No Bad Cars? What a Bunch of Bull.

not sure if I 100% agree on the Corolla... it's pretty lame and boring but still a modern, recently designed run about. If you are talking about the overall age of the design/platform then I would agree on all the other cars.

I would also add the BMW X3 to that list, that is until they redo the product or put it out of its misery then bring out the X1.

I'll have to disagree about the Caravan and Cadillac STS. The Caravan is still a good all around package. I think its the best looking of the vans (well, that and the VW Routan). And it still has some featres like stow and go that the others don't. And I have friends with three sports playing preteens that frequently make use of the stow n go, so its definitely worth it. The Cadillac STS is starting to show its age, but it still offers a package that rivals german and japanese competition at a much more affordable price. You can get them for so cheap now.

Some Additions:
Honda Crosstour
Really any Mitsubishi that's not the Lancer
Acura RL

The Dodge Nitro and Kia Amanti come immediately to mind. I'll chime in again if there are any more I can think of

Not sure why the Explorer is on the list. But I do understand why the I assume the 2010 Ranger is on this list which it should be. (Shame on Ford for mucking up their compact truck. No LSD! No FX4 trim! what were they thinking?)

Boring does not equal bad.

Over priced does not equal bad (stupid maybe, but not bad).

I'm not saying all the cars listed are wrong, but a reasonably clear definition of 'bad' would be helpful.

I would have liked for the Whiner, sorry Mechanic, to indicate in parenthesis next to each car a 'good' option for each vehicle.

I usually read this column and laugh a little bit, but this one just makes this guy out to be a complete *sshat. Come one dude, personally attacking thousands of people who purchased these cars and calling them fools and the vehicles they choose to purchase with their hard earned cash pieces of sh*t and crapmobiles. Good one. You're a class act.

I research cars constantly and have owned 19. Two of them are on your list.

Much as it pains me to do so, I nominate the Honda Insight.

But let’s turn this around. Do the Edmunds.com reviews say that they’re bad cars? (More diplomatically than that, obviously.) I haven’t gone through them all, but I sure hope they tell people that Edmunds.com recommends looking elsewhere, if that’s how you feel about them.

The Ranger and PT are not bad, just out of date.

The Cobalt is only bad if you look at the retail price. Since I have never heard of anyone paying even close to that it's decent transportation for those who don't care about cars.

Great deals and unbeatable practicality should bump the Grand Caravan off the list. I've been in several now and they drive much better then the reviews. Perhaps I'm just not looking for faults as much because I'm not embarrassed to be driving one.

This list is a bunch of bull. Honestly, Edmunds, fire whatever moron wrote this.

The Nissan Versa? It's not fun to drive but it's cheap, comfortable, and has a nicer interior than a lot of cars that cost twice as much. And it's a helluva lot better than the Corolla.

The Ford Explorer? It's still roomy, well appointed, well assembled, and can tow.

The Dodge Caravan? It's a superb vehicle and extremely versatile.

But no Honda Insight? No Yaris? No Crosstour? No BMW X6? Are you friggin kidding me?

Wow, I actually have little to disagree with The Mechanic on for once. I'm not going to argue the Versa or the Caravan due to reliability issues. The Lucerne I'm not so sure is so bad in all forms. But overall, I actually can't complain too much about his post. Wow. Just wow.

Oh, luigib the Amanti is long dead, just like every Pontiac and Saturn.

Will say on the Cobalt it likely has to do with Chevy's big dealer network and perhaps on what they could get financed on, plus many may be first time buyers and influenced by parents or grandparents who've always driven a Chevy and may be chipping in some cash on the purchase.

I think the definition of "bad car" here is "car that's obviously inferior to other vehicles in the same category if you actually take the time to shop." By that definition, I agree with every vehicle on the list except the Versa--I'd substitute the Yaris for it.

OMG, I can't believe I'm defending "The Mechanic."

I saw Honda Crosstour on a road today and I have to admit I liked it more then Porsche Panamera. If it only came with the better engine I would seriously start thinking about buying this car.
About The Mechanic's list... I agree about most of the cars on that list but I think if he included Corolla then Nissan Sentra should be there too. I would include Chevy Saburban to the list. This is one of those cars that after developing it every person who was making it should be under the witness protection program. When I drove this piece of crap for 5 hours non-stop I was ready to kill every one involved in creating it.

Brilliant. Agree. Though I have to ask why isn't the Cadillac DTS on the list since it's essentially the same as a Lucerne? Or the VW Routan, fraternal triplet with the Grand Caravan/Town & Country?

And I should confess that while I can't imagine buying a Town Car, it is nice to find a black one waiting at the airport curb with your name on that little sign.

I read that the Mechanic argues only "fools" would buy these cars in 2010. If you purchased a Town Car, say, in 1991 that's different. Of course, name calling is uncalled for, and the Holy Bible says never call your brother "fool". Politicians and media excepted, I guess!

Insulting a ton of people seems to be par for the journalistic course these days. We all have our own personal opinions of what a "bad" car is, but truth be told, as long as that Chevy Cobalt works for the man or woman who buys it, it isn't a "bad" car.

What about that new lexus hybrid thing (250h?). Isn't that just a faster (read: not as slow) prius?
Add the smart car to the list also.

They could be reading Inside Line, and then doing just the opposite of what is recommended. After all, if they went out and bought an Accord, you just made them pay up to $500 for brakes, after one year. Most people don't appreciate that type of advice.

You lose credibility when you fail to list the Smart cars. So two strikes against you or Inside Line.

Maybe now, most people aren't listening to the so-called experts anymore. After all, what have the so called experts given us? Let's see, the banking fallout, Wall Street, all led by experts. Remember, the housing bubble, the tech bubble, all led by experts.

So be happy, you are providing a service after all :)

The Mechanic has always pretended to be controversial, but at least there was some effort put into the articles. This one is just lazy. Are your high school interns writing The Mechanic now?

Mr. Mechanic, you might be good at cars, but you are a pretty wretched columnist. Not even a sentence in defense of your picks, or some logic augmenting your animus for these vehicles? It's not difficult, interesting or original coming up with a top ten list of crap you like and crap you don't. I know a dead guy that could come up with the first list, and I could coax the second out of my hamster.

Automobile magazines have long subsidized some god-awful opinion writers. Most of them, however ignorant, naive, or emotionally scarred and radically, irrationally biased, have at least entertained and engaged their readership. You fail, routinely, to do either. Congratulations, you are the worst. That takes persistence.

Dear "The Mechanic",
I love your articles. I especially love reading the comments after your articles. You certainly pissed off a lot of Cobalt owners this time. Keep up the great work. Cheers.

Mechanic, you may be the nicest person I've never met, all I know is your writing is trash. Not worthy of Edmunds, heck, you make Autoblog look good.
Calling yourself an IL contributor, now that's stretching the truth.

A credible post on what attributes qualify a vehicle to wear the Mechanics "bad" label, now that might be worth reading.

firelicked: +1

BTW, I passed up the Ford explorer because it just wasn't as good as the competition. Drove two of them because they were a relative bargain. Just couldn't see saving a few grand and getting less car. Just my opinion.

Can we start a list of "Top 10 worst columnists"?

I've got a sure fire #1. He'll get less people defending him than 1487 did on the Terrain.
BTW, saw one on the freeway today. I'll I could think of with that bodywork was, ""should be bigger". Wasn't bad, the bodywork just didn't fit the overall size...to me.

This attempt at stirring up peoples emotions was just pathetic.
There are more people damning "The Mechanic" then there are people fighting over which cars are actually bad from the list.

brn nailed it. This is just lazy writing.

