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

[doublebase]

I'm a tow truck operator, I'll tell you something....the brand I tow the most is...Toyota...then Ford. I have kept track over a year. I see more post 2015 Toyotas on the hook, Ford I will see newer stuff if there some new feature, I for a while was towing a lot of new Fiestas where the electric power steering failed.

Personally, I'm a Mopar guy by heart, but I have flirted with other brands as I have had cars land in my lap. Now Granted, these are all used cars but I feel you can tell quality by age.

I had a 1998 Subaru Forester that had the head gasket replaced by a Subaru dealer by the previous owner a year before I bought it that then failed then 8 months after I had it. The Subaru community though drove me nuts where every suggestion was "Buy OEM from the dealer!" or "All boxer engines have the same problems!" They didn't get that Denso makes all the sensors on those cars and you could find the same part elsewhere; funny enough, I found out that the knock sensor is the same exact one from a Nissan Sentra with a different connector, so I made an harness adapter and volia....saved 200 bucks. Ended up selling the Subaru after I needed a full size SUV; the family that bought it had to replace the head gasket again about 6 months later. I don't think Porsche has this many headgasket issues with their boxers....

Then I had some Chevy Trucks for a bit; I had a 1989 Suburban that I loved, but when the tranny went south, I traded it for a 1994 Suburban that couldn't pass emissions; was an easy fix, just needed a new knock sensor for 15.00. Keep in mind, the 1989 Suburban held up very well for being almost 30 years old when I bought, it still felt "new" but the 1994 just didn't age well, those all plastic GM interiors of the time period were too plastic. I ended up selling it after it developed a very bizarre timing problem to a friend who ended up taking the 350 out, putting in a 454 in it he had on the shelf and kept the 4L60E that was in it.

Then I went back to Mopars; I've met Chrysler employees over the years in all departments and its the first car company I have to say that were the engineers admit "no car is perfect because its designed by humans.".

If you’re a tow guy, you must have had a few 2014-2018 Silverados on the hook. When my starter went last year the tow driver said, I tow these things all the time, it’s the starter. And he was right. Then within three months three guys I work with had theirs towed right out the parking lot at work (starters).

 

[R18Civic]

I've only had 3 cars. 89 Oldsmobile, 94 Buick, 09 Buick. Never had an issue that wasn't due to old age or mileage. GM for life.

On the other hand I'd never own a Chrysler, Ford or Kia product.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

That's funny. My EXL V6 is absolutely perfect.

Timing chain vs. yours, which is a timing belt. Perhaps they got a lemon. Not the same animal.

 

[willbur]

Timing chain vs. yours, which is a timing belt. Perhaps they got a lemon. Not the same animal.

Well aware they are a different. He made a general comment about Honda, and that is what I responded to ...

 

[CB900F2]

Honda.. 2001 Accord V6 with the transmission issue, and only 120,000km when I sold it.. went through three transmissions, 3rd was the final straw.. traded it in for a 2008 Yaris, and now my son drive the Yaris with 291,000km and runs like a champ!.. runs better then the day I bought it!...

Honda 2006 Odyssey... I did get 262,000km, but the transmission one day just died with no warning!.. So it was ok!.. but hate Honda transmissions...

 

[JB250]

1987 Plymouth Reliant. At 30k everything let loose. Automatic transmission broke a snap ring on one of the clutch packs, constant carb issues, alternator died, broken seat release wire, broken window regulator, both back Wheels wheel bearings. Mind you we treat all our cars easy and proper maintenance. the only good point it was a a peppy comfortable and nice looking car.

 

[wdn]

“Plymouth TC3 Preferred to Toyota Corolla overall 34 to 16”. Hilarious 1980 ad by the New Chrysler Corporation, not to be confused with the New New Chrysler corporation, not to be confused with Daimler-Benz, FIAT, etc.

 

[JimPghPA]

I bought a new 1976 Plymouth Volare with the 225 straight slant six and three speed manual with three on the tree shifter ( on column) to go to college with in Harrisburg. I had a week and a half before I had to go when I pick it up and I had it inspected the next day by Sears. It flunked. The rear drivers side brake cylinder was leaking, and for that same wheel the brake drum only had one small weld holding the flat outside plat to the round section that the shoes ride on and there should have been four welds. And the valves were making noise because they were out of adjustment. The dealer would not schedule me in to have it fixed before I had to leave, so I told him to give me a new drum and I changed it in his lot. When I got it to Harrisburg I told the Plymouth dealer there what it needed and he got me in and fixed the wheel cylinder and adjusted the valves, and said that the some of the valves were way too tight, and some way too loose and he could not understand how that engine made it from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg without severely damaging a valve or any other problem.

To top it off the car came without a spare tire because of a rubber shortage and I had to buy a rim and tire on my own, they never gave me one and I asked several times. And it was a good thing I did buy my own spare because it came with one ply rated two and one day when I was going 50 MPH on an asphalt road leaving the campgrounds in Linesville I hit a pot-hole with the right front tire and it blew out. I did not know to not touch the brake on a blow-out and as soon as I used the brake the car turned right and we went into a corn field a 50 MPH. Fortunately my brother who was in the passengers seat and I were not hurt, and there was no damage to the car. Mowed down some corn though. I got rid of those junk one ply tires right after that. And it did not have any wheel wells on the front under the fenders so the fenders rusted out quickly. There was a recall on the fenders but the dealer would not do the work. And I paid for rustproofing at the dealer in the pleasant hills Pittsburgh dealer, and the rustproofing had a long warranty. When the fenders and doors and hood rusted out I asked the dealer to honor the warranty, and they explained that the rustproofing was done by a different company than the dealership, even though it was done in a bay in the dealers shop, and that company had declared bankruptcy. And when I was in there shop the day they told me this the same person was in the same bay rustproofing a new car with the same equipment. They were running the rustproofing under a new company name.

