Car mistakes? Too many to list but heres a few.
MG Metro - my 2nd car, purchased with 11K on the clock. Borrowed by some low life who left the steering lock on the floor & most of the front tyres on the tarmac behind Milton Keynes train station car park. Can't remember how many head gaskets and gearbox main shaft bearings that thing got through.
Nova SR - brilliant little car. With the addition of Astra GTE 16V brakes it would actually stop.
Astra GTE MK1 16v Turbo. Technically my brothers car. Broke everything. Gearboxes, driveshafts....nothing lasted very long.
Audi Quattro's / Audi S2 - wish I'd kept the S2. Loved that car. Brakes were appalling (common theme here) however a set of 996 calipers and S8 discs sorted that out.
Audi A6 2.5TDI Quattro Sport Avant - spoiled by Audi making the cam shafts from Cadburys finest. 1st thing I knew about it was when it dropped a cam follower out on the M25. All 4 cams were so badly worn more could have escaped at any time.
Audi A6 3.0 TDI - all 6 injectors failed with less than 90K on the clocks. That will be 2 grand please....final straw came when 3rd gear syncro got its coats and left the party.
Audi A3 2.0 TDI - pile of steaming &*^!. As good as the 1.9TDI red eye it replaced was it wasn't. Part ex'ed for new gen Mini Clubman & have have never looked back. It would take alot to get me back behind the wheel of an Audi now.
Audi S4 V8 - lunched its timing chains twice (2nd set requried because a bolt was cross threaded during the 1st replacement, unfortunately for me too late to claim on the warranty). There are 4 timing chains and it's an engine out job as Audi fitted them to the back. Sounded glorious with the non resonated Miltek exhausts.
Mini R55 JCW - oh boy. The PSA N14 engine is fragile. Currently has 53K on the clock and has had the following replaced - Cam chain and tensioner, high pressure fuel pump, clutch, most of the cooling system including pump, thermostat & hoses + a whole heap of other parts I've forgotten about. That said I love it.