What’s a car that gets praised for being super reliable but for you it’s the complete opposite?
Posted by BigSnackStove@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 437 comments
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xrod1992@reddit
The B48/58 are great engines but I agree with you that people think they’re so reliable but they have like 40k miles on their car. The plastic cooling system components love to get brittle and start leaking over time and repairs can be costly. Sure they’re better than the N54/55/20 but is that really a high bar to begin with haha
Gone420@reddit
I feel like this is a common thing in this subreddit. People with less than 5 year old cars with less than 75k miles on it saying “this make and model is so reliable!”
Like I would sure as hell hope you can make it to 75k miles without the motor blowing up… come back to me when it’s got 150k miles on it and let’s talk then.
lowstrife@reddit
I have 200,000 miles on my 1UZ.
Other than the timing belt kits, spark plugs and some hoses, it's still using all original components that were built 30 years ago. All gaskets, all pumps, all manifolds, all motors. All original. It doesn't leak or burn a single drop of oil. None, zero.
I think now, finally, after all this time, the power steering pump is finally coming to the end. As the more or less only known weak point of those engines.
TP_Crisis_2020@reddit
Just under 300k on my all original 1uz. Had to replace the coils and have gone through three "remanufactured" engine computers, but otherwise with routine maintenance the thing still purrs so smooth that you can't even tell it's running!
tugtugtugtug4@reddit
Depending on the years we're talking about the B58 produces 20 to 200 more HP than the 1UZ and about 50% more torque and does so while returning nearly double the fuel economy.
If you want a reliable engine that will last a lifetime, the 1UZ and other engines like it are terrific. But, its completely disingenuous to act like every engine is fungible and we should expect the same reliability from all engines. A B58 car will blow the doors off anything with a 1UZ (at least one stock enough to be more reliable than a B58) in performance. The engines have different missions.
lowstrife@reddit
Correct about the power, one is heavily turbocharged, wrong about the fuel economy lol. In a comparable 5 series the highway economy isn't that much better, and a ton of the city gains are due to modern vastly improved transmissions compared to what the 1UZ had deployed.
And at the end of the day they are also made in different eras, and all of the tweaks I talk about are made. And the B58 is a crazy platform which can be built on to like 500 horsepower. It's an incredible achievement. And don't really use the power excuse as a reason for why the engine should be unreliable. Toyota's 2UR, which is the modern evolution, is enormously more reliable than any engine BMW has made in decades. And it makes the same horsepower.
tugtugtugtug4@reddit
Well that's not totally fair. Yes a modern engine making it to 75k or even 150k miles without major failures is not all that impressive. But, the B58 isn't just the powerplant for a Japanese appliance car that will be poked around by people who see driving as a chore. Its a 300+ HP performance motor that also happens to get 30+ mpg in many applications.
An engine producing that kind of specific output with design that complex being reliable enough for people to move the goalposts to 150k miles is a feat. There are basically no engines pushing 300+ HP from the mid 2000s and before that could regularly reach even 75,000 miles without needing substantial preventative maintenance (or repairs for failures).
Yes, the B58 is not as reliable as some Toyota engines where the primary design goal was reliability, but it does things those engines could never (and were never designed to) do.
Granddy01@reddit
C5 and C6 Vettes pulled that mileage on manuals while having more power and far easier powerplant to work on (unless the clutch and the inner tube wears out then it actually fucking sucks to switch out)
Account14159@reddit
Yes, which is why specific output was mentioned as factor in this conversation. It makes sense that a massive engine with a comparatively simple valve train makes a given amount of power more reliably than a much smaller engine that needs complex technology and engineering to be able to produce the same amount of power.
The bigger engine is not being pushed at all. It damn well better be more reliable.
Gone420@reddit
A logical person. Thank you.
nitrion@reddit
Hehe.. people talk about reliability when my 15 year old Toyota Avalon is at 199k miles and still runs like the day she was new. Literally zero issues aside from an exhaust leak (which seems to be common on 2GR V6 engines)
Phill_is_Legend@reddit
Lots of this in the model specific subs too coming from laymen with no technical knowledge of cars. "Got 40k on my Atlas with no issues!" Yeah I fucking hope so Jessica...
Fogbot3@reddit
Going to the Maverick subreddit is part of what made me start looking at other cars while I was on the 3 month wait-list for one:
"Its the most reliable Ford I've ever owned by miles... 15k and no issues so far!"
Fogbot3@reddit
Yeah those people are ridiculous! Meanwhile my 25 CRV has been perfect /s (... Ignore the complete rebuild of the rear axle after I busted it offroading a CRV like an impatient idiot, definitely would have and should have gotten a passport with the abuse I put this thing through ...)
3Mtibor@reddit
You should see the 991 GT3 community. I will forever be mad at the bs marketing and narratives around an engine design that is fundamentally unreliable. I’m lucky to have never had problems, but there’s people on their third engine at under 25k, and it’s not a crazy outlier as very few GT3s get any real miles put on them.
WhipTheLlama@reddit
Porsche makes reliable engines, but the further they push them to deliver more power, the less reliable they are. The GT cars are pushed too hard.
I miss NA cars. They are so much more reliable.
3Mtibor@reddit
My theory is that Porsche knows their customer market and how they drive so they don’t expend the R&D necessary to develop ultra reliable engines for their GT cars.
roman_maverik@reddit
Less of a theory and more marketing strategy 101. Of course they’re doing that!
My coworker drives an Alfa Guilia, and the amount of other Guilia owners who brag about the service prices and how much they pay is way too high. They actually like the flex.
I’m sure the GT3 owners are on another level
Tylerama1@reddit
Imagine thinking that haemorrhaging money to anyone is a flex. Wild.
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hi_im_bored13@reddit
… the gt cars are na though? and the 991.2 and later are perfectly fine, it’s just the 991 that is fundamentally flawed
tugtugtugtug4@reddit
The GT3 is intended to be a street legal race car. They also cost as much on the open market as a house. Porsche probably rightly assumed that sacrificing reliability for performance was justified given the expectations for the car's performance and the deep pockets of their owners.
If people overextended themselves on a GT3 assuming they could daily it and put 10k miles a year on it with no maintenance like a normal car, that's just foolish.
gimpwiz@reddit
I thought those were stout. Damn. What are the issues?
TheChickenScampi@reddit
The 991.1 GT3's engine was under risk of fire due to loosened connecting rod screw joints that caused some engines to combust. The updated 4.0L Flat 6 is more robust and revs to 9,000 RPMs as opposed to the outgoing engine at 8,500. Many 4.0L upgraded GT3 engines are built with a bore increased to 105.40mm from 100.00mm or 102.70mm depending if the base engine was a 3.6L or 3.8L. There were also other heavy changes that revised the engine for the better. Many of the 4.0L Flat 6 have seen tens of thousands of track and hard driven miles without a bead of sweat.
kilroy-was-here-2543@reddit
I think this comes from the remaining cultural belief that cars are only good for 60 or 70 thousand miles before they need to be replaced. After all for the majority of the existence of cars they only came with 5 digit odometers. If a car made it to 100,000 miles it was pretty reliable.
That’s why people get new cars so often
Tylerama1@reddit
1998 VW Golf about to tick over 198k. Regular servicing and oil and other fluid changes is what's needed
franksandbeans911@reddit
Besides the other obvious reason people get new cars so often...the price of new cars keeps going up, so leasing often makes more sense. Shuck over a grand a month on a purchase or $550 per month for 3 years on a car with full warranty and probably all the oil changes you'll need during ownership included. That 3 years expires, go get another 3 year sign and drive right away, start over again. It's the most worry-free experience you can have with a depreciating asset like a car but you're also on a permanent rotating payment schedule for a very long time, and you (usually) have zero equity when the lease expires.
KanterBama@reddit
This has nothing to do with what you’re saying, but I just cannot imagine being on lease cycles. The only time I would ever lease a car is if I wanted to buy it after the lease to reap the benefits of a lower purchase price.
But just permanently throwing away $550 every month for the rest of your life?! And here I was thinking I was wasteful opting for the circuit edition GRC just so I could say “I have a Corolla with a carbon roof.”
tugtugtugtug4@reddit
This seems like a misunderstanding of how leases and auto ownership work.
When you buy a car you don't own an asset worth what you paid. You own a car worth (generally) 10% less than what it was before you signed on the dotted line. And it only goes down from there. After 3 years (a typical lease term), many cars have depreciated by 1/3 with some brands closer to 1/2.
If you got a well-priced lease the payments you make in those 3 years should be about the same as the depreciation you'd have experienced if you owned it.
The appeal of a lease is you hedge against depreciation. If the car depreciates like a rock, you won't lose a ton of money and can walk away. This is why something like 90% of EVs are leases now for many OEMs. They are depreciating like rocks and and tech is evolving so fast that in 3 years an EV might be near worthless.
If you keep cars for more than 3 years, a lease rarely ever makes sense. Likewise, some brands, like Porsche, rarely price their leases competitively. Finally, if you're buying a Lexus or some other model known for not depreciating, leases rarely come out ahead on those (but with the right residual they still can).
KanterBama@reddit
Nothing in your comment negates my statement that you’re signing on to a permanent payment cycle. I don’t care if you’re “beating depreciation” when I haven’t made a payment on a car in 6 years.
That useless payment for the rest of your life could have gone into actual appreciating assets, but hey, perpetual payments to “beat depreciation” sure sounds like a valid financial plan when you spin the thread like you do.
guy_incognito784@reddit
I like getting new cars fairly often so a while ago I figured leasing would be for me.
Turns out 3 years isn't really enough time and was kind of annoying.
They work for a lot of people but yeah wasn't really for me.
franksandbeans911@reddit
You will own nothing and be happy, something about ze bugs too. :) Leasing doesn't make sense for everybody but it is a popular option.
Johns-schlong@reddit
People make a lot of dumb financial decisions, but for a personal vehicle leasing is by far the dumbest.
franksandbeans911@reddit
The subtle undercurrent here is that people probably mainly lease BMW's so they're only paying off depreciation and never put enough miles on it to watch it implode, one plastic engine part at a time.
tugtugtugtug4@reddit
People got new cars so often because a middle class income in the 60's through the early 2000's was plenty to buy a new car every 3-4 years.
Cars now are comparatively far more expensive because they have either tracked or exceeded inflation, but middle class wages in the US have not come even remotely close to matching inflation. That's why financing was 24 months on most new cars in 1995 and is closing in on 84 months in 2025.
bummerbimmer@reddit
I found the new owner of my old M240i on Reddit. He’s going an awesome job taking care of the car, and I’m so happy to see it found a loving owner.
I did come across a post where he said his gen 1 B58 is coming close to 100k miles and has been bulletproof. He said his mechanic signed off a totally clean bill of health.
I can’t remember if I ever told him the valve cover needed 2 replacements (failed PCV), which also took out valvetronic system (full replacement) and spark plugs under warranty. All around 50k miles.
Gone420@reddit
That’s cool and all. But again, I would hope any car built in the last 20 years could make it to 100k miles. It’s sad that our baseline for reliability is so low.
ICantDecideIt@reddit
This is so true. I also think people put so much emphasis on the physical engine and ignore the rest of the car.
Gone420@reddit
Arguably engine and transmission are the biggest expenses on a car so yes, they get the most attention and should be the most dependable part of the car.
The new era of “computer everything” is giving it a run for its money tho. Especially Dodge/Ram/Jeep with their buggy ass infotainment stuff.
ICantDecideIt@reddit
True, but if an engine is good for 200k plus miles but the rest of the car is constantly falling apart. It’s really not a reliable car.
bummerbimmer@reddit
I’m not sure if you read the third paragraph in my message
Gone420@reddit
I’m sorry what about the third paragraph proved its reliability?? You had to do a valve cover TWICE with 50k miles on it. Again, show me the bmw with 150k+ miles on it still running like a champ that hasn’t been fully rebuilt. I could care less if a car hits 100k miles. That should be the BARE MINIMUM unless we’re talking rare exotics that are “investments.”
If you want to explain to me how that third paragraph was supposed to confirm its reliability I’ll get some popcorn cooking.
Plus_Aura@reddit
I had a E46 325i manual trans with 325k miles on it before my brother welded the diff and turned it into a drift missile and blew it up after a couple months. OEM clutch and everything on it. Bought it off a old guy when it had 200k miles on it for $1800.
It's not hard to make these cars last. It's just Americans can't afford maintenance on a Euro car generally, or just general ignorance, like yourself for example
Gone420@reddit
Cool that’s one example of someone who took good care of their car. I’m proud of you. On a broad generalization tho, you NEED to do proper maintence on these engines or they blow up. Meanwhile accords and corollas are out rolling 20k past oil changes without batting an eye. You have a sample size of one and you want to talk to me about ignorance buddy
Plus_Aura@reddit
You're comparing a economy engines with mediocre fuel economy, that makes very little power compared to a BMW motor.
Oil in a BMW is worked harder than in a Corolla engine. Having a car go 20k past oil changes isn't something to be proud of lmao
What you save in skipping oil changes(weird flex) I get back in better fuel economy, and having a car that drives well.
Secondly, I know MANY BMW motors that go past 150k without a rebuilt. I've owned several, I see them on forums all the time.
It's not special to break 150k miles on a stock BMW motor. It was such a silly thing to say, so I had to tell you that you're just ignorant and don't actually know BMWs like you think you do lol
Btw, Toyota uses a BMW motor for their Supra Mk.5 because, well....Toyota knows no one makes a better inline 6 than BMW. Maybe you know something Toyota doesn't? 😂
Gone420@reddit
You are very dense. Common BMW owner trait I guess. I got nothing to argue with you because you’ve misread it all so far… don’t forget to change your blinker fluid bud
Plus_Aura@reddit
Did you call Toyota to tell them they're dense for using a BMW motor?
Or is that why you don't wanna argue anymore?
Gone420@reddit
Brother you still going?
Let me break this down. Your BMW (and your few forum buddies) have followed a strict maintenance schedule and survived 300k+ miles. Do you know how many other cars have the same type of forums with a few high mileage survivors that have had great maintenance records by people who care for their cars? A lot. Does that mean your car is inherently reliable? No.
You said it yourself, your brother blew it up in a few months lol.
