What's the ugliest, worst car you've owned....

[Dougnsalem]

I've always had a thing for wagons. Have had a few 62-65 Chevy II (nova) wagons. Those were cool. At one point though, I have to admit, I owned a 74 Ford Pinto Wagon. Like the one pictured here, but in WAY worse shape. We used to go beat around in it, out in fields for something fun to do..... Damn, that thing was a POS.

 

[theprunetang]

I owned a 96 Ford Taurus that wasn't exactly ugly, but let's just say that the car just REALLY didn't want to have a head gasket. What a piece of shit.

 

[ripcityboy]

Dad let me drive an old Nissan 80's model, may have been a yellow Stanza..... IDK. But man it was butt ugly. Had my learner's permit, but it was on the property where I worked in his machine shop,.... So I tooled around in it, alone, doing burnouts into gravel, again and again. Good metaphor my my life in general....

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Used to call it the Bang Bus. It was actually fun to drive though but a little slow. Had problems with it and VW engineers suck with the engine layout.

Parents just gave it to me after I totaled my Accord shortly after I graduated.

I could get wasted at a bar and just sleep in the back until I sobered up, which I did. Had a sleeping bag and pillow and everything.

Had a system in that thing too, shit was bumpin' yo.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

My first car was a crap-brown 1980 Honda Civic hatchback that I bought in 1997. It had virtually no suspension, so I bottomed out constantly while entering parking lots, which I presume was what led to the exhaust leak. Clutch was shot, so I basically had to floor it to get it out of first. Also had no air conditioning and a problem radiator, which occasionally led to me having to blast myself with outside air while in rush hour traffic to prevent it from overheating on hot summer days. Plus, the paint was peeling, ceiling fabric was stained and detaching, and the seats had several tears in the upholstery.

I miss that car.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

I owned a 96 Ford Taurus that wasn't exactly ugly, but let's just say that the car just REALLY didn't want to have a head gasket. What a piece of shit.

It didn't want you to keep driving it and have to put thousands of dollars into the transmission. It was looking out for you.

I had a 78 Pontiac Grand Prix that a previous owner painted bright orange and blacked out the wheels, mirrors and windows etc...

It had a 283 4 barrel with a huge cam and stock converter and freeway gears. It couldn't spin a tire in the rain. From 65 to 80 it was pretty fast in second gear but as soon as it hit third it would fall on its face. The 283 came out of the prior owners 50s Chevy pickup with a granny gear and steep rear end gears so it would actually have been ok in the truck.

 

[Dougnsalem]

I owned a 96 Ford Taurus that wasn't exactly ugly, but let's just say that the car just REALLY didn't want to have a head gasket. What a piece of shit.

Damn. You reminded me of the black 90's Taurus Wagon I had. (I've had MANY POS beaters over the years-Lol) Head gaskets, fuel pumps, and front brakes. Over, and over....

 

[theprunetang]

I couldn't be happier with my current car. I bought it for 500 bucks in Florida on September 7th and drove it all the way to Portland with no issues. It sure beat buying a plane ticket. 98 Civic for the win...haha

 

[theprunetang]

Damn. You reminded me of the black 90's Taurus Wagon I had. (I've had MANY POS beaters over the years-Lol) Head gaskets, fuel pumps, and front brakes. Over, and over....

Yeah, my Taurus blew through 3 head gaskets in 2 years. Think about that.

 

[ripcityboy]

Yeah, my Taurus blew through 3 head gaskets in 2 years. Think about that.

I wish I had become a car enthusiast. I wouldn't be out of my element in discussion like this......

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

head gaskets usually blow only when you overheat, right?

 

[e_blazer]

Toss up between the '64 Chevy Corvair and the '71 Pinto. I have to give the nod to the Ford, though. I mean, how many cars have you driven where the stick comes off in your hand when you are shifting?

 

[andalusian]

I had a 1969 Citroen Ami 6 Break, looked a bit like the following:

I bought it for $30 (rescued it from an airport where it was abandoned) and worked on it. I do not think I ever drove it for more than 15 miles without having to stop somewhere and fix somewhere. After about 6 months when I used to arrive late to classes at college with greasy black hands - I decided that it was cheaper and faster to just use public transportation.

 

[andalusian]

head gaskets usually blow only when you overheat, right?

It really depends on the car and the engine. Alloy engines usually twist more when they get hot - so it is important to re-torque the head occasionally to eliminate this issue (more of an issue with older cars). Some engines have issues with gasket design or material. Subarus have had these issues quite a bit in the past (I no longer own Subarus so I do not know how their newer cars fair) - and I think it is a combination of gasket material and the design of the engine (boxer) which gives you more gasket area that can go wrong.

I had 4 Subarus - 1 blew an engine because of a head-gasket failure that lead to oil leak combined with Subaru deciding not to have an oil warning light on that particular machine - and unfortunately, I was away on business and my wife did not check the oil when I was away.

One other Subaru I had - had the same issue, but I did check on it - and caught it before it failed.

 

[Dougnsalem]

I wish I had become a car enthusiast. I wouldn't be out of my element in discussion like this......

Don't feel bad that you didn't. I did it as a profession, and my body is paying for it now....

head gaskets usually blow only when you overheat, right?

Normally. Some, like the Taurus, will blow if you look at it wrong. Geeze, and Bodyman was right on the money about those transmissions..... Lol

You guys are getting me to feel not so bad about that Pinto! A Citroen??? Well, no, that Pinto was junk.... Like Pres said, if it had a thumpin stereo, it didn't matter tho....

 

[andalusian]

You guys are getting me to feel not so bad about that Pinto! A Citroen???

Dude, it was $30 - and I probably missed lunch for a week to afford it at the time.

Funny thing, I would love to have one now (or better yet, the even uglier Berline) as a play thing... Just look at that rear window...

