I’ve Had 5 of the 10 Cars Least Likely to Make It to 100,000 Miles and Fine, the List Is Pretty Much Spot-On
Recently, a mortgage broker out of Idaho posted a clip listing the 10 cars least likely to make it to 100,000 miles. By the time I heard all 10, I had to rewatch. Was it possible I had, at some point, chosen half of them? Whoops. What’s worse, I agreed that the models I drove deserved a spot on the list.
Over the years, I’ve found myself swimming against the Honda and Toyota currents. Don’t get me wrong; these are super-reliable, relatively affordable makes that would have me in the driver’s seat if I didn’t have such a strong connection to the car world. And anyway, I’d take a 4Runner any old day, rain, snow, or shine. A ’97 equipped with bush lights and a grille guard got me safely through some years at The Ohio State University. I think of it often.
Sadly, I have to agree with the list. While my models were affected by age and prior condition, there’s no denying the troubles and repair bills they caused.
BMW 3 Series
I’m on my third E46 (not purposely, they’ve all been 2004s). While none of them suffered catastrophic engine failure and all crossed 100K, coolant and oil leaks are a constant battle. Not to mention brittle plastic, which is to be expected with age. It’s still annoying. Happily, the 3 Series is number 10 on the list and not higher up.
Land Rover Discovery
While the Discovery is flagged here, it isn’t a stretch to apply the badge to most of the LR lineup. I’ve written about my Land Rover Range Rover Evoque woes this year. We’re currently facing costly timing chain replacement and the associated ECU relearn procedure. While it has over 100,000 miles, there’s no doubt good reason to avoid the nameplate if you’re trying to get any significant odometer reading without giving up an arm and a leg.
Fiat 500
We sold our Fiat 500L in 2024. Overall, we were pleased with the interior space and comfortably toted our two kids in the back seat. However, the Fiat was in the shop often. We replaced the oil cooler, suffered transmission leaks, and had odd electrical issues with the rear hatch. Once those were addressed, the timing belt maintenance hit. We decided to move on after replacing the timing components. Of course, we moved on to the Evoque, so there’s that stupid feather in my cap now.
Jeep Wrangler
I’m going to both defend and justify this list placement. Before our son, Lew, was born, I had a used 2001 Wrangler. It was a stick shift and had a rag top. I dare anyone not to smile driving a Wrangler with the top off on a nice day. I sold the Jeep for a number of reasons, the kids being one. It was an extra car, and we were in the wrong season of life to justify having it. It needed some frame repair, too, that we weren’t budgeting for with a newborn. I’m still getting over it.
All that being said, I’ve written hundreds of repair orders for used Jeeps and can confirm with confidence that we did far more repairs on them than maintenance. Conventional steering issues, electrical problems, misfires, leaks and clogs, brake components, you name it. We’re talking about anything from loose tie rods, leaky steering gear, and stuck brake calipers to clogged heater cores, gunked-up radiators and hoses, thermostats, and failed window motors. Add whack-a-mole cylinder misses, and you’re in for some fun. And if facing those on rotation doesn’t get to you, frame rot will if you live in a harsh weather state. Still, if you’re into Jeeps, I understand and support your “So what, who cares?” attitude toward its repair order history.
MINI Cooper
Years back, I went through a Cooper S phase. It was extremely expensive, and I’ll try never to do it again. Both Coopers blew up well before 100K, and we bought them in succession, not running. They’re a blast to drive, sure. But after two engine swaps and more time on the lift than on the road, yours truly totally validates the second-place position on the list.
10 cars least likely to make it to 100,000 miles
10. Nissan Altima
9. BMW 3 Series
8. Land Rover Discovery
7. Fiat 500
6. Jeep Wrangler
5. Ford Fiesta
4. Chrysler 200
3. Volkswagen Tiguan
2. MINI Cooper
1. Tesla Model S
The lesson here? Have your fun. Just know that if you choose one of these cars least likely to make it to 100,000 miles, financial owies are coming your way.
