6 used Crossover's to Never, Ever Buy according to the 20+ years of CAR WIZARD mechanic experience!

After working on cars for over 20 years the CAR WIZARD 🧙‍♂️ has found six used Crossover vehicles to NEVER, EVER buy!
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[@jsun3117]

It's really considerate that Wizard does these "working class" videos. Not just showcasing exotics with premium maintenance that can be exclusive to some. Variety at its best.

[@NobodyUR]

Agreed I don’t watch the super car shit dreams are nice but doesn’t interest me

[@willcarlton3906]

Same. Exotic and luxury cars were designed with less constraints and larger budgets. I’ve always found normal cars more interesting anyway, and which ones last from 20 years of being driven by regular working people.

[@DanielJaegerFilms]

Another vehicle to add to the list is the Ford Escape with the 1.5 EcoBoost engine.

[@earthlydescent]

Amen! Ours needed a transmission rebuild at 45000 miles. We just crested 60000 miles and things are getting rough again.

[@CJColvin]

Excatly mate and for I wouldn't trust any EcoBoost engine and Scotty Kilmer said so himself.

[@jobehoffmeister7122]

@@CJColvin 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 facts!

[@joefaracevideos]

My wife's company-owned Escape is on it's third engine. So far all under warranty. Company has decided not to buy any Fords in the future.

[@CJColvin]

@@jjlegend3922 Scotty Kilmer knows what he's talking about.

[@jfan4reva]

Blast from the past. Five year old (1986) Toyota Camry I bought from my Dad wouldn't start. Tried everything I could think of. Finally called him for ideas. (When I was little, he'd buy a couple of cars, combine the best parts and build his everyday driver.) "I don't know. All I've ever had to do was put gas and oil in them." Finally got it to start. Problem? Floor mat got up behind the clutch pedal so you couldn't push it in far enough to disengage the starter interlock switch. Removed mat, instant start. Toyota reliability is legendary.

[@lsh3rd]

I can wholeheartedly support the Highlander recommendation. I bought mine new in 2004 and still have it - coming up on 302K miles and runs like a Swiss watch.

[@johnfitbyfaithnet]

Wow thank you for sharing this

[@thetechlibrarian]

@@johnfitbyfaithnet yup just take a look at Highlanders for sale they all have a ton of miles

[@lsh3rd]

@@owenflorence9588 V6

[@Fractal_blip]

I thought you were gonna say Swiss cheese

[@TJefferson8]

What engine you have?

[@houseofno]

"But Car Wizard, I got a smoking deal on this..." It's the other way around. The deal comes first, the smoking comes after.

[@JonMichaelDeShazer]

David, you might never see this, but thank you so much for your conversations about the Nissan CVT's. Honestly, it's your videos with your Cube that prompted me to change out my transmission fluid myself and some maintenance done on it on my 2010 Sentra. It runs so much better and I plan on doing it again with a new filter as well.

[@kc0lif]

it's car not david

[@tjroelsma]

CVT's really depend regular maintenance to function correctly, it's a direct consequence of using a metal linked drive belt on metal pullies. Regular oil changes will dramatically extend their lives. Another thing you should never do is a trick that a lot of Yamaha T-Max riders do: they "load up" the CVT by revving the engine while keeping the brakes applied. This circumvents the vehicle taking of on the clutch by locking up the clutch and directly engaging the CVT and they believe it gets you a better take-off. Don't ever do this, because it's guaranteed to wreck your CVT in a very short time.

[@JBM425]

@@tjroelsma I am almost thinking that a 15,000 or even a 10,000-mile CVT fluid change may be the way to go based on what the Wizard saw in his CVT.

[@tjroelsma]

@@JBM425 A 15,000 mile CVT-fluid change may certainly be considered. Like I said modern CVT's are basically a metal linked belt running on metal pullies, with the CVT-fluid being the only thing in between, so its function is crucial. My suggestion would be to have a CVT-fluid change done, then do another after 15,000 miles and look for metal parts in the fluid or even better have the fluid analysed. The latter will tell you the wear of the CVT and the quality of fluid that came out of the CVT. But in the end I guess it comes down to a couple of questions: 1. Do I want to make this car last? 2. If yes then what makes more sense: - preventively changing the CVT-fluid (too) often? - shell out a couple of thousands of dollars for a new CVT?

[@martinliehs2513]

I had a 2006 Ford Freestyle, one of the biggest and heaviest vehicles to use a CVT. I followed Ford's recommendation to flush and replace the CVT fluid at 60,000 miles. The only reason that I sold it at 80,000 miles was that this particular "ZF Batavia" CVT was only used for 3 model years and I feared that dealer support for this transmission wouldn't be there if I needed it. Otherwise, it was a roomy, reliable and economical (for its size) cross-over.

[@Plumber1111]

The spare/family Toyota corolla just reached 450,000 miles. I had my 11 year old son did new injectors, coils and spark plugs. And i did the fuel and brake lines too due to the large amount of rust on them. The car has just been a beast. The issues that I have had are all age related. Toyota is the only brand that I would buy brand new off the lot and keep it till its time to scrap it.

[@kylesjunkandprojects216]

I love my Corolla, it was only $1500 and it rarely needs work, again, only age related problems.

[@twatmunro]

If it doesn't say Honda or Toyota on the front, I'm just walking on past.

[@KingTheRat]

@@twatmunro found Scotty Kilmer's alt account :-)

[@damilolaakanni]

@@twatmunro acura/lexus?

[@robwaters8848]

@@damilolaakanni Considering they are Hondas and Toyotas, I imagine they're included as well.

[@socialghost4400]

Where I come from in Denmark, we have a term for cars like these called “Køb og smid væk biler”, which translates to “buy and throw away cars”. Meaning they are cars that you buy (new) and scrap afterwards, they have no used car value and were pretty crap from the second they rolled out of the factory

[@PseudoSpaceMarine]

Basically any late model Ford Focus.

