sigp220.45
US Veteran
A Hummer H3. It effectively ended a long relationship with GM. It'll be Toyotas from now on.
Your worst vehicle?
- Thread starter boatme99
- Start date
Grayfox
US Veteran
1970-something Datsun Pick-up. I honestly don't remember the exact year. Probably because I've tried hard to forget it.
I bought this thing during the so-called gas shortage of the 80s because I couldn't afford to feed my current ride.
I've seen tin cans with more steel and cracker boxes that were better built. It was so small that I could sit in the drivers seat and comfortably reach over to roll down the passenger window.
It shook, rattled, vibrated, the cab was drafty and rain leaked in. No a/c and the heater was a joke.
About every 6 to 8 weeks I had to take the carburator off and retighten the base plate screws. Even lock-tite wouldn't keep this thing together.
I suffered through this piece of junk for one year and just couldn't take it anymore. It had to go! That is the shortest amount of time I've ever owned a vehicle in my entire life and that was entirely too long.
I bought this thing during the so-called gas shortage of the 80s because I couldn't afford to feed my current ride.
I've seen tin cans with more steel and cracker boxes that were better built. It was so small that I could sit in the drivers seat and comfortably reach over to roll down the passenger window.
It shook, rattled, vibrated, the cab was drafty and rain leaked in. No a/c and the heater was a joke.
About every 6 to 8 weeks I had to take the carburator off and retighten the base plate screws. Even lock-tite wouldn't keep this thing together.
I suffered through this piece of junk for one year and just couldn't take it anymore. It had to go! That is the shortest amount of time I've ever owned a vehicle in my entire life and that was entirely too long.
My first wife fell in love and bought a 1974 Fiat 128. It ran great until the 3000 mile checkup and never ran for more than 20 miles after that. It was traded in on an Olds Cutlass.
Don't remember the exact year, around 1980, 3/4T Chevy Diesel Pickup.
Fuel line would freeze every time is was below zero. Traded for Ford gas model in less than 6 months.
Fuel line would freeze every time is was below zero. Traded for Ford gas model in less than 6 months.
Bought new 1965 GMC pu with a 305 ci V6 unbelievable what a piece
of %#%@ this GMC was.The best gas milage almost 7 miles a gallon.
If I didn`t have any thing else to do I could go out and work on it.Dick
of %#%@ this GMC was.The best gas milage almost 7 miles a gallon.
If I didn`t have any thing else to do I could go out and work on it.Dick
Bkreutz
US Veteran
74 Vega Station Wagon (yes, with the fake wood panels). In my defense, I didn't buy it, I married it. (my wife's car when we got married) It took me 3 months to get rid of it and in that time the transmission went out. It had to be the slowest vehicle I've ever owned.
1990 Chevy lumina. The brakes were terrible, it was one of GM's early attempts at 4 wheel disc brakes. The rear calipers would freeze so that all the work was done by the front brakes. Once I had a scary event where the calipers froze partially closed, riding the disc, and boiled off the brake fluid. Tried to stop, the pedal just flopped to the floor. After many brake jobs, I finally got rid of it when the gutless, noisy, rough running 3.1 V6 blew. The only plus is it never rusted.
I still have my 97 Tahoe, so I can't call it junk. It is becoming expensive though. I've learned I shouldn't have bought a 1500 series truck, the 2500 is better. Too many corners were cut with lightweight systems like brakes and transmissions that aren't up to the job. After 18 Midwest winters still almost no rust, which is impressive. Still runs good.
I doubt I will ever buy another GM car, they are built too cheap. Very low quality materials for the interiors and brakes that barely work are the main reasons. Their V8s are excellent, 6s are hit or miss depending on which one. I've never driven a 4 that I would put in a lawn mower, let alone a car.
With everyone downsizing engines, I need to find a new car before they are all junk.
I still have my 97 Tahoe, so I can't call it junk. It is becoming expensive though. I've learned I shouldn't have bought a 1500 series truck, the 2500 is better. Too many corners were cut with lightweight systems like brakes and transmissions that aren't up to the job. After 18 Midwest winters still almost no rust, which is impressive. Still runs good.
I doubt I will ever buy another GM car, they are built too cheap. Very low quality materials for the interiors and brakes that barely work are the main reasons. Their V8s are excellent, 6s are hit or miss depending on which one. I've never driven a 4 that I would put in a lawn mower, let alone a car.
With everyone downsizing engines, I need to find a new car before they are all junk.
Late 70 or early 80's Jeep Wagoneer.
Had full time 4 wheel drive teamed with an anemic v8 that meant piss poor performance with horrid gas mileage (7-8mpg). It stranded me about 100 miles from home with one of it's many known failings, this one being a sheared distributor shaft.
