What is the best s***box car that you have ever owned?

cannedhams on 30/06/2015 - 22:09
Last edited 30/06/2015 - 22:09

I recently got to thinking about the second car I ever owned, which was a Niki, aka Fiat 126.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_126

I remember my mum trying to talk me out of it, saying that East European POS will give you nothing but trouble, and she was right. But 800 bucks later I was off, until the fan belt snapped, which happened a fair bit. Ended up carrying one with me in the car.

By God I loved that heap of crap. Sure it was slow, but you were sitting only twelve inches off the ground and your arse was only ever two feet away from the back axle, so even going slow felt bloody fast. When you're going 100k/h on the highway its terrifying, especially in a crosswind. Pretty much like driving a go kart.

Great cornering around town though. Could go through roundabouts at 60 k/h no problem. You forget how fun it is to have a small car with rear wheel drive.

One of the tricks of that car was that there was no synchro in first gear, so you had to double declutch before moving into first, which my brother didn't know and he ended up blowing first gear entirely. I tried using it without first gear for a while but it was pretty slow to start off with, and I increasingly needed a car that was reliable. So it ended up at the wreckers.

Anyone else?

Automotive

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 30/06/2015 - 22:27
    +5

    Enjoyed that read, man. Subbed. +1

  • cypher67 on 30/06/2015 - 22:31
    +2

    I had a '88 Holden Astra which was really just a rebadged Nissan Pulsar. It hasn't been roadworthy in around 10 years but I still have it in the backyard because I cant bring myself to get rid of it. Still starts and runs fine, just rust issues made me throw in the towel. Geez it went hard, loved the punishment. They just don't feel as fun as they used 2.

  • Shadowsfury on 30/06/2015 - 22:32
    +2

    88 Ford Falcon

    One of the family cars after moving to Australia from 2001 until I took over it in 2007, and used it till 2010.

    Looked absolutely terrible on the outside because the previous owner didn't take car of the outside very much, but inside was fine.

    Replaced the engine with one from a newer Falcon around 2005.

    Virtually trouble-free motoring after that, except for some uneven tyre wear almost getting me into an accident once (new tyres fixed that). And the steering pins coming loose (like you could move the steering wheel half a turn and it wouldn't change direction at all)

  • rompastompa on 30/06/2015 - 22:56

    Holden TG Gemini
    Datsun 120y station wagon
    Holden VR Commodore
    HSV VT Senator

    All awesome shitboxes.

    Honda XR 250
    Honda VFR 750
    Honda VTR 250

    Awesome shitbox bikes :)

    • cannedhams on 30/06/2015 - 23:05

      My stepdad had a 120y, even though it was only ten years old the body was already rusting away. I never saw one that wasn't a real old bucket of rust. I remember sitting in the back seat and pushing gum nuts and icy pole sticks through the holes in the floor with my big toe.

    • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2015 - 15:50

      Gemini's are the best shit boxes, I had a td coupe manual.

      Use to do burnouts in the back streets nearly everyday for months never let me down.

      Sold it to a mate, motor seized after 2 weeks (not my fault told him to put oil in it as it was really low)

  • mskeggs on 30/06/2015 - 23:00

    79 VB Commodore.
    84 Sigma.
    91 TR Magna, or should I say, Verada (v6 and power windows!).

    I think I had a rule that I couldn't spend more than $1000 on a car for a while.
    All were beautiful in their own ugly-duckling way. $0.55L super helped fuel the love affair with the earlier ones.

    • mskeggs on 30/06/2015 - 23:06
      +8

      The brother-in-law bought an 87 Nissan Pintara in 2008 for $600 with 12 months rego. It ran with nothing but oil and brakes for 100,000km. Just thinking about it brings a tear to the eye. When he finally took it to the wreckers they got into a dispute over what it was worth. He walked out, but then had to go back in for a jump start as the battery was shot and he hadn't parked on a hill because he thought he was selling it.

      • cannedhams on 01/07/2015 - 23:19

        That's gold. +1

  • Gnostikos on 01/07/2015 - 00:06
    +6

    '87 Magna SE with the Astron II 2.6 (one of the largest 4-cylinder engines back in it's day). No power steering, no electric mirrors/windows; in fact no electrics that worked at all.

    Was once described as a quote/unquote "bomb on wheels" by a mechanic who told me to get rid of it and was surprised I had made it to his garage.
    I drove it for another 60,000km.

    Had a fender-bender once with a much a newer Toyota Camry (2003) where I was rear-ended at 50-60km/h and forced into a brick mailbox that was demolished by my Magna.

    The Toyota was a write-off; leaking oil, side skirts/bumper detached, airbags deployed, tires deflated with the front end looking like it waved a red flag at a bull made of Tungsten-Carbide.

