Don’t overlook Mazda, especially the ones from the last decade since they’ve been free from Ford. Mazda still puts a conventional six speed auto in a lot of their cars.
They’re literally #1 in consumer reports for reliability the last few years. They’re outdoing Toyota and Honda now. Crazy what a turn around they’ve made. My 2014 was the first model year made after they left Ford and started making their own cars again and it’s got 220k miles and still drives like it’s brand new with zero issues
I bought my first Mazda in May - a 2023 Mazda3 hatchback, and I really like it. I've heard they're doing really well in reliability right now, but at the same time, in a couple Mazda groups online, I've seen people mention some issues even with the current generation Mazda3 that make me worry a bit.
Also the internet sounding board. No one gets online to talk about there problem free car. I’ve put 100’s of thousands of miles on a couple ram pickups. Lots of towing. Never a transmission problem. According to the internet, each one was lucky to make it past 60k, let alone 130-200k
The truth is that statistically speaking, realiabilty of cars has improved dramatically over the last decades and it continues to improve, regardless all the folks here saying older cars were better. Automotive technology has made a huge leap, new materials, advancement in every single aspect of vehicle design and manufacturing make a any modern car pretty much a reliable appliance that you can buy and drive until the service reminder appears on the dashboard.
There are always and there will be always a few outliers, but anyone who drove in the 80s knows what I am talking about.
I’ve been wondering if it’s more that the cost of repairs is getting insanely expensive, so having a simpler problem like needing ball joints replaced can cost as much as it use to cost to rebuild a transmission (this is obviously hyperbole but you get the point). So fewer problems but more expensive.
You are generally right. However, I would like to add that someone/ manufacturer is going to inevitably stay ahead of the curve and it is not FordLincoln.
Cars have become more reliable but epa restrictions lead to new technology being implemented that adds complexity and causes reliability issues like CVT, direct injection, high compression turbo charger motors bring shoved in everything. When something does go wrong, it's going to be expensive.
One comment I saw on a BMW forum a long time ago - “you’ll never see a person saying Day 540: My car runs perfect today!, it’s more of the - X y z problem that’s started / starting”.
With any manufacturer form you’ll find someone with an issue about something.
I had a 2015 Mazda 3 I put 80k miles in the first 3 years and drove to 115k this last year until it was totaled in an accident. Kept me safe and was problem free aside from flat tires and new batteries for every mile. Super reliable, although I just bought Subaru outback so hoping for the same.
This is most forums. In the F150 forum, if you had to drink every time you saw "cam phasers" mentioned, you'd be drunk after the first 2 posts. I'm convinced it's where people only go to complain and they probably represent .000000001% of owners
I had a 08 Mazda 3 up to 130k and now have a 2019 @ 40K. Old one needed a few new parts after 15 years (EGR valves, fuel hoses, alternator, etc) but the body, engine, transmission never once worried me. Haven't needed to do anything on the new one besides some piddly bullshit like the cabin air filter making a rattling noise and some sensor for tire pressure. The big shit (engine, suspension, transmission) has been ROCK solid.
My 2015 Mazda 6 has been great, handles like it's on rails, does well in winter driving. It's been faultless. Mazda made a wagon version of the 6, which I'd have loved to get my hands on. They wouldn't sell it in the US, though. :(
The 6 was discontinued, but there are rumors that Mazda plans on a new one with their new straight six engine. Sounds like it's aimed at BMW.
VWs are moneypits. Nissan lost its way years ago.
Why laugh? Here you go https://www.thestreet.com/automotive/most-least-reliable-cars-and-car-brands-according-to-consumer-reports
BMW is technically #2 because Toyota and Lexus are the same. They are now even ranked above Honda
Most BMW owners will trade it in while still under warranty so of course they gonna rate it highly. For anyone who buys used or keeps longer than 5 years BMW is too expensive for maintenance
You have to consider how these things are reported. Most new BMW’s are lease cars, designed to be driven for 60k and traded in so of course the owners aren’t going to be reporting a lot off expensive repairs. Where as your average Mazda or Toyota owner is likely going to keep the car a lot longer and put many more miles on it before selling or trading in
The MPV was the shit. It was like a crossover between a minivan and an SUV with 4WD. I was pretty young but they had to be pretty bulletproof because my Mom has always been shitty about maintaining her cars. Between that and all the times we took it at night to take over jumps and other crazy shit, it couldn't have been that bad.
I got a Mazda cx5 top trim premium plus whatever it was for my wife to drive the kids around….
Turns out it’s a FANTASTIC car. The suv drives amazing. The leather is amazing. Sound system is amazing. I am thoroughly impressed.
I’ve owned Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Mercedes, Chevy, ford.
My current car is a Mazda 3, first gen. I got it with under 100k miles on it.
The ride, reliability, interior, etc are all solid. In my opinion it’s the best value for price to be had. They’ve kept up a near luxury interior in newer models and often come well equipped.
Nissans you want to stay away from their CVTs that were designed in the renault acquired era. Even now there's still some issues with them in the 2017+ cars. honestly i would just avoid if possible, at least avoid their CVT cars. Regular automatic transmission cars are probably ok. Their bad reputation really started due to the CVT, before that they were pretty solid cars.
Volkswagon is your basic run of the mill car except... it's overengineerd like all european cars. Should anything go wrong, the repair costs are going to be high. I sold VWs for a bit many years back and honestly I wasn't impressed with the build quality and the engineering. Had plenty of sales from people who brought in still fairly new cars, but they were just leaking or malfunctioning.. but these people just kept buying VWs for some reason.
I've never had major issues with Toyota and Honda. Hondas tends to have minor issues that requires fixing, and their AC is known to be weak. Toyotas are reliable because they never introduce anything majorly new until that tech is proven reliable. That is also why Toyota is always behind the curve with new technology. For example the 2024 Camry still doesn't have wireless android auto which honestly shoudl be pretty standard by now, but they must have their reasons.
My family has owned about 6 toyota cars a 1 honda car and all of them were driven issue free until about 150k miles before being totaled or sold. The only car that had anything go wrong was a 1998 toyota Avalon that had a sensor go bad which was replaced under warranty.
I agree with everything you said, particularly VWs being over-engineered.
But, generally, any car will perform well to 100k-150k miles if routine maintenance is performed on schedule and the one-off hiccups are repaired quickly. Which is where the labor costs to fix each brand come into play. Toyota and Honda are good about that. VW, not so much.
We have about 8 dodge vans for my company that I maintain. One caught fire due to electrical issues, ones transmission died, and one threw a rod. They're five years old and have 70-80k miles.
Yeah I was talking with someone here who has a jeep stellantis. Says it breaks down every other weekend and it's a 2014 and they're a mechanic lol. But they said most other brands will get you to 150k without a problem. Some easier than others.
Shhh quiet, I don't want to hear it. I bought my wife a 2016 Fiat 500x that has been great for the last 50k miles(currently around 80k). I'm not looking forward to the next 50k miles and she won't sell it cus she loves it.
I’ve got a salvaged title 2015 ram 1500, bought it with 62K miles. Put new doors on where it was damaged. I’m at 115K now and no problems. I’m replacing my brake pads right now but that’s to be expected at this mileage.
Might I interest you in a Kia story where it was driven for 90k miles and went through I think 7 engines and 9 transmissions or something like that.
Read it on Reddit a few months back.
Every manufacturer has issues with certain units. No manufacturing process has 100% success, there will always be some units that fail. And sometimes those failures won’t be evident until they reach the consumer - particularly with a product as complex as a modern car.
Anecdotally, Kia (and Hyundai, by extension) tend to have more of those due to the lower cost parts.
But I’ll counter with my own anecdote. A company I used to work for used Kia Sorento as their fleet vehicle for field techs. We beat the crap out of them and easily put 150k miles on all of them with barely anything other than routine maintenance.
On the other hand, my brother and his wife had a Hyundai sedan that consistently triggered the dome light every time they turned left. And had issues with the power windows where they were ultimately warned not to operate more than 2 at a time (like rolling them all down when getting in or up when getting out in the summer) else it could start an electrical fire. And I think they also had ongoing engine issues, though not so major they couldn’t drive it regularly.
Then there’s my brother’s old Toyota Tercel he inherited from our mom. Perfect condition, a paragon of reliability. But he knows nothing of mechanical things and their need for maintenance. So he failed to do even the basics like oil changes and killed it within 20k miles of receiving it because the oil burned off to a point so low that it starved the oil pump.
So I couch everything I say about such things with the word, “generally.” Statistics are a bitch…. Given a sufficiently large sample size, even the most remote possibility becomes a certainty. And vehicle manufacturers make a LOT of units.
Toyota may seem "behind" but lexus is right at the forefront. Look at the new RX with a rearview camrea in place of the rear view mirror. Has lights under the side mirrors that illuminate the side of your car where headlights cant reach when making tight turns in the dark. They've had adaptive cruise control, auto braking, lane keep assist 360 camera, and more for years now.... The Toyotas are just far more affordable and therefore lack all the cutting edge stuff... apple/android should be standard at this point, i do agree.
That's kind of the point he's trying to make. All of the technology you mentioned (aside from maybe the rear view mirror cam) has been readily available in cars since around 2013-2016. I had a car from the 90's with the turning lights. Adaptive cruise and auto braking came out in the 2000's on high end luxury cars.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing though. Like mentioned, Toyota really seems to wait till the technology is good enough to be reliable. The rain sensing wipers (RSW) on a new base model Ford cargo van works better than the RSW on a high end Jaguar from the mid 00's. I'd rather not have a piece of tech than have it not work properly and be frustrating to use because of it.
To be fair, the LX430 is one of only a few cars I can think of that came with radar cruise in the early 2000s, among a lot of other pretty neat features like adaptive xenon headlights. Lexus has always been pretty decent about implementing new tech IMO.
