Industry legend Doug DeMuro recently discussed five appealing cars that he loves but refuses to buy because their unreliability makes them too "scary" or impractical to own.
The 5 Cars Doug Won't Buy
BMW M5 (E60): Doug loves the idea of a V10-powered sedan with a manual transmission, but he describes it as a car where the automaker "made their customers do their test driving." Even with expensive "bulletproofing" of the engine, he feels they remain too problematic for a car intended to carry a family.
Jeep Grand Cherokee (Newest Generation): While he considers the new Grand Cherokee a fantastic vehicle with a great interior and tech, he simply doesn't trust Stellantis's recent reliability record. He ultimately chose a Toyota Sequoia over it because he needed a family SUV that he could guarantee would start every time.
Mazda RX8: Doug adores how this car drives, calling it one of the best-balanced sports cars for the price. However, the specialized maintenance required for the rotary engine is a dealbreaker. He notes that swapping the engine would ruin the car's best attribute: the smooth power delivery of the rotary.
Range Rover (as a Daily Driver): Despite having owned four Land Rovers in the past, Doug won't use a modern Range Rover as a daily driver. He mentions that despite the high-quality look, the technology and infotainment systems remain notoriously buggy, which is unacceptable for a primary vehicle.
Rolls-Royce & Bentley (Older Models): He specifically highlights models like the Bentley Arnage T and Continental GT, explaining that they are amazing when new but do not age well; you either get "killed" by massive depreciation on newer ones or by astronomical maintenance and electrical issues on older, cheaper ones.
The "Maybe" Car
Lotus Esprit (V8 Turbo) This is the only car on the list he might actually buy. While it is notoriously unreliable and difficult to service, Doug finds the "flat front wedge" styling and mid-engine V8 experience so compelling that he might be willing to overlook its flaws since it doesn't need to be a practical family car.
Thanks for reading everybody!
-Paul