Now we take accords and corollas driven by ignorant people who miss their service intervals and do nothing but barebones oil changes every 10k+ miles and what do we get? Engines that are inherently reliable and can be mismanaged and still survive 200k+ miles.
Do you see what I’m saying yet?
I’m sure BMW makes some good engines. Like you’ve said, they’ve done everything from the Supra to the McLaren F1. But you can’t sit here and say “I followed a strict maintenance schedule and took great care of my car so obviously my car is inherently reliable”. You have a sample size of one (or a handful if you count your forum buddies).
When I think of a reliable car/engine I’m thinking “what can I go buy with 120k miles on it and still drive it for 120k more without any concern.”
If I’m going to buy a used BMW, I better have the previous owners full service records and carfax report to make sure it’s been maintained correctly, right?
If I’m buying a used Accord with 100k on it, I could give a fuck less what the previous owner has done to it because it’s gonna run forever regardless, right?
These are not the same…. Do you get it yet?
Plus_Aura@reddit
My broski, you said:
Unless you think oil changes constitutes as a complete engine rebuild, then you and I can just say that it was a silly claim to make.
A B58 or B48 engined Supra requires more maintenance than a typical Toyota, but that doesn't make it unreliable. It means performance requires more maintenance.
If you don't maintain it, then it becomes unreliable and that fault lies on the owner.
If you maintain it, AND it still blows up, then that's the cars fault.
Rolexs require more maintenance than a digital watch, but which would you rather have?
Gone420@reddit
I am still very confused what you are trying to argue..??
I’m over here talking about inherently reliable engines that can get beat on and last to 250k miles no matter what.
You’re still over here talking about “performance requires maintence”.
We aren’t in the same ball park my guy. What are you trying to prove here?
Plus_Aura@reddit
I'll make it simple for you:
This, this is flat out wrong. And you should feel bad mmkay?
guy_incognito784@reddit
If you're stupid, which you appear to be, then yes you wouldn't give a fuck less to do any sort of due diligence when buying a used car with high miles.
guy_incognito784@reddit
Yeah that's why instead of buying that 911 GT3RS that I got an allocation for, I cancelled it and figured buying the Corolla LE was a no-brainer.
Gone420@reddit
Smart move! Not everyone buys a car for reliability tho. Some people want to have fun in their cars. Those people who want to have fun obviously would’ve taken their GT3 allocation. But since you’re a lower middle class family man who needed something reliable to daily drive it makes sense you when with the Corolla. Good choice
guy_incognito784@reddit
I wish.
3Stripescyn@reddit
You don’t have to be disrespectful just because you can’t read
guy_incognito784@reddit
They also don't understand irony.
Decrying others for using anecdotes while backing up his own claim using his own personal experience.
bummerbimmer@reddit
He also was prepping his popcorn for my response, then disappeared. Guess he’s not hungry any more.
bummerbimmer@reddit
I was making the opposite point. The new owner is praising reliability while not realizing it had a failure early in its life.
snubda@reddit
We’ve got Toyotas lasting to 100k with no oil changes on original brakes and act like a well maintained BMW getting to 100k on a full maintenance schedule is an accomplishment 😂
Oh_ffs_seriously@reddit
Meanwhile, my Civic falls apart at 55k miles as if it has been driven by Buster Keaton.
roman_maverik@reddit
You should really look at listing it on BaT because that’s like 1/1 limited edition right there.
Gone420@reddit
My point exactly. My 16 Camry has 145k on it with nothing but regular oil changes and spark plugs a long time ago. Doesn’t leak a drop of anything and hasn’t thrown a code in 4 years. Will probably run for another 200k miles and were over here saying stuff hitting 100k should be deemed reliable. Lmaoo come on.
guy_incognito784@reddit
I'm just happy the broke ass with the piece of shit Camry is able to gatekeep what is defined as reliable.
If a car doesn't break in the time you own it, it's reliable. You expect someone who owned a car for 5 years, put 50K miles on it with no issues to describe their ownership experience as unreliable?
Gone420@reddit
So you think a car that’s five years old with 50k miles and no issues should be called reliable? I call that the manufacturer doing their job. You have a warranty because the maker claims their engine should last 5 years and 50k miles. Anything less they cover because it shouldn’t break in that time.
I don’t see how I’m gatekeeping reliability here. I simply said any car made in the last 20 years should make it to 100k miles. Above that is where reliability is earned imo.
guy_incognito784@reddit
I mean they should I agree, Stellantis, Jaguar/Land Rover would disagree with you though.
Plus reliability includes having the electronics last for 100K miles, those may also have issues. Various sensors failing are somewhat common. The powertrain may be fine with basic maintenance but there's also the chance in modern cars where you have pricey repairs due to modules and the like failing.
Gone420@reddit
And I call all Stellantis/Jaguar stuff junk for that reason lmao.
Most of the discussion has been about engines so I haven’t even gone to the rest of it (except for the Ford people on the other comment). But yes, as far as whole car reliability, the rest of that is included and definitely doesn’t help stellantis out any lol.
xaviernoodlebrain@reddit
Meanwhile I'm out here with barely 30000 miles of owning my Punto and am on my third set of brake discs and pads.
Bassracerx@reddit
Longer drives. Also how you stop matters a lot. If you gradually slow down and do a “limo stop” where you slow down so gradually it does not disturb anything inside the car your brakes will last longer. Also Stop and go driving in heavy traffic is going to wear your brakes faster.
knowledgeable_diablo@reddit
Is 280,000k’s on my BRZ engine of sufficient time frame to warrant people dropping the whole “Subi flat fours are shit and blow up constantly!”??
gv92@reddit
Don't forget the last second thrown in "if you do maintenance on it on time" where maintenance is replacing every moving part each 10,000 miles.
Eric--V@reddit
I’ve neglected my owner-since-new ‘07 Accord for 270k miles. I can’t make it die…and I hate the thing.
airwalker12@reddit
As a Tacoma owner - you gotta bump those numbers up, those are rookie numbers.
(In case it's not obvious I'm just making a stupid joke and not trying to be an ass)
ZannX@reddit
Just a human thing. We can't all have hundreds of thousands of miles of ownership experience across a large sample of cars. So we're all just working with our own anecdotal experience.
guy_incognito784@reddit
It's also important to note that most new BMW owners lease their cars so they've only got it for three years.
Our X3 is almost 10 years old and has over 80K miles, I'm just waiting for the plastic components to finally give.
Gone420@reddit
Wow 80k miles!!! I didn’t know cars last that long!!!
guy_incognito784@reddit
Not sure what warranted the sarcasm but ok dude who's experience with cars likely comes from video games lol.
Specialist-Size9368@reddit
You get the flipside of that. Cars that are bulletproof because the first 75k miles were spent replacing the crap that fails.
Tangerine319@reddit
The plastic engine components thing bothers me because it’s been an issue for such a long time and they just don’t care.
Years ago I had a beautiful E39 manual wagon, but the thing was a shop queen. Every couple months something would go wrong requiring $3k worth of work. Many related to plastic engine components that leaked. After a while I realized it wasn’t even fun to drive enough to justify the money I was throwing at it.
franksandbeans911@reddit
After watching Sretan of M539 Restorations fame tearing down so many BMW engines, it stuns me just how much plastic they put in a hostile environment like a hot engine. It's worse with their turbo V8 models that are in a hot V configuration, lots of stuff get jammed in the top alongside the turbo just waiting to get cooked over time.
The sheer amount of plastic parts internally are practically planned obsolescence. It's pretty pathetic.
dagelijksestijl@reddit
Honestly, it’s insane to me that the Germans build reasonably solid blocks only to put the cheapest possible plastic in the spots that are worst accessible.
franksandbeans911@reddit
And putting plastic in high temperature, high stress areas. Where they will get brittle and fail earlier. It's like they have a mandate to have 10% plastic engines and no limit to where it can be used. Does everything inside an engine need to be iron? Nah, you can use alloys instead but plastic parts are time bombs. Even timing chain guides.
dagelijksestijl@reddit
The worst offender being that Audi atrocity where the timing chain guides had to be replaced on a timing belt schedule, defeating the entire purpose of a chain
franksandbeans911@reddit
Believe it or not I think Maserati/Ferrari did it worse on a Maserati twin turbo.
zapb42@reddit
Can confirm, B48 (I guess technically B46) here and I had more thousands of dollars of work into the cooling system than I care to think about at around 96k miles. But I have pretty much an entirely new (primary) cooling system now except the radiator, so I got that going for me. About to roll over 100k.
xrod1992@reddit
I had the same car as you, 2017 BMW 330i xDrive Wagon with the B46. Got it with higher miles as I thought the engine was super reliable and should give no issues. Just a few weeks after purchasing had coolant on the floor and the reservoir for the manifold was low. These cars have a split cooling system, one for the block and the other for the manifold. Guess my manifold went bad which is a costly repair. Ended up selling the car pretty quickly.
New_Inside3001@reddit
N54 unreliability rep stems from shit injectors and hoof from launch
If those didn’t shit the bucket so quickly it would have the same reliability as n55 and b58 long term.. which really just means poor one because plastic brakes in general with heat cycles and age
382hp@reddit
hahaha. my favorite comments are "30k miles. no problems whatsoever" like bro a CVT Nissan holds up under that bar as well??
graytotoro@reddit
I’ve toyed with buying a CPO 330i but the prospect of even basic maintenance on it is a turn-off.
The drain & fill part of the oil change procedure is fine and dandy and actually pretty well thought out, but it lost me when you need to go into diagnostic mode to reset the reminder and can only check the level on the infotainment. Then there’s the cooling system issues you mentioned too.
guy_incognito784@reddit
The former isn't bad and pretty easy to do. The latter yes is weird.
Przedrzag@reddit
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of the B48 or B58 described as reliable, tbh
Vhozite@reddit
“The B58 is one of the most reliable engines on the market Toyota even uses it in the Supra” or some variation thereof is a common sentiment I see on this sub all the time
Idk one way or another but I feel like it’s borderline a meme at this point. Bonus if they also say it can make 1000HP on stock internals lol
DetectiveNarrow@reddit
I’m saying, I’ll trust a B58 when there’s 15+ years old
birdseye-maple@reddit
You hear about a lot of water pumps being replaced around 60K, so the usual BMW issues.
Schiissdraeck@reddit
2023 Toyota Hilux "Invincible". We own it since new and had already two major issues under warranty, each needed mutiple visits @ Toyota to be fixed. FML
su1ac0@reddit
This isn't my own experience but observations from people I know: Every single ecoboost owner I've ever known had catastrophic engine/turbo issues that forced them to ditch the car/truck. Off the top of my head that's only like 5 people, but it's not an insignificant data point. Models were all V6 ecoboost: Flex, Expedition, 2x Raptor, Explorer.
kimbabs@reddit
Does that extend to the 4 cylinder ecoboosts?
Never heard of engine issues with the 1.6 or 2.3 (except in the Focus RS).
IcyVitae@reddit
I had a 2.0 eco boost focus st as my first car. Engine was dead reliable and never gave me problems. Heavily modded and constantly redlined it. Hit the track on it when I lived in California. Sold it last August to get a bigger car to replace it and talk to the owner of it now here and there dude says the car is perfect and running amazing.
Gone420@reddit
Ford does not make a reliable engine other than the 5.0 V8.
FitConclusion2149@reddit
Not true. The i4 2.5l duratec and the gen2 2.7l v6 ecoboost would like to have a word.
Gwolf4@reddit
Duratec 4 cyl is mazda's design with ford's fundings.
yobo9193@reddit
Wait until you learn who designed the Duratec 4-cylinders.
Hint: the 2.5 is a common swap into the NC Miata
FitConclusion2149@reddit
Oh yeah, originally developed by mazda back when they were under the Ford umbrella. There were a few variations. Ford took the design, tweaked it a smidge, and tooled it up.
yobo9193@reddit
So then it’s not a Ford engine; meaning they only have one decent engine in their entire lineup, and even that has issues (see Ford bronco)
FitConclusion2149@reddit
But it is.
From the wiki article: "It was co-developed with Ford, who owned a controlling stake in Mazda at the time. Ford uses it as their 1.8 L to 2.5 L Duratec world engine and holds a license to develop engines based on the L-series in perpetuity."
And
"Ford has developed an Atkinson cycle variant of the Mazda L5 engine for use in the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid and Ford Maverick Hybrid vehicles.[citation needed] They also used this variant under the Duratec engine family name in the 2010-2019 Ford Fusion. This engine was named one of Ward's 10 Best Engines for 2010. Fuel saving features include adaptive knock control and aggressive deceleration fuel cutoff."
So Ford owns the design rights because of the old partnership with Mazda, has since modified the 2.5l design by adding atkinson cycle to it, builds the engine at a Ford plant, and puts it into Ford cars.
"If it quacks like a duck it's probably a duck."
Gone420@reddit
See my other comments about the transmission paired with the i4’s.
As for the 2.7L v6. My only experience with those is F-150s. And not a single person I know wants a tiny ass 2.7L in their full sized pickup truck. We’ve had a couple on the lot for sale in the past and Ford dealers wouldn’t even offer us a wholesale number for them because no one wants to buy em. That just sounds like a recipe for a stressed out short lifespan engine.
velociraptorfarmer@reddit
I loved the 2.7L I had in my old truck. It was the only part of that truck that I liked and didn't give me problems though.
SwiftCEO@reddit
How have you been liking the Frontier? I’ve been considering buying one.
velociraptorfarmer@reddit
Absolutely love it. For everyone who complains about wanting an old school analog truck with some modern creature comforts, it fits the bill to a tee.
Hauled 1000lbs of rock with it 3 times last week, then took it offroading on a baja trail through the national park last weekend. And then comfortably drive it to work every day.
SwiftCEO@reddit
The 2.7 is the base engine so I’m not entirely surprised it gets looked over. If you go read on the owner forums, the engine seems to put out more than enough power (more than the 3.3 it replaced) and it’s over engineered to handle it. You frequently see 2.7s with over 200k miles. My point being that sales numbers don’t necessarily reflect reliability.
