A car dealer’s scientific guide to the 10 worst used vehicles
01-19-14, 01:02 PM
#16
Lexus Fanatic
I'm not a moderator, but it seems to me like this thread is going off-topic. We're not dealing with popularity, marketing, or sales-figures here, but with how likely a vehicle is to stay in or out of a repair shop. But, of course, the more a vehicle sells to the general public, the bigger the (potential) data is available to actually GET that repair/reliability information.
I'm surprised we don't see more German-designed vehicles on the list. While not universal by any means (and with some improvements lately), many of them have had more than their share of electronic and quality-control glitches for years.
I'm surprised we don't see more German-designed vehicles on the list. While not universal by any means (and with some improvements lately), many of them have had more than their share of electronic and quality-control glitches for years.
01-19-14, 01:12 PM
#17
Lexus Fanatic
It's because they sell well. The list is about the worst vehicles to take in on trade...whatever the issues may be with German cars people buy them...so that negates the issues off reliability for dealers taking cars in on trade .
01-19-14, 01:21 PM
#18
Lexus Fanatic
Yes, you might (?) have a point, though it's hard to gauge whether the article is dealing with actual repair-rates themselves or how they affect its trade-in value. And, of course, some quite-reliable vehicles don't bring much of a trade simply because of their relative unpopularity either new or used. A good example of that is the awkward-looking Acura ZLX...a vehicle that, like other Honda/Acura products, is built with Swiss Watch precision, but, because of its ludicrous rear-end styling, simply sits on lots/showroom floors and goes nowhere.
01-19-14, 01:37 PM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
It's an anecdotal article, not a scientific article. It's dealership buyers saying what cars they don't want to purchase to sell on their lots, that's all.
01-19-14, 03:12 PM
#20
Super Moderator
Yes, you might (?) have a point, though it's hard to gauge whether the article is dealing with actual repair-rates themselves or how they affect its trade-in value. And, of course, some quite-reliable vehicles don't bring much of a trade simply because of their relative unpopularity either new or used. A good example of that is the awkward-looking Acura ZLX...a vehicle that, like other Honda/Acura products, is built with Swiss Watch precision, but, because of its ludicrous rear-end styling, simply sits on lots/showroom floors and goes nowhere.
01-20-14, 09:13 AM
#22
Lexus Fanatic
The list doesnt surprise me at all. I have friends and coworkers who have owned 8 0f the cars AND THEY SUCK. The mini cooper had tranny issues like crazy and when my friend went in they wanted $4500 to replace a tranny in an 05 vehicle. Nuts
01-20-14, 09:28 AM
#23
Lexus Fanatic
Now that I think of it one of the MDs I work with had an Aviator and the car would not start all of the time, window motor issues, and his stereo went out. He now drives an LX
01-20-14, 03:46 PM
#25
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
I would suspect the Jeep Wrangler isn't very far out of the top 10. It's not a reliable vehicle by any means--in its best years it's merely average--but retains value like nobody's business. This is where marketing and desirability takes over, and dependability takes a back seat.
01-20-14, 08:26 PM
#26
Lexus Fanatic
My father in law had a Navigator. Left him stranded a bunch of times...lots of other problems too.
01-20-14, 09:37 PM
#27
My aunt has a 2000ish Beetle. Diesel, 5 speed, 200k+ miles on it now. That little car is A TANK. Gets 50mpg, has never given her any problems(she bought it used 4-5 years ago with 100k on it).
About the only thing she can say bad about it(and any diesel really) is they don't like to start when its cold. She usually has it plugged in at her house on cold nights, but it left her stranded at work when it was like -5 degrees in Ohio a couple of weeks ago. She was funny, "Oh I let my poor car freeze to death, it was 0 degrees all day and that wind just whips through that parking garage."
But yeah, gas powered VW's generally suck IMO. My friend is a VW nut, has owned 2 or 3 of them, and swears off any VW that was made at the Mexican plant. He had a German made, diesel Golf, said it was a tank. The two gas Jettas, made in Mexico were pieces of junk.
About the only thing she can say bad about it(and any diesel really) is they don't like to start when its cold. She usually has it plugged in at her house on cold nights, but it left her stranded at work when it was like -5 degrees in Ohio a couple of weeks ago. She was funny, "Oh I let my poor car freeze to death, it was 0 degrees all day and that wind just whips through that parking garage."
But yeah, gas powered VW's generally suck IMO. My friend is a VW nut, has owned 2 or 3 of them, and swears off any VW that was made at the Mexican plant. He had a German made, diesel Golf, said it was a tank. The two gas Jettas, made in Mexico were pieces of junk.
Last edited by Aron9000; 01-20-14 at 09:41 PM.
01-21-14, 07:31 AM
#30
I work on cars on a daily basis, and I can't argue against any of the cars on the top 10... I've seen every problem listed...
IMO, there are a lot of other vehicles that could go up there on the list as well, but they probably aren't because their issues are significantly cheaper to fix, things such as ball joints, tie rod ends, etc...
IMO, there are a lot of other vehicles that could go up there on the list as well, but they probably aren't because their issues are significantly cheaper to fix, things such as ball joints, tie rod ends, etc...