What is the worst car you've ever owned?

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher) 04/02/2014 at 16:25 • Filed to: None

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Seeing !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! posting about needing a new motor in his GTO, got me thinking about my old GTO. It was a 2004 model, and I purchased it in early 2006 with 5200 miles on it. It was a certified car with a warranty, and that was a damn good thing. I only owned it for three and a half months (managed to put 6000 mile on it), and in that short time it spent 31 days total in the shop for various maladies.

Hard as it may be to believe, given the lead shot, I didn't hoon it too badly. I really loved that car, and I couldn't stand to abuse it. The GTO actually mellowed me as a driver. I found that momentum was so easy to regain, that I didn't mind loosing it. It also broke me of using a radar detector, because I couldn't bear to velcro one to that beautiful dashboard.

The last month I owned it, a pattern developed. Every week, something would break over the weekend, I'd take it in on Monday, get it back Thursday (it always had to wait for parts), and then it would break again on the weekend. The final straw was when it left me stranded at a Jeep dealership in East Peoria on a Monday afternoon (I was already considering dumping the GTO, but didn't like what I found at Jeep). It fired up, then it died. It fired up again, then died again, then flashed "Fuel Gauge Error. Consult Dealer". I got it back with a new ECM on Thursday, went and picked up a buddy so I could get a good shot of the burnout (the only one I've ever done), and traded it in the next day.

My GTO was hands down the worst vehicle I've ever owned. It was also my favorite. I loved driving it. I loved the sound of it. I loved the power. I loved the looks (I like sleepers, so it was perfect). I still miss it.

What was the worst car you've ever owned?

Zohaibman72 > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 16:29

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Well I've only been driving since like, December 2013, and out of everything I've driven, I can say that I think my Grandma's 2012 Mazda 3 is the worst. It uses more gas than it should, the back doors are awkwardly small and its really cramped in the rear, leading to people kicking the seats a lot. It's already having problems, which is the weirdest thing for a new Japanese car, and also it has no acceleration, slow as fak.

For Sweden > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 16:29

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http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/a-good-riddanc…

JEM > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 16:30

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1981 VW Rabbit. 4 speed. Carberated (I never could spell that word).

The only good thing I can say about it is I taught myself to drive a stick with it and it was only $500.

Forgetful > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 16:31

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A well used Hyundai Stellar that burnt more oil than gas, had no radio and brakes that were on or off.

crowmolly > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 16:34

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2001 Malibu.

Needed brakes every year due to a poor caliper design. Maybe every 15-20k. They would slightly hang after braking, thereby burning off the pad material quickly until one day I would be indicator on rotor. Every time it was calipers, pads, and rotor service.

My last car had its pads last 8 years and 96,000 miles when I sold it.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 16:36

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Worst car I've ever owned? Hmm.. must've been my BMW E28 528. It SHOULD have been a great car, but it was nothing but trouble, I sold it after just two weeks. First the brake lights decided it was time to have a vacation, replaced the witch (nope, not switch, I'm SURE it was a Witch there) beneath the middle pedal, they worked for a few hours.. then gone again, replaced ALL THE wires, FIXED. Awesome, then the central locking thigamabobs went haywire... would only work when unlocking the boot.. GREAT... but I could live with that, just unlock the boot when I wanted to get in the car. Next up was the headlights, full beam on the left, nothing on the right side... replaced the relay, cool, now I have working lights again. What next? Well, the fuel injection thought it'd be cool to dump a massive amount of fuel into the engine, engine could not cope... unburned fuel into exhaust... KABLAM. exhaust no more.. I sold the fucker.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > JEM 04/02/2014 at 16:40

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carbureted :)

thebigbossyboss > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 16:43

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1992 Ford Tempo. Was reliable until it wouldn`t use 3rd gear with it`s autotragic. slowest car ever.

Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 16:49

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This:

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/how-more-less-…

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 16:50

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2004 BMW X5 4.8is. Loved driving it, (literally) tons of fun.

