Just found out that my current car will die any day now due to a known defect. It’s out of warranty and I have no money to replace it right now.
I’ve been cursed with car problems my whole life, no matter how well I take care of them, I keep getting screwed.
All of the cars have been Fords because I always heard they were generally dependable and cheap to repair/upkeep, but so far they have all failed me.
What cars do y’all recommend? What cars do you have that just won’t give up the ghost no matter how old/beat up they get? If your life depended on your car lasting as long as possible, what car would you drive?
I want whatever car I get next to last me 10-20 years. I want to be that person posting a picture of the odometer hitting 300k miles. I also don’t care much about features, reliability is key.
My mechanic buddies all swear by Toyota, the Prius is rated the kind of car least likely to seen in a shop and pretty much any other Toyota is bullet proof.
Flipside, I will never own a Nissan. Worked at an auto auction for 6 months as an inspector. One thing that was hammered on us is check engine oil even before it went to the auctions mechanic for sludge. The reason it was hammered so hard is because it was a problem. Only with Nissans. In 6 months, hundreds of cars a day, Nissans were the only ones with the engine sludge issue.
The new prius body style is better than before. I hated how their previous models look.
I would recommend electric vehicles too. Even a used electric car will likely need the 12v lead acid battery changed. But the whole car is super sound and reliable from less moving parts. The bolt ev is fast, and the range is long enough for most people. I would only suggest an ev if you can keep it plugged in at home, and since most people live in apartments, the prius is the better choice.
Oh good point, I have a hybrid and just did a road trip this weekend because I wanted to cycle the gas tank after 3 months driving around town.
Toyota and Honda are the most depends and reliable. There’s a reason they hold value the way they do. I have a Toyota Highlander and Honda Odyssey both over 250k miles, still running like champs.
Hondas and Toyotas are expensive but last well. If you’re in the PNW, look at a suburu so you can blend in if you need to commit a crime. Seriously, if the police are looking for a green suburu outback in Washington they might as well be looking for every Starbucks.
You know what “Ford” stands for, eh?
Fix It Again, Tony.
But to add something to the conversation, my vote goes to Toyota and Honda.
Anecdotally: Had a 1999 Corolla that I drove into the ground, ignored oil changes, was a stupid teen, and it ran fine until I wanted automatic windows. Currently riding in a Nissan Altima, which seems to be pretty great (as long as the transmission doesn’t fail, which they can do sometimes).
Parents had a Ford Eacort that was a lemon, and a Ford Escape that was a money-pit.
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It’s a joke from King of the Hill, one of the main characters misquotes the joke the way the OP commentor wrote it.
I will say the variation of the Ford joke I’ve always heard growing up was “Fixed Or Repaired Daily.”
First On Race Day
Fucked Over Rebuilt Dodge
(But I like yours)
FIAT is “fix it again Tony”.
Idk… I’ve had my Escape since 2015 and it hasn’t been a money pit. There was one massive issue it had with a cable for the transmission snapping, but it ended up being a recall so I was completely refunded the money it cost to fix it. I’m not saying they are necessarily the best, but it’s been fine for me is all.
I think with any of these questions, picking a specific brand seems silly. Hell, even a specific model isn’t always a good idea because some of the models made in a specific year might be shit and the next year they might be great. You have to do a lot more research in depth rather than just blindly picking a brand imo.
Ford is Fix Or Repair Daily.
Can’t go wrong with Honda and Toyota. They are basically tanks that keep running even when you abuse them.
Fully agree with Toyota and Honda with the exception of the 2019 and other same gen versions of the Honda Civic. There is a known defect with the air conditioning system that causes leaks even after repairs and results in a failed AC system. My brother has been plagued with this issue and unofficially Honda acknowledges it but will fight like hell to pretend it doesn’t exist.
No AC, but it still runs, right? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Pretty much the only thing that will stop them is rust. They’ll disintegrate long before the motors give up if taken care of properly.
Don’t trust what people say from their individual stories. You need statistics of hundreds of cars, not single anecdotes. There must be sites that evaluate cars reliability, average spending on repairs and so on, model by model. Find those.
https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/ is exactly that!
There must be sites that evaluate cars reliability, average spending on repairs and so on, model by model. Find those.
In the U.S., that would be Consumer Reports magazine, available at most public libraries.
https://www.carcomplaints.com/
Take any site with a grain of salt, but I find they’re usually not too bad for a general idea of what you may be in for.
If you really want a long lasting machine, listen to this person. So much nose in this thread. For example: Subarus, in fact, do not have reputation for being long lasting without major repairs. Most people do not keep a vehicle for 10+ years nor for 300k miles. I have a vehicle that is older than that with 30% more miles. As said above, an anecdote.
Somebody keeps track of the cost of ownership over time. Perhaps a company, maybe a government agency.
Good luck!
