Hey car wizard I thought Equniox, Torrent, Vue, XL7, Terrain and traverse would be on the list 2005-2009: Equniox -Bad engine -Transmission Problems ( not failure ) but just problems -Not very well made -3.4 gasket eater -3.6 on 2008-2009 model years -electrical problems 2006-2009: Torrent -Bad engine -3.4 gasket eater -Transmission Problems ( not failure ) but just problems -Not very well made -3.6 on 2008-2009 model years Vue ( 2002-2004 ) -Transmission Failure -major problems -CVT -electrical problems
I learned the hard way with a Hyundai Sonata 2018. Now I'm a smarter man and got a 2022 Toyota Corrola. Better on gas AND oil. I tried to jump on the Hyundai lawsuit but they were not accepting the SE model.
Whether it's a car, lawnmower, tractor, the owner always seems to know the simple fix that is required but they aren't competent enough to actually fix the issue.
@@missesmia2 A sensor can trip multiple codes than you get into a real rat's nest of trying to find the root cause of the problem. Why take on someone else's headache they were to lazy or cheap to fix. They're just passing the buck. Or trying to covering up a serious issue like a blown head gasket or an engine that's about ready to die from lack of maintenance.
Your program hits a sweet spot because it appeals to gear heads and average guys like me who has only vague familiarity with cars. Your never buy or great buy reviews are perfect for the general public. . Keep up the good work. You are a great asset for car owners. Continued success in all you do.
Funny that here in Brazil we use these Nissan's CVT in a variety of cars and they are well known for lasting long time as long as the maintenance is well done.
@@andrecorreiaruudayou said it....proper maintenance. By the way, much more frequent fluid changes than what people are used to. That's the key. But, shouldn't Nissan know better by now? Why not implement a design like Toyota's, for instance.
@@andrecorreiaruuda the problem was, at the beginning Nissan did not specify a CVT maintenance schedule. I owned a 2012 Nissan Sentra which did not list any maintenance schedule for the CVT. Later years added 60K miles / 100,000 km schedules but I still think that's way too long for a CVT. A regular transmission like my previous ZF 8 speed and now my 10 speed can withstand 100K mile / 150K km intervals so they end up being cheaper to maintain than a CVT which is supposed to be designed for economy. Well it's now clear they're cheaply made but not exactly cheap for the regular customer.
@@engineer_alv You think people who let their brake rotors go down to paper-plates are going to follow transmission maintenance schedules? No, put these garbage tranmissions out in the wild is a planned obsolescence strategy, They don't want their newest products competing against the 20teen equivalents of 3.8L 1990s Buicks that ran forever.
@@mikeschneider5077 I agree, I'm not saying CVT transmissions are good, just pointing out they're all but cheap to maintain and when they go they cost a fortune to replace. I'd rather own a car with a regular multi gear transmission
When my KIA engine exploded, I was shocked that junkyards were charging $5K-6K for used engines! Its crazy, but they explained to me that the govt was forcing kia/Hyundai to extend engine warranties, and they were desperate for cores. So scrap yards jacked up prices. It was strange because the KIA dealership never mentioned the extended engine warranty.... so when I went back, after some pressure, they replaced it for free
Had a new engine put into my daughter’s 2015 Soul last year at just over 100k. Thankfully she didn’t need it everyday because it took 6 weeks to arrive and get installed. It was covered under the extended warranty (15 yr/150,000 miles) so no cost but only because I could show I’d done regular oil changes.
My daughter is car shopping now, saw a bunch of those Nissan Rogues on the lot. She sends her profound thanks and IS following your advice. Much Love from New Mexico USA!
Instructions unclear, I got an amazing deal on a Hyundai Cruze A8 with the 2.4 Rotary Ecotec engine made by Cummins and Jatco CVT transmission. It just needs a little bit of freon and lead patches for some of the rusty parts. It was so cheap because it wouldn't start and didn't have a title, but those are probably something minor to fix. Didn't bother inspecting it because lots of people online in the comments section say they have one (or their neighbor/uncle has one) that has 300,000 miles and never went into the shop and has been rock solid reliable. I trust them because they own the car, so that means they know more about it than any mechanic.
This is somewhat related. 30 or so years ago, my dear old Dad and I went to look at a ski boat. About 20', trailer and 4 cyl Mercury 2-stroke engine. Seller had the boat at his workshop in an industrial area. I asked, "can you start the engine for a short time for us?" Answer was, "no. It's not in the water." Okay, I kind of get his point. I take the cover off the engine for a look see. There's the flywheel, carburetor, connecting rod, crankshaft, wait a second why am I seeing the rod and crank! I was able to see them because there was a large hole in the crankcase. Walked away from that one.
I'm a auto mechanic. My Ex girlfriend had an old Honda Accord. It had some rush around the arches but ran fine (well over 300.000 kms). After we broke up she decided she didn't need my help and her and her new boyfriend went to buy another car. They bought a Nissan Rogue. 2 months in and 58 more car payments to go the transmission went out (CVT) I told her, The Honda would of kept running for another 300,000 kms. And maintenance to keep it running was cheaper then a car payment.
I've commented on this before, and I'll say it again. The Wizard is not kidding about "no title no deal". I bought a motorcycle missing the paperwork, after a mutual friend vouched for him. Eventually it worked out, and ruined the friendship between my buddy and the seller. But for several months, I couldn't register, insure, or plate it. It needed some work, but I didn't dare put money into it. By the time I got the paperwork, the riding season was nearly done anyway. NO TITLE, NO DEAL!!!
In texas, you just go down to the texas highway dept, not the dmv, and they'll print out an official title on the spot. Just need i.d. and a plate number. So. No excuse.
@@georgeperkins4171 Where I am in Canada, it's about the same. Go to the right government office with ID, and they print out a new one. As you say, no excuse. But I learned that lesson, and firmly agree with Wizard.
I bought a '72 C10 in pieces from a coworker that was moving. I picked it up the same day he was moving out of town and he said the title is packed away somewhere and he would send it to me when they got moved in. Well, I never heard from him for several years, and I went ahead and spent the time and money to put it all together except for paint, and then it just sat for several years. I moved on to another job and then came back to town a few years later and heard that the guy was back at his old job, so I tracked him down, filed a small claims suit to get my money back, and we finally settled out of court. He refunded the purchase price and he got his truck back essentially put together and ready to drive for free. My state has since changed the rules for vehicle registrations and if this happened just 5 years later I could have gotten a title for it. I was just trying to help the guy out because he couldn't afford to transport the truck at the time, I didn't even want the thing, just wanted to help someone I thought was a friend.
@@brotherpaulv So you were the nice guy, tried to help someone, and got screwed for it. That's a sadly familiar story. And people wonder why I'm more of an asshole as I get older!
Some of the old ‘all mechanical’ (I believe ‘95 and older) diesel Mercedes cars are pretty good. A friend of mine had an ‘95 E300D with over 500K on it, and it was tight as a drum, everything worked on it. An airbag deployment totaled it though. (A bump not a wreck)
Just traded my Cruze with 212,000 miles on it that I bought new. Regular oil change and maintenance and didn't drive it like crazy and it was a perfectly reliable car.
Keeping the maintenance up helps. Here in Australia we had the korean ones and they were JUNK. Then they started making them in Australia and the quality jumped a lot. But I know of people who have had problems with them.
Even the most unreliable vehicles will have examples that hold up pretty well. The best made cars will sometimes be huge headaches. I know someone that bought a Toyota Tundra and had nothing but problems. It's about playing the odds.
Cruze owner here with 175k miles. It's been a good, reliable car. Previous owner didn't take very good care of it so it needed a lot of work but after that it's been running with minimal issues for the past 50k miles I've had it. Much of a cars reliability lies on the driver and their habits.
I bought a 2015 Rogue (new body style) brand new and changed the fluid every 30k with no issues until semi took it out at 130k miles. The pan had absolutely no debris when I changed the filter at 125k. Bought a 2015 Rogue with 20k miles with the insurance money and will do the same thing.
Cruze with 1.4 turbo engine - Read TSB 17-NA-184. You MUST look at the oil filler cap to determine what oil cartridge to use. You cannot count on the owners manual, VIN, or any other thing to know what cartridge to use. If your cap says UFI - use cartridge PF2263G. If your cap says Hengst use cartridge PF2257G. Using the wrong cartridge will lead to running the engine without an oil cartridge/filter since the bypass valve is always open since it the valve does not exist on the PF2257G cartridge) . I suspect that is why so many of these engines in Encores, Cruze, Sonic and Trax are failing. I brought my Encore to the dealer for oil changes during the manufacturer warranty period and they used the wrong filter 6 of the 8 times. Some of the turbos are covered under a special warranty - Special Coverage N232395330.
and usually the filter caps are colored differently depending on what housing you have: Hengst is black, and UFI is a dark brown. at my work, until very recently we didn't carry the filter for the UFI housing and our managers would have to run to a parts store to get it.
@@digitalrailroader I wonder if someone would collect statistics on how many of the " bad" 1.4 litres have the UFI cap/cartridge and everyone was just using the wrong cartridge which is the same as using no cartridge. It seems the Hengst filter is the one everyone carries and is cheaper. The UFI system expects the bypass valve to be in the cartridge and the Hengst cartridge just has an open hole. Its beyond comprehension the engineers let the wrong cartridge even fit.
@@gregsmith5132 that’s because in the Hengst design, the bypass valve is actually an internal component of the oil filter housing. (It’s at the base of the plastic tube that goes through the PF2257G. It’s essentially the same premise as the Pentastar V6s; the early filters WILL fit in the late housing assembly, but it will act like there’s no filter inside at all and will exhibit no oil pressure.
@@dalgguitars On the contrary, Hoovie's decisions are just perfect for ensuring the YT algorithm keeps the funds rolling into his personal bank account.
We bought a 2004 Rouge new. Drove it 110,000 miles. It developed a faint final drive gear whine. There was a factory program to replace the transmission for free. Parts and labor. We gave it to our son, who drove it to over 200,000 miles before trading it in. We bought a 2015 , which we drive today at 225,000 miles with very few problems. I guess we’re the lucky ones.
Aussie here - I had a 2014 1.4L Turbo Cruze, made by Holden in Australia. It was rock solid! Sold it in 2020 with 150,000kms on the clock, and it never needed more than basic maintenance - always serviced on time per the logbook. It's still on the road today (checked registration) and probably well past 200,000kms by now. The later Australian-made models were decent if you kept up with proper care
About 5.5 years ago I had a guy trying to sell his elderly mom's car and it had been left garaged for over a year. Aside from needing every maintenance item, it needed the 8 year old tires replaced. While I was at it, I did all the shocks/struts, control arms, fluids, and bushings since it was already apart. That car is my 2004 Lincoln Town Car. The price was $3200. In the time I have owned and babied it - it has acquired 20,000 more miles. Essentially I scored an unkillable platform that will run for another 20 years. SCORE!
@@tenaciousvirgiltenaciousvi5671 or if you want just a touch more Legroom, Upgrade to the 2006-2008 Lucerne V6; has the exact same engine as your 2005 LaCrosse had (as long as it wasn't a CXS; those had the High Feature "Chain Eater" 3.6 that is universally hated) and has creature comforts like heated and cooled seats, RainSense Automatic Wipers, and factory Navigation!
If you are an expert on that brand of car and know how to work on them or are at least willing to learn and willing to gamble some cash on a project car then it’s a good idea to buy scuffed cars on online marketplaces, but if you’re anyone else and especially if you need the car to commute, then no listen to the wizard.
I recently subscribed to The Wizard channel and can't stop watching him. When Tyler H had his show Car Issues, I was a fan of The Wizard. Its nice to know that there is a genuine mechanic around who has your best interest at heart. I'm in Illinois and wish that he was closer. Hey to Mrs Wizard as well 👍🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
My brother in law bought a turbo Cruise. Turbo died at 50k miles. Saw the remains and OMG - there was so much play in the mainshaft it was incredible. Meanwhile my 16 Focus ST? 180k miles, turbo issues? None. Brake issues? None. Engine issues? None. Trans issues? None. I had an AC compressor coil fail recently, fixed it in 30 minutes easily.
Your Focus ST made in Germany, and employed Volvo 2.5 engine. the turbo is was build for German cold weather. I wouldn't surprised your focus perform well in the US. Noticed: the F150 Raptor doesn't not do well in Colorado mountain climate because the computer could not adjust to the air fast enough and just stalled the truck out in Colorado. Guessed where the Raptor were build???
