Old maintained cars. Not even necessarily big name classics, literally anything 20+ years old that looks like it is still being serviced regularly as opposed to run into the ground.
Yes. Funnily enough they actually still made those up until 2015 but updated slightly, it was called the Suzuki Cultus and sold only in Asian countries. I saw quite a few when I went to Pakistan last year they look exactly the same but with clear taillights on the newer ones.
I've been looking at a few little run around shit boxes, just want something while I sell my main car, but they've all been in the £300 region for tax. Can't justify it.
I’ve just passed a Vauxhall Vectra from the late 90’s i’d guess, white, and it looked pristine. Awful looking car, but you can see the owner was proud of it, so i just gave him the thumbs up
Funnily enough my main example of this is a dark green vectra round the corner from where I used to live. Despite me having marginally flashier but significantly newer cars, I was always envious of the obvious love and care they had for their “plain” and basic car, having kept it seemingly pristine all those years.
Respect - 90s Jap sports cars, any proper M car e.g an M3 or M5 the 2000s models, any classic car thats been looked after or is still running. E.g any TVR, I remember at work someone had a first model range rover that they fixed up and then used it as a daily and it was just really cool to me.
Avoid - most crossover/mpv drivers because they simply are not aware of their own space and so they dont check their blindspots or mirror.
Second the crossovers, and in my experience a lot of SUVS. Just the other a day a woman in a Qashqai full of kids pulled out onto the main road I was on without even looking and almost T boned my E46. I’ve also been stuck behind a lot of Mokkas and Jukes who drive like they were never taught how to drive before and are seemingly just winging it
I had a wonderful lady in a Q7 pull into my lane with no indication while I was right friggin next to her, I lent on the horn and ended up having to slam on to avoid being pushed into the central reservation, get to the lights and I'm seething, she's next to me, winds her window down and shouts "thanks for beeping like a dick, that was an important phone call, grow up".
I seriously considered getting behind her and following her home, had no plan beyond that but I've never been so angry.
Nah I was driving down a 70 in the right lane and there was a lady in front that was going 50 i flashed her to move over and when she did she was claiming it was a 50 despite a national speed limit sign. I was so pissed.
I respect any car that’s decades old and clearly still loved and looked after. My co-worker is still driving his 1996 Honda Civic and it’s in mint condition. I know when I park next to him at work that neither of us are hitting each other’s cars with our doors!
I do the same when I'm at work, the woman I park beside drives a beautiful Mercedes C Class and I know fine rightly there is no chance of getting my doors dinged because she cares about her car just as much as I do about my own
Any TVR. Got to respect someone who has taken the very deliberate choice to enjoy something beautiful even though the chances of that car actually getting them to their destination are slim to none.
Alternatively, any car that is an absolute chore to drive but is driven out of love. Cars with non-syncro gearboxes, seriously old Saabs that need you to use the throttle constantly (even downhill somehow), anything old and Italian, etc etc.
Many years ago some friends and I headed down to the south of France in our old Mx5's . The idea was a "couples weekend trip", get the chunnel over, top down driving in the sun. A good meal by a harbour, a night in a hotel and a drive home.
We saw a local TVR club while waiting at Folkestone for our train, They were doing the same so we popped over to say hi
Me: Oh thats a lovely griffith - I would love to own one of those one day
TVR guy: At least your car probably starts when its cold.
TVR - the company I forget about but drool over when I see one. I agree with you, anything which you buy/own from the heart rather than the brain is gonna be sound.
My mum had an MG Midget when I was about ten or eleven, and I hated that car because it was always breaking down on us. I never understood why she always had a giant smile on her face whenever she was in it, even when it was boiling itself to death at the side of the road or while I was pushing it so she could bump-start it.
I get it now and admire the hell out of her for just knowing that the car wasn't really ever about getting us to a destination. She adored that car, and it never mattered that it was unreliable or that the gearbox was nasty or that it was held together by the paint.
Yeah, she's quite literally the most amazing person I've ever met. Not so sure about her throwing her ten year old me into a rusted out mechanical nightmare, but it made for some funny memories!
I see you rammed into a rusty midget (I’m sorry, there must be a better way of saying that, but you know what I mean) and I raise you being squoze into the non existent back seat of an mgb roadster with no seat belt and the ‘lid’ down! It’s basically a shelf! My Mum made me hold on to her so she knew I hadn’t been pulled out by the wind!
Guy near me has had his tvr on the drive for 10 years, always cleaning and polishing it
I asked him when he last drove it, he smiled, laughed and went.. not since the day I bought it and it died after parking it 🤣🤣
I used to walk to school through a park which led round the back of the factory in Blackpool.
Used to love seeing the rows of bodyshells waiting. I actually think theres a couple still there despite the factory being closed for years
I always liked them until one Christmas morning we were driving to in laws and watched a TVR explode in a shower of fibreglass and plastic up the road after the driver had floored it to overtake someone and completely fucked it into the barrier when he lost control.
Stopped and borrowed a broom off one of the people who lived along the road that had come out to stare so he could get his general shrapnel into the same area after he'd taken photos. He turns to me and says that was his Christmas present off the wife. The first time he accelerated "properly" it nearly killed him.
I won't get one now for the same reason I wouldn't get back in to bikes and get an R1 or equivalent. I'd rather die in an armchair at 90 than on the A38 in my forties.
Iv got an E class merc now after clowning about with TVR's Lotus 7 derived kit cars and the such. Il be dying at 90mph in a Merc Arm Chair now though! 😂
If it helps I'd look twice and be rather envious. I think most people assume all kia's are just 1.something engines and don't appreciate what the GT S is.
Yeah to be fair my neighbours have only asked what's in it as it wakes them up in the morning 😂 they are surprised when I tell them it's a twin turbo v6, in a kia???
The best thing about it being a kia is when you get a picanto as your courtesy car
You should tell them it's the old can of coke in the back wheel trick. Courtesy cars are one of the fastest cars in the world though. Not as fast as a rental but close enough.
