40 Cars That Break Drivers’ Budgets Just to Maintain

HA Staff - May 11, 2023

Car maintenance is very rarely a cheap topic of discussion. Drivers quite often spend a pretty penny maintaining your car or truck. But some certain cars and trucks cost a lot more to maintain than others. Vehicles that come to mind first are German vehicles and even many modern cars. As vehicles get more advanced in terms of design, it will take even more highly-trained professionals to keep the cars on the road. It will also be more difficult for drivers to stay within their budgets.

Gone are the days of working on your car by yourself. It’s almost impossible on a modern vehicle. Automakers are doing this on purpose because you will have to use their service centers much more. We looked at 40 cars that are expensive to maintain and why drivers want to avoid them.

40: BMW 5 Series

The old 5 series is the car you move up to after owning a 3 Series. For sheer driving characteristics, the 5 Series is an amazing car. But when it comes to the maintenance on this series of BMWs, drivers will spend a pretty penny every time (via Autolist).

Just the oil changes on the BMW 5 series will cost you upwards of $800 and that isn’t even getting into the advanced mechanics of the car. There are dozens of sensors and electrical components that all tend to go out over time as well.

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39: Mercedes-Benz E-Class

No Mercedes-Benz will be cheap to own, that’s just a fact. But the E-Class is especially expensive to own. What makes the E-Class so expensive is the maintenance costs and replacement costs of parts. You won’t be able to fix this car for cheap, especially not a newer model E-Class (via Autolist).

The E-Class models from the early 2000s are expensive to maintain. They have still become popular in recent years despite that fact. As used car prices start to peak, the E-Class is a well-appointed and highly-regarded luxury car, but it will still break drivers’ budgets to keep on the road.

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Audi A4 via Motor Trend — Photo Credit: Motor Trend

38: Audi A4

An Audi is an entirely different beast than your average luxury car. Ultimately, it’s a performance-built machine. The A4 has always been a great entry-level luxury car that provided a great driving experience and a relatively luxurious interior. Likewise, the early 2000s A4 is one of the most popular models you can get (via Autolist).

It was available in sedan and wagon form, and it had one of the best engines you could get in this era. But the repair costs are also expensive and replacement parts for this car are very hard to come by. The turbocharged engine is not the most reliable engine to come out of Germany either. Because of that, repairs are costly.

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37: Acura TSX

The Acura brand name is equated with quality and reliability, which is why you’d think the TSX would be a reliable ride overall. Unfortunately, the TSX is also a very intricate luxury sedan and thus many parts tend to go out (via Autolist).

The repairs on the TSX can be expensive, especially if you go for the turbocharged model. Honda has experienced a tough time getting consumer interest back into the Acura division since the brand dramatically changed in the 2000s. The fact that many of the repairs on these cars break drivers’ budgets is a huge contributing factor.

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36: BMW 3 Series

The 3-Series has experienced an uptick in popularity over the past two decades, largely due to its excellent handling and acceleration. The 3-Series is the furthest thing from slow that you can get, especially for a used car (via Autolist).

It’s no secret in the auto community that 3-Series owners are unique and the car has a large amount of heritage and culture behind it. But the maintenance costs to keep a 3-Series on the road are expensive, especially if you purchase the car used. That makes it, along with several other BMWs, a car that breaks drivers’ budgets.

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35: Infiniti M

When the Infiniti brand was first purposed, it was supposed to be a unique option. The idea behind the brand was to incorporate performance and passion into driving. The first Infiniti models didn’t offer much of that, but the recent incarnations of the M-Series changed things (via Autolist).

While the car is a pleasure to drive, you will encounter some notable problems. The design of the most recent generations of the M-Series is attractive, but maintenance costs will set you back a pretty penny.

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Cadillac SRX Via Motor Trend — Photo Credit: Motor Trend

34: Cadillac SRX

Cadillac deserves credit where credit is due, as the SRX was one of the first mainstream crossover SUVs. The first generation of the SRX was attractive and its performance was above average for an SUV (via Autolist).

As is the case with most luxury cars, however, the repair costs on the SRX can be expensive. The costliest repair that normally breaks drivers’ budgets is the transmission. The SRX has a transmission with many special features and this is usually an expensive repair.

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33: Subaru Legacy

The Legacy has always been touted as an affordable and reliable car to own. But when repairs are done, the cost can be expensive. Depending on what goes wrong with the car, you will have to spend a pretty penny getting it fixed (via Autolist).

2005 Subaru Legacy - 2009 Subaru Legacy — Photo Credit: Edmunds

Common problems with the Legacy include the all-wheel-drive system and the head gasket failing. These are common to many Subaru models, but the Legacy is among the costliest to repair if you are required to put a Legacy into a shop.

