Landing a dream car comes once in a lifetime for some lucky owners. Others acquire extravagant dream cars as frequently as they want. For avid collectors, amassing cars is more like an entertaining investment strategy. Packing portfolios with Porsches is way more fun than allocating bond investments.
Whether you are buying your first supercar or garaging your tenth Aston Martin, no one expects the dream car experience to turn into a nightmare. After plunking down $100,000 on a brand-new performance machine, it does not make sense that it could break down like an affordable Ford model.
It happens, and it’s worse than you think. German engineering doesn’t mean anything after the engine of your Carrera implodes because of a bearing gone bad. Read on to see more of these nightmare scenarios that make people regret buying their dream car.
10 Tesla Model X - Reliability
The Model X is a 1020 horsepower electric car with a generous 333-mile range. However, it is known to have mechanical problems. From glitchy gullwing doors to suspension problems, Tesla's luxury electric SUV crossover has its share of downfalls. Inside, there are infotainment issues leading to recalls. It's been criticized for low-quality interior materials too. One of the most crucial issues is the airbag not deploying.
This vehicle has been recalled for various problems. In all, 30,000 Model X cars have been recalled. They have also been called back for unresponsive touchscreens that create a safety concern while driving. Rearview cameras failing to deploy also create safety risks. The NHTSA has filed complaints about the front suspension on the Model X. Said to creak and vibrate, and even experience control arm failure, this issue has afflicted 115,000 cars from 2015 to 2017.
9 DeLorean DMC 12 - Too Much Time At The Shop
The iconic DeLorean powertrain was actually a conglomeration of Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo parts, making up both the DMC's V6 engine and the transmission. Despite tuning, it took 9.5 seconds to hit 60 mph, despite looking much more aggressive.
The bespoke engine was subject to mechanical downfalls like overheating and a sticking throttle. Its stainless steel body (no paint needed) and its gullwing doors impressed but the doors required gas-charged aerospace struts and complex torsion bars, a bit excessive just for entry. But its looks make it one of the most prominent classic cars.
This marvel-that-could was the brainchild of former GM president John DeLorean, the man, you might want to know, behind the Pontiac GTO. When he left GM to start the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC), financial struggles found him trying to sell cocaine to finance his car company. It doesn’t get more ‘80s than that, except for, maybe, that epic movie the DeLorean starred in.
8 McLaren GT - Disappointing For A McLaren
The 2022 McLaren 570S has many problems. In models from 2015 to 2022, things like car alarm triggering and technical glitches while playing the radio are common. But even more serious issues exist. CV joints are prone to early corrosion and can get damaged. Yes, that means your front axle might break.
One expects exotic breeds like the McLaren, strapped with ridiculous price tags, to operate flawlessly. In this case, it’s a rip off. Something like TPMS issues, requiring the sensor to be replaced, it’s not a big deal. The point is, the car should’ve been made better, especially since it wound up with some serious issues.
The brakes, for instance, which are vital in a high-speed supercar, have been missing a bolt that ensures brake fluid gets to the calipers, bad news for the brakes. Oil leaks from the clutch and transmission casing have been discovered. Running at high heats exasperates these issues.
And there’s more. Quite a few, like a rattling suspension, water pump failure, and faulty airbags. These are problems no one wants, especially after paying a half million dollars.
7 Range Rover - Not That Durable
Range Rovers are so swanky and so tank-like, it’s impossible to believe one of these beautiful beasts is not a reliable vehicle. But that is exactly the case. From cheap craftsmanship to engine problems, owning a Range Rover is not as glam as it looks.
Some issues are serious. There is a high pressure fuel pump that, in 2017 models, was recalled. When this fails, a fuel leak is the best outcome, because high-pressure tank leaks can cause an explosion and catch fire under the hood. That's a bad day because the explosion can destroy vital engine components.
The water pump tends to leak at 100,000 miles and the CV boots are prone to damage. Those can be replaced, but axles in a Range Rover should be more durable.
Another vital recall, affecting 2019s, affects the crankshaft. A damaged bolt pulls the pulley out of place, and, left unchecked, there will be serious damage.
It has air suspension, making the Range Rover a cushy ride. That’s great until the air compressor in the suspension fails. Then it's back to the shop, in dire need of repair work. This massive SUV is known to have steering issues, another problem.