[@socialghost4400]

@@PseudoSpaceMarine or any 1.0L ecopoop ford

[@andrewblahut6213]

I own a 2014 journey. bought it in 2016. it has never given my wife any problems at all. it's been back and forth from MD to FLA many times. I love it

[@mikelemoine4267]

As with anything, proper maintenance is the key. Wizard cited how so many of these are just driven and neglected, if not beat on. Anything will eventually fail if mistreated. The quality is not as good as Toyota, so there is less leeway for abuse, but if you keep your maintenance up (especially changing coolant and trans fluid every 60K), it can last a long time.

[@blusnuby2]

@@mikelemoine4267 Nicely put.

[@pavementsailor]

I pick these up at auctions for dealers. Car Wizard is so right. Almost none of these are kept up. I sometimes wonder if they will start up again. Nailed it.

[@charlesosberg2142]

I found you and Mrs. Wizard early this year and it has been GREAT! Merry Christmas and thank you for all of your good words and pictures. YOU are the BEST!!!!!

[@Oklawolf]

Can confirm every word about the Pacifica. Just ended my run with my 2004 after five years. Cost me five grand Canadian in repairs to keep that thing on the road, and that's doing most of the work myself. They're comfortable when they work right, but the build quality is just not there. The cost of those rear shocks alone will give you a heart attack... mine needed those done TWICE in 60k kms.

[@JDMHaze]

sounds accurate

[@matthiasstahn2408]

I drive a Pacifica for a couple years. Buy it with 75000 miles and sell it with 150000. Change the oil, buy new tires and breaks that’s it. I don’t have to spend 1 $ to fix it. Maybe I was lucky!

[@JDMHaze]

@@matthiasstahn2408 You were absolutely lucky because there were others that took care of these and it didn't work out well, so you probably got a handful of good ones unless previous owner absolutely babied it

[@MrKGetz]

Chrysler products IN GENERAL just needs to disappear

[@timothythompson4036]

Believe it or not the new Pacifica, 2017 and later are good. I have a 2017 Pacifica. Great car, no problems. But it is a totally different design.

[@obsoleteprofessor2034]

The tragedy is that the auto industry could update the station wagon, call it a "crossover" and the American public swallowed it.

[@jobehoffmeister7122]

I would prefer to drive an actual station wagon. There is an old Ford station wagon down the road from me with V8, I stare at it every time I pass it. I would love to have a Mazda Protégé station wagon with a turbo.

[@CJColvin]

Yep the majority of the American public drunk the Crossover koo-aid.

[@CJColvin]

@@jobehoffmeister7122 Sounds awesome brother, Heck a Plymouth Fury Wagon would be badass. Here's a video of a 65 Plymouth Fury Wagon with a 383 Magnum V8 in it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/boKwoJ-ehb-dndU

[@jobehoffmeister7122]

@@CJColvin that car was beautiful! There was an old Ford Galaxy here in El Paso for sale when I first moved here. The condition was a little better than that Plymouth in the video. I tried to talk the wife into getting the Galaxy for herself, but she wanted something that required less work.

[@obsoleteprofessor2034]

@@jobehoffmeister7122 There was a 64 Galaxie on its side out in the farms in front of someone's house. It was bought new by one of my dad's customers. It has (had?) a 2bbl 390 V-8, column shift 3 speed and an overdrive. Since it was on its side, it would have been a simple matter to walk up to it and unbolt the trans and overdrive unit. In all these years I never stopped to ask. Those parts are gold now.

[@Suction_]

Cx5 is one to buy. Same powertrain since 2013 in the N/A format, turbo been around since 2016 with little issues with either. Great mileage and no shitty cvts

[@Tracert-mc1hu]

A friend of mine has a CX-5 Diesel. It seems like a nice car, decent power, excellent fuel economy. He drives it a couple hundred miles a year, so I can't speak for reliability.

[@Suction_]

@@Tracert-mc1hu the diesel has some headgasket issues to my knowledge, but the US only got it for one year because they made it an extra option on the top trim, which made little sense. I have a turbo now and had a normal 2.5, both excellent. Turbo with 250hp and 320lb/tq is getting me 24-28mpg on 93, which is only 2-4 off of my n/a which I find fantastic. Great cars overall

[@Tracert-mc1hu]

@@Suction_ Yeah, I'm from the US, so I was surprised that they sold a diesel model here. He really likes small diesel engines, and even had a golf wagon that was bought back during diesel gate. His could get over 40 on the highway, but the way he drove it, more like 20.

[@gillesthibault429]

Mazdas and the Rust Belt are enemies.

[@Suction_]

@@gillesthibault429 that stereotype died long ago, like their partnership with Ford. Plenty of them up here in the rust belt that have several hundred thousand with less rust than a comparable junkaru

[@storyteller1749]

Thanks Wizard. These type of videos are.so valuable. Thanks for sharing your years of experience.

[@BlindSkwerrl]

I bought my Journey at 2 years old about 7 years ago from the original owner and it has never let me down. I keep it regularly serviced as well though. I wish Dodge would have stayed in Australia

[@ohioplayer-bl9em]

It seems that people that buy Chrysler products dont do maintenance which makes them look a lot worse then they really are. the folks that buy Japanese cars generally do good on maintenance which adds to the reliability. i do all my maintenance on a Porsche and a Chevy Impala. the Impala has 265,000 miles and the Porsche has 150,000. i would not hesitate to drive cross country in either vehicle. if i had to pick i would pick the Chevy because IF something would go wrong i can buy almost any part needed at any Napa, AutoZone, or any other parts store. when i replace things on the Porsche i generally have to order online and it takes a few days to arrive. I do all the factory recommended service on both vehicles and thats the key.. does the belt look worn? the hoses feel fat and soft? replace them before they break in your garage on a nice Sunday afternoon rather than the side of the road when its -20 or 100+ degrees.. it honestly takes less time and money to replace things if they fail inspection and do recommend maintenance compared to just driving it till it stops and then trying to repair it. 95% of people suck at owning cars and should probably just lease them. my wife will say why do you work on the cars if they are not broken.. i simply ask her if she has ever broken down on the side of the road or got stuck someplace with a no start situation in the 16 years we have been together. the answer is no.. i tell her thats why.

