What is the Most Overrated Car Of All Time?

homeforsummer
Ah, you've just been spoilt by all nice cars you get to drive. I'm more than sure I'd enjoy it immensely given what I drive day to day :lol: And my only issue with the interior having sat in the three variants (as in Toyota/Pug/Citroen) is the gearstick, which is a bit like those levers used to change railway tracks.
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Beleive those are called "point levers" on your side of the pond. Or Signal levers, depending on if they move points or signals. No matter, they're all up in a signalbox.

Sorry. Railfan talking.
 
homeforsummer
A large proportion of road test results would say otherwise. I think I mentioned this earlier. Whilst a journalist's opinion should not be treated as Gospel, the chances are they probably know what they're doing given that it's their job and given that they spend a lot more time comparing cars back to back than most other people. Isn't niky a motoring journalist? Maybe he'd be able to shed some light on this...
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No other "premium" marquee drives quite like BMW. And that's a fact. While the brown-nosing that Car&Driver does for their advertising dollars may make it seem that BMWs win road-tests just because they give freebies to journalists, the overwhelming evidence of road-tests and personal experience shows that, while the C-Class and A4 may be closer than ever to the benchmark, there's nothing in the segment that quite drives like a good 3-series. The new C-Class comes awfully close, though... it's downright sporty, in fact, and handling just shadows the 3-series... but that's because MB went to the drawing board with it and tried their damnedest to get it there... Nissan outright admits that the 3-series is their benchmark for the G... and when we were testing the Genesis, the marketing people compared it to the 5. Whatever their mis-steps in design, BMW still sets the gold standard in driving dynamics and "snob" appeal... though Audi is coming close in terms of snob appeal... and their interiors are absolutely incredible compared to BMW's and MB's.

The reason people lavish praise on BMWs after press junkets is not the fact that they were pampered, fed and treated like royalty... it's the fact that a large part of that pampering was the provision of unlimited seat time in the cars.

It doesn't matter, on a junket or a test-drive, that BMWs are somewhat overpriced... that they ride like Iron Maidens over low speed bumps due to the run-flats... and that the stubborn adherence to rear-wheel drive limits rear leg-room, no matter how they repackage the rear suspension... if you're driving it merely for fun, then there's lots of fun available.

Back in the real world, there are a lot of cars that make more economic sense than a BMW, yes, but that doesn't detract from the fact that they're lovely to drive. Even in the barest of poverty specs, on the 116i, a BMW is always a hoot to drive. (ungodly slow, yeah, but so is a go-kart... and nobody complains about go-karts)

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Again, all a hoot except for the 7. Yes, it's the most comfortable and best riding one... but it's just too heavy and soft for my tastes. To say that it's one of the few BMWs you like means that you only like BMWs that don't drive like BMWs.

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But no amount of driving pleasure will ever excuse that execrable X3... ever.
 
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niky
No other "premium" marquee drives quite like BMW. And that's a fact. While the brown-nosing that Car&Driver does for their advertising dollars may make it seem that BMWs win road-tests just because they give freebies to journalists, the overwhelming evidence of road-tests and personal experience shows that, while the C-Class and A4 may be closer than ever to the benchmark, there's nothing in the segment that quite drives like a good 3-series. The new C-Class comes awfully close, though... it's downright sporty, in fact, and handling just shadows the 3-series... but that's because MB went to the drawing board with it and tried their damnedest to get it there... Nissan outright admits that the 3-series is their benchmark for the G... and when we were testing the Genesis, the marketing people compared it to the 5. Whatever their mis-steps in design, BMW still sets the gold standard in driving dynamics and "snob" appeal... though Audi is coming close in terms of snob appeal... and their interiors are absolutely incredible compared to BMW's and MB's.
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Very well said 👍

People can say what they like about the styling and pricing of BMW's, but the driving experience is 2nd to none for the most part.
 
