100 Votes

Tell Us What You Think Is The Most UN-Reliable Vehicle In History

Agent001 submitted on 2/24/2008 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 1:20:35 PM

154 user comments | Category: Report Cards | Source: www.autospies.com

Tag Links: Land Rover Discovery, Unreliability

In this world of flawless Lexus quality and so many new cars hitting the roads that are light years ahead in reliability compared to their past brethren, it's getting really hard to find an UN-reliable vehicle.

Almost everything being made today is pretty darn good.

It HAS to be or its game over.

But over the years there have been some REAL beauties out there when it came to just pure unadulterated CRAP.

So we would like to know, in your opinion, what is the MOST unreliable car you, your friends or your family have ever encountered?

Tell us the brand and model but also any stories about how and what went wrong.

I'll start it off with a vehicle that if it isn't THE worst, it's got to be a photo finish.

Are you ready boys and girls?

Drum roll please.....

And the winner (er, I mean loser) is?

The last generation Land Rover Discovery.

It doesn't get much worse than this in our opinion.

Let the posting begin!

This should be a LOT of fun.

Tell Us What You Think Is The Most UN-Reliable Vehicle In History

About the Author

FWD Torque Steer. Absolute proof the Devil exists.
— Agent001 (View Profile)

User Comments

1985 Chrysler Laser XE

Worst vehicle ever in my opinion.
— bmwman1963 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 1:40:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

Surely the 1985 Chrysler Laser XE could not have been more unreliable than East Germany's Trabant. I found Audi's of the eighties to be unreliable in the electrical department -- this is completely changed now as current Audi's are reliable in just about every way. VW group has experienced reliability problems with coil over plug ignition -- coil suppliers are to blame.
— EnnNorak (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 3:20:16 PM | | Votes: -1

The Trabant was actually one of the most reliable cars ever built. I don't know where its reputation of "unreliability" comes from but it is simply not true. It might have been technologically primitive but that's exactly what made it so reliable: simple and proven technology.
— ErichHartmann (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 4:15:57 PM | | Votes: 5

Trabant's were the Corvette's of Eastern Europe with their fiberglass bodies. All kidding aside, I actually rode in one and it was OK. Did its job and was very reliable to its family for almost 20 years.
— AE86 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 10:49:50 PM | | Votes: 1

"Flawless lexus quality." LMAO. I needed that laugh to get my day started.

Sounds like someone is either greatly uninformed (nothing new there, previous threads have showed that) or fooled by the hype. Statistically less trouble prone, perhaps, but flawless? Hardly.
— tattedtwice (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 1:58:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 11

Agreed. Lexus quality is good, but not flawless. There is no such thing as flawless quality. It's a marketing gimmick.

The most unreliable car I ever owned was an early '90s Nissan Sentra.
— Willis (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:06:56 PM | | Votes: 11

If Lexus has "flawless quality", then the ext warranty will be forever be free. Don't you think?
In fact, it is cheaper than most, but still more than 60% of BMW's.
— ceric (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 7:14:17 PM | | Votes: 8

you guys just can't get over your anti-Lexus bias.

1998 Lexus LS400s were on average MORE RELIABLE than 2006 MB ML500s. even TOYOTAS have better reliability records than any euro brand.

Lexi have the decades long toyota reliability records to BUILD ON.

just about anything and everything built by toyota or lexus remains more reliable at age 8 years than most competitors' vehicles 1/2 as old.

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 12:32:53 AM | | Votes: -7

"tattedtwice"

Just look at Lexus History....No other car maker comes close to Lexus with 20 years of terrific reliablity.....That's what they meant buy flawless, but your too slow to understand....
— silver1 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 11:37:19 AM | | Votes: -7

XYZZ

Lexus might be the best between luxury makes in reliability, but its not flawless.

My friend bought a 2006 Lexus GS430, and he had to fix the transmission after about 15k.
— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 10:22:56 AM | | Votes: 0

ANY Ford from the 1980's.

My uncle had a Tempo that had a spontaneous engine fire under the hood. It was no more than 5 minutes between the time the engine started smoking until the entire car was engulfed in flames.

I also saw the same thing happen to a Ford Aerostar minivan.

Fords are more than just unreliable, they are unsafe!
— pushrod27 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:09:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6

Both myself and the guy that plowed my driveway in the winter had Ford oil pans that rusted out from the outside -- these oil pans were made of extremely thin metal and the engine in my 1992 Grand Marquis had to be lifted up a few inches just to get at the oil pan -- luckily this happened 2 weeks before the warranty expired and Ford subsequently reduced the rust-thru warranty by one year and applied it to body panels only.
— EnnNorak (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 3:25:31 PM | | Votes: 5

British cars come to mind here in America as being particularly unreliable. Ex: Jaguar in the early 90s. I've also heard and seen horror stories unfold with the mid 1990s Audis.