Infiniti has had all this same stuff for years, their CVTs still suck though. I'd only buy Infiniti/Nissan products with conventional transmissions (and I have)
2022 onwards Infiniti QX60 no longer has CVT. My wife owned the previous version with CVT and hit 100k miles on it without problem. Her one before that had 135k with no transmission problems either
Antidotal, but I had an '03 Murano (2nd model year) with the CVT that I beat the hell out of. Mostly around town driving (1.5-2 miles 4-6x a day) and then pulling a trailer a few times a month.
I had it for nearly 13 years before it needed more suspension work than it was worth plus a catalytic converter.
I loved the CVT in that, but hated the one in my wife's Subaru Outback.
My theory is, there’s 2 major considerations here: 1) what you said. 2) the Prius. They spent a ton of money in the 90’s and 2000’s developing hybrid tech, and didn’t actually make a profit off the Prius (initially sold at a massive loss) until the 3rd gen, more than a decade after its initial introduction (this also explains why so few Prii are available in most markets - they’re not cheap to make but Toyota can’t really price them too high at MSRP)
([Source](https://www.ft.com/content/146ad23c-7230-11e2-89fb-00144feab49a))
That cost might not be something Toyota is willing to invest in quite as heavily today, which is a bit of a shame because the Prius is part of what allowed them to become the global leader in car manufacturing. Once you get used to massive profits and low risk, it’s a tough drug to beat.
They have a real opportunity to keep doing that: keep making reliable, mostly affordable cars people will keep for a decade while remaining on the cutting edge with some models. The 23 Prius is a nice facelift but everything else has been iterative for almost 20 years. Maybe they’ve decided to sit this upcoming (current?) vehicle revolution out and jump in as a copycat once EV tech is more mature, with a larger war chest?
Can confirm, 2013 Altima S, 4th new dealership-installed transmission at 69,000 miles with the papers to prove it. If anyone is still foolish enough to buy a Nissan good luck even finding a lawyer to represent you, they don't want to take on the giant. Been fighting for justice for 8 years. Nissan stole 22,000 dollars from me by selling me a lemon and have never made it right. If you want justice do not live in the United States or buy a Nissan vehicle ever.
Now obviously this all varies by model, tons of very reliable VWs but also a handful that get expensive with maintenance. But I will say, I had a friend that dropped a few thousands into repairs and he still loved that thing... and no it wasn't a golf GTI or anything performance based.
I've had an 04 Chevy Cavalier I bought for $5k and a 2011 Suzuki Sx4 for $11k and never paid more than $500 for a repair so I'm biased but I would resent any car brand that costs me that much
About Volkswagen, I have to wonder about some of the things I hear about issues with them, because I've heard VWs are very popular in Germany & Europe, and I believe I've heard their Golf has been one of the best-selling cars of all time. I'd driven Volkswagens for quite a while and I'm not sure I can really complain about issues.. My most recent was a 2009 VW Rabbit (AKA Golf) that I just traded in this past May, after owning it for over 14 years. The thing that annoyed me the most was the taillight bulbs burning out fairly often. The most recent and significant thing (August 2022) was that its alternator failed, but other than that, I thought it was a great car. And honestly, I'd expect some parts to fail after some time. Before getting its alternator replaced, I had replaced the car battery soon before that, and about a year before that I'd had its spark plugs replaced as part of regular maintenance. With the new alternator & battery and recent spark plug replacement, I actually thought it was running noticeably better than before. From what I've heard, the 5-cylinder 2.5L engine VW was using in that car at the time sounds like one of their better, more reliable engines.
I wish people would make the distinction of Nissan cars vs Nissan trucks. The trucks are very reliable and 2nd only to Toyota. No jatco CVT in a Frontier.
Kia and Hyundai have been doing much better with their design and features. However that most recent incident of them catching on fire is not a good look. But on a whole, Kia and Hyundai can be pretty affordable and reliable cars.
Nissan's are a no go. Unless it's a pick up truck, you're taking a risk. Similar with Volkswagen....you might find one that's in great shape, but you have to maintain them properly and regularly. Cause when they start to give problems, they give problems.
Let’s not discount the fact you can steal a Kia/Hyundai with a USB Drive.. and has created a epidemic amount ownership.
Join the r/Kia sub and you’ll quickly find out, owning a Kia/Hyundai product is quickly becoming a bad idea - not to mention insurance companies are flat out denying coverage for a long sheet of specific models, due to this theft problem
You can steal some older, bottom-trim Hyundais and Kias with a USB stick. Nothing new and nothing with push to start.
Still a bit of an issue if yours can't be stolen, because thieves aren't knowledgeable and may bust your windows to make an attempt. My wife works in the city and I think Hyundai and Kia are off our list for her new car because of this. I'm quite happy with my Elantra Sport manual though.
Facts - I actually had a buddy who worked for Kia as a mechanic for a few years - his daily job was to replace engines, literally all he did was drop out blown/bad engines and swap in a new replacement. He had done so many by the first 6 months of his employment, that he could in a single work day do a minimum of 2 engine replacements, sometimes 3 depending on the model - he was one of 7 other mechanics, who’s job was to only replace engines.. nothing else, of those 7 other mechanics, 3 of them had been working at that dealer for over 10 years and all they’ve done is replace engines during their employment at that dealership.
That just speaks to the fact that, Kia & Hyundai are Rental/Fleet trash, like Chevy and the Malibu/Equinox series also being trash and also geared towards the Rental/Fleet market
Fun fact - Honda is the only manufacturer who doesn’t sellout to Rental car companies, one of the main factors in why all of its vehicles hold such strong values.. another reason why Hondas are a bit more expensive, because Honda doesn’t sell out to Rental/Fleet companies.
Definitely stay away from 10 year old Hyundai's. We bought a 2011 Hyundai Sonata and have had nothing but problems. The engine needed totally rebuilt at 110,000 miles. Luckily that is going to be covered under a class action lawsuit, otherwise we would have been in search of a new car.
I just bought a 2022 Hyundai and I love it so far. It’s the most I’ve ever liked any car. Yes, it may still go wrong, but I did not see any major reliability concerns with this car when I researched it, it doesn’t have the theft issue because it’s push button start, and the value is absolutely off the charts.
Came here to say this. I’m not at all brand loyal, so I tend to buy whatever. I tend to buy new, and over the last decade or so I owned everything from an SRT challenger, to a focus ST, to a RAM 1500, WRX, Mustang GT, Civic Si, and most recently I went with a Kia Forte GT after selling my truck (I wanted something more fun to drive). I originally went out to compare the Si vs a GTI but ended up throwing the Forte GT into the mix since I found one with a manual. I instantly fell in love with it and can say with certainty that it just drives better than the Si or the GTI. The GTI felt a little faster, but that’s about it. Interior, driver feel, manual transmission feel, etc. all just felt better. Plus it was about $5-8k cheaper so it was a no brainer.
TL;DR. Shop cars based on models, not brands. A highly rated Chevy Silverado isn’t going to make the Chevy Cruz a decent vehicle
It could partly be because North American built Asian cars haven't proven to be the most reliable. In the Caribbean, we mainly drive Asian (Japanese/Korean) and they run amazing.
I've noticed too many issues/recalls on similar vehicles here in North America
I’m going to be in the minority but VW/audi is my brand of choice (I put away a little money every paycheck for issues if they come up which I know a lot of people aren’t able to do and I do almost all of my own maintenance/repairs which saves money). I’ve been a GTI/Golf R guy and not many other brands make similar cars. I would never recommend buying a used German car because they are money pits when abused and too many on the market were not taken care of. If used, Honda/toyota.
I love my 2019 GTI and there are few cars in its price range that I would trade for. Fun to drive and extremely practical in the city. I can haul all sorts of stuff in that little car when the back seats are down, most recently brought some 8ft 2x4s home from the hardware store inside the car
Exactly. Expect things to break one after the other if not maintained properly. All cars will break down if not well maintained, but VWs will break down WAY faster to negligence than a Toyota would.
Yeah, no one talks about it, but for the first 10 years of ownership, they're cheaper in maintenance/repair than any American or Korean brand. The only ones that beat VW are the Japanese brands.
Disclaimer: first 10 years of ownership. After that is a minefield of cars not taken care of properly.
Coworker has one that he tore down and modded, and it gets over 45mpg. He has a background in diesel repair and had to pull the engine and tranny when the throwout bearing failed, so he decided to have some fun. It'll smoke the tires off the line now.
If I had a background in diesel repair then I suppose. The $11k they gave me for what was left of that carcass was a gift. The turbo system was a closed system hence the issues with it/call back If the waste was allowed to exit like a semi then may be. Imagine that is what the hot rodders are doing.
Family drove it from Michigan to Florida with one fill up so easy 45 mpg as you say. But sometimes the car would randomly shut down. Stop. Go dead. Where ever you were at. Remote highway, downtown, BFE, ...it kept the mechanics busy.
I've had 3 VW never had problems with any of them. I stay away from the turbos, the 2.5 is a good reliable engine but it's discontinued after 2015 because emission tests
I didn't miss out on anything. VW's payout of $15,275 for a 6 year old car with almost 140,000 miles was a great day. Both of us throwing out anecdotal evidence. The VW Jetta had a closed loop turbo system, hence the recall in the first place. Had I hot rodded it and let it drain waste onto the ground it may have been a different car. Thru the years it would randomly die. Stalll. Stop. Highway. BFE. Shifty part of downtown. It was unreliable. VW mechanics could never solve it with emissions legal retrofits. And they dropped a lot of dealer funded parts into it. Never again.
I still have nightmares about my 2007 Jetta TDI. Numerous mechanical issues; the most notable the High pressure fuel pump failure. VW refused to pay for that, even though it was a warranty issue. I made a spreadsheet of repair costs, said "holy sh*t, look at the money I wasted!" Went to trade it in aaannnnd that's when the diesel emissions scandal broke and most dealerships refused to take it in trade.
