Have you ever regretted buying a car or a relative buying a certain car?

[Dave T]

Have you ever regretted buying a car or a relative buying a certain car? With a relative, that's their decision and nobody can say with complete certainty what they were thinking. Besides, it's hindsight.

I regret buying a 1989 Saab 900, but only slightly. The 1990 900 was a big improvement with no increase in the price but had anti-lock brakes and an airbag. It also had a center console and didn't have a rubber plug on the rear window made for a rear wiper. I bought a 1990 900 a year later, making it the shortest longevity of a car ever for me or any relatives. If I would have waited 5 months, I could have bought a 1990 instead of a 1989. The 1989 900 was my first manual transmission car so maybe it was a good learning experience. The clutch of my 1990 lasted the 13 years that I had the car. The 1990 900 was made in Arlov in March, 1990, the last month that the factory was open. The 1989 900 was made in Finland, one of the few Finnish made Saabs in the U.S. that is not a convertible.

I think my parents shouldn't have bought a Plymouth Valiant. It got terrible gas mileage even though it was considered small. Maybe they should have gotten a Saab 99EMS? Of course, they could have gotten a bad specimen leaving a sour taste for Saabs forever. Maybe a Volvo 244GL or 164E? I think the Volvo crossed their minds but not seriously.

When I bought my 2005 Saab 9-3, I considered an Acura TSX and Volvo S60 as well as somewhat considered several other cars, including the Dodge Magnum (wagon). I'm glad I didn't get any of the other cars considered.

[tunnanxwd]

My first real new car was a Ford Escort. It was horrible in all ways, did not handle well, groaned and creaked and stopped running despite the extended warranty that back then cost a pile of money. Ford was of no help since the warranty clause said "any failure that may be gasket related" and when the poorly torqued intake manifold failed they charged me $800. Insult to injury, Mom gave me the $600 for an air conditioner but the "closer" talked me into the extended warranty in the last moments of the sale. Screw Ford, what does not have a gasket of some sort on an auto? The only thing I could think of was the lug nuts but the got out of paying a lot of warranty claims that way I bet.

There was an 84 Saab in the driveway the next day.

My new 89 900 also had computer problems and it would just stop running. Saab could not fix it so a Volvo took it's place but we needed an AWD anyway but having a car that would quit running out in the country with 2 kids aboard was not acceptable. It was made in Finland and the Norwegian bride blamed it on them.

[Hirsch]

2 cars that I regret buying.

A 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 2001 Dodge-y Ram 2500.

The Jeep was supposedly a one owner, well cared for car. 65,000 miles and the anti-freeze had never been changed. Blew a freeze out plug 2 days after I bought it.

The Dodge truck kept throwing CEL's and every time it was put on the diagnostic machine it gave a different reason for the CEL. Turned out the previous owner had wrecked it pretty hard, but paid for the repairs out of his own pocket so nothing showed up on Carfax. I finally got it into a Dodge dealer who diagnosed a bad torque convertor.

[J-Rod]

I haven't regretted buying a car.

But as for relatives...my cousin bought a 2003 Honda Accord that had been in a flood. It has had nothing but electrical problems after electrical problems. Never buy a car that has water damage. She should not have gotten that.

[SpecialTool]

Back in the early 90s I bought a 1970s Chrysler Regal V8. When I test drove it the steering was so bad I could barely keep it in the correct lane. But I was in love with its shiny grille, fat tyres and V8 rumble. What a dog that car was. Sold it to a wrecker in the end.

Now I just look back, shake my head and wonder what the hell I was thinking when I bought that car. Of course, I was drunk most of the time back then so that may have had something to do with it.