What is the worst car you ever owned?

markmopar

Hero Member
Feb 15, 2008
962
88
southern NJ/southeast VA
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
nowgittineverything said:
Never really ever owned a "worst" car. I took care of them, they took care of me, except for a 1966 Dodge A-100 van (mid-engine) 3 on the tree. Kept breaking accelerator cables at the most inopportune times, like when in the middle of shift from 1st. to 2nd. :-\ had to operate carb cable at the carb while shifting and clutching (in heavy traffic) :help:. Also could never figure out why brake lights would come on after I was done driving for the day, I changed master cylinder, completely rebuilt all wiring harnesses, added 12 more grounds to the frame. I paid 200.00 for this vehicle and sold it for 1200.00 to a guy about 3 blocks down on my street and his neighbors called him late at night to tell him that his brake lights were always on. BTW, Chrysler had no idea what was going on either (besides the lights).......NGE

I bet it was the brake light switch needed to be adjusted. It's held in place under the dash so that it rests on the brake pedal lever. I've had to do this on many a mopar.
 

Night Stalker

Bronze Member
Dec 17, 2004
1,803
97
Florida
Detector(s) used
Omega 8000 & Tesoro Cortes
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A 1974 Plymouth sport fury 3 - I'll never forget that stuipd car, paid 300.00 for it, day one the fuel pump went out, replaced that and drove it for approximately 1 week and the entire transmission went out. Back in the days, 300 bucks was a lot of money to me :D
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A 1965 Ford Galaxy and a Ford Fairmont, I forget the year. Since then I have never bought another "Fix Or Repair Daily" car.
 

HCW

Bronze Member
Feb 5, 2007
1,228
784
Metro west ,Boston
Detector(s) used
Minelab equinox 800, Whites MXT "retired"
Interesting that there are more Fords mentioned than any other one manufacturer.
My worst was probably my first brand new car (1983 Reault Encore hatchback).
My ugliest was my first car 1963 Dodge Dart push button on the dash. My Dad bought it for a hundred dollars so I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. It started out mettalic green (nice) but he decided to dress it up for me. (he was colored blind). When I got it back from Earl Shibe it was Battleship gray.
 

Bum Luck

Silver Member
May 24, 2008
3,482
1,282
Wisconsin
Detector(s) used
Teknetics T2SE, GARRETT GTI 2500, Garrett Infinium
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well, let me make a pitch for GM.

In 1974, I bought my first brand new truck, a 1974 GMC pickup. This would later prove to be the worst possible choice, even in the GM line up.

I wanted 4WD and a 455, and was told I couldn't have both. The dealer actually said there wasn't enough room in the engine compartment for 4WD and the 455 both. Actually, you could hold a good sized party in there, as some of you know. Total BS.

Who wouldn't want 455 with 4WD? Why did GM leave that option out?

Well, I bought the truck with every other option you could get on it except the chrome package.

Two miles away from the dealer, the plug fell out of the water pump, spraying antifreeze all over the road. Towed it back to the dealers.

In driving the truck, it became apparent that the 350 didn't have the power to pull it out of a mud puddle. This was 1974, the height of emission mania. Off road was a serious issue, accordingly. I think it had 160 hp, with about 11 mpg. It did pump pollution really well, though.

Inside of 5000 miles, the transmission went out. Got that fixed.

Then, the first year, it started to rust. Serious rust. It spread like cancer.

One feature of the truck was the defroster vent openings. It had a dash that slanted toward the windshield, a handy place to put shells and sundries. BUT, the defroster vent opening had no screen on it, so the bullets and other junk just went down the pipe and blocked up the airflow. (Hey, where's the '06 shells? There's a deer standing in the open!)

Well, I had to tear the dash off anyway, since this was apparently the first year of the printed circuit board and my dash lights started to go out almost immediately after I got the truck. The board was in reality a flexible plastic film that just fit over the plastic back frame with circuits on it, so the fix was to unscrew the bulb holder, take an eraser to the corrosion, and then replace the bulb holder. That worked for a time - I don't know why it corroded that fast, but every couple of months this had to be repeated. I cut a couple of pieces of ordinary window screen to fit over the defroster vent holes anyway, so that problem was corrected.

Scattered electrical problems.

Next the engine went. After much wrangling, I got a new one. Not from Chevy, though. Ever try to deal with them? They believed in Original Sin - like buying their products! I got a buddy to build a 300 horse motor, damn the pollution pump and full speed ahead. Headers and dual exhaust.

Transmission then went out again, no warranty, so got one from a junkyard. 4WD, though, much more expensive. This one went out almost immediately. We found gravel in it, always a problem in transmissions..........

So, I learned how to rebuild 350 transmissions. This first one took 14 hours, later down to less than 2.

So now, I had a heroic determination to keep the truck, when any sane person would have dumped it for a Ford long ago. At least I had a good engine and transmission, right?

The doors were now rusted so bad that the bottoms were flapping, there were holes in the fenders and quarters, and the bed was a mass of rust. Later there would even be rust on the top of the cab.

