6 used cars to Never, Ever Buy according to the 20+ years of CAR WIZARD mechanic experience!
2021 ж. 11 Там.
2 368 116 Рет қаралды
After working on cars for over 20 years the CAR WIZARD 🧙♂️ has found six used cars to NEVER, EVER buy!
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2:33 #1: 2004-2010 Ford Expedition or Ford pickup with the 3-valve 5.4 engine. 4:48 #2: Any & all years Acadia, Enclave, Traverse, Outlook, Equinox, Terrain with the GM 3.6 v6 engine. 7:38 #3: Any European car with over 150,000 miles. 9:14 #4: Any GM with the 3.1 or 3.4 v6. 11:25 #5: Any truck or SUV with AFM (active fuel management) or MDS (multi displacement system). (5.7 or 6.4 Hemi's, or 5.3 or 6.0 Max Vortec). James Stephenson said to add the 6.2 GM to this item ("complete shit") 13:56 #6: Any of the early 2000's Subaru's
I agree with number three wholeheartedly with one exception and that is a pre 1995 Mercedes and some BMW pre 1995 .
#3 isn't always true though. I have a 2002 VW Golf with 143k miles, and apart from the cooling fans and water pump, I haven't had any major issues. It has the 2.slow engine though.
@@googpix540 some Mercedes models after '95 are pretty bulletproof. W140 S class, W202 C class, W210 E class, some W203 and W204 C class models, some of the first and second generation MLs and the W212 E class. Just know what engine you're getting, what the major problems are and if you can deal with them, and check for maintenance records. Mercedes models don't usually do well without maintenance. For most people a car made in 1995 is too old to be considered for purchase.
@@damilolaakanni I'm going to respectfully tell you which ones I agree with and which ones I disagree with. First of all a pre 95 is too old for others is just more cars for me. I agree somewhat in the w140. Where I have issues with them is that there are so many luxury s items to go wrong. It's cost ineffective. I have a friend who has two of them and he's endlessly working on one while driving the second one with an outstanding issue.
@@damilolaakanni the w202 c class was the second run at the BMW 325 and it's the descendent of the w201. It's a hard no for me. They are almost all eaten out with rust at this point. I have friends who have had them. I found them to be underwhelming cars. They definitely don't stand up to the baby Benz. The other issue with all these post 95 cars not including the w140 is that the newer they are the more computers they contain that can and do go south. It's common for a computer to go which takes out another two or more other computers.
"Don't buy any European car with over a 150 000 miles." Volvo 240 owners: "That's the starting point, man."
Yes Wizard was off with that comment. Ask Skoda, Volvo
German and UK then? Volvo can be lumped in with Japanese better than European generally.
what he means is european cars made in USA/Mexico not the cars built in Europe
@@des1458 Worst car I ever owned was a German-built VW Passat
W123, W124 Mercedes too. Those are probably the most reliable cars around.
most practical, honest car guy ever. keep up the great work.
I bought a used 2005 Toyota Solara with 202,000 miles for $2,200 in Lewiston, Maine and I got a $2,000 trade in value with 278,000 miles on it after 7 years of use with little repair costs, so I certainly got my money's worth out of it for what I paid. Toyota is very dependable.
Hope you didn't trade for a Nissan
😂 Never Nissan, Mazda, Pontiac and Chrysler. 😢
Everyone says we should get rid of our 2011 Toyota Sienna. 312000 km. 195000 miles. Costing us a bit this year. Muffler battery alternator etc. Tires. Front end suspension. But we have maintained it always. Rides great.
@@rayonwilliamssportsandfun2106 I have a 1998 Nissan Quest also a 1987 Nissan stanza no issues with either why are you so down on Nissan?
@longnguyen-zu1qe Not all Nissans should be avoided. In fact, there are good cars from every manufacturer you just named
I am an Independent Mechanical Inspector. I am an independent contractor that inspects vehicles for extended warranty companies. Anyone who watches this better listen to this man, he knows what he is talking about. I have been inspecting vehicles since 2006, and I have seen every issue he has listed. He is right on the money.
It's a pity you guys are not in the Chicagoland area I would definitely go to you guys for sure
No he isn’t right about the hemI engines they last really long us well as all ram trucks. I’ve been driving my Ram limited since 2016 280.000 miles no issues at all just change ur oil regularly
I use fully synthetic motor oil far fewer problems. just buy new or near new.
I keep it simple. I only buy Toyotas! My favorite is the Avalon!
What’s a really reliable BMW? I’m looking at getting a 2003-2006 Z4 3.0 manual.
It's amazing how many problems can be avoided by simply changing your oil regularly.
I know right! Oil is like the engines blood so makes sense it needs to be filtered and changed. Just like we need our kidneys to filter...
If I were to ask you "what is the absolute best-engineered engine of all time?" many of you would have a different answer, but that doesn't matter. Whichever engine you are imagining, ask yourself this: "How long would this engine last without lubrication?" No matter the quality of the engine, the answer will be the same: "Not long."
@@BattleToads Fax!
@@BattleToads My brother is a Toyota mechanic and he’s seen Toyota’s not getting its oil service in 5 years with well over 10k km. Asked the owner and she didnt think she needed to. Engine practically didnt have oil, and it still ran fine with 300k km. I dont like Toyotas myself but they do have reliable engines.
@@sack8439 Im in the same boat, I only like the 4runners and the 80s supra and maybe another but they just dont do it for me even though they make fantastic cars
These vehicles have allowed me to buy nice tools, pay off my home, and have piece of mind knowing there is a high level of job security. I just want to tell the manufacturers, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Hahaha
...one man's treasure often comes from another man's trash...
@@markkalfahs1047 That seems to be the time-tested best businesses, luckily I'm in IT Cloud Admin and its just getting bigger and more adopted (was homeless 3 years so I'm very lucky)
There’s a sucker born every minute! That means job security! 😂
That's the point, it's intentional. You don't make any money selling cars. You make money fixing cars. So manufactures design their cars now to break sooner and faster. Granted, some problems can be averted with proper maintenance and quality parts.
I made the mistake about 10 years ago of purchasing an '05 Audi S4 6MT with 99k miles for only 10k. The car was in fantastic condition, and it made me wonder how I was able to purchase this fast luxury sedan for such a low price. I later found out that the timing chain tensioners have a tendency of failing around 100k miles and then subsequently braking the engine. Luckily I was able to sell the car back to the seller after finding out the job to fix the timing chain tensioners would be $7k. Learned from my mistake and I'll never purchase another high mileage European vehicle again.
You're so right. I live in Germany and I only buy Japanese cars and bikes. None of the Germans admit that they have multiple issues.
Years back my father, who loved German cars based on his experiences with early VWs, bought a beautiful preowned Audi. Biggest money pit ever in spite of it being a spotless low mileage car. Dad kept it about 2 years and immediately went back to only owning Toyota’s until the point he passed away at 88 years old.
@@christiangrendel9893 Alot of the cars built in Europe aren't too bad. It's the one's made is the USA that have alot of problems. Lived in north America 42 yrs and been living in Europe 19.
@@christiangrendel9893 yes, it's very true, us Germans have lots of issues.😳🤔(you were talking about cars?... What?)