Today it seems with the technology and knowledge acquired when it comes to building autos, that cars have taken a huge leap into the reliability sector. Just about any (new) car now can be considered reliable compared to 20-30 years ago.
— w209w114 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:10:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Anything Jaguar in the 80's and 90's. Anything American.
— Agent004 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:16:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -9

are you basing your "anthing American " because you had one of everything , or is it you own personal prejudice
— toolatetorace (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 10:41:48 PM | | Votes: 7

What's that saying, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me? How many American cars does it take before you're totally turned off on them? For me it was 4. Jeep Cherokee, Dodge Dynasty, Ford Explorer, Ford Mustang. All turned out to be money pits, although the Cherokee('88) held up the longest. None of them lasted to their 6th birthday, where as both foreign cars we owned celebrated their 10th birthdays with no signs of slowing down.

There's a reason an American car depreciates 20% when you drive it off the lot, and there's a reason why not too many of them are making it off the lot these days. It has nothing to do with my prejudices, they dug this hole themselves.
— Agent004 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 3:14:42 AM | | Votes: 0

anything later 70's to early 80's American.. I went through some old paperwork in my dads garage last week. I had a 77 Malibu that was new (HS graduation gift)

first visit warranty visit had 27 items to address including runs in the paint and paint too thin on the rear.

Over the course of owning it 3 years it went to the shop 7 times.

The only thing worse could have been a Fiat maybe...
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 9:55:36 AM | | Votes: 2

You owned a Dodge Dynasty and you visit this site?
Too funny :)
— Shredmo (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 10:49:56 AM | | Votes: 1

Inherited it from my grand parents, the best thing about it was the amount of electricity you could generate from just getting in and out of the car.
— Agent004 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 1:43:49 PM | | Votes: 1

My 1st vehicle ever was a 1979 Fiat 124 Sport Spider 2000, and it was the single worst thing (vehicle or otherwise) that I ever owned... Period!
— DaHarder (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:20:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 8

My father's first vehicle was also a Fiat and although he hated fixing it everyday and I do mean everyday, his least favorite car is a Saab (not sure what year or model anymore.) I can understand why you would find the Fiat's so unreliable.
— Sunshine1810 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 11:51:46 AM | | Votes: 2

Lancia HPE Volumex. It was a great drive and very pretty but it broke down every Thursday, leaving me stranded in the pub every Friday. I basically replaced the whole thing. Sad to say it but it really was a POS.
— GruntyDieselsRock (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 4:50:31 PM | | Votes: 2

My first was a Datsun 510... it could've been fun, but my father crapped it up for me.
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 7:37:07 PM | | Votes: 1

Most American cars, S,E, C, SL, CLK, GL, ML Class Mercedes Benz, BMW X5, X3, 5 series, Audi all models, VW all models. Fiat, Peugeot, Renault,
— richard112360 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:27:18 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -26

What a dumb list. Seriously you have issues.
— Willis (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 3:01:14 PM | | Votes: 10

Actally he is right. If you take a look at the history of the most German cars sold in America in past 2 decades..all European cars were and still at the bottom on every reliability tests. You can try to defend your favorite European cars as much as you want but the fact is a fact and you can't call thousands and thousands of folks are all liers and you are right.

Going back to this subject:

Most Unreliable car: 1980 Isuzu Impulse 85-Yugo
Most reliable car in the history: LEXUS

— Homer008 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 8:13:38 PM | | Votes: -15

However, I believe most modern cars built these days are reliable and hopefully, I didn't offend any European car fans.

— Homer008 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 8:39:06 PM | | Votes: -9

All based on facts. See your latest consumer report magazine. A seven year old Lexus LS is considered more reliable than a brand new S class Mercedes Benz.
— richard112360 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 2:01:21 PM | | Votes: -1

A brand new S-Klasse hasn't reached "seven years of age" yet, hence the comparison is invalid.

Before Lexus took the reliability crown, Mercedes-Benz had decades of top reliability records. Look at the German reliability statistics in the 1970s to the early 1990s. Mercedes-Benz was on top, not Toyota.
— ErichHartmann (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 4:25:39 PM | | Votes: -1

Let me guess...your a Lexus fan!!! lol
— Porschinator (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 5:02:23 PM | | Votes: 3

"Flawless lexus quality"

It's just like the "BMWs the best driving, best handling....etc".

It's a standard thing. U have to belive just like when a BMW is automatically assumed to be a better driving car than the competiton. Same way Lexus is also viewed as and should be viewed to have the highest quality and reliability (There unparallel quality and reliability records in various studies surely indicate that)

btw i have encountered many unrelibale cas but mostly are Americans and VWs.

