What was your WORST car ever?

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: In reply to bludroptop: That is a pretty sexy sedan though... what sort of problems? The kind that can be fixed by an LS swap?

I've blocked most of it from memory, but let's start with longitudinal FWD with inboard disk brakes - a front brake job meant dropping the drivetrain.

Good looking lawn art is still just lawn art.

Mercedes 190E 2.3 three trans and two AC systems under warranty I told my wife that there was no way we could afford that car when it got out of warranty. Traded it for RX-7. She had to learn how to drive a manual and has never owned an automatic since.
Our only consolation on the Merc was that the Mazda dealer was able to sell the 190 to the Mercedes dealership that had done all the work on it. What goes around comes around. The owner of the Merc dealership actually had the balls to tell us in a meeting that it was their entry level car and they expected to have more issues with it. Funny thing is that our Honda Accord that we traded for the POS was long gone. YMMV

That berkeleying Blazer is the only car I'd classify as pure hatred. Plenty of others with annoyances and problems. I suppose my ex-wife's Pontiac Sunbird (maybe '02 or '03) would be next on the list, but still not approaching the abject rage I had for that berkeleying Blazer.

I've never written another letter to OH State Attorney General about any other vehicle.

I'd say my 1988 Turbo Coupe or my 1989 Conquest. Here's why...

The Turbo Coupe I bought with a HUGE 1100 cca battery installed which pinched the coolant overflow hose which caused the car to overheat which caused the headgasket to blow. When I did the headgasket job, I installed an SVO turbo (T3) and everything was good. After that the car had absolutely NO power. Checked all my work, even had the shop I worked at recheck everything. Could never find the problem. Blew ignition switches once a month.

Conquest was all my own fault. Decided it needed a V8 swap. Had it for 4 years, never got it done. Had TONS of money into it. Gave it away to a friend. Seriously, gave it away...

in terms of problems per mile, i'd have to say my V8Vair (which sat outdoors, untouched, for 17 years prior to my ownership). once i got the problems sorted it was bulletproof for over a year until i sold it. absence makes the heart grow fonder, because i really want to get it back and take another run at the challenge with it.

That would be a 1995 Honda Civic that I picked up thinking it was a clean, low mileage example. It turned out to be the clean pieces of multiple Civics hacked together, as I found out when I had a shop take care of a brake repair that I didn't have time to handle, and they called me to tell that they found the brakes on one side were an inch larger in diameter than the ones on the other side.

I only owned it one year, and it left me stranded several times - two dead starters, one ECU that literally caught on fire, multiple hoses spontaneously breaking, several dead distributors, and probably a few things I've forgotten. The car replaced a 200,000 mile C4 Corvette that I thought was too much of a maintenance headache to use as a daily driver, only to have the Civic make me miss how reliable the Corvette had been.

1982 Pontiac Parisienne...diesel! Been a long time since I thought about this car. I hope the nightmares don't come back...

Bruce

My worst was a 1987 "Chevy Nova." I put this in quotes because it was actually a rebadged Corolla. It wasn't even a rebadged 1987 Corolla, though. Those had EFI and I still had to deal with a carburetor. Chevy had basically licensed Toyota's obsolete technology.

It had all the expected issues: it was slow, it didn't like to start in bad weather, and it had that dorky, oversized 1980s GM stereo.

But the worst part of the car was the low quality of the build. Windshield wipers would freeze randomly; eventually I figured out that the wiper motor wasn't properly grounded. There was another electric problem that caused the fuel and temperature gauges to creep higher while the turn signal was in use. This must have been ground-related, but I think I just tolerated it.

Perhaps my favorite memory is driving over railroad tracks and losing a motor mount. None of the other cars around me had any trouble. As soon as it fell off, I said "that felt like a motor mount falling off." A quick stop at a gas station confirmed my diagnosis. This was soon fixed with a big "C" clamp.

Eventually I stopped changing the oil. That 1.6L is the only engine I have ever blown. I bought a 1986 Buick Century in replacement. It could actually break the tires loose occasionally and had (!) EFI and working cruise control. It felt like a Bentley compared to the "Nova."

