Lemons I have owned

Cars, V8 racing, F1 racing, motorbikes, vintage, new, mechanical

Lemons I have owned

Postby Sky Pilot » Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:51 pm

We've all had them. Cars that were just shite. Here's the chance to tell us about your worst experiences with four wheeled wonders. What was it, how much did you pay for it, how much did you spend on it, how long did you put up with it and how much did you get for it when you flogged it off.
People who bought this book also bought a stool and some rope. Unknown literary critic
User avatar
Sky Pilot
Assistant Coach
 
 
Posts: 4390
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 2:39 pm
Location: Stone Hut Bakery
Has liked: 6 times
Been liked: 3 times
Grassroots Team: BMW

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby gadj1976 » Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:55 pm

Great topic SP.

I've owned pretty much decent cars in all. My dad on the other hand - well the dealers see him coming.

Going back to my childhood, I can remember these lemons;

A lime green mini that caught fire in our driveway one morning.
A 1966 Morris Major
A 1967 Toyota Corona
A 1968 Mercedes sedan
A 1983 Gemini which just fogged up and didn't ever demist properly - THAT was a death trap
A 1985 Magna which the guts fell out of at about 70,000. The seals just disintegrated in the driveway one night.
A WB Statesman that was an obvious cut-n-shut job. It used to backfire several times a year, mostly in the morning when running on LP Gas. Funny in hindisight.
A 1995 Landrover Discovery. Well, if this wasn't THE biggest heap of sh1t going around I don't know what was. This was a diesel too, remember that! After 6 months the dashboard "lifted" and needed to be replaced. Within 60,000k he'd had a new timing chain, starter motor, engine, brakes. He worked out in the last two years of owing it he'd spent 27,000 on keeping it on the road. I finally convinced him to go and get a Falcon or Commodore sedan. We still laugh when we see a Discovery pass us commenting "we'll pass it soon when it's broken down by the side of the road".

My old man was a sales rep, so in the 60's through 70's he pretty much had new Holdens/Kingswoods as work cars which he had to drive from Adel to Melb, Adel to Syd, Adel to Canberra and the just "went", so they don't fit the lemon category!
User avatar
gadj1976
Coach
 
 
Posts: 9144
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:57 pm
Location: Sleeping on a park bench outside Princes Park
Has liked: 795 times
Been liked: 849 times

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Footy Chick » Fri Feb 22, 2013 4:28 pm

haha yes.

My 1983 Datsun Bluebird which was possessed.

It had some sort of fuel problem which would make my car cease functioning at will, meaning I would always have to drive in the lane closest to the gutter in fear of the worst happening.

Now when I mean cease functioning - it would literally just cut out - no warning, no "chug chug chug die" it would just stop. So I'd pull over and have to wait for about 5-10 minutes before starting the car again.

SPent ridiculous amounts of money at all sorts of mechanics, auto electricians and the sort and NO ONE could fix it.

It was stolen on Mothers Day 1999 - Looks like they got as far as Hartman Avenue, Highbury and then they threw it down a ditch there.

Little did the theives know they were actually stealing a lemon and actually did me a favour :lol:
Don't play games with a girl who can play 'em better...

Gatt_Weasel wrote:if they (Walkerville) dont win the flag ill run around the block of my street naked :) you can grab a chair and enjoy the view
User avatar
Footy Chick
Moderator
 
 
Posts: 26695
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2005 1:44 pm
Location: anywhere I want to be...
Has liked: 1737 times
Been liked: 2144 times

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Psyber » Sat Feb 23, 2013 6:12 pm

Maserati biturbo (222E) - and it was a new car - it spent 25% of the time I owned it off the road waiting for parts.
A friend with a recent model tells me that haven't improved much.