Lists are a cop out in writing. Is this some 15 year old girl's MySpace posting of things in her life that aren't going well? This doesn't even qualify for controversy, as everyone just agrees that this is just a slack piece of writing. I have a professor who likes to say that journalists are lazy, so just send them a press release and they'll reprint our stuff with a different headline. Writers like The Mechanic and this article exemplify that sentiment.

Here, let me do a list. This one is of people not deserving to be on Inside Line's payroll:

-The Mechanic

May I have a job at Inside Line? I'll put some actual thought into my articles.

@smilez I agree. We should be making point with defending or seconding the list. It is about the cars. I agree that this posting does lack any substance what so ever but it's a step off point to some great posting. There is one grey areas for me on the list, the Corolla. Yes it is a great car but it is the anti-enthusiasts machine, sorry appliance. This is one solidly made soul-less car. Would I recommed it to someone who was looking for a cheap run about, for sure. Would I own one? Not a chance. The rest of the list is at the other end of the spectrum, they are the worst of the worst. I have to agree with The Mechanic on this one.

You guys forgot the new mazda 3 sedan, and its very curious that the 90% of the worst cars are american.

no ofense

Dear Mr./Ms. Mechanic

You suck ball joints.

Sincerely,
Me

P.S. I don't now, nor have i ever owned a car on your list, as i generally agree they are less than stellar. This however is just lazy ramblings. Perhaps you should have your 'spork' sharpened.

wheres the prius?!?!? horrible car
all hybrids should be added to this list because they are the cars that take away the real meaning of owning a car, good clean (i mean gas guzzling) fun.

Aside from that, Im sick of hearing people talk about their 90 mpg, whatever that spits out negative 7000000 parts of C02. and they never have to go to the gas station because they are economically friendly. ITS ALL BS. when was the last time you herd someone talking about how awesome an experience they had in their hybrid that does all of 4 mph or how great that electric motor sounds. buy a friggin corvette and be done with it. then put some badass exhaust on it. then take it to the track and have a great time. you only live once, why not spend where it counts instead of that stupid hybrid that cost people so much money... 30 grand for the crap with horrible suspension that kills ur ride home from work, bump after bump, up to 110 grand and higher for a lexus hybrid, and now I hear theres going to be hybrid supercars. the world is going nuts. I will never own a hybrid ever. I have way too many stories already in my relatively new raptor than any (eco-freak) ever will trying to save the planet. And for those that need the money rather than gas, listen to the mechanic because there are some horrid cars out there that sell for your hard earned cash.

I'm not sure if I fully agree with everything on the list, but I would more criticize it for its lack of completeness.

Lincoln Town Car - While I don't love this car and will never own a car with a fake woodgrain interior, it serves it's purpose very well. Let's see anyone else mass produce a car that can go for over 400,000 miles on a single engine and get beaten up by a guy who is taking English as a night course and doesn't know how to drive because he got his license last week just after he arrived from Pakistan and has to work constant double shifts driving douchebags to the airport in order to feed his family. They're all over NYC because these cars are nearly bulletproof. So this is not a bad car.

Not on the list but should be:
-Chevy Aveo - Such a worthless category, they didn't even bother and just rebadged a crappy Daewoo. Anyone with any sense would just buy a better used car.
-Any Scion - Terrible little turds didn't really take off like Toyota had hoped.
-Honda Element - Looks like the HVAC system to my office building. Drives like top heavy Civic. Which it is.
-Hyundai Accent - Kill it
-Hyundai Elantra - Kill it
-Hyundai Azera - It's dead. Bury it.
-Kia Borrego - Great timing for a Korean full sized SUV. Kill it.
-Kia Sedaona - It was competitive for about a month. But it hasn't been for awhile. Kill it.
-Kia Sportage - Remnant of the old Kia. Needs to go away. Kill it.
-Kia Rio - Rotten little thing
-Kia Rio 5 - Rotten little thing with a hatch
-Kia Rondo - The Mazda 5 is a good car and it still doesn't sell. This is a sucky car and only sells to people who really want a Mazda 5 but can't afford it. Which is, like, almost nobody. It needs to be killed.
-Kia Soul - which I think looks cool. But the PT cruiser was considered hot at one time. That's not good enough.
-Any Maybach - You have 300k to spend and you choose a pimpmobile with curtains? Keep in Dubai.
-Infiniti QX - No effort rebadged Nissan Down Syndrome SUV. What, they were happy with the ten they sold last year, so they decided to offer a new one? Kill it and put it out of it's misery.
-Lexus SC - For ladies who lunch. Old ladies with silver hair and long fingernails. It's a modern day Reatta.
-Lexus ES - For barealy upper middle class people who don't know anything about cars. But it's an adequate replacement for their twenty-five year old Cressida.
-Lexus GX - 4Runner with lipstick
-Lexus LX - Silly whale is nothing more than a facelifted Land Cruiser

Quote: "Lexus ES - For barealy upper middle class people who don't know anything about cars. But it's an adequate replacement for their twenty-five year old Cressida."

@ne1butu2: That pretty much describes every ES owner I've ever known or seen.

It never ceases to amaze me that people will post angry responses to a column written for no other reason other than to generate angry responses for laughs for the writer. It is hard to be mad at the Mechanic, who achieves exactly what he or she sets out to do.

This are not "bad" cars but there may be other better ones in there class, but im sure that many people that have them are perfectly happy with them, but in my opinion this is a very "bad" article.

Ok, this appears to be a rant about a group of bad cars.
Why, TheMechanic, are these bad cars?
Unreliable? Overly costly to run? Poor fit/finish? Zippo trade-in value? Can't do smoking tire drifts?
All or none of the above?

A few of the cars you mention are perfectly acceptable transportation devices. However, they would fail miserably as enthusiast cars. Is the latter the real criteria here?

TheMechanic, IMHO you're capable of more light and less heat. How about it?

Amen ne1butu2. The Panther Cars (Vic/Marquis/Town Car) are little appreciated today. I suspect the Mechanic believes that the virtues of a "good car" are based on looks and trendiness. Man he really pissed me off by pasting the Town Car as the wallpaper of this article. Obviously he has never owned one. If we were compiling a list of "great cars" based on reliability, durability, and safety... the Panther's would be on or near the top. 400,000+ mile Town Car's will still be delivering passengers from the airport when all the "cool" cars fade away. OH and BTW, I'm 24 yrs old... how old are you "The Mechanic"?

I'd trade the Corolla off the list for the Camry, which (unlike the Corolla) is thoroughly outclassed by almost all of its competition. Sitting in a Camry feels like you're being punished for something. The only reprieve is that it means you don't have to look at the exterior (until you see another Camry 4 seconds later). I suppose a snark about the accelerator would go here, but it's late.

The Ford Focus should be on this list as well... it's not terrible, but there is such a brilliant car waiting to replace it..which we can't have yet.

Ranger, Colorado and Canyon are maybe worthy as service vehicles.

The Volkswagen Routan...maybe the most pointless badge job ever. It's got to be on the list just on that score. Chrysler quality and Volkswagen service...that's a match made in heaven.

i do not find this at all helpful. how are you just going to attack cars and THEIR OWNERS, the thousands of them! who ever really wrote this crap and the person who allowed this to be published should be fired. the point of a columnist is to give a fair assessment on all sides of a subject, not to give their close-minded opinions.

"bad cars"- are you f'n serious?? hahaha.

"Amen ne1butu2. The Panther Cars (Vic/Marquis/Town Car) are little appreciated today."

Yeah I'm gonna have to agree on this point too. Those are damn good cars...Every time I"m in a cab I always look at the ODO....it's always well past 200k. I wouldn't buy one myself but I will agree w/ ne1butu2.....they serve their purposes well.

If I were really rich I would probably buy a black Crown Vic and tint out the windows and never be bothered by ANYONE...and drive it past 300k. Yeah I know you can't get them anymore but you know what I mean....