The last being a freinds crappy 2007 Chevrolet Optra, engine problems, transmission problems at just 10K and
other's E55 AMG. That's too problematic. Also nowadays a freind is really getting upset from his Jeep Commander.

JUGNU
— JUGNU (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:29:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

Most unreliable in our family was a Honda Civic... 2006 2 door EX.... recalls as well as 3 problems with no recalls and 1 problem has occurred over 2 times... so for the 3rd Japanese car we have owned, it has been a disappointment.
— atomicbri (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 7:09:57 AM | | Votes: 0

JUGNU, there is a difference between "best" and "flawless."

Lexus has great reliability, but not the best quality. The RX330 wasn't built like a tank, like the X5.
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 7:38:43 PM | | Votes: -1

A yugo...80s fiats...80s Jaguars...
— xlr8 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:31:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6

1999 E320 4matic.
— 528i (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:34:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

i remember an attorney acquaintance who was proud of his early'90s MB 4-Matic. for a few months.

one day, the dealer called and said the latest repair was done. he replied they could just KEEP that piece of crap. and he' keep the loaner they had given him, a Mazda Navajo. (eventually, the back office people did the paperwork to work it out.)

how unreliable can the MB get, when discriminating owners prefer a MAZDA over it?
— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 12:46:28 AM | | Votes: -4

Its the wife's car. its at the shop now, they have to replace the front left axl.
— 528i (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 1:48:46 AM | | Votes: 1

So sick of hearing about "flawless lexus quality" I owned two earlier this decade and both were crap! The carpet did not even got up to the under part of the dashboard and you could reach underneath the dash and pull all the wiring out because of not having a panel. Japanese and most asian brands cut corners where ever possile. Low grade carpet, thin doors, low grade leather, etc, etc. etc.... How many 25+ Jap brands do you still see on the road? I have owned 4 BMW's and all have been flawless, including fit and finish, mechanical, drivetrain and electronics. The lexus cars were always in the shop for transmission problems and electronic flaws. Not to mention lexus charges you out the rear for service!!!
— bmwman1963 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:44:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

When we said 'Flawless Lexus reliability' we were speaking figuratively, describing how good reliability has gotten and how they have built the reputation as the de facto standard of reliability.

Nothing is TRUELY flawless...all machines break

But what a difference over the past five years and their leadership here has made the whole industry improve.

001
— Agent001 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 2:50:53 PM | | Votes: 2

Ive owned lexus vehicles and mostly japanese cars and they have for the most part been extremely reliable. Esecially my Lexus vehicle. Nissans tend to have some trouble spots but my Lexus's were supurb. Personally I hated the drive of my boring lexus vehicles but they got where I needed to go every time.
— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 3:56:41 PM | | Votes: 3

AGAIN 001!!!

With all the Lexus ads on this 'neutral' site, you driving an LS460 and now with this 'post' the lexus-ness of this place is getting sickening. seriously. if i want to hear about how much better lexus is than anyone i'll go to lexus.com.
— DallasMR2 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 7:09:35 PM | | Votes: 8

bulldogz, my BMW had serious electrical issues also. These bmw fans are in denial.
— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 8:29:13 PM | | Votes: -3

DallasMR2, this is a BMW fan site. What are you talking about!?! Yes there are a few idiot lexus fans but overwhelmingly a place for BMW fans to come and "worship" their "pagan god."
— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 8:43:02 PM | | Votes: 0

Why would you reach under a dash and pull all of the wires out?
— bobs4state (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 10:49:05 AM | | Votes: -1

Dude what are you smoking?
— autopro (View Profile)

Posted on 2/27/2008 11:26:16 AM | | Votes: 1

All Landrovers (including the current Range Rover)

My 2000 A6 2.7T was a complete nightmare.
— Chip (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 3:21:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

Not once did I ever have an electrical issue with my BMW's.. My mom has a 3 series wagon that is 8 years old and has never had one problem with it... I usually keep mine from 2-4 years too. I'm sure that there are some that have problems, but for me, my family and friends, we have almost zilch problems. We have 7 between us, some are 7 series, some are 5 series, but most are the 3 series.
— bmwman1963 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 9:05:02 AM | | Votes: 2

'89 Eagle Premier LX V6, though the car was ahead of its time. Was locked inside, no door would open!
— StickShiftCamry (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 3:27:10 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

I think I have an "Un-Reliable" car in the making now: 2007 Mazda CX-7 Turbo, all of a sudden last wk, a huge trail of smoke was blinding everyone while driving, then it stopped smoking, and it didn't come back since!?
— StickShiftCamry (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 3:29:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

How is that unreliable?