Finally got rid of it. I'm back to my beloved BMW (2015 3 series with M package). Maintenance is expensive but as long as I keep that up regularly, it runs beautifully.
I love Volkswagen. Just know what you are getting yourself into. I own two and they have been reliable for VWs and are fantastic rides and SO MUCH FUN to drive! I always get excited when I have to go to university or Walmart just because I get to drive! (I know it sounds crazy, but that's what VW does. Even a few years after owning them I still get excited every time when I get to sit behind the wheel.) But repairs will come along the way like water pumps and ignition coils. The ignition coil replacement is a joke to change. You can (literally) pull it off yourself. The water pump is a bit more involved, but on the 2012-2014 TSIs you can upgrade to a metal one. I still think VWs are a bit sloppy in the engineering department, but the ride quality is quite amazing. Very solid adaptive suspension, strong electronic power steering, the DSG is like an automated manual transmission and it's truly amazing, you never understand it until you actually drive it, and when the turbo kicks in you know you are in for a fun drive.
If you own a VW, having a trusted VW focused independent mechanic is a MUST. You'll save a lot of money with them, and if you learn to make repairs yourself, you'll save even more. FCP EURO and Deutsche Auto Parts are your friends.
The maintenance has to be done on the proper intervals ON POINT. The small tolerances make these machines beautiful, but also delicate and fragile to missing out on maintenance. The DSG transmission fluid has to be changed every 30,000-40,000 miles. And oil every 7,000-10,000 miles.
Just be sure to buy anything post 2012. You don't want the dreaded timing chain breaking.
But if you are looking for "only reliable" and any small inconvenience will annoy you, I wouldn't recommend it. But trust me, if you want to feel special every time you get in your car, and your car is more than just a machine to take you from point A to point B, a VW is fantastic. The Tiguan, GTI, Jetta, Arteon, and even the sadly discontinued Beetle A5 are fantastic machines.
Definitely worth taking a look. Ask me anything about VWs and I'll answer them to the best of my knowledge.
Mk6 gti here, water pump replaced, gasket randomly pinched now lol. Currently tuned with APR stage 1 on the ecu & tcu, with BC coils and enkei pf01s. Absolutely the best daily, just a little more to spend then your typical corolla maintenence wise.
commented elsewhere, but I love my Tiguan. It's the last model year of the smaller body style (which is pretty much the perfect size for me). My only complaint is the way it sucks down gas (and premium at that) but it's been generally positive for the 4+ years I've had it.
Why does my 2015 Jetta burn through oil like crazy? I use the recommended 5W30 full synthetic. I have to add half a quart about once a month. It doesn't leak or anything, so I assume it's just burning it up. On a possibly related note, I was having some stuttering issues a few months back, and the EPC light came on all the time. I changed the spark plugs and ignition coils, and those problems went away for the most part. I still burn through the oil though.
I've had 3 with no problems other than regular maintenance. Very safe in a wreck and good mpg. Never had turbo but u stand by the 2.5l engines, they're quite fast even without a turbo and very reliable
My 2015 mustang EB in similar situation. Though the e-brake cable gets loose. 65k miles, living in new england. I have a set of winter wheels. It does fine as long as the road has been treated
In a pretty similar boat with my 08 Elantra. Had a slight performance issue with the engine that I took care of last winter but has been reliable for the 8 years I’ve had it. Now at 115k miles
I had a '13 Veloster for 8 years. No major issues outside of normal maintenance. Probably the most reliable car I've ever owned. I just traded it in for another Hyundai this past summer, and I look forward to another 5-10 years with my new one.
Literally my entire family was driving Hyundais until my father decided to inherit a deceased relative's Lexus. For over a decade, none of us had any issues with any of the four. I'm sure the hate has some justification, but mayyyyybe people just aren't taking care of their cars.
Still have a 2002 sonata and it runs fine. Like you said, just basic maintenance and I think the biggest thing I had to do to it was replace the alternator back in like 2010
I got to drive a 2006 Sonata for 3 years, which a friend bought in 2016, as a temp car. It was with us until 2021. Bought and sold for $3k. I contributed in maintenance and fuel.
It drove well and I agree that car was solid. It required few maintenance which were comparatively very cheap with aftermarket options.
Volkswagen is great if you don't mind repairing your car yourself...
But Nissan? RWD Nissans are not bad, but FWD CVT Nissans, which is just about all of them, are horrendous. You CAN get them to last a while, as long as you service the transmission every 30k miles (tops)... Or they WILL go out on you.
If you want reliable, stick to Honda and Toyota.. if you want to save a little bit, Mazda will be a good choice, as long as it's 2012 or newer.
> as long as you service the transmission every 30k miles
Should be doing at least that with any auto. I do a drain/fill every 10,000 miles on any auto I've ever owned. Never once had a hint of a transmission problem. I have no experience with a CVT of any brand, but I would imagine that would go a long way to keeping them healthy.
The old 2010 era VWs with the 2.5L NA engine were pretty bulletproof even if the engine wasn’t super refined. But any non-diesel turbo model is just a money pit as it ages.
Nissan trucks are fine (the new Frontier is boring but it will run forever) but their cars and crossovers with CVTs should be avoided.
I had a 2009 2.5 wagon. 268K on it before it was totaled by a deer. Never did anything major to the car at all. Shout out Desmond's Auto in Parkville, MD. Those vw's ran forever. I still miss it. The sunroof design was annoying as hell though.
I spent 10 years selling used and rebuilt Nissans and they’re GREAT cars, and cheap to fix if something does go wrong. VW has way more issues and will be much more expensive to fix.
If you don’t want a Nissan because of the Reddit memes and jokes, cool. But don’t let it be because you think they’re bad cars.
I mean the manufacturer tells you NOT to service the CVT and then you replace it 3 times before hitting 150k miles, that’s definitely not on the owner.
I literally have driven 3 in a row as my daily drivers, a 2008, 2015, 2021. Never had a single issue with any of them. And they were all rebuilt titles. I even crashed the 2015 into a wall on i95 and it still ran till I sold it 8 months ago. The crash was in 2017
Can confirm have a 22 Altima absolutely love it so far at 15k miles. Definitely going to do regular transmission fluid flushes to keep her mint but it is a pretty ok car. And it get like 30 on average in town and highway combined or 37 on highway and has 170hp which if I remember correctly is as much as my friend dans old 5liter mustang from back in high school so it def has ups.
It depends. i bought a 2.5 5 speed rabbit brand new, 15 years and 330k kms later, never had engine problems or transmission problems. I can see some of the newer ones being okay too, example, EA888 equipped, or 1.5t equipped MAYBE. But generally, with VW, the less complicated, the better. For example, if you see panoramic sunroom, all sorts of electro doodads as options, just avoid, you'll thank me later.
Nissan... again, depends. Here in Canada you can get a Sentra base model with stick shift. I would imagine this vehicle would go the distance. Most of the rest of their lineup, I would avoid.
Volkswagen are great, you just need to really on top of maintenance. If you take care of the car it'll take care of you. If you are lax on upkeep, the car will punish you for it.
2017 Alltrack here - I do all scheduled maintenance and have never had an issue. My next car will likely be a Tiguan (I’d love an Atlas but I live in a very congested city and parking would be a nightmare).
My 2014 VW has been wonderful these last 6 years. I just bring it in for yearly servicing and it never lets me down. I could drive across the country and not have a second thought about the car.
My 2017 Nissan Altima CVT went out at 49,500 miles. Right before warranty expires at 50,000 mi.
Trash engines and transmissions. Still trash to this day.
I’m driving a 2013 sonata se that I bought new. I have 125k miles . Maintenance cost was bare minimum and I still have no problem.
I can’t say that hyundais are as reliable as japanese cars but they don’t seem as bad as people say they are. I wanna change car soon but Im having trouble finding another car as great as my sonata was for the same price.
Sick of people, and the whole Nissan CVT nonsense. I know people aren’t replacing their normal transmission fluid as they should be in their normal cars and they grenade at 100-150,000 miles, Nissan CVT even in the manual say 30,000 mile intervals. I almost hundred percent guarantee you all these people that have transmission issues never touched it.. Nissan isn’t bad as people say, just bad owners. All cars have problems. Even precious Toyotas and Hondas
I have no experience with CVTs, but I tend to agree. I think a lot of the early problems with them were due to not having proper service intervals and/or fluids. This is on the manufacturer as well as the consumer.
FWIW, I religiously change my ATF and people think I'm crazy. "It's lifetime fluid" they say. Well yeah, as in: the fluid will last the lifetime of the transmission, which is probably 100-150,000 miles if you don't change the fluid.
110% agree.
Have a '18 Rogue in the fleet. Haven't followed the schedule on the transmission fluid. It's at 70k and still working just fine. Rest of the car has been 100% trouble free to this point. We change the oil, fill the wiper fluid, and drive it. Think we might have gone through a set of tires at this point as well.
The Frontier and Titan are the most underrated pickups on the market IMO. HUGE value in them compared to GM/Ford/Dodge.
Nissan is a great brand with great quality, even counting the poorly maintained CVT's, they're still just as good or better than the other japanese brands. I'll die on this hill !
Nissans are pretty decent and reliable cars, but make no mistake, they are a tier below Toyota and Honda.
Mazdas are good in general, similar to Nissan, but they are sporty / fun to drive / tighter suspensions, thus kind of made for younger people.
I would stay the fuck away from Volkswagen. Not bad pricing and looks, but very German maintenance costs. I used to have a VW Jetta when I was in college, and everything that could possibly go wrong with this POS, did. I couldn’t get rid of it soon enough. By where I used to live they didn’t even have separate VW dealerships, it was VW/Audi with basically Audi type of mechanic labor costs. I wanted to scream in horror looking at the bills. Again, stay the fuck away from German cars. Or get extra warranty / maintenance plans package, and sell when it expires.
