These Used Cars Will Cost You More Money Than They Should
While there have been plenty of cars released in recent years that offer great value for money, others simply miss the mark. Cars are expensive, and there's nothing worse than investing your hard-earned money into a vehicle that requires frequent maintenance, repairs or has a low resale value. Let's take a closer look at 35 of the biggest money pits in the used car market right now.
BMW 7 Series
The BMW 7 Series is a high-tech luxury vehicle that costs a fortune to begin with. However, throw in the costly and frequent repairs needed and you have yourself a real money pit. Two of the most common issues are air suspension and electronics faults.
Land Rover Range Rover
The Land Rover Range Rover has become infamous for its electrical issues and costly drivetrain repairs.
Fiat 500L
The Fiat 500L is a small and quirky car, often associated with city driving. While it is practical, it definitely isn't cheap. This mostly comes down to the very expensive repairs that are often needed. Spare parts for this car are scarce, which raises costs even further.
Jeep Renegade
The Jeep Renegade used to be associated with off-road driving, but is now known for its serious reliability concerns. More so, older models are plagued with frequent transmission issues, leading to costly repairs.
Chevrolet Cruze
Despite its sleek and stylish appearance, the Chevrolet Cruze has become known for its engine and transmission issues, especially in earlier models. Chevrolet spare parts are always costly and hard to come by, which only adds to the overall cost of owning the car.
Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf was undoubtedly a pioneer in the EV market. Despite this, it doesn't come without its fair share of issues - all of which add to the cost of owning the car. Any money you save on petrol would likely end up going towards repairs or battery maintenance.
Jaguar XF
Jaguar is known for its sleek, luxurious and expensive vehicles. Despite its good looks, the Jaguar XF is plagued by various issues, including transmission and engine faults - both of which are costly to repair.
Chrysler 200
The Chrysler 200 is expensive to buy, but it also costs a small fortune to maintain. The car is plagued with transmission and engine issues, leading to high repair costs.
Mini Cooper S
While Mini Cooper is one of the most in-demand brands on the used car market, the S model definitely comes with its fair share of issues. To be more specific, it experienced frequent transmission issues. Spare parts are also extremely hard to come by, making them expensive.
Audi A8
Audi is known for its performance-driven and luxurious vehicles. While the A8 looks great, it fell short in terms of reliability. The car is also expensive to repair.
Mercedes GL 320
The Mercedes GL 320 may cost a fortune to buy up front, but that doesn't make it a good purchase. In fact, you will end up spending even more on frequent repairs and part replacements, as the car has complex electronics and is plagued with transmission issues.
Mitsubishi Colt
The Mitsubishi Colt is known for being a workhorse of a vehicle. However, older models weren't quite as reliable or practical as the newer ones. For this reason, they have a poor resale value and can end up costing you a fortune on repairs.
Smart Fortwo
The Smart Fortwo was designed for practicality in city driving. However, it failed to meet the same standard in performance. The car experiences frequent electrical problems, resulting in costly repairs and a high maintenance bill.
Volkswagen CC
Volkswagen is often associated with reliability and practicality. However, the VW CC failed to live up to these expectations. The car is often plagued by engine misfires and EVAP system leaks, both of which are expensive to repair.
Porsche Cayenne
No matter the model, a Porsche will cost a small fortune to buy. However, the Cayenne is definitely one of the brand's biggest money pits, as it experiences frequent issues that lead to costly repairs and maintenance.
Audi Q5
The Audi Q5 is a popular luxury SUV, but that doesn't mean that the car comes without its fair share of issues. One of the biggest drawbacks of investing in this vehicle is the high maintenance bill. Spare parts are also tough to come by, which makes them overly expensive.
Infiniti QX60
The Infiniti QX60 is advertised as a spacious and luxurious family SUV. With that being said, the car is plagued with a number of reliability concerns, including frequent transmission troubles and electrical system glitches.
Lincoln Navigator
The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size SUV that costs a fortune to purchase. However, if you choose to invest in this car, expect to continue paying a lot to keep it running. Frequent problems include coolant leaks and overheating.
