The used car market is a difficult one to navigate. There are so many choices no matter what price range you are looking in. When you decide on your budget, you also must decide which trade offs you are willing to make. Do you want to spend on a more expensive older car, or a newer economy car? Do you want bells and whistles or do you want a powerful engine? And the list goes on. But this article is not about tradeoffs, it is about certain cars that you should avoid buying. The list was comprised from various sources including, USA Today, Consumer Reports and CBS Money Watch. So, in no particular order, here are the five used cars you should avoid and why.
1)Volkswagen New Beetle
This car seems to be on everyone's list. The VW Beetle seems to be plagued with problems ranging from electrical to brakes to fuel problems. The verdict is in on this one and the verdict says to stay away. I know they are cute, but so is a ptibull.
2)Chrysler Sebring.
Here too is another nice looking car. But like the VW Beetle, this car has some serious known issues. Many report transmission problems, others have complained about issues with brakes and engine cooling issues. It's nice looking, you can probably get one for a low price, but you may end up regretting it.
3)Jeep Grand Cherokee
This SUV is popular, but comes with some issues. I speak from experience as I am a former owner of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Be on the lookout for brakes that constantly need to be changed, poor fuel economy and reliability issues.
4)Ford Explorer
The explorer was and still is an extremely popular SUV with millions of units sold and still on the road. But beware, Ford Explorer: problems noted included: coolant and oil leaks, clanking timing belts, and ticking valves in the 4.6-liter engines.
5)GMC Canyon
The car is known to be loud, under powered and offer an uncomfortable ride. In addition, Consumer Reports says the car is known to have problems with its electrical wiring system, the OnStar system and exhaust valve springs which can cause the engine to misfire.
There is your list of 5 used cars to avoid (in my opinion). Of course with a little research, you can probably find dozens more to avoid. Do your homework and be sure that you are not plunking down your hard earned dollars on something you will later regret.
1)Volkswagen New Beetle
This car seems to be on everyone's list. The VW Beetle seems to be plagued with problems ranging from electrical to brakes to fuel problems. The verdict is in on this one and the verdict says to stay away. I know they are cute, but so is a ptibull.
2)Chrysler Sebring.
Here too is another nice looking car. But like the VW Beetle, this car has some serious known issues. Many report transmission problems, others have complained about issues with brakes and engine cooling issues. It's nice looking, you can probably get one for a low price, but you may end up regretting it.
3)Jeep Grand Cherokee
This SUV is popular, but comes with some issues. I speak from experience as I am a former owner of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Be on the lookout for brakes that constantly need to be changed, poor fuel economy and reliability issues.
4)Ford Explorer
The explorer was and still is an extremely popular SUV with millions of units sold and still on the road. But beware, Ford Explorer: problems noted included: coolant and oil leaks, clanking timing belts, and ticking valves in the 4.6-liter engines.
5)GMC Canyon
The car is known to be loud, under powered and offer an uncomfortable ride. In addition, Consumer Reports says the car is known to have problems with its electrical wiring system, the OnStar system and exhaust valve springs which can cause the engine to misfire.
There is your list of 5 used cars to avoid (in my opinion). Of course with a little research, you can probably find dozens more to avoid. Do your homework and be sure that you are not plunking down your hard earned dollars on something you will later regret.