Auto Manufacturers designed these vehicles to wreck your wallet
Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2026 9:15 pm
Many may know this already not saying its like super anything. But I was yearning for content so this happened.
TL:DR In the United states. Repairs shouldn't be this expensive. Cars shouldn't cost anywhere near what they do. Engine reliability way worse than 20 years ago. Huge repairs being normalized like its maintenance, no it doesn't have to be this way.
Main issue is lack of any statistical information. Ill say that right now. Its not actually published anywhere besides a basic 800 average yearly cost. If you do however research individual models you can find common larger issue trends, Ill try to put together examples. No one ever checked if larger breakdowns we happening ever? This isnt any studies done past original purchase essentially. Like what about the rest of us that drive a car with 60k on it and its new?
Any who this whole thing is just an overview to point a finger at a problem. Everyday I read people having issues over this that and the other. I left my last repair shop 8 months ago and I'm done with being a part of this concept. Its really and no surprise people just behaving like it make sense to have a 5k dollar repair bill. Stop ignoring everything in this world! Personally owned over 30 vehicles. and did a lot different repairs but nothing like what's happening the past 10 years and its going to get worse.
I have been in the automotive repair for 15 years. I was never a master tech or even close. But I do have a understanding of how engines work, saw with my eyes and watched these cars come in for years over and over same issues big 5k repair cost. I really saw an obvious trend with gdi and I cant believe that they are pumping these out like they are mint. I worked for Ford, GM, Toyota, Kia, Chrysler.
There is a clear provable increase of 43.6% in maintenance and repair costs from January 2019 to January 2025 also a hella increase from 1970.
GDI engines (gas direct injected.) For some this likely comes at no surprise I'll elaborate anyways. Intentions were for increased fuel economy and power. Yes they do make more power ok fact. Increased fuel economy is not actually happening. Not even close. Individuals have stated efficiency from a couple mpg to extreme as 10 mpg under what it was rated for in city and cold climates have a huge impact that is not shown and the estimated fuel economy is joke compared to actual driving behavior and stop go traffic time.
LSPI resulting in complete engine failure from gasoline saturated oil. Common grenade type scenario examples like Kia/Hyundai, ford, gm products too but most know that Kia/Hyundai since about 2011 to current yeah they still running same engine.
There was millions of engines that failed and 1.3 billion dollar settlement for owners that had the 2.4 ltr Theta II engine. Yet the estimated failure rate is about 20% (still nuts) completely made up but that's the number..... 4 million was the largest that I found in a group but they separate the same engine per model so numbers don't look as bad and makes it difficult to track exactly. All excuses manufactures are giving don't even make sense. They aren't acknowledging any part of this design being an issue.
Another issue carbon buildup on valves. Actual issue doesn't always present until 50k often well over 100k miles and engine can run long time with this build up just makes poor efficiency and power then causes more fuel saturation in oil and explodes later.
Mechanics wont say this is real. Sad but most must worried that they be out of job. Or they are too young to know any different.
So that's one obvious example what about other vehicles? Ill say this best I can, there are repairs for almost every single part of either these engines or transmissions. The problem is if you connect all the repairs between all different makes I make the claim the trend is repairs exist like never before. What I mean is timing chains. Seems to be fairly common repair nowadays. Was it in 1990s? 80s? No never was. Its beyond a ford problem but a serious gdi issue, turbos fail more than not. We should never be accepting that it makes sense to do a timing chain. Fuel in the oil causing premature wear seems like a good engine for longevity? Its all these gdi turbo gm ford all of them. Not to say it never happened before but its way too often. Other repairs normalized are head gaskets, all things with transmissions, ecms seriously and you name it happens. But no one studies, so how would you know? I know I watched it happen from 2011 till around 2020 I left the auto business. Honestly no I don't have hard numbers to back up these claims. All I have is my 15 years in auto repair. But if you look and listen I am sure you know someone or had some kind of issue that costs 2k? or 4k?
I'm just talking about the gdis right? I not even saying that other repairs being a problem yet.
Modular vs integrated parts. Things can be replaceable they don't have to be always one large piece like it was in the before time.
Jeep cherokee there's like millions of them right? The rear knuckle has bushing in there. Simple ok, well dealer only sells whole knuckle. They now sell bushing kits but they didn't for 7 years or something around there. Point being that you now have a 400 dollar part cost for something that is going to wear out and often that they designed? In 2018 I had to get the knuckle from a junk yard that sold used parts off totaled vehicles just to replace the bushing on a 17 cherokee. Mopar didn't even offer replacement for years!
