Video summary

10 Used Cars To NEVER BUY

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

Product/Topic Reviewed

This video isn’t reviewing a single product. It’s a used-car dealer discussing vehicle models to avoid (e.g., “10 Used Cars To NEVER BUY”), based on their experience selling $5,000-and-under cars that are older and high-mileage.

Key Points (Models/Types to Avoid) + Why

1) Older GM SUVs (e.g., Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Equinox/Terrain/Acadia, Buick Enclave)

  • Used at high mileage (150k+ miles), where failure risk rises.
  • Common issues cited: “timing issues” and “motor issues.”
  • Cost threshold: Repairs around $1,500–$2,500 “don’t make sense” for their business model.
  • User experience described: Even if the car seems fine after purchase, it may return with codes (e.g., timing code, camshaft code, crank sensor) leading to engine work.
  • Overall verdict: Once these cars age to ~15 years and reach 150k–175k+ miles, they become “untouchable” for the dealer.

Unique subpoint: They say GM models “used to be great,” but reliability drops within this age/mileage window.

2) Older Dodge Chargers / Dodge 6-cylinder models

  • Avoid entirely (described as “trash”).
  • Design flaw cited: Plastic thermostat housing on/near the top of the engine where heat/coolant flow matters.
  • Consequence: If failure isn’t caught early, it can lead to overheating and engine blow-up.

3) Volkswagen (VW) and Audi

  • Not about a single model—more that they avoid them due to repeated problems.
  • Main complaint: Oil leaks “somewhere.”
  • Admitted bias: They don’t investigate as deeply because recurring leaks have happened often; they call their reasoning anecdotal but consistent.

4) Nissan CVT cars (especially Altima 2007+, Murano, Maxima)

  • Strong avoidance: “Absolute garbage with the CVTs.”
  • Also noted: Some failures aren’t just transmission-related—six-cylinder motor longevity can also be poor.
  • Caveat/exceptions:
    • They still buy Nissan Sentras with CVTs and say they tend to last longer.
    • However, they also mention having at least one Sentra with “transmission bad” on the lot, so it’s not perfect.

5) Subaru Tribeca (explicit “never again”)

  • Called out as a model they will not buy again.
  • They give a real lot example:
    • Transmission replacement occurred before posting for sale.
    • Timeline/expenses:
      • Bought: Feb 17
      • Posted for sale: Mar 17 (about a month longer than normal)
      • Transmission cost: just under $1,400
      • Auction purchase: $1,700
      • Buyer fee: $245
      • Inspection: $25
      • Total in the car: just under $3,400
      • Sale goal: $3,000
  • Dealer reaction: “I’m never buying one of those ever again.”
  • Note: Another speaker clarifies it was actually bought by Alex, but the sentiment remains.

6) Ford Taurus (not reliability—marketability/aesthetics)

  • The dealer likes Ford Tauruses and says they can fix them easily.
  • Their sales manager still won’t let them buy them anymore because customers won’t buy ugly cars.
  • This is framed as a sales/marketability problem, not a mechanical reliability problem.

Hybrid Cars: Avoid Most Due to Repair Risk/Cost

They discuss hybrids as a category they avoid for their business economics:

  • They generally like hybrids, but not the high-mileage/older hybrids they’d be forced to buy.
  • Main concern: hybrid systems can fail with age, and repairs can be as expensive as engine/transmission work (a “big” repair).
  • Their reasoning is financial: if hybrid failure forces $2,000–$2,500+, it can make the car unprofitable at their ~$4,000 resale targets.

They will consider:

  • Prius, claiming:
    • They’ve bought “quite a few”
    • Only one reportedly had issues
  • They tend to avoid hybrids like:
    • Honda Accord hybrids
    • Ford Escape hybrids

Turbo Cars: Avoid as “Another Big Money System”

They try to avoid turbo vehicles because turbo adds another expensive failure possibility. The goal is fewer variables that lead to major repairs.

Overall Business/Experience Context (Why These Picks Matter)

  • They buy cars $5,000 and under, usually:
    • very high mileage
    • 10+ years old
  • They source from auctions frequently:
    • ~4 auctions per week
    • one auction described as 3,000–4,000 cars per week
  • Their stance reflects unavoidable risk:
    • They can’t fully know a car from a brief viewing
    • They sometimes miss issues at auction
  • So they optimize for fewer catastrophic failure modes.

Pros / Cons (Implied by the Avoidance List)

Because the video focuses on “never buy,” the “pros” are mostly implied as exceptions or what they’d otherwise like.

