MN-Investor
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Post by MN-Investor on Jun 20, 2011 21:01:40 GMT -5
We've had threads about the best car to own. That got me curious. What was the worst car you ever owned and why? Was it unreliable? Was it a money pit in repairs? Perhaps it was just buyer's remorse after you got it home?
So... what car do you wish you had never bought?
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RoadToRiches
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Post by RoadToRiches on Jun 20, 2011 21:02:31 GMT -5
1987 Ford Taurus SE
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Jun 20, 2011 21:06:52 GMT -5
1998 Ford Taurus LX (my first car). It had a moonroof and leather seats so I felt very fancy, but it also had transmission and A/C problems and finally bit the dust around 110K miles. I've had 3 cars in my life, and I still have 2 of them DH has gone through a lot of vehicles. He says his worst was a 1992 Cadillac STS when he was 16. I remember that car... it was like a disco ball. All the interior lights would blink on and off for no apparent reason. It was pretty cool for high school though
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2011 21:07:00 GMT -5
The Taurus was a great car until it absolutely wasn't anymore. Those things hit middle age and turned into money pits.
I think it was a '92 Taurus in my case.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Jun 20, 2011 21:08:20 GMT -5
Poor Tauruses, getting a bad rap! ;D
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on Jun 20, 2011 21:15:53 GMT -5
Oh Gawd...thanks for the PTSD. 1995 Dodge Neon, biggest POS nightmare EVER. Bought it used, maybe 1999/2000, only had about 50K on it and had a bad head gasket (later found out this was a common defect), dealer wouldn't fix it, screwed around making minor repairs until the warranty ran out, had to sue him under the Lemon Law, and took almost 2 years to settle, meanwhile I had to continue paying that car payment and a NEW car payment cuz I was terrified to buy another LEMON. In the end, I won the lawsuit, stupid guy had to pay me almost 10K on a 5K car (judge ruled that he owed me to cost of the car plus interest, repairs I paid for, and attorney's fees) a few weeks before Christmas cuz the A-hole wouldn't do the right thing and fix the dang car! What would it be, a 1K repair. Served him right, but what a nightmare!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2011 21:48:50 GMT -5
We owned a Chevrolet Monza back in the 1970s. We remember it as a GD awful car, but I saw online that there are enthusiasts who restore these. It looked like a cut-off Monte Carlo, and we bought it only because my ex got new car fever.
Every time I see "worst car" lists, I expect it to show up. It never does. Lol.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Jun 20, 2011 22:00:53 GMT -5
I haven't owned a bad car yet... I'm only 29, so I'm not sure that counts. My high school/college car was 1995 Nissan Pickup truck. My brand new stupid tax out of college was a 2004 GMC Canyon. I know the ratings on it aren't good, but I never had a problem in 6 years of owning it. We traded it in for 2007 Nissan Murano that my husband drives (the daddy mobile) and I drive his 1998 VW GTI with 173k miles and I still love that car.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on Jun 20, 2011 22:06:00 GMT -5
Definitely the Dodge Caravan. It was the ONLY car that we bought new and the biggest POS. It went through (3) transmissions before it logged 100K miles. I will never buy a Dodge or Chrysler product or any other product that Chrysler sells ever again.
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Waffle
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Post by Waffle on Jun 20, 2011 22:23:29 GMT -5
I'm on my second Dodge Caravan and really can't complain. The first one I had for 10 years. Granted, I don't put a lot of miles on my vehicles. I've got 56,000 on this one - but no major problems.
I really don't have any bad car stories of my own. My mother, however would have two contenders. She had a thunderbird, that she referred to as her disposable car - because pieces kept falling off of it and she would just throw them away. (Not mechanical parts - things like the little thunderbird emblems).
But the really worst was a beautiful gold New Yorker - that decided to accelerate for no reason one day and ran in a bit of a circle - taking out a 20 year old forsynthia bush and only stopping when she ran into a neighbor's tree.
The car looked so bad that, when the body shop guy first saw it, he assumed that someone had died in the crash. But she actually managed to get out without a scratch.
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maraqxa
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Post by maraqxa on Jun 20, 2011 22:27:05 GMT -5
1994 Taurus, one lucky thing that happened, the motor died 5 days before warranty expired.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jun 20, 2011 22:32:22 GMT -5
Worst car... 1982 Mustang. It was Beige. It had NO power (straight 6?) and it was BEIGE. It effected my insurance as a "sports car". I bought it used (in '84) with my first car loan and it did put in mostly faithful service for 5 years (needed brakes, tires, and a tranny repair - and it was dripping oil when I sold it). But it's worst offense was being beige and had no power and was an insult to all cars with the Mustang nameplate. I use to plead with my car insurance guy every year - that it wasn't a sports car - it was beige and you had to get out an push it up hills! I bought the car under pressure - it was January in Chicago and I needed a car ASAP. I have a firm rule to NEVER buy a car when you absolutely need one... cause you'll wind up with a beige Mustang! ::shudder::
ADDED: it did have one redeeming quality, I could get it to do spectular donuts on just about any surface. Set me loose on an empty ashpalt parking lot just after a light shower and the car could do ballet.
