It can feel like a rush to find a good deal on a used vehicle. You may feel that you got the better end of the deal and perhaps the vehicle for sale has a price that is lower than what some online car pricing tools suggest, or it is just simply cheaper than some other comparable vehicles to start with. SUVs are no exception as these can be more expensive at times.
This is why it is imperative to be vigilant about what kind of used SUV you are buying – because they are not all created equal. Some will spend more time in the shop than in your garage. Thankfully there is a common giveaway with used SUVs that are a mechanical nightmare. They usually have a cheap asking price. Though this can be alluring, rest assured that this price will not be the only money that you are dumping into these SUVs.
Here are eight used SUVs cheap SUVs that you’d be best avoid due to plentiful and costly repairs.
8 Land Rover Range Rover
Range Rovers may be some of the most alluring cheap used SUVs. A large luxury SUV with an original MSRP north of $100,000 for less than a tenth of that price now? That is a deal that is too good to be true.
Sure, the barrier to entry is very low because of the price, but you will pay for it later. Range Rovers have always been on the forefront of technological features, but the downside is that they don’t last forever, and they are costly to fix when they do go out.
7 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Who doesn’t want a Jeep, right? Their good looks and off-road prowess are some of the most desirable features that a modern SUV can possess. From 2011 on, Jeep moved the Grand Cherokee upmarket, giving it more luxurious appointments.
The high depreciation on the Grand Cherokee makes it a cheap buy after five or six years. The shifting in this Jeep can be an issue at times as well as other electrical issues. These are not things that you want to be dealing with while out on a trail.
6 Dodge Durango
Unfortunately, Dodges have never been known for their reliability. This is a shame because a Durango is not too bad looking of an SUV.
The low price can make this look like the complete package, but that is where the good news stops because the reliability is not ideal. Many owners have seen problems with things such as the transmission and exhaust manifolds.
5 Volkswagen Touareg
The Touareg is another travesty because there are so many things that it does right, all at an affordable price. Oftentimes, you can find a used first or potentially second-generation Touareg for $10,000 or less.
Sadly, Touaregs come with a myriad of mechanical issues. Don’t be surprised if the “check engine” light frequents your gauge cluster. If you got a Touareg for an especially good deal, it would be easy to spend more on repairs than what you actually paid for the vehicle.
4 Infiniti QX56
Out of many large luxury SUVs, a used Infiniti QX56 (now known as the QX80) is normally one of the cheapest in comparison. But this comes at some larger costs because of its reliability. You may want to own a large luxury barge but not shell out all the money for it.
But also compared to its rivals like the Lexus LX, the QX56’s dependability pales in comparison. Just consider the lower price a consolation prize for repairs needing to be done in the future.
3 Fiat 500X
We won’t blame you if you are not familiar with the Fiat 500X. It is their largest vehicle that is or has been offered by the automaker in the States. Many may be more familiar with its corporate cousin the Jeep Renegade.
Familiar or not, one of the most important things to know about the 500X is that it may not always get you from point A to point B. Fiat as a whole normally ranks as one of the least reliable automakers in the US, and the 500X is not immune to their reliability woes.
2 Pontiac Aztek
Regardless of reliability, the Pontiac Aztek would be cheap solely based on its atrocious looks. You can easily find one for $5,000 or less if you even want to spend that much on an SUV like this.
They are cheaply made, and you can see it inside and out. They also faced large issues such as it catching on fire due to fuel leaks. Out of all the issues that a car could have, this is arguably one of the worst.
1 Mini Countryman
Mini is owned by parent company BMW and this is largely attributed to why they suffer from poor quality. The Countryman is Mini’s small SUV that they offer, and it does not necessarily excel in the quality department.
When owning a Countryman, you can expect issues with things such as the fuel pump, rattling noises in the engine bay, and inconsistent idling from the engine.