How about the Ford Expedition/Lincoln Navigator on the list.

Two words: DENALI/ESCALADE

I hope The Mechanic was not paid for writing this purported article. The writing has no content to the extent there is no explanation or rationalization for the basis of the list. The list is equivalent to a list of notes played when a cat walks over the keys on a piano. Random to be sure. The nonsense of the article is equaled only by the fact I am responding to it. What am I thinking?
The premise of the article is flawed. Bad in this context implies something does not work or is fraught with mechanical problems. Aside from the subjective views regarding styling, fit, finish and content there really are no bad cars any longer. Just look around your community. There are no more independent service stations sans dealerships. Instead we have gas and convenience stores combinations. Get your regular gas, a dozen Dunkin Donuts, coffee and a loaf of bread to bring home after work and even a case of Bud. People never check there oil and 99% of all stations in the northeast, where I live, are self serveice pumping stations. No one is around to check your oil if you wanted.
In the northeast one is hard pressed to find a Ziebart or some other rustproofing shop. I remember not that long ago when one had a choice of several to choose from. It was certain rust would find you after a couple of seasons in the winter. Not to rustproof was to welcome natrural air conditioning in several areas of your auto through rust holes. These shops are are gone. Cars easily go twelve, fifteen years plus in the northeast with no signs of rust in the rockers, quarter panels, lower doors and so on. The exception being one sustains damage and does not repair it properly. None of these shops are around any longer sans Ziebart who now installs bed liners and tinting for your auto and other festoonments your car or truck may need. They'll still do rustproofing, but why bother?
Independent repair shops are almost as rare as finding an eight track player at a Best Buy.... There are the Jiffy Lubes of the world but their work is pretty much limited to oil changes, fill your tires and washer fluid. Basic maintenance. Call them a pit stop.
I am embarrassed that the Mechanic has suckered me into responding. Perhaps the goal was to evoke the responses seen in the blog to bring some substance to the very lame article. For example, note one huge gap in the Mechanic's article. The Grand Marquis is on the list but not the Crown Vic....? Does one have to say more than that.
Also, do not dis those who only need a transportation appliance and do not care about their autos beyond being served by them. Autos that start every morning and night whether it's raining, snowing, freezing or baking, and operate under good and bad conditions are what these autos are expected to do. And thankfully they do these things with ever increasing reliability and durability. In fact its this type of use or abuse depending on your persspective that arguably makes todays autos, any of them (sold in the US/Canada that is) really great cars.

I hope The Mechanic was not paid for writing this purported article. The writing has no content to the extent there is no explanation or rationalization for the basis of the list. The list is equivalent to a list of notes played when a cat walks over the keys on a piano. Random to be sure. The nonsense of the article is equaled only by the fact I am responding to it. What am I thinking?
The premise of the article is flawed. Bad in this context implies something does not work or is fraught with mechanical problems. Aside from the subjective views regarding styling, fit, finish and content there really are no bad cars any longer. Just look around your community. There are no more independent service stations sans dealerships. Instead we have gas and convenience stores combinations. Get your regular gas, a dozen Dunkin Donuts, coffee and a loaf of bread to bring home after work and even a case of Bud. People never check there oil and 99% of all stations in the northeast, where I live, are self serveice pumping stations. No one is around to check your oil if you wanted.
In the northeast one is hard pressed to find a Ziebart or some other rustproofing shop. I remember not that long ago when one had a choice of several to choose from. It was certain rust would find you after a couple of seasons in the winter. Not to rustproof was to welcome natrural air conditioning in several areas of your auto through rust holes. These shops are are gone. Cars easily go twelve, fifteen years plus in the northeast with no signs of rust in the rockers, quarter panels, lower doors and so on. The exception being one sustains damage and does not repair it properly. None of these shops are around any longer sans Ziebart who now installs bed liners and tinting for your auto and other festoonments your car or truck may need. They'll still do rustproofing, but why bother?
Independent repair shops are almost as rare as finding an eight track player at a Best Buy.... There are the Jiffy Lubes of the world but their work is pretty much limited to oil changes, fill your tires and washer fluid. Basic maintenance. Call them a pit stop.
I am embarrassed that the Mechanic has suckered me into responding. Perhaps the goal was to evoke the responses seen in the blog to bring some substance to the very lame article. For example, note one huge gap in the Mechanic's article. The Grand Marquis is on the list but not the Crown Vic....? Does one have to say more than that.
Also, do not dis those who only need a transportation appliance and do not care about their autos beyond being served by them. Autos that start every morning and night whether it's raining, snowing, freezing or baking, and operate under good and bad conditions are what these autos are expected to do. And thankfully they do these things with ever increasing reliability and durability. In fact its this type of use or abuse depending on your persspective that arguably makes todays autos, any of them (sold in the US/Canada that is) really great cars.

I hope The Mechanic was not paid for writing this purported article. The writing has no content to the extent there is no explanation or rationalization for the basis of the list. The list is equivalent to a list of notes played when a cat walks over the keys on a piano. Random to be sure. The nonsense of the article is equaled only by the fact I am responding to it. What am I thinking?
The premise of the article is flawed. Bad in this context implies something does not work or is fraught with mechanical problems. Aside from the subjective views regarding styling, fit, finish and content there really are no bad cars any longer. Just look around your community. There are no more independent service stations sans dealerships. Instead we have gas and convenience stores combinations. Get your regular gas, a dozen Dunkin Donuts, coffee and a loaf of bread to bring home after work and even a case of Bud. People never check there oil and 99% of all stations in the northeast, where I live, are self serveice pumping stations. No one is around to check your oil if you wanted.
In the northeast one is hard pressed to find a Ziebart or some other rustproofing shop. I remember not that long ago when one had a choice of several to choose from. It was certain rust would find you after a couple of seasons in the winter. Not to rustproof was to welcome natrural air conditioning in several areas of your auto through rust holes. These shops are are gone. Cars easily go twelve, fifteen years plus in the northeast with no signs of rust in the rockers, quarter panels, lower doors and so on. The exception being one sustains damage and does not repair it properly. None of these shops are around any longer sans Ziebart who now installs bed liners and tinting for your auto and other festoonments your car or truck may need. They'll still do rustproofing, but why bother?
Independent repair shops are almost as rare as finding an eight track player at a Best Buy.... There are the Jiffy Lubes of the world but their work is pretty much limited to oil changes, fill your tires and washer fluid. Basic maintenance. Call them a pit stop.
I am embarrassed that the Mechanic has suckered me into responding. Perhaps the goal was to evoke the responses seen in the blog to bring some substance to the very lame article. For example, note one huge gap in the Mechanic's article. The Grand Marquis is on the list but not the Crown Vic....? Does one have to say more than that.
Also, do not dis those who only need a transportation appliance and do not care about their autos beyond being served by them. Autos that start every morning and night whether it's raining, snowing, freezing or baking, and operate under good and bad conditions are what these autos are expected to do. And thankfully they do these things with ever increasing reliability and durability. In fact its this type of use or abuse depending on your persspective that arguably makes todays autos, any of them (sold in the US/Canada that is) really great cars.

We should try and figure out who the Mechanic really is. I bet you it's that dude that drove the R8 during a snowstorm to go shopping at Bed Bath & Beyond.

BTW, this article is lame.

@ BobbyGM

The Crown Vic is no longer offered for consumer sale, only fleet and government.

mikeolan what have you been smoking?

You say the Versa has a nicer interior than a lot of cars that cost twice as much.... Obviously you haven't been in a car other than an economy class in quite a while. Boy. And just so you know, while you're praising the Versa over the Corolla, it made the list too...

The Dodge Caravan a superb vehicle? LMFAO... To what? A defunct Chevy Venture?