@@garthkolbeck8674 Geil! Wer sagt denn, dass die Deutschen keinen Sinn für Humor haben? Alle meine Freunde in Deutschland sind top Leute und kommen richtig gut klar 😂👍
With the high end "prestige cars" from Europe, the best saying I've heard is "If you couldn't afford it new, you can't afford it now". Wise words to live by...
exactly. Been saving money for years to get me "beloved" E46 M3. love the car, absolutely hate the maintenance (price wise, beemer is bottomless moneypit). and its nearly impossible to get not abused M3 on market right now (at least not for normal price that is). at least E36 (2.8 6 cyl, small turbo) runs good :D .
Dear George if you really love a special car and you repair on your own you can buy it. I exclude here cars which have construction defects and were poorly designed, unfortunately such cars exist. I am living in Germany and I never liked Toyotas, I find them not stylish enough for me but of course so as I hear they must be very reliable I mostly drive Audi and Mercedes but of course every car brand has his own problems... God bless you.
@Captain MufDyven of course Captain you're right. If I would live in the Mid-West I guess I buy a Ford or a Toyota. I live near Ingolstadt 3,5 km (about 2 Miles) away from the Audi factory and I find the majority of the parts I need at the local junkyard. Even in the case of a more major accident as I had with a deer 2 years ago (I didn't wish to hit the poor animal but it came so suddenly in front of my car that I couldn't even press the brakes) I was able to repair the car in two days because all the parts were easily available from the junkyard, I had to replace a headlight, the left car wing, the front bumper and the plastic holder in the front... I payed for the parts 150€, the accident happened on Friday evening and Sunday evening I was ready to drive to work. If I would live in the states I would have a look to the statistics of registered cars there, then you always know what will be available at the junkyard. In your case it would be wise to look at the car statistics in your special state of the US, this I would do. Have a lovely day and God bless you All.
@Captain MufDyven dear Captain, the first thing I do before I decide myself to buy a car is a visit to the local junkyard, I know the people there and it is always very enlightening. I remember some years ago I had the urge to buy a Toyota Prius and I asked the people from the junkyard if they had anything there and I had no luck in finding something...so I drive nowadays Audi A 3 TDI diesel pump injector system...
I've always been successful buying 3-8 year old, low milage prestige cars with aftermarket warrantees til 125,000 miles. Always works great. The warrantee is the key. Lots of resale when I sell them with a bit left on the warrantee.
i am a just retired auto mechanic since 1971. ASE certified since 1973. to me you are a youngster. You are 100% correct in this video. i would be honored to drink a beer with you,
So you're saying don't buy a Honda of any sort
@@tangelajohnson1964 I've had such a shit experience with buying hondas, don't know if I just got that unlucky. Lol Ive had a 01 accord coupe, 98 accord coupe, 00 accord lx sedan, 08 Acura tl, all of them. Alll of them...🤦🏻♂️ Have had transmission problems, and radiator leaks.
I’ve ONLY bought Honda for approx 20-25 yrs & never had ANY major problems! I just gave away a Honda Civic with over 250,000 miles, to my nephew, and I have no idea how much more mileage he’s put on it, but he’s a mason & travels far to a variety of jobs, so I know he’s put a lot of miles on it, as he’s had it about two yrs! Other than routine maintenance, he’s only had to replace shocks! I kept my maintenance up, so I believe a lot of problems people have with any vehicle is not keeping up with oil changes, radiator flushes, routine things like that! I REFUSE to buy ANY CAR that isn’t a Honda! I’ve driven them all, even a Seat in Spain, when I lived there! Volvo, Gremlin, Chevrolets, ramblers, Toyota cars/trucks, Honda mostly Civics, Plymouth, fords, think that’s it! Love my Honda’s!!
Found out there is NO law in California that u must have ASE Cert. It's a way for shops and dealerships to rip off the consumer
I used to buy Hondas in the 70s -89. Sold then like crazy in Hollywood CA . Toyota made a more Dependable car. Started collector those Esp 85-89.
I have a VW Golf TDI 2005 now getting on in life at 470K km (nearly 300 miles) and the next timing belt will be the last. I picked it up with 25700km second hand. One of the best and thriftiest vehicles I have ever owned.
You clearly maintain it though.
My old Audi A6 which I bought new and sold to a friend @ 300.000km has now approx 460k, I drove my Audi A4 up to 340.000 just recently. Those are just immortal cars and engines unless you use maple syrup instead of high grade oil as apparently is "normal" for GMC, Ford and Stellantis
@@stevenmann9769 I bought a new Honda Prelude (carburetted) in 1985 and drove it for 580k km and 18 years. Never touched the engine, just CV hubs and bearings, shocks, brakes, muffler and exhaust but I eventually dumped as it was impossible to contain the rust, especially the unibody welds failing being the most disconcerting. That my '05 Gulf VW only had one point with rust problem on the second repair my body man said I wouldn't see that problem again. It was in a seam in the driver's door. Zinc dipped metal is a rust killer.
@@janisvindavs You just need to keep up with the basic maintenance. So many people don't even do the bare minimum. Especially in the states, it seems.
Those VW diesel engines can go for a long time. I think VW is the only EU brand that can really last, maintained or not
I currently drive a '95 Cutlass with 83k miles one it. I think it has been maintained as it runs great with minimal work. I am glad to have come across this video, and am happy you put a similar looking car in the thumbnail. Thanks for the tips!
He forgot to mention nissans with a cvt. Everyone I know with a Nissan has huge repair bills putting in a new cvt. They aren’t like the old automatics where you can just slap in a new valve body. When the CVT fails it isn’t serviceable. The whole thing needs to be replaced
I get a lot of ppl in the shop who think it feels like something is wrong with their CVT even when it's working normally to boot
I came to mention this, but it seems his video was regarding engine groups. This is definitely a good point.
@@limoboy27 I got you. Worst engines. When he does his video on the worst transmissions nissan and Kia cvts will take the cake
Yep, forgot about those. My stepson recently replaced the CVT on his Altima, unlike the transmission that was rebuilt on my 2004 F-150 for less than half his repair cost him. And yes, I know, my 5.4 3v is a ticking time bomb 😕
why is nissan still shovind this piece of s**t down everybodies throaths?
I am genuinely surprised that "any Nissan with the XTRONIC CVT" didn't make this list...
Yeah, one week with a rented Nissan Rouge is all I need to know that any CVT is off my list!
@@randolfo1265 toyota CVT is good though. not fun to drive, but reliable and comfortable.
@@garyg9815 yea they been doing it for a lot longer then anyone else and over build theirs so it last, where Nissan made a new unit and threw in cheap plastic parts and cheap rubbers and they failed in mass, they actually got sued over it if I’m not mistaken. Lot of people got just out of warranty with the 2nd-3rd one and it failed again leaving them with $2k or lot more in repairs just to have to do it all again in 30k miles! I wouldn’t touch a Nissan over 2005 if you gave it to me!
Anything with a CVT.
@@tammyforbes2101 370z 6MT? GTR? Armada? Titan? Most Infinitis? I think you're on the "hate newer nissans" band wagon just cuz that's what everyone thinks. Truth is, Nissan has aways been solid (minus CVT)....and no, Renault has nothing to do with any Nissan outside of europe.