My wife's Range Rover had a couple of shots at setting itself on fire but she'd had it about 13 years before that started happening. (Pity I'd had the gear box rebuilt only the year before.)
EPIGENETICS - Lamarck was right!
User avatar
Psyber
Coach
 
 
Posts: 12213
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:43 pm
Location: Now back in the Adelaide Hills.
Has liked: 103 times
Been liked: 389 times
Grassroots Team: Hahndorf

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Mickyj » Sat Feb 23, 2013 6:47 pm

A 1980 Sigma .Went through the juice like a V8 . Took it to Adelaide oval car park for a SANFL final( I think). We were going up the incline in the carpark and it stopped .Car Park attendant gave up on me starting it again !!! It leaked like a sive in the rain . The Headlining came off entirely when I was driving it one day.
And the strangest thing with this car every time I parked in the semaphore foodland . It would not start I think we went through batteries and starter motors every time I parked there.
Ok so at one time some nice Taperoo person (we lived there at the time ) didnt steal it they stuffed the locks up with a screw driver .Second time they did it I thought stuff it .Used to leave it everywhere unlocked no one would nick it!!!
96 Falcon this car started off great .But turned out to have so many problems .Ended up with a fuel injector issue couldnt afford to get it fixed .But mechanic said it would be ok to dive on LPG till it was fixed . You ever tried to start a LPG car in a carport in temps near or under 0 .Turned me off of LPG cars .
Ended up my parents used it for a trade in on their Falcon .And they only took it cause the car still had a year left before the tank had to be tested !!!
Land based Lure Bream Fisherman
PB
Hardbody Bream 38cm
Hardbody Mulloway 40cm
Softplastic Bream 38cm
Fly Bream 30cm
User avatar
Mickyj
Coach
 
 
Posts: 7125
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:51 pm
Location: Barry Jarman Stand FORTRESS WOODVILLE
Has liked: 154 times
Been liked: 22 times

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Sojourner » Mon Mar 04, 2013 10:50 pm

Holden Gemini, would not have been a lemon save for the fact that its previous owner had never looked after it and after the head cracked for the third time I traded it!
Steamranger, South Australia's best ever Tourist Attraction, Treat Yourself, Let your Money Buy you Happiness!!!
User avatar
Sojourner
Veteran
 
 
Posts: 3745
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 7:25 pm
Has liked: 7 times
Been liked: 3 times
Grassroots Team: Ovingham

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Dog_ger » Fri Mar 08, 2013 5:18 pm

I have owned many cars.

Fortunately I have never owned a LEMON.

Sure some cars are better than others.

Look after your ride.

Is your glass 1/2 full or 1/2 empty.... :D
Smile :)

It's only Money $$$ :)

What is happening to our SANFL guys...
User avatar
Dog_ger
Coach
 
 
Posts: 6536
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:25 pm
Location: Salisbury Downs
Has liked: 0 time
Been liked: 19 times

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby smac » Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:47 pm

98 holden vectra. Stopped dead without notice so many times. Once crossing train tracks. Lucky that was when the missus was driving!

Managed to sell it for more than I paid for it, worst 6 months of car and ownership ever.
smac
Coach
 
 
Posts: 13085
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 10:19 am
Location: Golden Grove
Has liked: 165 times
Been liked: 233 times
Grassroots Team: Salisbury

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby dedja » Sat Mar 09, 2013 12:11 am

I had a '99 Vectra that did the same thing. I put up with it for 4 years before offloading it.
It is better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt
User avatar
dedja
Coach
 
 
Posts: 20122
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:10 pm
Has liked: 157 times
Been liked: 972 times

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Psyber » Sat Mar 09, 2013 5:17 pm

There was an early Morris Marina, I think it was called, in the late 70s that was prone to stopping unexpectedly.
The starter motor would also lock up so you had to jiggle it with a spanner before you could restart it.
I didn't have one but a friend did.
EPIGENETICS - Lamarck was right!
User avatar
Psyber
Coach
 
 
Posts: 12213
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:43 pm
Location: Now back in the Adelaide Hills.
Has liked: 103 times
Been liked: 389 times
Grassroots Team: Hahndorf

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Dog_ger » Sun Mar 10, 2013 1:10 pm

I had the first Magna that was a beautiful vehicle.

