Since we have all these car post, I thought I’d start another…
I seem to have blocked from my memory any car that I didn’t like. Some were better than others but none were terrible.
Two of my relatives bought a Nissan Murano and both hated it so much that they traded them in shortly. I think both upgraded to a Lexus.
I wouldn’t buy a Nissan at all…or a Ford.
We had a Dodge Grand caravan that was a pos. Kept breaking down, transmission issues, I couldn’t wait to get rid of it.
Now I remember. We leased a Plymouth Voyager that we were so happy we leased and so happy to turn in. The transmission was going and we couldn’t get rid of that car fast enough.
Years later I was looking for a minivan. I really liked many of the features of the Caravan but decided on the Honda Odyssey instead. That car ran like a top until a deer decided to commit suicide!
It is difficult to judge, because if you get a bad car it colors your opinion of the brand. I know lots of people who love Volvos, we had a terrible one (XC90) and had to get rid of it once the warranty expired, so I will never buy another Volvo.
Mercedes. We bought a used one from a friend. The engine has been fine but things keep happening to the body – we lowered the rear window and it wouldn’t go back up (actually this happened years apart to both rear windows), some huge spring fell off the front wheel while I was tooling around town, the headlights burn out way too frequently . . . . And Mercedes charges an absolute fortune to fix these things. Never again.
Hated our Volkswagen Passat wagon. Now that was some time ago (I think it was a 1997 model) so things may have changed; but routine maintenance–including oil changes–had to be done at the dealer because it was hard for the local shops to get the right parts (even oil filters). VW dealers around me are few and far between so it was a nuisance. We have kept most of our cars for 8-12 years, 100,000+ miles but traded that in around 5 years, 50,000 miles.
Same here. It needed the transmission replaced at 15k miles, the entire drivetrain failed at 20, and the master brake cylinder failed at 33, and we got rid of it. I’ll never own a dodge again. They’re dodgy.
There are a number of cars I wouldn’t recommend, based on what I hear from my informal network and from published stuff, plus personal experience:
-For luxury cars, Mercedes, despite their image as this rock solid piece of equipment, they aren’t, getting a good one is luck of the draw. They are better than they once were, but they combine complicated systems with poor quality control, and you pay through the nose for it (friend of mine was the head of service at one of the big MB dealers). Almost everyone I know that has bought one loved the car and the way it drove, but ended up regretting it over time.
-Anything made by Fiat. I love their commercials, but apparently they aren’t any better than the old “Fix It Again Tony” days.
-Cars coming out of Chrysler, I have read all the things about how their quality has improved, but I would be very leery of buying any of their cars, my informal network, that includes mechanics, and I have heard that their quality control is not what it should be. It also tends to be either love or hate them, those that get the good ones love them.
-Audi is another one I wouldn’t buy, they make some nice looking cars and they drive well, but from what I have heard and seen, they are not the most reliable car, and when you need things repaired, it generally costs a lot. Yeah, I have seen the JD Power surveys, and I don’t trust them in this case, have heard too many horror stories from people I trust to have that sway my opinion.
-Ford Fusion, especially the hybrid, has caused a lot of grumbling, all kinds of complaints of things breaking, and worse, needing multiple trips and still not working right.
-With Nissan, people tend to like the Maxima (I drove one as a rental not long ago, decent car), and I have heard mixed stories about them. I wouldn’t buy a used one that is more than a few years old, they had serious reported quality issues for a while and they didn’t resolve them until about 5 years ago or so. I have also heard bad things about the Murano, including that it tends to eat up its transfer case for the AWD models, but for the most part people seem to like the rest of the line.
-Mitsubishi is a stay away vehicle, I have heard nothing but bad reports on them, apparently they haven’t improved much since it was revealed they hid major problems, and from those brave enough to buy one, I hear about all kinds of problems, most troublesome transmission issues and electrical issues.
-Jaguar (not that I have the money for one).Pure prejudice, based on the horrors of British cars from years past, especially “Oh mighty God of darkness” Lucas electrical system.
I don’t think they are made anymore, but we had a Chevy Venture and it was terrible. Constant problems with it. It might have been because we bought it the first year it was out (never again!). We eventually replaced it with a Honda Odyssey which we still have and has served us well.
I rent cars frequently for work, and the only make that I will refuse if they try to give me one is a Kia.
We had a Plymouth Grand Voyager that was the best vehicle we ever owned, 13 years and nothing but routine maintenance. Traded it in for a Nissan Altima that, except for the push-button ignition failing, has also been good.
Our second minivan, a Toyota Sienna, has had a never-ending string of little things breaking - door latches, electric locks, steering, rear hatch, electric windows. Never again. Probably going with a Subaru when I set the Sienna on fire.
A friend bought a fully loaded Chevy Silverado pickup and sold it two years later for half of what he had paid, total POS. It spent six weeks at the dealer during the first year.
Ford Pinto. 
And I had a Dodge Grand Caravan that I drove to 125K miles and it’s my favorite vehicle I’ve ever had because it was during the "growing up " years of the boys. : )
We rent a lot. If rhey give us a Dodge, especially the Charger, we protest. Our recent rental was a Ford Focus. What an epic fail of a car! The transmission was very jerky - not what I would expect from a car with 25k on the odo. The Hyundais and Toyotas were all wonderful. An otherwise fine Mazda van disappointed big time - the driver’s seat could not be moved far enough for a 5’11" person to feel not squished behind the stirring wheel.
Think you can get a lemon of any make. Loved my Sienna and only got rid of it due to not needing such a large car when carpooling days were over.
I had a Mazda in the late 70s that was a complete POS, replete with engine and electrical problems.
We’ve had nothing but Fords since the 80s, because H’s brother works for them and we get a good deal. All but one have been extremely reliable. H says that he thinks that one was a lemon.
My friend is still driving her Ford Pinto.
Sons friend has the Ford Focus. Its in the shop again.
I have an 11 yr old Dodge Caravan. 75,000 miles on it but its starting to make some questionable noises. However so far so good. I can fit 3 kayaks inside if necessary. Kids hit a deer with it and it has many dents that I had nothing to do with.
I like having a car at this stage that I don’t care if it gets dinged up…
Hands down easily the worst car we have ever owned was a Hyundai Sonata. I’m so happy that after having to replace the engine on a two year old car and practically every other part that it is gone!!!
We are driving our second Toyota Prius and we have loved both!
What year? I rented a 2014 Focus with the dual clutch automatic transmission and found no jerkiness (that I had read complaints about), despite trying to see how it behaved in low speed parking lot driving. Nice car otherwise – if you want one, you can get it with a manual transmission if you do not like the dual clutch automatic transmission.