Rbkelley1@reddit
I had the 2.7 in mine and it was quick when the turbos spooled up. It was more than enough to pull my boat and haul everything I needed. I think people just don’t get them because truck guys don’t want that small of an engine even though it’s all 90% of them will need. Plus getting almost 25 mpg in a full sized truck is awesome.
Gone420@reddit
I’ll give you that one. I did drive the one we had and it has fun turbo noises but since I work in the wholesale world, I tend to factor desirability into the equation. I haven’t personally seen any 2.7L over even 150k miles so I’ll just have to wait and see
markeydarkey2@reddit
Displacement doesn't mean what it used to when you have BOOST. 325hp/400lb-ft is completely adequate for 5300lbs; "Stand on the gas, and the 2.7 will scoot this Crew Cab truck to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds."
theknyte@reddit
I have 220k+ miles on my 1.6L, and never had any issues with it. Most reliable engine I've ever owned in a car. And, I've owned Toyotas and Hondas in the past.
Gone420@reddit
My experience with the 1.6L is limited. They may be good engines but I won’t buy any focus, escape or anything else that motor is in because Ford also can’t make a good transmission and those CVTs are notorious for shuddering.
Canadian_Primus@reddit
What year focus had a CVT?
Gone420@reddit
I’m thinking of 2012-present focus. No idea what the tranny actually is and it may not be a CVT. But most of those small economy cars have CVT’s so I’m assuming focus’s have em too. Whatever tranny it is, it’s crap lmao.
Canadian_Primus@reddit
It's available with either a Dual Clutch(DCT) or a standard automatic Transmission for autos.
The dual clutch is absolute trash and has had at least one class action lawsuit against it.
Gone420@reddit
Probably the DCT then. I won’t buy anything from Ford other than 5.0 F-150s and 5.0 Mustangs because either the motor or tranny is gonna be cooked
Realpotato76@reddit
Fiesta ST had the 1.6L with a manual six-speed Getrag
theknyte@reddit
You're thinking of the DCT used in the Focus and Fiesta. Yeah, I have one of those as well. Also, at the same mileage. It's never slipped or shuttered once, and works fine. Either I got a Unicorn, or the issue was blown up bigger than it actually was.
bimmervschevy@reddit
How often do you change the trans. fluid? Does it see mostly highway driving? I’ve got a DCT Focus as well and I want it to make it to at least 150k without the clutches killing themselves.
theknyte@reddit
I've done it twice. Once when I got it at 40K. And, again when it hit about 150K. The manual says every 90K, but I feel the less I mess with the DCT, the less likely problems will arise.
Like if you do a professional pressurized flush of your transmission system, there's a good chance you might dislodge debris and end up gumming things up that were fine before.
Gone420@reddit
You have a unicorn then. This is a very common problem. Escapes and focus’s I know are most common for em.
BasedLelouch_@reddit
The 6r80 is a good transmission
Gone420@reddit
Brother…. That’s the truck transmission…we’ve been over the trucks already. 5.0 is good reliable truck we know. But they paired that tranny with an ecoboost in the expeditions and the motor sucks.
So again I stand by my original statement that a 5.0 F-150, a 5.0 Mustang and the silly manual fiesta ST are apparently the only fully reliable MOTOR AND TRANNY TOGETHER vehicles ford makes.
SykoFI-RE@reddit
The price of the warranties from Ford for those vehicles would suggest otherwise. You can buy an 8 year/200k mile warranty from Granger Ford for like $3,000 on pretty much any Ford. (Granger Ford claims they sell them at $50 over cost) There’s no way Ford is losing money on those warranties and even at wholesale prices for repairs, $3,000 does not cover much on modern cars.
The 3.5l is the most common engine in the F-150 and by extension one of the best selling engines. You seeing lots of failures != statistically high failures.
Gone420@reddit
The 3.5L V6 from Honda, Toyota and Nissan are all far superior for the same displacement and cylinders for the last 15 years ford has been making the ecoboost. Each of those manufactures make millions of each of those engines and put them in EVERYTHING. Don’t try to defend the 3.5L ecoboost lmao. It’s terrible we all know it
chaser2410@reddit
The 2.7 eco boost is one of the most reliable trucks you can get right now.
Tundra exploding
Gm can’t even make it out of warranty
Ram has a new i6 unproven.
velociraptorfarmer@reddit
It's pretty much down to the 2.7L Ecoboost and 3.8L VQ from Nissan across all of the 1/4 and 1/2 ton lineups at the moment.
Even the 5.0 has issues with cam phasers.
C_lenczyk@reddit
My VQ37VHR is nearing 200k. That engine is a masterpiece(knock on wood). ‘09 G37s I do all the maintenance work it’s tuned with CAI, down pipes and cat back, CSF radiator among other suspension upgrades. I change the oil religiously. Keep gasket seals, plugs cooling system diff and tranny fluids well maintained and it’s been great. I assume that transmission will eventually go and of course I’m not looking forward to gallery gasket job but some things are unavoidable. Timing chain was done about 100k ago lol
franksandbeans911@reddit
The VQ has a long history and certain variants have won many awards. They're damn good engines. The only nut they couldn't really crack with them was their thirst...so they focused on MoAr GeArS in the transmission. The most pleasant sedan experience was in their 2004 G35's with the 5 speed auto alongside the VQ naturally aspirated. I'm a fan. That transmission would hold fast in 5th gear up and down hills on the highway at 75mph and never downshift...although pulling about 2600rpm.
velociraptorfarmer@reddit
I had an 07 G35 sedan that had the dual intake HR engine with a 7600rpm redline mated to that same 5 speed automatic and very short 3.69 final drive. That thing pulled like a freight train and absolutely screamed. I'd do 3000rpm at 75mph, and it would never downshift.
Very thirsty though, 24mpg highway on premium fuel.
franksandbeans911@reddit
The next gen G37's were a little worse because they lost the 5 speed chasing fuel economy. So we got the best of that time.
BigDiesel07@reddit
Thank God I bought a 2024 F-150 PowerBoost :(
Noobasdfjkl@reddit
Heard great things about the Godzilla motor. There’s a lot with quite a few miles on them now.
I’m pretty sure the Duratec 33 is also a pretty reliable motor.
N0Name117@reddit
The Godzilla motors do seem to have an issue with lifters failing on engines with high idle engine hours. Doesn't seem to transfer to people who drive their vehicles rather than sit in them though. IIRC, the current best explanation for the lifters failing is that the engine lowers the oil pressure when idling.
rockinlock@reddit
the 1.6 Ecoboost is very reliable
GandalfTheNavyBlue@reddit
Mine has been great. 130k miles and probably gonna do the timing belt soon, no issues and I've driven it pretty hard. It feels damn good to finally have a car that just works, compared to my previous cars which left me stranded multiple times (Subaru Impreza 2006 and 1998 Ford Escort).
Gone420@reddit
See my reply to the other guy saying that too
rockinlock@reddit
It's in the Fiesta ST as well, which has a 6-speed manual. Despite being frequently modified and beat on, they are very reliable (both transmission and engine).
Gone420@reddit
So in all of fords vehicles we have arrived at three reliable cars. A Fiesta ST in manual (which is not going to be a big seller because.. well it’s a fiesta…and manual) an F-150 with a 5.0L V8, and a 5.0L Mustang (which is arguably gonna be dogged on as well by most of their owners like the fiesta).
hachi2JZ@reddit
well, for the US market. here in the UK manual Fiestas are common as dirt, vastly outnumbering the DCTs, and to my understanding all of them other than the 1.0 Ecoboosts are perfectly reliable. Same with the Focus.
rockinlock@reddit
to be clear I actually don't even like Ford in general, I was just pointing out that the 1.6 is also a really solid motor
THE_GR8_MIKE@reddit
The only one I've heard people have big issues with is the one you said is fine, the 1.6 lol. Hell, my dad had an Escape with the 1.6 and it gave us problems.
Gone420@reddit
I genuinely think these people have less than 100k miles and just haven’t ran into the issues yet… every normal engine should make it to 100k but a reliable engine is gonna go another 100 without an issue. My whole point here is none of these ecoboosts are getting to 200k without an issue lol
LittleRed_RidingHead@reddit
Don't know if you mean the regular or Ecoboost 1.6L.
1.6L Ecoboost is a good engine, plenty of high-mileage examples, especially in hard-driven cars like the Fiesta ST, and if you read through Dsport's teardown of the 1.6L Ecoboost, it doesn't appear to be poorly constructed.
Gone420@reddit
But it’s paired with a dog shit transmission in all but the manual ST cars. So what good is a reliable engine if your tranny falls out
joe0400@reddit
I have a escape with a 1.5 dragon, it should be a halfway decent engine I think (1.5 3cyl) but don't know till later.
1l fox was a terrible engine. And the v6s are famously bad.
Gone420@reddit
How many miles you have on it? I’m gonna guess less than 80k
joe0400@reddit
90
obiwanshinobi900@reddit
Which is wild because my 6 cyl NA taurus has been bulletproof up to 150k miles so far.
N0Name117@reddit
That’s not true. The 2.7 ecoboost is a fairly solid little motor. I wouldnt say the issues with it are any worse than the 5.0 or other engines.
Likewise, the 6.7 power stroke might be the best had diesel engine at the moment. Only major issue (besides emissions compliance is the cp4 pump which isn’t nearly as bad as it was in the duramax and Cummins.
Gone420@reddit
I have another comment complaining about the 2.7L in F-150s. The only other thing I know those motors are in are mustangs which I expect to be beating to hell before they reach 100k miles so I’m still gonna be hesitant to call it reliable. Show me a 2.7L with 200k+ miles and I may change my mind
N0Name117@reddit
The 2.7 is NOT in the mustang. The mustang has the 2.3 4 cylinder which was also used in the focus RS, Bronco, Ranger, and a few others. From what I’ve gathered the 2.3 works a lot better in small cars but may overheat and be somewhat overstressed when put in a larger truck.
The 2.7 eb v6 has been the most common f150 engine since its introduction in 2015 iirc and really has very few known issues. It’s an overbuilt CGI block and there’s no shortage of f150s with over 200k and the og motor running around today.
chaser2410@reddit
There are literally thousands of 2.7s with over 200k. I genuinely don’t think you know what you’re talking about. The mustang gets the 2.3.
SwiftCEO@reddit
I’d respectfully disagree and say that the 2.7 EB has proven to be fairly reliable. The second gen has had its issues, but the first gen was solid.
Gone420@reddit
See this comment for my opinion of the 2.7L
bearded_dragon_34@reddit
The internal water pump thing is unique to transverse-engine models with the Duratec 3.5, 3.5TT or 3.7, so a Transit, Mustang, Expedition, Navigator or F-150 with a Duratec should be fine.
However…yes to everything else you mentioned. And, on top of that, I think the EcoBoost 3.5TT has a rough idle. The one in my 2021 F-150 Limited certainly did.
Gone420@reddit
I just can’t imagine having a 4 year old truck with a rough idle lol. My sister in law has a three year old palisade and the radiator cracked out of nowhere which is apparently a common problem on those. It’s rough out there
SykoFI-RE@reddit
The price of the warranties from Ford for those vehicles would suggest otherwise. You can buy an 8 year/200k mile warranty from Granger Ford for like $3,000 on pretty much any Ford. (Granger Ford claims they sell them at $50 over cost) There’s no way Ford is losing money on those warranties and even at wholesale prices for repairs, $3,000 does not cover much on modern cars.
TheDirtDude117@reddit
My neighbor has a 2013 F150 Platinum with like 180k and the turbos have been rebuilt and exhaust manifolds replaced twice
My 2014 F150 5.0 has 170k and much less repairs while also getting similar fuel mileage EXCEPT mine does better when towing even the same exact load.
handymanshandle@reddit
Those 3.5s don’t seem like the best engines, honestly. They make solid power for sure, but most of the time when I hear about issues with F-150s, it involves the 3.5L EcoBoost V6. It’s a little funny because the 2.7L EB V6 seems to be very solid.
1PistnRng2RuleThmAll@reddit
Were they all the 3.5? Or were there also some of the 2.7s in the mix
Rbkelley1@reddit
In general the 3.5 is significantly less reliable than the 2.7. I’d bet the 5 you heard about were 3.5s. I put 180k on a 2.7 in my old f-150 and never had an issue but I have a few friends whose 3.5s nuked themselves.
-Juuzousuzuya-@reddit
we had a ford puma with 7000 kilometers with headgasket and engine damage.. I am certain the owner didnt really care about his engine but still impressive to fuck up that bad
Lazer_lad@reddit
Our little for transit had the turbo literally just fall into pieces. Exhaust valve leaks, stuck intake louvers and the eventually one day we turned it on and the engine sounded like a diesel. It had great power while it lasted but the thing was no stop issues. Our dodge van has had zero issues at almost the same miles.
velociraptorfarmer@reddit
My parents had an Edge with the 2.0L Ecoboost that had to have the entire engine replaced under warranty because the cylinder walls cracked.
Przedrzag@reddit
The Ecoboost V6s do not have a reputation as reliable, afaik
N0Name117@reddit
Depends on the v6. The 2.7 and 3.0 “nano” engines are fairly solid little motors and to my knowledge share no architecture with the 3.5. They’re built on a stupidly strong CGI block. While it’s not perfect, I wouldn’t say the issues are any more prevalent or catastrophic than the known issues with the 5.0.
Przedrzag@reddit
The “Gen 1” 2.7 V6 pre-2021 was considered to be the worst of all the Ecoboosts, IIRC, along with the 1.0L. The Gen 2 Nano apparently fixed many of the issues but there was a recall on them for some 2021-22 engines.
The 3.5 V6 only seems to be popping up with problems over the last couple of years
N0Name117@reddit
That’s bullshit. The only ones I’ve heard of having any major issues whatsoever is the ones in the bronco where one of fords suppliers sent them a bunch of bad parts. Massive recall and should all be under warranty. And this isn’t just my opinion seeing as how I don’t own a 2.7. This sentiment is echoed by a lot of mechanics I know personally and people like Flying Wrenches on YouTube who’s commented on how rarely he works on that little motor.
The 3.5 is the one that’s had a well documented history of known issues since it launched in 2011. This includes cam phasers, timing chain guides, turbos, turbo fittings, etc. It’s only in the last few years I’ve heard people say these issues are getting better.
bentnotbroken96@reddit
We put 110,000 miles on a 1.5L EcoBoost and had zero issues. We did however trade it in because I didn't want to deal with probable future issues.