Sold it cheap and never looked back. American motors, why did I ever leave GM for you?
Had full time 4 wheel drive teamed with an anemic v8 that meant piss poor performance with horrid gas mileage (7-8mpg). It stranded me about 100 miles from home with one of it's many known failings, this one being a sheared distributor shaft.
Sold it cheap and never looked back. American motors, why did I ever leave GM for you?
DeathGrip
US Veteran
My wife was driving an 87 grand cherokee when we met. That thing had an electric gremlin nobody could find. It would stall for no reason and would start if it felt like it.
Traded it in for a 90 something explorer. That explorer was very good to us.
Traded it in for a 90 something explorer. That explorer was very good to us.
Yes siree, I had one of these and it was the worst car I have ever owned!
A guy I worked with had the Plymouth version and swore by it!
Yeah right! At the time I had a growing family so I thought this was the way to go for a second car! After all we had our Oldsmobiles! 
This thing had some Jap Mitsubishi engine in it and it kept blowing head gaskets!
After it got hit for the second time I traded it in for a new 1988 Ford Ranger pickup!
Believe it or not I actually got more for it on trade in than what I paid for it plus I had the accident check!, so I guess it did kind of paid me back?
This was as close I ever came to owning a Japanese importmobile but it still had the Chrysler emblem on it!
1980 VW Rabbit. First new vehicle I ever bought. The thing had gremlins, and over heated constantly. I dumped it before it decided to totally lunch the engine. The wife traded it in on a 1980 Ford Escort economy special, which in turn ate crankshaft pulleys. It was scary on hills in traffic--a VW minibus would pass it.
Promptly traded THAT on a '72 Jeep CJ-5--which got broadsided at a traffic light. BUT it ran pretty good (for a Jeep) so I rebuilt it from the frame up, literally--after finding a whole new replacement frame! Still have it.
But all in all, that was a really, really bad couple of years for vehicles. Lost money every step of the way.
With the exception of that Jeep, everything I have now says Toyota on it.
Promptly traded THAT on a '72 Jeep CJ-5--which got broadsided at a traffic light. BUT it ran pretty good (for a Jeep) so I rebuilt it from the frame up, literally--after finding a whole new replacement frame! Still have it.
But all in all, that was a really, really bad couple of years for vehicles. Lost money every step of the way.
With the exception of that Jeep, everything I have now says Toyota on it.
bricker
Member
1980 Chevrolet Silverado. The motor was a 350 gas conversion diesel. I drove it 15 months and replaced the transmission 4 times. It would not pull itself out of a deep rut. Totally worthless as far as pickups were concerned.
Absolute worst of all time; a Rambler American 1960 model. It was my mom's first car and when I got it at almost 10 years old there was little life left in it. Front end broke about every month, an expensive wheel falling off event. Had the ride and power of a riding lawnmower but without the usefulness. I've owned some clunkers in the next 40+ years but nothing compared to that pile of scrap. American motors went out of business for a reason. Joe
My Jeep
1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited (green with tan leather). Bought in 1998 with 20K miles and still under warranty.
A/C evaporator replaced under warranty.
Alternator replaced under warranty
Low gear shift linkage adjusted for third time...under warranty
Low gear box repaired. My dime. Still under 30K miles but out of time.
Rear differential gears and bearings replaced. Out of warranty. I wrote to Jeep HQ but they said, "Sorry, it's out of warranty."
I thought Jeeps were supposed to be tough cars. I got rid of it in 2002 after replacing the A/C evaporator......again.
It's been Honda Accords and Acuras since then. My 2015 new car was going to be a Cadillac ATS but Consumer Reports gives it a "worse than average repair record". I'd like to try an American car again but the Honda products keep me out of the service department except for oil changes and tire rotations. Hard to beat that kind of reliability.
Almost forgot..........I bought a '77 Chevy Malibu coupe with about 15K miles in 1978. Fine for a few months then gradually fell apart. I think the first thing to go was the interior door grab that pulled out when I closed the door. The heater core went, the fuel pump went and it never ended. This was during the FIRST year!
My dog almost fell through the back seat floor when it gave way from rust. The only thing holding him in was the carpet. The car was pure junk. GM's corporate suits should've been whipped and exiled. They shamefully produced the nadir of products during those years and beyond. I hear the new Buicks have high build standards but why take the chance?
1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited (green with tan leather). Bought in 1998 with 20K miles and still under warranty.
A/C evaporator replaced under warranty.
Alternator replaced under warranty
Low gear shift linkage adjusted for third time...under warranty
Low gear box repaired. My dime. Still under 30K miles but out of time.
Rear differential gears and bearings replaced. Out of warranty. I wrote to Jeep HQ but they said, "Sorry, it's out of warranty."