I'm not disagreeing with the list, but could you add beside each car the better alternative car you had in mind? That would be most helpful, especially to those looking at cars on your list.

The Cobalt does not belong on that list as you present it. I'm not a fanboi, but I do drive rental cars every week for my job, which allows me to drive a WIDE variety of cars. I've driven most of the vehicals presented, and you are just about right. The Cobalt is a clear miss relative to the other cars in its category and most other affordable cars. The cobalts FAILS on interior design ascetics and that's it. Handling dynamics, ride/handling, braking, brake feel, steering feel, agronomics, etc all stand out when compared to just about anything on the market. Exterior styling is ok, but cheap looking. The only other cars I've found which are on the same level are the Rabbit and Civic. The Cobalt has been and remains one of my favorite rental cars, even when competing with such options as Altimaa, Camrys, Fusions, etc. I love renting them, but would never buy one because of the interior and exterior design.

The current Focus needs to be added to the this list. THe Focus is one of those cars that would fare better if they just reverted back to the previous iteration. The new cars are eyesores and the bit fall off. Additionally, they have terrible ride/handling dynamics, are noisy, and underpowered for everyday driving.

On the topic of "no bad cars" - what qualifies as a bad car? To me it would be quality, both in design and execution. If the list were executed this way, we'd need to look at all the ticking time bombs of cars on the market (previous examples include: 996, Rx7s, Early '00s Honda V6s, early '00s Toyota v6s, and mid-90s BMW v12 powered cars). To that, we don't really know what bad cars are out there (with the exception of the Versa, Focus, and any Mitsubishi which have been designed with bits falling off from the factory and the new Mazda 3 which has been designed to be in wrecks as it has terrible sightlines in every direction except forward) as auto manufacturers have built better and better testing programs to ensure there are few long-term defects in their products.

So you're telling me, a loyal reader who helps your company's hit count (and therefore increases revenues) on a daily basis, to go away because I chose to purchase a Colorado? Even though it has been dead-solid reliable, economical, and does exactly what I ask it to do every single day? Even though my local Chevy dealer has the highest customer satisfaction ratings of any of the dealers in my area? If that's what you want...

Agree with the sentiment that the Mechanic got really lazy on this one.

ne1butu2 had a much more interesting writeup listing why he thought the cars were bad.

I will defend the Cobalt as well. I got my Mom into one of these back in November for 15k out the door and it has Bluetooth. Try getting Bluetooth in a Honda Civic.

Another thing "The Mechanic", there is a large majority of the population, as evidence by these cars, that don't buy them for the reasons you bash them for and call them fools.

Not everyone buys them for driving dynamics, or iPod hook-ups, so that they don't have to parallel park on their own.

A lot of people just want to get from A to B. That's it, no more. A....to....B. And a lot of the cars on this list do that for them for cheap. Maybe you disagree with, and of course that you call fools (class act buddy).

I know a lot of people here, including myself can't stand that; plunking down so much money on something that you don't care about. But that's how it is. Deal with it.

And stovt001 -
If that's what the Mechanic sets out to do, then he/she should have been fired months ago. This is not journalism, this is Jr. High level at best. No one should defend the Mechanic, no one would still have their jobs if they performed this badly, and no one...even on Edmunds gets nearly this much hate mail. Being controversial in your writing style does no make you a good writer. Causing a stir does not make you a good writer. Having half or more of your posts calling you out for such a poor effort instead of focusing on the topic you put "so much thought" into, does not make you a good writer.

Calling people fools also is simply unacceptable. And this isn't the first time this has happened. I can't believe I took the time to read this and more-so to take the time to write anything. But
I guess it's in hope to get the ball rolling on having the Mechanic replaced with someone with a little more talent.

The cobalt SS turbo was cool while it lasted...

You forgot anything and everything made by Chrysler/Jeep; Anything under the Hummer brand; anything Saab; VW Toureg; Nissan Sentra; Mitsu Eclipse; any Ford SUV other than the Escape; Chevy Impala. There are more.

Boring, frugal, and ugly do not equal bad. Unreliable equals bad.

BRN: You read my mind. Seems like The Mechanic was required to turn in an article, ran out of time, piled up vehicle names an tossed them at us knowing that we were going to argue anyways.

AURA and POWELL: The Smart is NOT for the US roads. The Smart is a perfect city car for Europe where most people don't commute nearly as much, and usually travel alone. It has a horrible highway drive and poor AC but then again, that in most of Europe is unnecesary.

Reading the the Mechanics list again and all the other cars suggested I just realized we've proved the Mechanic wrong.

His list like everyone else is not a list of bad cars.

It's a list of cars he doesn't like. There really are no bad cars for sale today. Even the least reliable car today is more reliable then any other period in the history of the car. It is also safer and cleaner.

When people dismiss top selling models (or whole brands) as bad it's clear they are just saying what car(s) they don't like.

Even the often ridiculed Sebring is not a bad car. I know someone who bought one when it 1st came out a couple years ago. He now has 50K miles on it and has had zero problems.

Test drive lots of cars and buy the one you like. You can't go wrong as there really are no bad cars, just different cars for diferent needs and tastes.

Funny his bad writing generates the most comments and the most talk...yeah he's stupid, lol.

He doesn't have to say what is wrong with them as it states...there are better options for the price. And I can list a better option to all he listed.

"There's a fallacy going around that there are no more bad cars. It's a fallacy invented by car company execs that make bad cars and the automotive publications that accept their advertising." - The Mechanic

I've read, right here on the virtual pages of Edmunds.com and Inside Line, comments from at least one senior editor stating that there are essentially no bad cars for sale today. And come to think of it, Edmunds.com and its affiliate websites accept car company advertising. I guess any publication that would state that any of these P.O.S. cars (your term, not mine) are not bad is just a P.O.S. publication. If you, The Mechanic, have such high standards, why are you writing here?

We do have one of the cars on your P.O.S. list. It's an '07 PT Cruiser. It's a loaded GT. We paid $17k for it brand spanking new (well, it did have 82 miles on it) because it had been on the dealer's lot for over 300 days ($9k off MSRP). Sure, for the same price we could have bought a Mazda3i with air conditioning and maybe some power windows. What idiots we were! I could have been chasing the Mazda's plastic hubcap down the road instead.

We also have an '08 Miata GT, '07 S60 2.5T, '06 F-150 Supercrew, and a '91 RX-7 Convertible. Would you like to take a swipe at all of those while you're at it? A swipe from a P.O.S. author, writing about P.O.S. cars, on a P.O.S. publication...

Mechanic, how much time did you spend writing this article?

Add the Chrysler Pacifica to that list. Wife just got one as a company car. God-aweful. Exposed screws and brackets everywhere, huge panel gaps inside and out, Nav is worthless, engine and road noise abound, hard/hollow interior panels everywhere, and backup camera has the clarity of a kaleidoscope. My first thoughts after the first drive was no wonder Chrysler is in the crapper...

Dear The Mechanic,

Please add to your list:

Chevy Aveo
Cadillac DTS (if it's still around to consumers)
Dodge Nitro
Smart FourTwo (US version)
Jeep Commander (if it's still around)
Dodge Durango/Chrysler Aspen (still had to get that one in)
Any one of GM's "Hybrids", take your pick... maybe one of the ones with lots of stickers on it
Chevy Impala

All wretched.

Regards,

Jay

+1 Mechanic.

Agree that there are still lots of automotive garbage out there.

There should be a secret mechanic review of every car on edmunds.com that only registered users can see.

Wish the mechanic had a daily blog post.

I didn't really think opinions in a column had to be defended or justified. I guess I was wrong.

