What 6 car manufacturers do you have the most affinity with?
Discussion
I try to be as objective as I can with cars, not carry over any prejudices but like in all aspects of life (clothing, food, drink, electrical/audio equipment etc), there are brands that I am more drawn to and have more of an affinity/fondness with for varying reasons. So what would those 6 car manufacturers/brands be for you and why? Here are mine.
1) Ford - this is mostly an age thing, as growing up in Britain in the 80s you were either team Ford, team Vauxhall or team Austin Rover and I was definitely team Ford. Why? Probably because of the Capri, XR Fords and RS Turbos and of course the Cosworth! They may not have been the best in every sector but they probably had the best marketing team, the most clearly defined hierarchy within the model range and each model line (L, LX, GL, Ghia etc) and their brochures were something else. You got a glossy book with all the models in it and a double page spread for each trim level, so I spent hours poring over what you got in an Escort LX over an L for example and a Ghia/Ghia X specification was properly posh and everyone that grew up in Britain in the 80s has a Ford memory don't they? Latterly, I think that Ford defined mass market excellence with the Fiesta/Focus/Mondeo over multiple generations (less successful with the more niche stuff IMHO), so it's a shame that they don't make any of those models any more. Embarrassingly, I have never owned a Ford but I have driven and enjoyed plenty of them and could see myself have being a serial Ford buyer if it had not been for my next choice and I had passed my test at a time when the ones that I could have afforded to buy and insure (early 90s Fiesta/Escort) had been any good.
2) Volkswagen - I always loved classic Beetles as a kid but my enthusiasm for Volkswagen came relatively late (in my 20s) but like Ford, they just nailed their core products (Polo/Golf/Passat) consistently, had the best massmarket turbodiesel engine in the PD TDI and I loved the consistency in feel/ergonomics/quality between the different models. I have owned more Volkswagens than any other make of car (4 I think but a lot more if you include company cars). Had a mk2 Golf, a mk4 Golf, 2 mk5 Golfs and a mk7 Golf. The mk7 (a petrol automatic estate) was by far the best all-round car that I have owned and for the first time I am tempted to get another (maybe a GTD) but the one that I had was a bit of a unicorn spec and had pretty much every option box ticked (leather, heated seats, pan roof, adaptive cruise etc), so I have yet to find one with a comparable spec! Not so keen on their most recent output but I could look at a SEAT/Skoda as an alternative, as I don't see why I would like them any less and I'm sure that I would feel just as "at home".
3) and 4) I will group these together but Honda and Mazda. Pick a different era and I'm sure that I could make an argument for Toyota and Nissan instead but if I was in the market for a new ICE car that I wanted to keep for a long time and for it to last, I would without question pick either of these. If you just want a high quality, functional car, the current Civic/CRV hybrid are very difficult to fault, I think that Honda quality is every bit as good as Toyota's but the cars have always been a bit more quirky and interesting with stuff like 4 valves per cylinder, VTEC and double wishbone suspension before anyone else was offering it. Mazda have a bit more of a chequered past with Skyactiv diesel, rotary engine and rust issues but generally I just think that modern Mazdas look great, drive great, feel quite "premium" and Mazda don't follow trends, go their own way and are all the better for it ie larger NA engine vs downsized turbo engine, torque converter autos over CVTs/DCTs etc. A great back catalogue too though with multiple generations of MX5/RX7s etc.
5) BMW - Again not so keen on their more recent output but I quite like the Neue Klasse, so maybe they'll get back on track but for a 20+ year period, BMW could do no wrong in my eyes and the combination of RWD, those creamy straight six engines, a manual gearbox and crisp styling in a practical, daily usable package was something that you couldn't really get elsewhere. My E30 325i is probably my favourite car that I have owned and ergonomically brilliant. I really fancy an older Mercedes from the 80s/90s at the moment but nothing they make these days jives with me and my fondness for BMW has been a longer-term one.
6) Jaguar - Again, never owned but been in quite a few and found them lovely. Cosy luxury vs the more sterile environment of their German counterparts and a cossetting ride without too much dynamic compromise. I've never been that into saloons but I've always lusted after an XJ, maybe an F-Type. Sadly I'll probably never be able to afford any of their new products but a Jaguar was always the "nice" car for me that I might be able to afford one day (whereas an Aston Martin or a Ferrari didn't really seem that realistic). Such a cool brand in the post-war era too.
So what (up to 6) car manufacturers/brands do you have the most affinity/fondness with?
