9 cars that a car mechanic says he would never buy: “The cost of repairs is much higher”

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According to Car and Driver, Tesla “proved that electric vehicles can be desirable, combining outstanding performance and high-tech interiors with useful range.”

Driving a Tesla can seem great … until it needs repairs. Pyle ranks Tesla and Rivian among the top cars he wouldn’t buy because the cost of owning the car outweighs the price.

A 2024 Tesla Model 3 starts at nearly $41,000. Pyle ranked Tesla, along with Rivian, at the top of the list of cars he wouldn’t buy.

“The reasons are the cost of ownership, once an engine or battery fails and the cost of repairs is much higher than the value of the vehicle.“

Dash Lewis, who writes for Jalopnik, a news and opinion site about “car culture,” says the Tesla is one of the most expensive cars to repair and maintain. Expect to pay an average of $5,552 in repair costs while owning a Tesla. One reason is that Tesla auto parts are unique and hard to find.

Like other luxury cars, you’ll pay higher prices for auto parts, Lewis said. Even compared to other electric vehicles, the Tesla costs more.

Lewis estimated that it costs $1,078 more to repair a Tesla over its lifetime than other electric vehicles.

Rivian

Rivian tied with Tesla as the top car Pyle said he wouldn’t buy. Rivian is a California-based startup that manufactures premium electric SUVs and pickup trucks from their Illinois factory.

“The high cost of collision repairs and collision insurance can often be a car payment in itself”Pyle said. A 2025 Rivian RIT pickup starts at $71,000.

Like the Tesla, the Rivian is an expensive vehicle to repair. A Rivian owner told an online forum that a minor accident cost him much more than he expected.

What appeared to be a bent hood and a battered tailgate led to mechanics disassembling the rear of the truck and two and a half months of repairs.

“I imagined that the repair would be expensive, but I had no idea!”, said the owner of the Rivian. “Initially, her insurance estimated the damage at about $1,600 and sent me a check… The final bill was over $42,000!”

Any new truck

Pyle said he would not buy any new truck, including Ford, Dodge, Chevy, Nissan or Toyota.

“Light to heavy models are way too expensivePyle said. “In the first five years of ownership, you’ll lose 35% to 55% of the car’s value in the $30,000-$50,000 price range.”

According to Car and Driver, today’s heavy trucks are “workhorses, luxury vehicles, high performance cars and comfortable cruisersHowever, CarEdge, an online vehicle reseller, estimated that a Ford F-350 Super Duty, for example, would depreciate 36 percent after five years and have a five-year resale value of nearly 49,000 dollars.

The estimate assumes an original sale price of $76,350.

Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500

Pyle said the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500 share the same chassis and need for repairs. “Not so much the cost of repairs, but the frequency with which they are needed”Pyle said.

“For many, these cars spend more time sitting in a parking lot waiting for repairs compared to being driven smoothly.”

Edmunds Car Review rated the 2023 Jeep Renegade 6 out of 10 for value.

“The Renegade is one of the most expensive vehicles in its class” said Edmunds reviewers. “That might be OK if you get a lot of features and value for the price, but it’s not. Interior build quality is good, but there’s nothing exceptional inside and it feels like you’re paying a lot for Jeep’s rough and tough styling.”

The 2023 Fiat 500x fared slightly better than the Jeep Renegade, earning a value score of 7 out of 10 from Edmunds reviewers.

Testers appreciated the “soft-touch materials” and body-colored panels. However, some did not appreciate the expensive price tag and “the unglamorous sounds of accessories.”

Ford Fiesta, Nissan cars and small SUVs

The next group of cars that Pyle would not buy was the Ford Fiesta, Nissan cars and small SUVs.

“Dual clutch transaxles and CVTs (Continuously Variable Transaxles) don’t hold up”Pyle stated. “Once they fail, you’re facing very high repair costs that most independent shops won’t take on.”

Since 2012, the Ford Fiesta has been the subject of numerous lawsuits because the automaker knew about the Fiesta’s PowerShift (dual clutch transaxle) transmission and sold it anyway. Owners have reported having the same problems even after replacing the clutches, output shafts and entire transmission.

Similarly, owners of various Nissan models between 2013 and 2018 filed complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alleging that the defective CVT transmissions caused “jitters and acceleration delays that could lead to crashes.”

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Reviewers at carparts.com rated the Jeep Grand Cherokee average for reliability.

“It received a 3.5 out of 5 reliability rating from RepairPal and ranked 15th out of 26 midsize SUVs analyzed based on data from different model years” said Lisa Conant, writing for the online auto parts supplier aftermarket.

Pyle listed a number of reasons why he wouldn’t buy a Jeep Grand Cherokee: “They are plagued by very expensive repairs, premature failure of parts due to poor manufacturing and want too much to purchase the vehicle when newhe said. “If you plan to buy a new one, before the warranty expires, make sure you purchase an extended warranty.”