The Cruze has a notoriety of the turbo failing due to the oil feed line getting blocked by coked oil. The Dorman replacement fixed it by putting a heat shield around the line
He’s not lying about those Chevy Cruzes and the turbos. Mine started failing as soon as it hit 100,000 miles dumping oil into the catalytic converter causing both to fail. I was quoted over $2,000 to replace both as you couldn’t replace one without the other. I ended up just junking the car.
the 18s and 19s are actually good, i have one for personal use and i know a guy that uses one for rideshare, he has over 300k on the original engine and trans
I had a 2013 Buick Verano. fortunately it had the non-turbo ecotec 4. I got 221k out of it before trading it in. it saw hard service doing Uber/Lyft for a year. I did oil changes every roughly 3k miles and no issues at all!
@@jameswest5723 that's what I've been told: the 2nd gen Cruze got a different 1.4 engine which solved the PCV and other issues as well as bringing more power and torque. 2016+ are good to go and much more reliable than 1st gens
Speaking from personal experience, if the inspection is out of date and they're not willing to get the car inspected before you buy then steer clear. Don't make the same mistake I did just because it's a great deal!
I worked at a salvage yard moving and organizing the cars, and thete were soooo many cruzes there, most looked really nice, but the engine problems killed them
I mostly agree with this... The RX8 is like buying an old British car, it is the car you tinker on, it is not your daily. I love the rotaries, mostly because they are easy to get out of the engine bay, unlike a big v8. Plus, it is simple to rebuild. Then, toss it back in and go another 50k miles. I haven't had any other problems with the rotary cars other than having to rebuild the motor. Now, the RX8 does have an annoying security thing that I haven't figured out how to by-pass. I live in a snow belt ( or salt belt depending on how you look at it) and rust is on every car I see here, so I shop out of the area. These are great videos!
Owning an RX-8 is a constant fight against rust, they really skimped on rust protection everywhere. And yes, apart from ignition coils, brakes and tires, my only garage bills were "something destroyed by rust needs work".
@@Crazy_Borgit’s because it’s not meant to ever see salt. Rotary engines are designed to only be driven in the summer. There’s a video explaining how when it’s cold and you start it the engine warms up unevenly and causes it to destroy itself. In another video a rx7 owner said always let it warm up even when it’s hot outside if you want it to last
Mine is a 2016 A8 with the twin turbo 4.0L. The turbo charger oil starvation issue was addressed via a recall. The turbines are now warranted to 120,000 miles. With ~55k miles I haven't experienced any of the problems you mentioned but you did mention higher mileage. Actually no issues at all but one. There was a small coolant leak that was repaired under warrant. I bought from a VW dealership and I believe the car has a lease in its history so maybe early concerns were addressed. So far so good. It sits outside but is always covered. The maintenance is performed by Audi except for state inspections and that only because Audi service is a long wait due to the recent boom in sales. Also I'm retired, drive few miles and another vehicle is the daily driver. As such my work truck now sees
Ok but what is Wizard smoking, talkin about steering wheels busting off? He doesn't even mention the actual common problems like water pump or PCV system. So far my turbo is ok. Use high quality synthetic oil, get oil changed on time, 5k mi or less. Let the car idle after a drive at least 20-30 seconds to let turbo circulate oil and coolant so it doesn't turn off smoking hot. Consider replacing turbo oil feed line at 75k mi, simple job and $20-40 part.
My wife and I took a Cruz for a test drive when we were car shopping. The brand-new car was so severely underpowered that it was dangerous to take onto the highway. I vowed that I would never buy one.
My sister bought a used Versa without asking 6 years ago and I always made sure she frequently changed the CVT fluid and it lasted until 189k. Most I've ever seen one go. Made her buy a new Camry this time 😂 She does well and was thankful for that advice 😂
Mine has 113k right now and I'm stuck between the Scotty advice of "if it ain't broke don't mess with it" and doing regular changes. The previous owner neglected it, so it probably hasn't had regular changes but it drives honestly better than when I bought it because I've fully refreshed the brakes and other parts.
@teagancombest6049 One hundred percent with you. If I were you I'd start saving knowing its when not if. It should last a little while longer but plan ahead
My neighbor sold his Nissan Versa, after having 3 of the CVT transmissions fail by 76-k miles. It took several months for him to sell a non-running car in need of a transmission.
As a General Motors Technician, people need to understand that only the First Generation Chevy Cruze from 2010-2015 were unreliable. With the Second Generation Cruze from 2016-2019 GM completely redid the 1.4 Turbo and we see very little wrong with them. GM changed the turbo out with a Mitsubishi based turbo and have yet to see one fail. With proper maintenance these things can last easily 200,000 miles and can get up to 40 mpg on the highway. I know so because I myself own a 2017 Chevy Cruze with 115k miles and have only had to do basic maintenance to it, no unexpected breakdown or out of pocket repairs. Maintenance is key with everything though, if you don’t take care of it, it won’t take care of you.
Anecdotally, I bought a used ,14 Cruze (1.8L non-turbo) with 45k miles, drove it for 6 years and put another 60k on it. Zero repair costs. Gas, tires, oil and wiper blades were my only expenses.
I bought a 2007 raider almost 3 years ago for $2000 with 222,000 miles on a 3.7 V6. It has 240,000 now and I've had to replace a water pump, tstat, and radiator, still runs perfect. Good video as always, car wizard.
My 2010 nissan altima which I have had since new, I service my CVT TRANSMISSION every 60,000 miles. Today I'm 157,000 miles and stil going strong with the transmission
@@DanielGarcia-zz9eg I don't know if those have the same crappy CVT, do they? I always hear horror stories about multiple CVT failures on the the smaller cars and crossovers.
@volvo09 key is maintenance. Ppl just drive till it breaks down. Alot don't know what maintenance is needed or don't have a few hundred for maintenance, so they push it till it cost thousands. That's why most ppl never finish Making car payments . I'm enjoying these past 11 yrs no payments. It's nice not to worry if my ride will not start. Stay on top of maintenance
@richwg6633 I do flush. Even on my pickup truck RAM 09. No issues at all on both. Truck I do every 30k to 60k miles and I'm at 227,000 on the RAM I been doing this since I purchased them new. Buying used over 100k miles, just let it ride unless you have history on it from last owner or happen to know where it has been service alot
Hyundai made a previous gen Sonata with a 3.3L V6 and those are decent, and don't lack for power. Last year I bought a 2009 with only 55k miles on it for a family member and it was a steal for $7k.
It's funny I worked at a GM dealership when the Cruze came out. They drilled into us how it was tested more than any other car in GM history, driven to the moon and back kms wise with testing and it was on par quality wise with any European compact........................
I was in Australia before they brought the first Cruze to the US. All the Cruzes in Down Under are diesel. They runs everywhere. Americans got the short end of the stick.
Car wizard you have great advice and also agree with your past advice on how good the GM 3.8s are. I've been waiting for some shop to start nitch and start repairing the 3.8 bodys where they rust out under the doors on the hem. Soon as a shop gets how to do it quickly I think that would be a great bussiness, then it could spread to others.
I love my rx8, mostly because I knew what I was getting into, got one with next to no mileage, and immediately addressed as many of the reliability issues as possible. The only thing that keeps me from driving it is the gas mileage. 15-16 mpg on 93 for 230hp... 😅
In defense of the RX-8 and any rotary in general they have become unreliable because rotary engines are prone to premature wear and detonation because of how Mazda designed it to be a mass market car from the factory. Those issues can be eliminated simply by converting the engine to run on E85 and pre mixing the fuel with 2 stroke oil. I highly recommend anyone interested in more details to look up a video called: Fixing the Biggest problems of the Rotary engine by Rob Dahm, for a more in depth educational explanation.
The problem with the rx-8 is most people don't know how to drive them and maintain them.I owned one for over 5 years and didn't have one problem with it.
Absolutely love these video’s Wizard! Keep’’em coming since I’ll be in the market this time next year to buy two used cars for my daughters. These video’s are worth their weight in gold! Always appreciate them!
Bought myself a 2016 Honda HR-V and I’m glad I got into a Honda. It needs some work but it’s pretty easy compared to my mini. It’s got almost 128,000 miles and a 6 speed manual. Just took it to a friend’s to do an oil change and a check up. It just needs a tie rod, front brakes in the near future, and a clutch job. I’m aiming to fix that at the end of the month
My aunt bought a Nissan Rogue and they properly maintained the transmission - lasted 250k miles until the CVT finally gave out and they traded it in for a new Rogue. She regrets getting the new one, wishes they had just replaced the CVT - but they're probably better off unless they had found a new trans.
The best fix for a bad CVT is a manual transmission conversion if that particular model was ever available in a manual. The Rogue was never available in a manual in the US but it was in Canada and other markets as the Qashqui where the parts can be sourced.
At 82k my sister got the 2.4 replaced in her sorento due to oil consumption she has 170k now no oil is being burned about 10-15 ounces between oil changes hopefully the new engine was built correctly
@@JohnSmith-pl2bk they put a long block in the car was a 10000$ job but they covered it under her 100k factory powertrain she was putting a quart in it every gas fillup before it was ridiculious
@@jasonleatherwood2172 I had a 2001 Mitsubishi Galant JDM with the 2.5GDI that was basically a 2 stroke with petrol/oil ratio of 100 litres of fuel to 1 litre of diesel engine sump oil (with high ZDDP.) So in 3000 miles it would use up all the sump oil...just had to top up every time I fueled up! Smooth luxurious good handling car......but Low tension piston rings.......
My 2015 Sonata just turned 152K miles on the original 2.4 - switched to 5w30 at around 120K and it doesn't use a drop between changes (every 5K with full synthetic and a WIX filter). Lifetime motor warranty but something else will probably go first. Never done a GDI treatment but mostly highway miles which supposedly helps to keep the intakes from gumming up.
A friend of mine has a Hyundai with a GDI engine, and it uses multiple quarts between oil changes. He has the same opinion you do of them. As a recovering Rx-7 fanboi, I bet an Rx-8 would be great fun, but I know you're 100% correct. I finally came to my senses and stopped tinkering with Rx-7's and started tinkering with Samurai's instead.
I have a 2014 Cruze 1.4 Turbo with a standard. Bought it brand new. Had maybe 1300km it when I got it.The coolant outlet tube seal failed and the engine overheated. I saved up and bought all the needed parts. Then tackled the job. Wow was there a lot of stuff for a little 1.4😅. Took a bit but I got it fixed and put back together. Thanks for the heads up on the turbo. Will keep an eye out. Have 80000km on it now. Will keep on the coolant flushes and change hoses when needed. Will keep you posted too! Thanks for all the info! Really appreciate it!
Until the exhaust manifold cracks and sucks the catalytic converters into the engine. There is a fix but it's not cheap, JBA catted short tube headers with a Cajun exhaust.
To reinforce Wizard's take on Nissan CVT transmissions, DO NOT BUY ONE. I know someone who replaced the transmission twice. Both times it was covered under warranty, the third time they sold the car to a junkyard. Yes , they are that bad. $5000 to replace the transmission if you can find one.
The best way to fix a car with a bad CVT is to just do a manual transmission conversion if those particular models were available in a manual. At least that way the car can be sold to recoup some decent money if the owner does not want to keep a manual car.
Literally I am living in fear driving a 2009 versa with 113k miles but honestly? It drives perfectly, better than when I bought it at 92, and I honestly can't see it just randomly dying any time soon bug I guess that's what everyone thinks? I really really want to get out of it but it makes me afraid that I won't be able to get any more than junk value for it despite it being a good driving car.
@@evoman44Nissan makes it that difficult to convert it to a manual transmission or even a traditional automatic transmission. You would have to buy a wrecked Nissan with a manual transmission and do the work yourself to be cost-effective or just buy a manual model to begin with. The wiring harnesses are different, the pedals of course are different, the flywheel is most likely different, the ECM is different, etc. I can understand that some people want more features like power windows and locks, push-to-start, heated seats, power seats with lumbar, etc. Unfortunately, most Nissans sold in North America that have manual transmissions are only available on base model trims only. Even if you swap a manual transmission into a CVT Nissan, you may lose certain features like cruise control, etc. Even the dash has to come out on some models like the Altima. The only Nissan crossover SUV in the US that has a manual transmission available is the Nissan Juke and the engine has seen major issues with poor maintenance including the timing chains.
@@atx-cvpi_99 If someone has a CVT that is still running well enough their best option would be to sell it and buy something else. But if their CVT has already failed and the rest of the car is still in good condition then it might just be cost effective to buy a whole wrecked manual car at auction for cheap as the donor car. A back yard mechanic could do the swap for far less than the cost of a new CVT at $5,000 because they have no over head. I am not familiar with Nissans but all it would take is some research to find out how easily the electrical systems would incorporate before hand. Doing the research should be done before taking on any project to see just how involved it would be and what exact parts would be needed. There is a plethora of information on how to do manual transmission conversion on cars that are popular enough on forums.