6 Maserati Ghibli - Worst In Class
Every luxury sedan out there is better than the Maserati Ghibli. Mercedes, BMW, Audi, all of them are remarkably better than this unfortunate example of Italian engineering. To wit, Consumer Reports ranked the Maserati Ghibli 17th out of 17 luxury cars, dead last. It doesn't deserve its Maserati badge.
Overall, this car is cheaply put together. The 2014 and 2015 model lack basic driver assist and cameras. There are no blind spot cameras. All it has is the backup camera, the same as any car.
On the upside, it handles great and is fun to drive. But priced at $80,000 the package doesn’t make sense. It has a mediocre infotainment system, Dodge Dart-grade buttons and levers, and average upholstery. At the end of the day, the proof is in the pudding. With a last-place rank by Consumer Reports, and the fact that the price plummeted to $30,000 by 2018, that's all you need to know. The car's depreciation shows the value of this hapless luxury model festooned with a grand trident.
5 Ferrari F430 - Transmission
The Ferrari F430 is stunning to drive and aggressive enough to be a stallion of the stables of Maranello. Some complain its front end lacks the aggressive mien of its 4.3-liter V8 483-hp, engine, but for pure driving experience, it has it all.
After owning this 2005 to 2009 supercar for a while, however, one will regret buying the Italian badge. It starts with the transmission. Transmission failure is where ownership ends for many. But it doesn’t get better. A failed engine mount is another shortcoming to possibly confront.
To wrap it up, design flaws in the exhaust manifold cause cracking in the manifold due to extreme engine heat. Rattling is a symptom. If it doesn’t get repaired soon, a cracked manifold can lead to engine failure. Game over.
4 Porsche 996 Carrera - Mechanical Problems
In general, the Porsche badge stands for zero regrets. This falls apart at the 996. The 1997 to 2006 model, though built on a 911 chassis, does not stand up. The 996 is also called a Carrera 4, and it drives like a Porsche. Style and design flaws are one disappointment with this car, like plastic-molded features in the interior.
Problems escalate quickly when it gets to the Intermediate Shaft (IMS). IMS refers to bearing issues inside the engine, the part where the crankshaft is moving. If IMS failure happens, catastrophic engine failure is the likely outcome. And it can happen after just 3,000 miles.
3 Aston Martin DB7 - Sketchy Handling
Aston Martin has earned a longtime standing for elegance and class, widely admired by many. The status, in large part, is because of its steering wheel landed in the hands of Bond, James Bond, in 007 movies. It’s a stupendous English make, save for this model. The DB7 looks more like a sell-out spy car, instead of a performance car worthy of secret agent action cinema.
Recent years have found the DB7 embroiled in reliability concerns. A broken rear radius arm can cause vibrating with high speed driving creating clunking noises. These problems were reported in the 1994 to 2004 years of the DB7.
2 Fisker Karma - Multiple Recalls
Fisker Karma had a lot of excitement and a wealthy celebrity behind it, but the electric car maker did not come up on top. Design and production issues proved to be the demise of this car's upward momentum.
The Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid was the first of its kind and the technology of the Karma wowed many. With Leonardo DiCaprio behind it, and other big financial backing, the Karma shined like a star.
Then came the problems. The NHTSA recalled 239 vehicles for serious coolant tank risks. Namely, if a leak from the tank got into the battery compartment, a fire could light up the EV. Four more NHTSA recalls followed. With a starting price of $87,900, people began to regret buying this electric dream car.
1 Bugatti Veyron - Ridiculous To Maintain
The Bugatti Veyron is a hypercar from France with an appetite for speed, and an even bigger appetite for fuel. It’s a 1,200 horsepower machine that is engineered with aerospace parts to withstand its tremendous power and speeds.
But, not everything is great about the fantastic Bugatti. Aluminum panels on the 2016 model had to be recalled after it was discovered that they were corroding. A fuel tank gauge might not show the car near empty. And, get this. At top speed, the Bugatti Veyron will run out of gas in 19 minutes. It’s an important gauge.
To change the oil, 16 plugs need to drain, compared with one in a normal car. Maintenance for a Bugatti runs the owner $50,000 per year. A fraction of the $3 million price tag. But driving it is priceless. One well known Bugatti owner, Manny Khoshbin, compared the experience of driving a Bugatti to “a private jet on wheels.”