I thought Jeeps were supposed to be tough cars. I got rid of it in 2002 after replacing the A/C evaporator......again.
It's been Honda Accords and Acuras since then. My 2015 new car was going to be a Cadillac ATS but Consumer Reports gives it a "worse than average repair record". I'd like to try an American car again but the Honda products keep me out of the service department except for oil changes and tire rotations. Hard to beat that kind of reliability.
Almost forgot..........I bought a '77 Chevy Malibu coupe with about 15K miles in 1978. Fine for a few months then gradually fell apart. I think the first thing to go was the interior door grab that pulled out when I closed the door. The heater core went, the fuel pump went and it never ended. This was during the FIRST year!
My dog almost fell through the back seat floor when it gave way from rust. The only thing holding him in was the carpet. The car was pure junk. GM's corporate suits should've been whipped and exiled. They shamefully produced the nadir of products during those years and beyond. I hear the new Buicks have high build standards but why take the chance?
Last edited:
Biginge
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
2000 Cadillac El Dorado. Had to be towed in 7 times in two years. Went back under lemon law. They admitted "to a great deal of wiring problems with that year of manufacturer." Went through 5 batteries. What a piece of junk. Will never have another.
BearBio
Member
A Jeep Grand Cherokee my wife fell in love with. The first year, it cost $200 MORE in repairs than the payments totaled. Broke down on the other side of the state. Crossing the bridge from Portland to Vancouver, it just died. Got it started on the third try, and stopped for gas. Took a half hour but we got it started. Filled the tank with the engine running. Made it home without trouble then the alarm went off and it wouldn't stop (same night). Took a while and got it started and traded it off for a used Pathfinder (Trouble free for 5 years now).
Runner-up was a brand new '92 Bronco. Started falling apart the first weekend. Dealer wouldn't do anything. We told them to "stick it" and let them repossess it. Won't buy another American car!
We have a 10-year old Frontier and the 15-year old Pathfinder and neither have given us any problems except the Frontier had a bad gas gauge. Gas-n-go!
Runner-up was a brand new '92 Bronco. Started falling apart the first weekend. Dealer wouldn't do anything. We told them to "stick it" and let them repossess it. Won't buy another American car!
We have a 10-year old Frontier and the 15-year old Pathfinder and neither have given us any problems except the Frontier had a bad gas gauge. Gas-n-go!
Bozz10mm
US Veteran
Without a doubt a 1961 Olds F85. It was only about 3 years old when I bought it. First car. Young. Dumb. Looked something like this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=196...w.plan59.com%2Fphotos%2Fphotos117.htm;994;540
Had a tiny aluminum block V8. 215 Cubic Inches, 155 hp. Burned a little oil. Left the radiator cap off once and it over heated. Burned the valves and it never ran right after that. Scrapped it.
https://www.google.com/search?q=196...w.plan59.com%2Fphotos%2Fphotos117.htm;994;540
Had a tiny aluminum block V8. 215 Cubic Inches, 155 hp. Burned a little oil. Left the radiator cap off once and it over heated. Burned the valves and it never ran right after that. Scrapped it.
Last edited:
Just before we got married, my wife to be bought a new 1979 Plymouth Duster. Although that 225 slant six was virtually bulletproof, the 3 transmissions we replaced in 6 years along with at least a dozen or more ballast resistors (we always had a new one along with the proper wrench in the glove box) we had to get rid of it. It also rusted through in several places that you wouldn't' think rust would form like the roof B pillars. Anyway, I've never had another Chrysler product after that.
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
This one is easy for me. Worst vehicle I ever owned was the 1982 Chevrolet Silverado with 5.7L diesel. Constant and expensive repairs.
Some may recall that this was GM's attempt to take advantage of the market for diesel powered vehicles, back in the days when diesel fuel was taxed less and cost considerably less than gasoline. GM took the 350 C.I. V-8 (gasoline) engine and modified it into a diesel, advertised the heck out of it and sold a ton of pick-up trucks. Within a few years the owners couldn't even give the things away.
I eventually pulled the diesel engine and installed a regular gasoline engine (taken from a rear end total in a salvage yard). Cost just about as much as I was able to sell the truck for.
Some may recall that this was GM's attempt to take advantage of the market for diesel powered vehicles, back in the days when diesel fuel was taxed less and cost considerably less than gasoline. GM took the 350 C.I. V-8 (gasoline) engine and modified it into a diesel, advertised the heck out of it and sold a ton of pick-up trucks. Within a few years the owners couldn't even give the things away.
I eventually pulled the diesel engine and installed a regular gasoline engine (taken from a rear end total in a salvage yard). Cost just about as much as I was able to sell the truck for.
Similar threads