Bought a Nissan Juke for my daughter and, taking your advice, I fully serviced the CVT right away. Been a great car. The lesson here is don’t be an ask - hole.
Another RX-8 alternative is a NC Miata (2006-2015). It's based off the same chassis and is basically a smaller, convertible version with a 2.0L 4-cylinder. The 2009-up also have a solid, reliable motor with the best Miata transmission they have ever made. Mine has 113k miles on it and I take it on long road trips all the time. Don't have to do much besides fluids and basic maintenance. Cheap to maintain.
Thanks again for telling it like it is. Modern vehicles are exponentially made to last for less time than older ones. Just talking with my cousin the other day and explaining how all my daily driver Buicks are showing their age. He just bought a Toyota truck and told me that the turbo had to be replaced. There's no end to it.
I recently purchased a used 2021 Buick Encore (clone of the Chevy Trax) with a 1.4 liter 4 cylinder with the Turbo. It's pretty fast but around town I only get about 17 MPG. On the highway I get over 30 MPG. Hope my Turbo doesn't go bad as I read somewhere that GM replaced their Turbo's with a Mitsubishi brand because of all the earlier problems. Unlike Ford who refuse to admit that their small EcoSport engine is a disaster and are sticking with that lemon.
2013-2018 Ford Focus with PowerShift transmissions should make this too. Have a 2015 and already a new transmission at 100,000 miles (I bought the car with 98k). I also heard that the Focus ST had head gasket problems as well.
Those car can actually be a deal only if the buyer intends to do a manual transmission conversion. There is actually a guy on UA-cam that documented what it took for him to do a manual conversion on his Focus.
My 2012 model had the TCM replaced under Ford extended warranty at 11 years old with only 50K miles. And I'm the second owner. The car sat at the dealership for 2.5 months before they gave the car back with the replacement TCM. The cursed transmission and the subsequent billion dollar plus class action lawsuit that they lost are the reasons why Ford no longer produces cars, other than the Mustang, here in North America.
The first and second gen 1.5, 2.0 eco boosts were horrible engines. The 2.7 and 3.5 are good, but the 1.5, 2.0 are garbage. If you're one of the few that dont get coolant intrusion, you're lucky. My mother had a 2018 fusion titanium. I recommended it to her, we both loved it. Didnt have many problems with it, but for some reason that car would just tear through tires. She had the car for 3 years, got it as a CPO with only 17k on it. Dumped it at 60-70k because it went through 4 sets of tires. No one could figure out why it was going through tires so often. Lucky to get 10k out of a set, even getting alignments. Town fair nor firestone could get the alignment right, but the dealer never had a problem. Loved that car so much, but it just wasnt worth going through a set of tires every 10k. Talked to dealers, shops, posted on forums, no one else had an issuee going through tires like she did. And she didnt drive the car hard. It did need a tranny at 60k, but was covered under the CPO warranty
Maybe it depends where the car was made. Here, in Australia, I have a 2012 Kia Optima with the 2.4 GDI engine which was purchased in 2014. The car has done numerous long distance road trips as well as day to day driving and the only parts replaced were windscreen wipers, tyres, cabin filter, etc.
Yes Korean built 2.4 did not have the same issues as the Alabama built engines. The Alabama plant left debris behind from casting the block which blocks oil flow through the bearings leading to their failure. No reports of this on the Korean built engines.
My old Kia wore out and my mom after doing research got herself a used certified 2021 Mazda CX5 skipped the sunroof and AWD only 57K miles. I got her 2017 CX5 with 63K miles. Great vehicle
I don’t give anyone car buying advice anymore. They almost always aren’t looking for suggestions or advice. They’re looking for validation on a decision they’ve already made in their head.
I had an 2003 A8. I bought it for $5,000 in 2016 with 100,000 miles, it only had one owner before me. People told me not to buy it. I drove it for 8 years then sold it to my friend for $2,000 with 265,000 miles on it. Great car. No major problems. The same people that told me not to buy it went through 3 or 4 cars or trucks in the same amount of time that I was racking up the mileage on the A8.
@@0HOON0 there are a lot of them out there, more common than you think. Good maintenance, good diagnostic software, and plenty of information and OEM parts from 3rd parties is available. The only exception I can think of with any car is to stay away from the stealership. If you can either work on it yourself or have an independent mechanic you can trust work on it, it's not so bad.
@@jaredR207 that was the last year of the D2 body style, nice. There is a guy selling a minty '99 model not far from me for $6500. This car was so underappreciated it's sad. It was aluminum, awd and had a vaulty cabin with double pane windows like a W140 S Class.
@@petrosaguilar8916 Most people miss the all aluminum point, not a spot of rust on. Quattro made it through the snow, salt, ice, and muddy dirt roads in Maine. It made it through potholes and traffic in NYC and it made it through hurricanes and heat in Florida. My friend usually drives it in NH now. He's getting ready to replace a stuck rear caliper, the one he's removing is the one that was put on the car in Germany 20 years ago.
I was surprised to see the A8 on this list, they are actually very reliable compared to the other similar German alternatives especially the D4 version. In Europe at least they have fairly good resale value because of this. They dont rust because of aluminium construction, the electronics are reliable, air suspension is reliable, the 8-speed ZF is reliable, they dont chew through suspension parts any faster than other cars of the same weight. Both the V6 petrol and diesel engines are reliable, but the V8's are a little bit more troublesome. Even the S8 are reliable as long as the oil services are kept and the turbo screens dont get clogged. Audi reliability in general have greatly improved since about 2012.
Two stroke oil mixed with each fill up on my RX-8 = years of trouble free motoring.. Of course you need to start with a decent engine... I think they are amazing and maybe not as your only vehicle...
@@JD-yx7be es they are hopeless apart from feeling smooth like a jet turbine on a lightweight rigid platform beautifully engineered and finished. I think they are remarkable cars.
Cars i never had issues with- 2008 hyundai accent, 1990 geo storm, 1990 k5 full size blazer, 2010 vw CC. Cars id shoot if i could because they were nothing but trouble- 2004 s10 blazer, 1977 firebird, 1969 mustang, 2003 elantra, 2017 elantra, 1999 dodge 1500 quad cab, 1975 caprice, 1981 buick regal, 58 bel air, 65 Studebaker,65 renault dauphine, 59 -60 nsu prinz, 1997 pontiac grand prix. Thats all i can remember. Im a car guy near 60, this is what i can remember off the top of my head
#1 is definitely wrong. I bought a 2000 Toyota camry and the AC was not working. Spend almost 1k getting it fixed 5 years ago and the car has been immaculate since. Small investment if you ask me
Original owner of 2012 Kia Soul Plus. 2.0 L Naturally aspirated 4 cyl. Now has 80k miles and has been absolutely bullet proof. Mobil 1 and OEM filters every 4k miles. Never any problems, everything original except plugs, coils and general maintenance items.
They'll just say "you got a diamond in the rough" yet here I am with a 2015 sonata with the dreaded 2.4l engine and I've done all maintenance and oil changes religiously every 3-4k miles and I've got 220k on it and it runs like a dream. He (wizard) also thinks the 5.4 and 4.6 3v Triton motors are junk, had 2 of them, both 3v's and both bought used with around 90k - 100k on them, and traded them both in with just under 300k, I just maintained them, never had any problems with them. So whenever he makes these videos I tend to roll my eyes and think here's another money grab. "DONT BUY THIS!!! ITS JUNK!!! THE ONLY THING YOU CAN BUY IS HONDA OR TOYOTA!!! ANYTHING ELSE YOU BUY IS GARBAGE!!!" Lol, just my take on these videos
Considering the Sonata, i'd avoid the 2011-2014 as well, they have the same engine. Also, Kia Optima, Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Santa-Fe and Kia Sorento (2011 and newer) also have that same engine.
My mom has a 12 Sonata for 12 years now , over 100k miles, zero trouble at all. I have a 17 Tucson 1.6 engine with 135k , bought new , great SUV.. zero repairs .. same brake pads... I just drive and drive it.. always change oil on time on both .. never burned a drop of oil for both Hyundais. My niece has a Sorento (17 model) that is garbage - burns oil - so avoid that one.....but my Hyundais bought new - have been great so far.
We have a 2018 Sonata 2.4l . Bought new. Thought the motor issues were fixed by then. Its at 107k and running great. Thankfully. 3750mi (severe schedule) oil change interval
I did exactly what he says last year. Looked on marketplace, saw a 2007 Ford Freestyle AWD. It was $5,000. Only had 50k miles. Yes it has a CVT but I dunno what the heck the previous owner did with the car. The air filter looked like cornbread, yes it was yellow, the AC wasn’t cooling, and it was only getting 14 mpg. Obviously changed the air filter, a pipe was broken below, got that fixed, that and the air filter were why it was getting 14 mpg. AC needed Freon, much better now. It runs very well and I get around 25-28 mpg on it now (STP makes great additives). Car now has 59k miles. Hopefully the cvt holds up well, that has to be serviced next. Sometimes you get lucky on marketplace.
RX-8 start really, really low. Teenagers who just got their licence tend to buy them because of horsepower for the buck. And often crash them a few weeks after.
So far everything you mentioned I already knew. As a matter of fact that's what helped me choosing a good car. I drive a Toyota Yaris LE 2014, it's been real good. I bought it in 2020, I put $3000 in repairs from October 2020 to April 2020 and now my mechanic says it runs great, even my wife's son in-law who's a back yard mechanic said the same thing last month. I bought cheap with 134000 kms now it has 165000 km and I love my Yaris.
My dad had one and it was a POS. Lots of electrical problems with his Saturn. All of the GM Ecotec engines from the 2.0, 2.2, and 2.4 engines are known for timing chain failures.
Sellers often say it needs a "fuel pump". That's a red flag as usually a pretty easy fix when the pump is under the back seat - seller is not telling the truth. A $500 Geo Metro with a head gasket or a broken timing belt is my "cheap" car. If the car isn't rusty or beat up it's a $2,000 DIY rebuild. At the age, rebuild the 3 cylinder motor in a carry-out to a machine shop - won't cost over $1,200. Put new synchros in the transmission and it'll go another 300,000 miles with almost no repairs. A Metro is a car where the A/C isn't costly to fix. The Suzuki G10 can be converted to a carb - like the 1980s versions. You can remove the "computer" if want to survive an EMP strike. The Suzuki G10 is bulletproof, it is used in ultra light aircraft. Not powerful, but very dependable and "cheap". Tires are $40 each. This is my version of "cheap". Heck, get a $1,000 running Metro and fix stuff. They all have a zillion miles but are rebuildable by novice mechanics who are detail oriented .
David, you deserve the utmost respect for your blatant honesty about the 5 vehicles. I completely agree with you. I tried to tell my neighbor not to buy his wife a Nissan Rogue but he is a difficult man to convince because he knows more than every body else. I even warned him about the Jatco CVT transmission.
At least if you buy a new Rogue, you can do the 2 year/25K CVT fluid change and have some assurance about the longevity of the transmission. Buying it at 80-100K is asking for trouble if the fluid hasn’t ever been changed.
I feel like the RX8 is a bit of an oddball. You are 100% correct that the rotary engine is flawed and will likely break. It’s not for a first time cheap daily driver. However, like old English sports cars the entry cost is low and they have a small but dedicated community of folks willing and able to support their fellow enthusiasts
We had a 2014 Nissan Altima with a cvt that was never serviced and never had any issues with it in almost 200,000 miles. The car is still running fine.
My fam owned many Nissan no issues ever older ones went over 200k bad maintenance newer ones were leased 0 problems. Hate Nissan handling and headlights.
@@Brararaf101 yeah, the headlights on the Altima were terrible. I believe they even had a class action lawsuit about them. I have a 2023 Nissan frontier with led headlights and they’re great.
Helpful tip for the owners of those Hyundai's/Kia's with the 2.4L Theta ll engine, they've got a lifetime unlimited km warranty. If you're having issues, drain the oil, seize the engine, then put the oil back in an tow it to a dealership. Just call the dealership and have them run the VIN to confirm the warranty before you seize your engine. Then sell the piece of junk with a brand new (not actually new, but fully rebuilt) engine.
