Buying a car is supposed to be exciting. But sometimes, it can be quite a let down and ends with the creeping sense that we’ve made a mistake. What’s the most disappointing car that you’ve ever bought?
Both new and used cars are acceptable — as long as you bought a car and were soon met with that sinking feeling in your gut.
As a Millennial who had his first full time job well into the Great Recession, my car buying experiences don’t involve a dealership or even a used lot. I’ve gotten by on used cars from Craigslist or forums, and, of course, used motorcycles.
But even I have not been immune to buyer’s remorse. Right before I bought the Volkswagen Jetta TDI (mk.IV) that saw me through college, I stumbled across a 1986 Jeep Comanche. It was worse for the wear but I paid a measly $1,100. This was just after the aughts so used cars were cheap. Even so, the drive home was a wake up call: the brakes were shot; the gears were stubborn; the dash didn’t light, nor mark my speed.
I was in over my head, and I only realized it after I bought the Jeep. I sold it the next day for what I paid. I was sad that I wouldn’t have that pristine Comanche I always dreamed of, but, boy, was I glad to see it go. What about you? What was the most disappointing new or used car you ever bought?