I've driven about half the cars on the list and I couldn't agree more. The other half make me vomit at first sight. Bad doesn't have to mean the car is going to fall apart the minute you drive it off the lot. Sometimes bad is just, well.... bad. The kind of cars that make you angry when you're stuck driving one of them. I have never been in a Chrysler I would consider buying. They're just not good cars.

Awesome list of cars to stay away from.

On another note, why the hell would you buy a PT cruiser if you already owned four cars? It may have been cheap, but that doesn't make it any less horrid to drive/look at/experience vicariously through some unfortunate acquaintance. I would rather drive a pinto. Why wouldn't you just buy a used car if you needed an econobox?

Isn't it fun to sit behind a computer screen and insult people? I can only imagine how horrible social skills are going to be in 5-10 years.
You don't like the car? Don't buy it. Insulting and name-calling of those who like the vehicle does nothing productive. This site seems to be going for shock journalism. Remember the Riswick assault of PT Cruiser owners?

I agree with all of them. Those that don't can probably pick them up cheap used. And I enjoy reading the Mechanic. Sorry to you Cobalt or other listed car owners with such a fragile ego you need a nameless comlumnist to agree with your purchase to sleep at night.

Dear Mr. The Mechanic,

Are you sure the Saab 9-7x is still in production?

Still your pal!

time after time the Mechanic shows he is a complete moron incapable of objective criticism and yet he still gets at least 50 people to agree with each and every post.

The list has zero credibility since 95% of the vehicles he listed are domestics and he feels the STS (which is largely similar to the CTS) is a "bad" car. Why the heck is the Caravan on the list?

The 9-7x has been out of production since 2008. Then again you wouldnt expect him to know that.

I can think of many more vehicles to add to that list! The only ones I have to disagree with are the Cadillac STS (should be the DTS) and the Ford Explorer (yes, it's BOF and fuel inefficient, however it is a good vehicle).

Here are vehicles that should be added to the list:
Chevrolet Aveo - as Top Gear put it "people who buy this car didn't look at anything else".
Toyota Yaris - Awful car! The interior is ugly, uncomfortable and uses the cheapest plastics available.
Hyundai Accent - You get what you pay for but it's easier to live with than a Yaris or Aveo.
Dodge Nitro - Slow, cheap, relatively impractical and gas guzzling.
Kia Amanti - The Korean Lincoln Town Car
Hyundai Azera - The Korean Buick Lucerne
Kia Optima - More money than a Sonata, yet it's smaller, not as powerful and poorly finished.
Kia Soul - An upholstered cardboard box on wheels
Nissan Cube - See Kia Soul
Nissan Juke - Disgusting excuse for a car
Toyota Avalon - Big, ugly and overpriced with a cheap interior.
Dodge Durango - Overpriced rubbish
Honda Crosstour - The offspring of a Honda Odyssey and Pontiac Grand Prix
Mazda 3 - Twitchy, relatively inefficient, understeers easily (I've driven the old one and new one many times to know this)
Ford Focus - Not the worst car on this list, but why do we have this when the 1st gen and Euro version are so much better?
Volvo S40 - Overpriced for what you get
Saab 9-3 - Overpriced and outdated
Chevrolet Impala - Reliable because it's so outdated.
Chevrolet Malibu - Better than the Impala, yet still is lacking in many ways.
Toyota Camry - Awful chassis and cheap interior ruin an otherwise decent midsizer.
Honda Accord - Nice looking, but interior is awful and it's far too big. Euro Accord is much better.
Acura - The ugly grilles have ruined their entire lineup.
Nissan Altima - Outdated with a cheap interior. Dump the CVT!
Suzuki SX4 - Why would anybody buy this car?

I could think of others but I think this list will suffice for now.

Commo'n mechanic Ford explorer, ford ranger hey man that is two of the best sellers in ford.a
you know that the explorer had a problem with the tires that's a long ago and the ford ranger
it's a good pick up truck. why you didn't put the toyota 4runner,camry or tundra.....`-_-`

the lucerne is not a bad car... are u freakin kidding me?? I own one of those and I CERTAINLY don't have any problems at ALL....... I agree some of the cars should be on here but the LUCERNE or the DTS certainly isn't......

mj85 said: "On another note, why the hell would you buy a PT cruiser if you already owned four cars? It may have been cheap, but that doesn't make it any less horrid to drive/look at/experience vicariously through some unfortunate acquaintance. I would rather drive a pinto. Why wouldn't you just buy a used car if you needed an econobox?"

First off, the PT wasn't my choice. And I would have protested greatly if it was a regular PT, or even the PT with the light turbo. However, the GT's much higher output engine, more performance-oriented suspension, leather, moonroof, upgraded sound, etc. actually make the car pretty decent at that price. It also came with Chrysler's lifetime powertrain warranty. For $17k new, there wasn't anything better out there. The Miata is more economical to drive, but the purpose of the PT was to keep the miles off the Miata (110 miles per day), plus the PT has a lot of utility for its size, making it the perfect car for work commuting and errands. A used car equipped similarly, with low miles (important since it is racking up the miles quickly), and a super extended warranty usually cost more than this one did. We looked.

For me, the cars on the list are only bad if you pay MSRP for them. With big discounts (as most of them have), there's not a bad car on that list. I am assuming that's why The Mechanic left the Caravan out even though the Town & Country is in. Why he left the Routan out is anyone's guess.

I wish I hadn't clicked on this poorly thought out, incomplete, P.O.S. editorial.

Fine premise, but lousy (lazy?) execution.

For the people coming out with the long lists, perhaps you could be so kind as to provide us with a list of cars you do like.

I would be happy to explain to you why your choices are crap too.

People freaking out on here most likely own or have owned some form of these cars. He stated that these are the worst in their respective categories and cmon people...they absolutely are.

The cobalt.. most people's defense for this car is that it can be had cheaper with tons of incentives ... that spells poor car to me. It's not the merit of the car, rather the cheap price that can be had for an absolutely detestable car.

Just rented a nissan versa from hertz today because I missed anything else that was available. This car is awful. I picked my son in it from school and he could'nt stop laughing at it. He's 6 years old. Maybe I let him watch Top Gear too much. Anyway, I agree this is truly awful. But it hasnt broken down yet.

mzbamf, I think its mostly that the PEOPLE are being attacked, not the car. You don't like my choice of car? I could care less. But sitting back and calling thousands of people fools who bought pieces of sh*t from behind the computer screen and the dude doesn't even give his name! Thats a little much.

I also forgot to mention these vehicles which deserve mentioning:
Cadillac SRX - Another epic failure from GM. On a side note, the 3.0L V6 should be dropped as the 2.8T and 3.6 DI are far better.
Chevrolet Camaro - Cartoonish styling and nasty interior ruin an otherwise excellent car.
Dodge Challenger - Retro in the worst ways possible. The only good things about this car are the previous generation Mercedes components - however, you'll get a far better vehicle with a previous generation Mercedes than you would with a Challenger, or any LX platform car for that matter.
Honda CR-V - Awful exterior and cheap interior.
Dodge Viper - Awful and outdated sports car - you'll be glad you bought that Corvette instead.

It's unbelievable how many terrible cars there are in the market. There are many vehicles that are good, however they're not always as easy to find through the rubble of garbage that plagues the market.

I think my comment on another blog was actually the impetus for this article.

In spite of that, I totally agree with the list. These are simply bad vehicles. Listing them also appears to have made for a very successful troll.

I don't care if people ridicule me for it but as an owner of a 2007 Cobalt I take offense to this article. I understand it's your opinion but what gives you the right to call me foolish? Was I foolish for paying $10,300 for a brand new car that:

With the exception of a dead accessory powerpoint, never has given me any trouble? I drive the thing like its a Corvette.
Gets more than 30MPG?
Has one of the highest standard HP ratings in its class?
Gets me complements all the time on its looks even though the design is five years old?
Costs nothing to insure?