@@volvo09call then, give them the VIN, and ask. They only give the information freely to the first owner, how are they supposed to know the information of the third owner to give them the information. You can bring any Hyundai/Kia to any dealership from the relevant manufacturer (Kia to Kia, Hyundai to Hyundai) and they will perform all recalls, service actions, and service campaigns for free. I would recommend doing at least a couple oil changes at said dealership before the engine "seizes" so they will be more on your side than if you bring some POS unmaintained vehicle to them to warranty an engine that is 20,000 km past it's service interval for an oil change. They can deny a claim due to lack of service records (I should've mentioned that in the original post). But, if you've got at least one or two records with the dealership for proper service intervals, you will get that warranty engine no matter the kms, no matter if you're the first owner or the fifth etc, you will get an engine.
You know they're one of the VERY few vehicles you can buy that's BELOW the price you get for it as scrapmetal. That should be enough of a warning right there.
I bought a cheap PT Cruiser, that was starting to get old, and over time cost a lot of money in repairs! As much as i love old cars, i will never buy another Chrysler
I just bought a 120 Series Toyota Prado with the 1GR V6. It's been well looked after, and has 190k on it, which for this model is pretty low. I'm a happy camper, it's a good reliable car and if looked after, will look after me for years to come.
I work at a Ford dealership. There’s a guy that works at our body shop that owns an Audi (I’m a GM guy) I told him you don’t buy German vehicles you lease them, if you want to buy a vehicle you buy American or Japanese, he agreed with me 😂
even more LOL when ppl modify them...and dont even invest in a MANAGEMENT System...as if that ROI/UPGRADES arent remotely going to yield blown heads/leaks etc.
Leasing is usually a bad idea, but for some cars, it makes sense. If an Audi, or others with that level of 'quality' are on your bucket list, if you're just burning for them, okay. Get it, but on a lease, so there's a time when you're rid of it.
A friend had an Audi A8, I forget the year, but maintenance costs were more than the car was worth several times over. Thousand dollar oil changes, stuff breaking constantly, battery replacement had to be done at the dealership. He ended up donating it as nobody would buy it.
I just bought a 2003 Ford Taurus SE with 122k on it from a private seller. It has 3 issues, a small misfire probably coil packs, plugs and wires, needed rear brakes, and needed tires $1400 I think I got a good deal
My wife and I bought a new new body style 2015 Nissan Rogue SV AWD that we ordered. It has been a great vehicle for us. The car has 113k and counting had all scheduled maintenance performed and the transmission fluid changed every 40k. Decent on gas and does very well in the snow.! Sometimes the Nav screen glitches or delays but still works great and the passenger window especially in winter time is hard to roll up. Overall it’s been a great car knock on wood.
Add a 2010 subaru impreza 2.5i to the list (i know from experience). They are notorious for head gasket oil leaks and in general subarus are harder to work on.
Those particular Impreza models had head gasket problems because the gaskets used on those models had a graphite coating that would break down with age. But once the gaskets are replaced with a multi layer steel gaskets used on the turbo models the gaskets will never leak again.
@evoman44 I currently own one that leaks oil but it's a very very slow leak. I just use it as a beater car so it doesn't bother me. It's not worth sinking 1k in to replace the gaskets I feel like.
Got news for you, Nissan silently replaced many 5.6L gas V8's in the near past, they encouraged dealers doing the warrantied engine swaps not to report it so it wouldn’t hurt sales. I learned about this after I came across a used Titan for sale, seller told me of the engine swap, I paid for a Carfax, no mention at all. Then did some deep research, found out in the comments threads on forums, you won’t find much about it otherwise. They likely fixed the issue since, but used truck buyers beware.
Really good advice! Also appreciate the heads up on DREO fans. Even with two HVAC systems in our home we still use area fans for additional comfort. Also use them in the RV, particiularly for the bunkhouse beds. Thanks.
I have always told my friends and family that if they want an audi to lease one, never buy one. That way, you can turn it back in before the problems start.
I've had 2 Audi A8's. The first I put 40k miles on and sold at 80k, it was perfect! So later, I bought an older one when I wanted a cheap car, a flawless looking blue 2005 with the 4.2 is what I got. Over the next year, I had to replace all of the front control arms and bushings, 3 struts, an amplifier, body control module, crank sensor, CV axels, motor mounts, some failed internal transmission seal, and a stunningly time consuming oil cooler leak. With that and some other random little things, I probably had over 100 of my hours into diagnosis and repairs on that car. As soon as I got it so that there were no problems, I sold that beautiful money pit. Now I have a Lexus, and while it's the equivalent of automotive narcolepsy, I haven't had to do anything but basic maintenance and I love that.
I've had an S8 I bought with 80k 2 years ago. Now I have 105k miles. Repairs are relatively expensive compared to others cars, but fortunately I haven't had to do too much.
I worked at a dealership that serviced both GM and Hyundai vehicles from 2017-2020 and you are spot on. Even in N/A form the Cruze still has a lot of other problems (leaky thermostat housings and coolant overflow bottles, leaky timing covers), and the Theta 2 engines from Hyundai are the worst made by any manufacturer in modern times. It's as if the Koreans looked at the North Star V8 and said, "hold my beer!" I'd sooner buy a Chinese car than a Hyundai.
the Thermostat assembly for the N/A 1.8 is a bit of a sore spot for me; because its physically IDENTICAL to the assembly used in the 2009-2011 Aveo's 1.6, but where the Cruze one is only $185, the Aveo one is DOUBLE THE PRICE at $360!
You DO NOT want to buy a Chinese car, they are far worse than a Hyundai or a Cruze being unreliable. They have massive design and quality control issues that make them unsafe to drive. I'd rather drive a Hyundai and break down on the side of a road than drive a BYD and have an axle failure on the highway or get a brain hemorrhage because of an electric leak.
I needed an airport car for use in Memphis last fall, and I found a 2011 Nissan Rogue for sale for....$6600! 78,000 miles. I called the place that had it and arranged to drive it. It had a terrible repaint job, but the dealership had Nissan dealership receipts that indeed showed that the CVT fluid had been changed twice, once at 30,000 miles at the second at 61,000 miles. I I almost said yes on the spot after driving it, but wanted to do a Carfax. I went home and did one and called him two hours later to buy the car but he must have heard something, because suddenly the price was $11,800.....
I second avoiding the 2016-2018 Nissan Titian Diesel. I had one and it had 2 Turbo failures and it had less than 60K miles. The engine is horrible and gutless too. Now the Titan gas engine is excellent!. The 5.6 v-8 is one of the best truck engines out there.
Can’t agree more on the Cruz, absolute trash. My mother in law has one and with barely over 100k miles it’s in my garage all the time with one thing or another broken or leaking on it.
Have a 2002 camry....My wife have a brand new jeep (high maintenance) To change both batteries on the jeep costs $1200 which is the same price for our used 2002 Camry.... The Camry runs like a dream...No issues. ..Now we are selling the brand new jeep😊
DREO is doing a mid-year sale with up to $140 off. Use my code WIZARD to get extra 8%
discount: bit.ly/4bm3UL6 Or get it on Amazon: amzn.to/4cEUf3C
WARNING: AD BAIT !!! Just another SCAM UA-cam Channel. Disguising UA-cam Video's as Ads!!!!
Hey car wizard I thought Equniox, Torrent, Vue, XL7, Terrain and traverse would be on the list
2005-2009: Equniox
-Bad engine
-Transmission Problems ( not failure ) but just problems
-Not very well made
-3.4 gasket eater
-3.6 on 2008-2009 model years
-electrical problems
2006-2009: Torrent
-Bad engine
-3.4 gasket eater
-Transmission Problems ( not failure ) but just problems
-Not very well made
-3.6 on 2008-2009 model years
Vue ( 2002-2004 )
-Transmission Failure
-major problems
-CVT
-electrical problems
@@Coolizzy-e5lPretty much ALL Equinox/Terrain/etc should be on here; they'll ruin your life
Wizard make a video about old Mercedes please
Why not just contact Northwest Envirofan and have them get you a fleet of industrial ceiling fans for the shop? It'd help in the hot months.
3:06 Chevy Cruze 1.4 Turbo 2010 or newer
6:00 Hyundai Sonata 2015 or newer
7:19 Audio A8 any year
9:12 Mazda Rx8
10:37 2007-2015 Nissan Rogue
12:05 2016-2019 Nissan Titan
I learned the hard way with a Hyundai Sonata 2018. Now I'm a smarter man and got a 2022 Toyota Corrola. Better on gas AND oil. I tried to jump on the Hyundai lawsuit but they were not accepting the SE model.
Audi and VW !!! Same Shxt.
Thanks for this mate. It's always hurt that the RX8 wasn't a well enough designed car
Nissan titan ?
@@guillermocardenas9497 the diesel 5L was a POS. Get the gas variant they go 300k miles easily.
Whether it's a car, lawnmower, tractor, the owner always seems to know the simple fix that is required but they aren't competent enough to actually fix the issue.
Don't have time
"it's a quick fix"
Ok, you fix it and I'll buy it.
Or.....have the parts for the fix just ain't get around to it
Also vehicles that come with a laundry list of recently replaced engine parts.....red flag
Run from realtors that say, it's easy, simple, quick, no problem to DIY. So why isn't it done already?
“All it needs is-“ move on. If it was that easy. They would’ve done it and asked more.
Also the stupid, "It's a cheap/easy fix".
So why didn't YOU fix it before selling?
@@nakoma5isn’t what op said ?
TY
It's only the sensor, bro.
@@missesmia2 A sensor can trip multiple codes than you get into a real rat's nest of trying to find the root cause of the problem. Why take on someone else's headache they were to lazy or cheap to fix. They're just passing the buck. Or trying to covering up a serious issue like a blown head gasket or an engine that's about ready to die from lack of maintenance.
Your program hits a sweet spot because it appeals to gear heads and average guys like me who has only vague familiarity with cars. Your never buy or great buy reviews are perfect for the general public. . Keep up the good work. You are a great asset for car owners. Continued success in all you do.
As a transmission rebuild company, we don't even bother rebuilding the garbage Nissan CVTs. We just order a new one from the dealer.
Funny that here in Brazil we use these Nissan's CVT in a variety of cars and they are well known for lasting long time as long as the maintenance is well done.
@@andrecorreiaruudayou said it....proper maintenance. By the way, much more frequent fluid changes than what people are used to. That's the key. But, shouldn't Nissan know better by now? Why not implement a design like Toyota's, for instance.
@@andrecorreiaruuda the problem was, at the beginning Nissan did not specify a CVT maintenance schedule. I owned a 2012 Nissan Sentra which did not list any maintenance schedule for the CVT. Later years added 60K miles / 100,000 km schedules but I still think that's way too long for a CVT.
A regular transmission like my previous ZF 8 speed and now my 10 speed can withstand 100K mile / 150K km intervals so they end up being cheaper to maintain than a CVT which is supposed to be designed for economy. Well it's now clear they're cheaply made but not exactly cheap for the regular customer.
@@engineer_alv You think people who let their brake rotors go down to paper-plates are going to follow transmission maintenance schedules? No, put these garbage tranmissions out in the wild is a planned obsolescence strategy, They don't want their newest products competing against the 20teen equivalents of 3.8L 1990s Buicks that ran forever.
@@mikeschneider5077 I agree, I'm not saying CVT transmissions are good, just pointing out they're all but cheap to maintain and when they go they cost a fortune to replace. I'd rather own a car with a regular multi gear transmission
When my KIA engine exploded, I was shocked that junkyards were charging $5K-6K for used engines! Its crazy, but they explained to me that the govt was forcing kia/Hyundai to extend engine warranties, and they were desperate for cores. So scrap yards jacked up prices. It was strange because the KIA dealership never mentioned the extended engine warranty.... so when I went back, after some pressure, they replaced it for free
The KIA dealers are told not to bring up the warranty extension.
They want the customer to pay first.
Kia and hyundai both have engine issues they suck.
Had a new engine put into my daughter’s 2015 Soul last year at just over 100k. Thankfully she didn’t need it everyday because it took 6 weeks to arrive and get installed. It was covered under the extended warranty (15 yr/150,000 miles) so no cost but only because I could show I’d done regular oil changes.
@BenBen-vl4xj Dudes, Kias suck. Chicks, but it's sooo cute.
Stay far away of both kia and hyundai.
@@60gregma I disagree. I hope you rid yourself of it while it was still running.
My daughter is car shopping now, saw a bunch of those Nissan Rogues on the lot. She sends her profound thanks and IS following your advice. Much Love from New Mexico USA!