All Mazdas with the 2.3L MZR Tubro (speed3, speed6 and CX-7) had an ECU recall to fix this.

Mine did it when it was brand new, almost 8,000 miles now and no black smoke.

Call your dealer.
— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 8:06:24 AM | | Votes: 4

It is an issue with the seal in the turbo. The dealer will replace the turbo under warrantee. I have a mazdaspeed 6 and my turbo was replaced as well.
— holmstar (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 11:34:07 AM | | Votes: 1

I have owned 8 cars in my lifetime, and three of them were outright disasters. In ascending chronological order of ownership, they are:

1. 1976 Volkswagen Rabbit. Wonderful design and fun to drive, but a nightmare from the standpoint of reliability. This car was so radically different from its predecessor, the Beetle, that it took VW 3 years to get the "bugs" (pun intended) out of it. If I had waited 4 months and gotten a 1977 model, I would have avoided a lot of headaches and heartburn.

2. 1975 Plymouth Valiant. Typical crappy Chrysler build quality for this era, and that 1960-vintage 225 Slant Six engine was hopelessly crippled by 1970's economy and emission controls. The car was also dangerous to drive in wet or snowy weather, and the tail would swing out when braking in a turn.

3. 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK 320. A beautiful car, and fun to drive - when it was not malfunctioning! The major mechanical components (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, etc.) were fine but little electrical glitches drove me crazy almost from day one. I came to know EVERY person in my dealer's service department, and the owner as well!

My parents owned a 1971 Chevrolet Vega station wagon. The aluminum-block engine block had warped due to a malfunctioning water pump, so we had to carry two gallons of water with us on long trips to replenish the coolant.

Another lemon in my family was a 1987 Buick Century that my aunt owned.

The worst one of the bunch was that 1975 Rabbit I mentioned earlier. It left such a bitter taste in my mouth I didn't buy a car from the Volkswagen Group for 30 yeasrs, when I bought my current car, an Audi A8L - which incidentally has been very reliable.
— Audiphile (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 3:36:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

Interesting I had a 98 CLK320 Cabrio, a 2002 Clk320 Cabrio and a 07 CLK550 cabrio and I never had any major problems with the car. The battery in my first one ran down once in my garage but that was it, my 02 seemed to go through brake pads quickly and my 07 is virtually flawless. I haven't had any real problems with the Benzes. The dealerships are another story bu the cars were okay.
T
— TauronB2G (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 7:34:41 PM | | Votes: 2

1993 Volkswagen Jetta. My brother had one and sold it five months later. It had broken down 13 times in those five months. It was the biggest pile of crap I've ever seen.
— lexusis350 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 3:57:55 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Ford Contour - I know of two that caught on fire and the brakes stopped working in Mountainous WV on a steep hill. The newer mass produced suzuki. The old suzuki's back in the early 90's were ok.
— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 3:59:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

Yugo. From the parts bins of Fiat. Need I say more?
— macbjg (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 4:06:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6

original 1998 MB ML320, had to go to the dealer on a weekly basis. I got to know every mechanic by name from that car.
— EvoAudi (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 4:38:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 8

bulldogz--- My story is not full of shit and my eyes are not brown. Fact based and can back it up with records. So, KISS OFF!
— bmwman1963 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 4:48:23 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

Infiniti EX35.

Gets recalls before I even see them on the road.
— MrGunFun (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 4:54:20 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -7

Thank you
— mikeydred20 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 8:11:06 PM | | Votes: -1

Anything British made from the 1970's, or anything Italian made from the 1980's.

Currently I would avoid anything Nissan built while it is under the control of Napoleon...Carlos Ghosn. The current generation Altima was only released in October 2006 and already has 7 safety recalls. The 2009 Murano only hit the market last month and already has 1 safety recall.
— FunBrit (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 6:09:41 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

2009 Murano = EX35.
— MrGunFun (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 6:39:32 PM | | Votes: -11

GunFun,

You Really Don't Have (Even a Semblance) of a Clue, Do You?

The Nissan Murano's Platform Has Nothing What-So-ever In Common With The Infiniti EX35 - NOTHING!