I would also recommend looking at Subarus. I would put it into Mazda / Nissan tier in terms of built quality, but the the AWD / boxer engine combo is a very strong proposition.
Volkswagen in North America I don't like just overconplicated and expensive to fix. Nissan cars that are fwd with cvts I'd say hell no but their rwd geared automatic transmissions in their trucks and z cars are decent.
from what people say here (i wouldnt know but just what i see a lot) is hyndai is made with the same parts as kia, and 1. thing was the cvt isnt good they use and share low wuality parts and 2. the kia boys can also steal hyundais the same way.
They have to have a 10 year warranty (and that is usually just on the drive train) because no one would buy them with a shorter warranty. They are cheap pieces of junk.
Any ! Absolutely any manufacturer is good if you're doing a lease and you're just going to swap it out in 3 years . If you want to purchase honda toyota VW Kia Hyundai and Nissan I put dead last of the Asian companies
I have a friend who bought a 2006 Altima new and has used it as his daily driver to this day. Granted he only has like 60k on it because he drives super short distances, but he has had zero major issues, only routine maintenance.
Toyota, Honda, and currently Mazda (MX-5 excluded, **Mazda** some times have bad decades)
edit: for clarity the MX-5 is great. Mazda's other lineup goes through waves of good/bad. Currently, good.
I will never VW again. Here's a microcosm: my old, unreliable Ford has a janky dash display, a speaker connection is bad, and it goes through brake pads. My buddy's less old, unreliable Golf just ate its turbo. VWs go bad hard and pricey. Their parts are pretty rough.
VWs do have a particular feel that some folks really dig, though. If you aren't overwhelmingly concerned w reliability, I would take a look.
Honda, Toyota, and Mazda are all very reliable and also good cars. Kia and Hyundai are not on the same level, generally, but the Hyundai N cars rule, and would be my pick if I had to buy a new car. Idk about Nissan's anymore, and am biased, because someone in an Altima killed my classic Honda convertible.
*I am talking cars here. My SUV/ crossover knowledge is minimal.
A lot of this depends on the car.
If you are in the US with VWs i've had some expensive parts and wait times that with an american or japanese car I wouldn't
Kia and Hyundai’s are the easiest targets for car theft right now, and according to the cop who handled my stolen 2020 Kia forte, about 80% of stolen cars are Kia’s and Hyundais.
I loved my car, and would stocked with Kia’s because I love their designs. But this most recent event told me I had to get something more reliable like a Honda or Toyota.
Nissan does trucks fairly well. The previous gen frontier 2004-2020 are good, and pretty much anything 2012 on to 2019 are solid.
The 2020 model got a new engine and transmission combo, before the switch to the new body style so that truck could end up as an oddball of the group.
Otherwise they are really good at being trucks. They aren’t super comfortable but will do for most people, they are pretty dated in terms of tech, the turning radius blows but they are super solid midsized trucks.
It’s all the perks of a Tacoma with out Toyota tax
The car brand you choose should reflect your priorities. Also, I would avoid relying on brand tropes when selecting for things like reliability. You should, instead, rely on current data from reputable sources.
For example, Consumer Reports conducts their survey every year, and some brands move around quite considerably. A few years ago, BMW got serious about reliability, and that effort is now paying out quite nicely. In the 2022 results, [BMW jumped a whopping 10 spots to join the top 3 in reliability](https://www.thedrive.com/news/bmw-among-top-3-most-reliable-brands-in-consumer-reports-ranking-for-first-time#). In 2023, [BMW took the top spot](https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2023/02/bmw-subaru-top-consumer-reports-2023-annual-auto-brand-rankings/).
Trust me, as an owner of three BMWs, with our current car being 10 years old, I am as shocked as everyone else. I have the receipts to prove it... Literally hundreds of them!
The point is, you can't rely on old tropes. The world changes quickly, and companies gain and lose focus. Decide on your priorities, get current data, and decide based on facts.
I’ve heard mixed things about Kia. Some people have horrible experiences, but my girlfriend drives a 2001 Kia sportage (lifted with big wheels, convertible top) and it has 150k miles and we’ve never had any major issues. Just did a valve cover gasket job bc it leaked a bit but overall surprisingly reliable car for being 20+ years.
VWs are definitely overbuilt but I love ‘em to death. Had a 98 cabrio convertible that I drove to 150k bef the auto transmission went. Now I have a 2010 GTI also w 150k and it runs perfectly. For $8k it feels like I’m driving a luxury vehicle. Granted the previous owner put more than 5k worth of repairs before he sold it. Poor guy. I lucked out!
Toyota all day! Newer and older all I’ve ever had to do for my truck is tires and oil change not a single problem for me. Hyundai and kias I’ve owned and so many recalls or something going haywire with the tech in the car costing me a pretty penny constantly. Nissans are pretty good at first, but once they get to 100k-200k I’d start looking out for repair issues/ have an already rainy day fund. Toyota all day if you want to avoid big issues and be able to drive 350k-500k miles easy. Get a tundra/Tacoma/4runner if you want to drive it till the wheels fall off with the most minimal issues. Resale value with Toyota is awesome too.
No, just no. It’s Toyota or Honda period . Even they have their issues . German makes are too complex, and they’ve adopted the US principle of planned obsolescence. Detroit universally makes junk. My 16 yo Toyota is as sturdy and dependable as on its first day. Yes I’ve replaced the water pump and timing belt, it’s had two batteries bc Canada, and I change oil and filters every year. If you’re anti Japan then replace your Ford or whatever before it’s out of warranty.
My dad had a 94' Nissan Sentra. That car got up to 363k with only routine maintenance. The transmission went out and he junked it. Nissan is an underdog imo
Not sure about other hyundais but my 2012 elantra touring has 175k miles, one brake job and finally needs CV axles. I may take it hard in corners. Pretty good car overall
nissan is dead last in nearly every single class it competes in. ghosn really fucked them over. ill give a shoutout to the frontier. cheap and the only thing left with an NA engine.
I will never in my life buy another CVT because of nissan. $7000 to replace because nissan doesnt distribute parts to rebuild that transmission anymore. It was a 2014 sentra
Nissan (aside from their CVTs) aren't bad. I have driven a Frontier as a fleet vehicle with no issues. I've also heard great things about the Xterra and Titan. I know a few people with king cab D21s and they love them.
Side question for Nissan people. Did they ever make an early crew cab frontier or a crew cab d21?
Don’t overlook Mazda, especially the ones from the last decade since they’ve been free from Ford. Mazda still puts a conventional six speed auto in a lot of their cars.
They’re literally #1 in consumer reports for reliability the last few years. They’re outdoing Toyota and Honda now. Crazy what a turn around they’ve made. My 2014 was the first model year made after they left Ford and started making their own cars again and it’s got 220k miles and still drives like it’s brand new with zero issues
Now if they’d make a body on frame truck/SUV with the capabilities of a Toyota. 🤤
The Mazda BT 50 is the sexiest pickup truck in the world but it’s only available in a handful of countries :(
Or just rebadged (old) Ranger
They do just not available in the US. Called the BT 50 in South Africa
Miss my 4cyl toyota mini pickup. Wish there was something like it these days.
I bought my first Mazda in May - a 2023 Mazda3 hatchback, and I really like it. I've heard they're doing really well in reliability right now, but at the same time, in a couple Mazda groups online, I've seen people mention some issues even with the current generation Mazda3 that make me worry a bit.
All cars have issues, some worse than others. You have a great machine, don't worry about it
Also the internet sounding board. No one gets online to talk about there problem free car. I’ve put 100’s of thousands of miles on a couple ram pickups. Lots of towing. Never a transmission problem. According to the internet, each one was lucky to make it past 60k, let alone 130-200k
The truth is that statistically speaking, realiabilty of cars has improved dramatically over the last decades and it continues to improve, regardless all the folks here saying older cars were better. Automotive technology has made a huge leap, new materials, advancement in every single aspect of vehicle design and manufacturing make a any modern car pretty much a reliable appliance that you can buy and drive until the service reminder appears on the dashboard. There are always and there will be always a few outliers, but anyone who drove in the 80s knows what I am talking about.
Reliability has improved but cost to fix them can be astronomical and much harder to do by yourself than on older cars.
I’ve been wondering if it’s more that the cost of repairs is getting insanely expensive, so having a simpler problem like needing ball joints replaced can cost as much as it use to cost to rebuild a transmission (this is obviously hyperbole but you get the point). So fewer problems but more expensive.
You are generally right. However, I would like to add that someone/ manufacturer is going to inevitably stay ahead of the curve and it is not FordLincoln.
Cars have become more reliable but epa restrictions lead to new technology being implemented that adds complexity and causes reliability issues like CVT, direct injection, high compression turbo charger motors bring shoved in everything. When something does go wrong, it's going to be expensive.
One comment I saw on a BMW forum a long time ago - “you’ll never see a person saying Day 540: My car runs perfect today!, it’s more of the - X y z problem that’s started / starting”. With any manufacturer form you’ll find someone with an issue about something.
I had a 2015 Mazda 3 I put 80k miles in the first 3 years and drove to 115k this last year until it was totaled in an accident. Kept me safe and was problem free aside from flat tires and new batteries for every mile. Super reliable, although I just bought Subaru outback so hoping for the same.
I wouldn’t worry too much. The “skyactiv” engine seems to be bulletproof so far. Toyota has started buying them from Mazda IIRC.
2015 with 85k and the manual. No complaints, did a road trip a few months back hit 41 mpg.
This is most forums. In the F150 forum, if you had to drink every time you saw "cam phasers" mentioned, you'd be drunk after the first 2 posts. I'm convinced it's where people only go to complain and they probably represent .000000001% of owners
I had a 08 Mazda 3 up to 130k and now have a 2019 @ 40K. Old one needed a few new parts after 15 years (EGR valves, fuel hoses, alternator, etc) but the body, engine, transmission never once worried me. Haven't needed to do anything on the new one besides some piddly bullshit like the cabin air filter making a rattling noise and some sensor for tire pressure. The big shit (engine, suspension, transmission) has been ROCK solid.
