What is the worst car you ever owned?

[AITG]

Worst cheap car: a $500 Corvair. It ate starters every two days. It turned out the starter mounted to the transmission and the bell housing was loose. The nose cone would break after about 10 engagements.
Most unreliable second hand car: A Bronco II. It stranded me three times in about 18 months. Ignition module failed, starter died, exploded the distributer cap off the distributer.
Worst new car: a tie between a Volvo 142 and a Subaru Forester. The Volvo ate exhaust resonators and brake pads. It had an early Bosch injection system and it started to accelerate at random times without moving the accelerator. It was so bad that the dealer bought it back after 18 months. The Subaru was maintained it by the book, various electrical failures, CAT sensors, finally needed head gaskets after 80k. Two other family members had Subarus - 1 each - and none of us will touch another one.

 

[ecotourist]

1980 Ford Fiesta by far. I think I pushed that thing more than I drove it. Really the only car I’ve ever owned that I would call a POS.

My 1978 Ford Fiesta was terrible too. Worst car I ever owned. Everything broke off - door handles, window cranks, heater switches, radio knobs - yes, radio knobs! Almost every panel was dented at some point (fenders dented, bumper ends torn off randomly in parking lots, shot in the lift back, hood dented when a friend sat on it at a ball game). I thought it must be cursed.

The dealer's autobody shop foreman said, "What do you expect when you buy a cheap car?"

I think the power train was fine but I couldn't stand the rest of the car. Sold it at about 2 years old. A vacant spot on the driveway was an improvement.

 

[hrv]

A 1998 Ford Contour...was suppose to be a world car....It was a world POS...Nothing but problems from day one..

 

[atikovi]

Worst cheap car: a $500 Corvair. It ate starters every two days. It turned out the starter mounted to the transmission and the bell housing was loose. The nose cone would break after about 10 engagements.

What's that got to do with the car itself?

 

[John105]

A 1998 Ford Contour...was suppose to be a world car....It was a world POS...Nothing but problems from day one..

My nasty neighbor had that, a ford fusion, and now a 2023 Escape.

She illustrates what a great nation we are. Doesn’t work and gets stellar new cars and home was paid off before mine was.

 

[Gus_Mahn]

I had a '91 Dodge Spirit R/T. 224 HP 2.2 was a lot for the time. It had a crack prone $4000 Lotus designed cylinder head that stripped the timing belt every 25,000 miles. Towed 3 times in 75,000 miles. That was it for me. Almost said the '04 3V 5.4 F150 that need an engine at 118,000 miles.

 

[nate379]

My current Dodge 5500 has stranded me 3 times now. Fuel gelled on a -30* day, and other 2 times were fuel issues too. Had to pull the tank 400 miles from home.

 

[Nmr1981]

1991 Camaro. The interior was abysmal. It leaked like a sieve from t tops and back window. The stupid computer chip key wouldn’t let you restart the car for 10 minutes. The mile long doors. The heater core. The electric hatch motor that quit. The stupid seat belt loop that was bolted to the head rest that eventually stripped out. The car looked good but it was a mess.