14 Votes

Car Horror Stories

Joe_Limon submitted on 10/7/2009 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 3:59:04 PM

28 user comments | Category: Misc News | Source: www.autospies.com

So rather then posting something new.

I was wondering about peoples horror stories. What's the worst car you have ever owned? What was painful about it?

I'll start off.

The most painful car I have ever owned was a 1986 Ford Thunderbird Elan. Mechanically it was bullet proof, it was a very reliable car. And as far as comfort went it was fully loaded, it had a digital dash, full power seats/windows, a high end audio system (for the year) and its ride was so soft it felt like it weighed in at 6000+ lbs. Surprisingly however it only weighed in at about 3200lbs.

The only option it didn't have was the efi 5.0L V8. That means I was stuck with the efi 3.8L V6 pumping out a whopping 120hp... in a way this does contribute to how it feels like it weighs 6000lbs. But between the lack of power and a 3 speed automatic that was geared for low revs/high speeds, it would not chirp a tire if a passenger was in the car. The other painful part of this car was its fuel economy. Part of the digital dash board was a fuel economy gauge. Right before I sold the car it was clocking in some 7mpg.

Now I am wondering what kind of horror stories do you have?

About the Author

It's a personal goal of mine never to own a sedan.
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

User Comments

When I was a kid, my dad purchased a brand new Buick "Estate" wagon with a diesel. I think it was a 1981 or '82. God, that was a piece. It was a seafoam green w/wood paneling! My dad is sort of a car nut, having owned 50+ new cars through his years. I like to bring up that purchase on occasion, just to give him a hard time.
— Shredmo (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 9:54:56 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

iN 199 I PURCHASED A 1987 FORD TAURUS.......NEED I SAY MORE!!!!!!!
— B7FAN (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 2:33:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

i MEANT TO SAY "IN 1999"
— B7FAN (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 2:33:42 PM | | Votes: 3

Haha ouch! How long did that last you?
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 2:57:32 PM | | Votes: 3

all of 6 months
— B7FAN (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 4:57:41 PM | | Votes: 2

HYUNDAISMOKES-1988 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX.

HYUNDAISMOKES-1985 TOYOTA CORROLA.

HYUNDAISMOKES-1991 DODGE DYNASTY.

The Best Vehicles for the way I abuse cars are Hyundai and Honda Products, plain and Simple.
— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 4:14:52 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

You had a '91 'Nasty?
LOL!
— Shredmo (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 4:54:18 PM | | Votes: 4

2001 Isuzu Trooper

Actually, a good, capable, underappreciated and reliable SUV. However, it was BUTT ugly and was a 5-speed manual, so it felt like I was driving around in an International Flat-Bed. Dumped it after 5 months and got a Mazdaspeed3...wow, what a difference.
— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 4:33:50 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

I like the Trroper too. That's the Platform the "New Isuzu" should have continued on, but instead they made, well......
— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 4:39:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Yep Shed, LMAO!!!! What an Awful car!!!
— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 5:22:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

2002 Toyota Corolla. That car was fairly reliable and fairly good with the fuel economy. But it was cheaply made and was not very refined. It was also very poorly insulated from noise and it was just all-round not worth what I was paying for it. Over-rated piece of shit. My 1993 Suzuki Swift GTI was a little bullet, but it was the worst built car I ever owned. Everything rattled and it was just all-round garbage. My 1987 Hyundai Excel was another crappy car. It was old when I bought it so I really can't say that anything was inherently bad about it. My favourite car continues to be my 1995 Daewoo Cielo GLE. That car was all me. I really do miss it, but it was time to move on.
— tango (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 5:59:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

What do you drive now?
— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 7:04:35 PM | | Votes: 1

2006 Mazdaspeed6 GT.
It spent 3 months in the shop out of my 40 months ownership (about 2 in the first year).
Everything went wrong on that car, and each and every parts been replaced except the cigarette lighter which I never used. This is assuming it was actually working.

1986 Porsche 944 Turbo
The original rubber-center clutch fell apart, and since the tranny is rear mounted, you basically need to remove everything under the car to get there. The clutch itself was not too expensive, but the labor was...

