What is the worst car you ever owned?

That is totally crazy, how Nissan could not figure that whole matter out. I wonder if in the 5-year-in-Canada run they ever figured out the rod knock issue...
NO ONE looks to the filter. Few here would believe it was the filter. I show the photos years ago and many still make excuses. NIssan problems could be two things coming together - pool cold oil flow and inadequate manufacturing contol (MQC) of rod bearing clearances. I wont even bring up piston design and a trend towards Net Build with many commodity passenger car engine.
Nissan after a while changed the filter vendor to Grupo Gonher (Mexico) and even THEY had a design issue with ADBV flappers making them ineffective** - Ken
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** https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/nissan-15208-65foe-adbv-defect.307562/
 
1997 Dodge Neon. I bought it brand new and engine and manual transmission were dead by 70K miles. I drove onto a Toyota lot and it sounded like it was running on 2 cylinders, I think the synchros were gone and it was impossible to twitch gears on the 5-speed manual without grinding and it died just in time to coast downhill into a parking space. It was a squeaky, noisy, rough running, poorly built vehicle for day one. Picked up a Toyota Echo that I drove trouble-free for 200k miles before trading it.
 
NO ONE looks to the filter. Few here would believe it was the filter. I show the photos years ago and many still make excuses. Nissan problems could be two things coming together - pool cold oil flow and inadequate manufacturing contol (MQC) of rod bearing clearances. I wont even bring up piston design and a trend towards Net Build with many commodity passenger car engine.
Nissan after a while changed the filter vendor to Grupo Gonher (Mexico) and even THEY had a design issue with ADBV flappers making them ineffective** - Ken
_____________________________________________________
** https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/nissan-15208-65foe-adbv-defect.307562/
ARCOgraphite, what is Net Build?

Yeah, those whole vehicle lines, the Versa Note- and the Cdn mkt last-gen Micra... seems to me that (per my experience at least with the Micra) they're otherwise decent, simple vehicles. The 1.6, at 109 hp, has simple port sequential injection... One unfortunate matter, though, is the intake manifold has to be removed for changing sparkplugs. That's not the end of the world, but as I understand it something in the PCM has to be re-initialized, reprogrammed when disconnecting wiring for same. I wonder if disconnection of batt negative lead, prior, would make that unnecessary.

In any case, 'real shame - that rod knock issue - with these vehicles (at least IMO).
 
ARCOgraphite, what is Net Build?
The Term applies typically to body and chassis assembly on a unit body car where the assembly stackup and parts dimensional and positional control is such that the car can be assembled without later needed adjustment for position fits and gaps. This is oftentimes used in integration with robot welding and vision system control nowadays.

I am taking a bit of license and applying NB terminology to drivetrain assembly where parts quality and dimensional accuracy come together with design spec such that you can take parts out of the bin and assemble them without fit checking or clearance matching.

In an other simplified explanation the clearances are wide enough and tolerances are held very tight - from vendors to in house casting seasoning and machining - such that a drivetrain can be "slapped together" with "off the shelf" parts and the engine will be built to "blueprint". - Ken
 
Wife's 2005 ford escort got it before the 2010 accent.. off her Grandpa's estate.
Constant fairly major issues. Had SPI engine(not zetec)

Wheel cylinders (3)
(2) broken studs with torque wrench.
Transmission.
odd electric problems with head and tail lights.

I was not involved in the purchase of this car.

When I say her $10400MSRP stripped manual window and lock 2010 accent was an upgrade in every way.. it was.
 
Wife's 2005 ford escort got it before the 2010 accent.. off her Grandpa's estate.
Constant fairly major issues. Had SPI engine(not zetec)

Wheel cylinders (3)
(2) broken studs with torque wrench.
Transmission.
odd electric problems with head and tail lights.

I was not involved in the purchase of this car.

When I say her $10400MSRP stripped manual window and lock 2010 accent was an upgrade in every way.. it was.
Maybe I'm a dinosaur, but when it comes right down to it, a car distills down to the mission-critical elements necessary for motive power, steering and stopping. I celebrate stupid, simple cars, but I am insistent that the drive-quality NEVER be compromised.
 
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My worst car is a tie between a Fiat 850 (Fiat was crap back then same as now) and my first brand new car, a MGB . The MG didn't make it 1 mile from the dealership before its first of many breakdowns. Britain and Italy build crap, (Some very expensive crap, but still crap).
 
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Two Chevys at once in the mid to late 70's. My parents had a 76 Caprice Classic which was ok but just a boat. I had a bare bones 75 Vega. The only problems I had with it were rear end bearings and a fuel pump. I ran it on 20w-50 Valvoline which I think held off engine problems
 
My 1995 NX 2000 with the targa top was my second car. It wasn't terrible but of the vehicles I have owned it was the worst. It had a 2.0-liter 140 hp engine, 5-speed, great handling but was a rickety deathtrap. One day, the driver side door fell almost off when a door hinge tore off. At just 18 years young I may have been a bit rough on the vehicle and I sold it after two years.
 
More that I think on it, this by far was the worst I’ve EVER owned and also the shortest amount of time of ownership -just days 😂

Bought car from sketchy cash only dealer in the city with 100k on it… by 101k The 3.8l threw a rod… yeah it knocked loudly for a few hundred miles… right after I drained the slick 50 out of the motor to put in Pennzoil platinum synthetic …

even before it was knocking, on the trip home I swore I was gonna break down … I had to keep the pedal to floor just to
Maintain speed … the next day I noticed it would only have power when it was cold / first 2 miles of trip then it would lose 90% of its power once it warmed up… to the point of acceleration to 60 would take 40 seconds floored.
The transmission would go in neutral on any turn, so I would not hit the throttle in turns 😂 fluid change did not not help.
The brakes had no confidence, nor did the suspension/steering.
The coolant was pure sludge
Oh and I hit a massive crater on the Tappan Zee Bridge, and intern it messed up the steering wheel alignment a good 40° off-center to go straight lol.

What a pile, and a complete waste of 2500$ In about 2008.

Got 500 bucks a few short weeks later and I was thrilled just to get rid of it.

Never again.

For bitog enjoyment- I cannot believe I actually found the video of it knocking that I recorded like 14 years ago!!





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That Mobil 1 sticker didn't help at all 😭

I approve of you referencing the bridge by it's correct and proper name
 
1982 Buick Skylark V6
it never had a fluid it didn’t leak. Engine oil, transaxle fluid, gasoline and of course, coolant. Dealer could never fix these, just slathered sealant over the leak.
1997 Mercedes c280 sport
Owned this POS for 36 months. In the shop 35 times.
numerous engine oil and transmission leaks. Two failed differentials. Dashboand squeaks and rattles.
 
1982 Buick Skylark V6
it never had a fluid it didn’t leak. Engine oil, transaxle fluid, gasoline and of course, coolant. Dealer could never fix these, just slathered sealant over the leak.
1997 Mercedes c280 sport
Owned this POS for 36 months. In the shop 35 times.
numerous engine oil and transmission leaks. Two failed differentials. Dashboand squeaks and rattles.
By the way, both were bought new.
 
Mechanically - 1988 Mercury Sable wagon, transmission went out at 60K.

Body rust - 1969 Karman Ghia, they shouldn't have been allowed north of 37 degrees north.
 
2002 VW New Beetle. Too many electrical gremlins. It’s the only car I’ve owned I wasn’t sad to see leave, and I don’t miss it.
1995 Plymouth Voyager. I’ve had 3 Chrysler minivans since, and that was the only bad one. It ate transmissions.
 
Without a doubt my 78 MG Midget that I purchased brand new 44 years ago.
 

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