Also that engine had solid lifters and the valves had to be adjusted every 10 K miles. Back then I worked in a Pittsburgh Steel mill in the summers to pay for school and my cousins and I already had worked on cars when we were in highschool so I did the valves every summer when I changed the oil.

And one time when I had the car at that dealer they abused the car, drove it like it was a race car.

I will NEVER buy another Chrysler product EVER. And if that dealer ever sells anything else I would NEVER buy ANYTHING from them.

 

[hardcore302]

Chevy equinox water pump, timing chain, cam sensor, throttle body burned me bad. Got a trax. Needs a new turbo sooner than later. Sayurn vue went through three trannies. Gm can go to hell.

 

[KE7JFF]

If you’re a tow guy, you must have had a few 2014-2018 Silverados on the hook. When my starter went last year the tow driver said, I tow these things all the time, it’s the starter. And he was right. Then within three months three guys I work with had theirs towed right out the parking lot at work (starters).

I’ve had one I can think of...it was a 2017 Silverado that a guy just bought from the dealer and I was towing back. The service advisor told me there is a problem with the solenoid wiring on the starter that melts if it’s a certain revision.

 

[doublebase]

I’ve had one I can think of...it was a 2017 Silverado that a guy just bought from the dealer and I was towing back. The service advisor told me there is a problem with the solenoid wiring on the starter that melts if it’s a certain revision.

I have heard of that portion of the starter problem...it sparks or something. The other portion of the starter problem is moisture that gets in the housing. On the forums guys mentioned the dealer/GM telling them the starter needs to be put in an oven, where the moisture can be baked out of it. Lol. Can’t imagine any dealer doing that.

 

[TiGeo]

None. Had Ford Honda Toyota Lexus Subaru Mercury VW and Jeep. Recently (last 20 years) 3 'dubs and 2 Fords...great cars and one is a '13 Focus...why? Because I wasn't dumb and bought the stick. Only vehicle to need a tow? Lexus. Most expensive to keep? '06 Honda Odyssey past 100k. I'll take my VWs!

 

[Nick1994]

None. Had Ford Honda Toyota Lexus Subaru Mercury VW and Jeep. Recently (last 20 years) 3 'dubs and 2 Fords...great cars and one is a '13 Focus...why? Because I wasn't dumb and bought the stick. Only vehicle to need a tow? Lexus. Most expensive to keep? '06 Honda Odyssey past 100k. I'll take my VWs!

Your VWs are new.

 

[TiGeo]

Your VWs are new.

Had a 2000 Jetta bought in '99. Bulletproof to 225K until I sold it to a neighbor and she drove it to close to 300K. Sure, the interior was destroyed etc. but the engine/tranny (stick) were all fine.

 

[KE7JFF]

I have heard of that portion of the starter problem...it sparks or something. The other portion of the starter problem is moisture that gets in the housing. On the forums guys mentioned the dealer/GM telling them the starter needs to be put in an oven, where the moisture can be baked out of it. Lol. Can’t imagine any dealer doing that.

Oh Jeez....I remember when Delco starters were the gold standard that everyone copied!

 

[dishdude]

I think some people just have bad luck. 25 years of driving mostly GMs and Chryslers and never a breakdown or lemon. Even had a Ford, Mercedes and a few VWs in the mix and no issues.

 

[Peted]

If you’re a tow guy, you must have had a few 2014-2018 Silverados on the hook. When my starter went last year the tow driver said, I tow these things all the time, it’s the starter. And he was right. Then within three months three guys I work with had theirs towed right out the parking lot at work (starters).

Newer GM trucks are loaded with issues.. Another 2-3 years and GM may have them ironed out only to start again with a new generation, more electronic "features", and a brand new way of turning your 6.2L V8 into a 2 cylinder

 

[tnt_motorsports]

MG and all British cars. Terrible, just terrible

Pontiac for 2nd. My first 2 years of college, stranded on side on the road at least 5x before dad came through with a Celica.



GM with a 1991 GMC Jimmy. Thing was the biggest pos I ever had!

I called them generous motors before 2009 and then changed to government motors.

 

[R1jake]

Ford, it was the E4OD transmission that was the issue but isn't the reason I hate Ford . It was my treatment by the selling dealership and the upstream managers. It took Washington states lemon law to force Ford to make it right.3 complete rebuilds in less than a year and being blamed for abusing the transmission that had never even carried or hauled a load beyond groceries. Nothing like having your transmission downshift from overdrive to 2nd at 60mph or refuse to go into overdrive and eventually crop dust the county and catch on fire.Worst automatic transmission ever built. Left a bad taste in my mouth to the point I actively wish Ford ill will.

What year was your vehicle with the E4od and what mileage did it all start?? I’ve heard many people that had issues while others had none. I currently have a 94 e150 with the E4od and so far it’s been great.

 

[sloinker]

What year was your vehicle with the E4od and what mileage did it all start?? I’ve heard many people that had issues while others had none. I currently have a 94 e150 with the E4od and so far it’s been great.

Mine was the first year,1990, on a brand new truck and the problems started within a few hundred miles. I paid an extra $1000 for this transmission over the C6 with overdrive. Live and learn. Most of the problems were with the diesels, undersized torque converters were a large issue.