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32: Ford Mustang

The Mustang is an American staple when it comes to the modern pony car. The attractive design and seemingly affordable price make the Mustang a car that anyone can own. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be subject to expensive repairs (via Autolist).

The Mustang is one of the most expensive cars to repair, and that depends on what exactly is going wrong at the time. The head gasket is expensive to repair, and the transmission tends to fail often on the automatic models.

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31: Volkswagen Passat

It goes without saying German cars are expensive to repair, but the Passat is a surprising money pit. Depending on the generation of the Passat you decide to purchase, the car can be expensive (via Autolist).

The most common problems are the transmission failing and oil leaking from the turbocharger on the 2.0T model. As with any German car, repairs on this one are costly, oftentimes more than what the car might actually be worth.

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30: Chrysler 200

The Chrysler 200 was one of the most costly investments that Chrysler Corporation ever made. Unfortunately, the car bombed big time, and the sales were far from the company’s expectations. One of the problems with this car was the perceived lack of quality and reliability (via Autolist).

The Chrysler 200 is known for its head gasket failures as well as transmission failures. The CVT transmission isn’t up to the task of motivating this car. You’ll spend a pretty penny trying to get this repaired and most 200 models are already out of warranty. That makes it far from a good car for drivers’ budgets.

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29: Mazda 6

Mazda has cultivated a good reputation for quality cars in the last decade. But that doesn’t mean the repairs won’t be expensive when it is time. The Mazda 6 is well known for being a fun-to-drive and attractive sedan, but that fun is only skin deep (via Autolist).

The main problems for the Mazda 6 revolve around the transmission and cooling system. When these cars overheat, they overheat bad, and the cost to do the repairs is more than what most drivers might be comfortable spending. This unique issue forced the 6 to be rough on drivers’ budgets overall.

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28: Acura RDX

The Acura RDX was a surprise hit for the brand, as consumers gravitated more toward compact crossover SUV models. The RDX was released on the heels of the massively popular MDX SUV, and it had some notable features (via Autolist).

But if you are unfortunate enough to have the SH-AWD version, you’re in for costly repairs. This is one of the most expensive all-wheel-drive systems Honda has ever produced, and it will cost a lot to repair.

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27: Dodge Ram 1500

In the last decade, the Dodge Ram has become one of the best-selling pickup trucks of all time. Part of that is because the truck has a timeless design and many standard features for the price (via Autolist).

But older versions of this truck are problematic and expensive to repair. The transmission is the most common failure in the Dodge Ram pickup. This repair will generally set you back around $2400 for a full replacement.

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Enclave Via Motor Trend — Photo Credit: Motor Trend

26: Buick Enclave

After the GM bankruptcy of 2008, the company released many new and innovative vehicles. The Enclave was released alongside the other new crossover models from GM. The luxurious SUV was built on the success Buick had previously with the Rendezvous (via Autolist).

But with high-class luxury features, there is also an expensive repair bill, and the Enclave is far from immune to that. Many issues tend to go wrong, as this thing racks off the mileage, and repair costs are not cheap.

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25: Chevrolet Traverse

The corporate cousin of the Enclave, the Traverse, has its fair share of expensive repairs that owners will have to tend to. This SUV experiences a lot of overheating issues as time goes on, and this only tends to get worse as the vehicle ages (via Autolist).

There are also electrical issues that tend to go on relating to the interior of the car. The navigation system is also problematic. You will spend a pretty penny to keep the first-generation Traverse models on the road.

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24: Honda Odyssey

How could a minivan with a Honda badge be expensive to maintain? Well, the Odyssey has its problems with expensive repair costs. The unique thing about the Odyssey is that the van has remained a dominant force in the minivan segment for this long (via Autolist).

The downside of the Odyssey is that it has many defects that are expensive to repair. The transmission fails often in the first generation of the van, and there are also known issues with the valves. This is a common problem Honda has addressed under warranty. But for used models, this, unfortunately, won’t be the case.

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23: Nissan Murano

The Murano was a popular change of scenery for Nissan and one of the first crossover SUV models to hit the market. The first Murano shared a lot of its underpinnings with the Nissan Z sports car so its driving aesthetics were great (via Autolist).

Unfortunately, maintenance is expensive with this car because there are many issues. Reliability is not generally favorable, and the CVT transmission is problematic at best. There has also been a flurry of electrical problems the car suffers from.

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22: Subaru Outback

The Outback is one of the most popular wagons ever to grace the automotive world. In recent years, owning a Subaru has become a sort of status symbol. But with a status symbol car, there is also the price tag of high repairs (via Hot Cars).