[@blusnuby2]

@@ohioplayer-bl9em KUDOS !

[@napalmholocaust9093]

The compass was the first pavement only jeep. If you remember the first commercials they had to come up with some creative phrases to tell you it would get stuck in your dry lawn.

[@sfseals]

Great stuff Mr. wizard man. I like how your videos do not rely on clickbait and other fluff. yet, your style is both entertaining and informative. good work!

[@jessestevenson8041]

Oooff, my sons first car was an Equnox of that vintage (his mom got it for him). Warped heads, transmission issues, then the electrical system went crazy and bricked the car, sold it to some guy that was going to swap out the powertrain with his because his was rear ended. I could never wrap my head around why he was willing to put that mice time and effort into turning 2 scrap heaps into one, I was just glad to get more than scrap value for the damn thing.

[@davestradamu]

You are the best, wizard. This segment could be its own channel. Thanks for helping the community!

[@kwv217]

The reliability of a Pontiac vibe I can absolutely vouch for! I know a lady who owns a Vibe, she barely maintained it until her son started changing the oil, the sludge in the valve cover was horrible, and the ATF was also horrible, I didn’t think it had long to go until either the tranny or the engine let go. That was three year’s ago, it is still going strong, these Toyota’s are really something else, it is THE brand of car I can recommend anyone buy

[@CJColvin]

The Pontiac Vibe is basically a rebadged Toyota Matrix. The Toyotas ingeneral can last years and years and decades and more decades since they're so built severely well.

[@Rustbelt_Research]

I just bought a Toyota Matrix (same car as the Vibe) for my mother based on the glowing reviews I've heard from not only the internet, but also family and friends who took their Matrix/Vibes to 300,000+ miles with very few problems. And I have to say. This is a really well engineered, solidly built, nice to drive vehicle that just exudes that classic Toyota quality. It has under 200K miles, and I am anticipating it having at least another 200K in the drivetrain. Yes, they really are that good.

[@CJColvin]

@@Rustbelt_Research They can go ever as far as 600,000 miles since they're so severely well built and well made.

[@kwv217]

@@CJColvin Damn straight.

[@paulparoma]

The Matrix/Vibe is clearly a reliable car, but it's just so hideous, in my view. It didn't seem so when new, and I was even considering buying one, but the design hasn't aged well. It's not a Toyota JDM carryover design, as was the case with the Scion line and the Highlander, for example. It was done in CA expressly for the US market.

[@theadvocate4698]

You happily surprised me with the vibe! Bought a 2009 base manual and it is on it's 3thrd owner, all in the familly! Around 240 000km, drove it recently and still going strong! A solid toyota! Glad i bought that one for so cheap back then!

[@mrhick01]

Owner of 2006 Pontiac Vibe. Bought it pre-owned 12 years ago, has 118K miles...and I've mostly paid just for service over that time. Extremely reliable vehicle. So much so, I've named it "Trusty."

[@mrhick01]

@@owenflorence9588 The Vibe sits higher and Pontiac seemed to treat it as a true crossover while it appears Toyota treated the Matrix like a hatchback car.

[@bizcocounty]

How many miles does it have now? I'm considering a 2007 Vibe but it has 92,500 miles on it. Thanks!

[@joshturnbull318]

I own a 2008 Pontiac Vibe and I absolutely love it. It’s sporty, quick, and insanely reliable. I plan owning mine forever because I love it so much not to mention they are getting pretty rare nowadays.

[@theminicooper]

It's actually a Toyota you're driving. Be sure when you replace it not to make the mistake of getting an other GM with the expectations of getting a equivalently reliable car.

[@joshturnbull318]

@@theminicooper I’ve always known they were Toyota, that’s one reason why I bought it. A GM product besides a old one would be the last thing I’d buy.

[@boxoffisa]

I heard it was made by help of Toyota. Is that true?

[@bizcocounty]

How many miles does it have? I'm considering a 2008 Vibe but it already has 92,500 miles on it. I don't know how many more it can go without costing me a bunch of money. Thanks!

[@joebufford2972]

thank you so much for all your Insight and honesty in the car industry. I was thrilled when you featured the Buick LeSabre as a car to buy that runs forever 3.8 good motor take care of the whole car and I still see a lot of them on the road as you said! I'm going to take care of mine as long as I can👍

[@VinT18503]

My sister has a 2008 Nissan Rogue bought certified used. Her transmission started slipping at around 45k miles. She didn't know what it was since it only happens at around 50+ mph and it sorta goes away after 30 mins of driving. I think it finally got worst at around 60k miles and she had to take it to a shop. Thankfully we remembered this was a certified preowned and she was still covered under that warranty. I remember seeing the repair bill and it said "Metal chunks in transmission". She still has it today but she also has a 2017 Toyota Corolla now. The Rogue will be driven to the ground and sold for scrap once it dies.

[@chancetempleton3829]

What's sad is that Nissan used to be as bullet proof as Toyota. All these manufacturers cutting corners to boost the stock price short-term but lose years of good reputation in the exchange.

