Worst or most problematic car you've owned?

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Originally Posted By: dparm
My Ford Contour.

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I always liked the Contour/Mystique although I've never owned one.

What year and what were the problems?
 
Originally Posted By: pbm
1980 Dodge Omni with carburated 1.7...carb issues galore
1993 Dodge Omni 2.2 was a good car but it needed clutches regularly.


Hey, that reminds me. My Mom had a string of cars... renault dauphine, 68 beetle, 71 vega, 76 vega. They all sound terrible in hindsight. The beetle's throttle stuck open in a parking garage due to a broken spring. Mom nonchalantly fixed it with a rubber band. Benefits of a stick shift.
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1981 delivered a "Dodge Omni 024 Miser" to our happy household.

Door handles were always failing. Sometimes it would be a week or two before my dad could fix the driver's door so Mom would go in the passenger side. This "extra wear" did in the passenger handle so she had to use the hatchback.

Thing ate about three clutches in 81k miles. With a ~50hp VW motor! We traded it at eight years/ 81k because the bottom of the door had a football sized rust hole and likely would have failed state inspection. And it had been "Rusty Jones" treated. (Dad mailed a picture of this hole off to a class action/ bankruptcy settlement and got a check for $30 or so.)

After we traded it on a Mazda 323 (specifically bought from the salesman who sold us one of the Vegas!) the only other one we ever saw on the road belonged to a pizza guy and he had his interior door panel all apart, so he could get at the coat-hanger shaped rods inside to operate the latch.
 
My worst was my first car- a '68 Ford Ranchero- just because it was so beat-to-death when I got it. I've never had a problematic newer car (knock wood...)

When we got married, my wife brought her 1984 Chevy Cavalier to the household. She was really proud because she had bought it new with her own money. I H-A-T-E-D that thing, but I couldn't stand to tell her that. I busted knuckles every time I changed the oil, it spectacularly blew the transaxle at 80k miles, ate its AC compressor a couple of times, and we finally sold it because the steering rack leaked almost as fast as you could pour fluid in the reservoir and it was so darn hard to get at the rack to swap it. And it just generally sucked at being a car.

My dad had a couple that really brought a new level of pain also. A 1978 Plymouth Horizon (VW 1.7L engine with a Chrysler-built head) and a 1979 Mazda B2000 pickup. Both were complete nightmares. The Mazda suspension continually fell apart, blades flew off the plastic radiator fan, the secondary on the staged 2-bbl Mikuni carb kept sticking shut, and pretty much everything about the Horizon had a problem at one time or another. Spectacular failures included the differential section of the transaxle locking up (briefly) at highway speed then grinding itself to bits, and the rear semi-axle breaking leaving the rear wheels flopping around from the trailing arms. And the flexible carb mount spacer proved to be a Really Bad Idea (tm) because it failed so completely that you could lift the carb right off the manifold with the engine running (geez, I wonder why the idle was rough???) The weirdest thing it ever did was that it would sometimes diesel *backwards* when you shut it down hot. Yes... sucking air in the tailpipe and blowing exhaust out the air cleaner... with the ignition off... and it would run unbelievably smoothly when doing that too. Turning the ignition back on would do nothing. Putting it in gear would do nothing (because the transmission pump was spinning backwards). But put your hand over the exhaust pipe and it would stop in about 4-5 seconds.
 
My 1984 BMW 733i.
Nothing wrong mechanically, but an electrical system nightmare.
I could tell you some funny stories.
Like the day I drove it to work on a cool morning, needing some heat.
By the time I drove home that afternoon, it had gotten nice and warm outside, a fuse had blown, and the climate control defaulted to full hot.
Even better, I couldn't put a single window down.
Luckily, I was able to at least open the sunroof.
This car might have had electrics designed in Italy and executed by English suppliers.
Nothing like an old Mercedes!
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I find it hard to blame a car for problems if it's purchased used and the history is long and/or unknown.


To some extent I agree, but the nature of the problems has a lot to do with it for me. My current '04 Chrysler has had more than its share of problems. I bought it used with about 40K on it and a full maintenance history.