Gone420@reddit
You’re proving my point.. it makes it to 100k miles and that’s it. No one wants it after that because it’s a ticking time bomb.
reesesbigcup@reddit
97 Camry, bought used at 45k in 2004. I was driving 24k a year then. Spent 3000 in repairs getting to 145k. Then about 2500 to 195k. This is not including timing belt, tires, oil changes brakes. I hated the car, it was too big for me and very dull to drive.
TheReaperSovereign@reddit
I've never been stranded and overall they're absolutely reliable, but every Honda I've owned or friends/family has owned has had its AC die lol.
dacargo@reddit
Honda tech here! I replaced a condenser on a car with 3500 miles on it last week, they’re for sure one of the big failure points on these cars.
Objective-Screen-917@reddit
Hybrid?
dacargo@reddit
yes
Objective-Screen-917@reddit
Does it look a manufacturing defect or was it a design issue?
dacargo@reddit
Manufacturing defect, ive seen new ones fail quickly while others last much longer. If you do get the work done try to do it at a dealer where they can warranty the part if it fails.
Objective-Screen-917@reddit
I was really hoping they’d fix their a/c systems by now. I have a 2025 CR-V that’s 6 months old and a 2025 Accord that’s 1 month old. No issues so far but I was just curious if the hybrids still seem to have issues.
dacargo@reddit
Its not wide spread, but it is a known issue. I wouldn't let that stop me from buying one or recommending one of the hybrids to my family.
TheReaperSovereign@reddit
Hope the repair pays a good rate :)
Fogbot3@reddit
It's funny because I think Honda has some of the best reliability for the stuff that keeps your car running... but some of the worst for reliability of the stuff that you don't need for the car to work as a mode of transportation. How much Honda bounces from best to worst in reliability across the different rankings solely on whether they could AC and Infotainment issues or just issues that stop the car from being able to drive is almost comical.
kimbabs@reddit
That’s funny, because Honda was notorious for glass automatic transmissions before the CVT and 10 speed. And the 10 speed now has a recall.
Yankee831@reddit
I think a lot of the Toyota/Honda praise is skewed by their customers. Since I’ve had my Element I hear all about how reliable they are. Then you hear all the work they’ve done and I’m like huh? My uncle is a Honda guy and he buys them for the reliability but since he’s already mostly focused on that aspect he’s someone who maintains their vehicle with Honda, only buys OEM parts, researches any issue and preemptively fixes or upgrades. Any issue isn’t taken out on Honda online and is turned into praise.
Yes they’re reliable but specifically talking about the engine/transmission which were well sorted and out for a long time already with nothing innovative about them. Hell I gotta go adjust my valves this week… every time I have an issue yup there it is on the forums, yup it’s common, yup it was an Honda problem, yup parts are expensive or impossible to find till Honda does another drop. Then everyone swears OEM is the only way to go…I’m like huh? Mine has 180k miles on it but I’ve replaced literally everything besides the engine/transmission. I’ve had probably 6+ Fords and the most I’ve done is a clutch or Fuel pump and all made it well over 200k. That said I still like my Element, it’s practical and honestly I’m not even upset about what I’ve fixed, crap happens at that mileage/age most parts are getting to the end of their lifespan. I’m irritated at the double standard.
tugtugtugtug4@reddit
I think there are a couple things here. One, modern Honda and their modern engines are not remotely close to 80s and 90s and 2000s Honda in terms of reliability. But, the other thing is Honda (and Toyota/Lexus) have cars made in Japan and cars made in the US. The US made cars/engines are largely junk. Across all the JDM brands (and maybe the Germans too, but I've never looked) the US-made cars are noticeably less reliable than mostly or wholly Japanese-made ones.
Yankee831@reddit
I don’t agree with that at all. Nothing to do with US made or not. It’s a Honda design built to Honda specs by Honda. Kinda once again blaming anyone but Honda for Honda…
UnnamedStaplesDrone@reddit
adjusting valves is maintenance. the people you hear about doing all this work are doing it to maintain the car and keep it running instead of dumping it and buying a new one. of course you're gonna hear about all the work they've done keeping them on the road for 200-300k miles.
Yankee831@reddit
Right I understand adjusting valves is maintenance for sure but most vehicles have hydraulic lifters or something like that. Just speaking to the slow moving nature of their product cycles. I think you’re misunderstanding me Honda people tend to gloss over maintenance and wear items and just say “300k I’ve not had to do a thing” completely ignoring they have done preventative maintenance or fixed everything but the motor basically. While other manufacturers the owners will list those things as why they’re unreliable. Like dude your truck was due for an alternator it’s not X companies fault you got 150% of the expected lifespan.
Firecat2298@reddit
I'd say Honda is worse than Toyota when it comes to parts apart from the drive train. I've had failing wipers, non functional power windows and the AC go out on my CRV but on my Hilux it just goes. I've never had anything break apart from the AC blower and that was after quite a bit of mileage.
Sweet-Gushin-Gilfs@reddit
Now I’ve got a bone to pick about the innovation aspect of the engines. They’re old technology now, but Hondas engines introduced VTEC when no one’s else was doing it. It’s been insanely reliable since day 1.
tugtugtugtug4@reddit
Likely just reflects the suppliers they are using. Honda probably cheaps out on the suppliers for these as a way to cut costs. The car market is competitive so if they are spending more money designing and building bulletproof powertrains (although I would absolutely dispute that most of their modern powertrains are actually reliable), there's less they can spend elsewhere.
normalliberal@reddit
100% this. My mom had a 07 civic, and while it was pretty solid motor/tranny wise, there was a whole bunch of stupid-ass shit needing to be fixed, and it’s minor stuff that ends up being a pain in the ass
SauceBossLOL69@reddit
My family's 2004 Pilot had its AC die in Southern California summer on a trip down to San Diego lol.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
Honda has never quite figured out that we beat the shit out of our ACs in North America - from the beginning US automakers put oversized AC systems in their cars.
dagelijksestijl@reddit
Even the crappiest products out of Detroit quite possibly have the AC as their only redeeming factor
crispychicken49@reddit
Only exception to that I would say is the S2000. They probably parts-binned the AC in that car so I imagine it is probably quite oversized for the cabin but damn did it cool.
That being said comparing my gf's new Honda Accord Hybrid to my 86 in the summer is laughable. It really does not wanna get icy, which in Texas is certainly something.
jse000@reddit
I'm amazed by my AP2 AC working to noticeable effect in high temps with the roof off.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
They overdid it because the roof comes off - most convertibles have oversized ACs for their body-size because you're going to struggle to keep a vehicle with a universe sized interior cool.
nissanfan64@reddit
I mean. At least the important stuff stays working forever. lol. We never had a Honda in the family that ever needed anything important replaced. Just routine maintenance and they all ran until they rotted to pieces.
I’ve owned about ten cars over 26 years. I honestly couldn’t tell you if the AC was working when I sold them (or if it even worked when I bought them).
IStillLikeBeers@reddit
First car was an 06 Civic that I absolutely beat on and did not take care of. Only thing that ever broke was the AC...and that was during a drive through the Mojave Desert during September with the call full of adult men. That was...rough. Then we had to drive back.
schkaze@reddit
Owned 4 different civics, MY2010-2015, 3/4 were SIs. AC blew up in all of them lol. Granted, by the time it happened, they were all 5-10 yrs old and had plenty of miles.
quantum-quetzal@reddit
My 2007 Civic had the AC go out in 2019. The fix was under $200, so I really wasn't upset, but I had a pretty miserable drive before I could get it into my shop.
90f without AC is okay if you're moving constantly and can keep the windows down. It gets really rough when you hit stop-and-go traffic in a construction zone, though.
Yankee831@reddit
My Honda element has been the least reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned out of like 20 vehicles. Motor and transmission have been fine though. Basically everything else has been replaced, broke or going bad. Definitely stranded me a few times. All my Fords have been utterly bulletproof, GM done besides interior crap and window regulators. Also I absolutely loathe the 22R in the early 90’s Toyota pickups. “They’ll run forever!” Yeah sure they’ll run making even less HP than stock, meanwhile the chassis rusts itself before the body somehow, the interior will be in pieces by then but someone will still pay you $10k for those piles. I had 2 and doing 45 on a 75mph freeway hill or having it overheat driving trails, all while getting teens mileage . Just a turd I liked my 4cyl Ranger way more, towed better like 3x-4x better, got way better gas mileage, just better but not as cool looking.
TRIKYNIKKY@reddit
17 civic, AC died at 32k miles, but fixed by the dealer under warranty
Texaura@reddit
Lmaoo mine went out at just 10k miles on a 22 I used to own. Hondas older CVTs were also poorly designed, they had litterally no cooling other than CVT fluid and would constantly overheat if you pushed it.
KpopMarxist@reddit
When I bought my current Civic the AC was already dead when I bought it. Thankfully the dealership fixed it and also some suspension problems that I didn't even see free of charge before giving it to me when I bought it
HedonisticFrog@reddit
I bought a Lexus LS430 instead of a Mercedes S class specifically because it was supposed to be more reliable. It needed control arm bushings for starters which isn't too unusual. Then the radiator blew. Then transmission solenoids kept throwing codes. Then it needed control arms. Then the torque converter seal blow so I replaced the transmission because it would need to be pulled for the seal and solenoids were bad.
It was by far the most expensive car I've ever owned and everything else were BMWs or Mercedes. I actually started daily driving a 1996 Mercedes S320 beater because it drove better than the Lexus anyways. It's really a second tier luxury brand, and drives and feels like a well optioned Toyota.
Tangerine319@reddit
Subaru head gaskets anyone? I live in the Northwest, and there are many shops around here that only do Subaru, and they are making bank on head gaskets. I had an 07 Impreza that had this failure, which gives a nice oil smell in the cabin.
SweetSewerRat@reddit
Nah man, everyone knows about the Subaru head gasket problem. Subaru gets criticized for it constantly.
bummerbimmer@reddit
Only car people know about it, I’ve never met a casual Subaru owner who has any idea. They figure they’re as reliable as a Honda.
JaredGoffFelatio@reddit
Yeah Subaru has done a great job convincing people that their garbage is reliable
mds5118@reddit
Subaru's haven't had gasket issues for over a decade now. So many car people live too far in the past.
cloudguy-412@reddit
The new ones burn oil. I had a ‘13 Impreza I got new. From the start I ha to add qt of oil about every 2000 miles
Hunt69Mike@reddit
That’s well within the acceptable amount. My 2013 legacy on the other hand…. It uses a quart every 400 miles lol
incubus512@reddit
That’s not new. That is over a decade old.
quantum-quetzal@reddit
It's halfway to antique status in many states.
cloudguy-412@reddit
They still burn oil too
BannedMyName@reddit
Boxers will almost always lose some oil between oil changes, it's not by design but it kind of is. They don't all just "burn oil." You should be checking your oil level every 2k miles and topping off if you need to in any car.
Boxer engines are not perfect but they serve a purpose and they sit really low which is something a lot of us like.
Corrugatedtinman@reddit
New ones sure, but a ton of 2015 and older Subarus are still on the road which keeps their head gasket issues relevant
J-MAMA@reddit
I used to work for Subaru as a service writer.
I called em "Japanese BMWs" as far as reliability was concerned; do all of the maintenance exactly when the service schedule says and you'll have the best luck you can get out of one.
bigloser42@reddit
The fact that Subaru has one of the highest levels of repeat customers in the industry while simultaneously having massive problems up and down their product stack will never cease to amaze me.
530nairb@reddit
They don’t have a competitor. What car do you cross shop an Outback or crosstrek with?
clickstops@reddit
Because the problem is bigger with enthusiasts that are boosting their engines and driving them hard.
SweetSewerRat@reddit
The awd system is legitimately unparalleled at the price point. I hate my Subaru 3/4 seasons, but in the winter it starts making more sense.
quantum-quetzal@reddit
They do just enough things uniquely that a lot of customers fall in love with something that's not easy to find elsewhere.
For example, my parents have a 2015 Forester that hasn't been very reliable. However, they really love the visibility, which definitely stands out in its class.
AutisticPizzaBoy@reddit
I've had an Subaru for 4 years. My mom for 10 years. My brother has had several.
Things have failed but none of us has ever had to replace the head gasket. At least yet.
For how often it's brought up you'd think they were made out of glass...i feel like it's vastly exaggerated at this point?
Pays_in_snakes@reddit
The PNW Strategic reserve of 3rd gen subarus with OEM head gaskets must be running at least a little low by now
Mamafritas@reddit
Outside of head gaskets, my experience with Subaru reliability has been pretty meh. Not terrible but definitely not legendary status. Wheel bearings really like to go out on the 5x100 hubs and up to a certain year, they're all press fit.
That said, seems like anything from the past 20 years has some sort of fatal flaw and the important thing is how easy it is to work on and how cheap it is to work on. Boxer engines are kind of a pain to work on but the diy community for Subaru is enormous and it's easy to find cheap parts.
Long story short, my two cents on Subaru is you're paying too much for what you're getting but if you really really want awd, it might be the best option. 99.99% of people would be fine with fwd/rwd and good tires.
AutisticPizzaBoy@reddit
I would've never purchased a Subaru if it wasn't for all the snow here. It was either that or an Audi if i wanted a compact car.
I've had both fwd & rwds. It can't compare during the winter season.
professorberrynibble@reddit
My Subaru was too busy chugging oil to blow the head gasket
wrxiswrx@reddit
yup
healthycord@reddit
Not an issue with Subarus after 2013. Also was only on the 2.5L NA EJ series engine I believe (common engine). All other engines did not have a head gasket issue.
SwiftCEO@reddit
You hardly hear about head gasket issues on anything made in the last ten years.
Dignam3@reddit
But this is something most people, at least here, are aware of.
Oceanmechanic@reddit
Didn't Subaru fix that issue over 10 years ago? Post 2013 might have RTV / oiling issues but the head gaskets ar least are GTG on the modern cars.
