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’70 Chevelle 350 2bbl
-surging on acceleration
-left front tire wore out on the outside in less than 5000 miles
Neither the numerous mechanics nor the GM Engineer that looked at it could fix either problem.’90 Taurus
-stalling and rough idle
-on long road trips after about 2 hours of driving, a damper inside the dash would close and then no more AC until the car cooled down completely
Numerous mechanics tried and failed to fix these problems
-AC compressor failure
-numerous CV joint replacements
all w/ less than 70,000 miles
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I hate Toyota with a passion. Absolutely cannot stand them. I *WILL* give them their credit for building a car that will run forever plus a day, but I still hate them.
I can find fault with every automotive brand, but some are definitely worse than others. Common problems I’ve come across include things such as:
Subaru: leaky head gaskets, oil leaks, occasional broken caliper bracket bolts due to rust build up.
Toyota: leaky valve cover gaskets (3.0/3.3 V6 engines), leaky power steering systems, rusted solid suspension.
Nissan: crank position sensors, cam position sensors, the sensor that controls their version of VTEC, oil leaks.
Dodge: brake pads (especially on the Caravans, 18k is about the most you’ll get out of a set of pads), left inner tie rods, strut mounts, window motors/regulators.
Chevrolet: idler arms, pitman arms, lower intake manifold gaskets, batteries that die if you leave the thing in neutral for more than 10 minutes.
BMW: electrical gremlins, oil leaks, over-engineering, making me say “Ein volk, ein reich, ein fuhrer!” in a loud voice followed by a Nazi salute.
Mercedes: See BMW, rust buildup on the undercarriage, using steel bolts in aluminum housings.
Audi: See BMW, seized together inner and outer tie rods that break without warning when you try to perform an alignment, having to remove the front of the car to replace the timing belt
Ford: Oil leaks, rust buildup, spark plugs seizing to the cylinder heads.
Mazda: See Ford without the seizing spark plugs.
Suzuki: Probably the only car company I can’t find fault with. Don’t take that to mean that they are faultless cars. I just never see them in my shop since I don’t think anyone actually bought one.
On a different, but semi-related note, what exactly classifies a car as an import? Does having a foreign name plate on the car mean it’s an import? For example, I used to have a Ford Focus, which was assembled in Mexico with parts made in Germany. In contrast, my wife’s Subaru Outback was built in Tennessee. My coworker’s Dodge Caravan was built in Canada, while my friend’s Honda Civic was built in Kentucky. What’s an import? What’s a domestic?
Hate any Chevy!!! Also never wanna drive another BMW, MOST uncomfortable!!! Also hate trucks until I need 1 lol
I hate any car that I have to work on on ITS TERMS. If it’s MY TERMS, then I really don’t mind the challenge. I did rear coils and plugs on a newer Avalon ( toyota ) the other week and I have to say that beyond removing the upper plenum being pretty common for a V6 car, the fact that I had to remove the windshield wipers, wiper motor and cowling seemed to be a bit of unnecessary work. It’s crazy that changing spark plugs on a car like that can cost an owner a lot more than they are paying for the platinum plugs and new coil packs. But I suppose, if you aren’t touching them but every 75/100k miles- a little work to get at them isn’t that big of a deal. At least they came out without any trouble.
You want to talk about fixing cars on their terms? Check out the procedure, direct from Mazda, on replacing the blower motor resistor on a 2004 mazda 3. I’m getting the information from MItchell OnDemand, which gets it’s information from the manufacturer. I’m going to type it out exactly as it’s written in the directions.
1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Remove the two nuts securing the cooler hose (LO)
3. Remove the following parts:
1. Front doors
2. Console
3. Shift lever component (MTX)
4. Selector lever component (ATX)
5. Decoration panel
6. Front scuff plate
7. Front side trim
8. Glove compartment
9. Shower ducts (LH, RH)
10. PJB
11. Car-navigation unit
12. Lower panel
13. Column cover
14. Meter hood
15. Instrument cluster
16. Steering shaft
17. A-pillar trim
18. Center panel module
19. LCD unit
20. Windshield wiper arm and blade
21. Cowl grille
22. Cowl panel
23. Windshield wiper motor
4. Disconnect the air mix wire from the air mix link and wire clamp.
5. Disconnect the airflow mode wire from the airflow mode main link and wire clamp.
6. Disconnect the following connectors:
Blower motor connector
Evaporator temperature sensor connector
Air intake actuator connector
7. Remove the rear heat duct (1).
8. Remove the heater case.
9. Remove the dashboard.
10. Move the A/C unit to the right and remove the resistor.
11. Install in the reverse order of removal.I hope I never have to replace one of those. Amazingly enough, Mazda only pays 4.3 hours to replace one of those resistors, which seems way low for how much stuff has to be removed.
That is insanity. However, from what I’ve read about Mazda’s, they seem to make everything impossible to service, including the HID components, you have to replace the entire headlight assembly instead of being able to replace the one part that is bad. Simple things like that are enough to keep me from buying certain cars.
I mean, having to remove the dash assembly to replace a heater core these days is pretty commonplace, it’s really not something that should need replacing for a very long time unless the cooling system gets messed with, and most of the time a reverse flush will take care of it, so I can deal with that. But having to go through that much trouble for a blower motor or even just the resistor is stupid. Electrical parts, especially those that require them to heat up to operate properly are going to have a higher potential for early failure and to put them where the sun don’t shine is just bad engineering IMHO.
Chevy Cavalier.
I bought one when I was 18. It was a nice looking car and fun in the summer (convertible). Not even a month after I bought it, they had a recall on for the transmission. It went in for that, and an entire tank of premium gas disappeared. They even told me “uuh yeah, you might want to get it to a gas station quickly..” Thanks “goodwrench” techs.
