Worst thing you bought.
- Thread starter The Captain
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eternumviti
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Worst thing I bought was a Golf Mk V 1.4 tsi twin charger thing. I bought it from a main agent at 57k miles, and the engine self-destructed within a week. I had a brand new engine fitted under warranty, but it never really worked properly, until eventually it did. And then it promply self-destructed again. It had done, almost unbelievably, another 57k miles!
It was a well-documented issue, a timing chain cog made of Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate, or the German equivalent. I left the car sitting in the yard for about two years, with the windows slightly open. I eventually took £150 for it from a scrapper, who flogged it to his nephew who then rebuilt the engine, and apparently still runs it. The leather seats were green with mould, and the carpets must have been mush. Anyway, I hope for his sake he doesn't keep it for more than 56k miles!
It was a well-documented issue, a timing chain cog made of Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate, or the German equivalent. I left the car sitting in the yard for about two years, with the windows slightly open. I eventually took £150 for it from a scrapper, who flogged it to his nephew who then rebuilt the engine, and apparently still runs it. The leather seats were green with mould, and the carpets must have been mush. Anyway, I hope for his sake he doesn't keep it for more than 56k miles!
eternumviti
Insufficient privileges to reply.
I had exactly the same experience the one and only time in my life that I bought a MacDonalds burger. I was famished, too.
MJS
Technical Tinkerer
Worst car is a tie between two.
A knackered Hillman Imp shortly after passing my test. The reverse gear was temperamental to say the least, most notably when trying to exit rather quickly after stumbling into a NATO exercise on Salisbury Plain. Oh, and the petrol gauge had no reserve, when approaching empty it meant "I'm only going another 300 feet'. Stopped dead on a blind bend in the vicinity of Stonehenge once. Too many ley lines.
Then there was the Renault Clio 16v auto. That could have been fun as it had a very free revving engine. But a gearbox valve got stuck when cold and it'd enter limp mode at any opportunity. Had 4 ditchfinder tyres on it and a leaky sunroof. Squeaked through an MOT, by which they replaced a couple of split CV boots and wrecked the ABS, but passed it anyway because they didn't retest it afterwards. It didn't last long after that - it was going to cost more to have it towed away for scrap than it was worth. We Buy any Car took it off me for £50 because it had an MOT. Tip: Never buy a car under pressure if you're clinically depressed.
A knackered Hillman Imp shortly after passing my test. The reverse gear was temperamental to say the least, most notably when trying to exit rather quickly after stumbling into a NATO exercise on Salisbury Plain. Oh, and the petrol gauge had no reserve, when approaching empty it meant "I'm only going another 300 feet'. Stopped dead on a blind bend in the vicinity of Stonehenge once. Too many ley lines.
Then there was the Renault Clio 16v auto. That could have been fun as it had a very free revving engine. But a gearbox valve got stuck when cold and it'd enter limp mode at any opportunity. Had 4 ditchfinder tyres on it and a leaky sunroof. Squeaked through an MOT, by which they replaced a couple of split CV boots and wrecked the ABS, but passed it anyway because they didn't retest it afterwards. It didn't last long after that - it was going to cost more to have it towed away for scrap than it was worth. We Buy any Car took it off me for £50 because it had an MOT. Tip: Never buy a car under pressure if you're clinically depressed.
It's always when you're ravenous isn't it? I worked at a school where the staff and kids were bought McD's as a 'treat' - more like a punishment. When I opened up my fish fillet thing I burst out laughing, surely it had to be a joke?!
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
luxury
We were similarly disappointed by the portion size of Picky doner kebab wrap from the shop in St Albans
I am reminded of the handcuffs we bought in China that didn't lock....
oh and the cat scratching post from pets at home, that the destructor brothers destroyed in a week of arriving with us...
.we worked out we were going to need a more industrial solution
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
fool? why bother with a fish in a burger joint? even the mcmuffins with bacon or sausage are good
Some fools don't eat red meat.
Jamie
pfm Member
My first car was an Austin Allegro, but I suppose I deserved what I got...
Lost all drive, and my mate came round to have a look, involving taking some wheels off. He summised it needed a new engine/gearbox, so we towed it round to his place to do it in his barn. Half way there, there was a wobble and thud, as the disc hit the road, and I overtook the wheel. Oops forgot to tighten the nuts. Only lasted 6 months on an engine from the scrappy.
Lost all drive, and my mate came round to have a look, involving taking some wheels off. He summised it needed a new engine/gearbox, so we towed it round to his place to do it in his barn. Half way there, there was a wobble and thud, as the disc hit the road, and I overtook the wheel. Oops forgot to tighten the nuts. Only lasted 6 months on an engine from the scrappy.
Beobloke
pfm Member
The last time we were in St. Ives, I wanted a 'proper' Cornish pasty, so obviously chose the shop that had a huge queue outside.
Two bites in, and it went into the bin. I would genuinely have preferred a Tesco 'value' pasty to the tasteless, gristly lump of mush ensconced in slimy 'pastry' that I received. I was tempted to take it back and complain but the queue was still huge and the shop was still packed out.
Other than that I also have a Dyson regret but its not any of their upright vacuums - I have a DC14 and a DC27 and both are brilliant.
Mine is the wodnerful HD-01 Supersonic hairdryer that I bought for Mrs. B a few years ago. She said it was actually very good but it then started cutting out as she moved it around her head. I'm sure its only the mains lead terminations inside that have come adrift (their vacuums suffer from this as well) but Dyson no longer support it, will not release any service information for it and no Dyson specialists will touch them due to the above issues.
Never mind, I bet someone on t'internet has taken one apart. Er...yes, thay have, and you have to snap the two control buttons off the switches in order to remove the handle. What an utterly genius piece of production engineering and design for serviceability.
Mrs B. replaced it long ago with a Lidl £19 special (Made in Germany, solid as you like and held together with screws that can be undone!). I'm still determined to fix it but it'll be off to eBay once I have done. Dyson has also lost me as a customer and I had an enjoyable few months taking the piss out of every "we're technology leaders" post they made on LinkedIn in 2022, but I've moved on now.
Hook
Blackbeard's former bo'sun.
Worst purchase ever was a 6 cylinder VW Passat bought new in 1999. The test drive was great - fast, agile and fun. What followed were constant electrical and mechanical problems. Final straw was the driver side window going halfway up, then stopping dead. Was caught in traffic during a rain storm and got soaked.
Fixed and sold on after a year. My worst depreciation hit ever. VAG? Never again!
Fixed and sold on after a year. My worst depreciation hit ever. VAG? Never again!
paulfromcamden
Baffled
Not compatible with Android phones so I'm out.
SteveG
pfm Member
I've driven a lot of shit cars (helping at my uncle's garage in the holidays) but the Allegro was the stand-out as the worst. And that included early Lada's and Polski Fiat's and the like.
foxwelljsly
Me too, I ate one sour too.
Does swapping an eighth and a quadraphonic copy of ‘Overnite Sensation’ for an Austin Maxi count? Dreadful car.
In terms of technology, my Samsung S8 that exploded batteries every 3 months was pretty bad.
In terms of technology, my Samsung S8 that exploded batteries every 3 months was pretty bad.
If you're ever in Cornwall again, make a beeline for Hampsons butchers, under the viaduct in Hayle. Best pasties since the Horse and Jockey in Helston closed. Don't tell anyone!
eternumviti
Insufficient privileges to reply.
Gear Farm pasties are good. You can't drive past when they're baking, the smell makes you turn round.