AmericanExcellence@reddit
they fixed it in 2010. even the head gasket issues that were solved then (slow external oil leak) didn't affect driveability. the factory multilayer gaskets they employed after then permanently solved the problem. i've replaced EJ head gaskets, it's a $400 job (albeit several full days of work solo).
CelebrationPuzzled90@reddit
My 2018 Lexus IS350 that overheated without warning, heads warped.
searay93@reddit
1.5T Hondas and the new 3.4TT Toyota in the trucks.
Both cars people usually buy because of the overall brands perceived reliability
carlcig6669420@reddit
I bought my civic knowing the 1.5T is a time bomb. At least I save a lot on gas to save up for a rebuild.
Chilly78765@reddit
Civics rarely even have the problems the 1.5t has in the accords and crvs. As a Honda tech for 2 years I've yet to see a headgasket fail on 1.5t civic, since more then I could count on crv and accord. The injectors still fail but it's not bad of a repair. I've actually seen a 1.5t civic with 350k original headgasket
Falloutvictim@reddit
Honda gets touted as super reliable but I did not have that experience, and I have owned four in the past. All before 80K miles - blown headgasket on one, multiple alternators on two of them, don't get me started on Honda glassmissions, I mean transmissions, when attached to their V6, rattles in the interior on a brand new car (not a reliablility thing, but annoying), driverside window fell off the track on one, jammed sunroof on another, AC went out on one, and some other little annoyances throughout. I kept buying them because I believed the "Honda is reliable" reputation, but eventually switched brands to a GM of all things, and that vehicle went 160K mikes without anything more than regular maintainence. I feel my experience is the polar opposite of r/cars.
guy-anderson@reddit
Honda is at its heart a small engine company. Their small crate motors, bike motors, really anything up through a 4 cylinder is bulletproof.
Their V6 is notoriously their worst engine by a mile, and usually only put into their worse made American cars.
accordinglyryan@reddit
How do you figure? The J series has been around for over 2 decades, is dead simple and cheap to maintain. The VCM ones of the mid 2000s up through mid 2010s can have some issues yes, but outside of that it's an excellent engine.
guy-anderson@reddit
It's an all-aluminum engine with variable cylinder management. They notoriously experience heat death a lot - Honda had to settle a class action lawsuit on these things because so many piston rings were failing within their warranty period. But even outside of the warranty period they tend to blow head gaskets after 150k miles. There's an entire aftermarket for deleting the VCM on these things.
Overall it's still a workhorse engine for Honda, but it's easily their most complex engine and doesn't share the braindead longevity of their smaller engines. It's pretty telling that they discontinued the engine in every other market.
accordinglyryan@reddit
I mean yeah, I can't argue against that. Most of them by now have been re-ringed I would guess. If you get one without VCM like both of my vehicles, they are virtually indestructible just like any other Honda engine. In the grand scheme of things it could be so much worse. Just look at GM's 3.6 or the Hemi V8s. You don't have to worry about timing chains, lifters, or wiping out cams on a J. Even the worst VCM variants are well above average reliability wise. Nothing is gonna hold a candle to the L15 in your Fit though, those things are bombproof lol
BacksightForesight@reddit
I’ve had two Hondas years ago, a 1990 Honda Accord wagon, and a 1998 Honda Civic. Both transmissions failed. Oh well, I’ve had better luck with Mazda since then.
dylanv1c@reddit
I just thought about my 1992 Accord wagon when I saw this post. I have a love hate relationship with it because I owned it all through highschool and college, and it was ~supposed~ to be cheap and reliable, but I was still too broke to keep up with it. It was near perfect in every aspect except:
the harmonic balancer fell off in the middle of a road trip, and then the alternator belt snapped and tore up on my way home. I stupidly short circuited the AC clutch while changing said alternator by myself, and had to rebuild the whole AC system for its third time at that point. Also, I had to ziptie the starter down because it kept popping out when i stalled, but that ziptie held up for all 9 years of ownership because that was the start of our expensive-but-held-together relationship. Oh yea, and every single winter where it snowed, the car would almost always need a jump start every single time no matter what.
And the final straw to our break up was when it would rain on its final month of being together, the interior would flood because the tiniest seals and drain paths were worn, and water was collecting in the empty antenna mast I had that got torn off in a car wash. The car flooded so often so quickly and suddenly, it fried the ECU under the glove box eventually.
Tldr: it's perfect and totally reliable if you don't account for freak accidents, unfortunate luck, and the domino effect.
racks1700@reddit
Were they automatic?
BacksightForesight@reddit
Yes, both were automatic 4-cylinder.
racks1700@reddit
Yep that’s a big mistake. Honda has not and will not ever learn how to make a reliable automatic, new or old. You must get manual Hondas
crshbndct@reddit
Yikes.
I have an eclutch Honda motorbike. Hope I don’t have an issue.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
The Honda fit autos are pretty stout generally, because they were normally fitted to much larger cars. The CVT in the 3rd gen is pretty robust as well.
DetectiveNarrow@reddit
My brother 07 accord shifts so terribly, every shift feels like it might be its last, there’s been times where you put it in drive and it just doesn’t move
texasyeehaw@reddit
Had an 03 accord. That 4 speed transmission was dog shit
beermit@reddit
I had a 91 Accord sedan followed by a 98 Civic sedan and the mufflers fell off both lol
Mercurydriver@reddit
My dad has a 2019 Honda Ridgeline. Bought it because of the whole “Honda is reliable” thing.
The transmission went out at 94k miles, and that’s despite regular maintenance. His previous car was a 2014 Ford Escape and he drove it to 150k miles with no issues whatsoever. It appears that newer Honda’s just aren’t as reliable and solid as they used to be. I don’t see any reason to pick a Honda over a similar Ford or GM vehicle nowadays.
iansvt@reddit
I worry about the 9 speed on our pilot. Definitely not scientific, but it feels like a bag of marbles going between drive/reverse/park. Dangerously slow to move between those and makes horrible noises from time to time. When you’re moving it’s ok.
schkaze@reddit
Yeah. Toyota might be the only Japanese brand where you can expect bulletproof reliability with little research. I myself am a Honda fanboy, but the reputation comes solely from their 4-cylinders & manual transmissions. Any deviation from those things can be a crapshoot.
IStillLikeBeers@reddit
Bought a 24 Civic hatch new, developed super annoying squeaks and rattles within a couple of months.
bigloser42@reddit
My parents had a pair of Hondas in the late 70’s/early 80’s. I don’t know specifics beyond that both my mother & father had a Honda at the same time. Their experience with them was so bad that to this day they won’t even look at the brand.
They only kept the cars for 2-3 years, which is super uncommon for them. For instance, my father had an Audi 5000d for 18 years, then had a 740iL for 10-12 years. My mom drove a Camry for 15ish years & a Jag for 10+ years.
J-MAMA@reddit
I find Honda to be reliable but finicky, especially their performance oriented stuff.
SnooChipmunks2079@reddit
My wife is on her second Camry and they just seem shitty to me. A poorly designed interior made of fragile plastic bits - her current 2018 has a broken glovebox hinge and I just ripped a piece of plastic trim off the seat because it was flopping around and pinching her.
We got rid of the first one when it needed thousands in repairs - mostly things that I never had to do to my similarly aged VW. The VW had some "VW things" fail but not "common" stuff like drive axles.
sl0wjim@reddit
We bought the first year of the new Honda CRV in 2015 and had constant issues. Left us stranded within the first month due to a bad water pump. We ended up keeping it 7 years and I don't think it went 6 months without being in the shop for something. And the highway road noise was atrocious - impossible to have a conversation above 65mph.
After it left us stranded again with a bad alternator we put our foot down and got a Kia. Going on 2 years now with zero issues.
srcorvettez06@reddit
7.3 liter Powerstroke. I had one in my superduty. Slow, loud, and constantly needing repair. Turbo, injectors, couple GPRs, HPOP, and eventually a piston melted. Got a junk yard engine in it and that one broke a couple flex plates before the shop finally put a 3rd engine in it. I was so happy when I sold that truck.
Brucenotsomighty@reddit
Slow and loud for sure but glow plugs and relays are cheap, turbo and injectors aren't but they do only go so many miles so kinda depends what kinda life you got out of those parts. I had the opposite problem with my 7.3. The engine was great but the rest of the truck needed constant small repairs.
srcorvettez06@reddit
I didn’t even mention the rest of the truck. Had the trans rebuild, rear end rebuilt, transfer case replaced(that one was my fault). The truck rode and drove like shit.
I’ve put a water pump on my 3/4 ton Yukon in over 100k miles and it pulls harder than that 7.3.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
7.3 power stroke for many keyboard warriors would be a case of never drive your heroes.
Over_Struggle_5520@reddit
Great towing engine and super reliable but slow as fuck and the four speed auto does not help its case on freeways
halcykhan@reddit
Most 7.3 horror stories I’ve seen involve shitty canned tunes and going too long on oil changes. Lookin at you TS6
Over_Struggle_5520@reddit
Yeah exactly you have to keep up on maintenance but if you do it’ll outlive ya
Over_Struggle_5520@reddit
Gonna have to counter you on this one boss, we owned one 7.3 excursion, sitting at 200k and running like a dream with no issues other than regular maintenance, then a tree took it out(rip black mamba). Got another one, 300k miles now and runs perfect. Blue steel will last till the day god decides to drop another tree on it
Over_Struggle_5520@reddit
Additionally, as is a case will all older engines, you need to keep up with maintenance and treat it well, always let the glow plugs heat up etc. turbo maintenance. It will run as long as you decide to take care of it
iansvt@reddit
Watching the House Truck YouTuber has been interesting as far as the 7.3 is concerned. At the end of the day, those motors are probably best for heavy duty work and long haul use.
J-MAMA@reddit
My ex's father used to have a 7.3 Powerstroke Superduty, I remember him calling my AE86 a piece of shit because it needed paint (while never ever leaving me stranded or refusing to start) while he'd have his actual POS truck in the shop for engine work, blown turbos, blown diffs etc. all the time. Legit biggest hunk of shit ever.
I guess driving it back and forth to the mall he worked at really puts a strain on those things.
chaser2410@reddit
My 4th gen 4runner 4.0 blew a head gasket at only 120k lol. 3500 repair.
newtonreddits@reddit
Mine is leaking
1989volvo760gle@reddit
SL55 and E46 M3 are absolutely peak btw
i_imagine@reddit
is it even a toyota if it's not leaking?
MR2FTW@reddit
03/04? Those years were known for that. In 05 they updated the gasket which seemed to solve that. My 07 is about to roll over 240k miles on original head gaskets.
campog@reddit
The 3rd gen 3.4L engines also loved blowing head gaskets when equipped with the factory TRD supercharger kit. I know it was a mid-90s design but that thing was just not designed for boost.
Jack_Attak@reddit
Early 1GRs do that, 2006+ 1GRs are some of the greatest V6s ever made. Head gasket failures are more common than people think on certain Toyota engines. Early 2GRs also, and the 3UR (5.7l V8 in the Tundra/Sequoia/Land Cruiser/LX570) from '07-13 are becoming more known for it. It seems that replacing the coolant every couple years is the best way to prevent it. My '07 Tundra 3UR is sitting at 409k miles completely unopened, I think the key was multiple radiator and water pump replacements over the years and fixing the intake valley leak.
1989toy4wd@reddit
Early model 4th gen’s have a common failure point with these head gaskets, usually at higher mileages than 120k though, once it’s fixed it keeps going forever and won’t happen again.
_imyour_dad@reddit
I was told Toyotas are god’s gift to the earth
Justin_inc@reddit
I have the worst luck with reliable cars. I'll explain it below.
99 Buick with 3800, supposed to be very reliable, blown head at 130k.
09 Silverado with 5.3, blew trans at 80k.
16 Mazda CX5, trans issue at 50k.
14 RAV4, tons of problems with AC and electrical.
19 Mazda CX9, engine cracked at 130k.
'20 Nissan Van with "unreliable CVT trans", never missed a beat for 200k miles.
16 Cadillac ATS 2.0T with "motor made of glass", been fine for nearly 150k miles.
RackingUpTheMiles@reddit
Mercury Grand Marquis. Everyone praises these things for being indestructible and the most reliable car. I bought a 2001 Grand Marquis LS and it left me stranded all the time. It'd just randomly not start and I'd have to leave it at places like the grocery store and I'd come back the next day and it'd start right up. Fixed that and it developed some kind of issue with the fuel system so it would occasionally sit there cranking and not want to start.
I have a Toyota Rav4 now and it's been pretty good, but it has some weird electrical issues, but it's still reliable.
_eg0_@reddit
I only broke down two times in my life.(discounting shit boxes I could fix on the road). It was in the only Toyotas I've covered any significant distance in. The second time was the car we got from the shop after the first breakdown.....this made me think Toyotas were unreliable shit boxes and I was confused when I engaged with car communities for the first time.
RANDY_MAR5H@reddit
I had a 2012 highlander withe toyota 3.5l v6 in it and it blew a head gasket at 42k miles. Carmax noted this and still gave me an insane amount for trade during covid.
I also had a 2zz matrix xrs and the bottom sprocket for the timing chain blew into pieces.
Hopeful_Two4775@reddit
This post will become a haven for people who buy cars without inspections, testing, or without automotive technical experience of their own and will certainly include people who just blindly buy anything because they like how it looks. Of course, they will post stories of how their previously auction-sold 378,000 mile P71 interceptor that they are now the 4th owner of has been nothing but a piece of crap with stripped coil threads, clunky ball joints, etc.
But I hope there is none of that bologna, and this post sticks to examples like the OP made...
flatgreyrust@reddit
People on this sub don’t know what the word anecdotal means either
tractorcrusher@reddit
anecdotal means a fear of spiders, right?
PolarWater@reddit
No no no that's anotherphobia
BrashHarbor@reddit
Do you really mean to say that my cousin's friend's coworker's experience with a single, specific car isn't representative of the quality of that entire brand and/or country of origin?
Unthinkable.
wet_beefy_fartz@reddit
Had some rough luck with my last Subaru. I was such a brand loyalist until then too.