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YSSMAN
Either way, a part of me hopes that Duke and ///M-Spec stay out of here.
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Eh. No reason for me to get involved. He just don't like BMWs and that's all fine and dandy. Opinions based largely on an emotional reaction doesn't leave much room for interesting debate. If someone says a Lada makes their hearts go a fluttering, there's not much you can really say against it. Similarly, if someone says a Bimmer makes their bowels twitch involuntarily, you can't put up much of an argument there either.

The only thing that cheeses me off is when people try to use faulty reasoning and dodgy 'facts' to substantiate an emotional argument. That is why people like poverty/forza2.0 are no longer posting here. You've probably noticed me posting whenever someone rags on the Corvette leaf-springs or pushrod motors. That is just one non-BMW example. But so far, I don't see any of that happening in this thread.


Just as an aside, as a mod, I don't really like seeing threads like these. Because they are inherently negative threads. Which necessarily attract negative comments. Which means at some point, someone is likely to have a negative experience. I'm not threatening to close it down or anything like that. But I did want to say I prefer people not to spend a lot of time being all down on a particular car or car maker. It always leads to flaming.


Niky; your check is in the mail ;)


M
 
I've always been under the impression most new Jeeps are fairly overrated. The people that own them around here seem to think they can go anywhere with them but I only ever see them broken down or stuck.

SRT-4's are another car that the owners seem to think just because they have a turbocharged Neon they are some how faster than everything else on the road.
 
Getting stuck is also much a matter of skill. I've seen off-roaders with a full suspension, lockers and mud tires get stuck when they've bitten off more than they can chew. Funny thing the last time we went out... our rescue vehicle got stuck, while our stock pick-up (no ground clearance, no lockers and just highway tires) sailed on through the same passage.

There's a good point there... all these "off-roadable" new SUVs... I don't know if the correct term is over-rated or over-hyped... Manufacturers rave about trail-rated this, go-anywhere that... or those $xxxx automatic traction control systems, smart differentials and such that are supposed to get you through anything. But attend a test-drive or off-road clinic where the ground isn't properly "prepped", and odds are that somebody will get stuck somewhere halfway through the day. That Land Rover or Cayenne won't get you far off-road if you don't change out of those low-profile 20-inchers into off-road tires. :lol:

I might get to find out for myself how good these new Jeeps really are. We're hoping to get a new TJL for an off-roading event in June.






By the way, I hate off-roading. No internet, no cellphone signal, no indoor plumbing... just not my cup of tea.

///M-Spec
Niky; your check is in the mail ;)


M
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Hope it's big. I've already got two websites not paying me money. Tires cost a lot, nowadays... :lol:
 
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This,

Wangan.jpg


and this,

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These cars have been all over the import scene and they are the most overrated cars of all time.
 
The Hachi-Roku, I can understand... (though I don't agree with the reasons you stated for it being over-rated...) but the Z?

The Z?

A car that gave people Porsche performance for peanuts back in the 70's?

A car that proved successful in American TransAm racing circles, clinching championship wins?

A car that is regarded by many... outside of Japan... to be one of the finest sportscars of the 70's?

Don't confuse anime-mania with being "over-rated"... I doubt many people outside of the geek-club know about Wangan Midnight (I've got the full first season, so, yes... I am a geek)... but how does a car being featured in an anime equate to it being "over-rated?"

Well set-up "Samurai" are rare at shows, and they still catch my attention every time I see them... The 240Z and 260Z are excellent platforms for further modification, as the L-block is pretty stout, and an RB or even V8 conversion isn't difficult on these cars... though the RB is the more proper engine, being the successor to the six in the Z.

It's a wonderful little sports car... and thanks to its propensity to rust into kibbles... you don't see tons of them anymore... making those that are still running quite valuable... :D

Oh... and going back to said anime... it's an interesting exercise in tuning... showing how, basically, a 1970's car with a fully modified suspension, a ton of turbocharging and a seam-welded chassis and rollcage can survive high speed thrashing... barely. :lol: Much like Initial D, which is basically drift-school in CGI, there's some real nuggets of wisdom in terms of tuning mixed in with the ridiculous story and action in there. Doesn't save the series from being a gratuitous ode to illegal Wangan speeding, but there's actually very little they get wrong in the show, tech-wise.
 
