Tell me about cars. What is your favourite car that you have ever owned or driven, and what did you like about it?

(Reason for asking: I am learning to drive (better late than never) and will be buying a car, so would like to gather information and opinions beforehand.)

With the disclaimer that I don't know much about cars, and am happy as long as they work smoothly, handle well and have good a/c and a decent stereo system...

I've driven a '99 Toyota Corolla (that is still going strong for my brother) and a '04 Nissan Pulsar the most. They're both good cars, though lacking in engine power, both having 1.8L engines. Australia isn't a frosty or snowy place generally, so I don't know how they handle in cold conditions, but they were just fine for me. Both were automatic, relatively compact and easy to park and handle. The only thing I didn't like about the Pulsar was the low fuel capacity, meaning I felt like I was always going to the petrol station (the part I dislike most about owning a car). My parents found the Pulsar quite noisy, but I didn't know any better.

I know Toyotas have good resale value, and my sister and husband both drive later model Toyotas.

I now drive a Honda Accord and it has much more engine power, while being a bit of a fuel guzzler. It's a good car.

Not recommended:
Hyundai Sonata - had problems with air conditioning vents gumming up the windscreen.
Nissan Patrol 4WD '88 - those brakes have been the subject of recurring nightmares. This car took so much leg power to stop once it got moving.

An additional note: all the cars I've driven have had fabric seats and I really recommend them if you get very sunny days. Leather seats might look good, but are not worth the burn. Also, Japanese-made cars are more popular in Australia than European cars, just because the parts and servicing are far cheaper here.

Also, of all the cars I've driven (my dad seems to buy new cars pretty often, so I get to drive them when I visit), the only one I ever lost control of was a Volvo.

I love driving. Particulaly in rural areas. But, living in a big city, I find owning a almost more bother than it's worth. Right now I think my vehicle is more of a convenience than a need.


The car I've driven the longest is a Jeep Cherokee, which isn't made any longer. It's a great vehicle, though. It's sturdy, and I've had mechanics tell me Cherokees run forever. The main negative is that it is not very fuel efficient.

I've also had a 12-seat, big monster of a passenger van, that I moved from California to North Carolina in. It was a P.O.S. but man could you pack a ton of stuff into it.

I used to drive a Volkswagon Jetta. It was a nice little car. Easy and fun to drive. But, you could only take it to mechanics who worked on foreign cars. That might be something you want to consider too - will all mechanics be able to work on your car or will you have to take it to people who were specially trained?

As a new driver, I would recommend getting something smaller and compact. They tend to be easier to drive and easier to maneuver. Basically, consider what you need the vehicle for? What are you going to be using it for? Do you need to haul around lots of stuff? Are you going to be doing mostly city driving? Are you concerned about gas prices and the environment? Do you want to show off?

Thanks sciski and Bailiwick for your replies - some good points to consider.

The UK is fairly diverse in terms of the car market and UK, European and Japanese cars are all widely available so unless I purposely went for an obscure manufacturer the are-there-mechanics-to-fix-it issue should not be a problem.

I'm no boy (or girl) racer type so won't be after a flashy number, just something reliable and pleasant to drive (a mix of city driving and longer distances), and probably the next size up from the smallest cars because I feel cramped in them - growing up as one of four kids our family car was always by necessity large, so being in a tiny city car feels really small to me in comparison.

All but one of my cars has either been a Honda or a Toyota. I prefer simpler cars in contrast to luxury cars. Of course there's the money thing, but I like the feel of a simpler car. It feels like I'm driving as opposed to the car.

^ Oh, very true. The shift towards computerised parts tends to worry me because of the lack of direct control (though that may also be an illusion).

I love driving. I love being in my car. It reminds of Gary Numan's hit...I drive a Nissan Sentra SER. It fits me like a glove and never breaks down and goes when I need it to.

_________________
"It's a big industry
And they can beat my brain
With houses, cars and shame
They are insane"
~ Iggy Pop

Of all the cars I have owned or driven.

*98 Chevy Blazer- Didn't like this, the B pillar was in the way and I could check my blind spot.

*96 Ford Explorer- Was alright but had issues, broke down a few times due to suction problems of some sort.

*98 Ford Escort- This one just never worked right, had a million things wrong with it.

*86 Nissan Maxima Se- This car has never had any problems other than standard wear and tear stuff (Still drive it all the time.) has 215k miles and I love love love the way it drives.

*02 Nissan Maxima- This is good too, the automatic transmission can be a bit laggy when you really put your foot into it, but it's been in an accident so that might be part of it.

*04 Nissan Pathfinder- Literally never any problem at all.

*92 Hyundai (don't remember the model, little car)- Only drove this once, no power steering, hard clutch, crappy brakes.

*75 Chevelle malibu classic- Liked this one a lot, was my best friend's car. it drove nicely for a big heavy car.

*87 Crown Victoria- Hated this with a passion, big, clunky, unreliable.

*Ford Econoline RV- Was my parents, driving an RV is a bit of an interesting challenge but nothing to write home about.

The Japanese stuff has definitely been more reliable.