Most Hideous / Embarassing Courtesy Cars

'& Son' managed

Third Party
Mar 2, 2018
269
89
South Coast
I

The worst hire car ive had was defiantly a Citroen C3. It was a new 2017 model so expected better, but it was noisy, slow and horrific to drive. So soft, vague and light, all by design of course. Why would anyone want something so awful to drive? It would be far more terrifying than a Cupra because at anything over 30 you felt completely detached from the car, like you were trying to walk on ice. Worse of all everything was operated via the touch screen, which I swear is not safe. You have to look, whereas real buttons and dial can be done with feel.

My best friend used to have a Toyota Aygo. Yes it was slow and basic, but it had a certain honesty about it, and it drove fine. He even managed to exceed the manufacturers economy figures with it, getting 68mpg on a 500 mile trip.

Despite me not liking a 2004 first-generation 'auto' Citroen C3 I was lent years ago, I have to defend the current version to an extent,
(not least because I chose to buy one over other similar cars for my Missus.)

For sure it's no driver's car, but then it's not sold as such and - (the odd hot hatch version aside) - Citroen's never have been.
Comfort is what they are supposed to be about and the current C3 certainly rides more comfortably/deals with speedhumps
better than all of it's supermini rivals that I tried, including the rather tinny-feeling Aygo. It is also surprisingly quiet, (certainly no
noisier than Father's 6 month newer 1.2 Leon.)

Although the steering is too light and feel is rather limited, so it is with most modern electric-assisted systems. The car handles perfectly
ok at low/medium speeds without the pitching/yawing of her previous GM supermini and cruises quite well at high speed on the motorway.

A B-road blast reveals it's handling limitations quickly enough, (the poorly set-up rear suspension being the main culprit) and is certainly
unpleasant to drive in such circumstances, but then it's not built or sold for that and most owners wouldn't drive it in that manner anyway.

The 3 cylinder engine has enough power for this type of car and has a good amount of low-down torque which suits the relaxed nature of the car well. The touchscreen is annoying at first until you get used to it, but the 'important' safety functions like instant demist and HRW are on 'normal' buttons below the screen anyway. The screen icons just mean it takes longer to change some features than is ideal - a minor PITA
sometimes, but nothing more. In short, it suits it's intended clientele pretty well - but wannabe racers certainly need not apply.
 

ChrisM75

Active Member
May 10, 2019
423
182
I thought the ride was actually choppy and floaty, and speed bumps really made the car unsettled at the rear, ive never known a car make speed bumps seem so violent. It always felt like it was going to tip over or slide off the road. They simply feel unsafe.

The Aircross is all that and actually uncomfortable, which really defeats the only point in a Citroen. Reviews have also noted the poor ride.
 

'& Son' managed

Third Party
Mar 2, 2018
269
89
South Coast
Although I have to reaffirm the rear suspension quickly runs out of ideas if driven with any gusto, I feel that the car
copes with 20/30 limit speed bumps better than most superminis, even if it is only by virtue of it's softer spring settings
and in the case of her mid-trim version, lots of soundproofing, (maybe it's quieter than a more basic version.)

I don't recognize any violent reactions in the suspension, only sometimes with the brakes, which to my taste are
over-servoed and so excessively sharp in some situations, but that's just like a 'proper' Citroen of many years ago.

Then again, my wife likes this trait as it makes her feel it is safe because of the 'strong brakes' and much prefers the
quieter, soft(ish) ride to both her previous Aveo and the new Corsa loan car she drove recently. She also prefers the
typical PSA longer-throw gearlever, (although I don't.)

However, neither of us has felt it lacks in levels of grip or feels unsafe in any way, indeed it has a touch more safety
understeer and is more progressive than many cars with much stiffer suspension, which is a reassuring feeling for her,
who I admit is no 'driver' nor has any ambition to be.
 

'& Son' managed

Third Party
Mar 2, 2018
269
89
South Coast
Must have been in limp mode or faulty in some other way then, Although obviously a slow car, (and despite a better seller,
not as good a car as the Panda it's based on) I managed an indicated 90 in one once...
 

camelspyyder

2 SEAT-er
Jun 26, 2014
1,305
175
This week - one of the worst courtesy cars ever - a 19 plate with 59 miles Seat Ibiza Mk6 with the asthmatic MPI engine and less than 80 bhp.

And also a computer/electric bug that randomly disabled:

Front Assist
Cruise
Airbags
Headlamp auto height adjust
A/C and fan
Gearchange indicator
Central Locking
Seatbelt warnings
and no doubt loads more!

In addition the ECU was misbehaving on the over-run giving a rocking effect at speed.
It felt like the fuel cut off wasn't actually doing that on lifting off the accelerator.

What a piece of junk.
 

Nathan penney

Active member
Jul 8, 2017
686
789
Liverpool
This week - one of the worst courtesy cars ever - a 19 plate with 59 miles Seat Ibiza Mk6 with the asthmatic MPI engine and less than 80 bhp.