I have never had a single issue with my 3 valve 5.4 in my f150 and I use the truck for work and I drive it hard and flat out through dirt, mud and anywhere. I don't even maintain it that well. 265,000 miles on it and runs like a beast.
Famous last words right before they take a shit on you! I might be able to feel a little more comfortable saying that with a 2 valve engine, Especially if it came from the Windsor plant enstead of the Romeo plant. But all of these modular engines have the timing chain tensioner that is made of plastic of some kind? And your about as far as you would want to push your luck! They have a tendency to get a loose chain and it starts bunching up on the back side of the cam gear and when it jumps timing ( Especially if it is a 4.6liter engine) the valves will slap the tops of the pistons and it's game over from there my friend!
I've never had major issues on my 5.4 either...239,000 miles on it... owned it since new...
@@tonymayhew191surprisedly, my rear differential went out way before my engine started having problems at 289,000 miles. Still runs but because of that rear differential it's on borrowed time.
I have never personally witnessed a low mile failure on a 3v 5.4. All I have ever been around were well over 200k on the original equipment and solid as a rock. I did see one. A friend bought a 04 cheap so he could fix it himself. It was ticking and right at 200k. He did the timing job over a weekend and had himself a nice truck for years after.
The European car suggestion is on point. Been buying and selling cars for 17 years and there are a couple of things you can absolutely guarantee, and one of those things is that particularly German cars (newer turbocharged direct injected stuff especially) with over 110k miles will have catastrophic problems that cause 3-4x the vehicles value to fix. Usually head gaskets and top/bottom end failures. The motors are build to be phenomenal for 90-110k miles and then destroy themselves.
Does that include Volkswagons and Audi cars? Thanks!
Including diesels?
@@bizcocounty Of course there are anomalies, but in my experience VW and Audi are among the very worst. 1.8T and 2.0T cars are all over every local marketplace blown up with under 130k on them.
@@floridaman5125 No the diesels seem to get 200k+ just like American diesel vehicles. Just my experience. I don't hate German cars, I just wouldn't pay my own money for one.
@@enthused7591 ok I have one now at 245k. 19 years old so getting hit with alternator, AC compressor, radiator etc. expensive year but the car runs great.
I worked building Engines years ago, and this guy is right on the money. I own only toyota and Lexus, absolutely bullet proof. I have sold my cars to family members and none have ever been disappointed and they sold and broke even sometimes.
I'm with you on that I had five forwards and I took a chance and started buying Toyotas and I'll tell you man they run forever not a lot of problems with him and the resale value is great.
I've learned this as well and have one of each.
Ls400 for life!!!! I recently bought one with 240k. It hit 260k last week and runs so freakin good.
One of my favorite sayings is: There's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes.
Yup!
U mean BMW
Yes there is....its called a jaguar. Mercs cost big bucks to fix but jaguar is on a whole other level.
That’s a fact Jack ! Bought “mint “ MB 10 yrs old 125 k miles : Paid $8,500 spent $3k in first month . 91 Oc Gas and 9 qt motor oil : loser to keep . Save you money , buy a new Chevy
Definitely had a great experience with my E350. Awesome experience.
Love how passionate your information is presented.. you seem to know what you are talking about, thanks for the info.
If you have a 2.4l ecotech, check the wire covers on the top of the engine and on all sides. The engine heat will deteriorate the plastic covers and they become brittle and they crumble, leaving the wires exposed to friction wear on the insulation. There are many wires, and it would be hard to find a single wire that was shorting out occasionally, so it is much better to fix it before it becomes a bigger problem.
A word on the early 2000s Subarus. The engine family affected were the *naturally aspirated* versions of the EJ20 and EJ25 families. The root problem was the type of head gasket itself. However, the turbocharged versions used a different head gasket which DOES NOT have the failure issue. That said, good luck trying to find an old turbo Subaru that hasn't been molested.
Interestingly, I had a 2009 2.5 NA Legacy, put over 100k on it with no issues at all - bet when I was thinking of an upgrade to GT or Spec-B, they all had blown engine. Made me think that Turbo ones were actually less reliable
Can Verify this from my own experience, Good new: You can use the turbo gasket on the NA engines and get 100k+ more miles. I've done this on multiple non-tubo EJ25 engines from across the whole year spectrum. the original factory gasket will fail 140-150k. The first time I had one fail I used the OEM non-turbo gaskets and in 15k miles it was leaking again. Put in the turbo gaskets, drove that engine past 300,000 miles. Junked it due to major body rust.
I had a rare 1985 Subaru XT GL. NON turbo, with dual timing belts (and covers). I've worked on a lot of cars, but she went to my mechanic lol. He wanted to tie a rock around her & throw her in the creek. 👩🍼 Best car ever... couldn't take her when I moved states. I still regret not finding a way to do it. Just bought a 2003 Subaru. Not too worried about it. Has the quirks I'm used to, and we know what to replace.
Please do a ‘Do buy’ secondhand video Wizard. The most reliable old cars.
Ford Ranger, Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, Nissan Pathfinder, any Japanese minivan from a childless owner!
Any vehicle is reliable. It just depends on who owns it anx how its treated. I had a ford focus wagon that basically rusted away before anything ever really quit working on it.
Isn't the replacement engine eventually will give you the same problem
Buy any Toyota
@@JohnDoe-ig1yw thats what i have now with 280k
My best experience was with 2007 Chrysler T&C that was BUILT LIKE A TANK according to oil change place. 3.8L made it to 440,000 with original transmission, exhaust, starter 👍👍👍
That's crazy, truly is a tank
Lol, didn't know they still had that motor that year!
It was a big block I believe!!
Yep 07 is the best, way better than 08
I had a slant 6 400k Miles also those were the day Chrysler was a good car. 318 was another monster run forever.
The bit about the 3.1L Chevy engine was interesting to me as I actually really liked that engine when I had it. Your argument makes sense though. I had a '98 Chevy Lumina with the 3.1 and it was one of the best cars I've had. I had to put an alternator in it, but for nearly 35k miles I had no other issues whatsoever. BUT, I will say that we bought it as public surplus from a small city that takes very good care of their vehicles and I personally change my oil every ~3k miles. It had 160k miles on it when I sold it. It makes me sad how abused Luminas are; they're great and comfortable cars in my opinion.
I've been a mechanic for over 21 years now, and I have no issues whatsoever with this list. This wizard knows what he's talking about..... keep up the great work 👍👍
Always great information Wizard!
Change the oil every 3k miles and rotate the tires every 6k. Replace what your mechanic recommends. All the new vehicles will get 150k.
I've been a mechanic for over 20 years this man is spot on listen to him
Not with the Ford f-150
@@marvinfisher6388 No man. We love our F150’s. Mine is so sexy, my hubby used to say, I’d have an orgasm just looking at it. But my brother says the same thing this guy does. Scares the living sh*t out of me just thinking about it. But our 5.4 Tritan is doomed. I can’t remember exactly, the technical terms, and bro wouldn’t bs me. But it is true!