I've avoided Toyotas, Chevrolets (to a lesser extent), and blue cars ever since.

I’m not sure cars with accidents, poor maintenance, neglect and crappy PO’s having done dumb/shoddy E36 M3 to them are fair game. My personal worst car was new, as have been a couple of other. We needed a replacement for my wife’s 01 Ford Escape. At the time I worked for Visteon who are a parts suppliers, not Ford so I didn’t feel a need to buy a Ford, necessarily as Visteon sold to the whole industry, and importantly they were the largest non-Asian supplier to Toyota (here after referred to as the Evil empire, turdbota etc.).

While she could and can drive a stick, with most of her driving being in town, stop go, car run, suburban etc. and living in Mi. her requirements were 5 seats, AWD, Auto and either a wagon or SUV. I was pushing hard for a wagon. We drove the Mercedes’s C class (numb and the worst trans I’ve ever come across). The 3 series which would have won if it could have gotten out of its own way, but for some reason BMW only saw fit to offer the 325 in the ix wagon. The extra weight of the 4WD, the wagon body and the drag of the auto trans meant she instantly nixed it as it was so painfully slow, bummer. Then we drove the A4 Avanti Quattro V6, God I loved that car and I really really wanted her to get that one, I’m sure even with all the B6 issues I’d still have that car as a hand me down. She was >< close but decided she wanted more space of an SUV so we tried those. Honda Pilot, I liked it and could have lived with it. Turdbota (Evil Empire) 4 runner, unfortunately it had grown too big by 04, so we tried the Highlander. Oh Dear. I hated it from the first moment I got in it. It was as inspired and exciting as cold porridge on a summer day. While I was at the dealer I saw a woman trying to put her grocery’s in the back of a white one assuming it was a refrigerator. Dull, boring, squishy appliance don’t begin to describe the fundamental awfulness of that vehicle. I think the ride and handling target vehicle was a 1950 Buick on its original tires, shocks and bushings it was that bad. But she’s not called SWMBO for no reason, she picks her cars, I pick mine. And as we all know Turdbota are the epitome and zenith of automotive quality and reliability. Ha-ha.

So we purchased this turd of automotive ‘design’ (Design is too nice a description, try Friday afternoon collection of scribbles before heading out for Sake, or maybe it was designed post Sake, that may explain it.

• Almost immediately the ‘soft touch’ plastic color started coming off the dash anywhere you touched it around buttons (that’s wear and tear so not covered by warranty.
• The leather started cracking within a couple of years. Now I will admit that many domestic auto manufacturers don’t use the highest quality leather, and after only a couple of years it starts to crease, stain fade, but not crack.
• Broken hinges on the center consul thingy
• The carpet for the floor mats was so thin they wore through in less than 6 months, yes 6 months. After bitching up a storm they did swap those under warrant, but guess what the second set were worn through, like holes in another 6 months.
• Master cylinder and booster failed at separate times, covered by warranty.
• The paint was so crap it made an early bug eye WRX look like it had a $20K concourse paint job in comparison. It scratched and oxidized like nothing I've ever owned, I literally think it was so thin it had negative depth. Just awful. It’s the only car I’ve ever bothered trying to polish because it was always so crappy. My Volvo is 4 ½ years old, driven every day and parked outside rain, shine etc. Mistreated with automatic car washes and I’ve never bother polishing it. People still asked me what it as and assume it’s a new car, it looks that good. That berkeleying Turdbota looked way worse than the Volvo does now after only 6 months.
• This was the best one, after about 18 months the headlights started to melt, yes the plastic outer cover started to melt and bubbles formed in it. We went in and complained, the service advisor tried to tell my wife it was her fault for fitting upgraded too powerful bulbs which had generated excess heat and melted the plastic (we hadn’t). I wish I’d been there, she tore them a new one, insisted on seeing the manager, they checked the bulbs and sure enough they were the factory units. She made a big impression on them as whenever we went back there after that we got the full 5 star red carpet treatment.
• The steering intermediate shaft UJ failed and we needed to fit a new one.
• The Right rear wheel bearing died and had to be replaced ( actually paid for that one at the same time as having the cam belt changed at its scheduled interval whatever that was)