Think of the Murano as a Maxima Wagon, and the EX As an Infiniti G35 Wagon and You'll Be On The Right Track.
— DaHarder (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 9:55:58 PM | | Votes: 9

Wow, you are a loser.
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 7:44:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Had to be the original VW Beetle. Never knew an owner who didn't have at least one of them catch fire while underway.
— eamaxson (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 7:48:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

I gotta agree with last generation Land Rover Discovery, and i'll add 1993 VW Passat GLX VR6(worst ever)and 1998 Audi A6.
— Luxurious (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 8:01:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

my dad swears it was his AUDI FOX , lol
— iamdabest1 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 8:07:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

2004 SL500 fun to drive when it drives. Trans, oil leak, top gets stuck,trans again, brakes, srs light, gas light on a full tank,etcc....and Jaguar of every year.
— KEVINBSL500 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 8:11:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

almost all range rovers, i have not had any encounters with the newer ones(defunct by bmw) however any one i have had in inventory has had at least one major problem

runner up.....jag x type?
— dommagicjuan (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 8:44:36 PM | | Votes: 4

Range Rover is a model Land Rover is the manufacturer. Land Rover Discovery, LAnd Rover Defender, Land Rover Freelander, Land Rover Range rover and Land Rover Range Rover Sport. Range Rover is NOT a manufacturer it is a model of Land Rover!!!!! not trying to be an @$$hole but I can't stand it when people ask who makes Land Rover or thinking Range Rover is the manufacturer.
— 85bmw745i (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 11:34:28 PM | | Votes: 5

That pisses me off too, in the news paper I always see Land Rover and Range Rover listed separately...idiots.
— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 8:13:01 AM | | Votes: 4

My sister had a 91 Dodge Shadow many moons ago, damn that thing was a POS. Sometimes the car would accelerate for no reason, the transmisson would shift when it felt like, and the car would overheat in the middle of winter.

The worst car I owned was a 92 Camry, what another POS. Leaked gas, the engine was rusted, only two windows worked, the sunroof would get stuck in the most undesirable situations. Inside pieces were falling off.

I also have to say my 06 CTS is not shaping up to the car I expected it to be. The rear differential is driving me nuts, it bangs, whines and sometimes it just all-out schreches along. The struts sometimes squeek and the brakes/tires are wearing at an alarming rate. Worst of all, their service centers are horrible. I have already had a censor in the engine replaced... I gave GM a fair chance here to make me a returning customer...
— no1listensanyway (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 9:06:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

Try BMW next time around. I've owned over 20 luxury cars and BMW has been by far the best of any of them. Their committment to service is vastly superior to the other brands too.
— bmwman1963 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 9:19:06 PM | | Votes: -4

i think we also forgot about the caddy allante........ electrical nightmares
— dommagicjuan (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 10:04:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

i think we also forgot about the caddy allante........ electrical nightmares
— dommagicjuan (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 10:04:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Any GM car from the 80's to late 90's. Talk about electrical problems! Starters, Alternators and fuel pumps. not to mention wierd electrical glitches that took forever to track down.
— 85bmw745i (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 11:37:16 PM | | Votes: 0

2000 Renault Scenic!!
— jt716 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 10:19:27 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

while British leyland had there problems (lucas)they still are the best looking cars on the road, austin 3000, tr6, tr250, 74 v12 xke and the list goes on. japs sucked and still suck.the boxey bww and garmin geekie porshe sucked. The american vette, GTO, 442 slams anything today except the viper and the old 427 cobra-so you yups keep buying then lame ass cars!
— sailnfl (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 10:42:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Oldsmobile diesels
— toolatetorace (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 10:42:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

Huh? I am a BMW fan but I have had toyotas and I have never had a problem with them but then again, there are exceptions, just like some Domestic cars of the same make and model might have no problems while someone else might be in the shop all of the time. problem with American cars is the inconsistencies in reliability. You might get lucky and get one with no problems or get unlucky and get one with all of the common failures and problems.
— 85bmw745i (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2008 11:40:15 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

I think one of the most unreliable cars out there is the the clk. And for the people that think that cars are not reliable due to recalls: A recall could be for anything, like maybe a floor mat, not every recall is for engine faults.
— M3owns (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 3:03:52 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

And recalls also help to increase the reliability of a car.
— M3owns (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 3:04:43 AM | | Votes: 3

+1

Exactly, recalls fix the problem before it happens, make the car more reliable.
— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 8:15:17 AM | | Votes: 3

Chevy "Vette"! That is Chevette!
— montyz81 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 7:33:57 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

1996 Audi A4
Land Rover Freelander
— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 8:16:08 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

I personally haven't owned one of them, probably won't after hearing it's reputation. But weren't VW Tourags (SP?) notorious for falling apart?
— guambombboy (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 8:26:17 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

I know someone's Toureg thats in bad shape. Man, when u punch it, it like...it makes all kinds of wierd sounds and sometimes non-linear acceleration, but i think it's because they put regular gas?
— StickShiftCamry (View Profile)

Posted on 2/27/2008 12:11:50 AM | | Votes: 1

MG!
— Brembo (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 9:21:37 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

