Most reliable/unreliable cars

[Moneyguy1]

Another take on current threads. Whaddya guys think are the world's most reliable and unreliable automobiles?

[Paul K]

In my experience, most reliable = Subaru. Most unreliable = Land Rover/Range Rover. Sure learned my lesson.

[sammyg2]

Let me put it this way, I'll walk before i drive a ford.

[Moneyguy1]

Funny thing about Fords. I have owned a few over the years and never had a disasterous situation. No blown engines, failed transmissions, and one (a 1986 LTD wagon) had 156k on it when I sold it in 2001 for $500. It is still running!!. It was always the little things that could be fixed with a screwdriver and a pair of visegrips. My wife's grocery getter is a white 2000 Taurus I picked up this year with 26k on it. One of the worst marques I ever owned were VWs. Had a "squareback" that was nothing but trouble, and have an older Passat that, when it runs is a joy. When it craps out, it is always something expen$ive.

Of course, the 944 ain't the most reliable, being created out of Audi/VW parts bins where possible. However, I owned a 912 and a 924 both of which were as complex as an anvil and just as hard to break.

[nostatic]

I'm pondering a VW GTi w/DSG, but worry about reliability. Evidently they are already showing AC problems.

[HardDrive]

I had two Fords, and both were extremely reliable.

My VW (1999 1.8 turbo Beetle) was a fun car, but it was also the biggest POS I have ever owned.

[M.D. Holloway]

Reliable: Toyota Camry, drove one for 175,000 with zero problems. Volvo 850, is a tank but has lasted over 100,000 with only wear items.

Unreliable: Buick Skylark and Plymouth Miser, both cars were terrible

[legion]

My F150 has 112,000 on it and counting. No major issues. Only things to be replaced over $20 have been common wear/maintanence items (fluids, brakes, shocks, etc...).

Had and '85 300D. In one year of ownership I had to do the exhaust, brakes, master cylinder (was stopping on one brake), and shocks, but it had 88,000 miles on it when I bought it. I sold it because it was a royal b!tch to start in the winter.

Had an '85 Plymouth Turismo. It never ran well, but ran until it refused to start one day. It ate brakes for for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I sold it for $50 to Victory Auto Wreckers. I didn't even bother to try to figure out what was wrong. Was glad to see the tail end of it...

Had a 2000 Grand Am GT. It was okay. Far more capable than most people gave it credit for, but the dash was 1/2" to far too the right and it bothered me the whole time I owned it. Sold it to a friend and it has developed a mysterious battery drain. I keep telling them to pull relays/fuses with a multimeter on the battery set to amps, but they prefer to take it to the dealership and have expensive things replaced that don't fix the problem...

[Evans, Marv]

My wife's Camry has been very reliable. In fact we haven't done a thing to it except for put gas, oil, & do normal maintenance.
I had an '89 Ford E150 Club wagon w/ the 4.9L, 6cyl. engine. It got crappy mileage, but held up well. It had 250K miles on it when I sold it for $3k last year (it looked almost new inside & out). Other than normal replaceable stuff, I only had to replace the distributor, tie rods, alternator & fuel pump in 16 years. In fact the fuel pump only went right before I sold it. I think a lot of it has to do with how you take care of a vehicle. My wife made me sell it because she was embarrassed I was driving around in such an old thing. If she hadn't, I'd still be driving it.

[jdm61]

90's Honda Civic. My brother put 60,000 miles on his and then we turned it into a dispatch car for our business. By the time we sold the business in April 2005, it was still going strong and had over 250,000 miles on it with no problems.

[pwd72s]

I also testify to Ford reliability. I can't call any of the Fords I have had an exciting driver, but "appliance cars" have their place.

[Howard Agency]

My current DD is a Hyundai SUV. Leather, ABS, traction control, bun warmers, 4 valve DOHC 6, 100k warranty, etc. Cost 20K in 2001, still on original tires and brake pads. Did replace battery. The thing won't die.

[Tim Hancock]

'92 BMW 325....268,000 miles.....still looks/drives great with no major problems.

'77 924....200,000 miles....still looks/drives prety good....just a few minor repairs over the years.

The Hondas from the 80's were pretty bullet proof, but I had a early 90's economy model civic that I had to put rings in at about 90,000. It was smoking like crazy. That and they all seemed to rust at the rear quarter panels.

[asphaltgambler]

If we are talking aabout vehicles made with-in the last 10 years??

Worst = Land Rover

Best = Lexus

If we narrow it down to the last 3 years?? ..............I dunno tough call on who is worst because all the bottom players have stepped up their quality

[rouxroux]

I'd have to say my old Trusty '82 F-150...never let me down.

I'd also add any Chrysler product that had a 225 slant-6 in it. Besides a SBC, the easiest engine to work on ever...

[Drago]

MHO from the vehicles I've owned.

Worst: 1976 Dodge Ramcharger. While running it was great fun and a good, solid truck. When the electrical gremlins started up, about every 5-6 months, look out. Luckily I could afford to just park it and ride my bike while I owned that truck.

Best: Tough call but my old '86 944 and my currnet '87 Targa have left me stranded exactly once each. The 944 had a plastic fitting on the radiator break and the DME relay in the Carrera failed.

Also, my wifes '00 Ford Expedition has never had a failure that left us stranded.

[Tobra]

Most reliable, '79 VW Super Beetle, multiple hundreds of thousands of miles, still running like a clock. The '98 Acura Integra has been dead solid reliable too, and is mighty fast too. I maintained both those cars from the time they were new, which I think makes a difference a lot of the time.

Most unreliable, 88 Ford Tempo, cheaply made, poorly assembled, started to disintigrate at 90,000 miles and 5 years old.

[slow&rusty]

And the funny thing is people continue to buy those POS Land Rovers and spend upwards of $50K

Looks like the consensus for most unreliable is the Land \ Range Rover brand.

Yasin

[Evans, Marv]

Seems like most of the Land/Range Rovers around here are driven by those soccer moms in their early 20s who are talking on the cell phone, while drinking something, while curling their eyebrows, while .... I think many of them are from families who buy something because they have taken out a home equity loan, think the car is cool and do not have any conception of considering the long term quality of a vehicle or anything else.

[Taz's Master]

I've owned well-used examples of 10 different manufacturers' output. Most reliable: Nissan. Least reliable: Merkur. A 20 mile trip made me nervous. Just my observations from personal experience.