The we got to the straw and camel’s back stage. Right around 4 years and 100k miles, basically all in the same month:
• The HVAC control unit in the dash crapped out and the new part, not labor, just the part was $1,100, we lived with it until getting rid of it.
• Then the other wheel bearing started to rumble a bit (I left that).
• Then the center bearing died in the drive shaft. I called all the local junk yards, everyone I called that had one checked and they all had bad bearing. I found one that had 4 in stock that assured me they were all good. I went and checked, sure enough all bad. I took the least bad that was still quiet and fitted that to trade it in.

I think the single happiest day of my automotive life was the day that unmitigated piece of automotive garbage left my life forever. I automatically assume anyone I see still driving one of those dreadful pieces scum to be completely devoid of brains, personality or intelligence.

Any car can have issues. But the number and frequency of issues on that car (above and beyond its inherent crappness as a design) is unforgivable. This was the car that made me really really made as the press fawned over Tudbota for years as the imagined quality leader of the world. I loathed and detested that car from the day we got it until the day it went. Some people may think I’ve been a bit over the top here, but I’m really being kind about the POS and the Turdbota compared to my true feelings.

The wife's RAV was purchased new.... and was a pile of E36 M3 from day 1.

NOHOME wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote: I still own it. I wish it a quick and painful demise with hopefully no humans involved.

Must be the brand or something cause while the jury is still out, the FRS is leading the pack at this point. Affectionately known as the "Remon" by my wife. I wish I could put into words how something so good can be so annoying to the point of making me take the wife's versa on errands rather than the FRS.

Your not this first to say that about the FRS, it seems to be the brand, at least IMO they don;t think things through fully. I love the idea of a FRS but man the interior is cheaply put together.

For me it was a brand new 1995 Camaro Z28. Very nice engine, great suspension and transmission, and the most unreliable car. Ever. Cost me thousands in addition to what the warrantee covered. I will not concider another vehicle from that company of whose name I shall not speak.

Going way back, 1964 MG 1100. Great car to drive. Just carry a stick to hit the fuel pump which would decide to take a rest at random times. I did find that cycling the ignition switch would sometimes work. The clutch started slipping, the rear suspension was falling apart and so on.

Feedyurhed wrote: I never really owned a bad car but my sister's car was so bad it genetically attached itself to me. What was it? Chevrolet Vega. Chevy's answer to the imports. Aluminum block, cast iron sleeves, which liked to crack ( the block that is), burn oil, overheat, rust, had a 2 speed auto tranny. Took forever to accelerate and stop. Everything either fell off or quit working or both. In fact it was so bad it's far easier to list what was good about it because there wasn't anything good about it. Chevrolet covered some items under warranty but then refused after the second block cracked. My sister ended up leaving it sitting outside the Chevy dealership with a big sign that said "Lemon" on it. She had it towed there because it didn't run. Oddly the car was yellow in color. There's a reason you don't see many (any) Vegas driving around any more. It was so bad and she was treated so poorly by Chevrolet I still will never drive/buy a Chevy even 40 years later.

You beat me to it this time, but I have already expounded upon my hatred for my 1972 Vega. 22 mpg with four speed and no AC. That thing was an oven in the summertime. A bad AM radio. And of course the engine. This car fostered such hared that I will never own another new Chevy.

EDIT: On second thought, my wife's 1991 Lincoln Continental was a much bigger POS. Especially since it was a $31K luxury car. At leat the Vega never really broke down. This car ate money in $600 increments. Three tranmissions, head gaskets, speedo cluster, power steering hoses, intermittant AC, air bag struts, faulty brake booster, etc. But when running, it got 29mpg on the road and was the most cofortable thing I've ever taken on a long trip.

ive got four. two of mine, two i picked up and suffered with for family.

in chronological order:

1. 1982 cadillac eldorado. traded a pack of smokes and drove it home. last time i ever drove it. all four calipers crapped out, trans started slipping, door fell off when the bolts holding teh hinges to the body broke, and then it kicked a rod on my second drive. traded it to the tow truck driver for a pack of cigarettes. 400 dollars later.....