1988 BMW 7-Series (735i/iL & 750iL)
— dbs600old (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 9:24:55 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

1995 Land Rover Range Rover (4.0SE)
— dbs600old (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 9:27:16 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Any mid to late 80's Jaguar
— dbs600old (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 9:28:31 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

Reason for the 'deboost'? Next door neighbor loves Jaguars. Has always had 2 - 3 at a time (3 in recent years with the addition of the S-Type). Keeps them in the best working condition possible. We've had many auto discussions. Back to back XJS', an 87 then a 89. The 87 experienced major electronic problems through its time with him. The 89's engine caught fire after only FOUR years of use - fire engines called and all. These are just TWO examples of his late 80's difficulties.
— dbs600old (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 2:40:36 PM | | Votes: 1

Freelander.
Most Rovers
British Leyland stuff
80's Alfa Romeos and Lancias and Fiats (Rusting from the bottom upwards). Doors opening round roundabouts? Check...
— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 9:30:08 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

'89 honda accord both the engine and transmission needed to be replaced before 120K. POS

— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 9:30:59 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee

P...O...S!!
— bobs4state (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 10:50:51 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

The most un-reliable car I've ever owned was a 98 Isuzu Rodeo LS. With only 48,000 miles on it, we had to replace the alternator and battery 3 times!! The last time, the ECU went out too. That put me $1500 in the hole and that was it for me... got rid of it and got a 03 Murano SL. Now, there have been talks about the Murano having a lot of recalls, but recalls have nothing to do with reliability IMO. Recalls affect reliability when they are not addressed or when the manufacturer doen't take care of them (remember the Pinto?).
— 07G35J (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 10:58:00 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

2002 Discovery literally fell to pieces week by week. Best moment was being stuck at the gas station, unable to fill up the tank because the lid wouldn't open. The gas gauge didn't work by that point either.

We did buy a 2005 LR3, and have not had a peep of trouble after 40K. Knock wood.
— rubenkincaid (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 11:02:07 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Good to hear, I want an LR3
— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 12:16:30 PM | | Votes: 1

I have an 02 disco also hasnt been the best but I have seen worse. transmission short shifts and the engine had to be replaced at 70,000 miles although when we tore it down a piece of metal had got into #2 cylinder and damaged the velve. I think the dealership I got it from must have dropped something into the intake, as the upper intake plenum has to be removed to access the inner valve cover bolts.
— 85bmw745i (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 7:20:12 PM | | Votes: 1

Volkswagen's are notoriously unreliable. I don't know why in 2008 that VW cannot get their act together. It's not like making reliable cars is a secret. Hyundai has made huge strides in a short amount of time but VW's have been horrible your decades. It's a shame becasue I like their cars but will never buy one because of their justified reputation and awful dealer service. Imagine how succesful VW would be if they had Honda like reliability ratings.
— goojman (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 11:18:47 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

most unreliable ride eh?...i would have to say ur mom.
— sholemon (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 11:18:57 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

I think reliability is primary due to quality mechanics and luck. Every car that rolls down the Assembly line is actually different. Having said that the people on this forum have real horror stories.

The most unreliable car I have ever owned:
1. 1997 Eagle Vision Tsi - the transmission was replaced with a brand new one 4 times within 18 months amongst lots of other problems like the trunk opening for no apparent reason.

2. 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX was a great car for the first 7 years of ownership (no modifications). Afterwords I put thousands of dollars into it just to sell it by fixing the turbo, headlights (fogged), transmission, transfer case among other problems.

My current car which is a BMW hasn't been flawless but the problems are minimal and for the sheer driving pleasure I get from it, I don't mind little problems that are related to the iDrive (a great system when it works properly). Lexus used to make reliable cars.
— Sunshine1810 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 12:20:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

I can't believe no one mentioned the Caddy Catera. I had a '98, and it cost me more than $10,000 in two years to keep it on the road.
My two VWs ('86 GTI and '01 GTI) were as reliable as the sunrise. And I drove those suckers HARD.
— gooch (View Profile)

Posted on 2/28/2008 11:27:29 AM | | Votes: 1

I have the winner!
My ex 1966 Lotus Elan SE roadster.
Brake pads would pop out, retractable headlights would flash on and off (elec. short with the turn signals), throttle cable broke (I jury-rigged a cord hooked to the carbs and threaded through the cowl and pulled it so I could get home.
Weber carbs always needed tuning, all engine gaskets had to be replaced within 10,000 miles.
But, I'm so sorry I sold the car...It's now worth 20 times what I sold it for. The greatest driving auto in the history of sports cars.
— BMW995 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 1:53:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Toyota RAV4. Problems with guzzling oil and shoddy transmissions.
— airforcegirl1 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 2:17:10 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

My vote goes for 85 Chevy Nova. Very leaky, and poor performer. Was fairly new too.