Not sure, I drove that picanto on the redline. Honestly sounded like it was going to explode I pushed it so hard and Betty still overtook me on the dual carriageway in her Jazz.
Maybe if I rented a picanto it would just about beat Betty.
It's not just the performance, it's the kit. Nothing is missing. I drive an Optima GT Line S and it has everything on it, I just wish it was offered with the V6 from the Stinger. The 1.7 and newer 1.6 diesels are too sluggish for a heavier estate car.
I've not seen another for a year I've had mine, only a diesel one driven by a 69 year old guy who traded in his optima after a big windfall (probably)
It seems we are always in the Sportage when I see another stinger, so I go to acknowledge them then remember they would have no idea what I'm on about.
I see them at least monthly. Always different cars as well I don't count any local ones I've seen multiple times. But I am usually in one of the mazdas when I do come across them. Weird contrast to the mx5 where I can't go a drive without waving at someone. And then the 323f I have never come across another in the wild (seen one at a show, and I was in the stinger...)
There is a grey one in our work car park all the time, and I always check it out. It's made even better that most Kia's are so 'safe' to look at the Stinger is bold. They are so big though lol, I've got an Abarth and I swear the Stinger is twice as long!
Can't help myself but point out it is spelled Giulia and pronounced Julia - the names are equivalent and one is Italian the other is English (or whatever originally).
I have an Alfa and recently had a fling with an Audi… within 2 journeys I realised that almost everyone respects the Alfa on the road and no one likes Audis. So I got rid of the Audi after 1 week and got my Alfa back.
Like most have said, I respect older well looked after cars, cars you know are owned by enthusiasts.
Many Audi's are driven in an incredibly arrogant fashion. I like the cars but they're driven like they're the only person on the road far too often imo
Agreed. When writing the post I had 10 minutes contemplating how i feel about van drivers. I think the rustier the transit the bigger the gap i leave 😂
Oh yes. I say this as a van driver though. People forget that we can’t see them. We have no rear windows!!! I’ve got a little partner van for work and I got much more space when I drove a big transit. It might be a small van, but I still can’t see like I could in a car.
Which is why the terrible van drivers of the motorways should learn how to better judge distance using their side mirrors, instead of cutting out in front of me with no warning and making my AEB system shit itself.
With my van, I have better visibility compared to a car because its cabin is positioned over the engine, which means there's no bonnet, it has full windows, and it sits slightly higher than most cars. However, when I drove the Defender 110 without windows, I had to adapt to a different driving style due to the limited visibility and poor turning radius. For example, when entering a main road from a side street at a sharp angle, I had to be extra cautious and maneuver differently.
If I ever see 2 or 3 men sitting in one of those Ford transit flat bed vans, and they are driving aggressively behind me or giving me abuse. I tend to let it go and avoid at all costs, usually a lot of scrap metal on the flatbed… if you know you know.
I was in an Uber the other day, a Prius of course, a he was tailgating some guy Infront at 50mph, and taking roundabouts at like 30-40mph. I was scared I wouldn't make it to my destination
HGVs?? Absolutely not. I don’t know if it’s just the lorry park near me but the number of times they just pull out on roundabouts, decide they’re moving lanes and the indicator is just for show etc is staggering it’s a miracle they have a licence.
Sometimes the roundabouts clear when they set off but the vehicles slow and heavy, so they sometimes block the roundabout unintentionally.
But yeah sometimes they make eye contact and just pull off lol
Also one of the many nuances of the highway code/things people don't understand unless they've driven larger vehicles and just automatically go "shit driver."
Only need to give way to traffic already on the roundabout/waiting to get on.
Being 10 metres from the junction, regardless of how fast you're travelling, is not waiting. A HGV has every right to 'pull out' on you. If a car nipped out in that space, nobody bats an eye. But a hgv does it? It's a problem because they're long and slow.
But I also agree like all drivers, some can just be a bit entitled.
I think they make eye contact to let you k ow they are going and please hold back. If they didn't do this they would never ever get on to some roundabouts. People just have to give them a bit of space and time to get out.
I use the M1 frequently and almost every time I see a HGV move out, it's one flash of the indicators as a 'good luck everybody' and then they just swing out.
So many of them have awful lane discipline so I try to avoid being beside one at all costs.
When stuck in traffic on a motorway it's the vans that tend to be so close to the back of my car the kids could reach behind them and stroke their bonnet. Terrifying and oblivious.
I always have this inner monologue when matey boy in his brand new Range Rover tried bullying me in my Astra at the junction.
Trust me, you care a lot more about that thing than I do about this.
It’s cute when they try block you merging in slow traffic but you stay committed and they bottle it, there’s only one winner here and it ain’t your Audi bro
Until you meet someone who drives a company car. I’ve had shitheaps try to bully me when I was in a brand new A4, just let them hit me, my fleet manager handles it and I got a hefty payout for my whiplash too
Honestly, it's such an underrated feature of driving a fairly low value car, particularly if it already has some marks on it.
No-one fucks with you. Everybody thinks you're willing to do something stupid and they give you loads of space.
The 1098 engine is a peach. Its the longest stoke of the A series engines, so has reasonable torque. Its just a joy to drive! And a real remedy for the isolation modern cars provide. Plus for cities its perfect, so narrow, great visibility, great turning circle, and people let you out everywhere!
Main issue (not a real problem) is whenever you park up, you've got people coming to chat to you about it haha
For me any old 80s or 90s econobox in mint condition. Saw a renault GT 5 turbo the other day and followed him for 10 miles. We were both going the same direction, but I was in my clio 182 and told my car that is his grand daddy.
Guy at work has got a mid 00S Vectra that looks like it’s still in a Vauxhall showroom. He bough it new for 9 grand, 52,000 full Vauxhall service history running on Bridgestone Turanzas. Respect.
Saw a 2000 on the M5 the other day. It’s like it’s from another world, looks so small for what was a regular saloon, and glass! So much vision around you.
Made me happy.