[@goforbroke2]

My sister has 2008 Rogue, I replaced a blown out rear light bulb but broke one of the tabs on the assembly. So I ordered her a brand tail light assembly, I expected it to be super expensive meanwhile I got her a brand new OEM assembly for $30. These Rogues are made cheap.

[@BaguetteHD]

@@chancetempleton3829 Built in Japan Vs built in US

[@vw5056]

@@BaguetteHD The second and possibly first generation Altima were built in the USA and they were good cars.

[@BaguetteHD]

@@vw5056 I only say because the Rogue is called X-trail in the UK and it's absolutely rock solid

[@goodcat4644]

Thanks Wizard for the video. You have confirmed what my other favorite Video Mechanic had suggested that the Toyota products are the best investments to make. I would move to Kansas just for your maintence service, but my wife would miss her favorite Collision shop.

[@vorant77]

My daughter bought a used Pontiac Vibe and the only thing its needed was tires, oil changes and brakes ( which I did for her). The only problem area was the paint and she had it repainted to a competely diffrent color. Very peppy little car and she still loves it, besides its paid off. ;-)

[@jdgimpa]

The key here is maintenance, maintenance, maintenance! We have a 2017 Journey and have had 0 problems with it. However it is always maintained. Yes the 4 cylinder is noisy and underpowered compared to my Hemi powered Ram pickup. But the Journey is way tighter and quieter on the highway. I may be a little biased as I spent 45 years in the automotive service business. Primarily in Chrysler product dealers. All but two vehicles I bought new have been Chrysler products starting in 1970 and I haven't had a problem with any of them.

[@Cloud007.]

Yes but some cars run and run with minimal maintenance (Lexus and toyota). Most cars won't run in the long term unless they've had excellent maintenance. and in my experience, some cars are just awful regardless of excellent maintenance.

[@CJColvin]

Sounds awesome brother

[@lumntoob999]

@@Cloud007. this is just not true, specifically the Toyotas mentioned in this video can have issues. The 2.4 liter engine variants of the vibe and matrix (and rav4 and camry) are terrible, Toyota even had a campaign to fix them outside of warranty it is so common. The 1.8 4cyl in the others including the corolla will have oil consumption issues if you do the suggested 10,000 mile oil changes, that engine along with basically every Toyota engine needs 5,000 mile oil changes. They won't be as bad as the 2.4 was but you still can end up with issues. There are plenty of known issues with Toyota, some pretty major, and even though Toyota is proactive to fix this stuff, a lot of the ones out on the used market won't have gotten the fixes while toyota had the campaigns going on. I suggest to anyone interested in Toyotas to get over to (the car care nut channel) to see which years and versions of each model to buy or not to buy.

[@mikenormandy9250]

You are right - Maintenance! - I know someone who has two 3rd generation Jeep Grand Cherokee's ('05 & '07) one with 250K miles and one with 280K miles and he has NEVER had an issue, they have been driven for work, around town, kids used them, etc....No issues, bc he knows EXACTLY what to do and when to do it. I would NEVER buy a Stellantis product BUT if you know your vehicle's and keep on top of them, most vehicles can and will last, if you want them too. The problem is all the people who bought cars, didn't give a shit and now they are the Used POS's that get dumped on someone else with all the shit that could go wrong, gone wrong.

[@Brian_Buckley]

Excessive Maintenance gets expensive....

[@kingevanek]

I’ve had 3 vibes for commuters, never had to do anything outside of brakes and fluids on them. Awesome cars.

[@beezertwelvewashingbeard8703]

Why 3 though?

[@kingevanek]

@@beezertwelvewashingbeard8703 buy one cheap that’s beat up commute in it for a year sell for a profit and repeat. Makes going to work free and keeps my 440i nice.

[@blusnuby2]

@@snackler6102 Clever !

[@jeffurey6399]

Thx for your wisdom/experience! It's very valuable and appreciated!

[@audionmusic2787]

You do good business. A rare combination of ability, experience, and honesty. You will have regular customers for life. Well done, sir.

[@risinbison1106]

The Vibe! My neighbor bought one new in 2004 and all four of his boys learned to drive in it and all 4 drove it to HS. There isn't a straight piece of sheet metal on it and the red paint is rusty and faded but it still runs great with 260k miles on it.

[@etan125]

My gf drives mine to work 90 miles a day at 240k miles and it’s beat up. Her boss calls the car tetanus shot lol. The vibe is the ultimate beater.

[@chrisvig123]

That’s because it’s a Toyota Matrix 😀

[@blusnuby2]

@@etan125 And she`s less likely to be car-jacked, too !

[@WIDESIDE72]

A few years ago my mother in law had an Equinox with a 2.4L 4 cylinder. that she followed all of the recommended service intervals on. Trans went out at 120k miles. It was in mint condition, no dents or scratches new tires new battery and alternator. Interior was also mint. GM did not have any recommendation for trans fluid change, so she had never had it done. I change all of my auto trans fluid at 30k miles minimum. Most new cars don’t have a dipstick or filter on the automatic transmissions. New trans was $4k. She needed transportation so I gave her $4k, spent $4k on trans and sold it for… $8k 🙄

[@thunderbeam9166]

GM says “sealed for life” for those transmissions, but when I changed the trans oil in my wife’s 2011 it was easier than changing the engine oil. My brother has that equinox now and it’s been solid!

[@normt430]

We had a leased 2015 GMC Terrain 2.5l that went almost 60K miles without a single problem. I even ecu tuned with HPTuners removing all torque management and increased the timing as it was slow. It would sing 5,200 rpms up and over thrle Rockies for many miles of climbing and never missed a beat and never needed to add oil between changes of about 8,000 miles at times.

[@tonycruz2296]

Thanks for informing the people, if more people were like you, this world would be a better place.

[@jameshaley8162]

Thank you. This was very informative. I look forward to viewing more of your videos.

