WHAT'S THE WORST CAR OF THE MILLENIUM

Car Talk dot com ^ | unknown date | Staff

[mlibertarianj]

The AMC Gremlin, was particularly nasty, though I did like the logo of the gremlin. I can't get in the older generations to admit they drove one.

[Arkinsaw]

I forget which car it was, I think a Monza or something, where you had to take out the engine to change the spark plugs or change the oil filter.

[socal_parrot]

Sure, you think it's funny, I have to live with the guilt.

[Arkinsaw]

The worst car I ever saw (a good friend had one) was the AMC Pacer...half the car was a glass bubble-like windshield (strange)...and the other half was doors...those doors were so big, the law of gravity assured that they would tend to fall off. The thing ran pretty good, but the body was a disaster waiting to happen.

I still love the Pacer. My brother had one and it was a comfortable car. I had an opportunity to buy one a few years ago that still had the sticker in the window and the original plastic bags over the seat. A 20 year old car with 46 miles on it. Wish I had. They had a little doughnut gasket that you COULD NOT keep replaced causing it to drool oil. But other than that the one we had was a peach.

[socal_parrot]

God, I forgot about the Monza. I saw the name and just started to laugh.

[L.N. Smithee]

No 6 - Renault Le Car

As you can see, the Le Car had the words "Le Car" printed across the bottom of the door. The late Herb Caen, columnist of the SF Chron, was once told by a dissatisfied Le Car owner that he was going to replace the letters "Car" with "Mon," so that it would read "Le Mon!"

My vote goes to the Ford Escort of the early 80's. Ford had commercials year after year touting the Escort as the best selling car in America.

Seen any on the road lately?

[weegee]

Didn't "Clinton's War" result in our bombing of the Yugo factory?

[jumpstartme]

I had a Monza. Mine was recalled for faulty motor mounts. I sold it a week later. It took years for Chevy to get me to buy another product from them.

[zarf]

The original AMC Cherokee was a disaster. A total piece of crap. It literally fell apart over the 8 month period that I owned it. It spent more time on blocks than it did being driven. I gave up on it after less than a year.

I never bought another American made car until just recently.

[Light Speed]

Ah the Chevette...
I've heard tell that the echo of the "Donny and Marie Osmond" commercials resonate from the car....
Chevette owners are litterly Driven insane!

[L.N. Smithee]

The worst car I ever saw (a good friend had one) was the AMC Pacer...half the car was a glass bubble-like windshield (strange)...and the other half was doors...those doors were so big, the law of gravity assured that they would tend to fall off. The thing ran pretty good, but the body was a disaster waiting to happen.

I still remember the TV commercials for the Pacer, describing the increased visibility of its wrap-around windows and extra space in the rear. It looked like a Gremlin after someone pumped helium into it. Whenever I drive behind one today, it reminds me of being on a crowded beach with a fat woman in a halter top in front of me.

[zarf]

I own a Ford Escort ZX2 w/5 speed on the floor. It's got lots of pep to spare on the interstate.and it's been a pleasure to drive. Built pretty solid for a car so affordable. A far cry from the old pieces of crap they used to make.

It's been a pleasent surprise from the get go.

[Looking for Diogenes]

My dad read this article and bent my ear about how much he loved the VW buses. He had one of the first in this country, which he'd picked up in Germany. He describes how going over the hilly country from New York to Pittsburgh he had to floor it down the hills in order to get nough speed to make it up the next hill.

He also tells of driving it to the Plaza Hotel for a white-tie and tails reception. The valets had never come across a shift pattern like it and took five minutes to get it in gear.

I've got my own fond memories of VW buses, but not all of them are for public consumption.

There are still a lot of them on the road.

[socal_parrot]

I also had a Chrysler Laser, their first attempt at a turbo engine. It spent more time in the shop than on the road, three turbos in four years. I learned to drive on a Corvair Spider, a car that had a much undeserved bad rap.

[American Preservative]

BeePing! : )

Auto Shop - FR Topic Bump List Register (Scroll down)

[rightofrush]

No. 9 - Renault Dauphine

Au contraire - My wife-to-be got one as a graduation present from college. We were driving in north Nevada when she lost control of the car coming out of a cut when caught by a wind gust. We were going at 60+ mi/hr, and the car went end over end three times down the highway. The car was not totaled. We weren't wearing seat belts, and the only injury that resulted was a broken bone in my wife's foot.
When we poped out the car, the truck driver behind us stopped and behaved as though he was seeing gosts.

It was a bit slow going up a hill, but we could often pass cars on the way down that passed us on the way up.

The worst car we ever had was a 1973 Toyota Carina. It may have been the only model of Toyota that was given the "Do not buy this car" award by Consumer Reports.

[Whey]

Two tone (red and white) AMC Pacer. It burst into flames while sitting at a stop light. Was I ever thankful!!! LOL

[goody2shooz]

My all time worst car was a VW Karman Ghia. Dreadful car. Couldn't wait to get rid of it.

Bought a '73 Datsun 240Z. A terrific car, great to drive, easy to tune up and light enough that I can push it on a flat street IF it konks out. Still have it, stored in a heated garage.

If that car was a man, I'd marry it.

[L.N. Smithee]

The first Chevy Monza (the 2+2) introduced rectangular headlights to North America. I thought it was the coolest looking car in the world.