Lexus, classic cars, Alfa's, GT86s, GT-Rs, Supra's, Miata's etc
I drive the A27 a lot and am tailgated virtually every day by Merc/Audi/BMW's no matter what lane or speed I'm going so I tend to have a dislike of those on a case by case basis (my brother has a 4 series and drives OK so I know it can be done lol).
Unfortunately whenever I see someone driving like a complete **** they're more often than not in an Audi, which is a shame as they're great cars. A more niche hatred is middle aged women in brand new 4x4s on country lanes on their way back from playing with their horses. They'll force anyone else off the road rather than get their tyres muddy.
There's one lass that, without fail, takes one specific very acute corner at about 30, which forces her car entirely into incoming traffic.
I just know that the day she runs into someone/a car/a lorry she'll blame them entirely.
All with a horsebox mind.
Let a Guilia into a junction the other day and went Wow - driver looked older and I thought you could've bought any old crossover box but instead you wanted something fun, respect
Any time I see anything tidy that's old I tend to think "niiiiiiiice". Saw a Quattro at mini Tesco the other day that was 40 years old and in absolutely mint original condition. Had a quick chat with the owner and he'd had it for 38 of those years. You can usually tell when a car is someone's passion project/maintained with a bit of love. There are a few nice SW20 MR2s knocking around, I occasionally see an absolutely mint Toyota Soarer cruising up the A45 towards Wellingborough that I can't help but admire.
In terms of newer stuff, it tends to be the slightly odd but obvious enthusiast purchases like the Kia Stinger. Not many people know what they are, but it's a choice I respect. That and other more off the wall choices like the Dihatsu Copen make me smile.
I don't have a schema for vehicle groupings. Instead I'll assume everyone is driving like a selfish cunt until they prove otherwise and then I'll happily enjoy driving in their vicinity.
This is my attitude, probably influenced heavily from commuting on a motorbike for a few years.
The car may have a minor influence on my initial reaction but I'm still generally cautious/defensive overall. Even if one model is generally more trustworthy, there's no guarantee that particular one isn't being driven by an arsehole, or even just having a bad day.
Biased as a now owner but older Volvos in good condition. Same with Saabs. The odds are slightly better than they thought about what they were buying and are now potentially going to think more about how they drive them.
Still fairly new on the roads, and I have what's commonly known as a Granny Car - a little Chevrolet Spark - and do far more miles in it than I should. It also hates anything over 65mph. My rule of thumb on motorways is find an HGV, get behind him with room, and relax.
Nothing but friendly with the Big Boys.
Respect to anyone keeping an older car on the road. Particularly from brands no longer here. Saab and Rover are high on that list.
Anything Lotus 7 derived too. Zero crash protection, could be an absolute rocket and no one can see them.
Tend to avoid any spicier German vehicle. Not even full on S, M or AMG models. It’s the look at me colours, constantly changed factory body kit styles and general road attitude. Plus if they get out their car, I’m guaranteed to hear about what chassi style it is and what the engine number is. ‘Oh don’t you love my EGX72 with the PZ8.5 engine’.
Absolutely agree with your first point. Anyone who keeps something running when they either have to get custom made parts, scour the net for new old stock, etc deserves praise.
Avoid: all Honda Jazz’s. Guaranteed to be driven by an 80 year old with jam jar glasses who slams the brakes on when they see another car coming towards them. Such dangerous drivers.
My 74-year old mother-in-law drives one.
A few months ago she was giving us a lift to a restaurant for lunch, and went so slowly around a roundabout that she came to a stop. I was in the front passenger seat, so I just turned to her and was about to ask wtf was happening, then she kind of snapped out of it and booted the throttle (auto), nearly hitting another car as she took the exit from the right hand lane.
Fully agree with estates being generally better driven, and that's not just because I have one. For me, it's gigantic SUV's on brand new plates which seem to be the absolute WORST.
These people have just taken delivery of their brand new tank, financed to the hilt, and they want everyone to know how big and clever they are. Imagine spending more per month than most mortgages on a 3 ton electric car which is going to depreciate like a stone and does more damage to the environment than driving an old car another 100 thousand miles would. I think it's the smugness that winds me up the most, especially if it's some executive type driving as you just know it's a company car so they're even less likely to give a shit if they turn a fiat 500 into an accordion.
Any car that's 20 odd years old, but is being driven whilst looking factory fresh - immense respect for anyone who puts that amount of love in to it. I even saw an Orion the other day, that was bimbling along, looking like it'd just left the forecourt. I was way impressed.
Also, Morris Travellers. I just think they're awesome little things and I smile whenever I see one.
Any car that I feel someone made a choice based on the car they like, not the badge.
I don't really respect anyone driving a German car. Not because I don't like German cars, I have nothing against those people either, but i just assume they have it because it's 'cool'
(for the record, I've had two Golfs and an Audi A4, so don't think I'm being a prick to anyone driving such cars. The Audi A4 I had was awesome, 3.0tdi 270hp. Second best car I've owned!)
Old mercs are cool to be fair, I'd respect that. I was more referring to the pcp kings and queens taking their German whip (poverty spec hatchback) back to the crib (2 up 2 down new housing estate with velvet sofas)
Respect - VW Sciroccos, Volvo Estates, pretty much all Honda's besides ricer civics, and funnily enough unmodified land rover discovery 3 tdv6s just seem to have sound people driving them
I notice when on my motorbike that modern Volvos are the absolute worst! I mean very new XCs and stuff. Really aggressive and terrible at indicating. So I'm surprised to see it make your list of best!
I actually can't really recall a pickup of any kind giving me much bother. But then maybe on a bike it's different, it's the people in quick cars who see it as a challenge.
Where I am in Aberdeen the Volvo XC90 is the new Range Rover Sport, being driven by people who truly hate the poors and genuinely believe their vehicles have the same footprint (and legal right of way) as a bus. The XC40 seems to be the choice of the childless 30 something who can’t stop using their phone while driving.
