This is quite fun - nice thread Michael...

Well then, I suppose I can go on about my (rather my wife's now... ) fabulous MY06 Forester XT - you know, the one whose engine won its catergory in the IEOTY awards - which still remains a dream car to have in the garage. For an SUV that's 200mm off the ground with 169 kW and 320 Nm, it really has no right to handle the way it does, especially considering the slightly inadequate 215 section Yokohama Geolanders. The controls are precise, particularly the gearshift which is just delightful to use. Power delivery is strong with marginal turbo lag below 3000 rpm which doesn't bug me at all. In-gear acceleration is awesome.

So, here are the minus points.
The clutch is ludicrously heavy for urban use.
The steering is a little on the slow side and the car is a tad recalcitrant on turn-in.
Fuel consumption is adequate on the open road but cane it in stop start traffic and the fuel bills are hefty.
Plow-on understeer is a problem if you're not absolutely precise with your steering and throttle inputs.

Other than that, it still is the best compact SUV on the market. Why? Because it puts the "Sport" into SUV without compromising on "Utility".

good points there Martin. I totally forgot of the fuel costs thing...

BTW, what's your car now?

My daily commuter is - wait for it - a 2003 VW Polo 1.6 Comfortline. Heh heh. Ag, it's not so bad and its only got 48000 km on the clock so it very, erm, comfortable. Not inspiring to drive, but quietly satisfying to own. Still, I'd rather something a little more engaging...

Oh well, this is why we work so hard: to strive for better things.

nie wat, die kar ry mooi

MB C 180 W202

-Not enough power, at least here in GermanCarZone
-Radio antenna pop-ups with a motor, it's not integrated.
-No traction control
-Could be more spacious in the back

The 3 cars I've had all within a year of eachother:

Car #1 '77 Mercedes 240D
-No tachometer while being a manual
-terrible ride (decade old shocks)
-rusting
-great a/c that can't be used since the car has no power
-it smelt like diesel whether you were in or out of the car
-the cockpit is super loud especially when cruising the highway
-you have to top out the engine just to keep up with traffic

Car #2 '96 Saturn SC1 coupe
-chick car
-automatic
-ugly
-cheap interior
-majority of car was plastic
-could hear/feel the chassis flex
-waiting for transmission to switch into reverse felt like decades had passed
-trunk extremely flimsy
-trunk would almost never latch shut because the lock would bend away from the latch everytime you tried to slam it shut.
-FWD
-chick car

Car #3 '95 Saab 900s
-sun roof doesn't work
-sun roof leaks making the car smell dank
-odd powerband
-funny engine sound
-rubbery shifter
-transmission died a month after purchase ($2500 including a timing chain that was due for replacement)
-chassis flex
-strange looking
-FWD
-shitty ABS brakes or maybe the tires

2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
-GAS MILEAGE

Bliksem! Didn't expect that coming out of Winston-Salem (is that in North Carolina?) in the 'States! I had a good laugh donau! So, now you'll have to share... how do you know the lingo?

Nice thread mate, i will try to keep it short and simple since you only want us to say one negative thing :

1) 1997 Saab 9000 cs
Chassie Flex, you can actually the car flexing !
Not reliable, cost us AUD $12k to maintane the car over 8 years

2) 2005 Mercedes E350 Elegence
Steering too light.
Buttons for the air con is a bit cheap.

3) 2006 Subaru Liberty 3.0R spec B wagon
Really need more low end torque
Auto gearbox goes mental sometimes
Uses more fuel than the Merc

I learned how to drive a stick on my fathers MY04 Subaru Forester, and I must say I personally hated it.

I still hate it today when ever I drive it, it is just so much different than my Audi and I dont feel like it is as smooth or sporty as my A4.

I do agree it is a very nice SUV except maybe for the interior but whatever for the money its great. Im sure things have improved over the two year period though, I know the looks have.