1) Ford - this is mostly an age thing, as growing up in Britain in the 80s you were either team Ford, team Vauxhall or team Austin Rover and I was definitely team Ford. Why? Probably because of the Capri, XR Fords and RS Turbos and of course the Cosworth! They may not have been the best in every sector but they probably had the best marketing team, the most clearly defined hierarchy within the model range and each model line (L, LX, GL, Ghia etc) and their brochures were something else. You got a glossy book with all the models in it and a double page spread for each trim level, so I spent hours poring over what you got in an Escort LX over an L for example and a Ghia/Ghia X specification was properly posh and everyone that grew up in Britain in the 80s has a Ford memory don't they? Latterly, I think that Ford defined mass market excellence with the Fiesta/Focus/Mondeo over multiple generations (less successful with the more niche stuff IMHO), so it's a shame that they don't make any of those models any more. Embarrassingly, I have never owned a Ford but I have driven and enjoyed plenty of them and could see myself have being a serial Ford buyer if it had not been for my next choice and I had passed my test at a time when the ones that I could have afforded to buy and insure (early 90s Fiesta/Escort) had been any good.
2) Volkswagen - I always loved classic Beetles as a kid but my enthusiasm for Volkswagen came relatively late (in my 20s) but like Ford, they just nailed their core products (Polo/Golf/Passat) consistently, had the best massmarket turbodiesel engine in the PD TDI and I loved the consistency in feel/ergonomics/quality between the different models. I have owned more Volkswagens than any other make of car (4 I think but a lot more if you include company cars). Had a mk2 Golf, a mk4 Golf, 2 mk5 Golfs and a mk7 Golf. The mk7 (a petrol automatic estate) was by far the best all-round car that I have owned and for the first time I am tempted to get another (maybe a GTD) but the one that I had was a bit of a unicorn spec and had pretty much every option box ticked (leather, heated seats, pan roof, adaptive cruise etc), so I have yet to find one with a comparable spec! Not so keen on their most recent output but I could look at a SEAT/Skoda as an alternative, as I don't see why I would like them any less and I'm sure that I would feel just as "at home".
3) and 4) I will group these together but Honda and Mazda. Pick a different era and I'm sure that I could make an argument for Toyota and Nissan instead but if I was in the market for a new ICE car that I wanted to keep for a long time and for it to last, I would without question pick either of these. If you just want a high quality, functional car, the current Civic/CRV hybrid are very difficult to fault, I think that Honda quality is every bit as good as Toyota's but the cars have always been a bit more quirky and interesting with stuff like 4 valves per cylinder, VTEC and double wishbone suspension before anyone else was offering it. Mazda have a bit more of a chequered past with Skyactiv diesel, rotary engine and rust issues but generally I just think that modern Mazdas look great, drive great, feel quite "premium" and Mazda don't follow trends, go their own way and are all the better for it ie larger NA engine vs downsized turbo engine, torque converter autos over CVTs/DCTs etc. A great back catalogue too though with multiple generations of MX5/RX7s etc.
5) BMW - Again not so keen on their more recent output but I quite like the Neue Klasse, so maybe they'll get back on track but for a 20+ year period, BMW could do no wrong in my eyes and the combination of RWD, those creamy straight six engines, a manual gearbox and crisp styling in a practical, daily usable package was something that you couldn't really get elsewhere. My E30 325i is probably my favourite car that I have owned and ergonomically brilliant. I really fancy an older Mercedes from the 80s/90s at the moment but nothing they make these days jives with me and my fondness for BMW has been a longer-term one.
6) Jaguar - Again, never owned but been in quite a few and found them lovely. Cosy luxury vs the more sterile environment of their German counterparts and a cossetting ride without too much dynamic compromise. I've never been that into saloons but I've always lusted after an XJ, maybe an F-Type. Sadly I'll probably never be able to afford any of their new products but a Jaguar was always the "nice" car for me that I might be able to afford one day (whereas an Aston Martin or a Ferrari didn't really seem that realistic). Such a cool brand in the post-war era too.
So what (up to 6) car manufacturers/brands do you have the most affinity/fondness with?
I've had 2 Peugeots, 1 mazda, 1 honda, 2 Nissan, 2 porsche, 8 BMWs, 1 Mercedes.
Of all brands, im likely a BMW man first and foremost. Not the new, ugly as sin stuff, but stuff up to about 2020, all good. And performance cars, its probably porsche.
Would happily have a Japanese car again. Probably not a French car though, hot hatches arent really my thing.
Never been that fussed by VAG group or JLR group cars. Indifferent to Korean, American or Chinese brands.
Of all brands, im likely a BMW man first and foremost. Not the new, ugly as sin stuff, but stuff up to about 2020, all good. And performance cars, its probably porsche.
Would happily have a Japanese car again. Probably not a French car though, hot hatches arent really my thing.
