New trucks from major manufacturers such as Ford, Dodge, Chevy, Nissan, and Toyota are not recommended due to their high price tags and significant depreciation within the first five years of ownership. Additionally, various models including Jeep Renegade, Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, Nissan cars, small SUVs, Rivian electric SUVs and pick-up trucks, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Tesla have been identified as not worth buying due to issues with transmission problems, high-cost repairs, premature parts failure from bad manufacturing, and the cost of purchasing them when new.
Cars Not Worth Buying
New Trucks Are Overpriced
New trucks from Ford, Dodge, Chevy, Nissan, or Toyota are not worth buying due to their high price tags and significant depreciation within the first five years of ownership.
Depreciation Rates
According to CarEdge, a heavy-duty truck like the Ford F-350 Super Duty can depreciate by 36% after five years, with a resale value of nearly $49,000. This means that owners will lose around 35% to 55% of the car’s value within the first five years.
Repair Costs
Pyle notes that new trucks are plagued with high-cost repairs and premature parts failure due to bad manufacturing. He advises purchasing an extended warranty if planning to buy a new truck before the warranty expires.
Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500
The Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500 share the same chassis, but their need for frequent repairs makes them not worth buying. Pyle emphasizes that it’s not so much the cost of repairs but rather how often they are needed.
Repair Frequency
These cars tend to spend more time waiting for repairs compared to being driven trouble-free. This can lead to headaches and a drained wallet for owners.
Ford Fiesta, Nissan Cars, and Small SUVs
Pyle wouldn’t buy these vehicles due to their dual-clutch transaxle and CVT issues. Once they fail, the repair costs are very expensive, and most independent shops won’t take them on, requiring owners to go to dealerships.
Transmission Problems
The Ford Fiesta has been involved in numerous lawsuits over its PowerShift transmission, which causes problems even after replacing clutches, output shafts, and entire transmissions. Similarly, Nissan models have had issues with faulty CVT transmissions causing shuddering and acceleration delays that could lead to collisions.
Rivian
Rivian tied with Tesla as the top car Pyle said he wouldn’t buy. This California-based start-up manufactures premium electric SUVs and pick-up trucks from their Illinois factory. Pyle wouldn’t buy this vehicle due to its high cost of collision repairs and collision insurance, which can often be a car payment in itself.
A minor accident on a Rivian RIT pick-up truck resulted in mechanics having to disassemble the truck’s rear end and two and a half months of repairs, with a final bill of over $42,000.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee received a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5 from RepairPal and ranked 15th out of the 26 midsize SUVs reviewed based on data from different model years. Pyle wouldn’t buy this vehicle due to its high-cost repairs, premature parts failure from bad manufacturing, and the cost of purchasing it when new.
Advice
Pyle advises that if planning to purchase a new Jeep Grand Cherokee, make sure to purchase an extended warranty before the warranty expires.
Tesla
Tesla has proven that electric vehicles can be desirable, combining outstanding performance and high-tech interiors with usable driving range. However, Pyle wouldn’t buy this vehicle due to its high cost of ownership once a motor or battery fails and the repair cost is far more than the vehicle’s value.
According to Dash Lewis, writing for Jalopnik, Tesla is one of the most expensive cars to repair and maintain, with an average repair cost of $5,552. Part of the reason is that Tesla car parts are unique and difficult to find, leading to premium prices for repairs.
