10 terrible used purchases

". ." (xllx) 08/18/2013 at 18:10 • Filed to: lists, oppositelock

1

18

On today's list we'll have a quick look at used cars you should probably avoid. As always, the order is random.

1. Renault Laguna II

The unreliability of the second generation Laguna has reached legendary status. From small niggles to major issues, the internet is full of horror stories. Even despite the fact that it's actually very comfortable and nice to drive, horrendous dependability means that the Laguna one of the worst used cars you can buy in Europe.
Verdict? A real shame.

2. Nissan Primera P12

I've already explained the issues with this car in one of my earlier posts ( !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ) so I'm going to keep it short: It's unreliable, it's worse than any of its rivals and it's extremely ugly.
Verdict? A car history should forget.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

3. KIA Carnival

The KIA Carnival is definitely one of the worst minivans available on the used car market. Reliability is dreadful with only 32,8% of Carnivals tested by DEKRA not being broken is some manner. To make matters worse 86,2% of issues detected had to do with the brake system. It's definitely not the sort of car you'd want to put your kids (or anyone else for that matter) in. Oh, and it crumpled like a soda can in the Euro-NCAP crash test ( !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ) scoring only 2 stars. Nice...
Verdict? Unsafe at any speed.

4. Chrysler Voyager/Grand Voyager CRD

VM Motori diesels put in those cars were not only terrible. They were also dreadful, horrendous and straight up shit. Since those engines were designed for stationary work in devices such as electricity generators, putting them in a car proved to be a spectacular disaster. Ever changing revs, constant vibrations and G-forces absolutely murdered those powerplants. The fact that they had 4 separate cylinder heads (one for every cylinder, like in some heavy duty engines) didn't help, especially as they could only be removed together (so then you had 4 heads to refurbish and plan). They are so bad that many workshops refuse to touch them as they're well aware of the fact that the customer is bound to be back very soon with another bad head and many unkind things to say about the garage.
Verdict? A truly historic cock-up.

5. Renault Vel Satis 3.0 dCi V6

The Vel Satis was a very interesting car. A truly unique vehicle in the premium segment. Let's be honest though, they weren't very good. While the Vel Satis was immensely comfortable, it didn't really stand a chance in its class. Then again, if you're brave, you could get one for very little money. Just make sure it's not powered by the 3 litre V6 Isuzu Diesel engine. Unless you want to have a car without a motor that is. Oh crikey, were those engines unreliable. Terminal engine failures weren't uncommon at around 50-60 thousand miles. Cyliner liners drop en masse, and what makes it even worse is that the manufacturer was well aware of the problem. Thing is, liners usually drop at around 100 000 miles so the car would already be out of warranty. That led to many of those cars appearing on scrapyards very quickly and in seemingly perfect condition, just without their engines. Those powerplants were used in a variety of other cars too, it's just that the Vel Satis was the least reliable of them all.
Verdict? Just get a bloody German car.

6. Mazda6 2.0 MZR-CD

Mazda 6? Here? A shocker, isn't it? It's a well deserved spot though. Not only did those cars suffer a gigantic drop in reliability compared to the bulletproof 626, but they actually managed to reach French levels of build quality. And worst of all was the 2 litre diesel, which I believe was designed specifically to be a pain in the bum for anoyone who's not an enthusiast. Blocked oil strainers are a massive issue ( !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ) and often cause engine failures. You had to be absolutely perfect with oil changes, stick to manufacturer recommendations regarding grades, and use good quality lubricant (which many, many people don't do) to avoid terminal bork. And even if you do all that, it's still wise to clean your strainer from time to time. Then there were all the problems with leaky SCV valves and DPF systems. More on those later.
Verdict? It's no 626.

7. Early Mercedes-Benz W211

As much as it pains me to put a Mercedes on here, it had to be done. While the W211 may not be a bad car, early models had too many problems to recommend them. With all the immensely complicated electronics and weird decisions (SBC brake pump that costs upwards of $2 000 to replace) they aren't really worth your trouble. Post 2006 cars have been considerably improved.
Verdict? Get a facelifted model.

8. Volkswagen Sharan 7M

This one applies to all of the Sharan/Alhambra/Galaxy triplets. They are cars of 1000 little niggles. There just isn't ever a time when everything works. Owners report having to spend $100 a week to keep up with the small issues even when those cars were new. That's on top of regular maintenance of course. They may be roomy and have legendary 1.9 TDI engines, but just aren't worth the trouble unless you want a car that will slowly disintegrate.
Verdict? Long production run. Even longer list of problems.

9. Audi A2

The A2 is an another example of a car that may not be bad, but is just not worth the trouble. Even if one manages to stomach its looks. As contender in the premium supermini class and a direct rival to the Mercedes A-Class it got completely trampled by the Benz. That means there are very few of them around, and their numbers are decreasing quickly, mostly due to the aluminium body and structure. Because aluminium is such a pain to work with, the smallest ding writes this car off. Oh, and you can't open the bonnet to do any sort of servicing of your own. Your only access to the oily bits is through the opening behind the grille (as pictured). Other than that it is a slightly dressed up Polo that suffers from inflated prices.
Verdict? Too expensive, too weird.