The electrical system was now warming up for its act. Wires would break, at least the insulation coating on them. The plastic, being 'accountant-spec', was getting brittle and breaking. The wires would short if they came in contact with each other or the frame, which of course happened. At one time, the whole bed measured 12 volts anywhere; figure that one out. After the insulation broke, the some of the wires would 'work' with movement and break apart. It really needed a new wiring harness, but because of the plastic plugs and jacks, the only option was a new stock one - the same quality, of course.

There were now substantial size holes in the floor; the ammo hazard shifted from the defroster to the floor holes; you could lose a box at a time now. The doors were rusted junk up to the windows, fenders too. The bed was now a structural concern.

I want to make it clear: we had some good times - replacing a starter solenoid in 4" of ice slush, towing it out of a woods road when it quit, always a special prayer for the GM accountants that made it all possible.

One incident that occurred around 1977 or so, on the way to deer camp; about 20 of us were CB'ing along the interstate, when someone asked what each of us did for a job. One guy said he was a quality control inspector for the GM plant at Janesville. The radios went silent. Finally someone slowly asked, "Which truck are you driving?" We never heard from the inspector again. The collective pain and agonies from the Chev truck owners was evident, like his realization of what went out of the plant at that time.

It didn't help that my buddy sent me an article from the front page of the Wall Street Journal in which that President of GM was being interviewed about their declining sales. The $4.5 million a year (at that time, one of the top) executive actually said that if sales didn't go up, they were considering raising the quality of their products. Fortunately, that didn't need to happen. Whew!

I finally pulled the plug on it, and drove it to the crusher. Parted out the drive train.

I now drive a Toyota Tundra. I have 87,000 on it with no problems whatsoever. No rust, lots of power, no issues. It just runs.
 

jeff of pa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 19, 2003
85,463
59,223
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My only Ford

1964 Ford Falcon

Money Pit

I'd drive 4 mile down the Mountain Fill the tank with Gas
turn around get home & put 2 Quarts of oil in.

Big cloud of Black smoke
Would Follow me everywhere.

Did my part to try & Create Global Warning
but didn't work.
Still only 25 Degrees up here
 

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
397
Western Colorado
1984 VW Rabbit

Gave me nothing but trouble.
Got the last laugh though,
Sold it to my ex sister in Law for 150 bucks.
It gave her all kinds of problems.
 

Jan 1, 2011
15
0
mid Kansas
Detector(s) used
whites xlt,dfx,surfmaster pro
1975 international scout, it was awesome looking and fun to drive for me,but everytime my wife would get in it to buy groceries it wouldnt start. and if it did she would go to town and I would get a call to get it started.never did find out why that happened to her left her stranded a dozen times. second worst vehicle I owned was a geo metro no air conditioning,no radio- clutch went out less than 2 weeks 65 mph top speed I couldnt give that car away.
 

HCW

Bronze Member
Feb 5, 2007
1,228
784
Metro west ,Boston
Detector(s) used
Minelab equinox 800, Whites MXT "retired"
As far as I can tell, more than one in three of the afore mentioned vehicles have been Ford products.
There are alot more than three Car manufacturers in the world. That's not a good ratio.
My current vehicle is an 07" Tundra as was my last one (97"). I have owned Toyotas since 1986 and been very lucky.
 

S

stefen

Guest
Bum Luck said:
Well, let me make a pitch for GM.

In 1974, I bought my first brand new truck, a 1974 GMC pickup. This would later prove to be the worst possible choice, even in the GM line up.

I wanted 4WD and a 455, and was told I couldn't have both. The dealer actually said there wasn't enough room in the engine compartment for 4WD and the 455 both. Actually, you could hold a good sized party in there, as some of you know. Total BS.

Who wouldn't want 455 with 4WD? Why did GM leave that option out?






You win...take 2 aspirins and don't call in the morning :coffee2:

Well, I bought the truck with every other option you could get on it except the chrome package.

Two miles away from the dealer, the plug fell out of the water pump, spraying antifreeze all over the road. Towed it back to the dealers.

In driving the truck, it became apparent that the 350 didn't have the power to pull it out of a mud puddle. This was 1974, the height of emission mania. Off road was a serious issue, accordingly. I think it had 160 hp, with about 11 mpg. It did pump pollution really well, though.

Inside of 5000 miles, the transmission went out. Got that fixed.

Then, the first year, it started to rust. Serious rust. It spread like cancer.

One feature of the truck was the defroster vent openings. It had a dash that slanted toward the windshield, a handy place to put shells and sundries. BUT, the defroster vent opening had no screen on it, so the bullets and other junk just went down the pipe and blocked up the airflow. (Hey, where's the '06 shells? There's a deer standing in the open!)

Well, I had to tear the dash off anyway, since this was apparently the first year of the printed circuit board and my dash lights started to go out almost immediately after I got the truck. The board was in reality a flexible plastic film that just fit over the plastic back frame with circuits on it, so the fix was to unscrew the bulb holder, take an eraser to the corrosion, and then replace the bulb holder. That worked for a time - I don't know why it corroded that fast, but every couple of months this had to be repeated. I cut a couple of pieces of ordinary window screen to fit over the defroster vent holes anyway, so that problem was corrected.