[@markiangooley]

If I’d realized that a Vibe is really a Toyota I would have bought it instead of the PT Cruiser I ended up buying back in 2011. They were next to each other on the lot…

[@johnl3230]

Yikes

[@aaryeshg.6526]

I really like how the hot version of it, the Vibe GT, appeared in Gran Turismo 4. Fun, zippy engine and practical.

[@heikkiremes5661]

Oh, man, my condolences.

[@Hotlog69]

Even if it wasn't a Toyota underneath. How could you still choose the PT Cruiser!?

[@tonebonebgky2]

Why weren't you at the Honda or Toyota car lot I didn't even shop much at the other places much.

[@FreudianSlipDK]

Gotta add to the equinox. They also eat up wheel bearings and have a turning radius like titanic. But worse. There's a design flaw in the ABS system where if a wheels speed sensor fails the ABS computer will disable the brakes at low speed. Ask me how i know. And just to add insult to injury the response from Chevy was "yeah we know. But we don't have enough reports to have to issue a recall. Take it to the dealership and have them replace sensors until it's fixed". No lie. I will never buy another Chevy again. Ended up pulling the fuse to the ABS system

[@normt430]

The turning radius was probably worst in class with longest wheel base of them all. But ride quality was near Buick or Cadillac level it rode so smooth.

[@richardsmith2721]

When I used to get my Prelude serviced at Honda in the 90's I used to get loaners. I'd either get a Cavalier or a Geo Prism (It was also a Chevy dealer). I was shocked at how much better the Geo was even though it looked like the shitbox Cavalier. I wasn't surprised to find out it was a rebadged Toyota Corolla.

[@kuga6566]

Technically it's a Sprinter. An arguably ""sporty"" version of a Corolla, but that's only really apparent in the first and second gen of the Prizms. Nonetheless it's tried and true bulletproof Toyota in and out.

[@issavibez394]

Cavalier junk

[@MrSGL21]

i had a rental cavalier in 1999. it was a piece of shit. the cel came on 2 days into having it. the car had like 8k miles on it. gm has only made one line of decent small cars, the saturn s series.

[@lauramoy9940]

Thank you so much Car Wizard!

[@Nickword1]

This man really knows his stuff so I suggest you take his advice on everything he says in this video!!

[@MyGarage-uu5ld]

There have been a few cars that he siad never buy. I have had and had no problems with.

[@mikenormandy9250]

@@MyGarage-uu5ld Because you prob know how to do general vehicle maintenance and keep on top of it! I know someone who has two 3rd generation Jeep Grand Cherokee's ('05 & '07) one with 250K miles and one with 280K miles and he has NEVER had an issue, they have been driven for work, around town, kids used them, etc....No issues, bc he knows EXACTLY what to do and when to do it.

[@JDMHaze]

He really does, because when he starts naming vehicles in the issues I have to start slapping the table because I have seen these issues with my friends vehicles and these are people who maintain their cars, I mean he hits it spot on right on the head every single time... He's definitely the real deal

[@mikenormandy9250]

@@JDMHaze YEP! - It's funny how some people think bringing the vehicle to the mechanic bc something is broken, is a regular, normal everyday experience that comes along with owning a vehicle...

[@alexsabothomas3621]

I know we probably got lucky, but we had a 2007 Jeep Compass and it was a fantastic car, bought in 2010 with 72,000 kms (46,000 miles) and scrapped in 2020 with 327,000 kms (203,000 miles) on the original 2.4L and CVT. The rust is why we had to scrap it and we drove it to the scrapyard. We loved it because when it had the rare repair or a regular oil change the look on mechanics faces when they saw the mileage and I mentioned it was the original powertrain was priceless.

[@megachonk9440]

My mother-in-law has a 2010 Compass, and that thing has had something wrong with it basically for 4 years now. It's not always the same thing, and it's usually nothing too serious, but literally every part in that car is from the lowest bidder and is utter trash. My daughter used it for a driving test and it had some ominous creaks from the steering, and I was worried they would not allow her to complete the test, but... the examiner commented that it had a lot less issues and was a lot quieter than most Compasses she sees. This Compass is serviced religiously, too, by a good mechanic. It's just not a good car, even though it only has less than 120,000kms, and I would never recommend that anybody purchase one of these for any reason. Even if it's free, politely decline.

[@DSMOffRoad]

Pretty sad it had to be scrapped in only 10 years due to rust. Not sure how you can still say it’s a fantastic car.

[@alexsabothomas3621]

@@DSMOffRoad Well all cars rot out where we live in Ontario Canada and it was a 13 yrs old car and we owned for 10 yrs. it was fantastic in terms of reliability, mileage, surprisingly quality, snow handling and cool features. Way better than the three GM piles of crap we had before that constantly were giving us headaches, the compass gave us like two headaches and only stranded us once (starter died at 317,000 kms) If we pressure washed it more during the winter to keep lol salt of and did rust repairs when they just bubbling I would probably still be driving it, but I’m happy with my 2010 Ford Ranger Fx4 off-road that replaced it.

[@austinslater3396]

Similar story here. 2010 compass bought new, made it to 380,000kms. Never serviced the cvt and just basic maintenance. In the last few years I'm sure there were some very long oil change intervals and the dash was a christmas tree. In the end it was the southern Ontario rust treatment that did it in.

[@JDMHaze]

my best friend had a patriot(same mechanical) surprisingly she had no major mechanical issues with engine/trans. and these are on the Mitsubishi lancer platform so maybe that's why but her 4X4 It came on, ball joints and wheelbearings would go left and right but I will give them their credit the engine and trans seem to have held up

[@patriciamoore6247]

I want to thank you for all the good information. I am learning a lot about cars.