Common one many people ran into is what about this concept of headlight bulb replacement needing to take 1hr sometimes 2?
Required dealer or PHD tech I know some that are mobile and brilliant. But you need a 5k sometimes 10k dollar scanner plus understand what the computer is telling you. Codes don't mean replace that sensor. Really I wish mechanics didn't act like that's how diagnostics works. I was not that guy so I cant describe all the inner workings with modern codes cars behaviors or tendencies for diagnostics. But often shops seem to feel like its acceptable to scan codes replace cam position or whatever no sometimes it means cam out of position. Or ECM not understanding something causing a sensor to read an issue then it trips another and you have 20 codes.
Lifetime transmission fluid. Or sealed transmissions. Well sorry but I'm not going to go to far into this one. Dip stick to check fluid level? No well we just guessing. Lets be real fluid gets dirty as parts wear clutch plates bands whatever they have auto trans will get dirty over time. Manufactures saying lifetime anything? Most everyone agrees that this is a silly concept. Designed solenoids inside the trans? It is a solenoid so likely some day will wear out. So just tear that whole things out send to wherever and get a new reman one for 5k dollars. No transmissions were always hit and miss but they are really doing an impressive job with failures. However will credit to the fuel efficiency on the 8 or 10 speeds its good.
Cost
So if you compare inflation as messed as it is in the US compared to 1970 what cost is 20 to 25k dollars. Link is to 2019 anyways... Average cost right now 50k. So really can we say that they are charging double what they should be and reliability worse than ever repairs costs higher and way more technical plus require labor that is way above the previous 20 years ago.
Ultimately its happening everywhere for everything. Yeah I only gave an example for each issue so what? I could do that for nearly every model. To what end? They have integrated parts and gdi engines. Transmissions that are sealed and some what serviceable. Not really they are intentionally making impossible for any normal person to fix. Some techs now are way off on how to repair any of this correctly. Because most of quit or retired. Just consider MSRP then maintenance, If there is any issue with the engine or transmission you looking at 5k to repair and while many still not only owe money but 20 or 30k plus now you need to fork 5k over. Its not right. Its not necessary.
TL:DR In the United states. Repairs shouldn't be this expensive. Cars shouldn't cost anywhere near what they do. Engine reliability way worse than 20 years ago. Huge repairs being normalized like its maintenance, no it doesn't have to be this way.
Main issue is lack of any statistical information. Ill say that right now. Its not actually published anywhere besides a basic 800 average yearly cost. If you do however research individual models you can find common larger issue trends, Ill try to put together examples. No one ever checked if larger breakdowns we happening ever? This isnt any studies done past original purchase essentially. Like what about the rest of us that drive a car with 60k on it and its new?
Any who this whole thing is just an overview to point a finger at a problem. Everyday I read people having issues over this that and the other. I left my last repair shop 8 months ago and I'm done with being a part of this concept. Its really and no surprise people just behaving like it make sense to have a 5k dollar repair bill. Stop ignoring everything in this world! Personally owned over 30 vehicles. and did a lot different repairs but nothing like what's happening the past 10 years and its going to get worse.
I have been in the automotive repair for 15 years. I was never a master tech or even close. But I do have a understanding of how engines work, saw with my eyes and watched these cars come in for years over and over same issues big 5k repair cost. I really saw an obvious trend with gdi and I cant believe that they are pumping these out like they are mint. I worked for Ford, GM, Toyota, Kia, Chrysler.
There is a clear provable increase of 43.6% in maintenance and repair costs from January 2019 to January 2025 also a hella increase from 1970.
GDI engines (gas direct injected.) For some this likely comes at no surprise I'll elaborate anyways. Intentions were for increased fuel economy and power. Yes they do make more power ok fact. Increased fuel economy is not actually happening. Not even close. Individuals have stated efficiency from a couple mpg to extreme as 10 mpg under what it was rated for in city and cold climates have a huge impact that is not shown and the estimated fuel economy is joke compared to actual driving behavior and stop go traffic time.
LSPI resulting in complete engine failure from gasoline saturated oil. Common grenade type scenario examples like Kia/Hyundai, ford, gm products too but most know that Kia/Hyundai since about 2011 to current yeah they still running same engine.