Great_Income4559@reddit
No one has ever praised a Subaru for being super reliable
Great_Income4559@reddit
Mazda 3. Bought mine from a buy here pay here and the computer was super finicky and loved throwing transmission codes when it worked fine. Had it in the shop for 2 of the 3 months I owned it. Brakes eventually failed on the highway and I totaled it and a rav4. What a piece of shit. I’d love another one tho
whatdoido8383@reddit
I'll probably get crapped on for saying this, but we've owned several Honda's and they've had the most issues out of any car brand we've owned. We tried to like them but man they let us down.
-2002 Civic, dead transmission and A\C issues by 80K miles
-2007 Accord, Ate all it's window motors and had an electrical issue that would drain the battery pretty early in it's life.
-2007 Element, Was missing subframe welds from the factory and would make a buzzing noise going down the highway. Took Honda forever to find that.
-2022 Ridgeline, total lemon, don't even know where to start with this one. Water leaks, safety suite issues where it would jab on the brakes for oncoming traffic in the opposite lane or shadows in the road, EVAP issues that would make the cabin of the truck smell like oil. EVAP issues that made the truck cab and our garage smell of fuel. Transmission issues, it would make clunk noises at slow speed, in cold weather it would take 2-3 seconds to shift into gear and sometimes clunk or lurch into gear. Various body assembly issues like the front bumper not being assembled correctly and plastic pieces not clipped in, the weather stripping between "cab" and bed not installed correctly and folded in on one side\deformed. Radar cruise rarely worked, was super jerky.
swingfire23@reddit
2002 Accord 4 cylinder automatic, also transmission failure at \~80k. I did replace it and it's still fine now at 150k, although sometimes there's a jolt between 1st and 2nd - hoping it's not going to get worse.
Only other major issue I've had - windshield wiper transmission failed (go figure, I wonder what other transmissions I have in this car that can die) with my wipers flinging themselves across my A-pillar on the highway during a rain storm.
But all in all, I've had the car almost 20 years. It has been pretty good otherwise. Minor stuff like a crapped out radiator fan, rusty catalytic converter cover that started dragging, other "old car" stuff that was pretty simple to fix.
AwesomeBantha@reddit
I’ve posted about this a lot in the last few days, but I’ve dumped a ton of money into maintaining my 100 Series Land Cruiser since buying it 3 years ago… everyone online talks about how they run forever as long as they aren’t rusty so I went ahead and bought the cleanest, rust free example with the timing belt + water pump recently replaced, within my budget. Since this was in March 2022, at the peak of the bubble, this meant 280k ish miles. It’s true, the engine and transmission have run forever with no issues, but I’ve had to replace so much else.
Suspension, steering, CV axles, radiator, all of the transfer case seals, rear main seal, and to top things off, my vehicle is currently not drivable because the brake booster unexpectedly failed - this can happen on any 100 Series with 200k+ miles and there’s no easy way to prevent it from happening beforehand short of replacing the entire brake master assembly beforehand, which is a part that has a $2000 MSRP by itself. I’m so grateful that it failed when I was driving up to my house at 5 mph instead of on the highway or somewhere away from home, don’t even want to think about what could have happened if I lost brakes in the wrong place.
Regardless, my point is that any car’s reputation for reliability goes out of the window once it’s driven a few hundred thousand miles and gotten older. Bushings get hard, seals leak, springs get compressed. Anyone who talks about taking a car to 400k miles on literally just oil changes and brakes is either misleading or has a leaky, uncomfortable, and probably unsafe mess.
TurboSalsa@reddit
100 Series are very well-built cars, especially by the standards of the time, but a vehicle with 280k is near the end of its life no matter how many fanboys insist it's "just getting broken in!" and "25-year service life, bro!"
Technically you can keep almost any car on the road indefinitely as long as the frame/VIN is intact, but if you have to spend $10k on a car that needs $10k worth of work to stay roadworthy it's obviously unwise from an economic standpoint.
rahim770@reddit
Facts
rahim770@reddit
Yea don’t believe all the bs praise about toyotas lol. Its a machine at the end of the day and a machine without repairs will always break. Its not a toyota issue its a maintenance and people’d mindset issue yet people will still parrot that bs line over and over till the end of time. Go inspect any car toyota or otherwise if its not been maintained its broken, guaranteed.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
> Anyone who talks about taking a car to 400k miles on literally just oil changes and brakes
Strong agree normally, but this does happen quite often with couriers or traveling sales. Most of the miles are highways, happens in a short period of time, and have fewer coldstarts than a car of that mileage would be otherwise.
drakitomon@reddit
If it can't make it to 100k miles without anything more major than wear items: fluids, brake pads, rotors, belts, hoses, plugs/plug wires, then it's not reliable.
Anything spoken about the vehicles reliability prior to that is conjecture.
If it's hits 150k with the same, it's fucking a reliable.
If it hits 200k with nothing more major than sensors, shocks/struts, and bushings, buy more of that vehicle.
Case in point GMT 800 anything. Regularly see them still running far north of 300k. Usually nothing but minor repairs unless it's a half ton with the 4l65, then a transmission if racing or towing a lot, usually around 150k miles.
rahim770@reddit
Honda. Any honda ever. Had 8, all bankrupted me so hard i couldve bought an m3 as a teenager lol
puddud4@reddit
I've had a lot of odd issues with my 2016 Miata. Three air condensers (all replaced under warranty). 3 throw out bearing failures each causing clutch failure, every 30-40k miles. Seized rear brake calipers, a rare part that I was only able to find on the used market. Serpentine belt tensioner. Third gear synchronizer failure causing total transmission failure 107,000 miles. Three broken windshields, $900 each. Rattling transmission vibration dampener. Three radiator caps. Seatbelts aren't very good at retracting. Seizing front calipers, hopefully I fixed this.
I rent my car out on turo which exposes it to more abuse than average but that doesn't account for everything. The premature draw bearing failures is not something any mechanic can explain to me. The third year synchronizer failure is a known issue with this car. The AC condenser issue was a known issue with this car for early models. The only thing that can truly be attributed to abuse is the seized rear brake calipers.
The more rude awakening is the price of these failures. With Na and nb yeah it is there isn't a single part with more than $400. That is not the case with the ND. Suspension went bad on my Mazda 3. I rebuilt the whole thing for like $350. One lower control arm for the Miata was $350. It's a lot more expensive to repair than an economy car
ShazbotSimulator2012@reddit
My Mazda 3 was the most reliable car I've ever owned by far. Bought new in 2007 and sold in 2020 with close to 200k miles on it. Only things I ever had to replace were the window motors, which were both very cheap and took about 5 minutes to swap out.
Can't say the same for my Miata but it's nearly 30 years old so that's to be expected.
mullaworkshop@reddit
Old vw diesels. Tdi-s aren't that bad but IDI engines are garbage. Everybody seems to praise them that they run forever and have low mileage. All that i have gotten are leaky injection pumps, warped/cracked heads, headgasket issues, stuck and dead glow plugs.
PD engines also suck.
According_Flow_6218@reddit
Acura. Modern Acuras seem to be riddled with software glitches, and the built quality is extremely poor. In 2024 my 15k mile 2022 MDX had more rattles and squeaks than my 105k mile 2015 Porsche Macan… and I drove the absolute shit out of that Macan.
hughflungpooh@reddit
I own all German vehicles and do not suffer from and notion of them being bulletproof. Maintenance schedules are the floor not the ceiling
bandi53@reddit
So first off, disclaimer: I’ve owned over 200 cars in my life, some really, really shitty ones (several vintage Fiats, a Renault 5, a Hyundai Pony, etc, etc), and this is not going to be a popular opinion.
The worst car I’ve ever owned was an ‘87 VW Fox. It left me stranded 11 or 12 times in a month and a half with a new, totally unrelated, unpredictable issue each time before finally catching on fire during the drive home to visit my parents at Christmas. It was a welfare grade car built in Brazil the day after a soccer match. It was allowed to suck, and that’s not the car I’m going to complain about.
But the second worst? A 2008 Toyota RAV4.
Low mileage, one owner vehicle. In fact, I bought it from my aunt!
I hated the way it drove, it was cheap and tinny, it felt high strung and underpowered, and got absolutely brutal fuel economy for a small SUV with a 4 cylinder. (It’s also the first automatic I’d owned in over a decade.)
I only had it for 5 months, but in that time I dropped a few grand into it for random issues (including an alternator that nuked itself without actually triggering the warning light, leaving me stranded in northern Ontario with no cell reception… after stopping to look at a Fiero) and then a few weeks later, the transmission did an odd downshift. I floored it to try and uhh… “duplicate” the problem, and the transmission decided to spit multiple internal components out onto the highway. It failed so dramatically I lost neutral, it had to be dragged onto a flatbed.
I sourced a used transmission (with a warranty) but couldn’t get the subframe bolts out without breaking them- I love Toyota for the most part, but they use the absolute worst hardware. Fine thread, low quality fasteners. Nothing like getting a 12mm bolt halfway out of the the frame and having it completely bind up and try to break off (even after getting it cherry red!)
I decided to admit defeat with that soulless appliance.
Lumpy_Lengthiness257@reddit
lack of common sense. if it is misfiring it should no be run unless an old ford
downvotekink56@reddit
Toyota Hilux. Not only completely gutless and drove atrociously, used heaps of diesel whist always having issues right up till the 3.0 blew a piston apart
Yet the toyota fans will pay 30k aud just to tell everyone how reliable they are.
Got a Ranger now with double the kms and has actual power, torque and drives properly.
FourIngredients@reddit
This is exactly the opposite answer to the question asked but I drove a 6.4 Powerstroke for many miles and four years, spent nothing on it other than (painfully expensive) oil changes, then eventually traded it for 95% of what I'd originally paid four years earlier.
My Ford mechanic buddy suggested I play the lottery.
I_amnotanonion@reddit
Whatever car my wife is driving. Had a 2000 Lexus SC300 that was an electrical nightmare, shit the bed at 5 years old. Replaced with an 03 XTerra that was a mechanical dumpster fire for the 5 years she had it. Replaced it with a brand new 2010 Impreza. CVT took a dump in 2017 with less than 100k miles.
She’s not an abusive driver, and she takes care of her cars, but any technology she’s around goes haywire. She has the same effect on lawnmowers too.
Demenic@reddit
all 3 of those are problem cars within their brand lmao (subaru owners will hate me for this but thats an EJ impreza)
thatswhatshesaid85@reddit
EJs didn't come with CVT's. Op has the wrong test which means F series engine.
ILeftMyRoomForThis@reddit
Pretty sure the EJ Impreza had a 4 speed (4EAT I think?), might not have been that much of a problem.
I_amnotanonion@reddit
May have been a slightly later year then, I know it was early 10’s at least and had a CVT, her dad has the same car but without the transmission issues
ILeftMyRoomForThis@reddit
I think it's the next year with the introduction of the F series engines they get the CVT. Funny enough lots of the "CVT failures" were actually single solenoids in the valve body, although they weren't (meant to be) serviceable, a new valve body was able to fix some of the issues present. From what I hear it's the Nissans that have the most actual belt snapping.
DetectiveNarrow@reddit
Wife got that EMP aura
I_amnotanonion@reddit
Pretty much. Her current Malibu has been fantastic compared to her other stuff, but it’s a fleet car for her job so I guess it knows it’s not owned by her and thus is spared from her wrath
MonoDede@reddit
Honda Civic. It was used and high mileage, but my goodness was it a pos. And on the opposite end funnily enough I had a Gen 4 Mustang with the same amount of mileage beforehand and that thing was rock solid; a few fixes here and there, but I beat the shit out of it and treated it terribly and it still ran wonderfully.
sixstringsavant@reddit
Sorry to hear about your experience, but a used car will always be a gamble. My 2018 440i that I recently sold was an extremely reliable car.
zxcvbmm@reddit
If anyone is actually interested in knowing how reliable an engine is, go to car-part.com and lookup used prices. A 5.0L Mercedes engine or a ford 2.0 non turbo engine are like $200-$300. Why? Because they can’t sell them. A B58 is $6k plus, a kia 2.0 is $2500 plus etc
nissanfan64@reddit
My sister had a Sunfire coupe back in the day and it was literally one of the worst cars I’ve ever driven. I was shocked at how bad it was when half my family was in similar cars back then (couple cavaliers, a Sunfire and an older Sunbird) and they were all somewhat ok.
But the only one we had in the house was this godawful Sunfire coupe my sister bought that was manual and she didn’t know how to drive manual. It was an ‘07 with 40k miles. I took it for a spin after my dad and her brought it home and was floored at how bad the thing felt to drive. Worst manual transmission I ever drove. Then the problems started a few months later. Burned a quart of oil every 1000 miles, brakes needed done I felt constantly, suspension problems, etc.
She eventually traded it to my dad for their high mile Jetta. He hated it so much it only lasted maybe a month in his ownership.
Blindbatts@reddit
I had a 1996 Tahoe sport 2-door. It died at 105k with a pair of cracked heads. After I replaced those, it ran fine for about another 10k miles and then the transmission locked up on the freeway which also took out something in the bottom end of the engine...
So by 115k miles I had to replace the engine and the transmission. Luckily I resold the old engine with rod knock and the nearly new vortec heads for half what I paid for the heads...ugh. Got it running with a crate engine and transmission rebuild and sold it off for $6500 which was quite a loss.
Chevy trucks aren't always reliable...even ones with a 350 SBC.
VLAD1M1R_PUT1N@reddit
Gen 2 Prius. Supposed to be legendarily reliable. We bought one with under 200K, clean Carfax, and all the service records came from a Toyota dealer since new. The brake actuator died randomly one day, apparently a known issue when they were new but ours somehow made it until last year before giving out. $4000 repair at Toyota, and no other shops will touch it. Now we're stuck with a mechanically totalled lemon that runs but has manual brakes lol.
benzguy95@reddit
My friend is looking for a new car for the same reason, $4000 for the brake actuator and she had it for almost 6-7 years. Needless to say it went to the junkyard
campog@reddit
Maybe buying one over 200k is actually the play, ha.
We bought ours with 205k from a trucking company that used it as a shuttle vehicle and that thing had been ridden hard. They told me about the stuff that they'd had to replace and it sounds like they'd basically gotten it past all the common failures for me. Infotainment screen failing, brake actuator, etc. We've put 50k miles on it since then and spent like $300 on maintenance in total.
