles a week in a 20mpg saloon that can carry fuck all .nice cars but utterly pointless as an everyday car, unless you just drive to an office and back every day

I used mine every day 2003-2010, racked up 110’000 miles. Big car, big boot, carried all sorts. 20 mpg is the fee for driving a proper car I’m afraid. On a run it’ll do 27. The car was £500.