Your best car in its era compared to Leon?

Orbiter

Orbiter
Apr 3, 2015
119
1
What was the best car you ever had in its era.
I think mine was an Alfasud which was pretty rubbish with everything except the driving experience which was superb. The steering had so much feel, no powered steering of course,the engine was nice and smooth and it inspired you to rev it, the brakes were good and everything was tactile and perfectly balanced. The Leon by contrast has effortless steering but could do with more feedback, my Leon brakes are superbly effective but could also do with more feel. The Leon 1.4Tsi engine performs beyond expectations but I see no point in reving much above 4000 because there just doesn't feel like theres much advantage, and the engine noise is a bit forgetful.
 
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Biker

Full Member
Oct 6, 2003
1,593
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Northumberland
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The car I have the fondest memory of is my 1990 Golf GTI 8V. I bought it new but only had it one year as the insurance went from £350 to £1500 with a £5000 excess, thanks to the rise in theft of hot hatches and me living in the car crime capital of the UK.

I would love to get my hands on another one but that may destroy the memory........

Golf_GTI_zps5piphc9b.jpg
 
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dw911

Active Member
Mar 30, 2013
1,036
6
Ford 2.8 injection capri, that was a fun car, almost indestructible, great drifting car and really taught me how to handle oversteer and handle a car, spent almost as much time looking out the side windows as I did the windscreen, especially in the wet :D ( if you have ever had a powerful old rear wheel drive car, you'll know exactly what I mean :whistle: )
 

dw911

Active Member
Mar 30, 2013
1,036
6
The car I have the fondest memory of is my 1990 Golf GTI 8V. I bought it new but only had it one year as the insurance went from £350 to £1500 with a £5000 excess, thanks to the rise in theft of hot hatches and me living in the car crime capital of the UK.

I would love to get my hands on another one but that may destroy the memory........

Golf_GTI_zps5piphc9b.jpg

Yep you should never go back and drive cars you had when you were young, you'll only feel disappointed. I had a escort cosworth when I was 20, drove one again last year for the first time in years, was nothing like the memory's I had of it from before, really spoilt the memories I had, should have let sleeping dogs lie
 

C11akh

Active Member
Feb 15, 2015
30
0
Honda Legend 2.7v6 coupe.... Just sold my bmw m135i and bought my Leon
 

black_sheep

Active Member
Mar 10, 2013
1,256
585
Odd choice, but my wife had an 02 Toyota Yaris SR VVVT. Handled like a roller skate, could change from miles to km on the digital speedo (a feature that I've had to wait 11 years from a VAG owned car!) and ultra reliable - only issue in all of our years of ownership was a failed coil pack during warranty - to add insult to injury the RAC driver who came to collect the car to take to the dealer asked if we could take a digital photo an email it to him as nobody in the depot would believe that he would have had a Yaris on the back.
 

jcbmally

Started with nowt and still have most of it left.
Staff member
Moderator
Dec 26, 2013
1,271
549
Cybertron
D reg Astra GTE in white, loved the LCD rev counter, loved the style, loved how it handled. Memories eh, I find myself smiling just thinking of it.
 
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mbk72

Active Member
Feb 21, 2015
133
0
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Without question the best car I've owned, a GT3RS for the rest of us. It only cost £17k new when Renault couldn't shift them back in 2009. So much fun on track.
 

Matt_75

Active Member
Mar 22, 2015
48
2
Kent
Always wanted one when I was a kid the car of my dreams, it's the one that got the most attention, cost me fortune in parts and engines but still my favorite car.
Subaru Impreza WRX V Limited

 

Famandy1

Active Member
Feb 20, 2015
238
0
North Yorkshire
Probably the last brand new car I had and ordered from scratch though no options were available apart from dealer fitted carpet mats - 1990 Renault 5 GT Turbo Raider - ltd edition, only available in completely colour coded dark blue metallic and was I believe one of the first cars to have an RDS radio fitted as standard - looks quite an old fashioned car, but look at the glass area and slim A pillars, amazing visibility - here's a link to one for sale that has appreciated in value - incredible!

http://www.4starclassics.com/renault-5-gt-turbo-raider-for-sale/
 

Fred99

Active Member
Sep 21, 2013
448
1
Granada, Southern Spain
As I am just a bit older than most of the other members I have been exposed to quite a few examples of the “Best car in its era”.

First car was the original 1961 Mini closely followed by a 1962 997cc Mini Cooper. I don’t think there is much doubt that those two were pretty significant in their day. Next up was a 1966 Lotus Elan Mk3 SE - that would still give a few of today’s hot hatches a good run for their money - 0-60 in about 7s.

Next one of note was the original 1971 Capri 3 Litre - great car and went like stink - oddly enough, on checking the figures, my Leon 1.4 has almost exactly the same power and torque figures. 1984 saw the first hot hatch in the form of a Peugeot 1.9 GTI - that was certainly a classic. 1987 was time for a big engine again in the form of a BMW 635 csi. There have been a lot more cars since, but none I would call the “best car in its era”

Having said that, I have to say that the current Leon is the car that I have found the most enjoyable to drive - the next one will hopefully be a Cupra version of the upcoming SUV.
 

yellowcone87

Active Member
Mar 9, 2014
490
0
Warwickshire
Easily the best I ever owned was my 2008 Range Rover Vogue SE TDV8. I loved everything about it, except for its running costs!

I struggle to think of any other car that can fulfill so many roles all in one go. A proper luxury limo that can also climb mountains and ford streams in absolute comfort. I'd still have it if I'd had any choice in the matter, but sadly it disappeared around the same time my ex and most of my hard earned did... Funny that!
 
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