2. 1989 mustand lx 4 cyl 5 speed. random electrical gremlins that would cause it not to start, at 3 AM, in the hood, 60 miles from where i lived. it was my brothers car. would fix itself every time he called me to come and diagnose it. also, the clutch never released in the same place twice, both headlights filled with water every time it rained, the drivers side seat frame kept breaking every 250 miles, and it rusted out. in NC. in the middle of NC. i was actually happy when it was stolen, driven to raleigh, stripped, and set on fire. his k-car was an upgrade.

3. 93 pontiac grand am. leaked oil from everywhere when i bought it. fixed it all, and they startyed leaking again the day i sold it to my brother in law. over the next three years, i replaced the gaskets at least 5 times on that 3300 POS. trans never shifted right, and it would fill with 4 inches of standing water evveryt time it rained. also could NOT get paint to stick to it. i was happy the day he ran it out of oil and windowed the block.

4. 99 camry. ucomfortable, soiuless, motion sickness inducing, tinny sounding, piss poor gas milage getting 4cyl auto. i put over 100k on that POS and hated every mile. most mornings i looked at my extended cab long bed 80s chevy truck and drive it at 14mpg instead. it suclked that bad.....

1988 Buick Century

Bought from a family friend who was the manager of a dealership service department. Assured me that it was a really dependable car with low miles. Within a few weeks, the engine blew up and it went back to the shop for a complete replacement. It took more than a month for them to replace it with a rebuilt motor, and within a week of picking it up, the transmission blew. (apparently this series of GM cars had a set expiration date for their transmissions) Back to the shop, more money and downtime, and when I picked it up, the muffler came apart from the pipe, wedged up under the rear bumper, ripped it off and almost killed me.

I parked it in front of their shop, left the bill for a few thousand in repairs on the front seat, left the keys in it, and threatened to sue for Lemon Laws and false statements and harassment and whatever else I could think of. They called it a wash, slapped on a new muffler and sold it to some other poor schmo.

wearymicrobe wrote:

NOHOME wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote: I still own it. I wish it a quick and painful demise with hopefully no humans involved.

Must be the brand or something cause while the jury is still out, the FRS is leading the pack at this point. Affectionately known as the "Remon" by my wife. I wish I could put into words how something so good can be so annoying to the point of making me take the wife's versa on errands rather than the FRS.

Your not this first to say that about the FRS, it seems to be the brand, at least IMO they don;t think things through fully. I love the idea of a FRS but man the interior is cheaply put together.

Toyota has spent so many years trying to beat GM in the market they actually BECAME GM. Boring cars, terrible interiors, mediocre build quality and constant recalls. I think they officially out-GM'd GM.

My 2nd Bronco was the worst, but that was due to horrible treatment by DPOs. I knew I shouldn't have bought it going in, but I had driven 5 hours to look at it, and gorramnit I wasn't going home empty-handed! I was constantly throwing money at that thing, never did have it running quite right. Final straw was the day before I was moving, it ate it's timing set. I've never been so angry with a vehicle before, and I just sent it to the scrapper right then and there. Sucked because it was a factory 4-barrel 351W with the then-optional 9" (this was after they had started switching everything over to the 8.8").

Insofar as reliability without completely mangling treatment, my 2.3L automatic Mustang was pretty terrible. It all centered around that transmission; the A4LD is just a horrid peice of crap. It blew cooler lines, it burned out the torque converter, it ate bands; it died within 12 months of a rebuild. Motor was great in that car, though. Lost the oil pickup tube in Fresno, and it made it home 6 hours north with nothing but a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil thrown in the crankcase. Top end rattled like crazy, but it got home. Took it apart, checked the bearings, put a new pickup tube, and it ran great (well, until the tranny died again).

Bobzilla wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote:

NOHOME wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote: I still own it. I wish it a quick and painful demise with hopefully no humans involved.

