Definitely agree with you there JP.
I started watching Top Gear with my Dad and it was things like this below which kept me watching...
In typical fashion Clarkson and one of his co-hosts (Vicky Butler Henderson) had a specified budget to go out and buy a car each to tune up and race. He chose the SD1 and she chose a Vauxhall Nova (dropped a 2 Ltr red top engine in it).
I still do love watching things like that and as TG progressed over the years I continued to enjoy the types of races, challenges etc that the presenters did together.
Personally for me they ruined Top Gear when they took on Chris Evans as I can't stand that guy but then started to draw me back in as a viewer as soon as they got rid of him as I enjoyed watching Matt LeBlanc with Chris Harris (& even Rory to an extent).
Now with the new line up again being made up of people I dislike I doubt I'll even watch a single episode.
To get my car fix nowadays I'll just keep watching "Street Outlaws", "Kindig Customs" and others on Sky as there is much more choice nowadays.