What's the WORST Car Ever Sold in America?

[CO Liberal]

My nominees:

Yugo
Chevy Vega (I had a '73 Hatchback.)
Ford Pinto (a Bic lighter on wheels)

[onager]

1. Just trying to start trouble, aren't you?

;-)

Just kidding. I owned the Vega's little sister, the Pontiac Astre, and would certainly put that POS on the list.

Aside from the Magic Melting Engine, build quality was non-existent. GM rushed the Vega/Astre to market, and it showed. One of the biggest safety hazards in my Astre was getting hit by interior parts falling off...like window and door handles!

OTOH, I owned a Pinto "crusing wagon" for several years and never had a bit of trouble. The wagon was a Non-Exploding Model, since the gas tank actually had metal on top of it and stuff.

A few candidates for you...

Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volare family: Chrysler engineers came up with drains that allowed water to come IN, not go out. These clunkers started rusting at the factory. And that wasn't their only problem by a long shot.

Renault Dauphine: the first, but unfortunately not the last Renault imported to the U.S. Advertised as the cheapest foreign car sold in America--guess why! Established a reputation for Renault's American imports that endured right down to the days of the miserable "Le Car." "Le Piece Du Merde" was more like it.

Bricklin--from the same guy who imported the Yugo, Malcolm Bricklin. Loaded with exciting features like gullwing doors that tended to fail suddenly, trapping the passengers inside. You can see one destroyed in Toby Halicki's movie The Junkman. If you ever owned a Bricklin, you'll probably stand up and cheer.

The British Invasion Of The 70's!!!--good grief, where would I start? Whether you invested your hard-earned money in a Triumph, MG, or a hoity-toity Jaguar, you could plan on investing a lot more in repairs. And probably sooner instead of later. Many problems were caused by the legendary electrical components from Lucas, a/k/a "The Prince Of Darkness."

[nedbal]

4. you know you;re POS cars well !

I too owned a pinto and it did not deserve the bad over all rep it got, it ran great and was simple and reliable. A friend had a corvair and it too ran great.

Now the Vega is the car that to me stands out as a US made POS. 100k miles and that was it for the engine.

Add to this list all the cars with timing belts (not chains) and the interfering piston/valve design.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rzemanfl]

48. I'd believe in the Virgin Mary on a piece of toast before I'd

believe a Vega with 100,000 miles on the original engine.

[SpeedwayDemocrat]

32. Yep, the Vega gets my vote!

Dad owned a Cosworth Twin Cam Vega, a limited edition POS that they only made 4,500 of - and with good reason. Take your basic Vega and slap a Cosworth designed engine into it that NO ONE in the USA could fix. Four GM dealerships and not one of them knew anyone trained to work on it. Spent more time sitting in the shop than out on the road.
Shame on Cosworth for getting into bed with GM on that one!

[AndyA]

43. I have to vote for the Chevrolet Vega as well.

They literally were rusting on the showroom floor. I read an article that said the way the factory rustproofed them created a bubble on the underside somewhere, which was basically bare metal. Some brand new Vegas showed signs of serious rust before they were even sold!

On top of that, add crappy engines, poor quality control and poor construction practices, and you've got yourself one nasty little car.

[Blue_Tires]

2. Corvair?

the Edsel has to be near the top of the list, along with most of Chrysler's line in the mid-70s

[CO Liberal]

3. The Corvair Was Actually A Very Good Car

The early 1960 models had a problem with broken fan belts, which was fixed by using deeper pulleys to hold the belts in place better. it also had unusual handling characteristics, which were fixed by different tire pressures front and rear. Once they made these minor adjustments, the Corvair was actually a very good road car.

The only thing that killed the Corvair was the bad publicity generated by Ralph Nader's book, "Unsafe at Any Speed".

[DelawareValleyDem]

8. GM handled the whole Nader incident poorly

Nader's book was largely ignored when first released. GM, with access to some of the best engineers and lawyers in the country, chose to search for personal dirt on Nader rather than counter his claims scientifically. When discovered, the resultant bad publicity made Nader a national figure and his book a best seller.

[CO Liberal]

9. Agreed

Personally, I've always wanted a Corvair, but never had a chance to own one. I'd especially want a '65-or-later convertible.


Source: http://www.adclassix.com/

[SpeedwayDemocrat]

33. We owned one (Corvair)...

and referred to it as the "Valdez." Had to carry an extra case of motor oil in the back, because it leaked oil like an Alaskan tanker. Low clearance below it meant it was very easy to bottom it out and screw up the oil pan and other vital parts.

[Kolesar]

34. I love that adclassix.com site ... eom

[Greyhound]

37. "The only thing that killed the Corvair was the bad publicity generated

by Ralph Nader's book"
Combined with GMs refusal to fix the motor mounts. BTW the first time I saw a person die was a couple that was decapitated in their Corvair convertible. Really nice image for a 10 year old to carry around.