The transmission solenoid pack needed to be replaced at 55K. Ok, could be due to the driver or the fact that it is a common issue so I'll give the car the benefit of the doubt.

Had to replace the power brake booster at 80K. In about 25 years of driving and countless vehicles I have never had a booster go bad. What could the previous owner have done to the car (or failed to do) that would cause this?

I am able to fix things like these myself fairly inexpensively so it's not that big a deal, but I would never recommend one to someone who can't
 
I bought three Ford's in a row and sued on the last one.

1989 Ranger ~ A/C never worked, intermittent ignition fails that left me stranded numerous times and the dealership could never find the problem.

1994 Thunderbird ~ Warped rotors because of a poor axle shaft design, and ate three transmissions in 36K miles. Suffered sudden acceleration, etc.

1999 Mercury Villager ~ Spent 88 days in the Stu Evens repair shop the first year owned. Drove off the lot without brake lights, and no A/C. A/C never worked the 1 1/2 years I owned it. The Ford Rep told me that if I don't like it get a lawyer...so I did. They ate their words.

As you can see by my list I no longer purchase Ford products.
 
Originally Posted By: D.K.
1998 Volvo Station wagon AWD. That is the biggest pos ever designed and built.

The entire rear suspension has to be removed to replace the fuel pump. I did it twice.


Actually, Volvo had a far worse disaster: the 1973 142 coupe.

I bought one new in 73. In the two years I had it, it needed rear brakes every 5000 miles, fronts at 10,000. The exhaust broke just behind the resonator three times the first year. The speedo quit ... but it had a resonant engine noise at 70 that let you know when you got there.

It had a FI system that was '73 only ... for a good reason. You would be running at 70 and something would give an audible click. After the click, the car accelerated. By itself. If you didn't take your foot off the pedal completely it would climb up to 90 plus.

It had a body seam that ran horizontally back from the lower rear corner of the door to the wheel well (God knows why). Both seams were rusting within 18 months.

I finally took it back to the dealer and asked him to buy it back. He did, on the condition that I not tell a perspective buyer what a piece of (insert obvious here) it was.

Years later, I walked through a book store and saw a coffee table book on the ten worst cars of all time. Sure enough, the 1973 Volvo 140 series was there.
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I find it hard to blame a car for problems if it's purchased used and the history is long and/or unknown.


Yep, that Grand Prix sounds like it may have lived a hard early life.

I've been fortunate to not have encountered any unusually problematic vehicles.
 
In my experience:

2001 Saturn SL 5spd...it was dead reliable until it hit 120k miles and then it started needing a lot of work and started falling apart.

I did some big repairs on it around 120k expecting it to go on for much longer but in the span of a year I had dumped over a grand into it.

Engine misfire, dead radio, bad intake manifold gasket, failing timing chain / slight engine knock, bad clutch hydraulics, wheel bearings etc. I ended up donating it at 132k miles out of frustration when the engine started knocking. Funny thing is that the "typical" car failures like water pump, starter, alternator, radiator etc were still original.... The car still looked brand new on the outside thanks to the plastic panel sides...the Saturn bodies are still some of the best...I see them all the time on the roads and they all look like new even 10 years old.

Hopefully my Mazda treats me as well as the Saturn did for the first 120k miles and beyond.

Family experience:

I was young at the time but I remember our 1993 Chrysler Town and Country constantly having issues. I remember being broken down on the side of a highway numerous times.
 
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Originally Posted By: rpn453
Originally Posted By: cchase
I find it hard to blame a car for problems if it's purchased used and the history is long and/or unknown.


Yep, that Grand Prix sounds like it may have lived a hard early life.

I've been fortunate to not have encountered any unusually problematic vehicles.


Sad thing is I know the guy that had the car before I did and he is easy and takes good care of his vehicles. Never had to many problems with it
 
Without a doubt a 1974 Chevy 3/4 ton 4X4 that I bought new in the summer of 1974. Within the first 2 months the paint started falling off in sheets. In the first year that I owned it the truck spent almost 3 months having paint redone (in 2 or 3 week increments, first a bedside, then the cab roof, then the hood, etc). The last time, shortly before I sold it, they agreed to repaint the entire truck since the piecemeal approach left it looking like a mismatched junkyard reject.

When it was cold out the entire electrical system would occasionally (without warning) brown out-headlights would go dim, heater blower motor would fade to nothing, wipers would slow to almost nothing. Again, spent 10 or 15 days at various times trying to get the dealer to fix it. They finally had a factory rep try to solve it and never did, even though each time it was in the shop they told me they found the issue and were sure it was solved.

It was back at least twice for transmission issues, once for the transfer case (wouldn't shift into 4WD) and at least 5 or 6 times for other minor issues.

I finally wised up and, after the second year of miserable ownership, sold it and never looked back.

That truck, plus another negative experience with GM in the 1980's are the reasons why I won't buy another GM in my lifetime.
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I find it hard to blame a car for problems if it's purchased used and the history is long and/or unknown.

This. You just never know what was done to it or who drove it.

My worst was an 02 Jetta TDI bought brand new. The list is long but here a few of the problems:
4 netural park saftey switches
2 auto transmissions
2 sets of intjectors
1 set of glow plugs
2 injector wiring harnesses.
All in 80,000 miles.
 
03 Nissan Altima 2.5L. A ticking time bomb with details told here. Actually it was an acceptable fairly reliable vehicle until the precat spewed cat substrate into the engine. But when it did that, it was over, terminal engine damage.

Though no consolation, I was one of many Nissan 02-03 2.5 owners that drut Nissan hung out to dry.

Adios Nissan.
 
This is such a small sample of the population, this a novelty thread to pass the time. I see some folks had some problems with their 3800 or 3.1 powered Buicks and Pontiacs. Mine have been very good. I think all you can infer is that it is hit or miss with any car, especially when purchased used.

You will, most likely, only get people in this thread who have had big problems and want to let it be known. Like me and my Jetta.
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I find it hard to blame a car for problems if it's purchased used and the history is long and/or unknown.


That's why I didn't include the '83 Oldsmobile 98 Regurgitate.

The window motors were garbage but then again so were the switches.

The heater control valve, mounted on the intake, began to leak. I grasped it with my bare hand and it crumbled in my hand. I have no idea how it didn't self destruct with cooling system pressure. Took a long time to get the remains out of the intake. That part didn't crumble.

The headliner fell down faster than any other car I've ever seen. One day it was a bubble. The next day I was wearing it for a hat.

It ran through Ignition control modules for awhile. Couple of Borg Warners, an AC Delco, and finally the cheapest Wells module. Then they stopped dying.

Everything that held oil, leaked. Rear main, tailshaft housing, differential, power steering pump

The only freeze plug that failed, was on the back of the engine. The rest looked fine.

But I don't blame the car.
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who knows what kind of neglect it suffered.

I hold GM fully accountable for the Chevette because it was designed badly.

But it is hard for me to trust a GM vehicle because the ones I owned have been badly designed and tended to fail more often than my Ford or Chrysler vehicles.
 
Will chime in.
My step Brother's worst car was, Hyundai Elantra(I think 96) and MK3 GTI, he swears never to buy VW again and Hyundai.
My fathers worst were: Ford tempo and Audi (87 or 89)3000s. Audi got troubles with AC all the time, alternator, rack and pinion was a mess,and many other little things,last drop was when brakes went out while driving.
Mine worst was beaten to death cheap temporary car, 91 Accord, looked horrible, leaked or burned every single fluid, had more than 278k miles and odo, and it stopped who knows when. But it was running and served me 5 month. Then I sold it to some ghetto guy, who was helping us to fix one of the properties. It server him another 3-4 month for sure. I bet he ever added any fluid or changed oil. I changed it ones to GTX and was constantly topping off.
It never gave up on me, but ones overheated, when I was right near the place I was going to. Waited till buddy came over, added water, oil, and it was fine.
 
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Originally Posted By: zyxelenator
so ford got first place?


No.

GM: 20
Ford 11
Dodge 9
Honda 4
Mazda 1
Mitsu 1
Volvo 2
Merc 1
VW 2
BMW 1
Nissan 1
Hyundai 1
Audi 1
 
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