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Peace Of Mind
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Post by Peace Of Mind on Jun 20, 2011 22:37:15 GMT -5
When I was a teenager my parents made me buy a Ford Pinto as my first car. Even though I paid for the car, insurance and gas, etc. they picked the vehicle out. That thing was in the shop constantly. FixOrRepairDaily!!! Step dad had a Ford truck that always broke down and brother had a Mustang that always needed work. I'll never own another Ford if I can help it.
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runewell
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Post by runewell on Jun 20, 2011 22:41:39 GMT -5
We just rented a Kia Sedona minivan, that thing was horrible. It wouldn't retain a charge, there was something wrong with the electrical system. We had to jump it anytime it sat more than a couple hours. The guy with the tow truck said it was common with that type of vehicle.
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Post by tiredboomer on Jun 20, 2011 23:45:40 GMT -5
2002 Saturn. Started with $2000 worth of repairs at 22,000 miles and continued to get worse. I had a 1997 Saturn that was wonderful, but their quality went way down apparently.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Jun 20, 2011 23:58:12 GMT -5
I haven't had a worst car.
Best car? It's a tie ... 1966 Ford Mustang and 2006 Ford Mustang. ;D
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Mad Dawg Wiccan
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Post by Mad Dawg Wiccan on Jun 21, 2011 0:20:34 GMT -5
1975 Honda Civic CVCC Wagon. I had that POS for five years, and there was not one month I didn't drop at least $100.00 into maintenance.
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lynnerself
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Post by lynnerself on Jun 21, 2011 1:18:24 GMT -5
Ford Fiesta (1976?) My BIL called it the Ford Fiasco.
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cronewitch
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Post by cronewitch on Jun 21, 2011 2:23:09 GMT -5
A 1968 Impala it had electrical problems. Although the LeSabre we had in the 70s was pretty bad too. My first new car was a 69 Opel Cadet it was a great little car but imported. The trouble was it had metric parts so you had to take it to the dealer for everything since nobody had metric tools. We couldn't even buy an oil filter in one town, turned me away from wanting a forgien car again. Now all auto shops will work on imported cars so it shouldn't be bad and I know people who drive them and are ok with them but I have a bad vibe since I owned one once.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2011 6:24:07 GMT -5
Definitely my first car, which was a 1973 AMC Hornet. By 1978 something was going wrong on it every month. I then bought a new 1979 Mustang. It was sexy but way overpowered (V-8) and death in snow because the heavy engine was in the front and the drive wheels were in the back. I dreaded driving that thing in even an inch of snow and I lived in NJ. It was also falling apart before 100K miles. That was the last American car I bought. I hear they're much better now but I figured I was ripped off twice by being sold cars that self-destructed prematurely. Detroit won't get any more of my money.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jun 21, 2011 7:11:27 GMT -5
Not my car, but my dad's. He bought a 2001 (?) GMC Jimmy that had electrical problems from the moment he drove it off the lot. He kept it for 3 years - I think he got rid of it when the warranty ended and got his first mega bill for attempting to correct the electrical problem for the umpteenth time.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Jun 21, 2011 7:24:52 GMT -5
Both my sister anf BF have owned POS Tauruses (Tauri?). My mom currently owns what I consider a POS Explorer (100,000 miles and needed a new transmission not even a year after she bought it). I have only owned one car - my supremely awesome 1999 Honda Civic DX.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Jun 21, 2011 7:40:59 GMT -5
I currently have a 2009 VW Routan. I've had to fix the brakes 4 times, it's had a new transmission put in, and it's got electrical issues where the DVD screen won't work, and touchscreen control will black out, and the automatic doors will sometimes pop open for no reason.
In the past, I had a 2000 Oldmobile Bravada that had a wheel bearing issue, and it cost me at least $700 each time I had them fixed.