To make it clear, the Ami 6 is basically a Citroen 2CV, 603cc 2 cylinder engine with less than 30HP - Citroen decided that the 2CV was too pretty so they came out with this thing..

 

[riverman]

My first car...cost 300 dollars..when everybody had muscle cars in high school, I went the opposite direction, nobody would steal one of these

 

[Dougnsalem]

Dude, it was $30 - and I probably missed lunch for a week to afford it at the time.

Funny thing, I would love to have one now (or better yet, the even uglier Berline) as a play thing... Just look at that rear window...

To make it clear, the Ami 6 is basically a Citroen 2CV, 603cc 2 cylinder engine with less than 30HP - Citroen decided that the 2CV was too pretty so they came out with this thing..

Lol. Yeah, and I bet it'd be worth some money now too. Really, kinda cool looking, in an odd way. Closest thing I've touched would be a Renault Fuego. Geeze, that was a money pit. Glad I didn't own it....

 

[riverman]

My wife had a Fiatt Regatta overseas her brother gave her...worst car ever...giant trunk...no turning radius...absolutely no chance of making a U-turn in this baby and it was breaking all the time...could carry a ton of luggage though

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

This was my first ride. I loved it. Furry steering wheel cover, furry seats. 2 12" JL Audio 12W1s.

 

[Shaboid]

Had an '84 4 cylinder Saab 900. Man I loved that car, even if the motor mounts were non exsistent. Every time I took off in 1st gear I thought the whole engine might just drop to the pavement. Coolest thing about it was the rear window Louvres. Should have taken those off before I got rid of it, probably could have sold them for more than the car itself was worth.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

I was 16 years old in 1970 when I bought a little 1958 English Ford Prefect (4 door) same kind of car as in the photo only in way, way, worse shape. I bought it from a friend of my brother's for $135. It was really rare and parts were next to impossible to find (no eBay in those days). It was a battered butt ugly green color. To start it you had to manually choke it, turn the key and then pull a button on the dash board. It had a a straight 4 cylinder engine that topped out at 55 mph (60 mph downhill with a tail wind). 35 mpg at a time when gas was $0.27/gallon and the tank held 8 gallons. It had a 3 speed on the floor and the synchromesh for second gear was toast so I had to double clutch to get it into second. The heater didn't work, so winters were problematic. Worse, the window wipers were vacuum powered, so the harder the engine worked, the slower the wipers moved. That meant that whoever was riding shot gun had to roll down their window and reach out and manually operate the wipers when going uphill in a downpour (the first time a date ever had to do that was a virtual guarantee that another date was out of the question). It didn't even have so much as an AM radio.The tires were totally mismatched retreads that would each take turns going flat at inopportune times for absolutely no reason. The muffler was held in place with furnace wire. It was so ugly my brothers immediately (and accurately) named it The Piglet. All these years later I have never had a car I loved more.....

 

[Chris Craig]

Had a 1978 plymouth station wagon...thing was made of fucking steel...called it Grey Bone

 

[barfo]

I've got a 1955 Dennymobile. Lots of smoke from the rear end, but it never seems to go anywhere.

barfo

 

[riverman]

first car I bought my son in high school (this one might be newer...his was early 90s)

 

[riverman]

View attachment 10344 I was 16 years old in 1970 when I bought a little 1958 English Ford Prefect (4 door) same kind of car as in the photo only in way, way, worse shape. I bought it from a friend of my brother's for $135. It was really rare and parts were next to impossible to find (no eBay in those days). It was a battered butt ugly green color. To start it you had to manually choke it, turn the key and then pull a button on the dash board. It had a a straight 4 cylinder engine that topped out at 55 mph (60 mph downhill with a tail wind). 35 mpg at a time when gas was $0.27/gallon and the tank held 8 gallons. It had a 3 speed on the floor and the synchromesh for second gear was toast so I had to double clutch to get it into second. The heater didn't work, so winters were problematic. Worse, the window wipers were vacuum powered, so the harder the engine worked, the slower the wipers moved. That meant that whoever was riding shot gun had to roll down their window and reach out and manually operate the wipers when going uphill in a downpour (the first time a date ever had to do that was a virtual guarantee that another date was out of the question). It didn't even have so much as an AM radio.The tires were totally mismatched retreads that would each take turns going flat at inopportune times for absolutely no reason. The muffler was held in place with furnace wire. It was so ugly my brothers immediately (and accurately) named it The Piglet. All these years later I have never had a car I loved more.....

That's awesome! I remember the mid 60's VW bugs would have the windshield wipers and lights go brighter or faster as you accelerated...I discovered that in high school driving in a blizzard once...my friend lent it to me.....scared me to death

 

[MarAzul]

the stick comes off in your hand when you are shifting?

Ha! I had a 61 Corvair. The entire engine/trany came out of that thing while I was shifting. Now that was a sick feeling stick.

 

[riverman]

My first 3 cars were all Dodge Darts....and I sold each one for the price I paid for it...drove one across the US without a glitch...used to laugh going over the Rockies and seeing fancy new cars smoking on the side of the mountain. Not fancy but those slant 6 motors were indestructible....just had to replace the starter motor every few years because it was so low to the ground

 

[H.C.]

I never bought a junker car with my own money.
95 civic dx
95 integra ls
99 ford ranger

Civic got rear ended by a super cute girl who was diving a 91 toyota pickup, which totaled it. Dated her for about a year after.
Last week I sold my integra to a guy in Albany. Header was blown, and I didn't have time to fix it myself. So I took a loss of about a thousand.
(surprisingly though after it sitting for 6 months, I reconnected the battery and she started right up like she was still my daily driver. Will miss that car.)
My ranger is a beast, and a baby with under 140k miles. She'll run forever.