Cars that didn't meet expectations ??

M

mason storm

Active member
After reading some comments others have made about the Honda S2000 and having no torque, I have to agree. Personally when i test drove one a few years ago before buying my previous Z I was quite disappointed with it. To me it felt like it had no soul, nothing that made me excited

It would be interesting to hear of anyone else's experiences not meeting expectation when test driving a car they had previously aspired to own.

Just wanted to add that I don't want to start bashing other cars as it's all personal opinion but I think it would be interesting to hear peoples experiences.
 
Sad, but I wanted a Merc C class when the new one came out a few years ago - still think they look good on the outside. However the test drive car I got was maroon, which made me feel like an old man... Looking past that, I though it drove well, but I just couldn't love the interior - the plastics looked cheap and the console had no life to it.

I also test drove a Z4 at the same time as I was changing company cars and that's what ultimately led me to having one now. In it's own way that was also disappointing as they gave me a coupe... But let's not start that again :D
 
Nissan Sunny GTR and Ford Escort RS Turbo mk4....really disapointed after hearing how special they where supposed to be...but on the other hand was pleasantly surprised with the Fiat Coupe 20v turbo :driving:
 
I have always liked the look of the Mercedes Sl 300/500 1986-89, when I first considered selling my 911 went to see a private sale in Stockport, lovely looking Grey metallic, but oh dear it bounced along and the auto box was slow, don't really know what I was expecting, I know it's not a track car but i was seriously disappointed, anyway kept the 911 until I eventually got my ///M- things happen for a reason :D
 
Z4 3.0Se, I was expecting my e46 330ci but in a smaller box, but the e85 was tinny, the electric steering was pants, finally the ride on RFTs was just unacceptably hard.

The e86 ///M that I bought 4 months later was much more like what I was expecting.
 
As far as going for a test drive and being disappointed. Remarkably no. But then I'm the sort that studies up a lot on cars before going to the dealer. I've owned 3 Honda cars. yes they are painfully soulless. But are painless to own. But I knew that going in.
 
e39 M5 and e60 M5.

Tried both when I came to change my 1st and 2nd e34 M5s.

The e39 was quick but the power delivery was so similar to the 540i Sport that it seemed pointless to pay 2x the price for it.

The e60 was VERY quick, but uninvolving, and I couldn't get used (admittedly only drove it for a total of an hour) to the 'vagueness' of the steering. I suppose that's what you try to get 2 tonnes of metal to turn at speed.

In the end I decided I wanted an M3 CSL, but they were too expensive and 'settled' for a Z4MC - only for a CSL in my price range to become available about a month later :headbang:

Not too disappointed though, as I've had a great 45k miles in my Z4MC, and am probably less paranoid than I would have been had I stretched to the CSL :thumbsup:
 
225 Audi TT coupe. The power was great, and the turbo gave it so much torque that full bore acceleration was fun even up steep hills.
However, the brakes were utterly useless and the handling less good than my 306 XSi that I had had previously (it's not like I was expecting it to be able to compete with my Westfield, just a cheap hot hatch). Oh, and it was impossible to fully disengage the DSC, so if I tried to abolish its natural tendency to understeer by inducing oversteer, it just refused cutting power and braking.
I could have accepted all of that if it hadn't had a serious mechanical failure at least once a year, and something small and annoying break monthly.

Like many things in life that look really pretty and seem so exciting in prospect, it just turned out to be a huge disappointment once I got to know it :P
 
perhaps to be expected, but hyundai coupe 2.7 v6. was driving a 1.7 puma at the time so i thought it would be a decent performance upgrade. wrong! same day i tested a 350z. both seemed too fat, too sluggush and too aloof compared to the puma, ended up with a civic type r.
 
Land Rover Discovery Td5. Hardly surprising though! What WAS I thinking of when I changed from a BMW 325Ci to one of those :scratchhead:
 
+1 TT 225 Coupe, coming from a 130bhp Mini at 20 I was expecting it to be mega, hated he handling and turbo lag, sold 3 months later at a profit and got a Racing Puma
 
Audi A4 2.0 turbo quattro sounds great on paper but not even a remap could make it even feel fast,crap on fuel too but it was spacious comfortable and reliable,not a patch on the older 1.8 T I had.
 
Honda S2000. To be fair I only drove it for 20-30mins. However that wa enough time to know it wasn't as special as I thought.

I expected, as the reviews said, "all hell to break loose after 5,800rpm". Sadly it just made a little more noise and accelerated at more or less the same rate. VTEC after a 3.0 straight 6 just didn't feel quick....

Ho hum


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Bing said:
Sad, but I wanted a Merc C class when the new one came out a few years ago - still think they look good on the outside. However the test drive car I got was maroon, which made me feel like an old man... Looking past that, I though it drove well, but I just couldn't love the interior - the plastics looked cheap and the console had no life to it.

I also test drove a Z4 at the same time as I was changing company cars and that's what ultimately led me to having one now. In it's own way that was also disappointing as they gave me a coupe... But let's not start that again :D
Click to expand...

+1 on the C-class.....I hated it and it got me out of company cars for ever....a mate of mine who also had one described it as like driving a sofa around. LMAO! :rofl:
 
Great to hear all your stories, keep 'em coming.

Other negative things I remember about the S2000 was the interior just felt so dated compared to the Z I test drove the next day and the driving position seemed higher than I thought it would.. Even though my first Z was a 2.5 it still felt quicker as it has more low down torque, the S2000 only felt fast if you really nailed it which in daily driving you don't tend to do. It wasn't all bad though as it did ride the bumpy b roads better than a z4 (although the steering seemed to have even less feedback). Z4's are definitely not perfect but I can forgive the harsh ride as it always feels special to me.

I test drove a 2.7 2006 Boxster a year or so ago and was very impressed with the handing, feel and balance along with compliance so it was able to always get the put down, however didn't feel any faster than my 2.5 Z4. The next day i test drove a 3.0 si Coupe and realised only another Z4 would do (in my price range), a bit more power and a change from a roadster to coupe was just enough of a difference for me.
 
Very recently test drove the new Range Rover Evoque - car for my wife before someone :fuelfire: me! Felt very car like and clostrophobic with poor visibility. Don't believe the hype about these, if you want a 4x4 look elsewhere. Luckily they had a Freelander Sport LE in blackwhich she preferred.

Land-Rover-Freelander-2-SD4-Sport-LE.jpg

Much prefer this to my current 318d Sport Plus Touring and means that I now have a zed on order :)
 
For me has to be the Porsche 968 my uncle had one at his garage and it looked stunning in a really nice metallic blue. He let me take it for a drive but after a few minutes I was so disappointed by it I wanted to head back. It just did not feel as special to drive as I thought it would given how great it looked.
 
Audi S2. :thumbsdown: Numb steering & gutless engine compared to the Modeo Si 24V I had at the time. Bought a Fiat Coupe 20Vt instead, :thumbsup: fabulous and much underrated car. Kept it for 9 years untill I bought my Z. (Yes things did break but the rest of the package made up for it.)
TomyatNurburgringCrop.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom