Car brand that burned you so bad on reliability you'd never buy again?

[MCompact]

Originally Posted by SteveSRT8

As I have said many times before, the vast majority of owners of almost any vehicle are pleased/satisfied. The unhappy ones can be quite vocal with a streak of vengeance for sure!


Exactly! But don't forget the "experts" who have yet to sit in the car they are condemning- bitter envy and sour grapes are powerful motivators.

 

[wemay]

Originally Posted by MCompact
Originally Posted by SteveSRT8

As I have said many times before, the vast majority of owners of almost any vehicle are pleased/satisfied. The unhappy ones can be quite vocal with a streak of vengeance for sure!


Exactly! But don't forget the "experts" who have yet to sit in the car they are condemning- bitter envy and sour grapes are powerful motivators.


To both

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

I generally find I can make friends with any car... I think it, in part, comes to listening to how it runs, detecting a change in drive-quality or sound, and reacting in time. I do my own car maintenance... I find I need to "commune" with my cars.

I have generally tended to stay with domestic and Japanese... but I do have a VW van... from back when i) they actually sold in North America; and ii) back when they were simple / stupid. Aircooled VW (vans) ARE fragile if you don't know how to treat them well and make allowances for their foibles (can anyone say mid-range rpm's and only moderate throttle-openings on long uphill climbs?).

 

[bachman]

I'm coming up with 22 or 23 vehicles I've owned and driven regularly. Always liked to have a good trustworthy mechanic to back me up when things get fussy, thus I've endured a few tranny jobs, head gasket once or twice and clutches. Mostly within the confines of higher mileage and close to expected wear and tear so I'm happy to report not feeling victim to any particular scorched experiences. Out of that group, there is but one Ford and 2 Dodge, yet I won't say that actually means anything. The Focus of 2000 was a fun, spry little car with good mpg, sporty looks and decent ride and handling. Leased it for 36 months.
Mostly GM in the background, a VW, Nissans, a Cadillac, a Soob Loyale. Everyday stuff , zero Exotics.
Aside from the 22 or 23, I've had up close experience with Chevrolet Cavaliers as company cars from '84 to '92 , 5 of them as every other year. They were well maintained by our fleet group and did a fine job as 60k- 75,000 mile daily drivers.

Originally Posted by Passport1
Fiats, Jaguars and mostly anything else British. Paradoxically they were also the most fun cars I've ever owned.


Hear this a lot and recall from earlier years. Makes me smile because there is a 'click' some of us have with our cars. Love/Hate and I think part of the reason I smile is many of the old days reading I'd done was perusing Car & Driver through the 70's as I was a teen , new driver and growing up. Those articles about the British cars that had wiring gremlins, might start or run on cold wet days or leave you stranded only when you got to the farther points from any civilization. I used to be in tears reading that stuff.

Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
I generally find I can make friends with any car... I think it, in part, comes to listening to how it runs, detecting a change in drive-quality or sound, and reacting in time. I do my own car maintenance... I find I need to "commune" with my cars.

I have generally tended to stay with domestic and Japanese... but I do have a VW van... from back when i) they actually sold in North America; and ii) back when they were simple / stupid. Aircooled VW (vans) ARE fragile if you don't know how to treat them well and make allowances for their foibles (can anyone say mid-range rpm's and only moderate throttle-openings on long uphill climbs?).


So very true and yet vehicle owners that are completely oblivious to that ebb and flow of understanding operational thresholds or the "mood the car that day" seem to be the people who have lived a life of vehicle mayhem and distress. Everything they have ever owned or driven is a POS to some degree. So happy my car experience and my dads influence of car things didn't go that way.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted by SteveSRT8
Originally Posted by alarmguy
There are people who "follow" is this world and there are trail breakers/intellectuals. There is always a guy on YouTube to create followers or you can make your own evaluations and your own decisions without relying on someone else to make your life decisions for you.

Example;
There is a factual survey, no matter how one might think flawed on page 11 of this thread, showing real owners of these vehicles having no major engine issues.
Then there is a guy on YouTube telling you why you shouldn't buy this vehicle. Not exactly a survey and no science at all. There is a guy on you tube telling you a reason not to buy any popular product with a good sounding reason in order to create yet more .... followers.

Make your own decisions people, not on unquestioned/uncontested presentations on Youtube.
I find it sad, almost laughable, how people "follow" in this age of information. They can look up real facts for themselves, if they choose to do so.



Very well said indeed.

The Internet has brought us all tons of information on virtually any subject. As almost anyone may suspect this can also be MIS-information as well.

I have many decades and dozens and dozens of cars behind me, I always pick what I like and have never worried about what the Net said. My experiences are almost all positive ones, and I quickly remove any dogs from my fleet.

As I have said many times before, the vast majority of owners of almost any vehicle are pleased/satisfied. The unhappy ones can be quite vocal with a streak of vengeance for sure!


Fantastic Steve, well said and I thank you as well.
I find it quite concerning for future generations if they dont wake up, start questioning information, researching for themselves.
Blazing their own trails and leading rather then following what they see and hear. People, like sheep are so easily led to think a certain way by a small minority more so then ever, in this "information" age.
People think, if they see it in type/video on the internet its true and real, its more easy then ever to get in peoples head and make them think the way they want.
Its the soul purpose or googles operating mode to sell ad revenue, they almost have it down to people purchasing things that they no longer know why they purchase them.

 

[bachman]

I know internet didn't invent confirmation bias but it sure has made it easy.
So much of the above stated true and important to know and yet that can help us duck and weave for the type of valid sources or info we are in search of.
If we let it steer us wrong,
we.
let.
it.

 

[MrWideTires]

Not so bad, but i would probably not buy again:
Chevy: 2010 Suburban 5.3, it was *okay* but it did have some issues, and the built quality was on par with chinese products.
Chrysler/Dodge: 2006 Chrysler 300C SRT8, it was fun! But quality issues and it overheated... I still love SRT Mopar products but can't trust them.
Honda: owned 4 of them.. they're decent, but my last one had quality issues. Compared to the subarus i owned, the hondas are not as stable on the highway with Florida storms, ended up wrapped around a tree, even with brand new tires and going straight.
Ford: Honestly never owned one, but I've seen my friends suffer due to their Fords, and I drive a lot of Super Duties for a friend's dealer. The built quality is also sub-par, I'm talking about brand new $60k super duties that look inside like they are already 7 years old and the gaps don't align.. NEW. Also, they love to cheat on crash tests and have wheel wobble, no thanks.

Horrible, never again:
BMW: Overheat, electrical issues, bad bearings and SMG issues on ///M models, turbo issues, fuel pumps, hard seats, head gaskets... junk.
VW: Horrible experience with several of them, just not dependable, things made of plastic that should not be. Maybe the MK7 GTI & R are the exceptions.


Keepers, never selling:
Subaru: My STI is my 3rd sti over 14+ years, they've all been bulletproof and my current one has 500hp and its still reliable and doesn't even burn oil, my Ascent is also excellent.
Lexus: My 2011 GX460 is so amazing. Not to even mention it's really a Land Cruiser Prado.. these things are impossible to kill, and there is nothing else on the market that has the off road capability, plush luxury, built quality, and reliability of a GX460. Nothing else can pull off all four.
This thing is so solid, it feels like it could crash into the suburban it replaced and split it in half (obviously that wouldn't happen, but that's how much more solid it feels).

 

[Churchill]

Honda

2008 Accord LX was a total turd.
Came with half size battery.

Factory installed rear caliper pins reversed. Rear pads wore out after 3-4K.

VTC Actuator. Google it.
Stretched timing chain, damaged piston rings, massive oil consumption.

I can't be the only victim. Honda's consumer reports ranking has plummeted.

 

[bachman]

Originally Posted by Churchill
Honda

2008 Accord LX was a total turd.
Came with half size battery.

Factory installed rear caliper pins reversed. Rear pads wore out after 3-4K.

VTC Actuator. Google it.
Stretched timing chain, damaged piston rings, massive oil consumption.

I can't be the only victim. Honda's consumer reports ranking has plummeted.