The AWD system in the Outback is not bulletproof and older models are also subject to head gasket failures. That’s not to say the Outback is a bad ride, but you will spend a fair amount of money to keep it going.

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21: Subaru Forester

Forester owners face all kinds of problems including head gasket failures and overheating. The Forester is reliable when it has low mileage on the odometer, but as the car ages, these problems tend to spring up (via Hot Cars).

Another problem with the early Forester models is rust, which tends to target the wheel wells of the car. This is another well-known problem Subaru has acknowledged, and it will break drivers’ budgets to get it taken care of.

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20: Chrysler Sebring

The Sebring was long the sweetheart of rental car fleets across the country thanks to its cheap price tag and a seemingly stylish exterior. Sadly, though, the Sebring didn’t have the best build quality, and many of these issues have come to the light (via Hot Cars).

The Sebring had a notorious engine failure rate, involving the 2.7L V6. These engines are known to suffer premature engine sludge and worse. The cost of these repairs is astronomical, and thus the Sebring is one of the worst money pits out there.

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19: Chevrolet Suburban

The Suburban is one of the longest-running auto nameplates of all time, it was the original family car. This large cruiser has long been popular in the SUV world, and even more so in the last couple of decades (via Hot Cars).

But the Suburban isn’t without its faults, and if you own one, there are a few costly repairs that you will encounter. The most common problem with the early Vortec V8 models is that with the spider injectors going out, drivers are left with a repair that will cost upwards of 800 dollars.

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18: Mini Cooper

The Mini Cooper experienced a resurgence when it was revived for the 2001 model year, and since then it has remained a unique option. But the Mini Cooper is a complex car to own and repair costs can be expensive (via Hot Cars).

Even an oil change in one of these automobiles can break budgets, especially if you are doing it at the dealership. In recent years, its transmission has also been the subject of many problems with owners, and it’s not a cheap fix.

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1999 Dodge Caravan — Photo Credit: Dodge

17: Dodge Grand Caravan

The original and arguably the most popular minivan to ever grace the automotive world is also expensive to fix. The Grand Caravan has one of the most stellar sales records of any minivan on the market (via Hot Cars).

Dodge Caravan Via Edmunds — Photo Credit: Edmunds

But there are many reliability issues with the caravan, and many of these issues are expensive to repair. The transmission is the most common, and the timing chain is the second most common failure on the Grand Caravan.

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GMC Acadia Via Motor Trend — Photo Credit Motor Trend

16: GMC Acadia

The GMC variant of the GM crossover trio including the Buick Enclave and the Chevy Traverse also had its fair share of reliability issues. These automobiles’ design was rushed to the market and thus there were many shortcomings (via Hot Cars).

The CVT transmission is problematic, and the cost to replace one of these is expensive. The head gasket has also been known to go out on the earliest models of the Acadia, which leads to frustration when it comes time to pay for the repairs.

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15: Jeep Wrangler

The Wrangler has long been a popular off-road SUV with a lot of potential but recent models have been problematic. It should be expected that any modern SUV will have more expensive repair costs than the classics, but the Wrangler is taking it to the next level (via Hot Cars).

There have been problems with the seals along the removable top, the engine overheating, and several electrical issues. There have also been issues related to the 4WD system, and these are among the most expensive to fix.

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14: Nissan Maxima

The Maxima is often referred to as one of the most popular Nissan models of all time. This was the first sedan with a talking interior but was even a thing. But the modern Maxima models have started to wane in popularity (via Hot Cars).

One of the reasons for this has been the expensive repair costs associated with the car. The Maxima is not cheap to repair, and the most common problem has been associated with the CVT transmission. The head gasket is also an expensive repair that tends to happen on the older Maxima models.

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13: Acura TL

The TL is by far one of the most underrated cars on this list, as it has been a staple of the Acura lineup. With that being said, the car still has its fair share of expensive repairs that tend to cost drivers a lot of money (via Hot Cars).

What exactly goes wrong when you own a TL? Well, there are a few things that tend to happen with this car. More recently, these issues have been related to the CVT transmission, and there have also been timing chain issues reported.

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12: Honda Pilot

For years, the Honda Passport was the only SUV sold in the Honda lineup, or at least the only authentic SUV because there was the CR-V. The passport was sadly nothing more than an Isuzu Rodeo with a different badge on it. When the pilot hit the market, it was an authentic Honda model in every sense of the word (via Hot Cars).

The Pilot has had issues with the transmission, rear-end, and even overheating as the mileage gets higher. Many of these issues Honda has rectified with service bulletins, but the warranty doesn’t cover used models, unfortunately.