[@joeg9015]

+1million for Vibe Callout !!!!! I love my Vibe and is my never dying spare

[@carlossoriano7744]

The worst car I ever worked on was a 2004 Buick Rendezvous, pissing every fluid, rust hole on every part of the body, dash light up a like Christmas tree, broken windows I think two, the inside of the car smelled like death, I had to test drive it for a noise, I thought I was gonna die at some point when it hit a pot hole, I drove it back and told my service advisor, requires a new car and the lords blessings when it leaves

[@vw5056]

ROFL. What did you end up fixing on it and how much did it cost the owner?

[@huguescahuzac6396]

great advice, thank you Car Wizard

[@nuss529]

The Dodge Journey has a couple known issue but there are some not so known solutions that I've been looking up over time. One common issue being no crank/no start is usually caused by either the neutral safety switch in the AT or because the starter is getting bad ground. A pretty simple solution to this, which isn't exactly something a mechanic would do but adding an extra ground wire between the engine block and ground point will improve your battery ground connection, giving your starter better ground and improve the reliability of many sensors as well. For the premature brake wear, it might just be that the brakes from factory are simply too small yes. But something I found is that a hose clamp for the brake hoses in the engine bay will rust over time, which will cause the hose at that place to collapse a bit, meaning that the brake fluid won't flow back to the reservoir as it should which means your brakes are always going to be slightly applied. The fix for this was basically replacing that hose and clamp, and maybe keep an eye on it in the future.

[@jerryking7502]

My wife has a 2013 Journey and has not had the issues you mentioned. Yes, their have been other gremlins we had to deal with, but for the most part, once fixed, that's it.

[@20irishman]

I work for a Nissan dealership here in Pennsylvania. Any Nissan with a CVT is a weak point of a Nissan. I've done a bunch of valve bodies and CVT replacements.

[@Mabeylater293]

Thanks to Renault.

[@conzmoleman]

Yep. I had a Nissan Cube that I loved… but it was the rare 6-speed manual :)

[@4bulldurham]

Had a 2015 Encore - no problems whatever for 3 years. Loved it.

[@tinstarbarn9236]

Me and my wife have an encore and we have not had any problems I keep up on regular maintenance and I did have to replace coil packs and it being a 2011 the battery did start to show its age so that's one coil pack 1 battery that's been it

[@tinstarbarn9236]

Sorry not a 2011 it's a-2015

[@michellemire8462]

Lol praise a 7 years old car for being reliable. It better be after only 7 years!

[@4bulldurham]

@@michellemire8462 We are differing from the Wizard.

[@kj7444]

thank you and your wife for the show , have a merry christmas

[@stuspring6301]

Thank you CW!!

[@jimwebb9328]

I have a 2005 Vibe. My daughter bought it new and then sold it to me when she moved 2000 miles away. Now has 210,000 miles and never needed a major repair. Also have a 2004 Mazda Tribute (Ford Escape) with 3.0 V6. Nothing has ever gone wrong with that car either.

[@Amerikanskis]

the 3.0 v6 is the duratec ,and that engine has a long and positive history and had several sets of european/japenese/american hands on it before its final iteration. I believe ford and mazda shared it for a significant amount of time. It should have been mated to the mx-5 miata and they even had a test fit for it.

[@brianpierson7658]

My mom has a 2008 Chrysler Pacifica that she bought new and luckly hasn't had any problems yet. She only drives it about 2000-3000 miles a year. I see them a lot in my area that are beat up or sitting in people's yards.

[@abstractdragon5453]

Thanks for posting this!

[@matthewmcbride1379]

Thanks Wizard! Great video! I did not know about the Pontiac Vibe. Neat.

[@jackson4228]

I am on my second Pacifica. My first one was totaled in an accident, it had 255k on it and was still going strong. I honestly loved my first one and ended up getting a second one that was very clean. You’re definitely right though, they are really beat on by people. I see them beat up all the time

[@everyoneevenyou1684]

i'm happy owner of a 2006 chrysler pacifica bought it cheap and been driving for 2 years no issues and i tow my utility trailer with it

[@theunluckyfrog3316]

These type of car wizard videos are my absolute favorite, I would love to see another video on diesels too

[@clifrobinson7374]

Its very rare a good mechanic will tell u about these bad cars god bless u for being an honest wrench man not many of us left in this world

[@Default78334]

The Dodge Journey is/was a running joke among car salesmen as the go-to choice for helping the financially overextended bury their negative equity. Because it was already the cheapest three-row crossover on the market and came with generous factory incentives (including a rebate only for people with subprime credit) a lot were sold to people who couldn't afford maintain them, so they're thoroughly trashed by the time they hit the secondary market.

[@dodgeguyz]

Exactly, Just posted the same thing.

[@MrTheBigNoze]

Interesting if true. They can be decent vehicles if maintained but I've also seen the transmissions just break on them. Also you have to take one of the wheels off the access the battery iirc

[@Default78334]

@@MrTheBigNoze Yeah, but people who have the resources to maintain them have better options. Also, the Journey was still selling with an ancient 4-speed automatic when it was finally discontinued.

[@blusnuby2]

GOOD point. So just find one that`s been gently used, properly maintained (with maintenance history), professionally checked, & you should be OK !

[@PatrickJago]

Got a 2010 Dodge Journey. Bought new. I Take good care of it. Oil every 3000 miles. Has 85,000 miles mostly city. Just replaced suspension myself. Very easy. Trans flush and screen replaced next. Ready for another 85000. Runs and drives fantastic.

[@mrmillillion96]

Just wait til u have 100k

[@robertmitchell2142]

I have a 2013 Honda Fit with 134k miles now and runs reliably too as well. Just needed to get the blower motor replaced in ventilation system, but that's really the main thing to fix.