5y6
@@marvinfisher6388 I am spot on for the F150. Ive replaced 14 engines myself. I have documented proof of hundreds of shops nationwide replacing these trash engines in mass numbers.
@@CarWizard That's right but this car is also the best selling ever, even if your shop changed 1000 engines the percentage is still low,think about it.They sold milions of 5.4's.From the stats alone you have a bigger chance to die in a crash involving a F truck than you need to change the engine.Go ask any EMT at Via christi st joseph emergency hospital how many people died in a Ford truck in the past 15 years and after that go ask all the Ford dealers in the area how many engines they swapped,you will be amazed.
I'm a huge fan of Infiniti but if you're in the market for one be prepared for fuel pump issues in the 03-06 G35s and the RE7R01A 7 speed transmissions in later models, such as my Q50, are known for tcm issues costing $3k minimum for a simple computer replacement. Also some people have issues with the camshaft and crankshaft position sensors but I personally haven't had any engine troubles.
I’ve been a mechanic for 17 min. This man knows his business.
hahahaah...good one
Thanks for posting. My condensed summary: 1. 2004-2010 Ford pickups or SUVs with 5.4 liter Trident V8 3-valve. 2. Any GM series of vehicles with 3.6 liter V6 engine. 3. Any European car with over 150K miles. 4. Any GM series of vehicles with 3.1 or 3.4 liter V6 engines. 5. Any GM or Dodge series of vehicles with an active fuel management (AFM) or multi-displacement fuel (MDF) engines. Typically this is on Hemi or Vortec engines. 6. Any early 2000 Subarus.
I worked at a cab company that bought a different European car every three months. Due to zoning they could not have a sign but a marked car was allowed. Cheap way to advertise and often junking them was close to break even.
Any car sold by a male in his 20s.
@@TheSchmed I'm 20 and I do care about my little Honda Civic. It's my baby eventho I bought it with an accident and I know that I won't get the next MOT due to a little dink in the windscreen I care for it. My 1997 Civic just got a new OEM exaust and also new ball joints. I payed 510€ for the car and 300€ for the parts and laybor and I just did that because it annoyed me. I'll some get rid of it because I just wanted to drive it for 1 year to get some money because the 2007 Mercedes A-Class my grandparents gave me that feel apart after 1 1/2 years. But whatever just wanted to prove that not every 20 year old is a maniac ^^
My WRX had head gasket issues. Yeh that is so true. I wish he mentioned Nissan CVTs.
I've got 2007 Audi A8 4.2 TDI V8 diesel for a year now. Bought it with over 160k miles on the clock. Getting close to 190k. Only things that was done is fluids, filters, brakes and tyres. Everything is working perfectly, car drives perfectly and with almost 330bhp it's fun to drive. And even with my heavy foot it's still getting around 25mpg. Sometimes closer to 20, sometimes closer to 30. Plus it has a air suspension, which has been trouble free to my surprise. As I thought that might be the first thing that will make my life harder. If you consider the fact I bought it for under 3000USD (I live in UK, so it was 2000GBP) it will be hard to argue the high maintaining costs of daily driving (I don't save on doggy parts or tyres, as it can be more expensive in long term than using better quality parts that come with the price tag) I love this car and my goal is at least 300k miles on the clock.
I find it hilarious that he’s discussing this on a boat 🤣
It's a yacht. He drinks champagne and eats caviar on it. 😋
2 good days for a boat owner, the day they buy it and the day they sell it
If people started taking his advice, he might not be able to afford the boat.
@@sarahblikre5674 Hoovie.
The cars he's talking about paid for that boat. :-)
Hi Car Wizard, so glad your video for cars not to buy came up on my Utube feed! I wanted to put this up for you and ask you about this. My husband in 2003 back home in the northeast, purchased a 2002 Ford Ranger. It was not high mileage and I was not with him when he bought it I think it was on the lot and not used much at the local Ford Dealer. Anyway It currently has only 110K miles. We moved to NC 14 1/2 yrs ago and he had this towed down here, so he did not put extra mileage, and all these years has not put a lot of miles, so the majority was before we moved here. So we have paid tons for repairs over the past 2-3 yrs. With not knowing good mechanics where we currently live, we believe we got ripped off quite a bit. So this is the issue , less than a yr ago got work done again, hubby cannot do anything with the newer vehicles. He is almost 70 so only knows old school vehicles. Anyway, the guy we went to said that he believed the Timing chains (3 of them may be starting to die). We are both old now, on SS and so had been holding off, and we don't do much driving at all, mostly around town, no long trips. We planned to buy a decent used vehicle this recent fall, but with the ongoing rise in interest rates, have not found affordable cars. So just 2 months ago while out to a dr. appt on the way home, the engine seized up. We had to have it towed and a guy hubby knows, who was a mechanic but no longer does that, checked it out with his hand held tool that you plug in to the vehicle said, yes it is the timing chains...cost to remove engine and fix and reinsert engine, as you likely know, would be $5000 -$6000. You mention in your video about timing chain issues on 2004-2010 F150's. I just wanted to ask if maybe you have seen some in this 2002 Ranger Models, and if so, was there ever any info on this happening to these. I ask because in years past we always go in snail mail, offers for trade in for this model vehicle. I wish now we would have traded up, but since we don't travel, or go anywhere much we thought we were doing the right thing by not trading it in. Thanks I hope you can still get email and help us with some guidance. I did just watch your video on 6 cars too buy. So will be researching to see if any are available in our area but would like to thank you and get any Feeback. BTW happy holidays !
It basically comes down to how well an engine can cope with neglect for used cars, since odds are it wasn’t maintained properly by the previous owner. A lot of the engines you listed will hold up fine if, and only if, you keep up on oil and coolant maintenance from the outset.
Next on Hoovie's Garage: Hoovie buys a 2004 Ford F150, a GMC Acadia, a Mercedes S500 with 340,000 miles, a 1994 Buick Century, and a 2006 Dodge Durango
HA, That made me LOL
Nah, he's not that masochistic, he's still gotta make money on ad revenues
... in silver.
That’ll be on his onlyfans site
hell buy the cheapest 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity in the USA
Been a tech for 35 years. I would take my truck to him. Thank you for what your doing.
Thank you wizard for sharing you knowledge with us, you are greatly appreciated !!!
as 1978mackdaddy said, lots of problems can be avoided by changing your oil regularly. My family had a 2005 Cadillac STS with the GM 3.6L V6 and it started knocking when the oil change and add oil warnings were ignored.
I absolutely love that you’re not letting up on these people who take your time to ask for your advice and then go ahead and ignore it.
That's one of those things that pet my fir backwards! I do small engine equipment and 2-stroke engines are my specialty! So I just shake my head in disbelief when someone brings me a piece of equipment with a problem and I tell them what I think is going on with it and they argue the point with me! I ask them why did you bring it to me if you think that I am wrong? My favorite one is telling them that I think they have water in the fuel and they tell me that couldn't be the problem! They just put that gas in it! So I get a glass jar and pour the fuel out of their piece of equipment and show and explain how water is heavier than petroleum and the water will be on the bottom and fuel will float on top.
@@tonymayhew191 lots of jobs revolve around ignorance and stupidity.