If that's your definition of foolish, then I suggest you read a dictionary.

Yeah, I know about the recall and I've heard about people who had trouble with the steering but its not the only (or the worst) recall out there right now.

I also disagree about the Town Car/Grand Marquis. Sure, they maybe grandpa-mobiles but how could any car whose basic design has been around since 1979 be a bad car? There has to be something good about them to be in continuous production for 30+ years.

Good article. Good list. The Mechanic earned his pay very well today, drew lots of traffic to the web site and made lots of people who have made questionable vehicular purchases blow spittle all over their monitors. Salut.

He's attacking the fact that people don't cross shop. This is poor consumerism and support of poor products so that these companies may keep producing more of these piss poor products

It provides excuses and reasons for these companies to be mediocre with these product lines

"Cars that are only bought by fools. Fools that don't take the time to cross shop them with other, better cars."

This is the quote from the article that has everyone up in arms. And it would be one thing if the list was full of vehicles like the Pontiac Aztek or Dodge Caliber, but some of the cars listed boggle my mine. I don't care much for Corollas, but for someone that wants a compact car with plenty of room, smooth ride, quiet interior, good reliability record, and good fuel economy, the Corolla is a pretty good choice. Yes, the Mazda3 is a vastly superior car for the enthusiast driver, but that extra athleticism comes with sacrifices that a non-enthusiast driver is probably not willing to make, not to mention the Mazda3 is one of the most expensive cars in its class and gets some of the worst fuel mileage. And you can bet a good number of the Edmunds.com and Inside Line staff would recommend the Corolla to a friend that they know isn't a driving enthusiast.

Ew, I just defended the Corolla... OK, now I really officially hate The Mechanic.

Hmmmm.....

Acura's...all of them. Just plain ugly.
Chevrolet...Aveo, Impala, HHR.
Chrysler....300.
Dodge...Nitro, Journey.
Ford...Focus, Escape, Expedition
Honda...again pretty much all of them...Ugly and highly over rated in my opinion.
Hyundai...Accent.
Jaguar...All of them.
Jeep...All of them.
Kia...Rio.
Land Rover/Range Rover...All of them.
Lincoln...All of them.
Mercedes...R-Class
Mercury...All of them except maybe the new Milan.

But, I do have to agree that if a car works for you, than to you, it can't be all that bad.

m89

You say ..."There are many vehicles that are good" but looking at your lists I can't figure out what ones.

After calling so many good cars "awful" care to share what meets your high standards?

to add to the list, sorry for repeats. some cars are just so bad they need to be on there twice.

Acura RDX- inefficient and unrefined
Acura ZDX- have you tried seeing out of it? looking into the headliner does not so much for changing lanes. at least the X6 is fun to drive and a beast on the drag strip
Chevy Aveo- i can't believe you missed this one...it should have been the first one on the list! at least the Versa is fuel efficient. the Aveo gets worse real world fuel economy than the Malibu family sedan!
Chevy Impala- its time for a redesign...i can see a budget LaCrosse selling very well, but with better sight lines. the current car is way to old and way to unrefined.
Chevy Tahoe (not because it is a huge SUV but because it still uses pushrod engines when there are DOHC engines will 2L less in displacement making more power)
Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep- every vehicle they currently produce.
Ford Edge, until the 2011 model year freshening
Ford Explorer and Sport Trac
Ford Escape
Ford Focus
Honda Accord Crosstour
Honda Insight- this is a FAIL of a car. even the Prius is a better car.
the Natural Gas version of the Honda Civic- really, are you kidding me?
Hummer H2 and H3- again not because they are big SUV's, but because they are just fails. for the same money you could have got a Mercedes Benz GL450 or an Audi Q5
Hyundai Accent/ Kia Rio
Lexus SC430- they still make this?
Lexus HS250- its not even luxurious or fuel efficient!
Suzuki- all of them
Toyota Matrix
Toyota Venza
VW New Beetle (coming from a VW fan)- time for a redesign!
Volvo S40/V50

automakers...fix these vehicles!

Hey, didn't I/L buy a Grand Caravan for a long term test?????

What a list!!!! I agree with it all though it is not inclusive of all but at least a very good showing.

Bad, lazy job on this column.
The Mechanic reminds me the part of my body where the sun never shines

Hmmm, So much to say and too little energy. First, The Mechanic is quite blunt and HIS columns are HIS opinions. These are not made to appeal to everyone. I like them because there is some honesty here and good taste. The fact is that there are a lot of people in this country who are lacking in good taste, class, and appreciation for a good automobile. The Chevy Cobalt is a heap. The Town Car/Marquis twins are over-priced and insanely outdated. The Chrysler Sebring is and always has been a piece of junk(I used to drive one.) Oh, and the DGC, Have these owners ever even seen an Odyssey? It makes me laugh to see the cars people will choose with so many options available. Oh, and why are we continuing to purchase from Chrysler? Their products suck! Only since they have recieved billions in tax-payer dollars have they released A decent vehicle(RAM), I'm tired of supporting crap. I won't ever ever ever buy a GM or Chrysler product. This bailout is like WIC for their laziness and sloppy business proceedings.

Hello frank908. The Crown Vic can still be ordered for John Q. Public. Same with the Grand Marquis.

@firstwagon:

I've thought of some more "bad cars" to add to the list, but I think the list I have already provides enough examples of cars to avoid.

Some examples of cars that are very good in no particular order:
Subcompact:
Ford Fiesta
Honda Fit

Compact:
Honda Civic
Volkswagen Golf/Jetta

Midsize:
Ford Fusion
Mazda 6
Volkswagen Passat

Compact Luxury:
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
BMW 3-Series
Audi A4
Infiniti G37
Lexus IS

Compact SUV:
Hyundai Tucson
Nissan Rogue
Ford Escape
Chevrolet Equinox (4-cylinder)

There are cars that are very good in just about every class of vehicle and the above mentioned are great examples of that.

Seriously, all of y'all that are offended by this article are hilarious! Every time I see people drive these cars, I ask myself, "what the heck were you thinking?!" I can't believe some are defending the Cobalts, and the Explorers, and the Versas, etc.

Seriously, y'all smoking some really good weed!!!

It's perfect timing that this list of "bad cars" came up. This past weekend a co-worker, who doesn't know much about cars, and myself had to rent a car. The agent offered a Chevy Cobalt to us- my immediate response was a grimace and a desperate plea "do you have ANYTHING else?" We were offered a variety of cars including a Nissan Versa, a Corolla, and a Chevy Impala. I couldn't imagine driving any of these cars around for a weekend, let alone buy one with my hard earned money.

I expalined to my colleague that the Nissan Versa is just about the worst car out there. It's built horribly, drives like a sofa couch, and is just plain ugly. A Yaris or a Hyundai Accent seemed more appealing.

The Cobalt is the typically slap-dashed Chevy compact- meaning cheap and nasty. The Impala.......ergh! Where to begin on that one?

The Corolla was probably the best option. It's a modern and functional car- just bland.

In the end we got a Camry. It was surprisingly good and had more character and performance than I expected.

I agree with the Versa and Cobalt on the Mechanic's List

Add to that the Chevy Impala. What a horrible car!

Oh...and the other car I'll nominate, like several others have, is the current Focus

I currently own a 2005 Focus hatchback and it is soooooo much better than the current version. Okay, mine doesn't have rear headrests- but the new one has the cheesy Pep Boys add-on chrome pieces everywhere, too many buttons for the stereo and A/C, and not only lost the hatchback and content (assist handles, the dash mounted trunk release, telescoping wheel, etc.) but also it's fun driving dynamics

The current Focus is not a horrible car- but it doesn't compare to the charm and smart thinking of the original from ten years ago. Because of that- it's a bad car

People saying that the person who wrote this article needs to be fired clearly do not have any facts straight. Straightline is no longer in the news portion of edmunds, it's meant to be an opinionated blog for car enthusiasts. These cars in the list are poor cars simply because there are so many other cars in the same price range that are better than them.

and whoever keeps saying those body-on-frame town cars/ crown vics are GREAT cars... Go buy a boat, and float around in it, and burn your money. Lol.

