We love a good bargain, especially when it involves cars! Unfortunately, cheap cars can often end up costing a lot more than we bargained for.

While there are some excellent affordable cars out there, there are several pitfalls to watch out for when navigating the minefield that is the used car market.

To create this list of used cars that are cheap for a reason, we’ve gathered information from reputable sources, such as Consumer Reports, Repair Pal, Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, NHTSA, IIHS, as well as owners’ forums.

Maserati Quattroporte

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We could literally put any Maserati on this list. Yes, they look and sound amazing, but they’re also known to be unreliable, and thanks to their Ferrari-derived parts, they’re also notoriously expensive to maintain.

Maseratis are among the worst depreciating vehicles you can buy, with prices dropping between 60 to 72% in the first few years. That may sound like it’s a used-car bargain, but they suffer from electrical gremlins and mechanical issues.

E90 BMW 335i

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BMW is one of the highest ranked brands among driving enthusiasts, and it’s easy to see why. The Bavarians make cars with excellent driving dynamics, potent engines, and plenty of practicality.

Unfortunately, the E90 335i also comes with a handful of serious issues. Its N54 engine is infamous at this point, especially if not immaculately cared for. Unless you’re a decent mechanic, we’d steer clear of this one.

E60 BMW M5

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Another Bimmer, this time the V10-powered E60 BMW M5. This car is part luxury sedan, part supercar. The cabin had all the tech and creature comforts available at the time, and the V10 engine produced plenty of power and a glorious soundtrack.

The engine is also the main reason this M5 generation should be avoided. It has a nasty habit of self-destructing since it eats its own rod bearings. There are other issues, too, but that’s the most serious one.

Mazda RX-8

2006 Mazda RX-8
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The Mazda RX-8’s Renesis 13B Wankel engine chugs premium fuel, and its oil consumption is excessive. The apex seals will also wear out, meaning it must be rebuilt every 50-60,000 miles.

That said, these engines aren’t meant to be babied. They’re designed to be driven close to the redline, and doing that makes them last longer. However, that also increases fuel consumption, which is less-than-ideal with today’s gas prices.

Aston Martin DB7

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Most people will look at the Aston Martin DB7 and think it’s owned by a millionaire, but in reality, it can be bought for less than the price of a Prius. Buy one, and you’ll be able to impress the neighbors for a while. Just be warned, it’ll suffer from some serious issues at some point, and nobody will be impressed by a car that’s permanently parked in the garage.

Ford owned Aston Martin when the DB7 was launched, and they built it on a budget. It’s known to develop steering issues, electrical gremlins, vibrations, water leaks, and cracked exhaust headers. Oh, and the brake discs may warp.

Jaguar XK

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These days, you can pick up Jaguar’s stylish and aggressive XK model for a lot less money than when it was new. That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to buy one, though.

This sporty and luxurious beast is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine that’s known to cause a few headaches. In addition, there are electrical issues, and some owners have complained about brake failure and a sticking throttle. These problems would be bad enough in a grocery-getter, but they’re catastrophic in a powerful sports car.

C5 Audi RS6

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Buying a C5 Audi RS6 Avant is the most affordable ticket way to Audi RS ownership. However, there are a couple of valid reasons why the RS6 is so cheap.

It suffers from some known and well-documented faults and issues, and regular maintenance is far from cheap. According to RepairPal, annual maintenance costs around $1,200, on average, but that doesn’t include any repairs. On the NHTSA site, one owner claims the entire engine had to be taken out to replace an O2 sensor.

Chevrolet Cruze

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Chevrolet introduced the Cruze as an international model developed, manufactured, and sold worldwide. That’s all well and good, but car buyers also care about other things, like build quality. According to Consumer Reports, the Cruze had the lowest reliability score of any compact sedan during its first year on the market.

Even the later models suffer from reliability issues, including electrical gremlins, cracked pistons, and transmission problems. Miraculously, the Cruze still managed to become the best-selling car in its segment, meaning there are plenty of used, cheap cars to choose from, but it may not be cheap to own in the long run.

Nissan Altima

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Back in the 2000s, Nissan fitted the Sentra SE-R’s QR25 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine under the hood of the Altima. With 170hp, it’s actually surprisingly fun to drive.

Unfortunately, this engine also suffers from chronic head gasket problems. Members on various owners’ forums state that the best thing to do is to just get rid of the car. Over at NissanProblems, the third, fourth, and fifth-gen Altimas are ranked as the worst Nissans ever.

Saturn Sky

Saturn Sky
Image Credit: Saturn.

In the early 2000s, the GM brands were suffering, and Saturn was nearly bankrupt. To boost sales, they decided to build the Sky, a sports car for the masses. It’s not the first time a carmaker has decided to make a sports car as it’s staring into the bankruptcy abyss, but we can’t think of a single time that strategy has actually worked.

Saturn did get some things right with the Sky, as it was a fun and affordable sports car for regular people. However, it was affordable because it was developed on a strict budget, which meant they had cut some corners along the way. The Saturn Sky is unrefined and unreliable. It may not cost a fortune to fix some of its issues, but own it long enough, and it’ll nickel and dime you into poverty.

Chrysler Crossfire

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The Chrysler Crossfire is another American sports car that could have been great, but due to weird decisions, it was instantly forgotten. We can’t think of many cars with a cooler name, though.

The Crossfire’s design aged rapidly, and the interior quality left a lot to be desired. Chrysler built it on an already aging Mercedes platform, so it didn’t handle as well as contemporary sports cars, but that’s less of a problem today, as it’s an old, used car. Crossfire sales were so poor, Chrysler eventually turned to Overstock and eBay to get rid the cars they had in stock.

Hummer H2

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In the early 2000s, the Hummer H2 was featured in practically every hip-hop video. It’s fair to say that it was the ultimate symbol of wealth and success through excess and a waste of natural resources. That approach didn’t age well, and nobody wants to be seen behind the wheel of an H2 these days.

Unlike its older and larger sibling, the H1, the H2 Hummer wasn’t built for military use and wasn’t a great choice for off-road adventures. In addition, it had a pathetically small cargo space for a vehicle of its size. The final two nails in its coffin are the abysmal fuel economy and poor build quality.

Pontiac Aztek

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The Aztek was one of the cars that led to the Pontiac’s demise. Many gearheads consider it the worst car ever built in the States. We’re not sure about that, as there’s a lot of competition for that dubious title. However, it’s certainly one of the ugliest cars ever made, regardless of country.

While the driving experience was nothing to write home about, and the build quality was questionable, the Aztek’s design remains the biggest reason to never buy one. Ever!

Author: Andre Nalin

Expertise: Automotive

Over the last decade, Andre has worked as a writer and editor for multiple car and motorcycle publications, but he has reverted to freelancing these days. He has accumulated a ton of seat time on both two and four wheels, and has even found the time and money to build magazine-featured cars.

Image Credit: Andre Nalin.

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