Until in needed electronic repairs.

2.6L 4 door. Fabulous car. Had everything.

But when something went wrong, no-one knew how to repair it.

I spent heaps of $$$ on repairing the trans, but no one was anygood.

$3600 for a recon trans that was worse than the original.

Oh yes, RAA approved. Bullshit.

The Vehicle wasn't a lemon. The repairers were fake. :D
Last edited by Dog_ger on Sun Mar 10, 2013 1:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Smile :)

It's only Money $$$ :)

What is happening to our SANFL guys...
User avatar
Dog_ger
Coach
 
 
Posts: 6536
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:25 pm
Location: Salisbury Downs
Has liked: 0 time
Been liked: 19 times

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Ian » Sun Mar 10, 2013 1:16 pm

I can remember working on a fleet of the early magnas, while the cars were all near new we had to change the transmission fluid on them all at least twice, each time they'd had to develop a new oil that could handle the extreme temperatures that the trans's were getting to, once the oil was good enough to do it's job without burning the transmissions were fine,
North Adelaide F C : Champions of Aust 1972 : Premiers 1900, 02, 05, 20, 30, 31, 49, 52, 60, 71, 72, 87, 91
User avatar
Ian
Moderator
 
 
Posts: 11443
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 11:25 pm
Has liked: 312 times
Been liked: 93 times
Grassroots Team: Lockleys

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Strawb » Sun Mar 10, 2013 6:21 pm

First car a 78 Sigma. The old man paid 150 for it. We got the gas reconnected and It was mine with 6 months rego. The thing smoked like a chimney in winter once you got to 50 no one could see cause of the smoke. I sold it for 350. Money was better in my back pocket.
I am the Voice Left From Drinking
Strawb
Coach
 
 
Posts: 8604
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 7:16 pm
Has liked: 17 times
Been liked: 12 times
Grassroots Team: Wingfield Royals

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Mickyj » Sun Mar 10, 2013 6:54 pm

I dont want to upset any aussie car workers . But how many of the lemons above were Australian Made ?
My Sigma was (i work with a former mits employee she raves about the sigmas mmmm)
Flacon was
And was talking to a chap at the footy said it was best to buy aussie made cars or jap built .I think he got it half right ;)
Land based Lure Bream Fisherman
PB
Hardbody Bream 38cm
Hardbody Mulloway 40cm
Softplastic Bream 38cm
Fly Bream 30cm
User avatar
Mickyj
Coach
 
 
Posts: 7125
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:51 pm
Location: Barry Jarman Stand FORTRESS WOODVILLE
Has liked: 154 times
Been liked: 22 times

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby dedja » Sun Mar 10, 2013 8:11 pm

My Vectra was German (Opel) I believe ... I think Holden assembled them here for a while though after my model
It is better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt
User avatar
dedja
Coach
 
 
Posts: 20122
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:10 pm
Has liked: 157 times
Been liked: 972 times

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Mickyj » Sun Mar 10, 2013 8:28 pm

dedja wrote:My Vectra was German (Opel) I believe ... I think Holden assembled them here for a while though after my model

What i forgot the chap at the footy said to avoid european cars ;)
Land based Lure Bream Fisherman
PB
Hardbody Bream 38cm
Hardbody Mulloway 40cm
Softplastic Bream 38cm
Fly Bream 30cm
User avatar
Mickyj
Coach
 
 
Posts: 7125
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:51 pm
Location: Barry Jarman Stand FORTRESS WOODVILLE
Has liked: 154 times
Been liked: 22 times

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Sky Pilot » Sun Mar 10, 2013 8:47 pm