    The Magna I didn't even bother repairing. It had a dent the size of a basketball on the back bumper and some scraped paint and broken off plastic on the front. Other than that it drove fine with no engine damage whatsoever.

    It was T-boned in a second accident by another negligent driver who gave one of the doors a good welt but aside from that did no structural/engine damage. The other driver's car was a Suzuki Swift and once again, was a write-off.

    After that me and my friends started calling the Magna the "Widow-Maker".

    It was a tank, and I really would have loved to put it on a firing range at the end of its lifespan with a couple of machine guns laying into it just to see what it would have taken to make that car give up.

    • mskeggs on 01/07/2015 - 00:12
      +1

      I have similar feelings for the Verada that we sold. It was a "practical car". The wife might have shed a few tears over the direction her life was taking as we drove it home on the first day. But it was very cheap, cost very little to maintain and ran and ran. I haven't ruled out buying another one, but it will likely cost my marriage. But the savings!

      • cannedhams on 02/07/2015 - 07:27

        They were the best Aussie cars of that era, the Magnas/Sigmas (and later Veradas). Thirsty old girls though, I suppose the verada would have been a bit better though.

        • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2015 - 15:52

          Sigmas the worst car of that era, that astron 2.6 was good for nothing.

          I didn't mind the starion

  • Scorpiogirl on 01/07/2015 - 05:16
    +2

    Enjoyed reading this. Memories of the the Gem Gem Gemini, the ugly Sigma ( well i thought it was) and the Datsun 120y oh why. Lol My first car was so much fun. A 2 door 1974 Honda Civic. I saved for ages. Cost $1400. Memories of the huge bus wheel, a really long gear stick and the old skool pattern up each side of the car.

    This car chewed through oil like there was no tomorrow. Despite this, i have such fond memories of it. It was a goer that's for sure until coming back from down the coast surfing umm the engine kind of caught on fire and my baby was no more. Meanwhile my friends amd i got stranded. Would of cost me way more than i had or had paid to fix.

    I didn't realise it then but it was a great little shit box. In the end i killed the poor thing though, but it gave me lots of good times and it put up with a lot! I am suprised it lasted for as long as it did.

  • Ramrunner on 01/07/2015 - 09:53

    1983 Toyota Sprinter. Indestructible!

    Terrible oversteer in the wet (Almost uncontrollable), but just kept giving her the shits and she kept lapping it up. Never a problem.

    • cannedhams on 11/07/2015 - 19:31

      That car has cult status in Japan because its been in so many comic books and such. Its like the KITT of Japan.

  • BigTed on 01/07/2015 - 11:29

    Love the stories guys - keep 'em coming.

    • cannedhams on 01/07/2015 - 23:22
      +1

      Something about car stories that warms the cockles. I remember eric bana's variety show before he became a Hollywood star, most of his monologues were anecdotes about sh*box cars. Always gets a laugh for some reason.

  • Scorpiogirl on 01/07/2015 - 12:51

    Yes i did too. Apoligies for my typos etc. Terrible. I didn't check. Far too early in the morning! My excuse and i am sticking with it.

  • FirstNameLastName on 01/07/2015 - 20:18
    +1

    Old days: '78 Ford Escort.. 2dr. Rear wheel fun-times.

    These days: 2003 Toyota Echo.
    they go really cheap.. cost me $30 to DIY service, run 5L/100 fuel (my findings, not on paper), solid car, and I once transported 116 linear metres of 70mm studding in one go.. so they can hold heaps for the size. :)

    • cannedhams on 01/07/2015 - 23:30
      +2

      I wouldn't mind getting a small rwd car again, heaps more fun than fwd. The new Renault twingo might be the go but probably too rich for my blood.

  • spersephone on 01/07/2015 - 20:48

    Loved my 180B SSS until it got to a point where I hated it. And adored my Festiva. Currently love my Getz, but will be upgrading when my new car is ready for collection.

  • azza92 on 01/07/2015 - 21:23
    +4

    My $700 1985 Alfa 33 QV - pretty much bought it sight unseen after chatting to the seller. Flew down from syd to melb to pick it up and drive it back. With the car being road registered I had confidence it couldn't of been that bad, but later found out the last time the car had a safety check was 25 years ago - I learnt then that vic is very different to nsw in that regard. There is no way this car would pass a blue slip - the headlights were like candles, the wipers were dangerously slow, the boot didn't shut let alone lock (letting in exhaust fumes) and most of the electrics didn't work.