Spent 10k on a 2014 Subaru Outback with 120k miles, headgasket leak. First and only owner. Whats even worse is brake error light after spending that much. Carmaxed that junk. I will never ever buy a Subaru. Replaced it with a Honda.
Yeah you’re the kind of anecdote they’re warning about
The average car age in the EU is 12 years old. Even in richer member states the average is often over 10 years (germany: 10.1, Netherlands: 11.4)
So at least in that part of the world, most people absolutely do keep a vehicle for 10+ years.
Source: https://www.acea.auto/figure/average-age-of-eu-vehicle-fleet-by-country/
I agree entirely with what you are saying, but that doesn’t change what I said about how long people keep the same car. I suspect we are in the midst of the length of ownership increasing, but not to 10-20 years on average.
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This whole comment reads like an advertisement for a porn site to someone who doesn’t speak German.
My Honda Civic is 12 years old. I just put new shocks and tires on and it feels like it’s brand new. The thing is rock solid. It’s needed very little work beyond maintenance for normal wear and tear.
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Honda. The answer is Honda.
As long as you don’t take your a/c into the equation, or have one of the 3.5s that have ring problems.
Friend had an insight with oil consumption issues, so not those either.
Most of the newer stuff with miles on it uses a bunch of oil, it’s crazy.
Toyota or lexus are most reliable, Honda (Acura) is a close 2nd. After that it isn’t even close.
Yes ford’s aren’t all bad, especially their international designs are not bad.
After Toyota and Honda the reliable cars to buy are going to be specific models and specific years, you’re going to have to find the many youtube mechanic commentary videos “buy this not that” and do your research.
It may be that rather than buying the most reliable vehicle you avoid buying one of the known worst vehicles. I’ve been there and now I own 2 Toyotas and a Honda.
And it goes without saying, before you buy anything have it inspected by an impartial mechanic you trust.
You will see that Toyotas cost a lot more than other cars. It’s because the cheaper cars end up costing thousands more in the long run because of the many repairs you’re going to have to do. Pay now or pay later.
Toyota Yaris, most reliable car ever in my eyes
Those things are indestructible
America doesn’t make reliable and dependable. 3 Chevys have taught me that. Go with something from Toyota, Subaru, Honda or Nissan and you will be so glad you did. I’m never buying American again if I can avoid it.
Reliability is only part of it, you should also consider maintenance costs. Even if imports are more reliable they often cost more to repair, and if you’re talking luxury models the difference is even greater.
I have a Camry and parts are dirt cheap and its super easy to work on. Domestic manufacturers have all but abandoned cars (sedans/coupes) at this point because Japanese cars have been so good for decades. I will say European cars are going to cost more to work on and often don’t have the long term reliability without deep pockets.
I would recommend pretty much any Japanese vehicle. Look closely at Honda or Toyota. I have had good experiences with Hondas, personally.
I want to be that person posting a picture of the odometer hitting 300k miles.
I am at ~280k in my Honda Insight, my dad is ~320k in his Accord, and my mom is at ~400k in her Odyssey. My husband is at ~186k in his Civic, but he doesn’t drive much.
Honda and Toyota last forever. Incredibly reliable cars.
Honda, Toyota, Subaru. Specific models with high sales and as such high parts availability. I’d avoid new models or low sales. It’ll be harder to pick-n-pull parts. The prius claims to be low maintenance and I believe it based on experience. Most issues I’ve had with those brands have been fixable and not too soul crushing. Even the worst prius issue i ever had with a stuck coolant valve I was able to fix myself wigh youtube vids.
Of course this comes with the caveat that you take care of your vehicle. Don’t drive like a moron being harsh on it, perform regular maintenance at proper intervals, do your fluid and filter checks and changes, don’t swing for only cheap products, use full synthetic oil when you can. Use higher quality oil, air, cabin, etc filters within reason. Follow the manual. Set maintenance reminders for yourself. Don’t add unnecessary performance mods. Don’t go to jiffy lube. Be skeptical of mechanics that will screw up your car. Check their work when you can, or do it all yourself. If your car allows it, use better fuels.
Reliable doesn’t equal zero maintenance or zero cost.
On that note. Michelin tires are worth it. Cheap tires are cheap and get replaced more. Tire performance under braking is perhaps the most important safety feature. I’ve never been disappointed by Michelin for performance, safety, or life. Worth every penny every time.
By the way, if you want some fun, go to the car dealer area of your town on random days and check out their service departments. I laugh every time I see places like Hyundai packed in the waiting room.
German cars. Not because they’re great, but because I swear whilst being in the same physical location as them. I’ve owned a handful of VWs/Audis and they are rather annoying vehicles to work on. Though half of them I’ve owned lacked any major issues. Just expensive… Fairly expensive.
Joking aside, Toyota is always a safe bet for reliability.
