10 cars least likely to make it to 100,000 miles
If you’re looking to buy a car but want to avoid critical mechanical failure in the first 100,000 miles, there’s a specific batch of vehicles you’re better off avoiding.
Braiden Shaw is a personal finance expert, entrepreneur, and CEO with hundreds of thousands of followers. He says certain vehicles have a propensity for transmission, engine, and other critical system issues. In fact, these common failures will ultimately total a vehicle because they’re so expensive.
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
Now, the Tesla Model S at the top of the list might surprise some drivers since EVs tout lower maintenance costs than gas-powered vehicles…
However, once these cars get a bit of age, experts warn of battery failure
EV YouTuber Sean Mitchell posted a video explaining when and how often Tesla batteries fail. He cites a 2018 study of more than 500 Tesla owners that reflects a 5% battery failure rate. 93% of reported battery failures happened before the odometer struck 80,000 miles. One of the reported Tesla battery failures was Mitchell’s own car.
Mitchell performed a fresh study in 2022. Of the 135 Tesla owners surveyed, about 7% experienced battery failure. Of those, 80% failed before 100,000 miles. Model S owners reported 40% of the failures.
The interesting thing here is that the data reflects a higher failure rate in 2022 than in 2018. Mitchell remarked that a battery failure rate of 1-2% seems more expected, not a 7.4% rate.
“Failure creates a frustration and inconvenience for the owner,” Mitchell says. Further, he says, if your Tesla battery pack is going to fail, it seems it’ll likely fail between 50,000 and 100,000 miles.
Thankfully, Tesla warranties its EV battery packs to cover at least 100,000 miles. For the Model S, it’s 8 years or 150,000 miles at a 70% charge retention.
If your Model S is out of warranty and needs a battery, though, prepare to get hit with a replacement estimate between $13,000 and $22,000. Hence Shaw’s “total loss” remark at the beginning of his reel.
So, guess how many of these vehicles I’ve owned? It isn’t just one…
I’ve driven five of them – in some cases, more than one version – and I can’t disagree with Shaw. The BMWs, Land Rovers, Jeep Wrangler, Fiat, and Mini Coopers I’ve had were all the shop more frequently than our Hondas and Toyotas. What do I drive now that my husband and I have a family (and daycare to pay)? An Acura MDX. Do I wish I could hop into any of the above and take them for a spin? Heck yeah.