WOW are they all as pretty as you in NM?? Gorgeous! 😍
There’s a reason why there’s always TONS of Rouges on used car lots
Avoid all nissan
Only Nissan that don't break is the frontier @@samholdsworth420
get a Mazda CX-5, Toyota reliability without the high price tag
Instructions unclear, I got an amazing deal on a Hyundai Cruze A8 with the 2.4 Rotary Ecotec engine made by Cummins and Jatco CVT transmission. It just needs a little bit of freon and lead patches for some of the rusty parts. It was so cheap because it wouldn't start and didn't have a title, but those are probably something minor to fix. Didn't bother inspecting it because lots of people online in the comments section say they have one (or their neighbor/uncle has one) that has 300,000 miles and never went into the shop and has been rock solid reliable. I trust them because they own the car, so that means they know more about it than any mechanic.
🤣😂🤣😂
Jatco make awesome products
@@samholdsworth420 You would think. But those CVT's were garbage for many years. The Renault-Nissan Alliance was not a good decision.
No.
I had to read this twice.....I think u hit the jackpot with this car...many trouble free miles ahead😅😅😅😅
This is somewhat related.
30 or so years ago, my dear old Dad and I went to look at a ski boat. About 20', trailer and 4 cyl Mercury 2-stroke engine.
Seller had the boat at his workshop in an industrial area.
I asked, "can you start the engine for a short time for us?" Answer was, "no. It's not in the water."
Okay, I kind of get his point. I take the cover off the engine for a look see. There's the flywheel, carburetor, connecting rod, crankshaft, wait a second why am I seeing the rod and crank!
I was able to see them because there was a large hole in the crankcase.
Walked away from that one.
I'm a auto mechanic. My Ex girlfriend had an old Honda Accord. It had some rush around the arches but ran fine (well over 300.000 kms). After we broke up she decided she didn't need my help and her and her new boyfriend went to buy another car. They bought a Nissan Rogue. 2 months in and 58 more car payments to go the transmission went out (CVT) I told her, The Honda would of kept running for another 300,000 kms. And maintenance to keep it running was cheaper then a car payment.
That’s women for you , never listening 😂
Hahaha good story, thank you both 😂
Karma from breaking up with you😅
*honda Is Trash* 🚮.. *Next* ! 🦵 🚪
I've commented on this before, and I'll say it again. The Wizard is not kidding about "no title no deal". I bought a motorcycle missing the paperwork, after a mutual friend vouched for him. Eventually it worked out, and ruined the friendship between my buddy and the seller. But for several months, I couldn't register, insure, or plate it. It needed some work, but I didn't dare put money into it. By the time I got the paperwork, the riding season was nearly done anyway. NO TITLE, NO DEAL!!!
In texas, you just go down to the texas highway dept, not the dmv, and they'll print out an official title on the spot. Just need i.d. and a plate number. So. No excuse.
@@georgeperkins4171 Where I am in Canada, it's about the same. Go to the right government office with ID, and they print out a new one. As you say, no excuse. But I learned that lesson, and firmly agree with Wizard.
@@georgeperkins4171not all states do that
I bought a '72 C10 in pieces from a coworker that was moving. I picked it up the same day he was moving out of town and he said the title is packed away somewhere and he would send it to me when they got moved in. Well, I never heard from him for several years, and I went ahead and spent the time and money to put it all together except for paint, and then it just sat for several years. I moved on to another job and then came back to town a few years later and heard that the guy was back at his old job, so I tracked him down, filed a small claims suit to get my money back, and we finally settled out of court. He refunded the purchase price and he got his truck back essentially put together and ready to drive for free.
My state has since changed the rules for vehicle registrations and if this happened just 5 years later I could have gotten a title for it. I was just trying to help the guy out because he couldn't afford to transport the truck at the time, I didn't even want the thing, just wanted to help someone I thought was a friend.
@@brotherpaulv So you were the nice guy, tried to help someone, and got screwed for it. That's a sadly familiar story. And people wonder why I'm more of an asshole as I get older!
I heard somebody say “Nothing is more expensive than a cheap Mercedes” I think he was speaking from experience
Some of the old ‘all mechanical’ (I believe ‘95 and older) diesel Mercedes cars are pretty good. A friend of mine had an ‘95 E300D with over 500K on it, and it was tight as a drum, everything worked on it. An airbag deployment totaled it though. (A bump not a wreck)
Perhaps the only thing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes is a cheap Land Rover.
I am wanting to say Scotty Kilmer uses the term, "Endless money pit."
Or BMW
The right used MB is fine.
I want to buy all 6 now just to see if I can make a bundle sale deal to Hoovie.
😂
That way by the time the 6th one breaks down the 1st one will be out of the shop
Don't forget to go offroad in that Rogue the moment before sale, so Hoovie don't have to
He'd jump right on it. He just loves throwing money away
“I bought all six cars the Wizard said not to, here’s the worst one.” There, I just started your UA-cam career.
Just traded my Cruze with 212,000 miles on it that I bought new. Regular oil change and maintenance and didn't drive it like crazy and it was a perfectly reliable car.
Keeping the maintenance up helps. Here in Australia we had the korean ones and they were JUNK. Then they started making them in Australia and the quality jumped a lot. But I know of people who have had problems with them.
Even the most unreliable vehicles will have examples that hold up pretty well. The best made cars will sometimes be huge headaches. I know someone that bought a Toyota Tundra and had nothing but problems. It's about playing the odds.
Cruze owner here with 175k miles. It's been a good, reliable car. Previous owner didn't take very good care of it so it needed a lot of work but after that it's been running with minimal issues for the past 50k miles I've had it. Much of a cars reliability lies on the driver and their habits.
I bought a 2015 Rogue (new body style) brand new and changed the fluid every 30k with no issues until semi took it out at 130k miles. The pan had absolutely no debris when I changed the filter at 125k. Bought a 2015 Rogue with 20k miles with the insurance money and will do the same thing.
Cruze with 1.4 turbo engine - Read TSB 17-NA-184. You MUST look at the oil filler cap to determine what oil cartridge to use. You cannot count on the owners manual, VIN, or any other thing to know what cartridge to use. If your cap says UFI - use cartridge PF2263G. If your cap says Hengst use cartridge PF2257G. Using the wrong cartridge will lead to running the engine without an oil cartridge/filter since the bypass valve is always open since it the valve does not exist on the PF2257G cartridge) . I suspect that is why so many of these engines in Encores, Cruze, Sonic and Trax are failing. I brought my Encore to the dealer for oil changes during the manufacturer warranty period and they used the wrong filter 6 of the 8 times.
Some of the turbos are covered under a special warranty - Special Coverage N232395330.
and usually the filter caps are colored differently depending on what housing you have: Hengst is black, and UFI is a dark brown. at my work, until very recently we didn't carry the filter for the UFI housing and our managers would have to run to a parts store to get it.
@@digitalrailroader I wonder if someone would collect statistics on how many of the " bad" 1.4 litres have the UFI cap/cartridge and everyone was just using the wrong cartridge which is the same as using no cartridge. It seems the Hengst filter is the one everyone carries and is cheaper. The UFI system expects the bypass valve to be in the cartridge and the Hengst cartridge just has an open hole. Its beyond comprehension the engineers let the wrong cartridge even fit.
@@gregsmith5132 that’s because in the Hengst design, the bypass valve is actually an internal component of the oil filter housing. (It’s at the base of the plastic tube that goes through the PF2257G. It’s essentially the same premise as the Pentastar V6s; the early filters WILL fit in the late housing assembly, but it will act like there’s no filter inside at all and will exhibit no oil pressure.
Lol....What happened to Chevy... it's so sad.... that's not a mistake that such a legendary company should make
Omg, 6 out of 8 times? Please tell me you threw a fit to the manager. Or at least told him with a dirty look.
A good guide is to not buy whatever Hoovie buys.
.... but he REALLY goes out of his way to shoot himself in both feet.
I mean. Over & over again.
Unless you have a popular youtube channel.
He really is the king of bad decisions.
@@timewa851 I'm sure that you understand that if Hoovie adopts a sensible car buying approach, his YT channel would not exist.
@@dalgguitars On the contrary, Hoovie's decisions are just perfect for ensuring the YT algorithm keeps the funds rolling into his personal bank account.
Dude I got a smoking deal on one of these. You got the order wrong. The deal comes first. The smoking comes later.
thats funny
We bought a 2004 Rouge new. Drove it 110,000 miles. It developed a faint final drive gear whine. There was a factory program to replace the transmission for free. Parts and labor. We gave it to our son, who drove it to over 200,000 miles before trading it in. We bought a 2015 , which we drive today at 225,000 miles with very few problems. I guess we’re the lucky ones.
Aussie here - I had a 2014 1.4L Turbo Cruze, made by Holden in Australia. It was rock solid! Sold it in 2020 with 150,000kms on the clock, and it never needed more than basic maintenance - always serviced on time per the logbook. It's still on the road today (checked registration) and probably well past 200,000kms by now. The later Australian-made models were decent if you kept up with proper care
About 5.5 years ago I had a guy trying to sell his elderly mom's car and it had been left garaged for over a year. Aside from needing every maintenance item, it needed the 8 year old tires replaced. While I was at it, I did all the shocks/struts, control arms, fluids, and bushings since it was already apart. That car is my 2004 Lincoln Town Car. The price was $3200. In the time I have owned and babied it - it has acquired 20,000 more miles. Essentially I scored an unkillable platform that will run for another 20 years. SCORE!
In my best soccer voice - SCOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRE
I had a 2005 buick lacrosse just sold it for what I paid for it. Bought it for 3000 drove it for 8 years for free. Fantastic car gonna get another
@@tenaciousvirgiltenaciousvi5671 or if you want just a touch more Legroom, Upgrade to the 2006-2008 Lucerne V6; has the exact same engine as your 2005 LaCrosse had (as long as it wasn't a CXS; those had the High Feature "Chain Eater" 3.6 that is universally hated) and has creature comforts like heated and cooled seats, RainSense Automatic Wipers, and factory Navigation!
You've now jinxed that car by bragging
If you are an expert on that brand of car and know how to work on them or are at least willing to learn and willing to gamble some cash on a project car then it’s a good idea to buy scuffed cars on online marketplaces, but if you’re anyone else and especially if you need the car to commute, then no listen to the wizard.
the problem is even colder places the a/c helps defrosting
And defogging the windows.
@@nicholasvinen of course that is what i meant to say we agree
I'll tell you what, if I go to look at a used car, and, the seller calls me "bro", that's a sure-fire deal killer!
just a predatory finance bro trying to move a used car for 8-11% SMDH
Ok, bro...
Bruh even worse. This is where you need the nerd.
or..."Boss"
Broo
I recently subscribed to The Wizard channel and can't stop watching him. When Tyler H had his show Car Issues, I was a fan of The Wizard. Its nice to know that there is a genuine mechanic around who has your best interest at heart. I'm in Illinois and wish that he was closer. Hey to Mrs Wizard as well 👍🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
My brother in law bought a turbo Cruise. Turbo died at 50k miles. Saw the remains and OMG - there was so much play in the mainshaft it was incredible. Meanwhile my 16 Focus ST? 180k miles, turbo issues? None. Brake issues? None. Engine issues? None. Trans issues? None. I had an AC compressor coil fail recently, fixed it in 30 minutes easily.
Your Focus ST made in Germany, and employed Volvo 2.5 engine.
the turbo is was build for German cold weather. I wouldn't surprised your focus perform well in the US.
Noticed: the F150 Raptor doesn't not do well in Colorado mountain climate because the computer could not adjust to the air fast enough and just stalled the truck out in Colorado. Guessed where the Raptor were build???
The Cruze has a notoriety of the turbo failing due to the oil feed line getting blocked by coked oil. The Dorman replacement fixed it by putting a heat shield around the line
He’s not lying about those Chevy Cruzes and the turbos. Mine started failing as soon as it hit 100,000 miles dumping oil into the catalytic converter causing both to fail. I was quoted over $2,000 to replace both as you couldn’t replace one without the other. I ended up just junking the car.
only chevy cruise worth buying is the diesel.
the 18s and 19s are actually good, i have one for personal use and i know a guy that uses one for rideshare, he has over 300k on the original engine and trans
GM had been making 100k mile disposable cars since the 80's
I had a 2013 Buick Verano. fortunately it had the non-turbo ecotec 4. I got 221k out of it before trading it in. it saw hard service doing Uber/Lyft for a year. I did oil changes every roughly 3k miles and no issues at all!
@@jameswest5723 that's what I've been told: the 2nd gen Cruze got a different 1.4 engine which solved the PCV and other issues as well as bringing more power and torque.
2016+ are good to go and much more reliable than 1st gens
Speaking from personal experience, if the inspection is out of date and they're not willing to get the car inspected before you buy then steer clear. Don't make the same mistake I did just because it's a great deal!
I worked at a salvage yard moving and organizing the cars, and thete were soooo many cruzes there, most looked really nice, but the engine problems killed them
Sir, do you know cruze diesel are the same?
