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10 New Cars You Should Avoid
April 9, 2015
Although cars today are better than they've ever been in terms of dependability and reliability, it doesn't mean there aren't some bad apples. If you're currently shopping for a new vehicle, it's important to know which ones to avoid so you don't find yourself with a new car you regret.
To help car buyers make the right decisions, Consumer Reports recently unveiled their list of 10 vehicles to avoid purchasing - based on results from research, owner reports, and test drives. Vehicles on the list include the Fiat 500L, which they named "least reliable", and the Jeep Compass for having "lowest owner satisfaction." Below is the full list of 10 vehicles they suggest avoiding.
As always, if you're considering purchasing a new vehicle, I recommend you use TrueCar No Haggle and CarsDirect to quickly see the best prices being offered in your area.
10 Cars to Avoid Buying
| Vehicle | Why Not to Buy | Base MSRP Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Fiat 500L | Least reliable | $19,295-$24,595 |
| Jeep Cherokee | Worst value small SUV | $22,995-$30,795 |
| Jeep Compass | Lowest owner satisfaction | $18,995-$28,495 |
| Jeep Compass | Lowest-scoring SUV – 52 overall score | $18,995-$28,495 |
| Mini Cooper S | Worst used car | N/A |
| Mitsubishi Mirage | Lowest-scoring car – 29 overall score | $12,995-$15,395 |
| Nissan Altima V6 | Worst value midsized sedan | $22,300-$31,950 |
| Nissan Armada | Worst fuel economy | $38,060-$53,330 |
| Toyota Tacoma | Lowest-scoring truck – 49 overall score | $29,965-$37,615 |
| Volkswagen Passat | Most expensive to own midsized sedan | $21,340-$35,995 |
3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money
The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network
Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).Select Vehicle to Get Local Pricing
Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect
TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.Step 3 Complete my Checklist
Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
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- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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