Broke. All. The. Time. Stupid stuff, design flaws really. Finally ditched the thing.

I kind of miss it sometimes.

Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 16:50

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This:

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/how-more-less-…

hethoughtofcars > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 17:02

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"Fuel Gauge Error. Consult Dealer".

Consult dealer?! I guess that's how they do it in Australia, but I'd feel like punching someone if my car gave me that kind of sass.

CPT Speedbump > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 18:12

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1997 Ford Explorer Sport. I loved that thing, it handled far better then any SUV ever should, it was pretty quick, it was a tank in the snow and mud, it was my first DD (my 2nd car, as the 65' Beetle (which I still have) was not ready/finished being restored yet), so it opened up all sorts of worlds for me. But there's a nick name associated with Explorers, and the older models seem to represent it quite well at times. Exploder. Now mine didnt actually ever Explode (hopefully it hasn't since) but the reason they were called that was the transmission. Mine had been rebuilt before I got it (or so the garage sais they rebuilt it atleast) It leaked tranny fluid, constantly. Had it in to get worked on numerous times by the guys that had "rebuilt it" as it was under warranty. One day it wouldn't leave 2nd gear (automatic), then it started smoking, and I ended up getting read of it, sick of dealing with it. Still miss it in the snow though.

NaturallyAspirated > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 18:23

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I had a 1988 Chevy Cavalier with the 2 liter 4-banger and a 3-speed automatic. The valvetrain sounded like a jar of marbles, the transmission leaked fluid (I knew it was time to add more fluid when it just sat there and revved when I tried to start from a stop), the cooling system wasn't brilliant, it was rusting out pretty badly, and the gas pedal was really heavy and it had no cruise control, so my right leg would be sore the day after a road trip.

That said, it was my first car, and the freedom it gave me as a kid growing up in the Midwestern US meant that I did not really care about any of these flaws.

Chairman Kaga > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 19:08

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'02 Focus SVT. The same damn dual stage intake controller part broke 3 times over a 6 month period. Each repair cost $600. Ford admitted the part was "potentially faulty" but never issued a recall. They just started using a new part in the cars coming off the line.

So infuriating.

The transmission would bind in second gear. No mechanic who looked at it could repair it or even figure out what the actual fault was, short of replacing the entire linkage.

Then the ECU fried because of a misinstalled drainage line. So I traded it on a Saabaru, at a loss, and never looked back.

Shame, because it was a hoot to drive.

norcalnorway > shop-teacher 04/02/2014 at 21:04

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1998 Camaro Z/28

Great engine and transmission (T-56)

Horrible interior. Bad enough to make daily driving almost unbearable unless I was merging on the freeway at full-throttle or power-shifting it through the strawberry fields near my house.

The lesson I learned is that, while a compromise for performance may work for some people, it didn't for me.

shop-teacher > norcalnorway 04/03/2014 at 09:28

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I almost bought a 2002 Camaro SS instead of the GTO, but the interior was SO much worse. I still kind of wish I had gone for the Camaro, given how poorly they GTO worked out for me.

shop-teacher > JEM 04/03/2014 at 09:29

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I did that with a $600 '93 Legacy wagon. It never let me down, but it leaked a lot of oil, and never quite ran right.

shop-teacher > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 04/03/2014 at 09:29

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Wow, you win!

shop-teacher > Chairman Kaga 04/03/2014 at 09:31

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Sometimes its worth taking the hit. I was lucky when i traded in the GTO. Most dealers would only give me enough that I would've had to take a $3k hit on it, but I found a GMC dealer who let me get out for nearly even money, so I bought a truck! Which I still have and love.

shop-teacher > NaturallyAspirated 04/03/2014 at 09:33

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Its funny how a first car can be a total piece of crap, but you still love it. My first car, was second worst car I've ever owned, an '89 Olds Toronado Troffeo. I loved it, but I don't miss it.