As per the bold highlight above (my doing) , it's a very good point. On this thread, there is some mentions of surveys or band ranting that goes on and questions of accurate info indeed an issue.
Personal experiences can be one-off's, somebody who is poor at simple troubleshooting, expected maintenance or a solid indication of legit trouble/s that is more wide spread.
I make the point because the reality I have experienced is the internet can be a great source of info and very 'spot-on'. In the cases of knowing a brand or model of vehicle and suspected, rumored or "known issues", I discovered how helpful and important even a little research was. At the time, I had Mazda and Infiniti with both having some issues. The Infiniti were all minor and helpful hints for DIY or sourcing parts on the cheap, yet well known and popular little nits. On the Mazda, I'm certain I not only avoided some potential Trans and motor issues but saved a ton by getting some things taken care of per my extended warranty that was coming to it's end soon. Had I not been proactive and investigating car forums TSB / Warranty stuff, things may have just went unnoted. I was able to infer and get agreement the noises I heard were indication of potential big trouble and the dealer went in to check it out coming up with $2200 or so in work they did within warranty. That bought me time and piece of mind if / when I would sell it or keep it a while longer.

 

[pbm]

The worst car I've owned was a Pontiac....I owned a Buick that was very good...a new Honda Accord that wasn't all it was cracked up to be...
3 Fords that were (are) all very good...a Toyota Corolla and Hyundai that have been great (although my first Hyundai bought new...a 1992
Sonata...had it's A/T go out at 109K despite fluid/filter changes every 30K or less...but that was the Mitsubishi A/T.)

 

[Silver]

Any company with a dealership.

 

[Gene K]

I think this is a silly thread. As a general rule they all build lemons and you can roll snake eyes three times in a row.

I've got a friend that had three engines grenade in a row on three different new cars from the same manufacturer while still under warranty. He doesn't drive like an idiot and it never happened before or since. I've also known people that have owned a dozen new cars from the same manufacturer with no major issues.

Nothing made by man is perfect and some examples are less perfect than others.

Some brands are less perfect than others though. I don't have to have owned one to know I would be dubious of buying an out of warranty Range Rover or Aston Martin.

 

[CatCam2]

Worst for us was a 2007 BMW X3.......what a beautiful car to look at while on a flatbed tow truck! Computer fried while out of state, ABS brakes went out 2x, sensor failures galore. So bad the wife swapped vehicles with me because she no longer trusted it.

Best - Volvo. 2011 XC60 with 155,000 miles on it. AC compressor went out at 135,000......that is it.

 

[RitcheyRch]

A 1998 Dodge Dakota. Had way too many issues to write about,

 

[sloinker]

A 1998 Dodge Dakota. Had way too many issues to write about,

Ford, hands down.

 

[Ignatius]

Jeep, I had a 2006 Liberty CRD that was unequivocally the biggest POS vehicle I have ever had without a close second.

 

[skyactiv]

Many post are for brands no longer in existence. Pontiac, Saab, Plymouth, MG, really MG?

 

[71Chevyguy]

For me it has been Ford and VW. I had a Focus that I wrote about here at some point with a bad tranny, no not that tranny actually. Ford was of no help and basically toyed with me trying to make me go away. Including making me drive 12+ hours back to the dealer where I bought it, which said "aww, it isn't THAT bad". In the end they didn't buy the car back, just paid me to go away after a year of talking it over with my attorney. The car got traded and is someone else's problem now.

And VW? well it is a VW lol. I do have three TDI VWs now just because that will be the last chance to own a diesel car. A 98 Jetta I got for free and the two 2014s in my profile that my spouse and I drive. I am sure I will get this put of my system soon after they start breaking down like they always have. There is only so much you can do to over complicate something simple, but VW does a very good job with it. I probably won't be going back for another after this. I have driven the new ones and they aren't any different than anything else. As for Ford, NEVER AGAIN, probably VW too in all honesty.

 

[cb_13]

They all make good and bad vehicles.

I've been mostly lucky to have minimal problems with the vehicles I've owned. Mostly Fords. I drove GM for a few years but their trucks seemed to give me more issues than Ford so I went back. Tried to get the wife into a Toyota but it left us stranded on the test drive so we ended up with an Explorer.

 

[Ws6]

Chrysler, because all of my friends said I was stupid for buying a Jeep, I argued, they were of course right, and so I'm not only mad at the inconvenience of having owned the POS, but also being proven so blasted wrong.