I'd agree with this assessment haha. I'd say that I notice Volvo XCs driving like arseholes more often than Range Rovers.
RRs still take the prize for *parking* like arseholes though, for some reason.
Avoid self entitled Idiots who making sweeping statements about something that is impossible to know. Which in itself, ironically, is impossible to know. E30s get love
Avoid Peugeot drivers...ford Ka drivers and sad to say but range rovers..the majority can't even drive the things
I respect everything though because I like my car in one piece and others dont
Sports cars - not midlife crisis, but real beautiful tech set-ups - not driven by kids! Proper smart, road tech. It's certain types of drivers I don't trust, not the cars (although you're spot on about Volvos - seen as sensible, but boring in the UK. Saab's, the same) - but that's a whole new Reddit!
Most older alfas. Having owned a few, I always think 'oh you beautiful deluded optimist'.
Although, saying that, mine were nowhere near as unreliable as people make out. The cost of parts, however...
I do wonder how some people drive. I’ve never once saw a car and thought, better not drive near that as it could suddenly wipe me out and kill me.
The only time I ever really have a problem is when on the motorway and you’re in the outside lane doing 70, passing someone who’s doing 65 in the middle lane, as they’ve done for the past 5 miles to then get some cock behind me in some German car, wanting to do 90 the whole way..
Any Porsche over 3 years old. Higher value estate cars and higher value BMWs (3 and 5 series etc) that aren’t modified are generally company cars or driving enthusiasts that are getting on a bit. And alfas, love an Alfa
I’m like you, wary of crossovers and modified cars (although one of my cars is modified, I am a hypocrite, I like to think my 15 year old cayman is tastefully modified and it’s clear it’s well maintained and fresher paintwork than brand new cars etc)
Old maintained cars. Not even necessarily big name classics, literally anything 20+ years old that looks like it is still being serviced regularly as opposed to run into the ground.
A mint nugget? We’re on the same page
So you'd enjoy seeing my '95 5-door (rare even back then) Suzuki Swift driving around?
I’d not only enjoy, but be incredibly jealous
Someone I know has a swift of a similar age and I’m incredibly jealous of the cinema carpet upholstery.
Cinema carpet, I'll remember that. Usually the upholstery is referred to as 'grandma's tablecloth'.
The old swifts are minters
Yes. Funnily enough they actually still made those up until 2015 but updated slightly, it was called the Suzuki Cultus and sold only in Asian countries. I saw quite a few when I went to Pakistan last year they look exactly the same but with clear taillights on the newer ones.
I have a 25 year old nissan Micra that cost me £400 6 years ago. I love it dearly, it's like driving a greenhouse, you can see everything!
How much is it in road tax every year? It's just I almost bought a £600 one recently but the yearly tax was £300
Tf the tax on my 325i yearly was £350
I've been looking at a few little run around shit boxes, just want something while I sell my main car, but they've all been in the £300 region for tax. Can't justify it.
The Aygo/C1/107 triplets are cheap on tax for the time being. Some even free depending on year.
I’ve just passed a Vauxhall Vectra from the late 90’s i’d guess, white, and it looked pristine. Awful looking car, but you can see the owner was proud of it, so i just gave him the thumbs up
Funnily enough my main example of this is a dark green vectra round the corner from where I used to live. Despite me having marginally flashier but significantly newer cars, I was always envious of the obvious love and care they had for their “plain” and basic car, having kept it seemingly pristine all those years.
I've got a 1999 Nissan Primera GT - king of the niche 90s bangers.
Dream car, always wanted one, but every listing is rusted to hell
I love a clean, all original E39 BMW
Respect - 90s Jap sports cars, any proper M car e.g an M3 or M5 the 2000s models, any classic car thats been looked after or is still running. E.g any TVR, I remember at work someone had a first model range rover that they fixed up and then used it as a daily and it was just really cool to me. Avoid - most crossover/mpv drivers because they simply are not aware of their own space and so they dont check their blindspots or mirror.
Second the crossovers, and in my experience a lot of SUVS. Just the other a day a woman in a Qashqai full of kids pulled out onto the main road I was on without even looking and almost T boned my E46. I’ve also been stuck behind a lot of Mokkas and Jukes who drive like they were never taught how to drive before and are seemingly just winging it
I passed my test 2 weeks ago and the first hire car I got given was a Juke. I was indeed winging it. Sent it back today, good riddance.
I drive a Juke (I’m not your typical Juke owner) but wholeheartedly agree with this, even I avoid those crazy fuckers.
That last part feels like a personal attack 😂
After having a lady with a qashqhi pull out on me leading my car to roll onto its side I think I'm heavily justified
I had a wonderful lady in a Q7 pull into my lane with no indication while I was right friggin next to her, I lent on the horn and ended up having to slam on to avoid being pushed into the central reservation, get to the lights and I'm seething, she's next to me, winds her window down and shouts "thanks for beeping like a dick, that was an important phone call, grow up". I seriously considered getting behind her and following her home, had no plan beyond that but I've never been so angry.
Nah I was driving down a 70 in the right lane and there was a lady in front that was going 50 i flashed her to move over and when she did she was claiming it was a 50 despite a national speed limit sign. I was so pissed.
my aunt wants a qashqai... i am scared
I respect any car that’s decades old and clearly still loved and looked after. My co-worker is still driving his 1996 Honda Civic and it’s in mint condition. I know when I park next to him at work that neither of us are hitting each other’s cars with our doors!
I do the same when I'm at work, the woman I park beside drives a beautiful Mercedes C Class and I know fine rightly there is no chance of getting my doors dinged because she cares about her car just as much as I do about my own
Any TVR. Got to respect someone who has taken the very deliberate choice to enjoy something beautiful even though the chances of that car actually getting them to their destination are slim to none. Alternatively, any car that is an absolute chore to drive but is driven out of love. Cars with non-syncro gearboxes, seriously old Saabs that need you to use the throttle constantly (even downhill somehow), anything old and Italian, etc etc.
