Avoid These 7 Used Cars to Save on Repairs
Are there used cars you should avoid? Unfortunately, there are. Although used cars are better than ever before, you might want to stay away from these models.
The pandemic caused disruption in the automotive market, which meant dealerships faced issues getting used cars to their lot to sell. Unfortunately, some used cars are still lemons and shouldn’t be bought by anyone. If you’re looking for your next vehicle that will give you the reliable driving experience you need, avoid these seven used cars.
2014 Ram 1500
How much do you want to spend to repair your vehicle? Most people would answer with “as little as possible,” but the 2014 Ram 1500 won’t allow that. This truck was plagued with transmission issues and trouble with many of the interior accessories. Some owners reported trouble with the engine, steering, and electrical systems in this truck as well. The 2014 Ram 1500 was ranked as the worst vehicle for the year by CarComplaints, which makes it a truck you should avoid. If you’re looking for a good used truck that can help you get things done, avoid this Ram.
2000 Dodge Intrepid
There shouldn’t be too many of these car still around, but if you see it, run away. One of the used cars to avoid is this Dodge sedan. This car suffers from issues with sludge in the 2.7-liter V6 engine, which was also used for many other Chrysler cars. Replacing the engine for this car costs as much as $4,500, which is more than this car is currently worth. Some owners reported other issues with the electrical systems and interior accessories, making this Dodge a used car you won’t want to drive.
2013 Nissan Altima
Although Nissan has some of the best CVTs in the entire market, the model included in this Altima wasn’t among them. The 2013 Nissan Altima and its CVT issues make it a terrible car to drive. Many owners reported vibration and transmission failure for the CVT. Some stated they heard shrill noises from the power steering pump as well. A third issue with his car is windshield problems that are attributed to poor design. This car was recalled 12 times and had too many issues to be a good choice.
2010-2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
When the Jeep Grand Cherokee entered its fourth generation, we got one of the worst vehicles Jeep ever made. These SUVs are easily some of the used cars you want to avoid driving. The Grand Cherokee suffers from a defective TIPM system, which is used to send power to the electrical components of the SUV. This problem was so widespread the part required for the fix became scarce. Complaints about this SUV not starting made it easy to understand why this Jeep Grand Cherokee is on the list.
2011 Hyundai Sonata
Many owners reported that the 2011 Hyundai Sonata’s engine would seize up without warning the driver. This often led to $5,100 in repairs, which is more than this car is worth today. This engine issue led to a class action lawsuit against Hyundai, which claimed the 2.4-liter engine was defective. This Sonata was recalled 14 times by the NHTSA. Other issues with this car include stalling engine problems and excessive engine noise.
2013 Hyundai Elantra
This version of the Hyundai Elantra is one of the used cars you need to avoid at all costs. This car has steering issues that pull to one side, premature tire wear, and braking issues. Some owners have adjusted the vehicle to realign the wheels without much improvement in the car’s handling or tire wear. The braking issues have been caused by substandard pads and rotors. This is a car you want to stay away from; it doesn’t even give you the fuel mileage that it was rated at by the EPA, which makes it a bad choice.
2002-2005 Ford Explorer
You’ll have many issues to deal with if you buy one of these Ford Explorer models. Although it was the best-selling SUV in the US at the time, the Explorer has many problems. This Ford SUV is known to have transmission problems with failures of this system at less than 100,000 miles. The wheel bearings are also known to fail at around 90,000 miles. This version of the Explorer also has an issue with cracking rear panels.
If you’re looking for a used vehicle to drive, these seven should be crossed off your list in a hurry. These are only seven of the used cars you should avoid, there are many others to stay away from as well.
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