Most overhyped, disappointing car you've ever driven?

I drove a Porsche 993 today and was thoroughly underwhelmed.993 is beautiful to look at, but a 996 drives better, in my opinion.

A beautiful clean and stock 97 Miata.

e46 325ix. Boring, not fast, not fun to drive, just kind of felt dead. Not the ultimate driving machine. not even close.

88 RX-7 NA. Not sure if there was something wrong with the one I drove or what, but I came in ready to buy and after the test drive I was off looking for something else.

Stock 1.6L NA Miata.

I'll second the 1.6 Miata. Felt a lot like an appliance to me. Especially after all the love they get on here.

Early 2000's BMW 3-series. late 90's Civic Si. late 80's stock 5.0 GT Mustang.

993 felt like it had the weakest unibody ever created. My 93 LeBaron convertible i used to have, is the only car I've driven with a weaker structure.

I have not driven a 996, and I did not drive the 993 with much gusto, but I thought it felt great.

Half-joking, I nominate my WRX. It's very good compared to so many cars I've owned, but while it's fast it doesn't feel eager, and my impression of driving it quickly around town is of perpetually matting the accelerator and then then lifting as it finally finds boost just after I get to the speed I was trying to reach (I'd probably have been happier with a standard Impreza around town; or maybe if I were keeping it long term a new tune on the ECU could address my issues)... The steering has a nice rate, but not much weight and virtually no feel beyond that weight.

But when it comes down to it, the cars I've loved more were not as good as this car. I loved them for their character more than for whether they lived up to any hype...

In fact, the 1972 911 Targa I used to own felt like it had been seam welded compared to the floppy 993

Also 1991-6 Roadmasters are not fast & drive like, well, old large Buicks

Big one for me was the BRZ/FRS. It really felt underpowered to me, and I'm not quite sure why--I currently drive an NB Miata with only suspension mods (and a cat-back), the car before that was a SAAB 9-5 linear (lowest power one) and before that a 4 cylinder E30 convertible. I should be the guy screaming that it doesn't need more power, it is supposed to be that way, but nonetheless I was disappointed in it.

I was also disappointed in how fat the 350Z that I drove felt. A ton of fun, but it really felt like it needed a diet. Doesn't really fit the description of the thread because it was expected, but still.

M030 wrote: Also 1991-6 Roadmasters are not fast & drive like, well, old large Buicks

I don't get the same impression, but I can easily see it. You have to go into it with a certain mindset to really enjoy it. I get a kick out of driving them. Similarly, I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would drive a Wrangler, yet people out there love them.

FRS

Stock AE86 GT-S.....

mtn wrote: Big one for me was the BRZ/FRS. It really felt underpowered to me, and I'm not quite sure why--I currently drive an NB Miata with only suspension mods (and a cat-back), the car before that was a SAAB 9-5 linear (lowest power one) and before that a 4 cylinder E30 convertible. I should be the guy screaming that it doesn't need more power, it is supposed to be that way, but nonetheless I was disappointed in it.

I'll second that. Rev the piss out of it and the engine never really comes alive. It just pulls along and hits the rev limiter with a mighty blah. I kept expecting the power to come on at some point, and it never did.

The chassis is well set up, making the car fun. It's easy to drive and drift. But it feels slow.

NSX

Granted I wasn't able to drive it on the track, but on the street it felt like an Accord with terrible visibility. Didn't feel fast, or special. AND it was a later one with a $90K pricetag!

350Z / 370Z

I wanted to love these cars so much, but the driving experience just wasn't that great. Each horsepower seems to be working very hard all the time. Nothing fluid or smooth about these.

E30 M3

I know blasphemy right? Sorry, these are thrashy and underpowered on the street. I also don't like the "boy racer" wing and bodywork (I know, more blasphemy!) They are magic on track, but for street use, an E30 325is is a better choice, and I think a better looking car.

mtn wrote: Similarly, I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would drive a Wrangler, yet people out there love them.

After a bit, you begin to appreciate things like, "I can pull straight through to the next parking spot even though there's one of those concrete stops in the way."

Curbs, potholes, steep driveways all disappear. It does have a funny way of bobbing the cab around on those heavy stick axles. I think I've finally nailed it down. It feels kind of like you're driving one of these:

1982 Mercedes 380SL- My grand parents gush about this car more than their pedigree dog and flipping through some magazine article of the era, the press seemed to agree. First, the steering has the feel, prescision and turning ratio fiting of something with Kenworth emblem. Second, the engine is anemic and the transmission always seems confused and rough even though it had been completely rebuilt just less than a year ago. Third, the body motions are unctrolled, especially for a compromised "sports car" which might be appropriate if the ride was decent, but it slammed into potholes with grace of an unloaded F-450 pickup. A PCA member said that it drove like a truck, QFT.

In reply to Alan Cesar: But with one of those, you can put a knee down...

Mazdaspeed Miata. On paper and in online reviews it looks like it should just be a Miata turned up to 11. Instead I spent significant time cursing what had to have been among the worst gearing ratios and shift gates of all time.

I will add the MazdaSpeed6

I mean it was fast enough but it just didn't live up to the hype, which is the OP.

1st gen Audi TT

mtn wrote: . Similarly, I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would drive a Wrangler, yet people out there love them.

Me either. Unless you plan to do semi-serious off roading that is. That I get.

formula mazda. for some reason I did not fit in any way that seemed remotely comfortable. It was a miserable drive on a great track (road america).