Beakersful

The old mini's were hilarious in the snow. You could pick up speed, yank the steering wheel both ways and spin the car round and round. Weren't much good offroad though, the exhaust was too easily ripping off.

And considering the issue with large vehicles and possibilities of getting mattresses and the fairer sex in the rear, the mini-van was a 'superb' mobile bedroom. Normally seen with a padlock holding the doors together

LaLaLayla

At least American cars have a bit of personality, unlike the bland Japanese cars you see everywhere here.

And the suspension's fine, although we've lowered it, lebo-style

scrubbedexpat141

I dunno, my Exploder is pretty soul-less...

My old A3 in the UK though, he was a ****ing blast. Gutsy little bastard that loved being ragged around the New Forest. Alf, his name was. Nice but hard.

LaLaLayla

I had a Ford Capri in the UK. His name was 'Tic'

weasel decentral

Not sure about this urban myth, if the impact only hits the tyre part of the wheel at very low speed this might be true. Otherwise the wheel will have the effect of concentrating the impact of the force directly through the spare wheel mount and into a part of the vehicle not designed for an impact.

Better to have the collision where the manufacturer designed the vehicle to absorb the impacts.

weasel decentral

Personality is a bit of a salesman's spiel to make a car that will let you down or have "quirks" seem attractive imo
Nah mate you don't want that one too boring or bland, imagine the stories you will have about the night you broke down in the desert with this one.

I think people mistake predictable or reliable with bland. (I am biased though having owned a couple of Subaru)

scrubbedexpat141

True.

Dad's TVR Chimaera had bags of personality along with bags of issues.

He/we still loved it though.

LaLaLayla

Well, I own two American cars and haven't had a problem with either of them. Apart from the brakes on the Charger, but that's just fussiness and they are easy to replace. And my other car (Jeep Cherokee) saved my life when I was hit by a 5 ton truck last year. I'm still driving it.

Miss Anne Thrope

....said the wistful ex-member of the SWP....

Boomhauer

Lower it all the waay Chicano style

flares

Just purchased my wife a new Tuetonic SUV. More 'car of the peoples' than vorsprung durch technic.

Boomhauer

Been thinkin about gettin a Classic Bug, but I detest manual transmission.

LaLaLayla

Are we all expected to drive Citroën 2CV's ?

Eeyore

Which is exactly my point. I honestly can't remember the last time I actively needed to accelerate to avoid an accident, whereas slamming on the brakes because some bell-end has decided to swerve out in front of me without indicating (to give just one typical example) is almost a daily occurrence.

I would also posit that needing to accelerate harder than usual to get onto a roundabout probably points to a lack of patience to wait for a proper gap... and no, you won't wait forever...

scrubbedexpat141

Hoorah!

Sense.