About a month after the tranny recall, the power top starts to lag. I took it back and expected it would be covered by the warranty I paid $1800 for, which covered all electrical components. The answer? “Uuuh yeah.. see, that warranty doesn’t cover convertibles.” I fought that all the way up to the head office of GM. They wouldn’t fix it. If lipped the switch, and for the remainder of the time I had th car, it was a manual top.
The driver’s side power window switch stopped working., which was a pain because I’m not one of these guys who rides around in a convertible, with the windows up and wearing a snow suit. Personally, I think top down/windows up looks goofy. Anyways, they wanted $146 for one switch. I caught a lucky break on that though. It turns out some oaf in an entirely too big pick up truck clipped my quarter panel (just under the quarter window) and the car had to go in for repairs. They called me up and said they were going to replace my window switch, because the bodyman tried to put the window down but it got stuck. I kept my mouth shut, I wasnt going to tellt hem it was always like that. It turns out they were calling about the PASSENGER side. It broke as well. I got two new switches out of that.
The dash vents all broke. If I hit the gas too hard from a stop, they all rolled out onto the floor.
A $30 strap on the muffler broke and caused the exhaust system to come apart at the flex pipe. That was loud. They wanted $1500 for that. I fixed it with a coat hanger.
The top leaked at the top of the windshield frame. The water would drip on my leg making it look like I had pissed my pants. My dad said he had the same problem with his ’65 Paresienne convertible.
During a blizzard the power steering hose exploded and ruined the pump, but because of the snow on the road I couldn’t feel the steering revert to manual. When I got home I had to shovel my driveway to get in. When I finished that I noticed the drivers side window was down. I thought I maybe hit the auto down button. Nope. For some reason the window had shattered when I closed the door. BY the time a new window was found for it, the weather had turned bitterly cold. On my way down to the glass shop, I realized something was amiss with the steering (now on dry pavement). Another expensive repair that was.
Two weeks after the window/power steering boondoggle, the drivers side door latch crapped out, so the door just hung open. It was another long, cold ride to the dealership with my arm out the door holding it shut.
The body was starting to sag, so the doors wouldn’t open and close properly.
The module for the interior lights went crazy (something GM knew about and had a recall for). None of the dealers around me would honour it. The interior lights would randomly switch themselves on and kill the battery. The last time I took the car to the dealer for that, some smart assed “tech” billed me $90 and put on the bill “checked interior light switch: left on”. THAT was NOT the cause, but that was it for me and GM.
Mazda B3000 (basically a re-badged Ford). I don’t care much for Ford either. I remember many days spent working on an 84 Ranger of my dad’s. It wasn’t a happy time.
This Mazda, strangely, belonged to my dad originally. He swore he would never buy another domestic after his last Ford, yet he ended up having 3 Mazda trucks. Just over a year ago my brother bought it off of him, but decided not to use it since it used so much gas. The truck only has 121000kms on it, and from new was driven by a retired man, which is why I can’t understand why it has been such a headache.
– Brakes seized up.
– The key to access the spare tire sheared off in the tumbler.
– Coil pack went.
– Every time it rains the doors fill with water.
– The door locks jam up.
– Climate control only works on highest setting, and only on the defroster.
– It leaks oil like a colander. Four spots of oil 3″ across when backing across a 25 foot driveway.
– Strange clunk you can hear and feel coming from the front end when pulling way from a lightIt has low kms, and rarely ever gets driven. When it does, it’s around the block on a nice paved road. In spite of being babied, it’s falling apart faster than I can put it back together again!
There’s no car that I hate more than a VW. Working on them is ridiculous and the need for proprietary tools to do anything basic sucks. No offense but I cant stand the cavalier owners that I know. They all act like they’re driving a f****** TT Ford Heffner 500 GT or an EVO X, I mean come on It’s a freaking cavalier. Anyway I own a Mazda 6 and its not bad but let me tell you if you want to do a clutch like every 40K then this is your car. I know its not me cause I put 126K on my last car (maxima). As for the mazdaspeed 3 or 6 DONT GET ONE. They are notorious for blowing up whether built or stock. It has shitty injectors and a badly designed head that causes big temperature changes on the piston crowns. Theres a feed on either 6crew or mazda6club about hundreds of members engines unexpectedly blowing up, chipping pistons, throwing rods bending valves… the list go’s on. Recently had to do a throwout bearing and was quoted $1500 from Mazda. ended up doing it myself. A shitty design causes the TOB housing to constantly grind against the pressure plate and the bearing ends up falling apart. I’v been battling with Mazda for about 4 months cause they canceled my warranty and branded my car a total loss for no freaking reason. When I called they said that it happened while I had the car. I have never been in an accident with this car. I mean WTF??? They keep on playing games with me, when I call and ask why they branded it they say that they received info from someone but don’t know who. so…Dont ever buy a MAZDA (rebadged ford) (Engine, tranny, and chassis made by ford) !!!
screw japs its all about American car. you want japs you go there with your junk design and the fact that you have to wait 2 weeks for a master cylinder. why do you think our govt uses american cars? bc of there dependability and easy to work on capabilityies
Im not a fan of vw cars, my dad had a 2003 passat for a while which was a nice solid feeling car, but the dash rattled and the central locking failed twice. The diesel engine in it was no way as smooth as the diesel engine in the toyota avensis.
One thing about vw is that here we can buy skoda which are still made with vw parts but with a lower purchase price, and they get better reliability/customer satisfaction in the surveys.I know a guy with an Exploder. It’s been in his dad’s shop/storage for several years. They’re decent bodies. Fords are always a comfortable ride. But come on, Fords are pieces of shit!
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