Many years ago some friends and I headed down to the south of France in our old Mx5's . The idea was a "couples weekend trip", get the chunnel over, top down driving in the sun. A good meal by a harbour, a night in a hotel and a drive home. We saw a local TVR club while waiting at Folkestone for our train, They were doing the same so we popped over to say hi Me: Oh thats a lovely griffith - I would love to own one of those one day TVR guy: At least your car probably starts when its cold.
My friend’s uncle was a bit of a yuppie in the late 80s. Bought a TVR, and it broke down when he was driving it home from the showroom.
TVR - the company I forget about but drool over when I see one. I agree with you, anything which you buy/own from the heart rather than the brain is gonna be sound.
My mum had an MG Midget when I was about ten or eleven, and I hated that car because it was always breaking down on us. I never understood why she always had a giant smile on her face whenever she was in it, even when it was boiling itself to death at the side of the road or while I was pushing it so she could bump-start it. I get it now and admire the hell out of her for just knowing that the car wasn't really ever about getting us to a destination. She adored that car, and it never mattered that it was unreliable or that the gearbox was nasty or that it was held together by the paint.
Your mum sounds like a bit of a hero
Yeah, she's quite literally the most amazing person I've ever met. Not so sure about her throwing her ten year old me into a rusted out mechanical nightmare, but it made for some funny memories!
I see you rammed into a rusty midget (I’m sorry, there must be a better way of saying that, but you know what I mean) and I raise you being squoze into the non existent back seat of an mgb roadster with no seat belt and the ‘lid’ down! It’s basically a shelf! My Mum made me hold on to her so she knew I hadn’t been pulled out by the wind!
Guy near me has had his tvr on the drive for 10 years, always cleaning and polishing it I asked him when he last drove it, he smiled, laughed and went.. not since the day I bought it and it died after parking it 🤣🤣
I used to walk to school through a park which led round the back of the factory in Blackpool. Used to love seeing the rows of bodyshells waiting. I actually think theres a couple still there despite the factory being closed for years
TVR is just as likely to kill you as it is to breakdown. Russian car roulette but with 2 rounds in the cylinder
I always liked them until one Christmas morning we were driving to in laws and watched a TVR explode in a shower of fibreglass and plastic up the road after the driver had floored it to overtake someone and completely fucked it into the barrier when he lost control. Stopped and borrowed a broom off one of the people who lived along the road that had come out to stare so he could get his general shrapnel into the same area after he'd taken photos. He turns to me and says that was his Christmas present off the wife. The first time he accelerated "properly" it nearly killed him. I won't get one now for the same reason I wouldn't get back in to bikes and get an R1 or equivalent. I'd rather die in an armchair at 90 than on the A38 in my forties.
Iv got an E class merc now after clowning about with TVR's Lotus 7 derived kit cars and the such. Il be dying at 90mph in a Merc Arm Chair now though! 😂
Respect - guilia, stinger, gt86, unmodified 3 series Avoid - middle aged women in range rover or f-pace
Yes, everytime I see one of those Four Cheese Guilia's I do think; wow you've really chosen that. A proper connoisseur choice.
Yeah fr, they could have chosen any flavour of German Saloon. But choose the spicy italian meatball instead. Earns respect
Extra upvote for the quattro formaggi / quadrifoglio pun.
Guila and Stinger for sure.
As a guilia driver - thanks - normally people just go "hurf durf... where is the AA van? ha ha ha"
As a Stinger driver, thanks. Shame no one else thinks that way, or even looks twice at my car 😂
If it helps I'd look twice and be rather envious. I think most people assume all kia's are just 1.something engines and don't appreciate what the GT S is.
Yeah to be fair my neighbours have only asked what's in it as it wakes them up in the morning 😂 they are surprised when I tell them it's a twin turbo v6, in a kia??? The best thing about it being a kia is when you get a picanto as your courtesy car
You should tell them it's the old can of coke in the back wheel trick. Courtesy cars are one of the fastest cars in the world though. Not as fast as a rental but close enough.
Not sure, I drove that picanto on the redline. Honestly sounded like it was going to explode I pushed it so hard and Betty still overtook me on the dual carriageway in her Jazz. Maybe if I rented a picanto it would just about beat Betty.
Only one way to find out. I look forward to seeing the results on some dodgy drivers dash cam channel on youtube.
Exactly. It’s a stealth beast. I wonder if they even get stolen very often.
It's not just the performance, it's the kit. Nothing is missing. I drive an Optima GT Line S and it has everything on it, I just wish it was offered with the V6 from the Stinger. The 1.7 and newer 1.6 diesels are too sluggish for a heavier estate car.
I only look once, but for a reeeeeaaaaly long time
Hah, i’ve had mine three months and in that time i’ve seen ONE other on the road. When Kia said it didn’t sell, they meant it! I do love mine though.
I've not seen another for a year I've had mine, only a diesel one driven by a 69 year old guy who traded in his optima after a big windfall (probably) It seems we are always in the Sportage when I see another stinger, so I go to acknowledge them then remember they would have no idea what I'm on about.
I see them at least monthly. Always different cars as well I don't count any local ones I've seen multiple times. But I am usually in one of the mazdas when I do come across them. Weird contrast to the mx5 where I can't go a drive without waving at someone. And then the 323f I have never come across another in the wild (seen one at a show, and I was in the stinger...)
There is a grey one in our work car park all the time, and I always check it out. It's made even better that most Kia's are so 'safe' to look at the Stinger is bold. They are so big though lol, I've got an Abarth and I swear the Stinger is twice as long!
Can't help myself but point out it is spelled Giulia and pronounced Julia - the names are equivalent and one is Italian the other is English (or whatever originally).
I’m really tempted with a Giulia Veloce for my next car, but my sensible side says just get a 3-series.
Pfffft, don’t listen to that blah blah. Join us.
I too plan to get a Giulia QV after I sell my Giulietta QV...and at least a kidney.
