[REVEALED] AUTOS TO AVOID: THE INSIDE SCOOP ON THE WORST CARS, TRUCKS & SUVs
No one makes cars to appear in lists like these, but they do. We believe that no car is totally bad… it is just that some are not suitable for a specific type of customer. So today, we’ll count down all cars, trucks, and SUVs that you should avoid in 2024.
Some of these vehicles are generally liked and regarded as good ones, while others might not have a good reputation. But don’t worry, we will make it clear why you’d want to avoid these cars… and if you can live with that reason, buy the car by all means. So, let’s start!
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MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS
First off, according to Edmunds, the G-Wagon will cost you at least $139,900. Now that is quite a price to pay for anything on wheels when a recession is looming around the corner.
Secondly, this thing with its refrigerator-like aerodynamics and the weight of an entire city block is anything but fuel efficient, and gas price
s are not friendly right now. Also, according to CarEdge, the average 10-year maintenance cost of the G-Wagon is $16,000 and there is a 43% chance of this car needing a major repair within that time. To sum it up, if you are not making $100k a month, stay away from this white elephant.
TOYOTA LANDCRUISER LC 200
Don’t get me wrong, this is one of the most capable, dependable, and reliable vehicles of all time… but it is old now. The new 300 series Land Cruiser is more in line with the modern cars.
Toyota scrapped the V8 in the LC 200 for a twin-turbo V6 in the LC300. If you want to spare $90K+ for a capable off-road machine, go for the newer model which will be relevant for longer. Plus, according to EPA, the 200 series will give you 17MPG while the 300 series can offer up to 23MPG.
JEEP WRANGLER
If you go to the trail every weekend, then go ahead and buy the Jeep. Otherwise, this SUV is just form over function, that too if you are into the boxy design language of this one.
The fact that this vehicle has an EPA rating of just 17MPG combined could be ignored but here’s a sample of the comments on the Reddit Jeep Forum: “They ride rough, are very noisy, seats are terrible.” So, this is an SUV for off-roading, yes, but for city commute or highway trips, no.
MERCEDES-BENZ GLE
It is true that the GLE comes with a number of features that are not seen in cars of this class, and it is also a very comfortable car BUT all that comes at a price that cannot be justified.
This thing starts at $60,000 before insurance, and according to CarEdge, you are looking at $15,000 in maintenance every 10 years. That too with a 43% chance of a major problem within that time. And if a German car has a “major problem” that means bankruptcy for the average American shopper. German comfort for a 43% chance of bankruptcy? No!
JEEP GLADIATOR
It might be the most distinctive pickup truck on the market but that cannot make us overlook the 21/100 reliability score by Consumer Reports, the 20MPG EPA rating, or the fact that it costs more than $12,000 a year to maintain, according to CarEdge.
That all, and the factor that these things are engineered for the trail and not paved roads, means you cannot take this for a comfortable roadtrip with the fam. If you are not carrying logs into the Alaskan Tundra for a day job, buy something more comfortable.
SILVERADO/SIERRA
Now this is a controversial one. I mean, this is the best-selling vehicle in the US for a long time, tried and trusted by a lot of Americans, but it does have issues. Getting a 5/100 reliability score from Consumer Reports is really an achievement, and this truck has managed to do just that.
The maintenance cost is also not towards the affordable side of the spectrum. CarEdge has an estimate of $10,000 for a decade of ownership and RepairPal suggests you keep $1,000 aside for annual maintenance. That is not counting the major repairs that have a 30% chance of showing up.
CHEVROLET BOLT
First of all, the range of this car is nothing near the big players in the EV world. It can go only 259 miles on a single charge which makes it a strictly city-only car. It also looks ugly (but that’s subjective so we can make concession on that one).
As of the reliability, the Bolt has been demoted from Consumer Report’s recommended section due to major reliability issues. Plus, Chevy has yet to make a name in the EV market so if it is an EV you are looking for, go with a brand established in this space.