Current 06 Lexus owner and can vouch for "Flawless Reliability" LOL. Relative, of course, but just superb! Smooth ride, 24/7 confidence, practical, etcccc...
— beefchuck (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 11:37:04 PM | | Votes: 2

Toyota made the 85 nove. it was a re-badged corolla.
— 85bmw745i (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 7:24:26 PM | | Votes: 1

whatever problems anyone mite've had with the corolla/Nova, must've been one of those "Friday car" freaks.

marketing consultant Tom Peters said it was the BEST ASSEMBLED CAR in the whole gm lineup. (buicks and caddys were more lux, but NOT better put together.)

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 2/28/2008 2:02:25 AM | | Votes: 1

If I recall correctly, weren't the Cadillac Allante and Maserati Chrysler TC horror stories too?
— dbs600old (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 2:27:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

the Nissan Van, some LRs and RRs are reliability nightmares and are a pain to fix especially the toureg and cayenne.
— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 5:17:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

My vote goes to a 1984 Pontiac 6000 STE. Our family bought it new and solid it off six months later. We went through 2 sets of front brake pads in that time!

During a snowstorm, we turned the HVAC on and SNOW literally started blowing in the passenger compartment!

I have to admit American cars have turned a corner, but the Big/Detroit 3 was asleep at the wheel in the 80's.
— AE86 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2008 10:46:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

read in a book about a poor loyal Pontiac customer, being sold THREE pos pontiacs within less than 2 years. each time the dealer couldn't fix her lemon, they unloaded a NEW lemon on her. after being burned the 3rd time, she wised up and got a honda to replace it.

never darkened the door of a gm dealership again.
— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 5:17:57 AM | | Votes: -1

same book detailed the MANY problems of the pontiac fiero. from it's launch, 40% of the engines had hairline cracks in the head.

internal report said, since 60% of the output from the foundry WAS good, production was to continue. customer problems would be dealt with as they arose in the future, at the dealership level. since the car had been a hot seller initially, the general DID NOT WANT to slow production and sales MERELY to take care of this 'minor' problem.

as the problems DID evolve, a lot of 'em followed the sequence of piston making exits from the block, oil spewing all over the engine compartment. contact with hot parts causing engine fires. car being made of plastic, the WHOLE CAR would burn, right down to the rims!

later, it was determined that if ALL fieros were on the Jersey Turnpike at the same time, every 1/4 mile you'd see a BURNING FIERO and a whole bunch of people running around like crazy! LOL!

and people wonder WHY gm lost so many ONE TIME loyal customers.

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 5:26:10 AM | | Votes: 0

Most unreliable? Not sure, my personal experience has been great so far, but thats because Im not that old myself. But my dad had problems with the 2003 chevy tahoe Z71, the car was crap, going to the shop and coming back so many times, I lost count. He also had a problem with 1998 Range Rover, with plenty of electrical problems, and an engine failure before he sold it.

The worse one of them, was the 90s Jeep grand cherokee (sp?). The engine was on fire 2 times in less than 1 month. The car was basically falling apart in no time.
— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 10:36:38 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

I've owned 10+ brands and my worst vehicle by far was a 1989 Honda Accord. Just awful!
— supermoto (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 12:24:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

I can't belive everybody missed this one.

THE 1984 AUDI 5000 They broke on the rack as fast as they fixed them,I know I was selling them.
— autopro (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 12:53:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

OK based on your opinion I wouldn't buy a BMW or Mercedes.
— autopro (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 5:23:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

Comparing a GS to a 3 series, good one. The 3 doesn't even come standard w/ leather (I like BMW, have one). And try driving your BMW in the dusty and horrible or lack thereof roads of Bangladesh and then post. New LEX/TOY have full defeatable traction/stability ctrl.
— StickShiftCamry (View Profile)

Posted on 2/27/2008 12:01:54 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

both cars for old people too. LOL!

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 2/27/2008 5:02:39 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

would not know from personal experience, but DMC anyone?
— dbs600old (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 4:49:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Obviously this left the door wide open for Fan boys to take jabs...lol. Well I agree that US cars in the 70's and 80's were not that good (This is not ALL US cars). BMW and Toyota built their current reputation during the 80's of good reliability.

If I had to choose a car...Yugo.

I have been lucky and never had a lemon =)
— Porschinator (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 5:05:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

1977 VW Rabbit and 1988 Saab 900 Turbo SPG. They were both great to drive but electrically flawed. I haven't, however, had a truly horrible automotive experience. I guess I'm lucky. Chip hated his '00 A6 2.7T, while my 2.7T from the same year was flawless.