Mickyj wrote:
dedja wrote:My Vectra was German (Opel) I believe ... I think Holden assembled them here for a while though after my model

What i forgot the chap at the footy said to avoid european cars ;)

Like second hand SAAB, Renault, Fiat, Alfa, Skoda. Mercs, Audi, BMW and Volvo seem to be more durable.
People who bought this book also bought a stool and some rope. Unknown literary critic
User avatar
Sky Pilot
Assistant Coach
 
 
Posts: 4390
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 2:39 pm
Location: Stone Hut Bakery
Has liked: 6 times
Been liked: 3 times
Grassroots Team: BMW

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Ian » Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:57 pm

Mickyj wrote:I dont want to upset any aussie car workers . But how many of the lemons above were Australian Made ?
My Sigma was (i work with a former mits employee she raves about the sigmas mmmm)
I worked on a fleet of Sigmas and said I'd never own one ,in the early 90's I paid $3000 for a '85 2l wagon, nearly 5 years later sold it, had hardly missed a beat in 4 1/2 years, took us all over SA & VIC, got $2000 when I sold it, best value car I have ever owned
North Adelaide F C : Champions of Aust 1972 : Premiers 1900, 02, 05, 20, 30, 31, 49, 52, 60, 71, 72, 87, 91
User avatar
Ian
Moderator
 
 
Posts: 11443
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 11:25 pm
Has liked: 312 times
Been liked: 93 times
Grassroots Team: Lockleys

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Mickyj » Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:35 am

Sky Pilot wrote:
Mickyj wrote:
dedja wrote:My Vectra was German (Opel) I believe ... I think Holden assembled them here for a while though after my model

What i forgot the chap at the footy said to avoid european cars ;)

Like second hand SAAB, Renault, Fiat, Alfa, Skoda. Mercs, Audi, BMW and Volvo seem to be more durable.


From what I was told he had trouble with a renault and its brakes ,cost him heaps .
I dont have a worry with european cars personally :D
Land based Lure Bream Fisherman
PB
Hardbody Bream 38cm
Hardbody Mulloway 40cm
Softplastic Bream 38cm
Fly Bream 30cm
User avatar
Mickyj
Coach
 
 
Posts: 7125
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:51 pm
Location: Barry Jarman Stand FORTRESS WOODVILLE
Has liked: 154 times
Been liked: 22 times

Re: Lemons I have owned

Postby Mickyj » Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:39 am

Ian wrote:
Mickyj wrote:I dont want to upset any aussie car workers . But how many of the lemons above were Australian Made ?
My Sigma was (i work with a former mits employee she raves about the sigmas mmmm)
I worked on a fleet of Sigmas and said I'd never own one ,in the early 90's I paid $3000 for a '85 2l wagon, nearly 5 years later sold it, had hardly missed a beat in 4 1/2 years, took us all over SA & VIC, got $2000 when I sold it, best value car I have ever owned


Ahh well unlike euro cars . I have owned a sigma it had a large engine for the size of the car .Drank petrol like you wouldnt beleive .And as i posted above it didnt like semaphore foodland . I stopped going to their carpark so it wouldnt brake down ;)
I think we paid $2000 grand for it had a few years sold it for $250 .the people we sold it to had it for a short time and then they sold it for $100

Now my 2011 lancer no issues with ;)
Land based Lure Bream Fisherman
PB
Hardbody Bream 38cm
Hardbody Mulloway 40cm
Softplastic Bream 38cm
Fly Bream 30cm
User avatar
Mickyj
Coach
 
 
Posts: 7125
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:51 pm
Location: Barry Jarman Stand FORTRESS WOODVILLE
Has liked: 154 times
Been liked: 22 times

Next

Board index   General Talk  Motoring/Motorsport

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests

Around the place

Competitions   SANFL Official Site | Country Footy SA | Southern Football League | VFL Footy
Club Forums   Snouts Louts | The Roost | Redlegs Forum |