We'd Love To Own These British Classics Even Though They're ...

For every car-making nation, there's at least one negative stereotype that most car fans will associate with it. Japanese cars, for example, are stereotyped as reliable but boring. American cars aren't technologically advanced enough, and French cars are weirdly designed, or so the stereotypes go. For Britain, the most common negative aspect associated with the nation's industry is unreliability. In the current market, brands like Jaguar and Land Rover consistently rank at the bottom of reliability charts, and historically things have been even worse.

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Of course, not every British car is unreliable. Some are workhorses built to do their jobs day in, day out, without complaint. But, there's still a lot of British cars out there, especially classic ones, that will take a lot more effort to maintain than a model from another nation. Sometimes though, these cars are so good they're worth the hassle. Despite the fact that they're unreliable, these UK classics are all highly desirable collector's items, owned by a few and desired by many.

8 Aston Martin DB7

Via-Collecting Cars

It's a car that deserves a lot more credit than it gets, largely thanks to the fact that it's a bargain on the used market right now. However, it's not the car to get for exclusive design and craftsmanship, as it's essentially a parts bin supercar built with bits off a Ford Mondeo.

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Via Autogespot

That's because Ford owned Aston Martin at the time, and didn't give it enough funding to develop its own parts. Still, it's great fun to drive, even though it's not the fastest of cars. Thanks to those shared Ford parts, at least maintenance won't be too expensive, even if it'll probably be frequent.

7 Rover SD1 V8

Via Themotorhood

Back in the '70s, British Leyland decided they needed a new luxury saloon to compete with foreign rivals. The result was the SD1, a car with design inspired by the Ferrari Daytona and a V8 under the hood. It also had a host of then-cutting-edge features, like an adjustable steering column and folding rear seats.

Via Themotorhood

Unfortunately, British Leyland's manufacturing was beset with quality control issues that meant many models fell apart almost as soon as they reached their new owners. As a result, the car sold poorly and relatively few models survive until the current day. Today's owners can claim the title of driving a car that very nearly changed the fortune of a whole corporation, but fell at the last hurdle.

6 Lotus Espirit

Via San Francisco Sports Cars

The question of the Lotus Espirit's reliability is a contentious one. Some owners swear by their cars while others spend more time swearing at their cars as they're stuck at the mechanic again. It seems that maintenance plays a big part, as if an owner's skipped maintenance at any point in the car's life, it may always continue to be unreliable.

Via San Francisco Sports Cars

Still, for those who can get their hands on a decent example, it's a well-worth-it classic to have. Owners report that they're real head-turners, and their handling makes them great fun to drive too. Not to mention, owning one of 007's cars is always going to be cool, no matter what.

5 Mini Cooper

Via Pinterest

A true British icon, the Mini is known and loved by car fans all around the world. It revolutionized the car market when it debuted, as it's a masterclass in compact packaging with a deceptively large interior.

Via Classic Register

Minis were always built as economy cars though, and as such wasn't really made to stand the test of time. Any early Mini that hasn't had extensive restoration will today be very likely to fall apart or have rusted into nothing. Still, those willing to shell out to restore their cars will love its retro looks and go-kart handling.

4 Jaguar E-Type

Via Pendine

The E-Type's most famous admirer is probably Enzo Ferrari, who called it the "most beautiful car ever". That's very high praise from the man behind one of the best car brands on Earth, but even today the Jag stands alone as a shining example of design done right.

RELATED: Here Are The Most Beautiful European Sports Cars Ever Made

Via Pendine

Driving and maintaining one of these is a lot more of a pain, however. Depending on who's asked, some find the E-Type's driving experience to be a bit underwhelming, or even annoying. Keeping the car running is also notoriously tricky, as the build quality of these cars was generally pretty questionable.

3 Land Rover Range Rover Mk1

Via Wikimedia Commons

Range Rover top the charts for unreliability surveys across many markets around the globe. They're notoriously bad, although that doesn't stop wealthy families and celebrities snapping them up like hotcakes. Classic Range Rovers aren't actually as bad to maintain as their contemporary relatives, but finding parts will be very tricky.

Via Honest John Classics

Unless an owner is lucky enough to live next to a scrapyard with an old Range Rover in, it's going to be very difficult to find replacements when things start to wear out. Some US owners combat this by replacing the Range Rover's engine with an LS V8, and many other parts with similar GM bits. However, for the true classic British experience, an owner will just have to shell out for imported items, so they'd better have deep pockets. Still, it's worth it for this legendary 4x4 that oozes retro-cool.

2 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible

Via Collecting Cars

Drop-tops are very popular with everyone from rappers to dictators, but these classic Rolls could be bought by any collector with a moderately big bank account. Sure, it'll probably cost thousands more to maintain, but that's par for the course with these stately classics.

Via Collecting Cars

It's an old-school English barge, but it's got an unmatchable presence that even modern-day Rolls-Royces can't quite emulate. Whatever the occasion, a drop-top classic Rolls is sure to make a big entrance, and its wafting handling will make sunny weekend trips a dream, too.

1 TVR Chimaera

Via TVR-Car-Club

TVR is a brand that's always been lumped with a reputation for reliability, mostly thanks to inconsistent workmanship between cars. It means that, while some owners may get a relatively easy ride, others who have the same model may spend thousands on repairs every year.

Via TVR

Still, the Chimaera is worth the stress and cash. It's a car madder than its exterior would suggest: capable of turning its tires into a trail of hot rubber, it's known among owners as one of the best TVRs around. It's still a great Sunday driver too, for those who prefer their road trips a little more relaxing than riotous.

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