[@genxadventures755]

Wizard, I have the 2016 Jeep Compass with a 2.4L with a automatic 6 speed transmission. Works fantastic and I have no complaints except for the Iridium Spark plugs wear out prematurely causing misfire under heavy acceleration, very easy to change. Currently I have 97000 miles and drivetrain is like new. Thanks for all the videos.

[@84gssteve]

Amen on the Toyota's. 2006 Matrix, bought new for my mom and in 180K miles of mostly city driving all its ever needed was a starter. Just do the maintenance ahead of time, don't skimp out with aftermarket tuneup parts/fluids and it will last forever. Sadly, most people will never be mechanics, and few are interested in thinking like one when it comes time to spend money on their car....... outside of the basic payments.

[@m.mickeypayne9811]

Equinox: at my old work, we used these as Patrol vehicles. Every year, we were getting a new engine, from Chevy, but we did run them hard .Pieces of crap! lol

[@atx-cvpi_99]

I guess that’s why rent a cops uses Ford Escapes with the 2.5 liter engine.

[@ChadMtl]

Really informative and transparent.

[@paulwalker8679]

Thank you for the good information.

[@glennstiller7616]

Amazing how experiences differ. I had 2 Journeys, 1 with a 4 cylinder and one with a six. Now, I did proper maintenance and I never had any issues with either of them, and I put over 60,000 miles on the 4 banger. I also had a compass(and still have) with no issue, BUT I did go with the manual trans. Use it as a commuter and works well for that.

[@meteoradar3252]

I've had two Compasses and currently have a Journey Crossroad. Haven't had any issues with either yet. I complain more about the UConnect system in the Journey more than anything. That thing is junk.

[@meteoradar3252]

Neither Compass had a CVT, though. If that were different, I assume my experience would have been different.

[@mikenormandy9250]

I hope you never have issues at around 60K miles...That would be terrible. Now, hopefully your jeeps will last as long as a Toyota or Honda. Check back with us at 150K miles (unless you know better to get rid of it before then!)

[@arc00ta]

Hes recommending cars not to buy. Basically, your odds of picking up these cars with latent problems is very high so you should not buy one right now after years of abuse. This is not a comment about how the car was when new and well maintained. Just like the CVTs he warns about, specifically because people DO NOT do the maintenance.

[@spooderdoggy]

You said the magic words “I did proper maintenance....”. So many failures are from lack or improper maintenance. The Journey in not my cup of tea but if it works for you, great!👍🏻

[@trbstang]

Love our Vibes! We have owned 5 now, all great vehicles with 115k-300k on them. That's the whole reason we bought them, a Toyota for Pontiac prices!

[@bwest-yq3uc]

A very informative video....need to see more of these.

[@ericr1904]

Wow 👌 great video as always 👏

[@krisbretz9743]

I love these types of videos.

[@gabenegron2373]

I was confused at first when you mentioned the rogues, because my stepdad's mom in puerto rico has had hers since she bought it new in 2008 and has zero issues with it. Then I remembered "oh yeah, Rosita is in her mid 70s and has driven it about 20k miles total, and is absolutely religious with maintenance for everything". In no other scenario would that cvt be as nice as hers. (She literally still has the back seat plastic covers in place, parks it in the garage every day of its life, and knows the local pep boys mechanics on a first name basis)

[@MrKGetz]

I have a '17 Journey and the only issue I have with it is occasionally the gauges won't sweep when the engine is started. I have no brake or engine issues. I also owned an '09 Vibe, and the only issue with it was I had a TPMS sensor go on it.

[@Shadobanned4life]

Thank You Sir for very valuable advice.

[@soumentalukder4750]

It blows my mind to hear about transmission breakdowns and major engine repairs at relatively low miles on certain cars... I have a 2008 Pontiac Vibe (Toyota engine & transmission) with over 300,000 miles.. runs fine with original transmission & engine.. only did normal maintenance

[@markvanhandel3993]

I have a 5spd vibe I bought with the odometer stopped at 299999 also. Paid like 600 bucks for it. New tires, brakes, plugs and wires in probably the last 40k

[@lprocter1982]

Sometimes the good ones bust too. I have a '19 Camry, needed a new transmission at 200km... not 200,000, just 200. I had it for about a week...

[@soumentalukder4750]

@@lprocter1982 wow, that sucks 😮

[@AbcAbc-sp1od]

@@lprocter1982 That's a one off

[@davidlp3019]

@@lprocter1982 wow that's unreal. You must have got a dud. Error in the manufacturing. Just goes to show that even Toyota quality is dropping somewhat

[@dentmastersofnymichael3316]

I had a 2002 Highlander i bought new. I had until recently and it was the best vehicle. The early 01,02,03 had a problem with the knock sensors but its fixable and they are incredibly reliable. The v6 is much better than the 4. Thankfully 90% were sold with the v6. I loved mine and would recommend it to anyone. Just not the hybrid. The battery WILL be dead and need changed

[@jamesfrench7299]

Ok on fuel in V6 form?-

[@danwake4431]

@@jamesfrench7299 I get 14mpg city in my 03.

[@lsh3rd]

@@jamesfrench7299 My mixed use yields about 18 MPG.... can push up into the low-mid 20s hwy. This is with a 2004 3MZ-FE with the 5 speed auto... get that one if you can.

[@Gatorgolfusa]

I agree with your choices and was surprised by the Vibe!! 🐊🏌🇵🇷🦅👍

[@johnshuler1396]

Wizard you rock! The only journey that you will be making will be to the shop! Classic.

[@bryan1480]

Next on Hoovie's Garage, "I just bought one of every crossover The Wizard said not to!"

[@markaruski]

So glad you're educating viewers on the Nissan CVT issues, I would never purchase a Nissan with a CVT.