@@ten132 no
@@ten132 They sold in such tiny numbers i would be worried about parts availability even if it was something small like a vacuum pump
I mostly agree with this... The RX8 is like buying an old British car, it is the car you tinker on, it is not your daily. I love the rotaries, mostly because they are easy to get out of the engine bay, unlike a big v8. Plus, it is simple to rebuild. Then, toss it back in and go another 50k miles. I haven't had any other problems with the rotary cars other than having to rebuild the motor. Now, the RX8 does have an annoying security thing that I haven't figured out how to by-pass. I live in a snow belt ( or salt belt depending on how you look at it) and rust is on every car I see here, so I shop out of the area. These are great videos!
Owning an RX-8 is a constant fight against rust, they really skimped on rust protection everywhere.
And yes, apart from ignition coils, brakes and tires, my only garage bills were "something destroyed by rust needs work".
@@Crazy_Borg Agree! But, honestly I would own the RX7, any version, (b,c,d) before the RX8, but they have become unobtanium...
@@Crazy_Borgit’s because it’s not meant to ever see salt. Rotary engines are designed to only be driven in the summer. There’s a video explaining how when it’s cold and you start it the engine warms up unevenly and causes it to destroy itself. In another video a rx7 owner said always let it warm up even when it’s hot outside if you want it to last
@@yyeezyy630 Mazda at that time was well known to have rust problems with all of their vehicles
Mine is a 2016 A8 with the twin turbo 4.0L. The turbo charger oil starvation issue was addressed via a recall. The turbines are now warranted to 120,000 miles. With ~55k miles I haven't experienced any of the problems you mentioned but you did mention higher mileage. Actually no issues at all but one. There was a small coolant leak that was repaired under warrant. I bought from a VW dealership and I believe the car has a lease in its history so maybe early concerns were addressed. So far so good. It sits outside but is always covered. The maintenance is performed by Audi except for state inspections and that only because Audi service is a long wait due to the recent boom in sales. Also I'm retired, drive few miles and another vehicle is the daily driver. As such my work truck now sees
My daughter had a Chevrolet Cruz. Whatever you do, no matter how good it looks, DO NOT BUY IT!
When new magazines said Cruze was "So much better than Cobalt or Cavalier", but they just don't last as long.
The older Malibu too. Looks good but a problematic nightmare.
Cruz’n for a bruisen!
Ok but what is Wizard smoking, talkin about steering wheels busting off? He doesn't even mention the actual common problems like water pump or PCV system. So far my turbo is ok. Use high quality synthetic oil, get oil changed on time, 5k mi or less. Let the car idle after a drive at least 20-30 seconds to let turbo circulate oil and coolant so it doesn't turn off smoking hot. Consider replacing turbo oil feed line at 75k mi, simple job and $20-40 part.
My wife and I took a Cruz for a test drive when we were car shopping. The brand-new car was so severely underpowered that it was dangerous to take onto the highway. I vowed that I would never buy one.
I listen, bought a Lesabre and a Camry for my wife both are excellent cars. The Camry had 57 thousand miles and only cost $2,000.
Well there's more to your story than meets the eye because it's very hard to find a Camry for 2000 bucks
@@glennbeadshaw727 Maybe it had 570K miles rather than 57K? That would make more sense. Either that or it burns oil like the Gubmunt burns money.
@@glennbeadshaw727youd be surprised...deals are still out there
@@glennbeadshaw727 Exactly. Either there's a LOT of information being withheld or someone is lying.
Doug, you need to tell us more. I ran the numbers and it didn't add up.
My sister bought a used Versa without asking 6 years ago and I always made sure she frequently changed the CVT fluid and it lasted until 189k. Most I've ever seen one go. Made her buy a new Camry this time 😂 She does well and was thankful for that advice 😂
Mine has 113k right now and I'm stuck between the Scotty advice of "if it ain't broke don't mess with it" and doing regular changes. The previous owner neglected it, so it probably hasn't had regular changes but it drives honestly better than when I bought it because I've fully refreshed the brakes and other parts.
@teagancombest6049 One hundred percent with you. If I were you I'd start saving knowing its when not if. It should last a little while longer but plan ahead
@@darrensanimalsreptilesfish30 Yeah I'm trying to buy a Miata or a z3/z4 right now because I make incredibly good financial decisions!
@@teagancombest6049 Relatable 🤣
My neighbor sold his Nissan Versa, after having 3 of the CVT transmissions fail by 76-k miles. It took several months for him to sell a non-running car in need of a transmission.
As a General Motors Technician, people need to understand that only the First Generation Chevy Cruze from 2010-2015 were unreliable. With the Second Generation Cruze from 2016-2019 GM completely redid the 1.4 Turbo and we see very little wrong with them. GM changed the turbo out with a Mitsubishi based turbo and have yet to see one fail. With proper maintenance these things can last easily 200,000 miles and can get up to 40 mpg on the highway. I know so because I myself own a 2017 Chevy Cruze with 115k miles and have only had to do basic maintenance to it, no unexpected breakdown or out of pocket repairs. Maintenance is key with everything though, if you don’t take care of it, it won’t take care of you.
Have a coworker with 200k and she dogs the damn thing. Is a 2018 or 19
That's great.
Meanwhile, my friend bought a 2017 Chevy Cruz hybrid that never gets out of the shop.
@@dottyjyoung GM never made a Cruze hybrid, but they did make a Malibu hybrid
Wow first human on planet to ever say the crude was a amazing vehicle lol
any chance of making the car right in the first place
Anecdotally, I bought a used ,14 Cruze (1.8L non-turbo) with 45k miles, drove it for 6 years and put another 60k on it. Zero repair costs. Gas, tires, oil and wiper blades were my only expenses.
I bought a 2007 raider almost 3 years ago for $2000 with 222,000 miles on a 3.7 V6. It has 240,000 now and I've had to replace a water pump, tstat, and radiator, still runs perfect. Good video as always, car wizard.
The Raider is just a Dodge Dakota. They are pretty good trucks if taken care of.
My 2010 nissan altima which I have had since new, I service my CVT TRANSMISSION every 60,000 miles.
Today I'm 157,000 miles and stil going strong with the transmission
@@DanielGarcia-zz9eg I don't know if those have the same crappy CVT, do they? I always hear horror stories about multiple CVT failures on the the smaller cars and crossovers.
@volvo09 key is maintenance.
Ppl just drive till it breaks down.
Alot don't know what maintenance is needed or don't have a few hundred for maintenance, so they push it till it cost thousands.
That's why most ppl never finish Making car payments .
I'm enjoying these past 11 yrs no payments.
It's nice not to worry if my ride will not start.
Stay on top of maintenance
Do you just do a drain and fill at every 60k?
I would do it every 30k miles
@richwg6633
I do flush.
Even on my pickup truck RAM 09.
No issues at all on both.
Truck I do every 30k to 60k miles and I'm at 227,000 on the RAM
I been doing this since I purchased them new.
Buying used over 100k miles, just let it ride unless you have history on it from last owner or happen to know where it has been service alot
Hyundai made a previous gen Sonata with a 3.3L V6 and those are decent, and don't lack for power. Last year I bought a 2009 with only 55k miles on it for a family member and it was a steal for $7k.
That generation hyundai/kia are great cars. I own an 08 rio5 with manual transmission...it's been good to me. Simple, reliable, and cheap to fix.
I have a 2010 Sonata 3.3l v6. Love it. Very reliable
Same. Wife's 09 Sportage is now our daughters. Nice little SUV that has taken a little bit of abuse and kept on going.
It's funny I worked at a GM dealership when the Cruze came out. They drilled into us how it was tested more than any other car in GM history, driven to the moon and back kms wise with testing and it was on par quality wise with any European compact........................
The Koreans designed it.
I was in Australia before they brought the first Cruze to the US. All the Cruzes in Down Under are diesel. They runs everywhere. Americans got the short end of the stick.
Car wizard you have great advice and also agree with your past advice on how good the GM 3.8s are. I've been waiting for some shop to start nitch and start repairing the 3.8 bodys where they rust out under the doors on the hem. Soon as a shop gets how to do it quickly I think that would be a great bussiness, then it could spread to others.
Or when they say “ran fine when parked” !!!!!!!!!!
I love my rx8, mostly because I knew what I was getting into, got one with next to no mileage, and immediately addressed as many of the reliability issues as possible. The only thing that keeps me from driving it is the gas mileage. 15-16 mpg on 93 for 230hp... 😅
You deserve better
In defense of the RX-8 and any rotary in general they have become unreliable because rotary engines are prone to premature wear and detonation because of how Mazda designed it to be a mass market car from the factory. Those issues can be eliminated simply by converting the engine to run on E85 and pre mixing the fuel with 2 stroke oil. I highly recommend anyone interested in more details to look up a video called: Fixing the Biggest problems of the Rotary engine by Rob Dahm, for a more in depth educational explanation.
RX-8 is pretty much an exotic/hobbyist vehicle at this point. Few people even know what it is, those that do know well what they're getting into.
@@petrosaguilar8916exactly. And trust me, I do!
The problem with the rx-8 is most people don't know how to drive them and maintain them.I owned one for over 5 years and didn't have one problem with it.
Absolutely love these video’s Wizard! Keep’’em coming since I’ll be in the market this time next year to buy two used cars for my daughters.
These video’s are worth their weight in gold! Always appreciate them!
Bought myself a 2016 Honda HR-V and I’m glad I got into a Honda. It needs some work but it’s pretty easy compared to my mini. It’s got almost 128,000 miles and a 6 speed manual. Just took it to a friend’s to do an oil change and a check up. It just needs a tie rod, front brakes in the near future, and a clutch job. I’m aiming to fix that at the end of the month
I had the Cruze with the 1.8 non turbo engine and it was fantastic!!! I have heard endless horror stories about the 1.4 turbo tho
It was a Daihatsu
@@mitchhedberg4415 Uhhhhh, the one I was talking about was the Chevy Cruze with the 1.8 non turbo ecotec
My aunt bought a Nissan Rogue and they properly maintained the transmission - lasted 250k miles until the CVT finally gave out and they traded it in for a new Rogue.
She regrets getting the new one, wishes they had just replaced the CVT - but they're probably better off unless they had found a new trans.
The best fix for a bad CVT is a manual transmission conversion if that particular model was ever available in a manual. The Rogue was never available in a manual in the US but it was in Canada and other markets as the Qashqui where the parts can be sourced.
At 82k my sister got the 2.4 replaced in her sorento due to oil consumption she has 170k now no oil is being burned about 10-15 ounces between oil changes hopefully the new engine was built correctly
10 to 15 ozs in how many miles?
@@JohnSmith-pl2bk 5000
@@JohnSmith-pl2bk they put a long block in the car was a 10000$ job but they covered it under her 100k factory powertrain she was putting a quart in it every gas fillup before it was ridiculious
@@jasonleatherwood2172
I had a 2001 Mitsubishi Galant JDM with the 2.5GDI
that was basically a 2 stroke
with petrol/oil ratio of 100 litres of fuel to 1 litre of diesel engine sump oil (with high ZDDP.)
So in 3000 miles it would use up all the sump oil...just had to top up every time I fueled up!
Smooth luxurious good handling car......but
Low tension piston rings.......
My 2015 Sonata just turned 152K miles on the original 2.4 - switched to 5w30 at around 120K and it doesn't use a drop between changes (every 5K with full synthetic and a WIX filter). Lifetime motor warranty but something else will probably go first. Never done a GDI treatment but mostly highway miles which supposedly helps to keep the intakes from gumming up.
A friend of mine has a Hyundai with a GDI engine, and it uses multiple quarts between oil changes. He has the same opinion you do of them.
As a recovering Rx-7 fanboi, I bet an Rx-8 would be great fun, but I know you're 100% correct. I finally came to my senses and stopped tinkering with Rx-7's and started tinkering with Samurai's instead.
I have a 2014 Cruze 1.4 Turbo with a standard. Bought it brand new. Had maybe 1300km it when I got it.The coolant outlet tube seal failed and the engine overheated. I saved up and bought all the needed parts. Then tackled the job. Wow was there a lot of stuff for a little 1.4😅. Took a bit but I got it fixed and put back together. Thanks for the heads up on the turbo. Will keep an eye out. Have 80000km on it now. Will keep on the coolant flushes and change hoses when needed. Will keep you posted too! Thanks for all the info! Really appreciate it!
Definitely get aluminum replacement parts for the water outlet and the thermostat
Im glad its only the Diesel Titans, The 5.6 gasser Titans are BEASTS, im seeing them get over 300k miles with relative ease.