10. Anything with a Diesel Particle Filter if you want to do city driving

Oh dear. DPF filters. I'm not going to go deep into the subject, because that's something that ought to be covered in a separate article, but blimey are those things a pain. Not only do they increase fuel consumption and get clogged up if you don't go on longer drives often enough (cars with DPF are completely unsuited for city driving). They also require replacement and some models need to be filled up with special fluids that enable them to work and clean themselves. Then there's the issue of the "cleaning cycle" causing diesel to be mixed with motor oil in some cars (like the Mazda 6) and leading to blown motors. Those filters are one of those pieces of technology that make many modern cars unreliable and untrustworthy. After all, if you buy a modern diesel you'd expect to be able to use it as you damn well please. I'd also like to mention that some companies refuse to cover filter problems under warranty because they claim that "their cars weren't designed to be driven in cities". Cheeky bastards.
Verdict? Proof that eco nuts ruin cars.

Image credits:

Wikimedia
autokult.pl
swotti.starmedia.com
autoevolution.com
westernlhd.com
alejamiedziana.pl
tablica.pl
carbase.com
zielonagoracity.pl
cars-directory.net
hybridvehicle-s.com
autogaleria.pl

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > . . 08/18/2013 at 18:17

0

Apart from the Merc, I doubt I'd buy any of those cars new...

Milky > . . 08/18/2013 at 18:19

0

But I really like the idea behind the A2 :(

also that Kia minivans hood scoop is sexy, and totally does not look out of place.

Autolegend86 > . . 08/18/2013 at 18:19

0

I live in the US and A so therefore most of these are not a worry for me.

Nerd-Vol > . . 08/18/2013 at 18:22

0

Good write up.

. . > Nerd-Vol 08/18/2013 at 18:22

0

Thanks!

dogisbadob > . . 08/18/2013 at 18:30

0

Interesting to see the Caravan and Carnival (called Sedona over here) with manual transmissions and diesel engines. We never got those options :(

We never got the Mazda 6 diesel, but the US-only petrol V6 is also known for not being a good engine, as well as the only engine available in the wagon over here.

. . > dogisbadob 08/18/2013 at 18:32

1

Believe me, with those cars you're not missing much. ;)

duurtlang > . . 08/18/2013 at 18:33

0

Actually, I think the Laguna mk2 is a great second hand purchase... if you buy the facelifted version. The early versions really did have dreadful problems. I don't know if the problems were fixed due to the recalls, but I'd avoid them like the plague anyway. However, as far as I know the problems were mostly solvedin later years. Yet, the car still suffers from a horrid reputation. Which means you can get a nice one for a low price. Seems like a good deal to me, assuming you're interested in a comfy large hatch/wagon that is.

. . > duurtlang 08/18/2013 at 18:36

0

To be honest I've not heard many good things about facelifted ones either.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Autolegend86 08/18/2013 at 18:38

0

Lol. A diesel in a passenger car. Who ever heard of that?

Lets Just Drive > . . 08/18/2013 at 18:57

1

It's so rare that I can, without begrudging, agree with any of these lists in their entirety but this, this one I am 100% in agreement with, not only because I live in Canada and many of them simply aren't available and would cost a small fortune to bring up but because pretty much every car in this list is just terrible in every way save, and I hate to admit this, styling - there are some elements here which I quite like but since almost every one can be had on a better car anyway, no point in quibbling.

+1 hundred %

. . > Milky 08/18/2013 at 19:51

1

But that KIA is sooooo sporty! And everybody knows that the instant you add a hood scoop to anything it becomes an STI.

Dunnik > . . 08/18/2013 at 20:11

1

Wait, was that a factory air scoop on a Kia Minivan I just saw? What the...

. . > Dunnik 08/18/2013 at 20:27

0

Doesn't that just make you want to run out and get one?

mickey_g > duurtlang 08/21/2013 at 04:30

0

Afraid not; they were every bit as bad in most respects and the addition of the DPF and 2.0 diesel engine just made things worse. Literally worthless in the trade, they WILL go wrong very quickly. I know, I used to work in a Renault dealership and we tried our best not to stock them...

mickey_g > . . 08/21/2013 at 04:34

1

You forgot to mention the clutch/flywheel, injector and injector pump failures that are common to the 2.0 diesel engine in the Mazda 6, a unit shared with the Mondeo. Plus engine diagnostic codes that are obscure enough to mean an indicated fault could be a £15 sensor or a sign of imminent injector pump failure; you have to start with the cheapest component and work your way up...

M.L. Lapid > . . 08/22/2013 at 01:56

0

-> GASP!!!

^ A Chrysler van with M/T!? Do WANT!!!

^ And I like those tail lights better than the USDM specs...

. . > M.L. Lapid 08/22/2013 at 08:57

1

I like your enthusiasm. It's completely misguided, but I like it. ;)