There was millions of engines that failed and 1.3 billion dollar settlement for owners that had the 2.4 ltr Theta II engine. Yet the estimated failure rate is about 20% (still nuts) completely made up but that's the number..... 4 million was the largest that I found in a group but they separate the same engine per model so numbers don't look as bad and makes it difficult to track exactly. All excuses manufactures are giving don't even make sense. They aren't acknowledging any part of this design being an issue.
Another issue carbon buildup on valves. Actual issue doesn't always present until 50k often well over 100k miles and engine can run long time with this build up just makes poor efficiency and power then causes more fuel saturation in oil and explodes later.
Mechanics wont say this is real. Sad but most must worried that they be out of job. Or they are too young to know any different.
So that's one obvious example what about other vehicles? Ill say this best I can, there are repairs for almost every single part of either these engines or transmissions. The problem is if you connect all the repairs between all different makes I make the claim the trend is repairs exist like never before. What I mean is timing chains. Seems to be fairly common repair nowadays. Was it in 1990s? 80s? No never was. Its beyond a ford problem but a serious gdi issue, turbos fail more than not. We should never be accepting that it makes sense to do a timing chain. Fuel in the oil causing premature wear seems like a good engine for longevity? Its all these gdi turbo gm ford all of them. Not to say it never happened before but its way too often. Other repairs normalized are head gaskets, all things with transmissions, ecms seriously and you name it happens. But no one studies, so how would you know? I know I watched it happen from 2011 till around 2020 I left the auto business. Honestly no I don't have hard numbers to back up these claims. All I have is my 15 years in auto repair. But if you look and listen I am sure you know someone or had some kind of issue that costs 2k? or 4k?
I'm just talking about the gdis right? I not even saying that other repairs being a problem yet.
Modular vs integrated parts. Things can be replaceable they don't have to be always one large piece like it was in the before time.
Jeep cherokee there's like millions of them right? The rear knuckle has bushing in there. Simple ok, well dealer only sells whole knuckle. They now sell bushing kits but they didn't for 7 years or something around there. Point being that you now have a 400 dollar part cost for something that is going to wear out and often that they designed? In 2018 I had to get the knuckle from a junk yard that sold used parts off totaled vehicles just to replace the bushing on a 17 cherokee. Mopar didn't even offer replacement for years!
Common one many people ran into is what about this concept of headlight bulb replacement needing to take 1hr sometimes 2?
Required dealer or PHD tech I know some that are mobile and brilliant. But you need a 5k sometimes 10k dollar scanner plus understand what the computer is telling you. Codes don't mean replace that sensor. Really I wish mechanics didn't act like that's how diagnostics works. I was not that guy so I cant describe all the inner workings with modern codes cars behaviors or tendencies for diagnostics. But often shops seem to feel like its acceptable to scan codes replace cam position or whatever no sometimes it means cam out of position. Or ECM not understanding something causing a sensor to read an issue then it trips another and you have 20 codes.
Lifetime transmission fluid. Or sealed transmissions. Well sorry but I'm not going to go to far into this one. Dip stick to check fluid level? No well we just guessing. Lets be real fluid gets dirty as parts wear clutch plates bands whatever they have auto trans will get dirty over time. Manufactures saying lifetime anything? Most everyone agrees that this is a silly concept. Designed solenoids inside the trans? It is a solenoid so likely some day will wear out. So just tear that whole things out send to wherever and get a new reman one for 5k dollars. No transmissions were always hit and miss but they are really doing an impressive job with failures. However will credit to the fuel efficiency on the 8 or 10 speeds its good.
Cost
So if you compare inflation as messed as it is in the US compared to 1970 what cost is 20 to 25k dollars. Link is to 2019 anyways... Average cost right now 50k. So really can we say that they are charging double what they should be and reliability worse than ever repairs costs higher and way more technical plus require labor that is way above the previous 20 years ago.
Ultimately its happening everywhere for everything. Yeah I only gave an example for each issue so what? I could do that for nearly every model. To what end? They have integrated parts and gdi engines. Transmissions that are sealed and some what serviceable. Not really they are intentionally making impossible for any normal person to fix. Some techs now are way off on how to repair any of this correctly. Because most of quit or retired. Just consider MSRP then maintenance, If there is any issue with the engine or transmission you looking at 5k to repair and while many still not only owe money but 20 or 30k plus now you need to fork 5k over. Its not right. Its not necessary.