All the engines you are listing, I've refered to them as boat anchors for years. And talking about them while sitting on a boat? Absolutely priceless!!!
The Cat 3208 and the detroit 8.2l fuel pincher come to mind when boat anchor is said
@@nou8257 I agree. I work on farm equipment including trucks. If God intended electricity and diesel to mix, they would need spark plugs.
More like ballast weights. How do you get an engine to bite on the bottom as an anchor?
@@rykehuss3435 The same way a bucket full of concrete does the trick. I fish lakes so there isn't much current to deal with.
I wasn't thinking about buying any of these vehicles. But thank you very much for the video. I'm looking to buy my next vehicle. Really helpful to get more information from an honest person.
You want a great deal on an older car. Buy a 2006-2009 Lexus RX 330 with 120,000 miles between $10,000-14,000. They look brand new, drive great, and are so comfortable.
Even more reliable the RX 350.
Too bad Wizard is not associated with Consumer Reports. His hands on repair experience is vastly more valuable than a one month test drive and the statistics gathered from readers.
well said
That said, reading consumer reports would have saved me some serious time and money on a few domestic cars.
@@bcary461 skip all domestic cars. Stick with Toyota and Honda
Consumer Reports isn't what it used to be. I gave up on them 20 years ago.
Consumer reports is about the first 5 years of ownership which covers the majority of vehicle owners. CR is unconcerned about older vehicles and considers them unsafe due to the lack of junk tech. The car wizard and his viewers are concerned about longevity and dependability.
The key with the Subarus is to just get one that's so high-mileage that it's guaranteed that someone's already done the head gasket, otherwise it wouldn't have made it as far as it has.
Good tip with a Suby :)
But were the gaskets done correctly, or are they waiting to fail again?
@@danmarjenka6361 Well even if you buy a car that just had its head gasket done to the same quality and standard as the factory, you'll still get 100,000-160,000 miles out of it. (edited to make my example clearer)
@@danmarjenka6361 - Yeah, you got another 100k miles again. Then when approach that new number, it's time to save up for another repair bill. But by that time, you are probably replacing other parts too, since they rust off easily (mufflers, latches, chassis, A-arms etc) if you live in the salt/snow regions.
Don't tell your friends with Subarus. We have a guy that puts a motor in every 100k.
I just bought a 2010 Dodge avenger with the 2.4L. My choice was based on the fact that it only has 5 major reported issues. The two most difficult being the alternator and blower motor. Both easy fixes and natural wear and tear on basically any motor given time. The best car I ever owned was an '89 Delta 88. I bought it for $1,000, drove it for a little over 3 years until a ball joint finally broke on me. During that time all I did was regular maintenance besides replacing a fuel pressure regulator and the blower motor. That car more than paid for itself. Them 3800 seem to run forever if you take care of em. This last Honda my mom bought was absolute junk and she paid $2,000 over KBB even though she paid full in cash. A cylinder gave out and no one seemed to be able to diagnose it so this guy put a new motor in it. I hope that's the last time she runs off and buys a car without me. What a freaking headache
Love Love Love your videos Wizard because you explain your points so eloquently!
Never buy used Nissan Leaf's with old batteries.
LOL I see what you did there 😂
Especially from a guy who’s name starts with Urination…
Never buy used EV
🤓👍
Unironically this, whenever those bats go flat wizard is basically gonna have to rip the car in half to replace them, and buying them new isn't by any means cheap
I've had experiences with every car engine the wizard mentioned...and he is being super honest and helpful to put this info out there, it might be hard to pass up on what seems like a "deal"...but you won't regret it.
You have had some seriously bad luck or you bought the wrong car. Every car I have ever owned has never had problems like the wizard described. I only buy Honda’s or Toyota’s though.
@@brettvictory4606 yep
@@brettvictory4606 Honda, Toyota: there’s your reason right there yet they have a few dogs in the pound themselves . At least they’re rare
I think it is something hard on people. You will almost never know when you missed a disaster.
Even on japanies and korean makes you should be aware... they also have many issues, only dealer knows, they tell us, it is a product improvement recall..
Very.informative. I gave a 03 Suburu.and U am.upgrading the head gasket to 6 Star and new OEM head bolts. Finally found a mechanic who is familiar with them.
I heard a quote that was very good: The few thousand dollar price for a used luxury vehicle is just *the down payment.* The rest will be paid in repair costs.
"Oh it's just a little ticking noise..." As a 3.5L EcoBoost owner, that's on my board of famous last words.
hahahaha im so sorry for the ecoboost owners.
Ecobust
Not as bad as the hemi tick
As a 5.7 Hemi owner ……. I’d like to buy you a beer , i know your pain
Hemi or the LS motor on Chevy from 2000-06
You had me for a minute there. My first car was a '72 Monte Carlo and my second was a '70. Loved those old beasts!
Those were amazing cars.
First car was a 74 monte. Wish I still had it.
Love 70's and 80's Montes
I was finally able to get my first brand new truck in 2019. I passed on the silverados because of the cylinder deactivation. Went with a 5.7 tundra instead. It’s a shame because the 4.8 and 5.3 GM engines were pretty bulletproof in their earlier years before the cylinder deactivation started.
Fuel Management System, or however they call it, is now everywhere. Like Stop and Start. Thanks climate terrorists.
Just too bad the Tundra's 5.7 is a gas hog. Reliable and strong though.
@@DeltaSierra426 I bought it knowing it was a gas hog. Any reliable truck I had before it was also. It’s all these fuel saving ideas they put on the trucks that take away from reliability. Plus. I paid 33,500$ for the truck. Brand new. That buys a lot of gas vs what people are paying for new trucks today
I have the 4.6 3 valve, and I have experienced all of the problems the 5.4 has. My chain guides were in pieces, the tensioners had blown gaskets, the phasers were clicking, the VCTs had blown out screens, the exhaust manifold gaskets needed to be replaced. I completely refurbished the engine at 140,000 miles. I obtained the car at 48,000 miles and was meticulous with oil changes.
Ford mod motors are interchangeable parts so the 3 valve 4.6 is basically a smaller displacement 5.4 3 valve
Love my 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. It has 175,000 miles on it. I bought the car seven years ago. The car still runs like new,and drives great. The 3.8 GM is one of the best engine's ever made, and so easy and inexpensive to work on. I've had to change the water pump, coil pack and air flow meter, and that's it.
I believe gm motors to avoid were 3.1, 3.4, and 3.6 never said anything about 3.8 or a 4.3 both were solid gm motors
@@philrob156 I had a beretta with the 3.1 that had 300000 miles on it when I got it impounded and left it, never had 1 problem with the engine, and I'm a ford guy?
The 3.1 and 3.4 are the same motor, interchangeable parts, different bore. The 3.8 is same class but many parts are not interchangeable with the 3.1 and 3.4. The bad upper/lower intake gasket is on all of them. I replaced my factory 95 grand prix 3.1gaskets with felpro gaskets in 2004. 275k and 3 teenagers latter I have done tune ups, brakes, tires, batteries, timing belt, replace the fuel and water pump. 17 years, that's it, still runs great.