And also a computer/electric bug that randomly disabled:

Front Assist
Cruise
Airbags
Headlamp auto height adjust
A/C and fan
Gearchange indicator
Central Locking
Seatbelt warnings
and no doubt loads more!

In addition the ECU was misbehaving on the over-run giving a rocking effect at speed.
It felt like the fuel cut off wasn't actually doing that on lifting off the accelerator.

What a piece of junk.
Assume you don’t have one of these yourself then? Lol
 

moriarty

Active Member
Apr 6, 2015
96
14
Edinburgh
A long time ago now but when I started my first proper job (early 90s) one of my colleagues had an Astra.
When his car needed work several times he got a pale yellow Tigra which he made me drive us to construction sites in.
 
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perelaar

Active Member
Jan 18, 2019
86
40
Sugartown Belgium
Friend brought in for maintenance (years ago) a Porsche Panamera Turbo S to the dealership he bought it from here in Belgium - and had to pay 30€ / day for courtesy car. He received a VW Polo Fox, 60 hp diesel, without airco or radio.

Never went back to that dealer, only buys his Porsche cars in Germany now. Every maintenance there's a free choice of replacement cars, as of course the dealer there knows that once you drive something better you want it :)
 

Nathan penney

Active member
Jul 8, 2017
686
789
Liverpool
AA94753D-D531-48F8-B73A-513AE3419567.jpeg 10DAEA8B-5D87-422B-8468-AD417771E541.jpeg 3B00C906-8EE8-4DFC-AE1A-2C908E59A8C7.jpeg
Here’s my courtesy car for a couple of days.
A 1998 R reg Volvo S70.
My 2009 V70 has gone off to the Specialst for a couple of jobs done before it gets swapped at the weekend and I’ve been given this ‘proper’ Volvo to use.
it’s done 250k and drives spot on.
Surprising how small it is now compared to new cars.
 

ChrisM75

Active Member
May 10, 2019
423
182
Modern cars really are huge. My family used to have a Rover SD1, which seemed like a huge car, but actually compared to even a medium hatch these days isnt. The Leon isnt a long, but really the extra length of the SD1 is mostly in the bumpers and the leon is actually wider and taller.
 
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Nov 30, 2020
1
0
I can't post the pictures, but at least your eyes will be spared, of the 'thing' my son was given for several weeks. It was a Renault Vel Satis! Wouldn't have been too bad if it had been the Aventime, but a Vel Satis OMG.
 

Yern

Active Member
Apr 25, 2019
625
311
I can't post the pictures, but at least your eyes will be spared, of the 'thing' my son was given for several weeks. It was a Renault Vel Satis! Wouldn't have been too bad if it had been the Aventime, but a Vel Satis OMG.
Knew they'd registered at least 1 :roflmao:
 

camelspyyder

2 SEAT-er
Jun 26, 2014
1,305
175
I can't post the pictures, but at least your eyes will be spared, of the 'thing' my son was given for several weeks. It was a Renault Vel Satis! Wouldn't have been too bad if it had been the Aventime, but a Vel Satis OMG.

The Avantime is hideous too. Apart from having less doors there's not a lot of difference?
 

adrian001

Active Member
Apr 19, 2016
43
9
I took a Seat Leon first edition out for a test drive from a local dealer found a half eaten cookie and a tub of Nutella in the centre storage compartment plus load of other things wrong with the car.
 

Yern

Active Member
Apr 25, 2019
625
311
After the find in the storage compartment who cares what else is wrong with it...sack the dealer off.
A courtesy car lent when my car was in for service had boxes of viagra in the glovebox...I resisted the temptation o_O . When I had a dealer company car if it was found in a non-presentable customer condition then you'd lose use of it for a defined period. If the sales driver wanted it on a Saturday morning for the butty run then I'd give him the keys, just make sure its washed before you give it me back!!
 

andycalvia

Full Member
Oct 20, 2004
279
28
38
Ayrshire
I think I will win this thread, my first Ibiza (2004) I owned was in for some warranty work and I was provided with a Proton Persona. I had this for about a week as an 18 year old and it had a sunroof that leaked and rattles everywhere, the car was only about a year old at the time too.
 

Deathjam

Active Member
Aug 24, 2015
134
57
Leeds-ish
I have a cupra 300 (stage 1 380bhp) so coming from that to these was fun

Best Courtesy car, 1.0 citroen c1, it was a **** car but manual and I didn't have to care about the clutch/ gear box, so I could drive it like I stole it.
Worst was a hyundai i10 auto 1lt, it was brand new with all the extras,, heated steering wheel (it was winter), 14 miles on the clock, but I'm 6ft 4, I didn't really fit, I could warm my knees on the steering wheel and the auto box changed to the highest gear far too quickly, it had about 20 more bhp that the c1, but because of the auto, 0-60 took about 11 years
 
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