The wife's was probably her first car, a Chevy Corvair. LOL.
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 7:50:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Glad to see some Mercedes complaints. My two relatively new 2005 G55 and 2006 CLS 55 are by far the most unreliable electrically plagued vehicles I have ever owned. The dealer claimed my experience of having at least one car down at any given time was unusual. The CLS went through new headlight assemblies, new brake rotors, and new center electronics cluster in the first year. The "dynamic" seats still don't work two years after I took delivery. I vote the most unreliable goes to Mercedes in general as managing to entirely ruin their reputation in a few short years of investing everything in styling and nothing in the fundamentals. I will never buy another benz. Stick with Porsche or Audi; or go cheap and used. There is nothing worse than feeling like a sucker who paid a bundle for a new AMG car and got junk in return.
— turboguy (View Profile)

Posted on 2/26/2008 8:54:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Why is your handle "turboguy" if you bought two supercharged Mercedes-Benz products?
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 2/27/2008 1:03:47 AM | | Votes: 1

my old e34 5 series was a unreliable crap hole lol, the engine was solid...but everything around it broke =(.
— xlr8 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/27/2008 2:57:09 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Any French car. You can include VW products as well
— harleysportster (View Profile)

Posted on 2/27/2008 11:14:16 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

1995-1996 Range rover 4.0 & 4.6 models had the worst reliability. Even worse than the Land Rover. They had thw worst electrical problems ever. nothing worked. then again, people used to say you needed to have 2 Jaguars. one for driving and the other for the shop to be fixed.
— Schwitz916 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/27/2008 12:00:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

What's "the Land Rover?" I know the Range Rover is a Land Rover. Land Rover is a company. So what is "the" Land Rover, exactly?

...
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 2/27/2008 9:26:32 PM | | Votes: 1

1995-1996 Range rover 4.0 & 4.6 models had the worst reliability. Even worse than the Land Rover. They had thw worst electrical problems ever. nothing worked. then again, people used to say you needed to have 2 Jaguars. one for driving and the other for the shop to be fixed.
— Schwitz916 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/27/2008 12:00:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Back in 1996 I sold cars at a Toyota/Kia dealership.Kia was just coming unto the market and the Sephia was not a well made car.We salesman used to joke about it. Toyota had an advertizing slogan "Oh What A Feeling". We came up with one for Kia "Check Engine Light"The Sportage also had a lot of auto tranny trouble. People would by them and bring them back a few days later complaining and wanting out of the deal
— mini22 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/28/2008 1:07:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Three total lemons in my lifetime of car ownership
Ford Falcon PU
BMW 2002
Sterling 825S (made by Rover, the same company as the Land Rover)
Had them all, American and Foreign. Volvo was great 4 cars, Lexus is great, Mazda (4 cars and the original RX7) all trouble free. Original VW Bug, great car zero problems. Infiniti J30 not an issue in 4 years.
— cbro980 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/28/2008 8:58:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

i had a Ferrari Mondial Covertible back in the day..now while I must agree with the Nova, Yugo, and Dodge comments, i must say i am even a bigger loser than those people. They bought a car for transportation, i thought i was cool..i was sorely mistaken!! Hard to look cool when your car won't even start and you have to do 3 hail mary's on the hopes that today is your "lucky" day it starts..go ahead and rip on me, i do every time i get into any car i own now..shame on me!
— monnie (View Profile)

Posted on 2/29/2008 8:33:39 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Hi guys. First post here. I`ve had dozens of cars and trucks over the past 22 years. Most are from the 60s through 80s. I`ve built a 59 Edsel wagon on a 4wd truck frame. I built a rat rod 74 Caddy Hearse, and a number of others. My biggest complaint is serious structural rust. While the front subframe of my 73 Camaro was built of heavy tube steel, and nearly indestructable, the rear frame rails were basically folded sheetmetal which rusted badly to become a serious safety issue. Even undercoating wouldn`t have helped because the design held moisture. The leaf springs, and the rear end, can come loose. That was a huge fix that required far more than it was worth. Also cab mounts on 60s and 70s ford pickups which when rusted,and they sure did, cause all the bearings in the steering column to break. My wife is tired of driving my antiques, so at last I enter the new car market. For X-Mas this year she gets a v6 mustang. As for the biggest piece of crap car ever built, my vote goes to the old Volkswagen 411/412. The type 4 was the ugliest, least reliable, and poorest handling of the air cooled vws. Extremely rare these days, because most were in the junkyard after 5 years.
— DrivingWhileLightingBong (View Profile)

Posted on 3/2/2008 12:33:30 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

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