VLAD1M1R_PUT1N@reddit
Our infotainment screen is failing too! You might be into something lmao. Unironically I'm sure if we put $5000 into our $4000 car it would probably run another 100K miles no problem. Just hard to justify when we could simply use the money as a down payment on something new with a warranty.
2-timeloser2@reddit
N52 128i, 149k runs great even before doing the VANOS recall
turbotuna1822@reddit
I once killed the un-killable Mopar slant 6 by being a dumb teenager and having a heavy foot. Was the officiant at a piston and valve wedding with special guest or bent pushrods
nevergonnastawp@reddit
My honda civic. Thing was a POS. Had 10x more problems than my "unreliable" VW GTI does
bandito-yeet-dorito@reddit
Same here, went from Civic to GTI. The 1.5T was leaking at 10k miles and the CVT was overheating. GTI’s been flawless and the 6mt feels great compared to the shoestring of a CVT.
TheBingingCar@reddit
2015 Audi s4, did my research and thought stage 1 tune wouldn’t sacrifice reliability on the v6 super charged engine.
Then, at 78k mile, the passenger side timing chain cover failed and started leaking oil. Soon after the car would go into limp mode occasionally when pushing, one of them was during a drag strip session.
To be clear though, the car suffered an accident from someone backing into it in a drive through, but the timing chain cover issue had occurred prior to the accident. Loved the car and the 25k mile I had put on after tuning. If it didn’t cost so much to fix the issues, I would’ve never got rid of it.
Sold & replaced with a 718 GTS 4.0 in 2023, haven’t really looked back since.
kevinstu123@reddit
Break My Wallet
Nothing but junk
turniphat@reddit
Toyota Tacoma. Doesn't matter how reliable the engine / transmission is if the frame rusts out and the truck falls apart.
Mac62989@reddit
It is a silly issue but at least Toyota stands by their product. My dad had a 97 Tacoma that was recalled and they gave him 1.5x the value and a rental for a month, 11 years after he drove it off the lot. He then bought an 07 Tacoma that was later recalled as well. Toyota replaced the frame and again another loaner truck for a month all free of charge..
Jamaican_Dynamite@reddit
Seen older examples of those where you can put your arm through the frame. Kind of impressive, ngl.
siuol11@reddit
Toyota Camry. I've owned several. My 2001 didn't drive straight from the factory (I bought it used at a dealership). Toyota cheaped out and made the camber unadjustable, so no luck getting it fixed. I looked up the service records at a dealership, turns out the reason it was traded in is the previous owner kept on coming in for the problem and they never told them it was unfixable for 60k miles. My most recent is a 2018 Hybrid - the battery is bad and it gets the same mileage as a regular gas car. No codes thrown, so Toyota wouldn't replace it under warranty. Squeaks and rattles everywhere. The overhead LED lights are on the fritz, also not replaced under warranty and you have to buy a whole new overhead assembly for $500 to fix it. They've become just as sleazy as Hundai.
BM_seeking_AF_love@reddit
5.3 chevy aka small block 350 aka LS#. They're not necessarily unreliable, sans displament on demand/afm stuff, but they're literally like 70 year old designs. You should've gotten them right after all this time
Morguard@reddit
Oddly enough the most reliable car I've owned was a 2009 Nissan Altima Base model. I owned it from 25k to 225k km and all I did was change oil, brakes and tires.
redditsucks401@reddit
mercedes eclass with the 3.5 v6, i think the designation is M272. had to have the ECU replaced because of a design flaw, oil separator leaked which was pretty expensive, im pretty sure the oil filter housing is now leaking slightly. had to fix coolant leaks myself. i like the car and ive owned worse but it kills me when i see people online calling it the German Camry or some nonsense of that sort. if Camrys had this many known issues no one would buy them. the bar is in absolute hell for reliable german cars.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
Most of the bulletproof reliability claims come from the post '11 S212/W212s, which switched to the M276 DI engine, which are incredibly stout. The 272s are a bit more fragile, especially in 3.5L guise. They use the ME9.7 ECU which also craps out pretty commonly on M273 V8s.
My Dads M276 W212 just crossed 300K, and still runs great. My S212 M276 is at 97K, no issues so far.
FlashyMolasses3799@reddit
My w211 220cdi is currently at 696000km. Is it reliable? No. Do i expect it to be ? No. In fact its broken right now and waiting for parts. But in fairness, most other cars would have been scrapped a long time ago.
RafaelSeco@reddit
Early 2000s Mercedes diesels are on a level of reliability that most Americans can't understand. The only thing close is probably a well maintained 5.9 Cummins.
I've personally seen multiple w211 220cdi with more than a million km on the odometer, still running the original engine...
2braincellsarguing@reddit
I think the US markey got the om648 (03-06 320cdi) in the E class for 2 modelyears though aswell as in Sprinters
redditsucks401@reddit
Yeah I would have loved to get a later model year wagon, they are just so rare in my area and I have never wanted a car with AWD. Hard to justify the price. But I will say that my car has never left me stranded and is electronically sound which is more than you can ask for in an aging German car.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
Took me a year to find one, mostly passively just waiting for CL/Autotrader email alerts.
I pretty much don't notice 4matic, my dads is RWD. They drive pretty much identically in the dry, which makes sense. Its not like a 4300lb sedan with 250ish ft-lbs of torque is struggling for traction in any case. They really, really aren't setup to be sporting machines in any trim, so RWD vs 4matic in them is pretty much inconsequential in the dry, especially when it's just a 1mpg combined penalty for 4matic.
maduste@reddit
Just picked up a W204 with the 3.5 v6, hoping for durability. Full commitment to regular euro shop check-ins for preventative maintenance. The MB techs online seem pretty happy with this drivetrain.
LittlePup_C@reddit
I have an opposite example. A car regarded as not reliable that has been extremely reliable.
I have a 2003 Hyundai Elantra with 335k miles. No signs of it wanting to stop yet. Has the original transmission oil too :)
Yankee831@reddit
I think the early 00’s Hyundai’s were pretty solid budget design’s overall. But they either ran great or they were junk no in-between. That sweet spot with few electronics and not a bad design but spotty quality control still.
LittlePup_C@reddit
Oh I definitely agree. Love early Hyundais and current Hyundais too.
The old elantras are one of my go to recommendations for cheap cars; all that still exist and run today have been proven by time to be one of the good ones
Yankee831@reddit
Yup yup! I will say I used to rent cars at Hertz and while our Nissans were by far the worst vehicles (CVT) the Hyundai’s by far wore the worst. Suspension and interior felt like it had 200k on it when it was 30k miles in. This was 2010(ish) seems to me their interior’s have stepped up but I can’t comment on the wear. The issues they’ve had seem to me that they’re largely the same. Get a good used one don’t rely on the warranty or a new one. Also I’d say they’re one of the companies that could most benefit from electrification which eliminates their biggest Achilles heel (engines). I respect how they have maneuvered to top 3 manufacturers by volume. They have a good formula for their niche.
Recent_Permit2653@reddit
Toyota. Or specifically, my Ma’s ‘04 Sienna.
She traded it at 19k miles.
It was delivered with a non-functional air conditioner.
Something in the AWD/vsc/traction control glitched out over and over again. IIRC it would ding, illuminate the ABS, VSC, and a couple of other lights (I don’t remember them all - this was 20 years ago, after all). I also recall some interior trim coming loose. Overhead console I believe? Had some other things unrelated to reliability which pushed my parents to offload it in favor of a Ford Escape.
pr0craztinazn@reddit
2010 Toyota Prius - developed knocking within 10k miles from new despite being maintained using the severe service schedule and went through a short block replacement prior to the release of the revised intake manifold that didn’t fix much. Others in my circle have the same generation Prius with zero issues, with the highest mileage one sitting at 580k on the original drivetrain and battery.
2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS - threw a rod during the PPI. Engine replaced since I hadn’t actually taken delivery yet, but was swapped into another SS. Valve train fell apart at 13 miles. I got a refund.
2017 Chevrolet SS - hadn’t learned my lesson yet and had rod knock off the delivery truck.
2020 GM moving van - got it with 4 miles on it from Penske. Valvetrain failure at 483 miles while moving across the country.
I went to test drive a 2022 Corvette that also developed rod knock with under 10 miles on the odometer. LS & LT engines are not my friend.
No_Confidence_4933@reddit
B58
PigSlam@reddit
I’m not sure how reliable they’re reputed to be, but the 2000 Nissan Xterra my wife had was a great truck until it it 100,000 miles, then completely collapsed with an axle issue, brake issue, knock sensor, catalytic converters, all within a month or so. This was back in 2005 when it wasn’t a very old car. I fixed everything and sold it as fast as I could.
FlyingLap@reddit
Any car where the owner starts by describing the engine as “stout.”
ElbowTight@reddit
I had the inverse of this. 2004 Ford Explorer which is the same generation that earned the SUV its “Exploder” moniker
wc1048@reddit
I’d say my 100 series. Drivetrain is flawless, but everything else around it wears down and costs a good amount to fix. Suspension, interior (seat leather), AC currently.
No complaints- definitely my favorite vehicle of all time, but daymm… it’s a bit more expensive to maintain than a tundra or a 4Runner.
machine81@reddit
GM 3.8L V6, specifically the supercharged one. I had two non-supercharged ones prior and they were impeccable. I bought a rebuilt Buick Regal GS (cosmetic damage only) with the supercharger. It spun a bearing within 2,000 miles (at 80,000 miles on the odometer). The mechanic said that carbon plugged the oiler on one of the crank journals, likely due to babying the engine too much (a "little old lady" had it before me).
smallcooper@reddit
2000 Buick LeSabre burned me so bad I have refused to purchase American ever again
TSLAog@reddit
Mercedes sprinter 4cyl diesel. 110,000 miles later I can’t wait until it’s gone… what a disaster of a vehicle.
Ithrazel@reddit
Lexus ls600h was much more expensive to maintain than s500, Audi A8, MB GL320cdi or really any car I've owned.
West_Independent2551@reddit
Lexus GS300 with a 2jz-ge. 150k miles, leaked a quart of oil every tank or two. It wasn't coming out of the rear main seal so I'm not sure where it was coming from, but within two weeks of ownership the entire engine bay (which had been detailed before selling of course) was absolutely coated.
On top of that the transmission shifted hard and hesitated in with 1st-2nd and 2nd-1st. I still wish I kept it though, since now they sell for top dollar and I barely got 3k for it.
mr_duong567@reddit
Also had transmission issues on my old GS300, bought it planning to boost it and take on daily duties but ended up just doing routine maintenance just to keep it on the road since I got stranded once (surprise timing belt snap!).
Sold it within a year and went back to daily driving my E46.
West_Independent2551@reddit
How has the E46 been for you reliability wise? The GS made me fall in love with the straight six, and I really want another one, but it's hard to justify the Lexus now that they're twice the price of an E46 and never offered the performance or handling of the latter.
mr_duong567@reddit
My E46 was amazing reliability wise for me, the M54 was silky smooth and never gave me problems. It was pretty easy to work with too so I stayed on top of the maintenance and any major jobs was done by a buddy who’s a BMW master tech. Had it on some KW V1s and autocrossed it a couple of times too, just wished it came with an LSD.
I had to let it go and unfortunately it ended up being totaled by a family member but I miss that car to this day.
cach-e@reddit
Porsche 911 (992) Turbo S. Had lots of quality issues. Rattling in the doors. Things being loose. Sunroof whistling loudly when closed.
KingDerp1369421@reddit
Mercury Grand Marquis or any other car on the Ford Panther platform. Absolutely nothing but constant issues and expensive repairs.
BrutakaGT@reddit
98 Camrys the only car that ever left me stranded.
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
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ViperThreat@reddit
I know somebody who bought a tesla because they were tired of having maintenance done on their car lol.
graytotoro@reddit
My Volvo 240 spent more time breaking or being broken than it did as a functional car.
To be fair to the car, it did run surprisingly well despite some of the horrifying neglect I discovered while fixing it.
thekhaos@reddit
My most unreliable vehicle has been my Toyota FJ.
Granted it has over 200k km but I’ve had to replace CV axle joint, battery, spark plugs, transmission, alternator and fix the exhaust over a 2 year period.
Meanwhile have never had issues across the multiple BMW and VW’s I’ve owned (albeit all under 100k km)
maniac365@reddit
surprised no one mentioned nissan
thelowkeyman@reddit
Opposite but my Dad has a 2012 Nissan Altima and that things still runs fantastic even with a 175k on the odometer
maniac365@reddit
I have a 2009 altima, 191k miles still runs fine.
rob_s_458@reddit
My friends have a 2012 Sentra that's channeling its inner Cavalier: I think it's over 200k and still runs just as poorly as the day it rolled out of the factory. They also had a newer Pathfinder and the engine blew just out of warranty. When they told people their car died everyone assumed it was the Sentra; nope, Pathfinder
gluten_heimer@reddit
I had a 2008 Accord V6 for a little. I would not call it unreliable as it never actually broke down or left me stranded, but it had more problems than almost any other car I’ve had. The rear brakes wore out in 40k miles, well before the fronts did, and the dealer tried to tell me that’s normal for all cars, and it had quite a few other random little issues. This is probably nowhere near the level of issues that others ITT will describe but it didn’t really match up to Honda’s reputation.
Falloutvictim@reddit
I just made a comment on this post about Honda too. I have had bad luck with Honda, multiple Hondas actually, but made to feel crazy when everyone gushes over how reliable they are.
searay93@reddit
People are in denial. I drive a 6.2 knowing damn well they have their share of issues, but drives like a dream so I can live with it. Have a buddy who blew his head gasket on his 1.5 Civic but says he’d never sell it because it’s such a reliable car lol
Falloutvictim@reddit
Yep, blown headgasket was one of my Honda issues. TBF, Honda did goodwill pay for the repair just out of warranty, but still a hassle. I went through multiple alternators on Hondas too, they must consider them a wear item, and Honda automatic transmissions, at least from back when I owned them, aren't great/borderline glass.
Tony-cums@reddit
Did you have to replace brake pads too?!? Omg.
