Buying a used car can be a tricky proposition as you have to play detective on how well the previous owner or owners have taken care of their car, but what of cars that were bad eggs to begin with? Consumer Reports has you covered with a list of the ten used cars with the highest rate of terminal failures with alternatives to go with it. Their study determined that the number one killer of used cars is engine failure with its high cost of repair and difficulty. Let's check out CR's list of the biggest dogs in the automotive industry.
Origins Breakdown
While there are only two European models on the list, they both make the top five with the 2010 Audi A4 being the worst offender. The report includes an owner of the other European representative, the 2008 Mini Cooper/Clubman, citing that he couldn't find a shop willing to replace the engine on his Mini due to how complicated the procedure is. The remaining cars on the list are American on a technicality since Acura is an American badge for a Japanese car.
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Engine Light On
The three trouble areas that Consumer Reports found were the engine, the transmission, and the head gasket. Engine troubles that aren't head gaskets can range from loss of compression or crankshaft and bearing failure. An Audi A4 owner reported $12,000 in repairs.
Mileage Champions
In addition to giving the years or year ranges that provide the most amount of reported failures, they also list the mileage for when you can start to expect engine problems to occur. The Acura MDX makes it to 190,000 miles before its engine becomes a time bomb while 2010 Chevrolet Equinox/GMC Terrain becomes problematic at 86,000 to 108,500 miles. And yes, the PT Cruiser is on there too...no surprise there. There is no alternative listed for the Ford 250 Super Duty indicating that most trucks share the same risks. As for the rest, check it out below.
Source: Consumer Reports