[RetroLounge]

5. The Edsel was a fine car. Don't buy the hype.

Lots of features from the Edsel becamse standard on many cars after that.

The Edsel died from the Economy and management, not the car.

RL

[LTR]

7. The Edsel wasn't really a bad car

It was just really ugly.

Kinda like the Pontiac Aztec.

[onager]

10. Some good Edsel stories...

There are a couple of good books on the Edsel written by Ford employees at the time. I lost my copy of "The Edsel Affair," but I have the other one: "Edsel: The Titanic of the American Automotive Industry."

Edsels probably weren't any worse than any other Ford product of the time...cough.

But the Edsels that FoMoCo provided for testing were fresh off the assembly line and had a lot of problems. One automotive writer was testing an Edsel and the oilpan plug worked loose, which caused the engine to seize.

One of the funniest stories, though, was about an Emergency Marketing Meeting when the Edsel sales figures started to come in.

Ford had an old-time sales guy who always used the same joke whenever cars weren't selling well: "What the hell, let's give away a pony!"

Unfortunately, a higher-level executive thought he was serious!

Ford ended up spending thousands of dollars buying, feeding and housing ponies in the major markets.

And just imagine what happened when the kid who won the pony lived in an apartment in New York City or Chicago.

[yy4me]

30. Had a Corvair and it was one of the best cars I have ever driven.

I believe it got a bum rep from Nader and Co.

[RetroLounge]

6. I worked at an auto shop in the beginning of the 80's.

When a Vega came in for service, I went to lunch.

RL

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

12. Without doubt the 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass Diesel

Oldsmobile was trying to compete with European car makers and the diesel market. They tried to design a diesel engine for an automobile and had no idea whatsoever how to go about it. They sold 1 million of these lemons in 1978 alone and soon had a $20 million class action lawsuit on their hands from a New York taxi company whose cars were breaking down as fast as they could replace the engines. Eventually, they had over 100 lawsuits against them for this turkey. My father had the misfortune of buying an Olds Cutlass Diesel Brougham. He put three engines into it in three years and finally junked it.

[Lefty48197]

13. The Aztec, that new boxy Honda, and the AMC Pacer

Oh yeah, how could I forget the Gremlin?

[Kolesar]

15. I could use any of those first two cars

I don't think they are unreliable, I think that people just don't like the styling. I sure could use a car with such ground clearance and a good amount of volume, though.

[nickinSTL]

17. the first two?

only if you care about looks and not reliability.

The Aztec, as I understand it, was pretty reliable, and the Element...well...it's a Honda.

Sure, the Element is ugly...but there are MUCH better candidates for "worst car".

[ohio_liberal]

14. The 70's Plymouth Duster

followed by the Geo Metro convertible. Worst cars ever.

[Kolesar]

16. Duster, Demon, Dart, Sprint, Swinger, and the

Volare and Diplomat were all the same car, I believe. Those were cars that people of meager means would buy.

[robertarctor]

18. I can't believe you're trashing the Dart.

Those MoPar compacts and intermediates were really good cars. The 1970s ones weren't as good as the '60s ones, but they were excellent cheap wheels.

When I was a kid, my dad drove a Toyopet Crown, which was the Japanese Hillman Minx clone that Toyota Motor used to enter the U.S. market. Toyota got its act together with the Corona in the 1960s, but that Toyopet was a serious junker.

[Kolesar]

19. I'm not trashing the Dart

To tell the truth, I don't have much experience with those "slant six" Chryslers. I grew up in a General Motors town and Chrysler products were obscure.

[bullimiami]

29. the dodge/chrysler slant 6 engine in the darts/dusters was virtually

indestructable.
probably the most abuse taking engine ever made.

[MemphisTiger]

40. Those aren't bad cars, but are FUGLY

[rzemanfl]

46. I had a '75 Duster, it was a great car. Three speed with

overdrive on the floor. If everyone had driven cars like that in the '70s we'd still have oil.

[Mist]

20. I learned to drive on the family Gran Torino--

lotta engine trouble, bad body design. The cars of the 70s were among the worst ever.

[flvegan]

21. Anything built/sold by Renault. The Alliance? Ugh. The LeCar?

LeCrap.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

24. Let's not forget...

...that the Alliance was an alliance between Renault and AMC. <shudder>

The cars Renault sells in Europe these days aren't half bad, and are extremely safe.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

35. I disagree in part

Yes, the LeCar was a piece of crap. But you have to understand that the LeCar (the Renault 5) had quite a lot of add-ons when they arrived in this country, including smog equipment that wasn't originally designed for it. The French are not very good in creating sales and service networks when they export their vehicles or designing vehicles for special markets with special requirements like the U.S.

But the Renault R5 Turbo in Europe is considered a very hot car.