1997 Chevy Cavalier
OMG... complete POS.

— MSP6 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 8:55:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

LMAO!!!!

AND YOU CRITICIZE HYUNDAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Huh, MSP6?
— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 10:45:02 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

I had a SantaFe as a replacement car for two weeks when my speed6 was having all the wiring and antennas needed for the failing "intelligent keyless entry system" replaced for the third time...

Altough anything WENT wrong on the SantaFe, everything WAS wrong.

The steering was wrong, the brakes where worse than those in a base Camry, the auto transmission was working like shit, the engine was weak and noisy, seats where awfully unsupportive and uncomfortable and the car handling was so bad that I felt unsecure.

This thing was less than a year and had 3500KM on it.
Complete POS + Ugly as hell.

Not thanks hyundaismoke, tell "Hyuney" I won't be visiting the dealership where he works.

— MSP6 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/9/2009 10:32:59 AM | | Votes: 1

Joe, Yeah those things rode sweet. Thats the ride Ford need to get back in their cars.

Reminds me of being a kid.
— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/8/2009 10:47:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Ya, my 02 grand prix is a fairly softly sprung car, but it is light years away from how that old ford rode.
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

Posted on 10/9/2009 1:47:10 AM | | Votes: 2

4 years ago, I was stupid enough to buy a used 1995 BMW 850CSi. It was so unreliable, from the electronics to every single part of the car, yet I loved it. I still think the 8 series is one of the best looking BMW ever made. I bought it as a 2nd car at the time.
— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 10/9/2009 2:28:23 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

KIA has something that Floats kind of like that= Amanti.
— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/9/2009 2:37:07 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Thats what Hyundai aims to do the next 5 years, give their cars a more floaty American Feel, while keeping the Euro-like driving dynamics around corners turns and bends which is a standard in Hyundais.
— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/9/2009 2:51:45 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Thats what i love about GM's magnetic ride control. I have it on my STS and I can change on the fly between the sporty Euro (favorite)or semi floaty American ride.
— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 10/10/2009 4:10:20 AM | | Votes: 1

My highly modified 1976 Ford Bronco was a love hate relationship. I owned this when I was in high school.I was always ahead of my mechanics class because my truck would break at least a week ahead of the subject we were to study. I broke everything, inner axles, axle housings, many U-joints,drive shafts,engines,cracked steel rims, holes in the header, coil,carb problems, broken rear spring pack pin, two transmissions (3 speed) Part of the problems was a result of my ultra aggressive driving style, eg, I would do wheelies,jumps... The guy that originally built my truck is the guy that built the first monster truck, Big Foot. In the end a carb fire wrote it off and I bought a 1987 Toyota 4x4, In comparison the toyota was like driving a car off road because of the pathetic IFS. I didn't have to fix the Toy as much but I couldn't do the same things as the solid axle Bronco.
— truckman (View Profile)

Posted on 10/9/2009 5:42:32 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Is it an easy system to use, 1UAW?
— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/10/2009 5:39:25 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Worst car experience in my family would be our old Hyundai Excel, went through a transmission every year.

Second worst would be our VW Beetle, front was too light but did its job from what I can remember.

Aside from that, all our other cars have been good or better (mostly American).
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/10/2009 4:47:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

MSP6,
Our 1997 Sunfire was pretty darn good. Had its quirks but nothing major, probably still road worthy today (unless its insides are all rusted out since its been parked for about 2 years). More torque than HP which is nice in a small car.
Had a Grand Canyon sized glove box too, which is impossible to find now.
Ours must've been a Wednesday car.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/10/2009 4:52:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

A Sunfire?

What a White Trash car.
— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 10/11/2009 7:10:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Name a race that doesn't have trash.
— truckman (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 4:47:29 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

My BMW X3 '07 has the worst auto transmission anyone can find. Almost 3 years and 10 software updates it still jerks, burps, surges, pauses, limps... no lemon law in my country so life goes on with this.
— ItsMi (View Profile)

Posted on 10/12/2009 9:41:26 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

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