I've got a 2003 Pontiac Grand Am GT with the 3.4L and 188,000 miles on it. The only engine problem I've had was a misfiring cylinder about 10 years ago. It ended up being a busted exhaust valve spring. I've had water pump and fuel pump issues tho.
that, and the 4.3 I think as far as reliability are literally the best engine they ever produced
Best automotive channel on KZhead. Sharing this with us is saving everyone a ton of problems. Thank you.
Yes but people still don't listen.
@@moeanthony9308 Can't fix stupid!
@@gregholman2930 No kidding. I relate to what Mr. Wizard said.. How many times have you faked complimenting your friends new ride knowing you gave them advice before and why. I don't get it.
Scotty Kilmer #1, Car Wizard #1.5
I recently began looking for a used car what a zoo but thankfully i found your channel. Your advice and that you explain the issue and potential consequences of ignoring it helps.
Wizard your the most honest mechanic anyone could meet. Keep up the good work and scotty Kilmer will have his day
Last year I had a choice between 16 Buick Enclave or 2015 Toyota Highlander….Toyota was more expensive, but still went with Toyota! Glad I did. I appreciate mechanics like you and Scotty Kilmer!
Scotty is a crackhead of a mechanic who gives out bad advice all the time.
my mom has that model barley used under 50k miles for 28k her old 08 lasted 11 years 1 engine just swapped breaks oil change tires ect... minimum work to be done in the course of a decade
REV UP YOUR ENGINE'S
@@mikeschmidt4800 he's a very good mechanic. Granted he's not the car wizard but he's still pretty good at what he does
Pretty obvious lol
Most reliable vehicle ive ever owned or known of was my 96 ranger with the 2.3L motor. 425K+
Your lucky another crappy oil burner!
@@ctprecast7437 everyone i know with one has over 300k on it. Its a surprisingly reliable motor. One of fords best and most versatile
Mine had 250000 when I sold it 6 years ago. Only ever had to do timing belt 2 times and regular oil changes and new plugs once.
I beat the crap out of mine for years, and I ended up seeing it on Craigslist about ten years later.
@@chriswinkler8231 bought mine with the intention to swap the motor so I beat the brakes off of it for the entire 4-5 years I had it. The truck that I bought sort of as a joke whelmed up being the best $400 I've ever spent
Thank YOU!!! I considering different vehicles to put money down on and these just made me rethink the whole list
I watched Car Wizard’s original video on the 5.4 3V and how he trashed on it yet it’s my first truck and I got it before I knew about the problems. 4 years later, I’ve gone from 152k to 183k miles, gone through a few spark plugs and coil packs and seems there is a bit of a tick but nothing crazy. To help with the sludge issue I put the Valvoline MaxLife oil that’s supposedly good for 5k miles and every time I get the oil changed on time, I get the engine flush to help clean out the gunk. The truck has treated me actually very well so if u take care of the maintenance on it on time and before anything went wrong on the previous owner, it’ll go over 200k miles. Now if your a normal person who doesn’t really care for extra maintenance then yes go with something else like a Chevy 5.3L Silverado.
When I bought a cheap Subie to beat around with, my main stipulation was to only look at ones with over 100k miles. My understanding is that it was a defect in machining the block so some have it and some don't. Odds are if it goes that long, it either didn't have the issue or it has been fixed properly. Now I hear ya, do your drive, do your inspection, which I did. New gaskets don't fix it because the block deck needs machined. So I found a 2000 Outback with 192k miles and she was good to go. I had the T-stat fail closed twice and pegged the temperature gage and after a new fail open t-stat, never had an issue. That proved to me it wasn't going to blow the head gaskets. Sold it 243k miles and still see it running around.
I have a 2004 STI with 186k on the clock on the original engine. Preventative maintenance instead of reactivate maintenance goes a very long way
@@R00567 an 04 STI? I bet you didn't drive it hard or put a lot of mods on it, cuz otherwise I'd call your bluff.
@@sixoh_diesel5662 Its the non turbo Subarus that had HG issues, not turbo variants.
In my experience it’s always better to buy cars with very high mileage. Most of the issues have already been fixed by then
@@sixoh_diesel5662 If someone is happy with 350 WHP they are fine. It's when you start going after 400+... and you use it. That's when they start getting cranky.
I've had the same experience with 3 VW's, after about 75k miles, nearly everything starts to wear or break. My last one was a 2009 Jetta Wolfsburg. Never again.
It took me one hour to pull the engine and rebuild it in my old VW beetle; back in the 70's. Those things are so little. LOL
Probably you owned north American I've had the exact opposite experience with two golfs in Europe.
I've had a lot of repair/trouble with my 2008 Beetle. I've so much money invested in it, I hate to get rid of it. (It's so cute and drives well.) Hope it lasts a little while longer before I HAVE to get rid of it. Luckily I don't drive it much.
@@panoscoach310 Glad to hear this. I'm about to buy a golf. Current car is a corolla, which over 5 years, have spent $140 australian in parts on it
@@leannepiercy771 Nice! From a Corolla to a Golf is a little bit tricky situation and if you like I can tell you some things that you would not find on YT. Because I just came home from a bad day at work if you don't mind I respond to you in details tomorrow about the pros and cons of the transition. Btw I think VW's down under are manufactured in South Africa. English not my native. Ps.I used to have a Corolla among others
Hi Car Wizard, I am an old school motor mechanic in Australia and the vast number of vehicles you have mentioned are available here and I can only concur with your advice. Anyone who asks me get the same advice. Another problem Euro vehicles face here is temperature extremes, it kills them all. Don't get me started on electrical issues with them. Subaru are, as you say a nice vehicle but service costs and parts are prohibitive. The only vehicles I own these days are 2018 Toyota LandCruiser 200 VX Diesel and 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. No problems with either. I thoroughly enjoy watching your channel. Keep up the good work.
one note with the 2000s subarus is that the headgasket issues can be fixed permanently by swapping in a STI head gasket, which has a metal core and will not break.
Nonsense, if that were the case, we wouldn’t be hearing about head gasket issues to this day.
2.5 STIs are more prone to blow than the base 2.0s
My 2003 WRX finally had to have the head gasket replaced. I always maintained it, and finally sold it. It doesn't matter if you strictly maintain it or not, the head gasket will fail.
you must use the subaru coolant, or the subaru coolant additive?
The headgasket issues were eith 2.5 non turno engines. They used single layer gaskets, where turbo models use multi layer metal ones and no issues
"But Car Wizard, the Acadia saved me four grand over a Toyota!" And when it requires a five to six grand engine replacement, how is that saving you four grand?
Problem is there is more than one 3.6. Which one? What years of production?
Seems sweet in the beginning but sour at the end!
Our 2013 Buick Enclave, at 140k miles, very few problems. I attribute that to religious maintenance habits. Original engine, original transmission. Only notable repair was the power steering done under warranty. Otherwise just brakes, tires, spark plugs, fluids, and filters. Can't complain.
Because the transmission is next lol
Thank you I appreciate you being very honest hard to find that in a mechanic anymore
I love your videos--thanks for sharing your expertise!
