With an exhortation to “stop buying these damn cars,” a self-styled car expert has claimed that a group of cars he’s assembled in a list won’t reach the 100,000-mile milestone.
The video walking through the list comes from creator Bev (@bevurly), posted to TikTok on May 29 and generated more than 2.3 million views since going up.
First up on his list is the Nissan Versa. He says, “When I say there will be transmission failure, it’s almost guaranteed. The CVT transmission in these; they might as well be made of papier mâché. It’s horrible; they make these cars cheap. Don’t buy ’em.”
That contrasts a bit with Car and Driver‘s review, giving the 2024 edition an 8 out of 10 overall and noting, “Its handsome styling, fuel-efficient powertrain, and value-focused features make it stand out among pint-sized sedans—and earned it a place on our 2024 Editors’ Choice list.”
He then singles out the Mitsubishi Mirage, noting, “Another really cheap car, very, very, very, very low initial cost, but you will very very, very quickly make up the cost when it’s in the shop 24/7.”
This time, Car and Driver seems to align with Bev, giving the 2024 edition of the Mirage a 2.5 out of 10. “Much as a mirage taunts the dehydrated desert wanderer, the Mirage teases consumers in search of a reasonably well-equipped new vehicle on a budget,” the review says, having fun with the name. “Unfortunately, it’s like discovering that the desert oasis out in the distance is indeed mere heat waves; the Mirage looks like a great deal from afar but its value quickly vaporizes upon closer inspection.”
Next on Bev’s list is the Kia Optima; Car and Driver gives the 2024 version a solid 8 out of 10, but Bev counters the magazine’s assessment that the Optima’s engine is serviceable.
“The 2.4 liter that came in these,” Bev starts, “it’s honestly impressive how bad they are. And should have the motor last 100,000 miles, good luck with the thieves.” Of course, here, Bev is referencing reports about theft issues with Kia and Hyundai that were so rampant that they spawned a pair of class-action lawsuits.
Fourth on Bev’s list is the Chrysler 300. He calls it the “poor man’s Rolls Royce,” before adding, “They forgot to mention that it will make you poor as well. These things are extremely unreliable I do not see many of them passing 100,000 miles.”
@bevurly 5 Cars That Wont Make It To 100k Miles! #cars ♬ original sound – Bev
It’s notable that Car and Driver gave the 2023 model a 6 out of 10—and also notable that that year’s edition was the last for what the magazine called “the geriatric Chrysler sedan.”
Finally, Bev’s final entrant is a whole make of car, Maserati, with the sweeping condemnation, “They all suck.”
A Hot Cars article backed that notion, stating “Maseratis truly are some of the least reliable cars one could ever buy” and citing a study from ReliabilityIndex dubbing it 40th out of 40 brands.
Commenters weigh in
“Me with my Nissan Versa,” one fretted in a comment.
Another reassured that commenter, writing, “I’m about to hit 200k miles on my 07 Versa. I promise your fine if you keep up with maintenance.”
Someone else, repping Kia, bragged, “Me with my 200k+ kia optima.”
That led someone to crack, “Yeah but you’ve put 3 engines into it.”
Another, claiming misfortune, said, “You’re right about the Kia Optima. Got the engine replaced because of a recall. A year later, it got stolen.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Bev via TikTok direct message and to Nissan, Mitsubishi, Kia, Chrysler, and Maserati via email.
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