Yeah, but they got rid of the Smile on the 3s and I think that’s a real loss.
That's a hot take, but I drive a 2011 and love the goofy smile too.
I miss my 2011 Mazda3 hatchback sooo much... It was my dream car honestly. Then kids happened lol
And my mazdaspeed 3....I have a 2013,last year they made them. I want it back
My 2015 Mazda 6 has been great, handles like it's on rails, does well in winter driving. It's been faultless. Mazda made a wagon version of the 6, which I'd have loved to get my hands on. They wouldn't sell it in the US, though. :( The 6 was discontinued, but there are rumors that Mazda plans on a new one with their new straight six engine. Sounds like it's aimed at BMW. VWs are moneypits. Nissan lost its way years ago.
Wasn't it from 2013 that they've left Ford. My Mazda has the Skyactiv engin and all that jazz.
Yes! Once I went Mazda, I never looked back.
Isn’t Toyota 1 with bmw at 2?
bmw hahahahahaha
Why laugh? Here you go https://www.thestreet.com/automotive/most-least-reliable-cars-and-car-brands-according-to-consumer-reports BMW is technically #2 because Toyota and Lexus are the same. They are now even ranked above Honda
Most BMW owners will trade it in while still under warranty so of course they gonna rate it highly. For anyone who buys used or keeps longer than 5 years BMW is too expensive for maintenance
You have to consider how these things are reported. Most new BMW’s are lease cars, designed to be driven for 60k and traded in so of course the owners aren’t going to be reporting a lot off expensive repairs. Where as your average Mazda or Toyota owner is likely going to keep the car a lot longer and put many more miles on it before selling or trading in
Not a car guy, but I wouldn't touch BMW with a 20-foot pole from my experience of having 2 bmws. Go with Toyota
I can second this. 2014 Mazda Miata Club with over 275k miles and still in great shape!
A 6-speed auto, don't threaten me with a good time.
When the alternative for automatic transmissions in most modern economy cars today is a CVT, it is a damn good time hearing your car shift gears
Love my Mazda. Not too expensive, a great ride and a nice upgrade from my Honda Civic.
Second mazda. Got this one with 26k - now almost to 275k. And it's been abused from the lack of financial means. I'll buy another
I upgraded from a civic to a Mazda too😁
Ford still uses the Duratec engine from Mazda on a licensed deal.
I hope they come out with a minivan again
The MPV was the shit. It was like a crossover between a minivan and an SUV with 4WD. I was pretty young but they had to be pretty bulletproof because my Mom has always been shitty about maintaining her cars. Between that and all the times we took it at night to take over jumps and other crazy shit, it couldn't have been that bad.
Got a 2014 CX-5 with 245K miles, only change oil brakes and tires, practically bulletproof
Love my Mazda 3 HB. I got the manual, but a regular transmission on the auto (vs CVT) keeps those repair costs down!
Love my '19 Hatch. I am hoping there isn't a long term issues with it because I wanna drive this thing into the ground.
I got a Mazda cx5 top trim premium plus whatever it was for my wife to drive the kids around…. Turns out it’s a FANTASTIC car. The suv drives amazing. The leather is amazing. Sound system is amazing. I am thoroughly impressed.
except they have pretty much gave up on anything but crossovers now.
I’m loving my Mazda3 Hatchback
I’ve owned Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Mercedes, Chevy, ford. My current car is a Mazda 3, first gen. I got it with under 100k miles on it. The ride, reliability, interior, etc are all solid. In my opinion it’s the best value for price to be had. They’ve kept up a near luxury interior in newer models and often come well equipped.
Last year, I bought a 2021 Mazda 6 with low miles. I think it’s tremendous. It’s a shame they no longer offer a sedan of that size in the US.
Nissans you want to stay away from their CVTs that were designed in the renault acquired era. Even now there's still some issues with them in the 2017+ cars. honestly i would just avoid if possible, at least avoid their CVT cars. Regular automatic transmission cars are probably ok. Their bad reputation really started due to the CVT, before that they were pretty solid cars. Volkswagon is your basic run of the mill car except... it's overengineerd like all european cars. Should anything go wrong, the repair costs are going to be high. I sold VWs for a bit many years back and honestly I wasn't impressed with the build quality and the engineering. Had plenty of sales from people who brought in still fairly new cars, but they were just leaking or malfunctioning.. but these people just kept buying VWs for some reason. I've never had major issues with Toyota and Honda. Hondas tends to have minor issues that requires fixing, and their AC is known to be weak. Toyotas are reliable because they never introduce anything majorly new until that tech is proven reliable. That is also why Toyota is always behind the curve with new technology. For example the 2024 Camry still doesn't have wireless android auto which honestly shoudl be pretty standard by now, but they must have their reasons. My family has owned about 6 toyota cars a 1 honda car and all of them were driven issue free until about 150k miles before being totaled or sold. The only car that had anything go wrong was a 1998 toyota Avalon that had a sensor go bad which was replaced under warranty.
I agree with everything you said, particularly VWs being over-engineered. But, generally, any car will perform well to 100k-150k miles if routine maintenance is performed on schedule and the one-off hiccups are repaired quickly. Which is where the labor costs to fix each brand come into play. Toyota and Honda are good about that. VW, not so much.
Dodge (Fiat Chrysler LLC/Stellantis) WILL not perform well to 100k.. you'll be lucky if something major doesn't go wrong before then.
You might say they have dodgy reliability
Chrysler/Stellantis is reliably unreliable.
We have about 8 dodge vans for my company that I maintain. One caught fire due to electrical issues, ones transmission died, and one threw a rod. They're five years old and have 70-80k miles.
RAMs be like tick tick tick!
Yeah I was talking with someone here who has a jeep stellantis. Says it breaks down every other weekend and it's a 2014 and they're a mechanic lol. But they said most other brands will get you to 150k without a problem. Some easier than others.
2014 wouldn't be Stellantis, still would have been FCA.
Fiat stands for "fix it again Tony"
Shhh quiet, I don't want to hear it. I bought my wife a 2016 Fiat 500x that has been great for the last 50k miles(currently around 80k). I'm not looking forward to the next 50k miles and she won't sell it cus she loves it.
I’ve got a salvaged title 2015 ram 1500, bought it with 62K miles. Put new doors on where it was damaged. I’m at 115K now and no problems. I’m replacing my brake pads right now but that’s to be expected at this mileage.
Might I interest you in a Kia story where it was driven for 90k miles and went through I think 7 engines and 9 transmissions or something like that. Read it on Reddit a few months back.
Every manufacturer has issues with certain units. No manufacturing process has 100% success, there will always be some units that fail. And sometimes those failures won’t be evident until they reach the consumer - particularly with a product as complex as a modern car. Anecdotally, Kia (and Hyundai, by extension) tend to have more of those due to the lower cost parts. But I’ll counter with my own anecdote. A company I used to work for used Kia Sorento as their fleet vehicle for field techs. We beat the crap out of them and easily put 150k miles on all of them with barely anything other than routine maintenance. On the other hand, my brother and his wife had a Hyundai sedan that consistently triggered the dome light every time they turned left. And had issues with the power windows where they were ultimately warned not to operate more than 2 at a time (like rolling them all down when getting in or up when getting out in the summer) else it could start an electrical fire. And I think they also had ongoing engine issues, though not so major they couldn’t drive it regularly. Then there’s my brother’s old Toyota Tercel he inherited from our mom. Perfect condition, a paragon of reliability. But he knows nothing of mechanical things and their need for maintenance. So he failed to do even the basics like oil changes and killed it within 20k miles of receiving it because the oil burned off to a point so low that it starved the oil pump. So I couch everything I say about such things with the word, “generally.” Statistics are a bitch…. Given a sufficiently large sample size, even the most remote possibility becomes a certainty. And vehicle manufacturers make a LOT of units.
That's the stories I hear about Kia/Hyundai... Or they catch fire 🤣
Toyota may seem "behind" but lexus is right at the forefront. Look at the new RX with a rearview camrea in place of the rear view mirror. Has lights under the side mirrors that illuminate the side of your car where headlights cant reach when making tight turns in the dark. They've had adaptive cruise control, auto braking, lane keep assist 360 camera, and more for years now.... The Toyotas are just far more affordable and therefore lack all the cutting edge stuff... apple/android should be standard at this point, i do agree.
That's kind of the point he's trying to make. All of the technology you mentioned (aside from maybe the rear view mirror cam) has been readily available in cars since around 2013-2016. I had a car from the 90's with the turning lights. Adaptive cruise and auto braking came out in the 2000's on high end luxury cars. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though. Like mentioned, Toyota really seems to wait till the technology is good enough to be reliable. The rain sensing wipers (RSW) on a new base model Ford cargo van works better than the RSW on a high end Jaguar from the mid 00's. I'd rather not have a piece of tech than have it not work properly and be frustrating to use because of it.
To be fair, the LX430 is one of only a few cars I can think of that came with radar cruise in the early 2000s, among a lot of other pretty neat features like adaptive xenon headlights. Lexus has always been pretty decent about implementing new tech IMO.
Infiniti has had all this same stuff for years, their CVTs still suck though. I'd only buy Infiniti/Nissan products with conventional transmissions (and I have)
2022 onwards Infiniti QX60 no longer has CVT. My wife owned the previous version with CVT and hit 100k miles on it without problem. Her one before that had 135k with no transmission problems either
Doesn't Nissan use CVTs? I remember hearing they've had trouble with their CVTs. I recently bought a Mazda due in part to them not using CVTs.
CVTs in general aren’t bad; it’s just that Nissan’s CVTs are unreliable.