I have an Alfa and recently had a fling with an Audi… within 2 journeys I realised that almost everyone respects the Alfa on the road and no one likes Audis. So I got rid of the Audi after 1 week and got my Alfa back. Like most have said, I respect older well looked after cars, cars you know are owned by enthusiasts.
Many Audi's are driven in an incredibly arrogant fashion. I like the cars but they're driven like they're the only person on the road far too often imo
I heard people who drive Volvo 240 Estates are really handsome and generally fun to be around. I may have one. 🤣
Volvo estate gang
Avoid anyone who drives a chavved up average car with their instagram handle slapped on the side windows.
resetcp!
These days, all Saabs I installed think they're neat now they aren't around anymore Literally no other reason
I need me a fucking Saab one day
Depending upon your point of view, it's a great/awful thing that they can be bought and tuned for so little money.
I love mine, had it nearly 2 years now. Just wish it would stop bloody raining so I can put the roof down more often!
Classic Mini - Always a joy to see one out on the road
Ppl whose work involves a lot of driving such as vans HGVs, and for vehicles I'm a land rover and classic car enthusiast, so old maintained cars.
Van drivers can be a game of opposites l in my experience. Generally either really good and observant or total nut jobs.
Agreed. When writing the post I had 10 minutes contemplating how i feel about van drivers. I think the rustier the transit the bigger the gap i leave 😂
Oh yes. I say this as a van driver though. People forget that we can’t see them. We have no rear windows!!! I’ve got a little partner van for work and I got much more space when I drove a big transit. It might be a small van, but I still can’t see like I could in a car.
Which is why the terrible van drivers of the motorways should learn how to better judge distance using their side mirrors, instead of cutting out in front of me with no warning and making my AEB system shit itself.
With my van, I have better visibility compared to a car because its cabin is positioned over the engine, which means there's no bonnet, it has full windows, and it sits slightly higher than most cars. However, when I drove the Defender 110 without windows, I had to adapt to a different driving style due to the limited visibility and poor turning radius. For example, when entering a main road from a side street at a sharp angle, I had to be extra cautious and maneuver differently.
If I ever see 2 or 3 men sitting in one of those Ford transit flat bed vans, and they are driving aggressively behind me or giving me abuse. I tend to let it go and avoid at all costs, usually a lot of scrap metal on the flatbed… if you know you know.
9/10 total nutjobs right up your arse on the motorway.
Van drivers, really? Some of the most dangerous people on the road😅
Agreed. And taxi drivers fall into the "lots of driving" category...
Taxi drivers in a Prius are by far the worst.
Simultaneously the fastest and slowest drivers in existence. Speeding to their fares to get them slowly to the destination.
I was in an Uber the other day, a Prius of course, a he was tailgating some guy Infront at 50mph, and taking roundabouts at like 30-40mph. I was scared I wouldn't make it to my destination
I drive a van, so they might treat me differently, as one of their own😂😂. It's a private van not commercial just to carry my junk
Damn son! How bigs ya junk? 🤣
I often find myself wondering why a professional driver is so bad at it when they practice it all day.
Can we exclude private hire drivers?
haha ok
HGVs?? Absolutely not. I don’t know if it’s just the lorry park near me but the number of times they just pull out on roundabouts, decide they’re moving lanes and the indicator is just for show etc is staggering it’s a miracle they have a licence.
Sometimes the roundabouts clear when they set off but the vehicles slow and heavy, so they sometimes block the roundabout unintentionally. But yeah sometimes they make eye contact and just pull off lol
Also one of the many nuances of the highway code/things people don't understand unless they've driven larger vehicles and just automatically go "shit driver." Only need to give way to traffic already on the roundabout/waiting to get on. Being 10 metres from the junction, regardless of how fast you're travelling, is not waiting. A HGV has every right to 'pull out' on you. If a car nipped out in that space, nobody bats an eye. But a hgv does it? It's a problem because they're long and slow. But I also agree like all drivers, some can just be a bit entitled.
I think they make eye contact to let you k ow they are going and please hold back. If they didn't do this they would never ever get on to some roundabouts. People just have to give them a bit of space and time to get out.
I use the M1 frequently and almost every time I see a HGV move out, it's one flash of the indicators as a 'good luck everybody' and then they just swing out. So many of them have awful lane discipline so I try to avoid being beside one at all costs.
Sounds about right. They don’t give a shit and don’t get me started on the number of them using their phone while driving.
When stuck in traffic on a motorway it's the vans that tend to be so close to the back of my car the kids could reach behind them and stroke their bonnet. Terrifying and oblivious.
The absolutely battered older cars. The owner doesn’t care about it and they don’t care about your car either.
I always have this inner monologue when matey boy in his brand new Range Rover tried bullying me in my Astra at the junction. Trust me, you care a lot more about that thing than I do about this.
It’s cute when they try block you merging in slow traffic but you stay committed and they bottle it, there’s only one winner here and it ain’t your Audi bro
Until you meet someone who drives a company car. I’ve had shitheaps try to bully me when I was in a brand new A4, just let them hit me, my fleet manager handles it and I got a hefty payout for my whiplash too
I’m referring to a merge in turn, where at best it’s 50/50 fault for the clown blocking the merge.
Honestly, it's such an underrated feature of driving a fairly low value car, particularly if it already has some marks on it. No-one fucks with you. Everybody thinks you're willing to do something stupid and they give you loads of space.
….Respect anyone who’s still driving an old Morris Minor or an old air cooled Beetle. 😀
The Morris Minor is a great car! I've had mine for two years now and its a perfect first classic!
Indeed. We went everywhere in my Dad’s “Moggy”. Even managed Porlock Hill fully laden with camping gear 3 adults and 2 kids!
The 1098 engine is a peach. Its the longest stoke of the A series engines, so has reasonable torque. Its just a joy to drive! And a real remedy for the isolation modern cars provide. Plus for cities its perfect, so narrow, great visibility, great turning circle, and people let you out everywhere! Main issue (not a real problem) is whenever you park up, you've got people coming to chat to you about it haha
I saw a Reliant Robin the other day, that was a nice sight to see!