“We all know…” No Weezard, we don’t! You do! That’s why we love your channel….thanks for sharing the knowledge
I Love this channel One of the best automotive repair channels on KZhead
Car Wizard is right about the maintenance on the 3.1L V6 engine. I had one of these in my 2003 Buick Century with 230,000 miles. I changed the oil every 3,000 miles (or so). The only reason I don't have it anymore was that it was totalled in a rear end collision. Maintenance was the key for this engine.
Alvin Stone... Wow, Alvin...did you come to my house late one night and steal my 2003 Buick Century...LOL..!! Only teasing! I sold my 2003 Century a couple of years ago with about those same miles. The engine still ran great, used very little oil, was very smooth driving, got at least 27 MPG locally and when I would go from here in north Arkansas to Dallas to visit my son, I would get about 33 MPG...amazing. I had someone side-swipe into the left rear quarter panel and put a good crease there, and then as I was leaving the school parking lot one afternoon, a woman going way too fast from another part of the school lot crashed into my right front quarter panel right at the wheel and crunched it real good, but it didn't bend the metal into my tire so I was able to drive it. She wasn't as fortunate, her SUV bounced off my car and into a utility pole head on, destroying the front end. They were shaken but okay; but they weren't wearing their seatbelts. So...my neat little "Grandma Car", as my daughter always called it, was getting banged up. Then the a/c compressor started going out and I didn't have the money to get it replaced. I have a dependable truck so I just sold the car. I still see that car all the time around here.
@@logicthought24 I had a '92 Century with the 3.3 engine that had well over 225,000 miles when I finally sold it. It still ran great, used very little oil but was was showing its age. I sold it in about 2008-2009, and guess what I bought...a 2003 Buick Century..!! They are great cars and are named well, they seem to last a century..!!
@@marbleman52 you my friend are wise. I am casually looking for another one. If I find one in one piece at a good price, I'm buying it.
@@marbleman52 what color was yours? Mine was dark blue.
@@misteralvinstone My 1992 was white and my 2003 was kinda silver/grey???
Had a 1995 Suzuki Sidekick that ran great. The seats were as hard as rock on long trips.
i did have a chevrolet cavalier and did maintain it but everything started to fall apart fast even after fixed (was a 1994 model but hoping newer models have improved). anyway, i switched to mazda 3 2007. I still have that (only fix were tires and breakpads). I'm still surprised to see that running even now.
First time watching this guy and I have to say he is a very unique person!! Love the way he speaks and his mannerisms. So calming. One of a kind for sure! Love it.
His ego is quite huge.. every fifth video is only his garage can fix anything.. only he is the most gifted mechanic. Right...
@@cayman9873 damn i didn’t know that about him. . guess ill have to watch more vids
No European cars with more than 150,000 mile? Without those cars a large amount of KZhead automotive channels would cease to exist 😁
Some german diesel cars last and last without problems. My first car was a 1998 110hp 1900cc TDI Audi A3 and it was undestructible. My dad had a MK2 VW Golf GTI (not a diesel) but it did 600,000km till it started burning oil and he had to scrap it because repairing the engine was expensive and in 2002 an MK2 GTI wasn't worth anything.
The problem is in America, most people here do not care to do routine maintenance on their cars so most European makes which are more expensive to repair here tend to be clapped out by that many miles and not worth owning.
150.000 miles? That means a Volvo is just run in.
lol, they are so cheap and easy to work with I bought lots of them..
@@darkiee69 not the newer ones I wouldn’t touch those unless buying/leasing new
I was always told that if you’re going to buy a Jaguar, you should buy two. One to drive while the other is in the shop.
With the backlog of parts and shop turn around I’d buy 3
This great advice . When the car wizard talks everyone needs to heed what he is saying . Now I know which ones to not to buy . Great sound advice from car wizard!
This video is basically a description of Hoovie's Garage!
I didn't expect to see you here!
@@johnmurray9746 Hello John, everyone could use a car wizard!
And thats why the Car Wizard loves Hoovie Because every time Hoovie is reading off a book of issues for one of his cars, the Yacht Wizard is just standing there not even looking at him licking his finger to count Hoovies money with a big ol smile on his face
Yeah, but he's making money because we watch and laugh at him!
I loved Hoovies SRT8 MAGNUM. WOULD love to hear where that car ended up !!!
I love these kind of video to tell you what kind of vehicle to stay away from, and the details of the failure mode.
. I owned a 3.4 Oldsmobile Put 250,000 miles on it No engine problems whatsoever. Just wheel bearings. ALSO 40 miles to the gallon on the hwy I do recall you mentioned regular service If you told people to change their PCV valve, antifreeze, and spark plugs every 3 years at the same, you might understand why my car lasted as long as it did. Being older, you come to understand things . I know a few people that have the 3.4 engine from GM They took my advice on when to do that service I mentioned. Not one has had an engine failure I believe if everyone did the same, doesn't matter what make or engine . Cars would still be running today from the early 2000's
15:59 yep! My 2009 Legacy had this issue. I however had a dud engine. The replacement remanufactured engine had the reinforced head gasket from the turbo models. I will NEVER have to deal with the head gasket again!
As usual, your bare-knuckle presentation, backed up with elbow-deep engine repair experince, make for an outstanding video. Thanks a million, Wizard.
As a mopar guy, I seriously hope the Hemis get an awful reputation in the eyes of the public for lifter issues. That way I can go buy a fleet of hemi-cars for cheap in a few years. haha
Um, you do realize you watched a video made by a mechanic....while sitting on his yacht....that was paid for by folks who bought the 6 cars to avoid ? Did you think "Gee, I wonder how he paid for the yacht ? ". Enjoy your Fiat.
@@ramtrucks721 I never mentioned what vehicle I have, nice try though. Those Mopars must be truly stunning automobiles. I mean, how many owners have carried on the lineup now ? Chrysler DaimlerChrysler Chrysler LLC Chrysler Group LLC Fiat Chrysler And now....Stellantis. Yea, they must be truly awesome vehicles. Some sucker buys them out then realizes they are a dumpster fire and offloads them. LoL the RAM Hemi. Tick...tick...tick...tick (check engine light enters the chat)
@@matt9c1 my 05 has a little bit of a tick and I beat the fuck out of it but it’s great no complaints
@@ramtrucks721 you sound insecure
@@ramtrucks721 lmao what's wrong with ford?
I’m really surprised to see the F150. There was a point we said “No more GM products “. But our sons loved the Ford trucks. Both played in bands and needed capacity for gear.
Great info. Thanks, keep it coming. I heard suburu cars from about 2010 to 2015 had ring sealing oil burning probs. Would love to see a video on which suburu s/engines to buy.
The 3.6L H6 he would recommend I bet.
The 3.0 H6 engines tend to not have oil consumption or head gasket issues. They are also timing chain driven so no worries about the getting timing belt changed, either.
I work at auto zone and anytime I see someone need an engine light read on one of the 3.6 cars (usually one of these) it almost always comes back as timing issue. Hardest thing I ever had to do was explain to a lady she was likely going to need a whole new engine and you could see a part of her die inside when we told her.
I have one that needs new timing chains, why do you and "the car wizard" say these need new engines? Mine is the 2007 Cadillac SRX 3.6L AWD, from my research it appears that the timing chains can be replaced with a kit - why are you both saying it requires a new engine? My timing is off on mine and it's getting misfires but the engine doesn't appear to be hosed in my novice opinoin, just wondering what I'm missing here.
