I saw this thread (https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...er-buying.html) .. and thought, what about cars that you do regret buying.

I'll start:

2002 / 2004 Monte Carlo SS (with the 3.8)

 

2003 Kia Sedona. No cargo space (like couldn't even fit a week's groceries for the family in it), and the precat clogged (precats on the manifold) causing a head failure. Even better, due to engine design, head failure == "replace the whole engine HIGHLY recommended".

What a turd!!

 

With the Monte's, it was electrical gremlins.

 

94 BMW 318 auto
90's era Chevy Malibu Convertible, so bad I blanked on the year.

 

'76 Triumph TR7 in '83. Had very low miles because reverse gear went and it sat. Interesting car, but bloated and always something wonky.

 

2008 335xi . . lovely car to drive and look at, but a complete money pit

 

2005 mini cooper S, now I'm hooked on the quirky chassy that's not as fast as the newer cars, and the supercharger sound

 

1996 Volvo 850 Turbo. Put my mechanic's kids through college with that car. When the transmission went I sold it for $500.

 

Both of my Subaru STI's (had an 05 and an 07 limited). Both were catastrophically unreliable. Not an EJ motor problem either because my 04 forester XT is basically bulletproof and has the same block as the STi... Turbos went on both of them after maybe 5K miles of driving on each. Christ those cars were fast and fun but broke down every 3 feet.

 

1969 Corvette. Waited a year after ordering to get the bloody car and it was a maintenance hog. Took it on my (first) honeymoon and it swallowed a water pump in Niagara Falls and ate a timing belt in Hyannisport, MS. Shoulda realized hat this was a harbinger of a bad marriage....

I sold the car after it destroyed two clutches as well, all within nine months of purchase. Should bought the Cobra coupe, only $500 more than the Corvette at the time

 

'94 Plymouth Voyager and 2012 Mini Cooper S.

They are the two worst vehicles I have owned. The Plymouth because it was not fully put together and the Mini because it was not fully designed.

 

Don't remember the year (some things are worth forgetting) but an early '70s model AMC Matador. Total failure.

 

My 2000 Porsche 911 was the biggest money pit I've ever owned, and it was competing with a water damaged e39 M5 :D

I paid $13k for the car with 111k on the clock. By 117k I had spent over $8k just to keep it running. Sold it for $12,500 after it had been on the market for over a month.

 

2007 Mini Cooper S. Got a great deal on it three years ago, then proceeded to spend more than the purchase price in maintenance and repairs.

 

The R53 I currently own.


I'd say my F250 as well because the torque converter self-destructed the week after I got it. But since I bought it from my Dad he never cashed the check.
Ford's 4R100 is not a pleasant swap with a transfer case attached to it.

 

2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport - By far the worst engine/transmission combo on the planet. It was scary to merge with because you didn't know if the CVT was going to power the wheels or just rev out for a minute. The handling was also horrible. It was too twitchy and forbid you had a right/left combo, you felt like you were going to flip! Also got nowhere near the MPGs listed. Took a highway trip from NJ to FL along I95. Couldn't do better than 25mpg. Sold it in less than a year for a Chevy Equinox

 

I had a SRT-4 Neon that leaked every single fluid. I sold it after 3 months of ownership.

 

The wife and I decided to buy a used '09 Legacy GT for her daily with 18k miles. I thought it looked cool, AWD for the northeast, the whole bit. We also have two elementary school aged kids who seemed to fit well the day we test fit/test drove it...

First, besides tightly fitting the fam, which I was willing to deal with (I suppose that's my own fault), it was incredibly uncomfortable. We were driving to relatives 4 hours away. We stopped two hour in because of my kids tiny bladders. When we got out it was like a slept on a rock for a week ... I peer over the car at my petite wife, who's also getting out with the same grimace holding her back, only 2 hours...

Then the maintenance issues started, and we were back and forth to the dealer for warrantied items almost monthly. Clutch loosened, rear joint boots and diff leaks, excessive vibe at about 55, rotors replaced and wheels balanced still persisted. All at about 20-21000 miles.

Finally a rust spot on the door broke the camels back.

An '09 in 2011 with under 22k. I sold it within 5 months... only took an $900 hit overall. :(

 

Thats sucks, I had a 01 GS and 99 GTP, they ranked pretty high on reliability for us.