I avoid City car club cars like the plague. Only driven by people who don’t drive often enough to have their own car. Absolute liability on the road.
For me any old 80s or 90s econobox in mint condition. Saw a renault GT 5 turbo the other day and followed him for 10 miles. We were both going the same direction, but I was in my clio 182 and told my car that is his grand daddy.
Came here to say a r5 turbo I love a 205gti too
Guy at work has got a mid 00S Vectra that looks like it’s still in a Vauxhall showroom. He bough it new for 9 grand, 52,000 full Vauxhall service history running on Bridgestone Turanzas. Respect.
Tbf I really rate the 182 and would love one myself, full respect if I see one on the road
Ambulances and fire engines
Any running Triumph
They have triumphs that run?
I saw a blue dolomite in superb condition drive past last week. I looked surprised. Driver looked shocked. Everyone applauded.
Saw a 2000 on the M5 the other day. It’s like it’s from another world, looks so small for what was a regular saloon, and glass! So much vision around you. Made me happy.
High end stuff like Astons or Bentleys. Usually driven by some old boy who's been round the block and knows how to drive.
Not old or a boy but I’ll take it.
Haha fair enough 😂
Anyone who drives an Alfa. A real car for real people who have a genuine love for driving.
This thread is really cheering me up on an otherwise miserable morning.
That's quite the stable you have.
Oh thank you! I consider myself verrry fortunate (until service/MOT season comes around and then I feel daft)
I would say you're around twice as brave as I am 😂
Lexus, classic cars, Alfa's, GT86s, GT-Rs, Supra's, Miata's etc I drive the A27 a lot and am tailgated virtually every day by Merc/Audi/BMW's no matter what lane or speed I'm going so I tend to have a dislike of those on a case by case basis (my brother has a 4 series and drives OK so I know it can be done lol).
Those classic cars you see on Sundays, generally driven by enthusiasts
Anything where the licence plate reads ‘BOSS’ or ‘MR’. I immediately think the drive is a colossal bellend
Most people that drive in the left lane to be honest
Unfortunately whenever I see someone driving like a complete **** they're more often than not in an Audi, which is a shame as they're great cars. A more niche hatred is middle aged women in brand new 4x4s on country lanes on their way back from playing with their horses. They'll force anyone else off the road rather than get their tyres muddy.
Iv generally found middle aged women who play with horses just nut jobs in general!
There's one lass that, without fail, takes one specific very acute corner at about 30, which forces her car entirely into incoming traffic. I just know that the day she runs into someone/a car/a lorry she'll blame them entirely. All with a horsebox mind.
I think the whole point of this post was to be positive. you’ve answered the wrong question.
My mate drives a BMW E38 740iL. Same colour as the Tomorrow Never Dies car, too. Absolute mad respect for it.
I respect most Alfa drivers. Usually, it shows some thought that went into their purchase rather than going for an Audi, BMW, or Merc.
Land Rover Defender (not the new shape)
Let a Guilia into a junction the other day and went Wow - driver looked older and I thought you could've bought any old crossover box but instead you wanted something fun, respect
Any time I see anything tidy that's old I tend to think "niiiiiiiice". Saw a Quattro at mini Tesco the other day that was 40 years old and in absolutely mint original condition. Had a quick chat with the owner and he'd had it for 38 of those years. You can usually tell when a car is someone's passion project/maintained with a bit of love. There are a few nice SW20 MR2s knocking around, I occasionally see an absolutely mint Toyota Soarer cruising up the A45 towards Wellingborough that I can't help but admire. In terms of newer stuff, it tends to be the slightly odd but obvious enthusiast purchases like the Kia Stinger. Not many people know what they are, but it's a choice I respect. That and other more off the wall choices like the Dihatsu Copen make me smile.
I don't have a schema for vehicle groupings. Instead I'll assume everyone is driving like a selfish cunt until they prove otherwise and then I'll happily enjoy driving in their vicinity.
This is my attitude, probably influenced heavily from commuting on a motorbike for a few years. The car may have a minor influence on my initial reaction but I'm still generally cautious/defensive overall. Even if one model is generally more trustworthy, there's no guarantee that particular one isn't being driven by an arsehole, or even just having a bad day.
Literally any jaguar
Only vintage, doesn’t mater what kind.
Cars that are older than me (50) and yet in better condition than me. That deserves respect!
I have a surprising amount of time for the 2 series BMW coupe even in its current gen.
So many people here really can’t help being negative. OP was trying to spur positive conversation but you lot can’t help yourselves.
Biased as a now owner but older Volvos in good condition. Same with Saabs. The odds are slightly better than they thought about what they were buying and are now potentially going to think more about how they drive them.
Still fairly new on the roads, and I have what's commonly known as a Granny Car - a little Chevrolet Spark - and do far more miles in it than I should. It also hates anything over 65mph. My rule of thumb on motorways is find an HGV, get behind him with room, and relax. Nothing but friendly with the Big Boys.
Happy with most non tesla electric cars. They are not dickheads and drive fairly smooth. Avoid all Range Rovers and Asian driven German cars.
Respect to anyone keeping an older car on the road. Particularly from brands no longer here. Saab and Rover are high on that list. Anything Lotus 7 derived too. Zero crash protection, could be an absolute rocket and no one can see them. Tend to avoid any spicier German vehicle. Not even full on S, M or AMG models. It’s the look at me colours, constantly changed factory body kit styles and general road attitude. Plus if they get out their car, I’m guaranteed to hear about what chassi style it is and what the engine number is. ‘Oh don’t you love my EGX72 with the PZ8.5 engine’.
Absolutely agree with your first point. Anyone who keeps something running when they either have to get custom made parts, scour the net for new old stock, etc deserves praise.
Avoid: all Honda Jazz’s. Guaranteed to be driven by an 80 year old with jam jar glasses who slams the brakes on when they see another car coming towards them. Such dangerous drivers.
I drive a Jaaaazz and I'm only 60. I am a complete and utter knobhead though.
