Least Reliable Cars You Should Never Buy

I had a friend who was infamous for making horrible life decisions. He was the kind of guy who would light his homework on fire for a joke — only to realize that the disintegrated homework was due the next morning and he didn't have a copy otherwise.

He also had gone through about eight cars in the four years I spent talking to him. This was no surprise, though. He was infamous for "giving lemons a chance" because they were dirt cheap. One even costed as little as $500. At a dealership.

Looking back, I realized that part of the reason we stopped talking was because he lacked common sense. A person should always research used cars before they shell out cash. It's really easy to find reliable used cars, but only if you go to reliable websites that give you the scoop on a car's make, model, and reliability rating.

According to experts, these are the least reliable cars you should never buy, and why you should avoid them at all costs.

Fiat 500L, Any Year

Fiat has really not been doing too well when it comes to making a good name for itself in American markets. It's definitely one of the least reliable car brands on dealership lots — and it's gotten to the point that Consumer Reports advises people against buying them due to this issue alone.

Consumer Reportsflagged the Fiat 500L as one of the least reliable cars you should never buy, despite the fact that it's one of the cheapest new car models on the lots. Why? Well, it tends to blow its transmission pretty badly, has leak issues, and makes a lot of noise.

Chevrolet Cruze, 2011, 2012, and 2013

Chevrolet has made quite a few amazingly rugged, reliable cars. In fact, it's made some of the most reliable muscle cars ever made. However, the Chevy Cruze was not the company's high point in that department.

A full redesign of the compact car solved problems after 2013, but prior to that, the Cruze was known for engine burnout, transmission failure, cooling issues, and terrible body integrity. As a result, Consumer Reports flagged it as one of the least reliable cars you should never buy used.

Dodge Journey, 2009, 2012 - 2015

Much like Chevrolet, Dodge has had a number of memorable hits that made it a favorite American auto manufacturer. However, it seems like the Dodge Journey flew against what Dodge was supposed to be about by being one of the least reliable cars you should never buy.

Consumer Reports noted that the 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 Journey models ranked as the worst in reliability out of all cars for those years. The 2010 and 2011 models weren't much better. Bad engines, easily worn out suspensions, and terrible audio were all to blame for the shoddy reviews.

Ford Focus, 2012 - 2016

For a whole, the Ford Focus was the top selling car on dealership parking lots. Fords were in high demand thanks to their nice build, energy efficiency, and it's easy to see why. Despite their popularity, it seems like the Ford Focus entered a slump.

According to Consumer Reports, the 2012 through 2016 models weren't very reliable, with transmission failure happening on a fairly frequent basis. According to them (not me), the Ford Focus is one of the least reliable cars you should never buy.

Mini Cooper, 2007 - 2011 and 2015

Mini Coopers, as a brand, are known for being fun to drive rally cars that have awesome gas mileage and a classic 60s style to them. However, it seems like Mini Coopers have been suffering in recent years.

Consumer Reports claimed that their quality was far below average during the years 2007 through 2011. To make matters worse, the 2013 through 2015 models also had a number of issues that caused recalls and other major complaints to the manufacturer.

Complaints included turbocharger failures, a slipping clutch, as well as a pretty shaky exhaust. Overall, they were deemed to be pretty unreliable cars.

GMC Acadia, Any Year

GMC is generally not seen as a reliable car company — and it's not surprising. Every single vehicle this company has ever made in the past decade can be found on a list or two of the most unreliable cars in dealerships.

GMC, as a result, has a piss-poor reputation of making the least reliable cars you should never buy. The bottom of GMC's barrel, though, would have to be the Acadia.

Consumer Reports noted that the Acadia, all years, had significant engine, drive train, and transmission issues. If you want a truck, you better not get an Acadia.

Chevrolet PT Cruiser, 2006 - 2008

It takes a special kind of person to want to drive a car that looks like the PT Cruiser. It's a very "interesting" looking car, one designed to look like the cruisers of the 30s. However, in its pre-recession form, it's considered to be one of the biggest flops of the car world.

Multiple groups, including Consumer Reports and Edmunds, called the 2006 through 2008 PT Cruisers some of the least reliable cars you should never buy. Perhaps that's why they sell for so cheap?