I agree with Niky 100% on the Z.

They're utterly beautiful and good cars. And unlike the AE86 they don't get drift taxed to hell nor cut up by utter hacks.
 
Maybe when Wangan Midnight has gone gold, many people are willing to get the S30 Fairlady Z. I think this would be like the same factor as Initial D. The S30 is quick, and it is because it's light. Plus, there's no airbags, no ABS, no TC and no SC. Unfortunately, the only city that has the most S30 Fairlady Zs I can think of is Phoenix. In Vegas, it's all Ford Mustangs.

The car is overrated, and it's not because of Wangan Midnight, it's because the car's engine compartment is unusually big, you can put any I6 or V8 engines in it and give them an extra power. Almost anything on that car is possible.
 
OneEyedPimp20
Maybe when Wangan Midnight has gone gold, many people are willing to get the S30 Fairlady Z. I think this would be like the same factor as Initial D. The S30 is quick, and it is because it's light. Plus, there's no airbags, no ABS, no TC and no SC. Unfortunately, the only city that has the most S30 Fairlady Zs I can think of is Phoenix. In Vegas, it's all Ford Mustangs.

The car is overrated, and it's not because of Wangan Midnight, it's because the car's engine compartment is unusually big, you can put any I6 or V8 engines in it and give them an extra power. Almost anything on that car is possible.
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Okay... how does having a big engine compartment and multiple lines of upgrade make a car over-rated? If a car is rated by many because of something it can actually do, then that's not over-rated.
 
OneEyedPimp20
The car is overrated, and it's not because of Wangan Midnight, it's because the car's engine compartment is unusually big, you can put any I6 or V8 engines in it and give them an extra power. Almost anything on that car is possible.
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That actually makes it far from overrated.

Something being overrated means it's made out to be something it's not or can't be; the S30Z is capable of utter ridiculousness when done right but is actually mostly ignored. Which if anything makes it underrated.
 
OneEyedPimp20
The car is overrated, and it's not because of Wangan Midnight, it's because the car's engine compartment is unusually big, you can put any I6 or V8 engines in it and give them an extra power. Almost anything on that car is possible.
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Considering a majority of people haven't heard of it, I would guess not.
 
Okay, I can't think of anything on why the Fairlady Z being overrated, all I can think that is because it's a Nissan. Shoot me if you think Nissan is underrated. I know the GT-R SpecV has gone gold in Japan and I think the car has too much hype.
 
OneEyedPimp20
Okay, I can't think of anything on why the Fairlady Z being overrated, all I can think that is because it's a Nissan. Shoot me if you think Nissan is underrated. I know the GT-R SpecV has gone gold in Japan and I think the car has too much hype.
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:lol:

Wow. Just wow.
 
OneEyedPimp20
Okay, I can't think of anything on why the Fairlady Z being overrated, all I can think that is because it's a Nissan. Shoot me if you think Nissan is underrated. I know the GT-R SpecV has gone gold in Japan and I think the car has too much hype.
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I've never ever ever had anybody go up to my Vanette or Sentra and say: "Wow! A Nissan!"... they're more likely to ask me "Why did you buy a Nissan? They're pure 🤬🤬🤬"

If they're referring to the Sentra, I sock them in the face.

If they're referring to the Vanette, I plead temporary insanity. :D

You never hear: "Wow! A Nissan!" in reference to a GT-R. More like: "Wow! A GT-R!".

Right before someone else says: "It's a Nissan, it can never be a supercar." And that someone else is invariably driving a Cayenne.



Usually the base V6 model.




And wearing a Porsche cap... Porsche Design shoes... and he might even have "Porsche" stitched on his boxer shorts.





I'd sock him in the face, but those people scare me. People like that probably fight like pit bulls.
 
