A car salesman dubbing himself “the king of cars” has released a list of five brands to avoid—and some of what he says may surprise you.
After touting his credentials in a TikTok video that’s received more than 2.3 million views since going up on Saturday, creator Rick Dyer (@officialrickthecarguy) shared his list of five makes or models to avoid. He asserts, to kick off the list, “These vehicles are not in order because they’re all crap vehicles.”
He starts with the Chevy Cruze, adding, “The Chevy Cruze after 2018 is a-OK; before 2018, big, big problems stay away.”
He notes, of that one, “Stay away from that vehicle if you don’t know how to maintain a vehicle,” and to be wary of the water pump going out.
Also on his list? The Ford Focus. “Oh my goodness, I don’t know what it is about a Focus,” he comments, “but every Focus I get into, the dash shakes. But that’s not the big problem. The big problem is the transmission is tee-total junk.”
He was also critical of the Dodge Journey, contending, “The transmission is absolutely awful and it will break down on you.” He also pointed out there’s a timing issue with the motor that creates similar issues.
“Basically any four-cylinder Kia or Hyundai” gets what he dubbed the no. 2 spot on his list. He remarks, “Engines are readily available at the Kia dealership but because of that reason.”
His No. 1 car to avoid? Nissan, largely because of its CVT system. “Anything with a CVT transmission is absolutely positively junk,” he contends. “From the Milano to the Nissan Juke to the Versa, stay away from every single one.”
@officialrickthecarguy #foryou #foryourpage #usedcars #foryouviral #RickDyer #carguysbelike #thecarguy ♬ original sound – RickTheCarGuy
An article on carparts.com, “Why the Nissan CVT Is Quite Possibly the Worst Transmission Ever Built,” goes into the issue.
“In theory, CVTs are great because they provide a continuous, smooth transition of power for increased fuel economy. But Nissan’s CVTs are also known for failing early on, which is why they’re the subject of many lawsuits,” the article reads. “The transmissions are notorious for shuddering, making strange noises, overheating—and forcing the vehicle into a ‘limp’ mode.”
It then adds, “Some would argue that Nissan’s CVTs are the worst transmissions ever built.”
But not everyone agreed with Dyer.
For one, an offhand comment he made in the Nissan section of the video, where he claimed that Hondas aren’t that reliable, harpooned his credibility.
“Wrong about Honda buddy,” that person said.
“I was with YOU! UNTIL YOU SAID A HONDA WASNT RELIABLE! Because I STRONGLY DISAGREE!” another wrote.
Others chimed in about cars on the list, touting their reliability.
“My little 2008 Ford Focus might rattle in her dash, but she’s got 290k miles on her and never had anything go out,” one driver claimed.
And another remarked, “I own a Nissan Rogue with 298K cvt trans. Still running like new.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Dyer via email.