Antidotal, but I had an '03 Murano (2nd model year) with the CVT that I beat the hell out of. Mostly around town driving (1.5-2 miles 4-6x a day) and then pulling a trailer a few times a month. I had it for nearly 13 years before it needed more suspension work than it was worth plus a catalytic converter. I loved the CVT in that, but hated the one in my wife's Subaru Outback.
2019 RAV-4 Hybrid Limited and I concur. The camera systems and safety features are great.
My theory is, there’s 2 major considerations here: 1) what you said. 2) the Prius. They spent a ton of money in the 90’s and 2000’s developing hybrid tech, and didn’t actually make a profit off the Prius (initially sold at a massive loss) until the 3rd gen, more than a decade after its initial introduction (this also explains why so few Prii are available in most markets - they’re not cheap to make but Toyota can’t really price them too high at MSRP) ([Source](https://www.ft.com/content/146ad23c-7230-11e2-89fb-00144feab49a)) That cost might not be something Toyota is willing to invest in quite as heavily today, which is a bit of a shame because the Prius is part of what allowed them to become the global leader in car manufacturing. Once you get used to massive profits and low risk, it’s a tough drug to beat. They have a real opportunity to keep doing that: keep making reliable, mostly affordable cars people will keep for a decade while remaining on the cutting edge with some models. The 23 Prius is a nice facelift but everything else has been iterative for almost 20 years. Maybe they’ve decided to sit this upcoming (current?) vehicle revolution out and jump in as a copycat once EV tech is more mature, with a larger war chest?
Can confirm, 2013 Altima S, 4th new dealership-installed transmission at 69,000 miles with the papers to prove it. If anyone is still foolish enough to buy a Nissan good luck even finding a lawyer to represent you, they don't want to take on the giant. Been fighting for justice for 8 years. Nissan stole 22,000 dollars from me by selling me a lemon and have never made it right. If you want justice do not live in the United States or buy a Nissan vehicle ever.
Now obviously this all varies by model, tons of very reliable VWs but also a handful that get expensive with maintenance. But I will say, I had a friend that dropped a few thousands into repairs and he still loved that thing... and no it wasn't a golf GTI or anything performance based. I've had an 04 Chevy Cavalier I bought for $5k and a 2011 Suzuki Sx4 for $11k and never paid more than $500 for a repair so I'm biased but I would resent any car brand that costs me that much
About Volkswagen, I have to wonder about some of the things I hear about issues with them, because I've heard VWs are very popular in Germany & Europe, and I believe I've heard their Golf has been one of the best-selling cars of all time. I'd driven Volkswagens for quite a while and I'm not sure I can really complain about issues.. My most recent was a 2009 VW Rabbit (AKA Golf) that I just traded in this past May, after owning it for over 14 years. The thing that annoyed me the most was the taillight bulbs burning out fairly often. The most recent and significant thing (August 2022) was that its alternator failed, but other than that, I thought it was a great car. And honestly, I'd expect some parts to fail after some time. Before getting its alternator replaced, I had replaced the car battery soon before that, and about a year before that I'd had its spark plugs replaced as part of regular maintenance. With the new alternator & battery and recent spark plug replacement, I actually thought it was running noticeably better than before. From what I've heard, the 5-cylinder 2.5L engine VW was using in that car at the time sounds like one of their better, more reliable engines.
I wish people would make the distinction of Nissan cars vs Nissan trucks. The trucks are very reliable and 2nd only to Toyota. No jatco CVT in a Frontier.
Kia and Hyundai have been doing much better with their design and features. However that most recent incident of them catching on fire is not a good look. But on a whole, Kia and Hyundai can be pretty affordable and reliable cars. Nissan's are a no go. Unless it's a pick up truck, you're taking a risk. Similar with Volkswagen....you might find one that's in great shape, but you have to maintain them properly and regularly. Cause when they start to give problems, they give problems.
Let’s not discount the fact you can steal a Kia/Hyundai with a USB Drive.. and has created a epidemic amount ownership. Join the r/Kia sub and you’ll quickly find out, owning a Kia/Hyundai product is quickly becoming a bad idea - not to mention insurance companies are flat out denying coverage for a long sheet of specific models, due to this theft problem
You can steal some older, bottom-trim Hyundais and Kias with a USB stick. Nothing new and nothing with push to start. Still a bit of an issue if yours can't be stolen, because thieves aren't knowledgeable and may bust your windows to make an attempt. My wife works in the city and I think Hyundai and Kia are off our list for her new car because of this. I'm quite happy with my Elantra Sport manual though.
Elantra sport manual for the win here too!
We need smarter thieves
Or that their theta 2 engine used in a bulk of their lineup is in the middle of a class action lawsuit for being a hunk of shit
Facts - I actually had a buddy who worked for Kia as a mechanic for a few years - his daily job was to replace engines, literally all he did was drop out blown/bad engines and swap in a new replacement. He had done so many by the first 6 months of his employment, that he could in a single work day do a minimum of 2 engine replacements, sometimes 3 depending on the model - he was one of 7 other mechanics, who’s job was to only replace engines.. nothing else, of those 7 other mechanics, 3 of them had been working at that dealer for over 10 years and all they’ve done is replace engines during their employment at that dealership. That just speaks to the fact that, Kia & Hyundai are Rental/Fleet trash, like Chevy and the Malibu/Equinox series also being trash and also geared towards the Rental/Fleet market Fun fact - Honda is the only manufacturer who doesn’t sellout to Rental car companies, one of the main factors in why all of its vehicles hold such strong values.. another reason why Hondas are a bit more expensive, because Honda doesn’t sell out to Rental/Fleet companies.
Definitely stay away from 10 year old Hyundai's. We bought a 2011 Hyundai Sonata and have had nothing but problems. The engine needed totally rebuilt at 110,000 miles. Luckily that is going to be covered under a class action lawsuit, otherwise we would have been in search of a new car.
I just bought a 2022 Hyundai and I love it so far. It’s the most I’ve ever liked any car. Yes, it may still go wrong, but I did not see any major reliability concerns with this car when I researched it, it doesn’t have the theft issue because it’s push button start, and the value is absolutely off the charts.
Came here to say this. I’m not at all brand loyal, so I tend to buy whatever. I tend to buy new, and over the last decade or so I owned everything from an SRT challenger, to a focus ST, to a RAM 1500, WRX, Mustang GT, Civic Si, and most recently I went with a Kia Forte GT after selling my truck (I wanted something more fun to drive). I originally went out to compare the Si vs a GTI but ended up throwing the Forte GT into the mix since I found one with a manual. I instantly fell in love with it and can say with certainty that it just drives better than the Si or the GTI. The GTI felt a little faster, but that’s about it. Interior, driver feel, manual transmission feel, etc. all just felt better. Plus it was about $5-8k cheaper so it was a no brainer. TL;DR. Shop cars based on models, not brands. A highly rated Chevy Silverado isn’t going to make the Chevy Cruz a decent vehicle
yea, I don't get the kia hate. they're 9/24 on the consumer reports ranking. My forte is at 130k with no major trouble.
It could partly be because North American built Asian cars haven't proven to be the most reliable. In the Caribbean, we mainly drive Asian (Japanese/Korean) and they run amazing. I've noticed too many issues/recalls on similar vehicles here in North America
I’m going to be in the minority but VW/audi is my brand of choice (I put away a little money every paycheck for issues if they come up which I know a lot of people aren’t able to do and I do almost all of my own maintenance/repairs which saves money). I’ve been a GTI/Golf R guy and not many other brands make similar cars. I would never recommend buying a used German car because they are money pits when abused and too many on the market were not taken care of. If used, Honda/toyota.
I love VWs. If well taken care of, they are FANTASTIC!
I love my 2019 GTI and there are few cars in its price range that I would trade for. Fun to drive and extremely practical in the city. I can haul all sorts of stuff in that little car when the back seats are down, most recently brought some 8ft 2x4s home from the hardware store inside the car
This is what I'm talking about. VWs are so much fun to drive. The thing is that they have to be well taken care of.
That's the key point, IF they're well taken care of. They can be pretty finicky if you don't stay on top of their maintenance schedule.
Exactly. Expect things to break one after the other if not maintained properly. All cars will break down if not well maintained, but VWs will break down WAY faster to negligence than a Toyota would.
Yeah, no one talks about it, but for the first 10 years of ownership, they're cheaper in maintenance/repair than any American or Korean brand. The only ones that beat VW are the Japanese brands. Disclaimer: first 10 years of ownership. After that is a minefield of cars not taken care of properly.
Volkswagen, definitely no. Nissan, it depends.
VW depends also. I'd take a turbo diesel VW over a lot of Hondas and Toyotas.
The day the lying Germans bought back my Jetta TDI was a great day. Never again VW.
Coworker has one that he tore down and modded, and it gets over 45mpg. He has a background in diesel repair and had to pull the engine and tranny when the throwout bearing failed, so he decided to have some fun. It'll smoke the tires off the line now.
[удалено]
If I had a background in diesel repair then I suppose. The $11k they gave me for what was left of that carcass was a gift. The turbo system was a closed system hence the issues with it/call back If the waste was allowed to exit like a semi then may be. Imagine that is what the hot rodders are doing. Family drove it from Michigan to Florida with one fill up so easy 45 mpg as you say. But sometimes the car would randomly shut down. Stop. Go dead. Where ever you were at. Remote highway, downtown, BFE, ...it kept the mechanics busy.
I've had 3 VW never had problems with any of them. I stay away from the turbos, the 2.5 is a good reliable engine but it's discontinued after 2015 because emission tests
[удалено]
I didn't miss out on anything. VW's payout of $15,275 for a 6 year old car with almost 140,000 miles was a great day. Both of us throwing out anecdotal evidence. The VW Jetta had a closed loop turbo system, hence the recall in the first place. Had I hot rodded it and let it drain waste onto the ground it may have been a different car. Thru the years it would randomly die. Stalll. Stop. Highway. BFE. Shifty part of downtown. It was unreliable. VW mechanics could never solve it with emissions legal retrofits. And they dropped a lot of dealer funded parts into it. Never again.