This is hilarious, everyone's all pissy. So, which one of those vehicles did each of you buy? LOL.

Boring, bland, frugal, etc. does not = a bad car. Just like good looks, expensive does not = a good car.

You did, however, forget to include anything and everything made by Chrysler/Jeep. Unreliable, poor craftsmanship, poor fuel economy = bad car.

99civicaddict"
you obviously don't know anything about the Versa. You have a very basic rental. The Versa 1.8L version has one of the most reliable engines ever put in any automobile. If you get the SL it has a CVT and is extremely quiet car. The Mechanic just picked cars that aren't that fun. He just likes fun cars. He wrote an article titled "I hate Hybrids". Poking fun at people who get sucked in to buying a boring vehicle. Cars are meant to be fun. They are supposed to be something that you desire and dream about having. People used to be that way. The internet has ruined that with loads of useless information and prices for everything. They show the invoice on all new cars which is just stupid. Making money is now a bad thing to say. Keep it up and there won't be any new car dealers left. We will have to order them straight from the factory without a test drive and HOPE we like them.

I have to disagree on the Ranger/Galant/Endeavor/Grand Marquis/Town Car as being bad cars. They have outdated with low rent interiors, but they are mostly reliable. Ford Explorer may be old school but serves its purpose and it can tow. Nissan Versa hatchback are very comfy actually. Way better than a Aveo. Toyotas are boring souless appliances but they are mostly reliable (not lookin at the recalls).

Not much more needs to be said after 99 others, but here's my two cents. Yes, the vast majority of that list is spot-on, with entries being either outdated, outclassed or just non-competitive with other entries in their price class. That said, I have to disagree on the Versa: please tell me what else starts at $10k, and even reasonably equipped at, say, $14k (which gets you A/C, power windows/locks, stereo and ABS#, buys an honestly viable family car, with plenty of room, more than adequate power for its size, especially compared to the too-small-for-a-family Yaris, and decent safety marks. No, it's not pretty, some of its interior materials are low-grade and it won't win any handling competitions, but it's a good, solid little car. I also think the Jeep Patriot is a good value for the money #it starts at $17k), with many of the Versa comments, particularly the cheap interior materials, applying as well.

Not much more needs to be said after 99 others, but here's my two cents. Yes, the vast majority of that list is spot-on, with entries being either outdated, outclassed or just non-competitive with other entries in their price class. That said, I have to disagree on the Versa: please tell me what else starts at $10k, and even reasonably equipped at, say, $14k (which gets you A/C, power windows/locks, stereo and ABS#, buys an honestly viable family car, with plenty of room, more than adequate power for its size, especially compared to the too-small-for-a-family Yaris, and decent safety marks. No, it's not pretty, some of its interior materials are low-grade and it won't win any handling competitions, but it's a good, solid little car. I also think the Jeep Patriot is a good value for the money #it starts at $17k), with many of the Versa comments, particularly the cheap interior materials, applying as well.

I think Erin Riches is The Mechanic.

Mitsubishi Endeavor won an Edmunds comparison test. Okay, it was six years ago, but it's still a solid piece, is it not? A very good value, at least.

Those who asked for a definition of a bad car probably shouldn't be reading this site anyway. But here goes. So what is a bad car?

A car that looks good but drives like a pig. Camry. That's a "bad" car. Even worse is a car that looks like crap and drives the way it looks. That would be the Sebring. A car that looks like a bus but can't hold a TV set. Start counting. A car that has only the power of its badge to sell on. And I do mean the C-Class. There's a car with a firm suspension that neither feels comfortable nor drive sporty. What could be worse than that, you ask? Well, when a Mazda 6 has more style than an E-class, that's bound to be worse. Speaking of which, what ever happened to the good old Mazda 6? Well, it became the "bigger, better" new Mazda 6. Things do change, but not necessarily for the better. So yes, you are a fool for buying a Town Car or a Corolla or a Compass and not an A6 or a Mazda 3 or a CX-7. If you actually walked into that showroom and actually pulled out that credit card from your wallet and actually drove away with any of these, then you're definitely a fool. So live with it or get over it. You have only yourself to blame if people point and laugh.

All Toyotas, overrated and my experience has been very bad.
All Jeeps
Dodge Nitro
Ford Ranger
Honda Element,
Newer Hondas compared to older Hondas the newer ones aren't great
Every Hummer
Nissan 370z, Armada
I'm not sure why the Galant is on there, we rented one for a week and a half, it was nice car.

Those who asked for a definition of a bad car probably shouldn't be reading this site anyway. But here goes. So what is a bad car?

A car that looks good but drives like a pig. Camry. That's a "bad" car. Even worse is a car that looks like crap and drives the way it looks. That would be the Sebring. A car that looks like a bus but can't hold a TV set. Start counting. A car that has only the power of its badge to sell on. And I do mean the C-Class. There's a car with a firm suspension that neither feels comfortable nor drive sporty. What could be worse than that, you ask? Well, when a Mazda 6 has more style than an E-class, that's bound to be worse. Speaking of which, what ever happened to the good old Mazda 6? Well, it became the "bigger, better" new Mazda 6. Things do change, but not necessarily for the better. So yes, you are a fool for buying a Town Car or a Corolla or a Compass and not an A6 or a Mazda 3 or a CX-7. If you actually walked into that showroom and actually pulled out that credit card from your wallet and actually drove away with any of these, then you're definitely a fool. So live with it or get over it. You have only yourself to blame if people point and laugh.

sounds like an cheap arbitrary list meant to stir your pots. While these autos dont interest me or maybe you, that does not mean the engineering behind them is negligent. i.e-- Calling the only all 5 star crash vehicle (insert crown vic grand marquis) year upon year bad is just poor synthesis and corrupted logic.

I am not trying to defend chrysler but yall have to admit not all of their vehicles were junk.

1.1999-2004 300m (special)
2.2006-2007 300c (srt8)
3.2006-2008 Grand Cherokee (srt8)

love them or hate them in my opinion they were the best aerodynamically and mechanically sound vehicles i knew because i own all three.

well, I had the 100th comment here, not that it matters, it didn't publish.

Anywho.....most of the list makes sense: vehicles that are either obsolete, have better competition within their class, blah, blah, blah.

I disagree wholeheartedly with the Nissan Versa being on this list. PLEASE find another car with enough space, features and power to be a viable family vehicle that starts at $10k. None exist. Even equipped for 'normal' use (A/C, ABS, power windows/locks, a stereo), it's still around $15k. Can't think of another vehicle that compares. OK, it's not the prettiest thing, it's not going to win any drag races nor slalom competitions, but it's a solid little car.

To a lesser extent, the same comments apply to the Jeep Patriot. Yes, it has cheapo interior materials, the engine with the CVT is no fun, but at least it's available with a MANUAL TRANSMISSION (rare in any vehicle any more), and it starts at $17k. Hard to beat, if you think of it as a small wagon (say, versus an HHR or PT), rather than as an SUV, though unlike the other two, the Patriot can be ordered with 4x4. And it's nice looking.

Interesting list.

Hey Mechanic,

What kind of car do you drive?

This was cheeky and I this list provides a list of cars I would not buy personally. I did chuckle but I can see why a this article rubbed many the wrong way; no one likes to be called an idiot. Perhaps a touch harsh but hey, it bring viewers to the site.

