From Atlantic to Pacific, the name Altima strikes fear into the hearts of drivers of all ages. It conjures images of vehicles spun wildly out of control, careening through traffic like unguided missiles. But while the Altima is universal, every city, state, and municipality has its own unique automotive villains as well.
In my hometown, those villains were Honda Accords — so reviled for a group that loved them above any other model, the 203 Realests (their spelling). They’d slam their Accords as low as possible, then roam the streets in packs like coyotes. Really, really slow coyotes.
Here in New York, though, the annoying cars are different. Manhattan is besieged by supercars, revving for their Instagram reels, but my pick for the most annoying car has to go to Brooklyn’s woe: The late-model BMW 335i.
These 3-series aren’t pack animals like the Accords, they’re solitary creatures. They do their highway pulls on 25 mile-an-hour city streets, popping and crackling from the world’s worst-sounding burble tunes all the way. They’re a menace, more annoying even than the LED-clad Polaris Slingshots that haunt our roads. Those, at least, can be evaded by avoiding main thoroughfares and tourist spots. The BMWs will find you anywhere.
The most annoying vehicles near me are poorly-modified BMW 335is. What are the most annoying cars near you? Leave your answers down below, and I’ll collect the best in a couple of days.