shop-teacher > hethoughtofcars 04/03/2014 at 09:38

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Oh believe me, I wanted to punch several people! Between that, and the horrible treatment I received from the Jeep salesman and sales manager, I was unbelievably pissed. I literally called my mom, so she could talk me down from the edge. That's the only thing that saved the manager from getting punched, as when the tow truck showed up, he came out to beg me to do the Jeep deal, and let them take care of the GTO. This is from a guy who made me wait 40 minutes to offer me sticker price, minus an $800 refund if I financed through Mopar credit.

shop-teacher > Zohaibman72 04/03/2014 at 09:41

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Time for you to go buy a beater, so you can have some of your own "war stories" of truly awful cars! ;)

shop-teacher > Forgetful 04/03/2014 at 09:41

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That doesn't sound very stellar!

shop-teacher > thebigbossyboss 04/03/2014 at 09:42

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My Grandma had one of those, it was pretty bad!

shop-teacher > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 04/03/2014 at 09:49

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I inherited my Grandma's 2000 Deville. I loved it, but I had to ditch it after three months. The torque converter lockup failed, which is very common in those, so it spun way higher RPM at speed, and used a LOT more gas. The owner of the trans shop recommended I not fix it. "Its not gonna leave you stranded, and you can buy a LOT of gas for the three grand I'd have to charge you to fix it." Then the cam position sensors started failing intermittently. The car would randomly shut off, but it would always restart. I couldn't afford to fix it, so I cleared the codes, and dumped it on Car Max.

shop-teacher > For Sweden 04/03/2014 at 09:50

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I remember that post. That was a great write-up. Isn't it amazing how quickly those airport cops get on your ass? I thought I was going to get arrested for helping my 82 year old Grandma into the car.

shop-teacher > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 04/03/2014 at 09:51

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Its funny how you can miss a car that did you so wrong. My head still whips around every time I see a GTO.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > shop-teacher 04/04/2014 at 12:23

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Aweome. What do I win? Another E28? In better shape? :)

Conan > shop-teacher 04/05/2014 at 10:32

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My Father inherited a 1990 (I think) Brougham D'Elegance with the intention of giving it to me as my first car (because safe boat, presumably). All we had to do was drive it across the country. We flew out just fine. On our way back home we were struck by lightning not once, but twice, the oil pump somehow caused us to get pulled over because we were sending out massive quantities of oddly colored smoke, and the transmission finally failed. Needless to say, my Dad sold it. The money helped him get me both a far less terrible Mercury for HS and a Dodge/Mitsubishi when I moved out.

it burns! > shop-teacher 04/05/2014 at 14:37

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1988.5 Cadillac Coupe Seville

It actually looked awesome, but I jumped on the interstate to drive it home to Ft Lauderdale from Tampa, it it immediately blew a head gasket. Ownership went downhill from there, surprisingly. It ended up being where a homeless man named "guard dog" slept in exchange for keeping watch over the junker cars in a coworker's yard.

Shiftright > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 04/05/2014 at 23:46

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Had similar experiences with a much newer '03 330 coupe. Great car...when it wasn't in the shop

MTY85 > norcalnorway 04/06/2014 at 09:39

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Who buys a fourth gen for the interior? I bought a 1999 SS in 2003, and I still have the thing. It's so reliable and in bright red, it's still such a looker that even after a decade I can't find a reason to get rid of it.

MTY85 > shop-teacher 04/06/2014 at 09:43

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Worst vehicle I ever had was a 2005 Honda CRV. My family yanked my grandma's license because she was just completely unsafe on the road, and I bought the CRV to flip it, because nobody else had the cash liquid. Did you ever accidentally put an automatic in drive instead of overdrive, and notice that the revs were kind of high when you're on the highway? That's what this thing was like, even with a five speed transmission. The gas pedal was so light that you had to actually hold your foot up. My right ankle was in burning pain after driving it for half an hour because of the position i had to hold it in. I flipped that thing in a month for a two grand profit. Worst vehicle I've ever owned. I've DRIVEN plenty worse vehicles, but that's the worst one that I've ever titled and registered in my name.

jbm0866 > shop-teacher 04/06/2014 at 09:46

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Second place- 2000 Mazda 626

a/c compressor, brake master cylinder, right front wheel bearing and driver side power window all bit the dust @under 40k miles...and then the timing belt @just over 50k.