Scattered electrical problems.

Next the engine went. After much wrangling, I got a new one. Not from Chevy, though. Ever try to deal with them? They believed in Original Sin - like buying their products! I got a buddy to build a 300 horse motor, damn the pollution pump and full speed ahead. Headers and dual exhaust.

Transmission then went out again, no warranty, so got one from a junkyard. 4WD, though, much more expensive. This one went out almost immediately. We found gravel in it, always a problem in transmissions..........

So, I learned how to rebuild 350 transmissions. This first one took 14 hours, later down to less than 2.

So now, I had a heroic determination to keep the truck, when any sane person would have dumped it for a Ford long ago. At least I had a good engine and transmission, right?

The doors were now rusted so bad that the bottoms were flapping, there were holes in the fenders and quarters, and the bed was a mass of rust. Later there would even be rust on the top of the cab.

The electrical system was now warming up for its act. Wires would break, at least the insulation coating on them. The plastic, being 'accountant-spec', was getting brittle and breaking. The wires would short if they came in contact with each other or the frame, which of course happened. At one time, the whole bed measured 12 volts anywhere; figure that one out. After the insulation broke, the some of the wires would 'work' with movement and break apart. It really needed a new wiring harness, but because of the plastic plugs and jacks, the only option was a new stock one - the same quality, of course.

There were now substantial size holes in the floor; the ammo hazard shifted from the defroster to the floor holes; you could lose a box at a time now. The doors were rusted junk up to the windows, fenders too. The bed was now a structural concern.

I want to make it clear: we had some good times - replacing a starter solenoid in 4" of ice slush, towing it out of a woods road when it quit, always a special prayer for the GM accountants that made it all possible.

One incident that occurred around 1977 or so, on the way to deer camp; about 20 of us were CB'ing along the interstate, when someone asked what each of us did for a job. One guy said he was a quality control inspector for the GM plant at Janesville. The radios went silent. Finally someone slowly asked, "Which truck are you driving?" We never heard from the inspector again. The collective pain and agonies from the Chev truck owners was evident, like his realization of what went out of the plant at that time.

It didn't help that my buddy sent me an article from the front page of the Wall Street Journal in which that President of GM was being interviewed about their declining sales. The $4.5 million a year (at that time, one of the top) executive actually said that if sales didn't go up, they were considering raising the quality of their products. Fortunately, that didn't need to happen. Whew!

I finally pulled the plug on it, and drove it to the crusher. Parted out the drive train.

I now drive a Toyota Tundra. I have 87,000 on it with no problems whatsoever. No rust, lots of power, no issues. It just runs.
 

savant365

Silver Member
Mar 28, 2007
3,918
71
Northwest Missouri
Detector(s) used
ACE 250
A girlfriend in high school had the ugliest car ever made, an Oldsmobile omega. As far as being mechanically sound...that thing had something different wrong with it every week. Her dad just kept pouring money into it for her though it was crazy, he could have bought 2 cars for what he spent just trying to fix that one.
 

MDRON

Greenie
Jan 26, 2010
15
0
NW OHIO
Detector(s) used
WHITES MXT
72 Plymouth Fury, had it for nine months and six of the nine it sat in my driveway
and wouldn't start. Put in two starters, water pump, fan and a fuel pump. Got tired
of riding to work with my neighbor and got rid of it.
 

fistfulladirt

Gold Member
Feb 21, 2008
12,200
4,902
Great Lakes State
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
dirtfishing
Primary Interest:
Other
Subaru wagon. Only foreign car I've ever owned. Had to push-start and throw into gear. One day I was on a busy road in a snowstorm, a semi-trailer went passed in the oppo lane, my hood flew up, I couldn't see and I drove off the road, taking out a road sign. I had to pay for the sign. Ended up selling the pos for $50. I got the better deal.
 

PAPPYGOL

Full Member
May 15, 2008
226
7
niles ohio
Detector(s) used
grand master hunter cx2 ,,. , fisher 1235x 1236x2, 2 coin computers, garrett freedom 3.
1997 chevrolet lumina. not that it was a bad car, actually very dependable. but 2 years after we bought it the paint started blowing off. we called gm and they said (you must have gotten something on it)!!!. well the thousand other people that complained about the same problem must have used the same. (must have gotten something on it) that we did. its white, and gray too. the primer. ive seen many many just like it, blue color does it too. probably a bunch of drunks painted on a monday. i still have, still drive it/ if someone askes about it. i tell them , the truth. gm did a shitty job and blamed me, and thousands of other people
 

Produce Guy

Bronze Member
Dec 17, 2008
2,131
519
austin,texas
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace250,garrett pro-pointer,AT/Pro,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
It was a 1992 Dodge Dakota,muffler problems,headlight problems and I put 4 starters in it in one year. :icon_scratch:
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top