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5 Cars That Might Not Last 100,000 Miles

If you’re in the market for a used car, then there’s a good possibility that reliability is high on your list. A good, reliable car can not only last you for many years and many miles, but it can also cut down on your ownership costs during the time that you have it. And if …

If you’re in the market for a used car, then there’s a good possibility that reliability is high on your list. A good, reliable car can not only last you for many years and many miles, but it can also cut down on your ownership costs during the time that you have it. And if you truly are shopping for a reliable car that can last for at least 100,000 miles or more, then you might not want to buy one of the cars on the following list.

2012-2015 BMW X1

Driving and owning a BMW is a dream to some consumers. And why not? BMW makes some great cars that are luxurious, powerful, and classy. However, not all of them are very reliable. Take the 2012-2015 BMW X1, for example, which was one of the many vehicles from the automaker that was subject to a class-action lawsuit concerning timing chain issues.

KGG, a law firm based out of New York and New Jersey, filed a lawsuit against BMW concerning the primary timing chain failing and causing engine failures. According to Car Complaints, BMW settled the lawsuit and continued to honor the 7-year/70,000-mile warranties on the BMW vehicle affected in addition to some compensation to the owners. However, we suggest staying away from any of the affected cars, including the BMW X1 altogether.

an orange 2013 BMW X1
2013 BMW X1 | BMW

2020 Lexus ES300h

It’s probably super surprising to see a Lexus on this list considering you can typically expect any Toyota product to last an astronomical amount of miles. However, the 2020 Lexus ES300h was subject to a recall just last year concerning issues with its engine casting. More specifically, the recall revolves around “porosity in the engine castings, which could result in cracks that can allow coolant to leak internally or externally.”

That sounds pretty serious. And it is, considering the recall also includes Camry, Camry Hybrid, Avalon Hybrid, and the RAV4 Hybrid as well and the main resolution is to replace the engine block. However, according to Consumer Reports, only 250 out of the 44,191 vehicles affected will need a complete engine replacement, but we doubt that you would want to risk possibly getting one of those.

If you do happen to set on a 2020 ES300h, then we would suggest checking into its recall status to see if the particular one that you’re interested in was part of it. If so, then ensure that the car has already been checked out by a Lexus dealer.

a silver 2020 Subaru Impreza
2020 Subaru Impreza | Subaru

2011-2015 Subaru Impreza

Much like the BMW above, the 2011-2015 Subaru Impreza was subject to a class-action lawsuit filed against Subaru, which allegedly claimed that many of the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter engines (FB engine code) were prone to heavy oil consumption.

Just like BMW, Subaru settled the lawsuit by extending many of the powertrain warranties of the affected vehicles and even compensating some of the owners, according to Torque News. The issue not only affects the Impreza, but also the Forester, Crosstrek, and Legacy from the 2012-2013 model years since they were also equipped with either the 2.0-liter or 2.5-liter engines.

a blue 2015 Subaru Impreza
2015 Subaru Impreza| Subaru

2009-2010 Audi A4

While the Audi A4 is indeed a beautiful car with a nice interior and potent, turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine, you might want to watch out for those in the 2009-2010 model years. The Drive reported that many Audi A4s, A5s, and Q5s from these model years were subject to complete engine rebuilds due to rod bearing failure and excessive oil leaks.

If you’re set on buying one of these cars, we would suggest getting it checked out first or possibly even staying away as repairs can get quite expensive. Some owners have reported being quoted over $7,000 for engine repairs on their A4s.

a silver 2010 Audi A4  driving down the road
2010 Audi A4 | Audi

2012–2015 Kia Forte Koup and Sportage

There’s no doubt that Kia has definitely stepped up its game over the past few years, however, massive strides forward can sometimes lead to a few steps backward. As was the case last year when the automaker issued a recall concerning the 2012-2015 Forte Koup and Sportage for “unusual engine noises, fuel smell, burning smell, or check engine lights,” according to The Drive.

Hyundai decided to remedy the issue by installing knock sensors in the affected cars, which could help. However, if you’re in the market for a used Kia with a 2.4-liter engine, then you might want to ensure that the recall has been addressed first.

a red 2010 Kia Forte Koup
2010 Kia Forte Koup | Kia

These cars might not last until 100,000 miles

While it’s easy to tell you to stay away from the cars on this list, it would be better to at least warn you to get the car checked out if you happen interested in one of them. A complete engine rebuild or excessive oil leaks are nothing to mess around with as they can lead to you being stranded or dealing with even more issues even before the car gets to 100,000 miles.

For a longer list of cars that might not make it to 100,000, check out the video from Exotic Car Play Place below.

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