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11: Jaguar F-Pace

The last couple of decades hasn’t been too pleasant for the Jaguar brand. The F-Pace was designed and built to fix the incredibly tarnished reputation. The crossover has a great driving presence and interior design but there have been costly issues (via Hot Cars).

There have been coolant leaks reported, and this repair is costly, and there have also been gearbox issues reported. Given the price tag is upwards of $47k, these are just issues that drivers just don’t want to run into.

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10: Porsche Cayenne

The Cayenne has been on the market for a long time, and with every year, the SUV gets a little better. But that doesn’t mean there have been hiccups along the way, as the SUV has had its faults (via Motor 1).

The Cayenne has had issues with the turbocharger leaking oil as well as the transmission solenoid going out. These are costly repairs on any car, but especially on a Porsche SUV.

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9: Land Rover Range Rover

There was a time when Land Rover was the be-all and end-all of off-road capability. But in recent years, the brand has become more of a status symbol. That doesn’t change the fact that the Range Rover is still one of the most problematic SUVs on the road (via Motor 1).

The reliability of the model is questionable at best, and if you get a used model, it will be even worse. The head gasket failures are rampant on these vehicles, and the price to perform that repair will set you back thousands of dollars.

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8: BMW X-Series

When BMW introduced its first SUV model in the early 2000s, it was one of the innovators. There weren’t many luxury SUVs on the market at this time, much less a German offering. However, as is the case with most German luxury vehicles, the repair costs are obscenely high (via Motor 1).

You won’t get away cheap when you take your BMW X-Series in for servicing. Most of the repairs that these vehicles tend to need center around transmission and electrical issues, none of which are cheap to fix.

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7: Chevrolet Impala

The Impala is a noteworthy sedan and one of the longest-running GM nameplates of all time. But there have been many issues with this car in recent years. GM build quality isn’t what it once was, and this is the case with the Impala (via Motor 1).

The overheating issues that plague these cars are just one of the most common issues you’ll encounter. There are also issues with the transmission, and more recently a faulty brake system was covered under a recall.

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6: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

The Sprinter was a surprise for Mercedes-Benz in the United States, completely changing the delivery van segment as we know it. These big diesel vans aren’t cheap to maintain, and when it comes time to repair, you will spend a large amount of cash (via Motor 1).

The most recent incarnations of the Sprinter have suffered from many transmission issues, as well as a fair share of overheating problems. Because this is a Mercedes-Benz product, you will feel that when the repair bill comes.

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5: Ford Focus

Ford tried for years to stake a claim in the compact car segment, and in 2000 the company finally made some headway with the Focus. The car was incredibly popular, and there was even a rare sport model called the Focus SVT (via Motor 1).

But all that success wasn’t enough to deter the fact that the car still has many reliability problems. The head gaskets would routinely fail in the first-generation models and the timing chain has also been a problem.

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4: Acura MDX

The MDX was the first official Acura SUV to hit the market since the previous SLX was just a badge-engineered Isuzu Trooper. The MDX brought a lot of great features to the table and the styling was a lot better than you’d expect (via Motor 1).

As the SUV ages, however, there have been many reliability issues. The timing chain tends to go out early, and the engine has also suffered from head gasket issues. The transmission is also problematic and repairing it is not cheap, as the MDX is a luxury vehicle. It’s one that also breaks drivers’ budgets to maintain.

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3: Jeep Grand Cherokee

The Grand Cherokee has been marketed as a luxury SUV since the day it hit the market. With that type of recognition comes a luxury SUV price tag and also expensive repairs (via Motor 1).

The Grand Cherokee had an especially tough time during the Daimler years, as these vehicles shared many components with Mercedes-Benz. Transmission failure was all too common, and head gasket failure was equally frustrating to owners of these SUVs.

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2: Chevrolet Cobalt

When the Cobalt hit the market, it was the replacement for the long-running Cavalier compact car. The Cavalier had been a great seller for GM and one of the most well-known cars on the road at the time. The Cobalt had some big shoes to fill and for the most part, the car was a decent offering (via Motor 1).

But there were reliability issues with the Cobalt, which makes it an expensive car to own. The coolant system has a lot of faults and it tends to be an expensive repair. The AC system is yet another expensive repair on the Cobalt, making this Chevy model one that wrecks drivers’ budgets to keep on the road.

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1: Ford Explorer

There is no denying that the Explorer is one of the most influential SUV models that has hit the market. There are millions of them on the road right now and it continues to be a sales success as time goes on (via Motor 1).

However, numerous issues happen to the Explorer models as time goes on, and many of these are very expensive to repair. The main issues that happen to the older Explorer models are the suspension going out and the transmission starting to slip. These repairs are crucial to the driving quality of the vehicle.

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