Car Experts: 6 Car Models That Will Break Down More Than the Average Vehicle
Written by
David Nadelle
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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Housing and transportation make up the two biggest expense categories for the average U.S. household each year and represent the two largest single purchases most people will ever make in their lives.
Buying a home has quickly become an unrealistic hope for many Americans, but most people expect to own a vehicle regardless of the current economic climate. Given the cost and stress of buying a car in today’s market, drivers are looking for cars at a decent price that will be durable for many years without the need for excessive repairs.
However, not all cars are created equal. Some break down more than others, so knowing which ones will require multiple and expensive visits to the garage will help you decide what to buy. GOBankingRates reached out to a few auto experts to see what they had to say about models that will drive you crazy with repairs.
Range Rover (2002-2012)
Alan Gelfand’s German Car Depot (“Hollywood’s most popular auto repair shop”) is the place to go for issues with your Audi, BMW, Porsche, Mercedes or Volkswagen. But his mechanics know their way around high-end brands like Jaguar and Land Rover too.
Known for their off-road utility first and foremost, Range Rovers are also notorious for their unreliability. “Range Rovers experience major problems, including failed air suspension systems, alongside electrical system malfunctions that would break a German engineer, and engine problems which originate from cooling system failures,” Gelfand said. “A complete air suspension rebuild will cost owners between $8,000 and 12,000.”
Jeep Gladiator (2020-2021)
Jeep ranked fourth from the bottom in Consumer Reports’ latest “Who Makes the Most Reliable New Cars?” research. Surprisingly, Consumer Reports gave the new 2025 Gladiator a reliability score of 50/100, much better than it rated the car in 2020 and 2021.
Chris Pyle, who operates as a full-time virtual mechanic at JustAnswer, the expert on-demand platform, is wary of the Gladiator, claiming that its repair concerns are “not major, but [they have] too many premature failures with the driveline, steering, suspension and the electrical accessories.”
Ram (Most Models and Years)
Ram is the most expensive popular car brand to repair, per CarEdge, and seven of its models have the most expensive five-year ($6,682) and 10-year ($21,595) maintenance costs. In fact, the average cost of repairs for Ram trucks rival those for many high-end luxury cars.
Pyle explained Ram’s biggest repair woes bluntly: “They have steering and suspension concerns resulting in a ‘death wobble,’ and need multiple repeat repairs to get the truck safe and dependable.”
Chrysler 200 (2017)
Kelley Blue Book once described the 2017 Chrysler 200 as “a family sedan that looks and drives like a premium luxury car.” Although is was a rather affordable choice when new and remains so on the used market now, the 200 is a car that mechanics “despise,” according to Alex Black, chief marketing officer at EpicVIN, an NMVTIS-approved vehicle history provider.
Sophisticated looks and a smooth ride are good only if you can keep the 200 on the road, but this Chrysler suffers from “all day transmission issues, shuddering shifts and premature failures,” per Black.
BMW 3 Series Turbo Era (2007-2013)
“The N54 and early N55 twin-turbo engines found in 335i models are famous for their three major issues including high-pressure fuel pump failures and carbon buildup on intake valves and wastegate rattle,” Gelfand said.
High-pressure fuel pump repairs, water pump failures and wastegate exhaust valve problems are all common with BMWs and can cost owners a lot of money. High-pressure fuel pump repairs can cost between $1,200 and $1,800, while water pump failures run between $2,000 and 2,500, and wastegate exhaust valve problems could cost between $3,000 and 4,000, according to Gelfand.
He stressed the importance of following scheduled maintenance and detecting persistent problems with certain models, so you can avoid “$800 repairs from turning into $8,000 catastrophes.”
Toyota Tundra (2000-2006)
Although CarBuzz said that “it’s not usual to see examples of the first-gen Tundra up for sale with between 300,000 and 500,000 miles on the clock,” they aren’t without their problems.
“Transmission failures from cooler failures” are common with the Tundra, according to Pyle, who also noted cracked exhaust manifold system failures. “It just rotted out. You had to use aftermarket parts to get better longevity,” he said.
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