@@timberwofe333 if you don't address it right away you're out of luck. If you catch it early then yes should just be a timing job
It makes me very sad our country’s automakers are still putting inherently unreliable engines on the road. Corporate incompetence. Toyota incrementally improves their engines over decades but for some reason GM and Ford don’t do this. They throw out good reliable designs (like the Buick 3800 V6) and put it brand new untested designs that have catastrophic problems. Look at Cadillac and the Northstar system. Had they used a modified Chevy LS engine for a rear drive caddy, they would have been incredibly reliable. Instead they put in a design that requires a 5000 dollar head gasket repair at 80k miles. What a joke!
Just gotta be “ SPECIAL”🙈🙉🙊
its not incompetence. its maliciousness. the logic is, if the car bricks itself at 80k miles, you'll buy a new one. unfortunately, it is true to an extent. there are a ton of people out there that will only buy "american" (american cars arent even american anymore anyway as a good portion are outsourced) but these people dont know or care.
Actually Toyota's success relies upon not changing things that actually WORK!!!!. I think Mazda's are also good. Mine is a 2007 Mazda 3 (still alive and functional with decent torque power)
@@dominion285 not exactly. For instance, I have a 2003 monte carlo that is alive and functional as well. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a good brand/car. You could've lucked out with your Mazda as I did with my Chevy.
Well, for the most part only Ford makes substantially good engines and Chevy, I guess makes a few ones such as the 3.8 and the old LS's but when it comes to Dodge, I guess they're all garbage, you cannot generalize all domestic cars, actually I rather own any domestic car specially Ford over anything form Europe with the exception of Volvo. And yes, Toyota has had horrible engines and cars too, also Honda and Nissans are imo garbage for most parts.
I'm surprised about the 3.1 v6 because I've had 2 malibus with this engine and never had any issues at all with them and they all had higher mileage as well..I guess I was lucky
My mom had sidekick for 10 years and loved it. My aunt and uncle had a sidekick for 20 years and loved it. Never ever ford mercury, or Chevy impala(97 to 2015) I love my 2012 Ford f150 xlt v8 6.2L. Granted it has 181,000 miles and needs new ignition switch, new engine if I can't fix whats wrong with it soon and needs new fuel pump soon. It's great for me.
It is always very useful to know what NOT to buy! Thanks for sharing your experiences and honest opinions about so many different cars. You really got my attention with "You will never be finished fixing it,you will never be 'good' for any significant period of time,you will spend more money trying to keep it running than you paid to buy it!" Great vid !
When it comes right down to it, the #1 issue with used vehicles… whether or not they have poor engine designs… is lack of oil and cooling maintenance. Some people, especially younger ones, pay no attention to their oil levels or have a clue what the recommended maintenance schedule is in their owner manual. I never buy new vehicles. I’ll only buy used vehicles that are coming off two or three year leases with complete service records. If you are buying an older car for the kid going off to college, spend the few extra bucks on a Toyota or Honda that has been maintained.
Or a Mazda!
Yes, this!
Just in general too, I’d trust a well maintained car over one that was rarely serviced
@@mnwolves180 Indeed. 👍
Facts I actually buy used cars in "old people" colors because no kid want's a gold-colored Corolla.
You're right about the Buick 3400 motor intake leak , I drove for months leaking but I check the motor ever day for oil mixing. Had to change intake twice it's an all day tear down. No more Buicks for me. I believe that a mechanic change it before I brought it. One more thing every Buick I purchased had harmonic balancer problems.
Love your expertise and advice!
7:43 This has been my experience 100%. I will my parents a mansion before I buy myself another European car. They're SO nice when they run ... but the money you spend keeping them running DOES NOT justify how nice they are.
Absolutely. I had an 86 Porsche 928; terrific car. But every part for it, was made ONLY for that car, so they cost a mint whenever I worked on it. Sold it in 2015 and bought an old '98 Lincoln Mark VIII, which, essentially uses Ford parts. Cheap to work on, just as much fun to drive.
Ive only bought VWs, Volvo’s and 4 cyl Audis personally but I’ve driven and seen many with over 200k miles and little problems over that life. They are rarely much more expensive to work on in my experience. Twin turbo V6s, V8s, V10s and rare luxury stuff sure but not the ones I’ve owned. I’ve even seen so many TDIs with well past 400k miles with only a couple random parts replaced not a big deal. You do have to take care of some of the modern emissions equipment to make that part last 400k miles but it’s much cheaper/efficient than a diesel truck emissions. Most of the cost comes from the “special tools” that not all mechanics will have but that is so overblown past some specific computer software which every car has some and most get unlocked for DIY projects just fine. If you want an affordable and reliable euro car bigger than a 4 cyl, you can permanently fix a couple of relatively minor things on a VR6 or inline 5. Or just swap in a better V8 from America for the best of both worlds.
@@d.e.b.b5788 I owned an 87 S4 total garbage and a huge money pit.
I've been driving my 1992 Chevy Blazer S10 for 30 years and it still looks, drives and runs like new. I and the mechanic have taken good care of it. It has about 232k miles on it now. In my younger years, I was a professional Land Surveyor and would often take it surveying.
Great job Doc, thank you very much!
Thank you for your insight and help!!
"Every European Car with 150.000 Miles on it" Volvo and Skoda: We want to have a word with you... I love cars, and I simply can't understand why so many people just don't care for them. These people could ruin very rare cars, which would be a bummer.
Same here. Some people would ruin just about any car. Many European cars are very reliable.
I bought a 2016 Golf brand new and have had the dealer do the service to maintain the warranty coverage. She's run like clockwork so far. After five years and 110,000 km a few age-related things are coming up. She needs a new battery before next winter. The brakes will need attention sooner rather than later. VW don't have good support for GPS updates in Canada. Grrr...
yeah it's bullshit, wonder why volvos last forever in the nordic countries but not in the US? my 2004 S80 2.5T just broke 205k miles and it's still fine. really shouldn't bunch all european cars together
As an American, he might have no idea what a Skoda is.
EU cars need a regular maintenance many of them (not all of them some are really crap to be clear) will reach 500K easy regular maintance only. Ask a taxi guys here in the EU they flip their cars after they reach 500K.
my mom bought a low mileage gmc acadia like 5 years ago.... the thing failed literally that night lol. the dealer returned the money thankfully.
Damn, Im glad the dealer made it right!
@@mikem2055 yeah she was super lucky. She was a repeat costumer so they didn't want to loose the business I guess.
Great video. course now i'm a little wary of my 2012 GMC Sierra. It has the 5.3L vortec w/ AFM. It is currently pushing 82k miles. My dad had bought it brand new back in 2012. No engine problems, yet. Still runs like a champ, heck it seems like it runs better now!😅Then again, we've always been prompt on having service and any other repairs done for it. 😄
Shut off afm
I have a 2008 avalanche with 388,000 km and it’s still running up to this day. It’s got the 5.3 L engine and I’ve been doing my own oil changes. And I do have the cylinder deactivation it’s never caused me any problems .
What is cylinder deactivation?