On that note, didn't IL, CR and about every other automotive publication out there RECOMMEND the Camry and Prius? I haven't looked up previous reviews of IL and Lexus vehicles but I'm willing to bet they're favorable as well. However, there are about 8.5-9.5mil Toyotas/Lexus vehicles being recalled for safety issues. If you wanted to be consistent, you should have put every Toyota vehicle in the recall, not just the Corolla..

Reports of anywhere from 36-56 fatalities from Toyota vehicles. Wouldn't that meet criteria to make it as a 'bad' vehicle?

I will agree with some of your posts but not all. The Town Car and the Ranger should be an embarrassment to Ford; neither having been remodeled in recent memory and are non-competitive. The Colorado Twins have never been competitive and grow longer in the tooth each year. But… to Ford and GM’s defense, they have made significant changes in their car line-up (Edge, Fusion, Taurus, F150, significant upgrades to the Expedition, new Focus and Festiva arriving soon) and with GM (Traverse, Malibu, Equinox, CTS variants, Tahoe) and they can only spread “our” money around so far. Chrysler, on the other hand, offers no viable reason to remain in business but I will disagree with the Minivan. Arguable Toyota and Honda make better products but with little to no discounting they can be out of reach for many price sensitive young families (the target market). The Caravan is a good vehicle meets a price point. Other than the Caravan, Chrysler offers no price, quality, performance or reliability advantage and thus is deemed irrelevant to the market place. The Cobalt also fills a market niche in providing an affordable and relatively comfortable vehicle. While it trails far behind the class leaders, it is far less expensive and for a first-time buyer price weighs heavily. Would I buy a Cobalt.. no way, nor would I recommend a Cobalt but I do understand what drives the market. The Corolla is another car that I would not recommend but it should not be on a list of Crapmobiles because it is a proven entity that is safe and reliable; nor should the Versa. Overall, I think that your list was immaturely and haphazardly put together, without much though.

Agree w/most of the list. But to put the Versa and Corolla in w/the likes of the Ford Ranger and Lincoln Town car? Seriously. The Corolla and Versa might not be speed demons, but they are both reliable, recently redesigned (or all new), and get great mileage. Some people actually value such things.

I like the fact that the mechanic pointed out "bad cars", but what does that really mean?? This guy does not back his statement up with anything to persuade a half way critical mind that these cars are not worth the money. what kind of blog is this?

Haha, people are saying "there's no explanation for the reason for them being considered bad cars" But honestly, I wouldn't bother either. If you don't understand, that's your losses. I completely understand this list. Good job for informing others... or at least trying.

M89. Indeed, the majority of the cars you listed are indeed CRAP. However, the Accord is a GREAT car, among the most reliable on the market, PERIOD!!! It also has maintained among the best resale values in the category for over 20 years. Additionally, it is the standard by which all other cars are judged in this category. But I do agree that they need to innovate more as they used to do. The interior could be improved to look a bit more upscale and they should offer a 6 speed automatic. The Acura's "BEAK' front end needs to be abandoned, it is in fact UGLY. I am just amazed that this BEAK look was approved for release. Come on Acura, your designers can do much better than that, are they falling asleep at work??? The new CROSSTOUR and Acura ZDX to me, are STILLBORN. They are both ugly, have very little utility, their designs are immensely misguided and make very little sense. Many people including myself have to think that HONDA is losing their touch. I went to a HONDA dealership and almost cried when I saw the CROSSTOUR, its even uglier in person.

Some people were asking why the Ford Explorer and Ranger were on the list. They are there because they do belong there, they are terrible examples of modern transportation. The same can be said for the Dodge Caravans and Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Durango, Dodge Aspen. They were the first to make the Minivan but their quality, reliability, and resale values are "ABYSMAL." The Toyota Corolla is actually a decent car but its platform seems to have been in existence for about a million years and yes its quite boring, but reliable and has a decent resale value. I would never buy a Camry, and I have a hard time understanding how the Camry ever took the "Best selling Midsize car" title from the Accord. The Accord is a much better car in every respect. The Camry is boring and seems that it was made for people residing in nursing homes, and in fact many people who I have observed driving these vehicles do fit in that demographic or are elderly retirees.

All of the following vehicles belong on the bad car list: The Chevy Impala, Chevy Aveo, Chevy Cobalt, Chevy Avalanche GMC Terrain. Cadillac STS, Cadillac DTS, Chrysler 300, Sebring, LHS, PT Cruiser, Patriot, Commander, Challenger, Charger. The entire Lincoln and Murcury line. Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX 56, Nissan Versa, Nissan Rogue. Toyota FJ Cruiser, Toyota Prius (So ugly it looks alien). Honda CrossTour, Looks like a nighmare a designer had that somehow care to life. Lexus HS 250h, who would really pay $41,000 for this when they can can get similar mileage from a Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra or Honda Insight for about half that price?????? Lexus LX, why would anyone pay over $70,000 for this is beyond me. The Lexus ES which we all know is just a dressed up Camry (not the replacement for the CRESSIDA as someone said earlier), is just simply UGLY, it looks like some aquatic creature that has been out of the water far too long.

Johnthecarguy. You are indeed right about how the new Acuras look. The Beak look has to go. But does that make them "Bad Cars", I dont think so. The TSX actually looks quite good with that beak look and so does the new Acura MDX. But I do agree that Acura needs to abandon this look. Acuras also are among the most fully featured luxury vehicles (with REAL leather seats, not LEATHERETTE, Navigation systems, heated seats, Super-handling All Wheel Drive, etc) for significantly less than the competition. Hondas are GREAT cars and very reliable, with GREAT resale value. Read between the lines here, the resale values on all Hondas has been among the best of ANY brand since Honda started selling cars her in the USA in 1976, this is because they are really GREAT cars. If they weren't the resale values would be terrible like that of a Chrysler Sebring or a Dodge Caravan, a Chevy Cobalt or a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Festiboi1. The new Ford Focus is actually Ford's BEST effort yet of making a good compact car. Its much bettter than the 2005 model but still a few paces behind the class leading Honda Civic. I doubt if it will every actually catch up. Even Hyundai is poised to overtake Ford, Chevy and Chyrsler with better quality and higher sales figures in almost all categories. By the way, how many people here realize that Chrysler has not been an American brand for over 10 years now????????? I am still amazed that so many people still dont have a clue about this.

Just what constitutes a bad car? Because you don't like it, doesn't mean I don't like it. I LUV my Ford Ranger. True, the Ranger is long in the tooth but it's still a good vehicle. There are several cars in your list that I would not consider bad.

According to the neighbor who's so impossibly smug about his like-new "Pontiac Vibe", I'm the one driving a crapmoble. After all, mine's got a dimpled nose, scraped wing, and front clip slightly bent from the PO catching the top of a parking stop or angled curb. There's also the seatbelts that don't retract quite "crisply", 'cause the "reels" aren't angled inwards enough, and they bind a little bit on the roll bars middle anchors. Don't forget the seats, which are faded from black to grey by the sun. And there's a badly fractured center console, half missing, with a few loose wires around the aftermarket volt, amp and oil temp gauges. We won't even mention the customary quota of front-clip, driver door, and trunk deck dings and touched-up paint chips.

Worse, I'm regularly seen in a 20-year-old "gay girlie car", while he's hittin' the streets in a like-new "Manly Mobile", The Vibe. Always glad to hear him "on the rage" about my "TSB" (Not "Tech Service Bulletin", "total snarf box").

Meanwhile, I drive an extra 100 miles to get a gallon of milk, just for the sheer joy of the drive.

Find the Crapola: Miata or Vibe?

MECHANIC where are You ? , some political correctness cut You out..
We are waiting for Your BIG COME BACK...