Awesome brother, I just bought a new 2024 Nissan Titan with the 5.6L Endurance V8 in it and man let me tell you its a freakn beast.
The RWD Nissan transmissions aren’t nearly as bad as their FWD jatco transmissions
Love to hear it. Love to see high mileage ANYTHING!
yep, the nissan v8 in the titan makes for a fantastic truck.
Until the exhaust manifold cracks and sucks the catalytic converters into the engine. There is a fix but it's not cheap, JBA catted short tube headers with a Cajun exhaust.
To reinforce Wizard's take on Nissan CVT transmissions, DO NOT BUY ONE. I know someone who replaced the transmission twice. Both times it was covered under warranty, the third time they sold the car to a junkyard. Yes , they are that bad. $5000 to replace the transmission if you can find one.
The best way to fix a car with a bad CVT is to just do a manual transmission conversion if those particular models were available in a manual. At least that way the car can be sold to recoup some decent money if the owner does not want to keep a manual car.
My 2016 Rogue CVT died at 67,000 miles.
Literally I am living in fear driving a 2009 versa with 113k miles but honestly? It drives perfectly, better than when I bought it at 92, and I honestly can't see it just randomly dying any time soon bug I guess that's what everyone thinks? I really really want to get out of it but it makes me afraid that I won't be able to get any more than junk value for it despite it being a good driving car.
@@evoman44Nissan makes it that difficult to convert it to a manual transmission or even a traditional automatic transmission. You would have to buy a wrecked Nissan with a manual transmission and do the work yourself to be cost-effective or just buy a manual model to begin with. The wiring harnesses are different, the pedals of course are different, the flywheel is most likely different, the ECM is different, etc. I can understand that some people want more features like power windows and locks, push-to-start, heated seats, power seats with lumbar, etc. Unfortunately, most Nissans sold in North America that have manual transmissions are only available on base model trims only. Even if you swap a manual transmission into a CVT Nissan, you may lose certain features like cruise control, etc. Even the dash has to come out on some models like the Altima. The only Nissan crossover SUV in the US that has a manual transmission available is the Nissan Juke and the engine has seen major issues with poor maintenance including the timing chains.
@@atx-cvpi_99 If someone has a CVT that is still running well enough their best option would be to sell it and buy something else. But if their CVT has already failed and the rest of the car is still in good condition then it might just be cost effective to buy a whole wrecked manual car at auction for cheap as the donor car. A back yard mechanic could do the swap for far less than the cost of a new CVT at $5,000 because they have no over head.
I am not familiar with Nissans but all it would take is some research to find out how easily the electrical systems would incorporate before hand. Doing the research should be done before taking on any project to see just how involved it would be and what exact parts would be needed. There is a plethora of information on how to do manual transmission conversion on cars that are popular enough on forums.
Bought a Nissan Juke for my daughter and, taking your advice, I fully serviced the CVT right away. Been a great car. The lesson here is don’t be an ask - hole.
Another RX-8 alternative is a NC Miata (2006-2015). It's based off the same chassis and is basically a smaller, convertible version with a 2.0L 4-cylinder. The 2009-up also have a solid, reliable motor with the best Miata transmission they have ever made. Mine has 113k miles on it and I take it on long road trips all the time. Don't have to do much besides fluids and basic maintenance. Cheap to maintain.
Thanks again for telling it like it is. Modern vehicles are exponentially made to last for less time than older ones. Just talking with my cousin the other day and explaining how all my daily driver Buicks are showing their age. He just bought a Toyota truck and told me that the turbo had to be replaced. There's no end to it.
I recently purchased a used 2021 Buick Encore (clone of the Chevy Trax) with a 1.4 liter 4 cylinder with the Turbo. It's pretty fast but around town I only get about 17 MPG. On the highway I get over 30 MPG. Hope my Turbo doesn't go bad as I read somewhere that GM replaced their Turbo's with a Mitsubishi brand because of all the earlier problems. Unlike Ford who refuse to admit that their small EcoSport engine is a disaster and are sticking with that lemon.
2013-2018 Ford Focus with PowerShift transmissions should make this too. Have a 2015 and already a new transmission at 100,000 miles (I bought the car with 98k). I also heard that the Focus ST had head gasket problems as well.
Funny thing about the powers**t transmission, they act better when you drive them like you stole them, but only marginally…
Those car can actually be a deal only if the buyer intends to do a manual transmission conversion. There is actually a guy on UA-cam that documented what it took for him to do a manual conversion on his Focus.
The focus are all junk
My 2012 model had the TCM replaced under Ford extended warranty at 11 years old with only 50K miles. And I'm the second owner. The car sat at the dealership for 2.5 months before they gave the car back with the replacement TCM. The cursed transmission and the subsequent billion dollar plus class action lawsuit that they lost are the reasons why Ford no longer produces cars, other than the Mustang, here in North America.
The first and second gen 1.5, 2.0 eco boosts were horrible engines. The 2.7 and 3.5 are good, but the 1.5, 2.0 are garbage. If you're one of the few that dont get coolant intrusion, you're lucky. My mother had a 2018 fusion titanium. I recommended it to her, we both loved it. Didnt have many problems with it, but for some reason that car would just tear through tires. She had the car for 3 years, got it as a CPO with only 17k on it. Dumped it at 60-70k because it went through 4 sets of tires. No one could figure out why it was going through tires so often. Lucky to get 10k out of a set, even getting alignments. Town fair nor firestone could get the alignment right, but the dealer never had a problem. Loved that car so much, but it just wasnt worth going through a set of tires every 10k. Talked to dealers, shops, posted on forums, no one else had an issuee going through tires like she did. And she didnt drive the car hard. It did need a tranny at 60k, but was covered under the CPO warranty
Maybe it depends where the car was made. Here, in Australia, I have a 2012 Kia Optima with the 2.4 GDI engine which was purchased in 2014. The car has done numerous long distance road trips as well as day to day driving and the only parts replaced were windscreen wipers, tyres, cabin filter, etc.
Yes Korean built 2.4 did not have the same issues as the Alabama built engines. The Alabama plant left debris behind from casting the block which blocks oil flow through the bearings leading to their failure. No reports of this on the Korean built engines.
My old Kia wore out and my mom after doing research got herself a used certified 2021 Mazda CX5 skipped the sunroof and AWD only 57K miles. I got her 2017 CX5 with 63K miles. Great vehicle
I don’t give anyone car buying advice anymore. They almost always aren’t looking for suggestions or advice. They’re looking for validation on a decision they’ve already made in their head.
I had an 2003 A8. I bought it for $5,000 in 2016 with 100,000 miles, it only had one owner before me. People told me not to buy it. I drove it for 8 years then sold it to my friend for $2,000 with 265,000 miles on it. Great car. No major problems. The same people that told me not to buy it went through 3 or 4 cars or trucks in the same amount of time that I was racking up the mileage on the A8.
There are always exceptions.
@@0HOON0 there are a lot of them out there, more common than you think. Good maintenance, good diagnostic software, and plenty of information and OEM parts from 3rd parties is available. The only exception I can think of with any car is to stay away from the stealership. If you can either work on it yourself or have an independent mechanic you can trust work on it, it's not so bad.
@@jaredR207 that was the last year of the D2 body style, nice. There is a guy selling a minty '99 model not far from me for $6500. This car was so underappreciated it's sad. It was aluminum, awd and had a vaulty cabin with double pane windows like a W140 S Class.
@@petrosaguilar8916 Most people miss the all aluminum point, not a spot of rust on. Quattro made it through the snow, salt, ice, and muddy dirt roads in Maine. It made it through potholes and traffic in NYC and it made it through hurricanes and heat in Florida. My friend usually drives it in NH now. He's getting ready to replace a stuck rear caliper, the one he's removing is the one that was put on the car in Germany 20 years ago.
I was surprised to see the A8 on this list, they are actually very reliable compared to the other similar German alternatives especially the D4 version. In Europe at least they have fairly good resale value because of this. They dont rust because of aluminium construction, the electronics are reliable, air suspension is reliable, the 8-speed ZF is reliable, they dont chew through suspension parts any faster than other cars of the same weight. Both the V6 petrol and diesel engines are reliable, but the V8's are a little bit more troublesome. Even the S8 are reliable as long as the oil services are kept and the turbo screens dont get clogged. Audi reliability in general have greatly improved since about 2012.
Two stroke oil mixed with each fill up on my RX-8 = years of trouble free motoring.. Of course you need to start with a decent engine... I think they are amazing and maybe not as your only vehicle...
They only get like 15mpg to start with now it needs to a few more dollars of 2 stoke for it to run decent.
Rotaries are more an enthusiasts vehicle.
@@JD-yx7be es they are hopeless apart from feeling smooth like a jet turbine on a lightweight rigid platform beautifully engineered and finished. I think they are remarkable cars.
@@JD-yx7be I have taken mine on trips and averaging 75 mph can get 22 to 23 mpg. Have never got 15 mpg even with all city driving.
Cars i never had issues with- 2008 hyundai accent, 1990 geo storm, 1990 k5 full size blazer, 2010 vw CC.
Cars id shoot if i could because they were nothing but trouble- 2004 s10 blazer, 1977 firebird, 1969 mustang, 2003 elantra, 2017 elantra, 1999 dodge 1500 quad cab, 1975 caprice, 1981 buick regal, 58 bel air, 65 Studebaker,65 renault dauphine, 59 -60 nsu prinz, 1997 pontiac grand prix.
Thats all i can remember. Im a car guy near 60, this is what i can remember off the top of my head
#1 is definitely wrong. I bought a 2000 Toyota camry and the AC was not working. Spend almost 1k getting it fixed 5 years ago and the car has been immaculate since. Small investment if you ask me
Original owner of 2012 Kia Soul Plus. 2.0 L Naturally aspirated 4 cyl. Now has 80k miles and has been absolutely bullet proof. Mobil 1 and OEM filters every 4k miles. Never any problems, everything original except plugs, coils and general maintenance items.
They'll just say "you got a diamond in the rough" yet here I am with a 2015 sonata with the dreaded 2.4l engine and I've done all maintenance and oil changes religiously every 3-4k miles and I've got 220k on it and it runs like a dream. He (wizard) also thinks the 5.4 and 4.6 3v Triton motors are junk, had 2 of them, both 3v's and both bought used with around 90k - 100k on them, and traded them both in with just under 300k, I just maintained them, never had any problems with them. So whenever he makes these videos I tend to roll my eyes and think here's another money grab. "DONT BUY THIS!!! ITS JUNK!!! THE ONLY THING YOU CAN BUY IS HONDA OR TOYOTA!!! ANYTHING ELSE YOU BUY IS GARBAGE!!!" Lol, just my take on these videos
@@seanhaver9559 i agree, just keep clean oil in that 2.4 and drive it smoothly keeping rpms low. 500k miles easily
Considering the Sonata, i'd avoid the 2011-2014 as well, they have the same engine. Also, Kia Optima, Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Santa-Fe and Kia Sorento (2011 and newer) also have that same engine.
My mom has a 12 Sonata for 12 years now , over 100k miles, zero trouble at all. I have a 17 Tucson 1.6 engine with 135k , bought new , great SUV.. zero repairs .. same brake pads... I just drive and drive it.. always change oil on time on both .. never burned a drop of oil for both Hyundais. My niece has a Sorento (17 model) that is garbage - burns oil - so avoid that one.....but my Hyundais bought new - have been great so far.
We have a 2018 Sonata 2.4l . Bought new. Thought the motor issues were fixed by then. Its at 107k and running great. Thankfully. 3750mi (severe schedule) oil change interval
Nice when they run but they have throwaway engines.
I did exactly what he says last year. Looked on marketplace, saw a 2007 Ford Freestyle AWD.
It was $5,000. Only had 50k miles. Yes it has a CVT but I dunno what the heck the previous owner did with the car. The air filter looked like cornbread, yes it was yellow, the AC wasn’t cooling, and it was only getting 14 mpg. Obviously changed the air filter, a pipe was broken below, got that fixed, that and the air filter were why it was getting
14 mpg. AC needed Freon, much better now.
It runs very well and I get around 25-28 mpg on it now (STP makes great additives).
Car now has 59k miles. Hopefully the cvt holds up well, that has to be serviced next. Sometimes you get lucky on marketplace.
My 2006 freestyle has 280000 miles. Not sure how it was maintained.
@@frednewlin1459 the engine is excellent, Ford’s DuraTec engines are top notch. But the CVT is always scary if not maintained properly
I don't think anyone looking for a budget used vehicle is checking out an RX-8 or Audi A8. Lol
RX-8 start really, really low. Teenagers who just got their licence tend to buy them because of horsepower for the buck. And often crash them a few weeks after.