    Pushed my luck and did the great ocean road while I was down there (took gf with me to make a trip out of it). Car was faultless and a ton of fun on the 50km twisty part of that road. Constant pops, crackles and backfires - sounds like a beast, a highlight was revving it up while at the lights in Melb CBD as school kids walked by and getting cheers and thumbs up. I'm such a good influence.

    Bonus is speed cameras probably can't decipher the aged number plates: http://i.imgur.com/Pkh7oKZ.jpg

    When I got home it was a little scary seeing the state of a tyre after doing 10 hours of high speed driving - the canvas was showing through the rubber..

    It's funny because the car looks no different even after months of being outside and unwashed as the paint is so flat, it's kind of nice to have a car you don't need to be fussy about. I was sitting in it in a Woolworths car park and someone banged open their door into the car - in my other car I'd be furious but in this one /shrug.

    The VIC rego expires soon and the car will soon retire, I will be sad and miss it dearly :(

    Will be taking the twin carb engine out and swapping it and some other bits into my alfasud barnfind which I'm restoring.

    • cannedhams on 01/07/2015 - 23:13
      +3

      My family had an 83 model, burgundy colored. When I was in high school it got rear ended by a high profile athlete out driving his 4wd. He was contrite at the time but basically told us to get stuffed in due course because he knew it was too much of a crap box to bother taking him to court over it.

      Every time we saw him (the athlete) on wide world of sports my mum used to swear at the telly. We ended up driving the Alfa around for ages even with half its arse hanging off the back.

    • mskeggs on 02/07/2015 - 07:08
      +1

      That is a lot of fun for $700. And you'll get something for it when you sell it. Tempted to do a similar trip to live out some of my own 1980s childhood dreams.

  • Viderzo on 02/07/2015 - 19:20
    +2

    At least the bonut was fine right? :)

    • mskeggs on 04/07/2015 - 20:03
      +1

      Always upvote the bonut.

  • FairyHeaven on 02/07/2015 - 20:34

    Toyota Camry 96 and it's still going strong!

    • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2015 - 15:54

      Tough Camry, my mates at 340k and it's still going strong with only routine services

  • skullster704 on 03/07/2015 - 18:06
    +3

    1994 Daewoo Leganza.

    We arrived from the UK in 2009, bought a good car for the wife, and were looking for a bomb for my commute.

    Wife's aunt worked as a postie in rural Vic, and offered us the car for free as she had flogged it hard on country roads for over 350k. She was only going to junk it, but we said we'd take it as a short term stop gap. This thing was encrusted in Victorian dust, inside and out, only the driver's electric window worked properly, the central locking would unlock, but not lock the doors, the aircon compressor was shot, and there was a crack in the corner of the windscreen (not obstructing the driver's view though). We expected it to last less than 6 months.

    I treated it like crap, kept the fluids topped up, but didn't change any filters, and it finally gave up after another 4 years and 90k kms.

    I finally junked it when the oil light suddenly came on, I topped the oil up with 5 liters, and the oil light came on after another 40 kms. I couldn't even be bothered finding the leak.

    I miss that bomb at times.

    • cannedhams on 04/07/2015 - 18:24
      +3

      treat them mean and keep them keen. Seems to work with cars anyway.

  • seefu on 08/07/2015 - 14:37

    I've been doing the Sh!tb0x rally since last year and have found the older early 90s model Toyotas and Hyundai Excels to be indestructible (Motors anyway, as the rally conditions are designed to blow tires and destroy suspension).

    European cars were always a challenge to keep going. Particularly mid-80s Volvos but again, I think it might be the conditions of the rally that cause these issues as I know that these cars usually go on forever, just not when they're inhaling bucketloads of dust and corrugations.

    Our favourite shitbox has always been the 1.6L L series wagon by Subaru. 4WD so we ended up using it as a bush basher and it was quite reliable and just kept on going until someone's nephew drove it into a tree. Twice.

    • cannedhams on 10/07/2015 - 20:58

      That's gold. Sounds like a lot of fun. I guess the front wheel drive cars are to be preferred in rally conditions?

  • gooddealmate on 08/07/2015 - 18:07

    -Daihatsu Move - Always got laughed at being a big bloke in such a small car.

    -Citreon Xantia - Suspension had a mind of its own so sometimes would be like driving a lowrider.

    -Mitsubishi Magna - Won it on ebay auction for 500 bucks. Produced so much smoke you could barely see out the rear view mirror.

    -Daewoo Cielo - Wasnt big enough for all of my work tools so bought a roof box which was bigger than the roof almost.

    And on the other end of the scale, owned a 2004 Vauxhall Monaro (rebadged holden) back in the UK. Best car ive ever owned, just filling it up was pricey at the equivalent of $2.50 a litre at the time.. Worth it though.