And probably, for my money, the greatest sports car of its era was the Renault A110. Not many were imported into the US but some were. With its all fiberglass unibody and special racing suspension it was a phenomenal car to drive. Unfortunately, you can't touch one in decent condition for under $40 grand. But they are beautiful vehicles and drivers rave about the fact that you disappear right into the car and become one with it when you drive. I would take it over a Porsche 911 and, in fact, it handles better than a Porsche of its vintage on winding mountain roads.

[Ready4Change]

39. I second the LeCar vote.

I went on a test drive of a new one with a dealer once. He tried, really tried, to sell me on it during the first half of the trip, but by the second half even he joined in with me, commenting on what a horrid bit of trash it was. We were practically in tears laughing at it by the time the brakes squeeled us to a stop at the dealership. (Literally.)

Just the thought that it was that bad, even brand new! God. I'm certain it has some fans, somewhere. But I'm not one of them.

[robertarctor]

22. I vote for the Hummer.

What a dumbass piece of shit made for dumbasses. I'm not sure what better way to advertise the idea that you're a Rebublican jackoff than driving wone of those overpriced Arnoldmobiles.

[Smarmie Doofus]

23. Austin America....

Marketed briefly here in the late 60's early 70's.

A little bed bug of a car. Consumer reports said " judged incompetent as a motor vehicle in the US."

That didn't stop me, though. I had one in 73-74.


It was not a long-term relationship.

[lovelaureng]

25. Here is my pick:

Chevy Celebrity

[Bombero1956]

26. Plymouth K car

years ago when I drove a cab the company bought 6 new K cars. The engines were gone in 6 months. The other is the Chevy Cadaver, I mean Cavalier.

[Kolesar]

28. I drove one of those

...from the new car lot to the crusher. 140,000 miles in 13 years.

[FredStembottom]

27. Vega, yes! But don't forget the really horrible Ford Maverick!

I had a '72 Vega GT. Rusted out SO bad that the outer sheet metal on the doors was disconnected on 3 sides! Just hooked on at the top. Used to "flap" like a bird on the hiway.

BUT......that awful car still had my favorite steering wheel of all time (the GT wheel was nearly the same as the Camaros of the day) and also one of the best shifters I ever had. NOW DON'T GO BALLISTIC on me here. This wasn't that horrible stubby little T-shifter with the rubbery, loose linkages to nowhere that most Vegas had - this was something totally different - long shafted shifter that came from under the dash and was hooked right into the gear box. As satisfying as shifting a motorcycle.

Always meant to look up what that gearbox and shifter was - and whether only the GT had it.

[MindLikeAParachute]

31. Hey, I had a Ford Maverick... so it was given to me. But instead I vote 4

the Audi Fox

Piece of shit wouldn't even start when my dad drove it to the dealer to turn it in.

[sierrajim]

36. Here's my list

The big three would in order be.
1.Yugo
2.Chevette
3.Vega

And no a Pinto does not belong on the list they were great cars for the time we had a 71' and that damn thing went over 375,000 miles before the valve cover was taken off.

[Greyhound]

38. The Chrysler "K" car must be in the running.

[TommyO]

41. My old Pontiac Grand Prix

It wasn't all that old, but had bits and pieces breaking like crazy - then I got rear-ended and the car was totaled because it doesn't retain any value.

Oh, you wanted in general, not specifics. My vote goes to the, rightfully, trashed Yugo.

[benEzra]

42. The Vega was reportedly made from compressed rust...

according to the Tappet Brothers... :)

I'd say the Chevette (how can a car that small drive like a truck?), and the Chevy/Geo/Suzuki Metro. The Cadillac Cimarron had to be the worst in the "value" category (rebadged Cavalier at 150% the price), and was a huge mistake for GM.

[rzemanfl]

47. Love my '97 Metro. It is a commuter car, and that's what I use it

for. If I drive it more than fifty miles in one stretch I get aches all over, but that is not what it was made for.

[CanuckAmok]

44. I second the Vega

We had a '73 Astra, which was Pontiac marque on the Vegal platform.

Even with the recall-cylinder sleeves, it was craptacular.

But I learned to drive on it, so I guess it must have worked for a few days at least.

[rzemanfl]

45. The Vega, unless you were in a rear end collision-then the

Pinto is the one. Having a crappy car that burns oil is better than being burned to death.

[LSK]

49. Hummer

Theres just no excuse for it.

:patriot:

[Throd]

50. For me it is the 1976 Peugeot 504 wagon

[CanuckAmok]

51. I second the Vega/Astre

Terrible cars. My mom had a '73 Astre in lime green. Complete engine rebuild after 15,000 miles, rust within the first year.

Too bad; they were a very nice looking car.



This is a wagon I found on the internets. I just noticed the license plate, which is just a few numbers off ours at the time. That means this car was also in Niagara Falls, and is no-doubt now also a pile of powdered rust.