FORD EXPLORER
Not only is the maintenance cost of this American SUV at par with the more advanced German ones, (at $10,000 per decade), the chances of it needing a major repair within the first 10 years of ownership are also 5% more than comparable cars, according to CarEdge.
Then there is the fuel economy matter, where this car does not exactly shine, with a 21MPG EPA rating. All things considered, the ownership cost of the Explorer is just above $43,000 for the first 5 years. If you are going to pay that much, get a luxury car at least.
NISSAN SENTRA
The new Sentra is a great car with quite good reliability and customer satisfaction ratings, but if you find one from the era when Carlos Ghosn forced CVTs into everything, steer clear of those.
According to all major car review sites (as well as carparts.com), that CVT is a major problem. It is something that has a great propensity of failing and when it does fail, you are looking at a fat bill.
LINCOLN AVIATOR
Lincoln is one of the very few brands to get the award of the most unreliable automaker from Consumer Reports in a row for two years in 2021. Right now it is the second most unreliable one after Tesla.
The Aviator has issues with everything from the airbags to the general electronics and as it is posed as a luxury brand, maintenance is also expensive, at $12,000 per decade according to CarEdge. That is not accounting for any major or unusual repair, which can appear quite often.
HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC
When a car has a reliability score of 5 out of 100 by Consumer Reports, you better stay away from it, if you are not attracted to your mechanic, that is. It is true that the Kona Electric has a 300-mile range, but that comes at the price of power.
In a world where 400hp is common place for EVs, the Kona Electric has just 200 of them and that is not exactly a good thing to have.
FORD F-150 HYBRID
Even though we do not have historical data on this one, the one that is there is not very promising. The F-150 Hybrid has a predicted reliability rating of 1 out of 5 by Consumer Reports, that’s because they seldom give a zero.
Reviewers like MotorBuiscuit have also pointed out a lot of electric issues in this truck that range from malfunctioning infotainment to faulty airbags and more. Considering these trucks are bought as work vehicles by many, such issues are not acceptable.
KIA RIO
The Rio is posed as a budget car and it does that job quite well, for the most part. However, the trouble starts when things break and they do often. If you are buying a $15,000 car, any trouble with the engine, transmission, or electronics can get expensive for you.
And these troubles are common, according to CoPilot and CarEdge. If you are buying this as your first car and don’t want to keep it for a long time, it’s fine, but it is not a car you would like to have for a long time.
BMW X3
The X3 is a nice little Crossover but that is until the sunroof starts leaking or rattling, the engine oil leaks, or the timing chain guide fails, leading to the pistons being launched into thex space.
MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS
Well, there is not a lot to dislike about the best luxury sedan in the world, to be honest, but still you might need to avoid buying this car new. That is because these tings depreciate crazy fast.
It will lose more than half its value (54%) in just five years according to CarEdge. If you want to save money and still enjoy the S-Class, buy a used one as these things are built like a tank and five years of use do nothing.
BMW 7 SERIES
As much as you might like the idea of driving a virgin 7 Series off the floor of the dealership, you need to be reasonable about this. The 7 Series is expensive, like $100k expensive and if you can settle for a couple thousand miles on the odometer, you can save your self $40,000.
ANY RANGE ROVER
The Range Rover nameplate does show luxury, opulence, and British Excess but this is something that you do not want to get yourself into. With a reliability rating of 2 out of 5, the nameplate is ranked 15th out of 19th by RepairPal.
The repairs are not affordable by any stretch of the word. The transmission on one of these, which is the most common failure, can cost you as much as $8,000 to replace.
2013 NISSAN ALTIMA
If you just Google the phrase “Nissan Altima 2013 problems,” you will get plenty of reasons to avoid this car even if someone offered you this one for free. From crankshaft and cam shaft sensor recalls to transmission issues, the Altima from this era was plagued by a plethora of issues.
RepairPal alone has a list of issues with this car that just goes on forever and ever. The Altima might offer better tech features than cars of that time but owing to all these reasons, it’s not worth it.
Culled from iwastemoney
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