13 Cars That Are Financial Black Holes

While certain classic models have seen their prices skyrocket in recent years, most cars aren't great investments.

This is especially true if you buy a used luxury car. Those are known to be expensive to maintain and suffer severe depreciation, but even some cheaper models can be terrible purchases.

We have scoured reputable websites such as ConsumerReports, RepairPal, Kelly Blue Book, CarEdge, Edmunds, CarSurvey, NHTSA, and IIHS, as well as owners' forums to compile this list of cars that can be financial black holes.

Mazda RX-8

Mazda's RX-8 looks great and sounds incredible when you fire up that rotary engine — especially if it has an aftermarket exhaust. Unfortunately, the engine is also the main problem.

It drinks fuel, chugs oil, and eats its own apex seals. Low-mileage examples are available for $10,000, but once you consider that it'll need a full engine rebuild every 50,000 miles, they're not really cheap at all. If you're a decent mechanic and can fix it yourself, it may be worth it, but if you have to pay someone, there are better and more reliable cars out there.

Jeep Wrangler

There aren't many vehicles that can keep up with the Jeep Wrangler off the beaten path. Wrangler ownership comes with its own headaches, though, and some of the issues are severe.

The infamous Death Wobble is one of the best-known Jeep Wrangler issues, but owners have also complained about engine problems, electrical issues, and transmission failure. You should definitely steer clear of the 2012-year model, as it has very low-reliability ratings.

Aston Martin DB7

While it's possible to buy an Aston Martin DB7 for less than the price of a Prius, that doesn't make it a good idea. It's a great-looking car, and since it's often considered the car that saved Aston Martin, it's fair to say it's an important piece of automotive history.

However, it's a piece of history that belongs in a museum, as owning one is almost guaranteed to make you pull your hair out. Aston Martin was owned by Ford when the DB7 was launched, and they built it on a shoestring budget. What you'll get for your hard-earned cash is components from the Ford parts bin and endless problems in the form of steering issues, electrical gremlins, vibrations, water leaks, cracked exhaust headers, and warped brake discs.

R56 Mini Cooper

We love the Mini Cooper, and it actually hurts a little to put it on this list, but the harsh truth is that it's known to have more than its fair share of problems. While all the Mini's generations have issues, the second generation, or R56, is by far the most troublesome.

It suffers from various engine problems, such as coking of the inlet valves, coil pack failure, and high-pressure fuel pump failure. However, their biggest problem is the timing chain and chain tensioner failure, “affectionately” called the “death rattle.” These Minis are affordable on the used market, but several owners have reported spending thousands per year to keep them running.

Fiat 500X

Fiat's little 500 is another retro-styled icon, but this time from Italy. Like the British, the Italians are known to build fun and stylish cars that aren't particularly reliable. The regular Fiat 500 is bad enough, but it makes up for some of its shortcomings by being fun to drive and well-suited for city use. Then there's the 500X subcompact crossover version…

We think it's best avoided — and judging by its poor sales, that's exactly what people did. Right now, over 250 complaints are registered at CarComplaints, and JD Power gave the 2014 Fiat 500L a two out of five reliability score. That's the lowest possible score and the worst of its segment.

Maserati Quattroporte

There's no denying that Maserati builds some highly desirable cars, but cars from the Italian brand also suffer from the worst depreciation in the entire auto industry. According to Business Insider, the Maserati Quattroporte will lose 72.2% of its value in just three years.

Buying any Maserati will drain your bank account, as these Italian exotics come with every stereotypical problem that has made Italian cars so infamous. Electrical gremlins, engine problems, brake failure, and steering issues are all part of the experience, and Maserati parts aren't cheap, either. That's precisely why they depreciate so much.

C5 Audi RS6

Audi's RS models are worth looking into if you're in the market for a fast and practical car. That said, we recommend that you avoid the C5 Audi RS6 Avant. Yes, it's the cheapest way to become an Audi RS owner, but there's a reason why these cars are affordable.

Maintenance costs a small fortune, and the C5 RS6 suffers from various known faults and issues. One owner says the whole engine had to come out to replace an O2 sensor.

E63 BMW M6

Car enthusiasts and journalists loved the E63 BMW M6 when the Bavarians launched it in 2005. That love affair didn't last very long, though. Severe engine reliability issues completely ruined what could've been one of the greatest M cars ever.

It had the S85 V10 engine producing 500+ horsepwoer, and as awesome as it sounds — both on paper and when you floor the throttle — it will bankrupt you in no time. The V10 suffers from issues with the rod bearings, valve cover gasket oil leaks, and throttle actuators, and they all cost thousands to fix. It doesn't end there, though, as the M6 is no stranger to transmission failure and other problems.

E60 BMW M5

Ever since it emerged in the 1980s, the BMW M5 has been among the best sports sedans money can buy. Much like the M6 mentioned above, the E60 M5 initially looked great. Once again, the infamous V10 engine shattered the illusion.

When it works, the BMW V10 unit is absolutely amazing, but unfortunately, it also enjoys eating its own rod bearings. Rod bearing failure isn't just a potential problem; it's guaranteed to happen! The E60 M5 also suffers from all the same issues as the M6, and while they're cheap to buy, ownership costs are through the roof.

1995-2005 Cadillacs With 4.6-Liter Northstar Engine

In 1992, Cadillac introduced the 4.6-liter Northstar V8 engine, which remained in production until the mid-2000s. During this period, the American luxury carmaker used it in several models, including the XLR, Seville, Eldorado, and DeVille — you should avoid them all!

It is notorious for developing oil leaks that are nigh-on impossible to fix. In order to keep the car running, owners will have to keep throwing money at it. In fact, it's so bad that some mechanics jokingly refer to it as Deathstar, as it's essentially a ticking time bomb and destroys any car it's used in.

Jaguar XK

There's no denying that Jaguar builds some seriously stylish and desirable cars, and that's also the case with the aggressive–looking XK. The good news is that it's much cheaper today than when it first hit the market. As tempting as it may be to buy one of these sporty and luxurious beasts, we strongly advise against it.

Under its hood, the Jag XK has a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine that's known to be troublesome. It also suffers from electrical issues, and some owners have complained about brake failure and a sticking throttle. Being a Jag, it won't be cheap to fix, either.

Saturn Sky

Several GM brands were suffering in the early 2000s. Saturn was one of them, as the carmaker was nearly bankrupt. In a desperate Hail Mary attempt to boost sales, management decided to build a sports car for the masses. We can't think of many times that formula has worked for a car manufacturer, but at least we ended up with the Saturn Sky.

In all fairness, Saturn got some things right with the Sky. It certainly lived up to its promise as a fun sports car for the regular Joe. That said, it was affordable because it was developed on a strict budget, which meant a lot of corner-cutting. The Saturn Sky is unrefined and unreliable. Granted, fixing its issues usually doesn't cost a fortune, but it'll nickel and dime you into poverty over time.

2024 Ram 1500

A brand-new Ram 1500 can be bought for as little as $38,000, which seems like an excellent deal at first glance. It's a competent work truck that can also tackle some off-road adventures, so what could go wrong?

Well, according to CarEdge, the ownership costs for a Ram 1500 are just over $47,000 for the first five years. They also estimate that it will depreciate nearly $18,000 during that time, and there's also a 54.8% chance that it'll require major repairs during the first 10 years.