[@damilolaakanni]

I'd stay away from Nissans, regardless of transmission. We had a Terrano II that we bought new in 2003. By 2007 it started to have issues, despite being maintained regularly. Belts would snap, clutch failure (it was a five speed manual), it even almost caught fire on one occasion. After trying to fix one issue after another, we replaced it with a 2004 Sequioa Limited 2WD in 2011. We also had a 2003 Pathfinder in 2011. After a few fuel pump replacements, we gave the car out after just one year. Those were great cars when they didn't have issues, but when one thing goes wrong it's a nightmare.

[@conraddubois6150]

Many other cars have CVT transmissions also.

[@kerrylewis2581]

I did not know about the Vibe. Thanks for the tip

[@mikemcmanus3918]

Thank you for the hint about the Pontiac Vibe.😀

[@tamarab8972]

My neighbor got 05 Highlander since new, that SUV just hit 250,000 miles and still runs well thanks to good maintenance he been doing since new

[@lsh3rd]

Tell him to keep it at least another 100k - 150k.

[@tamarab8972]

@@lsh3rd I occasionally joke with guy his granddaughter will probably drive that car I do agree with him why sell it to lease some bs new BMW that will fall apart just for look like many do

[@OldGeezerstoolbox]

Really appreciating these videos. Curious about the Subaru CVT now that you basically can't get one without it. I've heard people quoted over $8000 to replace the danged thing but I can't get a handle on whether actual problems are common or this is related to people/quickie lubes draining the transmission thinking they are draining oil (which is common).

[@droma2366]

Thank you for this.

[@uo2230]

I think the cats outta the bag on the Vibe. Everyone knows know and they're not cheap anymore. But yeah those things are solid.

[@blusnuby2]

Nah....They`re 'not edgy enough' for the younger set. They go for the aggressive 'lizard eyes,' HUGE gap-mouthed grills, or Smiley Faced econo boxes.....

[@strawhousefred2192]

I have a 2006 Matrix. Best car I have ever owned. Love it. Sporty car with the 5 speed manual.

[@Celician83]

Thought you may go the Honda CRV route for what TO BUY, but I can see your point with the Vibe or Highlander

[@johnpro2847]

Thanks for the advice David. Much apperceived. I am honing in on a Lexus RX350 circa 2014

[@golferpro1241]

I bought a 2004 RX330. Put Waze and backup camera in it. It has 30,975 on it.

[@MrCherrybottom]

GREAT!!! I been looking at the Pontiac and now you just raised the price. We need some secrect words here.

[@rightlanehog3151]

Get one with the base Corolla 1.8 engine while you can. The 2.4 Camry engine in the second generation Vibe tends to burn oil.

[@AlanBrownArt]

For those years, whenever I travelled and rented a car I would ask for a Pontiac Vibe or Matrix. They were the best, most comfortable cars.

[@danl313]

2014 Nissan Rogue, bought new. Within a year the plastic chrome trim actually started rusting. A bit of chrome polish fixed that. Transmission software errors, when starting up hill from a stoplight or stop sign, the transmission would stick in the lowest gearing and never upshift. Had to shut the car off and turn it back on to fix it. A transmission computer flash fixed that (but I had to ask the dealer to check if there was an update to the software). At around 60,000 miles, the transmission valve body went, exactly a few months out of warranty. $1,600 bill. Dealer said that it’s a known defect in some cars and that Nissan issued an updated part to fix it. But still had to pay. Also, in very cold conditions (-20 or so) the transmission would take almost 30 minutes to get heated up to operating temperature and shift smoothly. So unless you kept the car in a garage or had a block heater, you were SOL if you wanted to go anywhere fast without ruining the transmission immediately.

[@GlycerinZ]

My buddy has a 2014 Sentra with the CVT and he told me recently that twice when he went up a hill, the car would not go faster than 40MPH or so.

[@JDMHaze]

Yeah one of the first things that feeds and peels on a Nissan product is the fake chrome BS, it happens to infinity models also 😂

[@onlyrog5]

Never had that issue w my 14 Rogue

[@jorgefernandez-mv8hu]

Thanks for the tips

[@kimdavis5631]

Thank you dear for sharing this.

[@Jaguarmaserati]

I can vouch for the Pontiac Vibe. I have an Uber driver I've used 3 times that has a 2004 Pontiac Vibe with almost 300,000 miles and it still works!! Everything functions. It has a manual transmission, still looked nice. A little rough around the edges inside but he uses the car.

[@zrexrich6118]

Really appreciate your videos Mr Wizard! Must admit I was shocked when you mentioned ALL Buick Encores. Knock on wood my wife's 19' with 36K miles has been great! I change the oil in it every 4k miles and make sure to use the correct AC Delco oil filter for our particular 1.4t

[@anmolbehl1883]

36k is nothing. If a car is giving issues at that milage.......you might as well ask for a refund.60k is when issues start showing up on crappy cars. 100k is when uncared for good cars will start showing issues. I don't know what your oil change interval is, but id undercut it by 40% and the trans oil, by 50%. That's if you wanna keep it. Best is to get rid of it as soon as you can though.

[@sicilyny5375]

It's been said the Buick Rainier, the big brother to Enclave...is a better car...I just purchased a 2004 Rainier...praying it lasts at least 3 more years...

[@colagerojarpinalla4843]

Right on about the Vibe. I've had several. My favorite was my 2004 Vibe GT, 6 speed. I never had to do any major repairs to it and I had it up over 130, stock. I'm super OCD about maintenance on my cars, though. I also had a red 2003 Vibe base that I junked with 280k miles and was still running good. It was a death car so I junked it to kill the bad "Vibes".

[@ninjamaster5471]

The escapes with the 2.5 are pretty good too along with crv’s with the 2.4