    • cannedhams on 11/07/2015 - 08:52

      Had to laugh at the Citroen. We had a Citroen CX and sometimes we had to wait 5 minutes after starting the car for the suspension to pump itself up. It was like having a car with erectile dysfunction.

      But yeah, if the suspension ever ferked itself up the car was suddenly four inches off the ground. Anyone wondering what thats like, take a look here:- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydropneumatic_suspension

      Not a bad car, but like so many Euro cars they made an advanced car with a successful engine and then bollocksed it up on the simple stuff - ignition was unreliable, electrical connectors were crap, etc.

  • cim85 on 08/07/2015 - 20:54

    1st car 1974 Holden HQ ute, was like driving a boat along the freeway but you couldn't kill it.

    1st decent car was my 1984 Holden VK Commodore sedan - that thing spoiled me with auto air conditioning and now I'm all soft. Was on gas which at the time was 13cents litre so fill her up for less than $20 or so, nice! Ran for 10-11 years and traded (tear in my eye) for a newer Commodore - nothing but trouble that second Commodore, blew its auto transmission, rear main seal and drama like that even though I looked after it and drove calmly.

  • Scorpiogirl on 08/07/2015 - 23:06
    +1

    Not the commy! Nooooo… good read. Thanks.

  • cim85 on 09/07/2015 - 08:25

    Hi Scorpiogirl, I had a laugh at your comment further up about the engine fire etc. Further to my Commodore stories, decided in 1995 not to drive a sh1tbox anymore and lashed out on a brand new VZ Commodore wagon. Visually that car looked really nice - 5 year warranty - after 2 years with easy driving - was dropping my daughter at school one morning when the transmission also decided to drop its guts pouring trans oil all over the school carpark with smoke pouring from the engine, looked like it was on fire! Don't have luck with those Commy transmissions do I?! Fixed under warranty at no cost - Dont make them like the old ones, haha

  • Scorpiogirl on 10/07/2015 - 12:37
    +1

    Hi cim85. Small world. Up until about 3 years ago i owned a 2005 VZ Holden Commodore sedan. Purchased a couple of years old. Best car i had! Mint and my baby lol. Except for servicing and tyres eventually, i really hardly spent anything. Replacing a original Holden rim( had an internal crack) was my only hassle. $500 new for one. Took me a year or so to find a decent second hand one.

    Best car also because i had a great, loyal mechanic who used to work for the Holden car yard i bought the car from and he went out on his own. I moved out of the area and don't have that trustworthy and reliable mechanic any more. Miss that. Have owned a Mazda 2 and 3(great cars) since but recently went back to Holden because i missed it. Lol. So far so good! So no one jinx me! Hope your daughter was too young to get embarressed or you would of been in huge trouble i bet!

    No cars aren't the same. That 1974 Honda civic, my first car, well not long after i got it a guy slammed into me going through a red light at traffic lights. Had the old silver metal bumper. Got like $1000 insurance for it and replaced bumper with a second hand one from wreckers for like $30. Don't know if that was bad or good luck? Wouldn't happen today.

  • cim85 on 11/07/2015 - 07:50

    Hi Scorpiogirl, I'm laughing at your comments about the 1974 Honda Civic Sh1tbox …… By the way I just noticed my post re the VZ stated 1995, should read 2005, definitely a small world. God I could read these car stories all day, great fun! My son bought the VZ from me so he has never driven a Sh1tbox car. I also own a 1991 Landcruiser that is still going well with 290K on the clock (she is just run in, lol)…..the Landruiser almost qualifies for the Sh1tbox category as I purchased her in 1999.

    What model Holden do u own now? My daughter was a bit embarrassed as she was Year 9 at a conservative private school and there's her Dad causing a kerfuffle with his smoky engine in the carpark, lol.

    My son had one small prang where he backed into a car with the VZ and its plastic bumper. I think the quote was like $800 for repairs……definitely not $30 like your Sh1tbox Honda so no chance of that happening these days.

  • altomic on 11/07/2015 - 23:55

    1975 toyota corona. awesome car that went and went…until it died in 1998.

    • cannedhams on 12/07/2015 - 10:07

      One of the few "vintage" cars that you see on the road that aren't even restored, they're just old shitboxes that havent died yet.

  • Cheap Steve on 12/07/2015 - 07:44

    My Grandma gave me her 18 year old Mazda for my first car (back in the nineties). The only two working seat belts were the drivers' seatbelt and the rear passenger drivers' seatbelt which meant I could only take one passenger at a time and they had to sit directly behind me being "chauffeured". My girlfriend at the time dumped me because she found this arrangement "too embarrassing". Girls are weird, hey?

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