Must be the brand or something cause while the jury is still out, the FRS is leading the pack at this point. Affectionately known as the "Remon" by my wife. I wish I could put into words how something so good can be so annoying to the point of making me take the wife's versa on errands rather than the FRS.

Your not this first to say that about the FRS, it seems to be the brand, at least IMO they don;t think things through fully. I love the idea of a FRS but man the interior is cheaply put together.

Toyota has spent so many years trying to beat GM in the market they actually BECAME GM. Boring cars, terrible interiors, mediocre build quality and constant recalls. I think they officially out-GM'd GM.

Couldn't agree more. Watching the lemmings continue to buy those over rated heaps based upon past glory is simply sad.

Let me add my Lexus LS400 to the worst car list. Steering failed, dash lights went out, suspension clunked and without a doubt the dullest car I've ever driven.

mine was a 1978 Lancia Beta cp bought in 1980 with 18,000 miles on it the car was red with a black gut and it looked really good. the guy was selling it super cheap and i went to look at it and test drove it. the owner the whole time was trying to talk me out of buying it.

to this day i think he thought the car was processed. on the test drive the car ran perfect and the owner said it would do that. just when you start to like it it will act up. i thought for the money i could handle it. i picked the car up the next day drove about a quarter mile and it ate my favorite cass tape and from then on it was a battle and put me thru hell but it looked really good.... in 1990 i saw the car at a show and talked to the owner he was the 8th owner on the car and loved it. he said it was a big adventure everytime he turned the key and that was what he liked about it

bgkast wrote: (Mine was NOT this cool) Great car when it ran, but it had a NASTY habbit of loosing spark and leaving my wife stranded every few months (it would only do this when several miles from home). It also would "fix" its self whenever I tried to diagnose it. I threw parts at it for awhile, but finally gave up after 10 months and sold it at a $500 loss to some poor sap who thought it was an easy fix despite my full disclosure.

Pretty common issue. Usually a 30 Buck fuel pump relay

Trans_Maro wrote: Easy.. 1984 Volvo 760GLE. Powered by that godawful PRV V6. Whoever designed that engine should be shot with a ball of their own excrement.

OK, have to laugh at that (laughing with you, not at you...) given the DeLorean's engine is also a PRV of similar vintage. Did the 760's also have the fantastically complex K-Jetronic mechnical fuel injection stock DeLoreans have, or had Volvo realized that was a lost cause and kept the carb on them? Switching to a carb was one of the first things I did- and something I've not regretted in the least.

MadScientistMatt wrote: That would be a 1995 Honda Civic that I picked up thinking it was a clean, low mileage example. It turned out to be the clean pieces of multiple Civics hacked together, as I found out when I had a shop take care of a brake repair that I didn't have time to handle, and they called me to tell that they found the brakes on one side were an inch larger in diameter than the ones on the other side.

I found that on my Escort when doing the first brake job.

Turns out my passenger front corner had an LX hub on it, which meant it could only fit an LX rotor on that side.

Some idiot had WILLFULLY installed ONE LX hub and ONE LX rotor on this car.

Imagine my surprise when my GT rotor wouldn't fit under the brake caliper of my GT.

1998 Ford ZX2. Admittedly, high miles when I bought it.

Shimmy when driving straight

Radio would not turn off

All wheels leaked air constantly

A/C leaked constantly

Rear sway bar fell off (literally. Just driving around one day)

Oil pan rotted out

Spark plug shot out of the cylinder head taking out next-door cylinders spark plug wire. I drove home on 2. It was hilarious. By this time I hated the car so it got the greased-tap-and-threaded-insert fix.

Transmission would not stay in third. Then it got stuck in first. Then I lost first, then I only had 2-4-R. Then I only had 1-3-5. Then 1-5.

Bought for $900, sold for $100 a year later with almost no dollars invested.

1996 V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. Bought in 1998 for bargin price of $12k. I know I quickly put another $12k in it before throwing in the towel. She hated my guts. Now years later, I want another one just to see? if?...I'm not sure why?, but I want another one.