People are always looking to cut costs, and cars make up a good chunk of Americans’ expenses. To ensure people adhere to their budget, a car expert on TikTok is warning that people should stay away from these five cars, saying they are the cars that will bankrupt you if you buy one: the Jeep Compass, Ford Escape, Ford F-250, Range Rovers, and the BMW 7 series.
TikTok creator Bev (@bevurly) shared the advice in a recent video titled “5 Cars That Will Bankrupt You,” to his nearly 90,000 followers. “You will stay in the mechanic shop,” he warns. His video was viewed more than 1 million times.
Jeep Compass
When it comes to the Jeep Compasses, Bev warns viewers not to be fooled by the cheap price tag.
“Don’t fall for the price tag, because that’ll be the initial cost to the biggest and worst investment of your life,” he says in the video. “I know they’re cheap. I know. But do not buy them.”
One can get a 2024 Jeep Compass for a fairly good price. Consumer reports states that they start at $24,000 (the average cost of a new car in 2024 is $47,000, according to Car Edge). But according to Car Edge, the average cost of owning a Jeep Compass for five years is $30,654. Car Edge gives the car a value rating of C+.
Ford Escape
For Ford vehicles, Bev focuses on the Ford Escape, a modest-size SUV, as well as Ford’s F-250, an intimidating truck. He refers to the Ford Escape as another “cheap and intriguing car.”
While Bev says the Ford Escape “is probably the worst Ford vehicle ever made” and warns consumers to avoid it, RepairPal actually gives it an above-average reliability rating for a compact SUV. “The Ford Escape Reliability Rating is 4.0 out of 5.0, which ranks it 16th out of 26 for compact SUVs,” RepairPal states.
It also reportedly has an average annual repair cost at $600.
Ford F-250
“This one might actually make you bankrupt,” Bev says of Ford’s F-250. Bev claims the motor for Ford’s F-250 trucks could cost a person up to $10,000. He says owners will fork out all that cash just to “make it kind of reliable.”
RepairPal gives this truck a reliability rating of two out of five, which is below average. The cost of repairs on this truck is also reportedly higher than average.
Land Rover Range Rover
Another car mentioned was Land Rover’s Range Rover, particularly second-hand ones people may purchase. His accusation is that maintenance bills could cost someone a fortune.
Even for a new Range Rover, the maintenance of the vehicle is costly. According to RepairPal, they cost an average of $1,258 in maintenance, which is almost double the cost of maintenance for the average car. “Repairs are more frequent and more [likely] to be severe than the average car, which means you can expect more major repairs for the Range Rover,” RepairPal notes. Like the Ford F-250, the outlet also gives the Range Rover a reliability rating of two out of five.
BMW 7 series
And lastly, he mentions the BMW 7 series. The newest model in this series can cost at least $96,000 if it’s brand new, according to Edmunds and Consumer Reports.
While the reliability of the models vary, the newest model in this series gets an average reliability score by U.S. News & World Report. There are also no safety recalls on the 2024 model so far.
@bevurly 5 Cars That Will Bankrupt You! #cars ♬ original sound – Bev
The Daily Dot reached out to each of the car brands via email for their responses to the claims. We reached out to Bev via TikTok comment for follow-up questions.
According to GOBanking Rates, some of the top affordable car brands include Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and Mitsubishi.
Viewers gave mixed responses to Bev’s video. Largely, it depended on a consumer’s personal experience with their car if they would be opposed to purchasing the cars mentioned in the video.
“Well my Ford Escape is awesome,” user @dafsman said. “Running perfect since 2019. No mechanic visit, all I do is change required fluids.”
“Owned three Escapes,” user Wayne Jason said. “The latest [is] a 2021. It’s been amazing and dependable.”
Some viewers gave their recommendations and common brands seemed to be the general favorite.
“Buy a MAZDA, TOYOTA OR HONDA,” user @skidog740 said.
“Toyota and Honda gang checking in,” @honestpersonalfinance said.
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