Never been that fussed by VAG group or JLR group cars. Indifferent to Korean, American or Chinese brands.
Well, in 46 years of driving I've only owned cars from 7 different manufacturers, so I guess I can only drop the one I've owned the least of and so that's the one and only Vauxhall I've owned. Ford clearly top of the pile, as owned the most of them.
8 x Fords
4 x Saabs
2 x BMW
2 x Talbot
2 x British Leyland
8 x Fords
4 x Saabs
2 x BMW
2 x Talbot
2 x British Leyland
TVR - love them, had 3
Peugeot - learnt in one, first car, first company car, first convertible, just bought another one
Saab - Dad had one, love quirky Swedish, must buy 900 T16 at some point
Rover - SD1, P6, P5, 827, 75 all fab, need to scratch the SD1 Vitesse itch
BMW - had several, want an E30 318iS
Jaguar - had a couple, must have a V8 XJR at some point.
I may change my mind later.
Peugeot - learnt in one, first car, first company car, first convertible, just bought another one
Saab - Dad had one, love quirky Swedish, must buy 900 T16 at some point
Rover - SD1, P6, P5, 827, 75 all fab, need to scratch the SD1 Vitesse itch
BMW - had several, want an E30 318iS
Jaguar - had a couple, must have a V8 XJR at some point.
I may change my mind later.
1) BMW, I've been obsessed with BMWs since I can remember. My uncle had an E36 318i touring that I loved and my grandads flat, when you got to the top of the stairs there was a huge BMW logo lit up, my dad worked for a sign fitters back when I was a kid and I think it was nicked during a dealer refurb. 
I've owned at least one of each 3 series from the E30 through to F30s. I've currently only got one but will be driving it back to Munich in a couple of weeks. I always say I'm not sure I like the latest model then a year in I love them, I remember saying that about the E90!
2) Renault, big fan, from the R5 of the 90s to the Clio Williams, 197 (current track car) & now a Renault 4 for the mrs, so I actually own 2 at the moment! I remember my mates mum had an Espace, quality car, threw all of us kids in it and off we f
ked. Even the strange stuff is cool, Avantime etc.
3) Volvo, mainly kicked off with the 850 BTCC cars tbh. My mum worked at a dealers and I loved their press S40 in BTCC livery. I've quite liked all the eras of them, boxy, slightly less boxy and the latest stuff that seems quite plush and premium.
4) Skoda! My first car I really fell for was a MK Fabia vRS. Tuned it up, done track days, car shows, road trips, loved it. Had a couple of Octavias after that too. I feel like the more recent stuff is a little wishy washy, the vRS models seem to have ended up like a trim level but I've not looked at them too closely in recent years. I do like a nice Superb too actually, luxobarge.
I'd say they're my main ones, like most of you I could find a car I like from every manufacture but these are brands that I have admired the most over the years, I'm quite fond of Audi & VW too. BMW is head and shoulders above the rest for me though.
I've owned at least one of each 3 series from the E30 through to F30s. I've currently only got one but will be driving it back to Munich in a couple of weeks. I always say I'm not sure I like the latest model then a year in I love them, I remember saying that about the E90! 2) Renault, big fan, from the R5 of the 90s to the Clio Williams, 197 (current track car) & now a Renault 4 for the mrs, so I actually own 2 at the moment! I remember my mates mum had an Espace, quality car, threw all of us kids in it and off we f
ked. Even the strange stuff is cool, Avantime etc. 3) Volvo, mainly kicked off with the 850 BTCC cars tbh. My mum worked at a dealers and I loved their press S40 in BTCC livery. I've quite liked all the eras of them, boxy, slightly less boxy and the latest stuff that seems quite plush and premium.
4) Skoda! My first car I really fell for was a MK Fabia vRS. Tuned it up, done track days, car shows, road trips, loved it. Had a couple of Octavias after that too. I feel like the more recent stuff is a little wishy washy, the vRS models seem to have ended up like a trim level but I've not looked at them too closely in recent years. I do like a nice Superb too actually, luxobarge.
I'd say they're my main ones, like most of you I could find a car I like from every manufacture but these are brands that I have admired the most over the years, I'm quite fond of Audi & VW too. BMW is head and shoulders above the rest for me though.
Maybe had a dozen Saab, a dozen Volvo, a dozen VW and a dozen BMW with multiples of other makes in between...half a dozen Citroen, half a dozen or so Honda, half a dozen Vauxhall, Fords, four Jaguar, four Smart 450, must have had half a dozen Fiat and Renault, a brace of Alfa, brace of Series Land Rovers, brace of Porsche...used to have all this written down, had getting on for 200 cars from memory!!
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