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tractor
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Post by tractor on Jun 21, 2011 7:44:36 GMT -5
A 1987 Ford thunderbird, big POS, glad to get rid of it, followed by a 1990 Lincoln Continental. I don't think the late 80's were the peak of quality for any of the domestic automakers. I think that's part of the reason the foreign car makers were able to get such a strong hold in the American market.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Jun 21, 2011 7:50:02 GMT -5
Forgot about one of my mom's POS vehicles... 91 Ford Aerostar van (it was brown, we called it the turd). She got it around 1993? and put a new engine, transmission, and radiator in within a year. It would also randomly stall when you'd been driving it awhile... we stalled on a bridge once, that was fun. We also had to take a cab home from the grocery store when it wouldn't start. She finally scrapped it and bought a 90 Volvo 240 wagon, which was the best car in the world (and it looked like a hearse!)
I think Tractor is onto something with the late 80s/early 90s domestics. I can't think of a good car out of that bunch.
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qofcc
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Post by qofcc on Jun 21, 2011 8:06:13 GMT -5
I learned to drive on my grandpa's mid 80's Buick Regal and my first car was a '78 Mercury Marquis (in '87) - I loved that car until it died at close to 200k miles and my mom gave me her old Toyota Celia. What a POS. The Celia died and by then I was married and my husband loved Toyotas. I drove about 10 different POS Celia's and one slightly less crappy Corolla. They were small, ugly, had no acceleration, broke down all the time and the body was cheap - had one hood that wouldn't stay shut and one wheel that the rim bent and fell off when I torqued it too tight trying to get out of a parking spot. The first car I bought after my divorce was a Ford Thunderbird, then the next was a Buick Skylark then another Buick Skylark. All really nice cars. I'll never buy another foreign tin can again. I always hoped to get a Buick Park Avenue Ultra, but they're getting old now, I guess if I had my choice now, I'd get a Buick Lucerine or a Chrysler 300. But in the mean time, I like my Impala. It gets 25mpg for regular commuting and 28mpg on long trips and it's comfortable to drive and plenty of room for passengers in the back and looks nice. The wost NEW car I ever drove was a 90 something Geo Metro I rented to drive from Texas to NY. It was supposed to get great gas mileage and seemed like a good idea at the time. Going through Arkansas in 100 degree heat I discovered that we could drive 65 OR have cold air blow out the vents but not both at the same time . We opened the hood and it looked like there was a lawn mower in there. By the time we got to West Virginia, 18 wheelers were passing us going uphill. At one point, I was afraid we'd have to get out and push.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 21, 2011 8:08:54 GMT -5
Probably the Jeep Wrangler - so cute, but for only having 75k miles on it, we sure dumped a lot of money into it, and it just rattled and creeked and made all sorts of weird noises.
Our 90-something Nissan Pathfinder wasn't really a winner either. We put a transmission into it for $2500, and less than 5 years later it needed another one. I'm under the impression that the minute you put a replacement transmission into any car, you immediately sell it to the most stupid person you can find. Those replacement transmissions always seem to fail.
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kimber45
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Post by kimber45 on Jun 21, 2011 8:27:49 GMT -5
Worst was a Plymouth Reliant (can't remember the year) Mom and Dad talked me into it after I wrecked my 79 mustang.
Second works was a Ford Windstar Van
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wodehouse
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Post by wodehouse on Jun 21, 2011 8:41:02 GMT -5
My own worst car was my first car, a ~3 year old Ford Cortina (English Ford) bought around 1971. Typical English auto build of the era...crummy electrics, crummy machinery, crummy build quality, etc. But it was a bit fun to drive.
The worst POS car was my dad's 1970 Chevrolet Nova with plastic floor mats, 6 cyl engine of 35+ year old basic design saddled with first generation smog controls. And the AMAZING two speed automatic transmission. You'd step on the gas (not full throttle) and the thing would f@rt (pardon me) and stall, quite amazing. I hated that car.
I had a 1984 Dodge Omni. I really liked that car but the Renault (French) engine and drive train were cr@p (notice that Renault no longer sells cars here). Three days after delivery I noticed oil was leaking all around the oil pan and the screws were backing out. The aura of things to come.
ETA: even the worst cars now are designed and built much better than older cars were.
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Post by illinicheme on Jun 21, 2011 9:21:45 GMT -5
1995 Plymouth Neon. All sorts of repair problems, including the infamous head gasket. Unfortunately, by the time there was a class action lawsuit regarding the head gasket, I had long since sold the car and no longer had any of the paperwork. At the end of the day, my monetary exposure to the terribleness was relatively minimal. I had purchased the car used from my parents for ~$2k (they ate several of the repairs including the head gasket I think?!?). I had the car ~5 years. Cost me quite a bit in repairs during grad school when money wasn't exactly prevalent. But I sold the car for $1400, so at the end of the day didn't do so bad.
I've had my 2004 Mazda 3 since selling the Neon. It turns seven in a month! Love my current car.
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