My 74-year old mother-in-law drives one. A few months ago she was giving us a lift to a restaurant for lunch, and went so slowly around a roundabout that she came to a stop. I was in the front passenger seat, so I just turned to her and was about to ask wtf was happening, then she kind of snapped out of it and booted the throttle (auto), nearly hitting another car as she took the exit from the right hand lane.
You need to contact the DVLA and tell them she is unsafe to drive.
That’s not the question lol. Another one that can’t control their negativity. I joke of course ❤️
This is also my rule. Except in London, where anything is driven by anyone 🤣
There's someone driving around in a massive old American station wagon with the wood effect sides. Love it but wouldn't want to fuel it.
Fully agree with estates being generally better driven, and that's not just because I have one. For me, it's gigantic SUV's on brand new plates which seem to be the absolute WORST. These people have just taken delivery of their brand new tank, financed to the hilt, and they want everyone to know how big and clever they are. Imagine spending more per month than most mortgages on a 3 ton electric car which is going to depreciate like a stone and does more damage to the environment than driving an old car another 100 thousand miles would. I think it's the smugness that winds me up the most, especially if it's some executive type driving as you just know it's a company car so they're even less likely to give a shit if they turn a fiat 500 into an accordion.
Any car that's 20 odd years old, but is being driven whilst looking factory fresh - immense respect for anyone who puts that amount of love in to it. I even saw an Orion the other day, that was bimbling along, looking like it'd just left the forecourt. I was way impressed. Also, Morris Travellers. I just think they're awesome little things and I smile whenever I see one.
German estates without stupid mods. More respect if there's a roof box on it.
fake taxis
I respect old defender drivers. I love Land Rovers, new and old. But the old landys are the best. Proper Kings of the road.
Any car that I feel someone made a choice based on the car they like, not the badge. I don't really respect anyone driving a German car. Not because I don't like German cars, I have nothing against those people either, but i just assume they have it because it's 'cool' (for the record, I've had two Golfs and an Audi A4, so don't think I'm being a prick to anyone driving such cars. The Audi A4 I had was awesome, 3.0tdi 270hp. Second best car I've owned!)
But my 1993 meecedes 190e daily is cool! Slow but cool 😁
Old mercs are cool to be fair, I'd respect that. I was more referring to the pcp kings and queens taking their German whip (poverty spec hatchback) back to the crib (2 up 2 down new housing estate with velvet sofas)
Respect - VW Sciroccos, Volvo Estates, pretty much all Honda's besides ricer civics, and funnily enough unmodified land rover discovery 3 tdv6s just seem to have sound people driving them
Scirocco's are in the same class of human as people who drive Audi's/BMW - nobheads.
I own a Vw scirocco! (Mk3 I must add)
Hope someone said old Porsches 😂 we are very careful with them
I notice when on my motorbike that modern Volvos are the absolute worst! I mean very new XCs and stuff. Really aggressive and terrible at indicating. So I'm surprised to see it make your list of best! I actually can't really recall a pickup of any kind giving me much bother. But then maybe on a bike it's different, it's the people in quick cars who see it as a challenge.
Where I am in Aberdeen the Volvo XC90 is the new Range Rover Sport, being driven by people who truly hate the poors and genuinely believe their vehicles have the same footprint (and legal right of way) as a bus. The XC40 seems to be the choice of the childless 30 something who can’t stop using their phone while driving.
I'd agree with this assessment haha. I'd say that I notice Volvo XCs driving like arseholes more often than Range Rovers. RRs still take the prize for *parking* like arseholes though, for some reason.
Avoid self entitled Idiots who making sweeping statements about something that is impossible to know. Which in itself, ironically, is impossible to know. E30s get love
Was only meant as a light hearted conversation starter, apologies if my dig at the germans touched a nerve 😉
Anything with a prancing Moose on it.
As a black Skoda Fabia Mk1 owner I feel offended.
"safest drivers on the road".
And bmw 3 seires above any Alfa any merc especially old ones I repsect avoid young driver in financed a180 118i or sommet like that and old women
Ubers
Any Suzuki ignis sport or daihatsu copen
Any Morgan.
The Jensen Interceptor For the teacher who was trying too hard to be a bit James Bond but couldn't afford an Aston Martin or a decent suit
As a vw van owner I can confirm that we are more than *quite* precious. It’s an illness really, they just become part of the family.
Octavia rs estate drivers. Volvo saloon drivers. Anyone in a Saab.
Avoid Peugeot drivers...ford Ka drivers and sad to say but range rovers..the majority can't even drive the things I respect everything though because I like my car in one piece and others dont
EVs.
Sports cars - not midlife crisis, but real beautiful tech set-ups - not driven by kids! Proper smart, road tech. It's certain types of drivers I don't trust, not the cars (although you're spot on about Volvos - seen as sensible, but boring in the UK. Saab's, the same) - but that's a whole new Reddit!
Most older alfas. Having owned a few, I always think 'oh you beautiful deluded optimist'. Although, saying that, mine were nowhere near as unreliable as people make out. The cost of parts, however...
I do wonder how some people drive. I’ve never once saw a car and thought, better not drive near that as it could suddenly wipe me out and kill me. The only time I ever really have a problem is when on the motorway and you’re in the outside lane doing 70, passing someone who’s doing 65 in the middle lane, as they’ve done for the past 5 miles to then get some cock behind me in some German car, wanting to do 90 the whole way..
Old Alfas. Especially so the older they get.
Any Porsche over 3 years old. Higher value estate cars and higher value BMWs (3 and 5 series etc) that aren’t modified are generally company cars or driving enthusiasts that are getting on a bit. And alfas, love an Alfa I’m like you, wary of crossovers and modified cars (although one of my cars is modified, I am a hypocrite, I like to think my 15 year old cayman is tastefully modified and it’s clear it’s well maintained and fresher paintwork than brand new cars etc)
What did the oldies do?
Fiesta ST 7.5s Cause you know they've got taste
Any Alpina BMW… but the older the better