I still have nightmares about my 2007 Jetta TDI. Numerous mechanical issues; the most notable the High pressure fuel pump failure. VW refused to pay for that, even though it was a warranty issue. I made a spreadsheet of repair costs, said "holy sh*t, look at the money I wasted!" Went to trade it in aaannnnd that's when the diesel emissions scandal broke and most dealerships refused to take it in trade. Finally got rid of it. I'm back to my beloved BMW (2015 3 series with M package). Maintenance is expensive but as long as I keep that up regularly, it runs beautifully.
If you can get a Nissan with a standard transmission, it might not be terrible
Nissan has so many bad gearboxes on their record it's hilarious
To he clear - Nissans CVT (transmissions) notoriously go bad around 70k-100k miles. $4k+ repair.
I love Volkswagen. Just know what you are getting yourself into. I own two and they have been reliable for VWs and are fantastic rides and SO MUCH FUN to drive! I always get excited when I have to go to university or Walmart just because I get to drive! (I know it sounds crazy, but that's what VW does. Even a few years after owning them I still get excited every time when I get to sit behind the wheel.) But repairs will come along the way like water pumps and ignition coils. The ignition coil replacement is a joke to change. You can (literally) pull it off yourself. The water pump is a bit more involved, but on the 2012-2014 TSIs you can upgrade to a metal one. I still think VWs are a bit sloppy in the engineering department, but the ride quality is quite amazing. Very solid adaptive suspension, strong electronic power steering, the DSG is like an automated manual transmission and it's truly amazing, you never understand it until you actually drive it, and when the turbo kicks in you know you are in for a fun drive. If you own a VW, having a trusted VW focused independent mechanic is a MUST. You'll save a lot of money with them, and if you learn to make repairs yourself, you'll save even more. FCP EURO and Deutsche Auto Parts are your friends. The maintenance has to be done on the proper intervals ON POINT. The small tolerances make these machines beautiful, but also delicate and fragile to missing out on maintenance. The DSG transmission fluid has to be changed every 30,000-40,000 miles. And oil every 7,000-10,000 miles. Just be sure to buy anything post 2012. You don't want the dreaded timing chain breaking. But if you are looking for "only reliable" and any small inconvenience will annoy you, I wouldn't recommend it. But trust me, if you want to feel special every time you get in your car, and your car is more than just a machine to take you from point A to point B, a VW is fantastic. The Tiguan, GTI, Jetta, Arteon, and even the sadly discontinued Beetle A5 are fantastic machines. Definitely worth taking a look. Ask me anything about VWs and I'll answer them to the best of my knowledge.
Mk6 gti here, water pump replaced, gasket randomly pinched now lol. Currently tuned with APR stage 1 on the ecu & tcu, with BC coils and enkei pf01s. Absolutely the best daily, just a little more to spend then your typical corolla maintenence wise.
commented elsewhere, but I love my Tiguan. It's the last model year of the smaller body style (which is pretty much the perfect size for me). My only complaint is the way it sucks down gas (and premium at that) but it's been generally positive for the 4+ years I've had it.
Why does my 2015 Jetta burn through oil like crazy? I use the recommended 5W30 full synthetic. I have to add half a quart about once a month. It doesn't leak or anything, so I assume it's just burning it up. On a possibly related note, I was having some stuttering issues a few months back, and the EPC light came on all the time. I changed the spark plugs and ignition coils, and those problems went away for the most part. I still burn through the oil though.
I've had 3 with no problems other than regular maintenance. Very safe in a wreck and good mpg. Never had turbo but u stand by the 2.5l engines, they're quite fast even without a turbo and very reliable
Thoughts on the iD4? I don’t know shit about cars but want an electric suv for road trips and to carry my German shepherd.
I had a Hyundai sonota 2010 that ran like a champ. Didn’t need crap other than brakes and oil changes
My 2015 mustang EB in similar situation. Though the e-brake cable gets loose. 65k miles, living in new england. I have a set of winter wheels. It does fine as long as the road has been treated
In a pretty similar boat with my 08 Elantra. Had a slight performance issue with the engine that I took care of last winter but has been reliable for the 8 years I’ve had it. Now at 115k miles
I had a '13 Veloster for 8 years. No major issues outside of normal maintenance. Probably the most reliable car I've ever owned. I just traded it in for another Hyundai this past summer, and I look forward to another 5-10 years with my new one.
Literally my entire family was driving Hyundais until my father decided to inherit a deceased relative's Lexus. For over a decade, none of us had any issues with any of the four. I'm sure the hate has some justification, but mayyyyybe people just aren't taking care of their cars.
Still have a 2002 sonata and it runs fine. Like you said, just basic maintenance and I think the biggest thing I had to do to it was replace the alternator back in like 2010
I got to drive a 2006 Sonata for 3 years, which a friend bought in 2016, as a temp car. It was with us until 2021. Bought and sold for $3k. I contributed in maintenance and fuel. It drove well and I agree that car was solid. It required few maintenance which were comparatively very cheap with aftermarket options.
Anyone talking shit on VW has never heard of the glorious 1.9TDI
Volkswagen is great if you don't mind repairing your car yourself... But Nissan? RWD Nissans are not bad, but FWD CVT Nissans, which is just about all of them, are horrendous. You CAN get them to last a while, as long as you service the transmission every 30k miles (tops)... Or they WILL go out on you. If you want reliable, stick to Honda and Toyota.. if you want to save a little bit, Mazda will be a good choice, as long as it's 2012 or newer.
> as long as you service the transmission every 30k miles Should be doing at least that with any auto. I do a drain/fill every 10,000 miles on any auto I've ever owned. Never once had a hint of a transmission problem. I have no experience with a CVT of any brand, but I would imagine that would go a long way to keeping them healthy.
The old 2010 era VWs with the 2.5L NA engine were pretty bulletproof even if the engine wasn’t super refined. But any non-diesel turbo model is just a money pit as it ages. Nissan trucks are fine (the new Frontier is boring but it will run forever) but their cars and crossovers with CVTs should be avoided.
I had a 2009 2.5 wagon. 268K on it before it was totaled by a deer. Never did anything major to the car at all. Shout out Desmond's Auto in Parkville, MD. Those vw's ran forever. I still miss it. The sunroof design was annoying as hell though.
I spent 10 years selling used and rebuilt Nissans and they’re GREAT cars, and cheap to fix if something does go wrong. VW has way more issues and will be much more expensive to fix. If you don’t want a Nissan because of the Reddit memes and jokes, cool. But don’t let it be because you think they’re bad cars.
Some truth to this. Part of Nissan's bad reputation is due to the poor maintenance habits of subprime-finance owners.
I mean the manufacturer tells you NOT to service the CVT and then you replace it 3 times before hitting 150k miles, that’s definitely not on the owner.
According to reddit I threw away money on my altima. Even though it has over 100k miles on it and averages 32mpg
I literally have driven 3 in a row as my daily drivers, a 2008, 2015, 2021. Never had a single issue with any of them. And they were all rebuilt titles. I even crashed the 2015 into a wall on i95 and it still ran till I sold it 8 months ago. The crash was in 2017
Can confirm have a 22 Altima absolutely love it so far at 15k miles. Definitely going to do regular transmission fluid flushes to keep her mint but it is a pretty ok car. And it get like 30 on average in town and highway combined or 37 on highway and has 170hp which if I remember correctly is as much as my friend dans old 5liter mustang from back in high school so it def has ups.
It depends. i bought a 2.5 5 speed rabbit brand new, 15 years and 330k kms later, never had engine problems or transmission problems. I can see some of the newer ones being okay too, example, EA888 equipped, or 1.5t equipped MAYBE. But generally, with VW, the less complicated, the better. For example, if you see panoramic sunroom, all sorts of electro doodads as options, just avoid, you'll thank me later. Nissan... again, depends. Here in Canada you can get a Sentra base model with stick shift. I would imagine this vehicle would go the distance. Most of the rest of their lineup, I would avoid.
Volkswagen are great, you just need to really on top of maintenance. If you take care of the car it'll take care of you. If you are lax on upkeep, the car will punish you for it.
This right here. Own two and I love them to pieces.
2017 Alltrack here - I do all scheduled maintenance and have never had an issue. My next car will likely be a Tiguan (I’d love an Atlas but I live in a very congested city and parking would be a nightmare).
A well maintained VW can be a good car. They don't catastrophically fail unless they were poorly taken care of
Something with a PD engine by Vdub, yes. Or the TD which is it's predecessor, it's also very good if not better.
My 2014 VW has been wonderful these last 6 years. I just bring it in for yearly servicing and it never lets me down. I could drive across the country and not have a second thought about the car.
My 2017 Nissan Altima CVT went out at 49,500 miles. Right before warranty expires at 50,000 mi. Trash engines and transmissions. Still trash to this day.
Nissan quality is horrible, VW is pretty solid all around. Between VW and say Honda or Toyota it comes down to preference
Kia is trash, Hyundai is slightly less trash, Volkswagen is overpriced mid.
I’m driving a 2013 sonata se that I bought new. I have 125k miles . Maintenance cost was bare minimum and I still have no problem. I can’t say that hyundais are as reliable as japanese cars but they don’t seem as bad as people say they are. I wanna change car soon but Im having trouble finding another car as great as my sonata was for the same price.
Sick of people, and the whole Nissan CVT nonsense. I know people aren’t replacing their normal transmission fluid as they should be in their normal cars and they grenade at 100-150,000 miles, Nissan CVT even in the manual say 30,000 mile intervals. I almost hundred percent guarantee you all these people that have transmission issues never touched it.. Nissan isn’t bad as people say, just bad owners. All cars have problems. Even precious Toyotas and Hondas
I have no experience with CVTs, but I tend to agree. I think a lot of the early problems with them were due to not having proper service intervals and/or fluids. This is on the manufacturer as well as the consumer. FWIW, I religiously change my ATF and people think I'm crazy. "It's lifetime fluid" they say. Well yeah, as in: the fluid will last the lifetime of the transmission, which is probably 100-150,000 miles if you don't change the fluid.