  • Pros (implied):
    • Some cars can be easier to fix (example: Ford Taurus, in their view).
    • Prius is treated as a safer hybrid option.
    • Subaru CVT is said to “last a long time.”
    • Nissan Sentra CVT is described as a limited exception.
  • Cons (explicit emphasis):
    • recurring expensive repairs (timing/motor/transmission)
    • design/part failure points (thermostat housing example)
    • leak-prone vehicles (VW/Audi oil leaks)
    • repair-to-resale mismatch at their $5k-and-under ceiling
    • customer resistance due to appearance (“ugly” Taurus issue)
    • extra gamble variables (hybrids, turbos)

Additional Model Opinions Mentioned

  • Subaru (general): They buy a lot of Subarus and “like” them; the CVT “seem to last a long time.”
  • Nissan exceptions: They avoid CVT Altimas/Muranos/Maximas but sometimes accept Sentra CVTs.
  • GM earlier reliability: GM products were more reliable “10 years ago,” but failure rates rise with increasing age/mileage.

Numerical Details Mentioned (Subaru Tribeca Example)

  • Transmission replacement cost: just under $1,400
  • Auction purchase: $1,700
  • Buyer fee: $245
  • Inspection: $25
  • Total in car: just under $3,400
  • Sale goal: $3,000
  • They also mention the car’s price being marked down (verbal references): about $3,500 down to $3,000
  • Time on sale posting references:
    • posted March 17
    • took about a month longer than normal
    • later said it had been posted almost 3 months

Comparisons Made

  • Hybrid comparison: Prius is treated as safer than Accord hybrids or Escape hybrids.
  • Nissan comparison: Avoid Altima CVT (2007+), Murano, Maxima CVT, but sometimes accept Sentra CVT.
  • Ford Taurus comparison: Mechanically praised, but compared against market demand (“people don’t buy ugly cars”).
  • GM over time: Previously dependable, but the calculus changes as cars get older and higher mileage.

Unique Points Mentioned (Condensed)

  1. Dealer sells $5,000 and under cars that are older/high mileage (often 150k–200k+).
  2. No rust helps cars survive longer physically (where they operate).
  3. Avoid GM SUVs at 150k+ miles due to timing/motor failures; repair costs ($1.5k–$2.5k) harm profitability.
  4. Avoid Dodge Chargers / certain Dodge 6-cyl due to plastic thermostat housing leading to overheating/engine failure.
  5. Avoid VW/Audi due to frequent oil leaks.
  6. Avoid many Passats/Jettas due to rear main seal leaks (common expensive fix).
  7. Avoid most Nissan CVT vehicles: Altima (2007+), Murano, Maxima.
  8. Exception: Nissan Sentra CVT sometimes performs better, though one still had “bad transmission” on the lot.
  9. Avoid most hybrids in this price/mileage range due to expensive hybrid system failure risk.
  10. Hybrid exception: Prius usually OK for them.
  11. Avoid turbo cars due to additional expensive failure risk.
  12. “Never buy again” Subaru Tribeca, supported by example showing transmission replacement and low margin (~$3,000 goal).
  13. They won’t buy Ford Taurus anymore because customers won’t buy “ugly” cars, despite dealer confidence in fixing them.

Speaker/Role Differences

  • Main speaker (Brandon, used car dealer):
    • Provides most of the “never buy” list (GM/Dodge/VW/Audi/Nissan/hybrids/turbos).
    • Emphasizes cost-to-fix vs resale ceiling and reliability deterioration with age/mileage.
    • Shares the Tribeca “never again” conclusion (though it was bought by Alex).
  • Sales manager (Nate):
    • Blocks buying Ford Tauruses due to aesthetics (“can’t buy ugly cars”).
  • Alex (co-worker/cousin/competitor framing):
    • Bought the Subaru Tribeca (and is mentioned in connection with other problem cars).
  • Wife (briefly mentioned):
    • Financially affected by bad buys (no technical input).
  • Other participants:
    • Light banter; no technical evaluation of vehicle systems.

Concise Verdict / Recommendation

Based on the video, the dealer strongly recommends avoiding:

  • Older high-mile GM SUVs (Trailblazer/Envoy/Equinox/Terrain/Acadia/Enclave)
  • Dodge Chargers / Dodge 6-cyl models with the thermostat-housing failure pattern
  • VW/Audi due to chronic leak issues
  • Most Nissan CVT models (Altima/Murano/Maxima), with Sentra as a limited exception
  • Subaru Tribeca specifically (“never again”)
  • Many hybrids (except Prius) and turbo cars—because repair costs can destroy margins for $5k-and-under inventory

If buying similar cheap, high-mileage inventory, their overall recommendation is to reduce gamble risk by steering clear of these categories and models.

Original video