First place and undisputed champ- 2004 Mercedes E500

OMFG. Almost too many things for me to remember, but I'll just give the highlights while not mentioning various cosmetic/interior issues. (oops)

Electrical gremlins- stereo system, rear a/c, power windows, seat heating, moonroof, windshield wipers all failed at least once, some multiple times. There was a stretch of time where I spent more time in loaners than my own car.

Air suspension. Need I say more? The second time it collapsed (this time out of warranty) was the last straw. No more three pointed stars in my driveway...EVER.

norcalnorway > MTY85 04/06/2014 at 17:50

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To each their own. I didn't buy the car because of the interior as you stated for some reason. I guess my issue was that my expectations for the interior were already low but the reality even surpassed that in terms of quality. The drivers seat bolsters wore out after a worryingly short time. (Im tall but skinny, so it wasn't a weight issue.) The T-Top mechanism was a joke in terms of quality. I was willing to compromise so I could have a more powerful engine and a stronger transmission;however, It is still hard to daily drive a car with an interior that was that horrible. At the time I couldn't afford a track only car and if I had been able to I would have absolutely kept it and gutted the entire interior. I ran a 408 stroker with a 75 shot, centerforce clutch,full 3 inch magnaflow exhaust, hotchkis suspension, Z06 wheels and tires, I also had an SS hood with the functional ram air system. I will conceded that the SS is a very pretty car;however, I didn't have the SS so it was also slightly lacking in the ability to maintain value as compared to the SS. I enjoyed the car, but the question was, "What is the worst car you've ever owned?" This is still my answer.

MTY85 > norcalnorway 04/06/2014 at 18:34

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If an LS1 V8 Camaro is the worst car you've ever owned, you've had a pretty good car owning history.

Ricky Weston > shop-teacher 04/10/2014 at 10:22

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Worst car I've ever owned? A 1996 Mercedes C220. What a turd. No power, woefully unreliable, and it was a very unpleasant blue-ish-green. Nasty, hateful little POS.

It did look okay though...

sandboxers1 > shop-teacher 04/19/2014 at 11:36

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1982 VW Quantum B2 platform 5-speed. The beast was light, handled well, and had five cylinders of engine designed for the Autobahn. It could haul some very serious tail on US expressways. It also had typical VW problems like oil leaks, oil in the coolant, coolant in the oil, bad brakes, blown gaskets, bad wiring, a leaking sunroof, power windows that failed and were propped up with 2x4 wood blocks in the doors, and so on. But the worst aspect was that the previous owner had been an audio enthusiast so the radio had been customized with aftermarket stuff (since removed) and most of the trunk was occupied by a big wooden sub box bolted into the structure of the car, and which no longer worked. Anyway, this meant there was some funky unfused wiring in the dash to support the custom audio stuff. One night while doing about 80 on a busy highway, the remnant dash wiring shorted out and caught fire. The car immediately filled with toxic smoke, and the short meant the electrics were all screwed up so suddenly none of the barely working power windows worked at all. Everything electric bailed all at once while this short raged on . So let's tally: cannot see, cannot breathe, can't roll down windows, and you're still doing 80, and you can't just pull over because, well, you can't see anyway. I ended up having to open the driver's door and shove my foot in it to keep it open. Other drivers saw the plume of smoke and let me over, and at the same time I am reaching into the dash to get the wires apart and stop the fire. Absolutely terrifying. The Quantum finally fell apart and went to a scrapheap. Nice power but with extremely sharp teeth.

Kylemaro > shop-teacher 01/15/2015 at 12:14

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Camaro is always the answer. Im a big camaro advocate