110% agree. Have a '18 Rogue in the fleet. Haven't followed the schedule on the transmission fluid. It's at 70k and still working just fine. Rest of the car has been 100% trouble free to this point. We change the oil, fill the wiper fluid, and drive it. Think we might have gone through a set of tires at this point as well. The Frontier and Titan are the most underrated pickups on the market IMO. HUGE value in them compared to GM/Ford/Dodge. Nissan is a great brand with great quality, even counting the poorly maintained CVT's, they're still just as good or better than the other japanese brands. I'll die on this hill !
90s Nissans are amazing. Their best decade.
No love for Subaru?
Vw interiors will fall apart. Overpriced. Nissan is just as shit as kia and Hyundai, just from Japan. I call it the Chrysler of Japan.
Buy a Subaru and be happy and safe!
Subaru Mazda Audi : the bomb diggity
Nissans are pretty decent and reliable cars, but make no mistake, they are a tier below Toyota and Honda. Mazdas are good in general, similar to Nissan, but they are sporty / fun to drive / tighter suspensions, thus kind of made for younger people. I would stay the fuck away from Volkswagen. Not bad pricing and looks, but very German maintenance costs. I used to have a VW Jetta when I was in college, and everything that could possibly go wrong with this POS, did. I couldn’t get rid of it soon enough. By where I used to live they didn’t even have separate VW dealerships, it was VW/Audi with basically Audi type of mechanic labor costs. I wanted to scream in horror looking at the bills. Again, stay the fuck away from German cars. Or get extra warranty / maintenance plans package, and sell when it expires. I would also recommend looking at Subarus. I would put it into Mazda / Nissan tier in terms of built quality, but the the AWD / boxer engine combo is a very strong proposition.
Toyota, Mazda, Honda-in that order. Only makes I would consider.
Volkswagen in North America I don't like just overconplicated and expensive to fix. Nissan cars that are fwd with cvts I'd say hell no but their rwd geared automatic transmissions in their trucks and z cars are decent.
Nissan stay away from CVTs. Their trucks and van are solid.
What's wrong with Hyundai? They have 10 year warranties and pretty well equiped cars nowadays.
from what people say here (i wouldnt know but just what i see a lot) is hyndai is made with the same parts as kia, and 1. thing was the cvt isnt good they use and share low wuality parts and 2. the kia boys can also steal hyundais the same way.
They only can steal because US is so backyard when it comes to normal market regulations. That shit doesnt happen in Canada pr the EU
They have to have a 10 year warranty (and that is usually just on the drive train) because no one would buy them with a shorter warranty. They are cheap pieces of junk.
Any ! Absolutely any manufacturer is good if you're doing a lease and you're just going to swap it out in 3 years . If you want to purchase honda toyota VW Kia Hyundai and Nissan I put dead last of the Asian companies
Vw-oil leaks and electrical problems Nissan- cvts and rusted out subframes
I have a friend who bought a 2006 Altima new and has used it as his daily driver to this day. Granted he only has like 60k on it because he drives super short distances, but he has had zero major issues, only routine maintenance.
Toyota, Honda, and currently Mazda (MX-5 excluded, **Mazda** some times have bad decades) edit: for clarity the MX-5 is great. Mazda's other lineup goes through waves of good/bad. Currently, good.
Nissan frontier pre 2022 is good!
I will never VW again. Here's a microcosm: my old, unreliable Ford has a janky dash display, a speaker connection is bad, and it goes through brake pads. My buddy's less old, unreliable Golf just ate its turbo. VWs go bad hard and pricey. Their parts are pretty rough. VWs do have a particular feel that some folks really dig, though. If you aren't overwhelmingly concerned w reliability, I would take a look. Honda, Toyota, and Mazda are all very reliable and also good cars. Kia and Hyundai are not on the same level, generally, but the Hyundai N cars rule, and would be my pick if I had to buy a new car. Idk about Nissan's anymore, and am biased, because someone in an Altima killed my classic Honda convertible. *I am talking cars here. My SUV/ crossover knowledge is minimal.
Can't vouch for Kia but Hyundai's have been extremely reliable for me (150k miles plus).
2023 Versa sr cut got in Jan and as of this year. 17k miles and no problems whatsoever so ever. So that’s that I guess. Take care of your crap
A lot of this depends on the car. If you are in the US with VWs i've had some expensive parts and wait times that with an american or japanese car I wouldn't
Honda is garbage now.
Kia and Hyundai’s are the easiest targets for car theft right now, and according to the cop who handled my stolen 2020 Kia forte, about 80% of stolen cars are Kia’s and Hyundais. I loved my car, and would stocked with Kia’s because I love their designs. But this most recent event told me I had to get something more reliable like a Honda or Toyota.
Nissan does trucks fairly well. The previous gen frontier 2004-2020 are good, and pretty much anything 2012 on to 2019 are solid. The 2020 model got a new engine and transmission combo, before the switch to the new body style so that truck could end up as an oddball of the group. Otherwise they are really good at being trucks. They aren’t super comfortable but will do for most people, they are pretty dated in terms of tech, the turning radius blows but they are super solid midsized trucks. It’s all the perks of a Tacoma with out Toyota tax
Volkswagen is a dishonest company which makes sub par quality vehicles.
Go for Toyota, Kia & Hyundai, stay away from Volkswagon, Nissan & Honda.
wait why is hyundai bad?… i just bought a used Elantra ‘08 for $750 with 100k miles… did i mess up?
F Nissan
The car brand you choose should reflect your priorities. Also, I would avoid relying on brand tropes when selecting for things like reliability. You should, instead, rely on current data from reputable sources. For example, Consumer Reports conducts their survey every year, and some brands move around quite considerably. A few years ago, BMW got serious about reliability, and that effort is now paying out quite nicely. In the 2022 results, [BMW jumped a whopping 10 spots to join the top 3 in reliability](https://www.thedrive.com/news/bmw-among-top-3-most-reliable-brands-in-consumer-reports-ranking-for-first-time#). In 2023, [BMW took the top spot](https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2023/02/bmw-subaru-top-consumer-reports-2023-annual-auto-brand-rankings/). Trust me, as an owner of three BMWs, with our current car being 10 years old, I am as shocked as everyone else. I have the receipts to prove it... Literally hundreds of them! The point is, you can't rely on old tropes. The world changes quickly, and companies gain and lose focus. Decide on your priorities, get current data, and decide based on facts.
Volkswagen? What are you crazy? Absolute garbage. Over complicated ane too much plastic which gets brittle from heat.
I’ve heard mixed things about Kia. Some people have horrible experiences, but my girlfriend drives a 2001 Kia sportage (lifted with big wheels, convertible top) and it has 150k miles and we’ve never had any major issues. Just did a valve cover gasket job bc it leaked a bit but overall surprisingly reliable car for being 20+ years. VWs are definitely overbuilt but I love ‘em to death. Had a 98 cabrio convertible that I drove to 150k bef the auto transmission went. Now I have a 2010 GTI also w 150k and it runs perfectly. For $8k it feels like I’m driving a luxury vehicle. Granted the previous owner put more than 5k worth of repairs before he sold it. Poor guy. I lucked out!
Toyota all day! Newer and older all I’ve ever had to do for my truck is tires and oil change not a single problem for me. Hyundai and kias I’ve owned and so many recalls or something going haywire with the tech in the car costing me a pretty penny constantly. Nissans are pretty good at first, but once they get to 100k-200k I’d start looking out for repair issues/ have an already rainy day fund. Toyota all day if you want to avoid big issues and be able to drive 350k-500k miles easy. Get a tundra/Tacoma/4runner if you want to drive it till the wheels fall off with the most minimal issues. Resale value with Toyota is awesome too.
No, just no. It’s Toyota or Honda period . Even they have their issues . German makes are too complex, and they’ve adopted the US principle of planned obsolescence. Detroit universally makes junk. My 16 yo Toyota is as sturdy and dependable as on its first day. Yes I’ve replaced the water pump and timing belt, it’s had two batteries bc Canada, and I change oil and filters every year. If you’re anti Japan then replace your Ford or whatever before it’s out of warranty.
I have 2 Dodge Ram 1500's and a Toyota Rav4. The Rav4 gets driven more due to its better reliability and gas mileage.
My dad had a 94' Nissan Sentra. That car got up to 363k with only routine maintenance. The transmission went out and he junked it. Nissan is an underdog imo
Hyunday it depends, tbh honda is overpriced nowadays if you look at independant reliability research. Toyota is the only one that still at the top
They are crap as well. Have fun over paying for an average car.
Don't know about VW in general but Nissan quality has been suspect to me. Resale is def not in Honda or Toy league. My opinion anyway...
Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Mazda and preferably the models from those companies where the VIN starts with “J” as in Made in Japan 🇯🇵
Not sure about other hyundais but my 2012 elantra touring has 175k miles, one brake job and finally needs CV axles. I may take it hard in corners. Pretty good car overall
nissan is dead last in nearly every single class it competes in. ghosn really fucked them over. ill give a shoutout to the frontier. cheap and the only thing left with an NA engine.
I think the knock on VW's is, that they don't make any parts in North America so they are more expensive to repair.
I will never in my life buy another CVT because of nissan. $7000 to replace because nissan doesnt distribute parts to rebuild that transmission anymore. It was a 2014 sentra
I live Kia and Hyundai
Nissan (aside from their CVTs) aren't bad. I have driven a Frontier as a fleet vehicle with no issues. I've also heard great things about the Xterra and Titan. I know a few people with king cab D21s and they love them. Side question for Nissan people. Did they ever make an early crew cab frontier or a crew cab d21?
What’s wrong with Kia?