Least Reliable Vehicle

[Bad Bob]

I was a Triumph guy in my youth, which taught me a lot! But in six years of daily driving my '67 Triumph GT6 Mk I, I never had a Lucas related issue. Not one.

And you make one.

 

[Novaloafah]

Very reliable vehicles the last 10 years. 2023 Mazda 3 with 230K on it. will be selling it once the new Civic comes in. Second vehicle is a 2014 F150 XLT with the 5.0 8 in it. Aside from replacing rocker panels last January, nothing but wear items like brakes. Tows our 24' RV like a charm.

Unreliable from way back, do you have time to hear about the VW Fox or Ford Tempo? Nightmares.

 

[coskigirl]

My 2010 Nissan Rogue. That stupid thing would go into some fail safe mode when climbing up I-70 at a high altitude in warmer weather and it would just suddenly barely crawl. I had to pull over multiple times to just let it cool down even though none of my gauges showed overheating of any sort. It was a mystery to the Nissan people until on of the US Nissan execs sent his daughter to school in Gunnison with her Nissan Rogue and it happened to her. Suddenly all sorts of execs and engineers descended on Boulder Nissan to figure it out. They eventually engineered a transmission cooling fan to add to the system. I got lucky when I had the problem again fairly soon after they came out so I got one put on under warranty. They later became hard to get because the problem was more widespread than they'd believed.

 

[Bill Talbot]

And you make one.

My college era GF had a '65 Triumph TR4A irs. Again, no specific Lucas problems during at least a five year period. It had other British Leyland derived issues to be sure but no electrical. Guess that makes two...

Caveat, I am (and was) a mechanic and the bonnets were up weekly to 'keep an eye on things'. These cars were never 'just put gas in it and go' devices! They were a lot of fun too!

 

[Even_Stevens]

I think a more interesting question would be 'your least reliable car EVER!'

Because most cars built in the last ten years are far better that the best cars from say the
60's or 70's.

The oldest car I’ve owned was a 1987 Volvo 740 Turbo in college. Apart from the overdrive relay failing and a hose popping off the turbo, that was a pretty good car. Took it to 180k miles.

The worst car I’ve owned was a 2008 Subaru Outback, mentioned above.

Most reliable? 1999 Toyota 4Runner. Still own it with 290k on it.

 

[my07mcx2]

Probably either my 1985 Audi 5000 or my 1989 Sterling 827S. the 5000 i names timebomb. when one part went out they all did. Electronics on the Sterling were horrible.

 

[pipestem]

So easy. Ford Windstar minivan. Freaking tank, so heavy could plow though anything. Deep snow? no problem. Remove the middle seat and slide the 3rd seat back and you have instant camper. Ultiimate ski trip mobile.

edit: oh yea, we called it the Funky Naked Party Bus. Good times. Bad car.

But a damn repair nightmare. OMG. Electronics from hell. O2 sensors made to fail randomly. Transmission on life support. I could go on and on.

 

[pipestem]

Probably either my 1985 Audi 5000 or my 1989 Sterling 827S. the 5000 i names timebomb. when one part went out they all did. Electronics on the Sterling were horrible.

My dad had a Sterling. Bought it off an inlaw from Ireland who was proud of it. Japanese engine meets Brittish electronics, not a good marriage.

 

[pipestem]

The oldest car I’ve owned was a 1987 Volvo 740 Turbo in college. Apart from the overdrive relay failing and a hose popping off the turbo, that was a pretty good car. Took it to 180k miles.

The worst car I’ve owned was a 2008 Subaru Outback, mentioned above.

Most reliable? 1999 Toyota 4Runner. Still own it with 290k on it.

oh, I had a 1983 740 GLE. Engine looked like it came out of a tractor, but it worked. 4 speed manual with push button overdrive! However, all the plastic stuff disintegrated, like it was rated for 50F max with no sunshine. That crap is expsive to replace or hard to DIY.

edit: apologies for the 3 posts but this one, this thread, is dear to me.

 

[Wilhelmson]

2015 Impreza. I wish I had ice raced it before we ditched it. The dang thing lost oil from the day we bought it new and finally developed an engine rap. Sub service and support was about as bad as it can get. Excuses galore for a bum rig. Really pathetic. Did I mention they have no regard for their customers and do not stand by their product or take responsibility ? Hello they have been building the same engine for like 20 years lol. My previous one the crank pulley disintegrate at 60.000, but that was actually a good thing because the aluminum replacement I put in was mutch better, alas after the exhaust disintegrated it was time to move on.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

1990 Range Rover. Unreliable and very expensive to work on. Actually owned this car about 20 years ago.

 

[Wasatchman]

1990 Range Rover. Unreliable and very expensive to work on. Actually owned this car about 20 years ago.

Range Rovers are notoriously unreliable. Not sure about the very recent ones but everything up until a few years ago are just notoriously unreliable as nice as they are to drive.

 

[Ogg]

1990 Range Rover. Unreliable and very expensive to work on. Actually owned this car about 20 years ago.

My father had an '88. Unreliable money pit is a gross understatement. I think the worst part was the heat barely worked so with the added cooling effect of the aluminum body we had to keep an ice scraper handy for the inside of the windows.

 

[givethepigeye]

1981 Mazda RX-7, total shitbox

Cars since then, I have been super lucky, but the FJ62 left me stranded once (my fault, battery and they were automatics in US)
1987 Acura Integra
1990 Isuzu Trooper
1990 F-250 Diesel
1988 FJ62
2004 Toyota Tundra TRD SR5 4x4
2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S
1987 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera
2018 Porsche Macan GTS
2021 Toyota Landcruiser Heritage Ed.

^ all were great.

 

[François Pugh]

1981 Mazda RX-7, total shitbox

Cars since then, I have been super lucky, but the FJ62 left me stranded once (my fault, battery and they were automatics in US)
1987 Acura Integra
1990 Isuzu Trooper
1990 F-250 Diesel
1988 FJ62
2004 Toyota Tundra TRD SR5 4x4
2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S
1987 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera
2018 Porsche Macan GTS
2021 Toyota Landcruiser Heritage Ed.

^ all were great.

Did you know you could start an automatic if you push it fast enough. Did that with my friends' Dad's old '69 Plymouth, pushing it with a GMC Sprint, using an old tire as a shock between bumpers.

 

[givethepigeye]

@François Pugh - I did not. Was by myself on the side of the road in the SC lowcountry with a deer on the hitch hauler on NYE.

 

[scott43]

I had a bit of this in my 2013 Volvo XC60.

Of all things it turned out to be a fuel pressure regulator (valve? solenoid? can't recall details).

I was HUGELY skeptical, thinking it was mechanical, but I was wrong, and it was fixed!

Update: I was under the car this weekend and checking bits before winter. Turns out the driveshaft carrier bearing is done. Entire driveshaft is one unit, not serviceable. $1200 from Subaru. Ouch..

 

[Tony S]

Update: I was under the car this weekend and checking bits before winter. Turns out the driveshaft carrier bearing is done. Entire driveshaft is one unit, not serviceable. $1200 from Subaru. Ouch..

Well THAT will teach you not to crawl under there!