Chevrolet Trax
The Chevrolet Trax is a compact SUV that has been flagged for its various reliability issues. A few of the most common issues include transmission faults, engine failures, A/C and HVAC problems and frequent oil leaks. Spare parts are also difficult to obtain, making them excessively expensive.
Ford Expedition
Ford is closely associated with reliability and longevity. However, the Expedition failed to meet the mark. It is plagued with various issues, including engine and transmission failures - both of which cost a small fortune to repair.
Toyota 4Runner
The Toyota 4Runner has some good models, but not all of them are good buys. To be more specific, models released between 2015 and 2019 frequently experience head gasket failures, frame rust, and issues with the suspension and steering rack. In the long run, having to repair these issues is likely to cost you a small fortune.
Volkswagen Tiguan
Even though VW has released some incredibly affordable and reliable cars over the years, the Tiguan doesn't live up to the same standard. The car is plagued with reliability issues, leading to costly repairs and a high maintenance bill.
Ford Focus
While some Ford Focus models have become known for their reliability, newer models haven't quite met the same mark. They are plagued with steering and transmission issues, both of which are expensive to repair. Electronic glitches are also common, resulting in a lower resale value.
Hyundai Sonata
The Hyundai Sonata experiences frequent engine failures, transmission issues and other smaller defects. While Hyundai is largely known for its reliability, the Sonata doesn't quite meet the same standard. The car is affordable upfront, but it ends up costing a whole lot more in repairs and maintenance.
BMW I3
While BMW is closely associated with class and luxury, the i3 falls short in a number of aspects. Two of its major issues include frequent transmission and engine issues. Spare parts are also incredibly expensive, making the i3 a bit of a money pit.
Chevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt is plagued by several issues, making it quite the financial burden. Some of the most commonly reported problems include electrical system failures, steering and suspension system faults and oil leaks. Timing chain issues are also fairly common.
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is yet another pioneer in the EV industry. With that being said, earlier models do come with their fair share of issues, including rapid hybrid battery degradation, engine issues and brake system faults. Battery issues, in particular, are incredibly expensive to repair, making the Prius a money pit.
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is a powerful muscle sedan, but it also comes with its fair share of problems. Some of the most common issues include engine failures, transmission faults and electrical glitches. Spare parts are also hard to come by, making repairs incredibly pricey.
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is one of the most iconic muscle cars in the world. With that being said, certain models failed to meet the incredibly high standards that buyers came to expect from such a vehicle. Camaros released between 2010 and 2012 were particularly problematic, leading to high maintenance costs.
Ford Mustang EcoBoost
The Ford Mustang EcoBoost was designed to save fuel, while still offering drivers the same thrill and power of the traditional Mustang models. However, to say it fell short would be an understatement. The car also didn't save much on fuel, which made it somewhat rough on your wallet..
GMC Acadia
The GMC Acadia is a spacious SUV, known for its family-friendly features. However, the car is also plagued with a number of issues, including transmission troubles, electrical glitches and powertrain control module errors.
Buick Enclave
The Buick Enclave is a premium midsize SUV. However, it has had its fair share of reliability concerns, leading to a lower overall resale value. A few common problems include transmission failure, timing chain stretch and power steering loss.
Nissan Pathfinder
The Nissan Pathfinder has a long history of reliability issues. One of the most commonly reported problems is coolant leaking into the transmission, which leads to a rather steep repair bill. CVT transmission issues are also common.
Ford C-Max Hybrid
The Ford C-Max Hybrid offers solid fuel economy and plenty of space. However, it is also a money pit, mainly due to the numerous problems that keep cropping up. One of these problems is electrical system glitches, which can cost a small fortune to repair.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
While the Hyundai Ioniq 5 may be innovative, it also has its fair share of issues. Infotainment and software system glitches are incredibly common. Charging irregularities are also frequently reported. As you can imagine, these problems are incredibly pricey to repair.