I am probably one of the few who heard of Wangan Midnight before Initial D.

But anyway, the 240Z is by no means overrated. It may seem that way, but it CAN live up to its expectations. And it did. Several times. The 260Z wasn't too bad either.
 
@Rotary Junkie

I know, ain't it? I have nothing towards Nissan at all. Hey, I like the Mazda RX7s as much as you do, but as for Nissan, well... their cars are everywhere, even with Asians and landscape workers driving them. It would be rare for an Asian to drive BMWs, you know?

@niky

You can sock me in my face right now. Sorry, I do hate Nissan... PERIOD.
 
OneEyedPimp20
@Rotary Junkie

I know, ain't it? I have nothing towards Nissan at all. Hey, I like the Mazda RX7s as much as you do, but as for Nissan, well... their cars are everywhere, even with Asians and landscape workers driving them. It would be rare for an Asian to drive BMWs, you know?
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Errh... I once spent a fortnight in Taiwan... and all I saw on the road were Mitsubishi Eclipses, Volvos and BMWs.

Guess they're not an Asian country, eh?

Now that you mention it... BMWs are everywhere here... dayumn... now I hate BMWs! :lol:

@niky

You can sock me in my face right now. Sorry, I do hate Nissan... PERIOD.
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As long as you're not wearing Porsche boxer shorts, you're safe. And if you are... you scare me... so you're still safe. :lol:

-"The truth! The truth will set you free!" - Jesus Christ (allegedly), The Holy Bible (supposedly), somewhere in the Middle East (that part's true)
 
Touche, Niky. It's funny that BMWs have appeared on some ABS-CBN shows especially on My Girl with Kim Chiu. Since BMWs are everywhere in the Philippines, now this Pinoy has a fetish of BMWs. :lol:
 
OneEyedPimp20
@niky

You can sock me in my face right now. Sorry, I do hate Nissan... PERIOD.
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I'll join him 👍.

Most overrated car of all time for me? The Ferrari Enzo. One of the most expensive Fezzas ever and purely designed to go fast around a track, and yet a 430 Scud (allegedly) beat it around Ferrari's OWN test track, and a Caterham costing hell of a lot less beat it by over a second on TG's test track in the hands of The Stig. If that's not overrated, then disregard my opinion entirely.
 
Murcie_LP640
I'll join him 👍.

Most overrated car of all time for me? The Ferrari Enzo. One of the most expensive Fezzas ever and purely designed to go fast around a track, and yet a 430 Scud (allegedly) beat it around Ferrari's OWN test track, and a Caterham costing hell of a lot less beat it by over a second on TG's test track in the hands of The Stig. If that's not overrated, then disregard my opinion entirely.
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There's about 7 years between both the Enzo & 430S' development. For Ferrari, that's enough to time to make any of their previous cars look slow.
 
1957-chevy-bel-air-chevrolet-archives.jpg


I've said this over and over...A car everyone except people who are actually into '50s cars love. A gussied-up economy car, the most beloved car of the 1950s?

Definitely the most over-rated car of all time.
 
StigNumbers
But anyway, the 240Z is by no means overrated. It may seem that way, but it CAN live up to its expectations. And it did. Several times.
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Exactly. Wangan Midnight at least made sense (from what I've read). The car was tuned, so it really didn't do anything out of the ordinary, all that it did was in the realm of the possible, and not ridiculous.

Personally, I like the car. But not the kind of Z's that appear on the Imports thread. (Actually, I don't like anything that appears on that thread, with a very few exceptions).
 
Jim Prower
1957-chevy-bel-air-chevrolet-archives.jpg


I've said this over and over...A car everyone except people who are actually into '50s cars love. A gussied-up economy car, the most beloved car of the 1950s?

Definitely the most over-rated car of all time.
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I wouldn't say it's overrated, overdone yes but hardly overrated. If it was overrated, people wouldn't be completely replacing basically everything except the body panels.
 

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