You can buy an a lot of older audis including A8s for $15k and less
@@dr.schlump you certainly can however due to the stigma of expensive repairs most people on a budget don't look at such vehicles.
Don't buy an A8 new. Lease it instead and enjoy it. When the lease is up, turn it in. It will become someone else's problem.
@@adotintheshark4848 sure, if you pay the $1200/mo lease payment for me
I just test drove and was seriously thinking of buying a 2015 Nissan Murano! You just saved me a ton of headaches! Thank you!
So far everything you mentioned I already knew. As a matter of fact that's what helped me choosing a good car. I drive a Toyota Yaris LE 2014, it's been real good. I bought it in 2020, I put $3000 in repairs from October 2020 to April 2020 and now my mechanic says it runs great, even my wife's son in-law who's a back yard mechanic said the same thing last month.
I bought cheap with 134000 kms now it has 165000 km and I love my Yaris.
I own an '03 Saturn Ion and test drove a Cruze when it came out. If I had bought one I'm sure that it would be junk by now, unlike my Ion.
Those Saturn Ions with the 2.2 ecotec are pretty much indestructible.
Those little Ions ay be cheap but they are pretty good workhorse with little to go wrong.
My dad had one and it was a POS. Lots of electrical problems with his Saturn. All of the GM Ecotec engines from the 2.0, 2.2, and 2.4 engines are known for timing chain failures.
@@atx-cvpi_99 I know that I have been lucky.
Sellers often say it needs a "fuel pump". That's a red flag as usually a pretty easy fix when the pump is under the back seat - seller is not telling the truth.
A $500 Geo Metro with a head gasket or a broken timing belt is my "cheap" car. If the car isn't rusty or beat up it's a $2,000 DIY rebuild. At the age, rebuild the 3 cylinder motor in a carry-out to a machine shop - won't cost over $1,200. Put new synchros in the transmission and it'll go another 300,000 miles with almost no repairs. A Metro is a car where the A/C isn't costly to fix.
The Suzuki G10 can be converted to a carb - like the 1980s versions. You can remove the "computer" if want to survive an EMP strike. The Suzuki G10 is bulletproof, it is used in ultra light aircraft. Not powerful, but very dependable and "cheap". Tires are $40 each.
This is my version of "cheap". Heck, get a $1,000 running Metro and fix stuff. They all have a zillion miles but are rebuildable by novice mechanics who are detail oriented .
David, you deserve the utmost respect for your blatant honesty about the 5 vehicles. I completely agree with you. I tried to tell my neighbor not to buy his wife a Nissan Rogue but he is a difficult man to convince because he knows more than every body else. I even warned him about the Jatco CVT transmission.
At least if you buy a new Rogue, you can do the 2 year/25K CVT fluid change and have some assurance about the longevity of the transmission. Buying it at 80-100K is asking for trouble if the fluid hasn’t ever been changed.
Is he a boomer?
@@petrosaguilar8916
GenZ reads a targeted ad presented as "research" and thinks they know everything.
I feel like the RX8 is a bit of an oddball. You are 100% correct that the rotary engine is flawed and will likely break. It’s not for a first time cheap daily driver. However, like old English sports cars the entry cost is low and they have a small but dedicated community of folks willing and able to support their fellow enthusiasts
We had a 2014 Nissan Altima with a cvt that was never serviced and never had any issues with it in almost 200,000 miles. The car is still running fine.
That’s not something to be proud of lol , go service your stuff
Your lucky
@@allangoodchild8989 I think the cvt thing is over blown.
My fam owned many Nissan no issues ever older ones went over 200k bad maintenance newer ones were leased 0 problems. Hate Nissan handling and headlights.
@@Brararaf101 yeah, the headlights on the Altima were terrible. I believe they even had a class action lawsuit about them. I have a 2023 Nissan frontier with led headlights and they’re great.
Helpful tip for the owners of those Hyundai's/Kia's with the 2.4L Theta ll engine, they've got a lifetime unlimited km warranty. If you're having issues, drain the oil, seize the engine, then put the oil back in an tow it to a dealership. Just call the dealership and have them run the VIN to confirm the warranty before you seize your engine. Then sell the piece of junk with a brand new (not actually new, but fully rebuilt) engine.
Yep, the dealer will not tell you the engine on one of those cars has a recall. They want you to pay unless you bring it up.
@@volvo09call then, give them the VIN, and ask. They only give the information freely to the first owner, how are they supposed to know the information of the third owner to give them the information. You can bring any Hyundai/Kia to any dealership from the relevant manufacturer (Kia to Kia, Hyundai to Hyundai) and they will perform all recalls, service actions, and service campaigns for free. I would recommend doing at least a couple oil changes at said dealership before the engine "seizes" so they will be more on your side than if you bring some POS unmaintained vehicle to them to warranty an engine that is 20,000 km past it's service interval for an oil change. They can deny a claim due to lack of service records (I should've mentioned that in the original post). But, if you've got at least one or two records with the dealership for proper service intervals, you will get that warranty engine no matter the kms, no matter if you're the first owner or the fifth etc, you will get an engine.
@@volvo092015-19 it isn't a recall, it's software update agreed upon by a lawsuit settlement
Only applies to original owners.
@@atx-cvpi_99 nope you could be 10th owner and as long as the KSDS update was done it's covered
A friend bought a cheap PT cruiser. Basically money down the tubes. I suggested he buy a n old ranger. Simple. Reliable.
You know they're one of the VERY few vehicles you can buy that's BELOW the price you get for it as scrapmetal. That should be enough of a warning right there.
I always listen to the Wizard's advice!
I bought a cheap PT Cruiser, that was starting to get old, and over time cost a lot of money in repairs! As much as i love old cars, i will never buy another Chrysler
I just bought a 120 Series Toyota Prado with the 1GR V6. It's been well looked after, and has 190k on it, which for this model is pretty low. I'm a happy camper, it's a good reliable car and if looked after, will look after me for years to come.
I work at a Ford dealership. There’s a guy that works at our body shop that owns an Audi (I’m a GM guy) I told him you don’t buy German vehicles you lease them, if you want to buy a vehicle you buy American or Japanese, he agreed with me 😂
even more LOL when ppl modify them...and dont even invest in a MANAGEMENT System...as if that ROI/UPGRADES arent remotely going to yield blown heads/leaks etc.
Leasing is usually a bad idea, but for some cars, it makes sense. If an Audi, or others with that level of 'quality' are on your bucket list, if you're just burning for them, okay. Get it, but on a lease, so there's a time when you're rid of it.
*laughs in 2.5 vw rabbit*
Only Japanese don’t buy American
German cars are made to fall apart, so rich lessors won't see them as "beaters" driven by "the help" later on.
A friend had an Audi A8, I forget the year, but maintenance costs were more than the car was worth several times over. Thousand dollar oil changes, stuff breaking constantly, battery replacement had to be done at the dealership. He ended up donating it as nobody would buy it.
We had a couple of those Sonatas, the engines did fine, but they both had serious electrical issues. Avoid.
I just bought a 2003 Ford Taurus SE with 122k on it from a private seller. It has 3 issues, a small misfire probably coil packs, plugs and wires, needed rear brakes, and needed tires
$1400 I think I got a good deal
My wife and I bought a new new body style 2015 Nissan Rogue SV AWD that we ordered. It has been a great vehicle for us. The car has 113k and counting had all scheduled maintenance performed and the transmission fluid changed every 40k. Decent on gas and does very well in the snow.! Sometimes the Nav screen glitches or delays but still works great and the passenger window especially in winter time is hard to roll up. Overall it’s been a great car knock on wood.
Add a 2010 subaru impreza 2.5i to the list (i know from experience). They are notorious for head gasket oil leaks and in general subarus are harder to work on.
Those particular Impreza models had head gasket problems because the gaskets used on those models had a graphite coating that would break down with age. But once the gaskets are replaced with a multi layer steel gaskets used on the turbo models the gaskets will never leak again.
@evoman44 I currently own one that leaks oil but it's a very very slow leak. I just use it as a beater car so it doesn't bother me. It's not worth sinking 1k in to replace the gaskets I feel like.
The Nissan Titan XD also came with gas V-8, and the XD with gas V-8 is a great truck.
Got news for you, Nissan silently replaced many 5.6L gas V8's in the near past, they encouraged dealers doing the warrantied engine swaps not to report it so it wouldn’t hurt sales. I learned about this after I came across a used Titan for sale, seller told me of the engine swap, I paid for a Carfax, no mention at all. Then did some deep research, found out in the comments threads on forums, you won’t find much about it otherwise. They likely fixed the issue since, but used truck buyers beware.
Great Video. Please more of the Warning Videos.
Great information, Wizard!!
Keep these type of videos coming. I've shared many of your videos to others to educate them about vehicles. 👍
Really good advice! Also appreciate the heads up on DREO fans. Even with two HVAC systems in our home we still use area fans for additional comfort. Also use them in the RV, particiularly for the bunkhouse beds. Thanks.
I have always told my friends and family that if they want an audi to lease one, never buy one. That way, you can turn it back in before the problems start.
I've had 2 Audi A8's. The first I put 40k miles on and sold at 80k, it was perfect! So later, I bought an older one when I wanted a cheap car, a flawless looking blue 2005 with the 4.2 is what I got. Over the next year, I had to replace all of the front control arms and bushings, 3 struts, an amplifier, body control module, crank sensor, CV axels, motor mounts, some failed internal transmission seal, and a stunningly time consuming oil cooler leak. With that and some other random little things, I probably had over 100 of my hours into diagnosis and repairs on that car. As soon as I got it so that there were no problems, I sold that beautiful money pit. Now I have a Lexus, and while it's the equivalent of automotive narcolepsy, I haven't had to do anything but basic maintenance and I love that.
I've had an S8 I bought with 80k 2 years ago. Now I have 105k miles. Repairs are relatively expensive compared to others cars, but fortunately I haven't had to do too much.
I worked at a dealership that serviced both GM and Hyundai vehicles from 2017-2020 and you are spot on. Even in N/A form the Cruze still has a lot of other problems (leaky thermostat housings and coolant overflow bottles, leaky timing covers), and the Theta 2 engines from Hyundai are the worst made by any manufacturer in modern times. It's as if the Koreans looked at the North Star V8 and said, "hold my beer!" I'd sooner buy a Chinese car than a Hyundai.
the Thermostat assembly for the N/A 1.8 is a bit of a sore spot for me; because its physically IDENTICAL to the assembly used in the 2009-2011 Aveo's 1.6, but where the Cruze one is only $185, the Aveo one is DOUBLE THE PRICE at $360!
The two biggest garbage brands under one roof. Those mechanics must have been working double overtime
.
You DO NOT want to buy a Chinese car, they are far worse than a Hyundai or a Cruze being unreliable. They have massive design and quality control issues that make them unsafe to drive. I'd rather drive a Hyundai and break down on the side of a road than drive a BYD and have an axle failure on the highway or get a brain hemorrhage because of an electric leak.
My 2015 Sonata 2.4 purchased new is the best car I've ever owned and it just turned 152K trouble free miles.
I needed an airport car for use in Memphis last fall, and I found a 2011 Nissan Rogue for sale for....$6600! 78,000 miles. I called the place that had it and arranged to drive it. It had a terrible repaint job, but the dealership had Nissan dealership receipts that indeed showed that the CVT fluid had been changed twice, once at 30,000 miles at the second at 61,000 miles. I I almost said yes on the spot after driving it, but wanted to do a Carfax. I went home and did one and called him two hours later to buy the car but he must have heard something, because suddenly the price was $11,800.....
I second avoiding the 2016-2018 Nissan Titian Diesel. I had one and it had 2 Turbo failures and it had less than 60K miles. The engine is horrible and gutless too. Now the Titan gas engine is excellent!. The 5.6 v-8 is one of the best truck engines out there.
Wizard , PLEASE put a time stamp on your cheezy commercials so we can easily skip them.
Thank you. I thought the same thing. Lol
That's how he makes his money. Just skip them yourself.
Is it that hard to just watch it? Or just hit the fast forward a few times?
get premium utube and they go away
While searching for a used Acura MDX in the 10-15k range I ran across a huge amount of Nissan SUVs. Scrolled right past them, no CVT is gonna get me 😂
The Acura not any better 😂
Can’t agree more on the Cruz, absolute trash. My mother in law has one and with barely over 100k miles it’s in my garage all the time with one thing or another broken or leaking on it.
Have a 2002 camry....My wife have a brand new jeep (high maintenance) To change both batteries on the jeep costs $1200 which is the same price for our used 2002 Camry....
The Camry runs like a dream...No issues. ..Now we are selling the brand new jeep😊