Cars That Exceeded Your Expectations

[Warren t claim]

As it says in the title!

XJ40 2.9 auto. I was expecting it to be much slower than it was.

Chevolet Matiz Mk2. Quite a fun little thing to thrash in 1 litre, four pot guise.

Corsa C 1.4 SXi. Actually a decent warm hatch.

[Bazfr69]

1.5 diesel Saxo that a mate loaned me when I was between cars.
I’m not a diesel fan at the best of times but it was a sweet driving thing and I was sorry to give it back.

[treehugger]

Ford ka. Drove one years ago a couple of short trips, went like stink.

[christine]

Cinquecento , what a gas to drive , and the Seicento Sporting was just as mad

[mercrocker]

W123 280E. My first Mercedes, bought for £375 from the back of a village car dealer's showroom. I'd heard a lot about "build quality" and "reliability" but that old girl took me through what I shall refer to as a very "interesting" time in my life and ended up being Mrs Rocker's daily.

Despite being on its last legs it handled superbly and although thirsty the engine always seemed to be "on-cam" when cruising at 70 and really did go like a train.

Wasn't expecting much more than a bit of a waft around for a few months but it did 6 years of hard graft and I loved driving it.

[SubPar]

E36 BMW 320i auto.

I thought it would be crap with the small 6 and an auto box. It went rather well and made a lovely noise. 150hp in a car that size wasn't bad at all.

That car still holds my personal top speed record, too.

[brandersnatch]

1980 Mitsubishi Galant. Bought for £200 with six months ticket expecting to throw it away when it ran out. Had it about five years, it kept passing the mot.
It was like a posh Japanese Cortina. Electric windows , alloys, discs all round and power steering. 2 litre automatic.

[Bazfr69]

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I forgot the most obvious one that’s still with us. Our 1999 RAV4.
Bought in a hurry for £1800 as a car to ferry my dad around in when he gave up driving, still with us a dozen years later and six years after his passing.

2L petrol, auto, full time 4wd, thirsty and a bit tatty but has cost little more than servicing and fuel over the years while holding the odd position of the car I’ve owned longer than any other in spite of me not really wanting it in the first place.

Sadly it’s number is up this year and I’m dreading it going, it’ll be like the last trip to the vet.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

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This 2007 Mini diesel. I’ve always dismissed them as fashion over function things for birds.
Bought this a couple of weeks ago as a stop gap whilst I find a Boxster for MrsN a d then hopefully tart up and make a couple of quid on. But it’s great, goes pretty well and feels like a hot hatch, albeit from when I had hot hatches- XR3is, Mk2 Golfs etc. It’s also averaged 56 mpg since we’ve had it , it’s currently the most practical car on the strength too. Picked up an IKEA parasol in an 8 foot box last week.

Looks like it’s staying even after we get another proper car , I can’t believe I’ve ignored them for 20 years.

[LynehamHerc]

VW Up! and Skoda Citigo.

The first was bought as a replacement for a disasterous A140 we'd owned from new and was a run around for my missus.

When my Galaxy got written off for imitating a swimming pool it ended up doing the uni run, Norfolk to Bath, a few times quite comfortably, whilst carrying me, the missus and a 6ft 5 son with some of his gear. When we sold it to him we replaced it with a Citigo which so far is fine. The Up! is still running well with only the undertray, damaged when driving through a flood, being the only unscheduled replacement in 9 years.

I actually enjoy driving them.

Because of the relative lack of power you have to think although the 75hp versions are ok on the motorway. Maybe having the camper has dampened my HP needs/wants.