LittleRed_RidingHead@reddit
40k miles -- that's literally a fifth of the car's intended lifespan?
gluten_heimer@reddit
Honestly I think 200k miles is a fairly conservative estimate for that car’s lifespan. I think it could get to or beyond 300k before a major or catastrophic repair is needed. Despite the problems it is a reliable and solid car overall.
settledforsatin@reddit
For what it's worth the rear brakes wearing out quickly is common to that specific generation Accord. The car tries to send more braking force to the smaller rear brakes to try and reduce the nosedive effect when braking, but it just eats through the rears quickly as a result.
gluten_heimer@reddit
I had read that this was a known issue with those cars, but I didn’t know why that was until now. That would explain it! It felt a bit heavy and clumsy under braking too — perhaps that brake bias was why.
Kingz-Ghostt@reddit
I actually have one of the opposite to your question, or at least one specific example. The 5.4 triton engine in the ford super duty.
My brother bought my moms 2005 Ford F250 at (IIRC) 224,000 miles, he is now up past 260,000 miles on it. The 5.4 Triton gets a lot of flack, but his has been solid.
ninjamike808@reddit
I had a 2003 Honda Accord that started to completely fall apart at around 14 years old but only 100k on it. People talk about them like they’re tanks and it was my fourth one and o loved Honda, but it was costing me a new car payment every month or so to keep it running, not to mention various cosmetic issues.
LifeWithAdd@reddit
The Jeep 4.0.
I’d believe it’s more reliable when compared to the rest of the Jeep engines but compared to most other auto brands it would be at the bottom of reliability. I also think a lot of people who drive vehicles with the 4.0 haven’t owned something like a Toyota or Honda and don’t realize how much more reliable they really are. The average jeep guy might not consider it a problem when something like a crank sensor, map sensor, or alternator goes at a 100k miles. While a same generation Toyota will hit 300k miles with nothing but oil changes.
Yankee831@reddit
Downvoted for assuming I’ve had reliable experiences with Toyota or Honda.
Yankee831@reddit
Yeah I think Ford does things first for mass market vehicles often and pays for the learning curve. First gen 3.5’s have that reputation then they dial it in and still get dogged by the complaints. The 3.5 is everywhere getting hammered. Trucks, sports cars, explorers, SUV’s. Cops are putting tons of miles on theirs everyday all day they’re pretty much ubiquitous. There’s no way it is a bad motor but it definitely has been a bad motor. Meanwhile we have Toyota claiming the reliability name while just never doing anything. Sure last gen motors 20 years past their prime are wicked reliable.
akmacmac@reddit
I had a friend in high school (early 2000’s) who had to replace the engine in her not-that-old TOYOTA COROLLA. I have no idea what she did to that thing, but yeah. Obviously anything can be unreliable if you abuse it
TempleSquare@reddit
1998-2002 Toyota Corolla
These have a piston ring problem and just blow tons of oil out the exhaust. Then people don't stay up on the oil and it trashes the engine.
The generation before was rock solid. The generation after is also unbelievably bulletproof. But this generation? The whole car just feels tinny, cheap, and of the five people I've known who have owned them, they've all seen the car crap out by 170,000 mi.
Spong_Durnflungle@reddit
Was gonna say this. 2000 Corolla, needed oil like mad, headliner falling out, electrical gremlins (this might have been on me though, as I put an aftermarket radio in it like the week I got it).
I still liked it though, felt like a little pickup truck to drive, very solid and slow lol
Chitokane928@reddit
Silverado with a Vortec 5.3
lifters went out, leaks oil. Good thing parts reasonable and always in reach.
searay93@reddit
Pre-2007 were pretty damn reliable. Each subsequent generation less so…
_imyour_dad@reddit
My dad has a 2012 5.3 Suburban with 200k miles. Only thing that’s been touched on the engine are plugs, coils, and wires. The modern 6.2’s are the issue.
searay93@reddit
Yeah the AFM V8s were still very solid trucks, sold my 2011 5.3 at 160k issue free miles. I have a 2019 6.2 now with the more problematic DFM system, and my factory lifters are doing good at 110k miles. I know the latest gen 6.2s are supposedly even more problematic.
velociraptorfarmer@reddit
There's a damn near daily post on /r/Justrolledintotheshop with new 6.2's rolling in with destroyed lifters while still in warranty.
ChuckoRuckus@reddit
I guarantee you have AFM. Those lifters are notorious.
xXNeoXx@reddit
My first car was a Honda fit that left me stranded on two separate road trips due to ignition coils crapping out. Other than that I had no issues.
drivingdotca@reddit
My friends gave me some guff when my untouched '71 Slant Six required a rebuild after crossing the 100,000-mile mark; in its defence, logged more than half those on modern ethanol-blend fuel and lubricants and did not have hardened valve seats prior to the rebuild.
Fit_Equivalent3610@reddit
The slant six was very reliable for its time, but "its time" was a period when making it to 100k miles in the first place was exceedingly rare. There have been many slant sixes in my family over the years and they generally outlived the cars they were in (60s-70s Chrysler + Canada = rust), but I wouldn't expect 90s Toyota/Honda longevity from them. Where they really shine is the fact that they will survive extreme abuse and lack of maintenance seemingly indefinitely and will continue to run (poorly).
drivingdotca@reddit
Yeah, this is my take on it, too—it's not the king of longevity when measured against more modern engines, s'just a long-lasting mill for its era, one engineered to keep running despite heaps of abuse or neglect (e.g. all the stories of miles and miles obliviously covered with a windowed block)
wakeupabit@reddit
BMWs for sure. No one that spends that amount of money wants to admit that it’s not the best car ever. Just like Volvos , you really have to keep up with maintenance
Level-Event2188@reddit
Okay if nobody else is gonna say it I guess I will: Toyota. I had a 1998 Camry, and as soon as it rolled over 245,000 miles the little digital clock on the dash went out. Shortly after that the great changes got Pretty right. Pretty much changed my mind on Toyota as a brand after that
DetectiveNarrow@reddit
We have a coworker, about 7 months ago, helping her pick her next car: an Acura MDX Or a Genesis GV70. Loved everything about the Genesis over the Acura but one coworker just kept pushing “ Honda is best Hyundai is junk!” So she went with an MDX. Electrical issues, HVAC would randomly stop working, car doesn’t recognize keys sometimes and now she’s out of work cuz the transmission is having faults and it’s in the shop. On top go that she doesn’t think it’s “ all that” for the price paid. Kept tryna tell them Acura is nothing like what it used to be.
mr_duong567@reddit
Both my 03 ES300 and 01 GS300. The supposedly “reliability” is out the door when age is a factor, especially in the northeast, and the cost of maintenance was just as much as my E46. I’d easily trade “reliability” for something more fun, because both Lexus vehicles and every subsequent Lexus I’ve driven (IS F, GS 350 F Sport, GX460) has been astronomically absolutely boring when compared to their competitors.
Revolutionary-Area-8@reddit
2021 Mazda cx-30… but I could be because it was a hertz rental.
clioris_luteca@reddit
Most T17x Corona with 3SFE (ST171) ended up in the junkyard.
Same story as always: someone found a Corona sold for 40 mio IDR (about $2.5k) aka "just take it from me" special on Facebook Marketplace. They're excited to find this much car for less than new Yamaha NMax. The new owner drove with it for a couple of months before smoke rises from under the hood. Straight to the shop it went. Mechanic at the shop said the gasket had failed. He also found the coils and distributor already on its last legs. The belt has some slack and the tensioner is weak. Spark plug needs to be replaced and, using endoscope, the mechanic found the cylinder wall looking quite rough. The oil is dark and reeks of gas and the oil pan has some "mysterious black jam" inside the pan. The shop's estimate? $6k (96 mio IDR, let's round it up to a nice 100 mio IDR) to repair it. The owner balked upon hearing the estimate so they asked the shop to just replace the gasket before the same car appeared again on Facebook Marketplace the next week, waiting for the next sucker to get lured in.
I've owned my Corona for 12 years and before that 21 years under my dad, so I know these stories aren't rare. If anything, it's too common.
Don't get me wrong, 3SFE can be a reliable motor but people buying this car blindly assume 4AFE Corolla's maintenance schedule applies to 3SFE Coronas too. Evidently that isn't the case, some effort is needed to ensure the engine remains on top condition. Mine isn't free from problems either - I have tons of horror stories about it - but stretching maintenance intervals never crossed my mind so my Corona survives to this day.
labatomi@reddit
Well I personally wouldn’t buy a used M car specially with 2 owners. I don’t care what anyone says, someone who buys an M car drives it like one. Also if the miles were so low why not factory warranty it? I wouldn’t call any car past warranty low miles, that’s when the risks start.
OvONettspend@reddit
Every single electronic in my moms second gen Prius stopped working multiple times during the warranty period
carbide632@reddit
Subaru
2braincellsarguing@reddit
Chrysler grand voyager, i never heard these were ”extremely reliable” until i went on reddit. Atleast where i live these got a pretty bad rep. Rusty asf, automatic drivetrain components/transmissions going out before 60.000 miles, electrical issues, etc. I literally want to understand why, so i asked in good faith on another subreddit, and people were like ”ya it has transmission issues but that’s all Chryslers products” aswell as in essence ”it limped along despite leaking oil, being rusty and having tranny issues at 180.000 miles” or ”some Chrysler go for a long time, while others die early”. I still want to understand, but i’ve started to realise there’s nothing to understand, lol. My friends dad had one an from what they told me it was basically ”Very luxurious but major stuff went wrong before 75.000 miles”.
derritterauskanada@reddit
My 2018 Rav4 has been pretty unreliable, it's my first Toyota, actually the first Toyota in the family. It has had a bunch of small but annoying issues, all the consumables needed replacement far before a usual car, like struts going out in 40-50k kms, the rear brakes keep dragging, I think I will have to actually replace the rear callipers. It has the 2AR-FE death rattle, but at least it doesn't have the oil consumption issues these are known for on earlier models. Trim keeps falling off, one time it left us stranded 600kms from home and then randomly started up again. These are the issues off the top of my head, there are plenty more.
mourningmage@reddit
It’s already been said but the 2011-2019 or so 3.5L NA and ecoboost, especially the eco boost. Internal water pump failure, ‘lifetime’ fluid in the awd unit, turbos going out, all very common issues. I’ll never buy one again.
DM725@reddit
When did you buy that 140i? 2 previous owners in only a few years is usually a sign.
MattTheMechan1c@reddit
As a former Toyota dealer tech, early years of the 3rd gen Toyota Tacoma. Coolant leaks, electrical problems, rough shifting transmission, front lower control arms, and inconsistent fit and finish. I once did a PDS on one where they forgot to bolt down the center console. The alignment of the rear bumper was also never consistent. The reliability did improve later on throughout its life but for anyone interested in getting a Tacoma DO NOT buy a 2016 and 2017 model. Get a second gen or get a 2018 and newer one.
canadian_bacon_TO@reddit
2010 Mazda 3. Was fine until 130,000km and then the transmission ate itself. I will give Mazda some slack in that the auto for that gen was made by Jatco but still, don’t put a garbage transmission in your vehicles.
Jamaican_Dynamite@reddit
The early CX-5s were and still are a gamble for the same reason. Also, some of them have an issue with the electronics draining power.
Mazda automatics from that timeframe were hit or miss.
Fogbot3@reddit
Yep, I was surprised not to see this more on this thread. My experience with Mazda 3s and 6s is that they will just someday randomly eat themselves—the Mazda 3 transmission, the Mazda3speed, and the Mazda 6 engines having to overwork themselves for the vehicle they're in, etc. They are lovely cars, and this seems entirely anecdotal, but I'd never really get a Mazda again with the issues I've had with the family ones, so it feels like it fits this thread perfectly.
iamr3d88@reddit
Panther platform. (Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, Town Car)
My parents' first brand new car was a 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis. To them, the car was reliable. My mom drove it for 9-10 years. She is a stay at home mom and so the car was usually in the garage at home. It was used for errands and vacations, but she had the option of saying home when weather was bad, so it rarely saw snow for its first decade.
Around 2010, she got a new car and he took that one. It was still pristine. He daily drove it for for about 8 years. Still garage kept, but now it got used 6x per week.
Around 2018-2019 he got an SUV. He gave me the Grand Marquis super cheap. It was still super clean, just a little rust starting above the drivers wheel arch. Inside looked brand new. 130,000mi iirc. Sure, it's 20 years old, but I know how it was babied it's whole life and these are known for going 250k and refusing to die.
Well, i had that car for about 2 years, maybe 3. It got some electrical gremlins that would just randomly kill everything going down the road. Engine would die, but so would the dash and headlights, EVERYTHING. It would come back in a second or 2, then just run like nothing happend. Really scary on a back road at night. Battery, alternator, and the connections to both were fine. Took it to a shop to get looked at and in diagnosing, they told me that it should not remain on the road due to the insane frame rust.
Sure enough, the frame by the front passenger wheel didn't just have a hole, it was half gone. I'm sure these both were fixable one way or another, but neither issue was going to be cheap. I think I only put 15k miles on that car that I thought would last 120 more.
_imyour_dad@reddit
You’re complaining about a 20 year old car with 150k having electrical gremlins and rusting out?
iamr3d88@reddit
I'm surprised, but not complaining about a 20 year old car that only saw 10 years worth of of snow and is known for going 100k more than that damn near worry free.
Did you read the prompt? It asked for something that didn't last as long as the reputation would have you believe. That was my story. I've had cars treated much worse last much longer than that one that should have given me 5-10 years.
SpicyCPU@reddit
Yeah, amazing drivetrain for the most part. But I experienced similar. Odd gremlins.
UnderwaterB0i@reddit
I had a 2019 Outback. It was great for me, but there are A LOT of reports out there of the CVT dying on them, and there's a lot of debate of how and when you should service them to try and prevent it from happening. It's around a $5-7k job to get it fixed. Maybe I gave in too much to the vocal minority, but I decided to sell mine and get back in a Honda/Acura before that happened to me.
Pkock@reddit
I had the least reliable GX470 ever built and sold it within 11 months of owning it. Leaked from every seal imaginable and was just overall a bit of a nightmare.
If you go on Dashboardlight I think its in the top 5 reliable cars, maybe top 2 for SUV's.
PugDriver@reddit
You really can't account for prior owners.
quarts_greyness@reddit
B8 S4 lol.
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