I'm a Mechanic: 4 High-Maintenance American-Made Cars That Will Drain Your Wallet
Read Next:
Explore More:
GOBankingRates spoke to Alan Gelfand, mechanic and owner of German Car Depot, who shared four American-made cars that cost many people thousands in repairs.
The Cadillac CTS is a luxury car on the outside, but under the hood, it's a different story. The 'CTS model experiences three main issues that raise its repair costs: timing chain problems, electrical system failures and transmission system issues,' Gelfand said
Most of these repairs could cost anywhere between $1,200 and $3,500-plus, depending on the nature of the problem. And since Cadillac is a luxury car, replacement parts and labor can be on the pricier side.
Check Out:
The 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee is another high-maintenance American-made car Gelfand has noticed.
'The Jeeps are notorious in the automotive repair world for having a plethora of issues,' Gelfand said. 'These Grand Cherokees in particular experience transmission failures together with electrical problems that affect the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) to trigger various electronic system breakdowns.'
The Ford Explorer's most expensive problem often comes from the water pump, located within the engine's timing cover. 'Since the pump is located inside the timing cover, it can cause severe engine damage,' Gelfand said.
The water pump issue, alongside transmission issues and power steering problems, can lead to pricey repairs between $1,500 and $5,000 in some cases.
High-performance vehicles like the Chevrolet Camaro SS and ZL1 trims deliver thrilling driving experiences, but this comes with a cost. These high-performance cars can experience accelerated wear due to the extreme stresses of a high-horsepower operation, even during normal driving conditions.
Frequent repairs include 'suspension overhauls, clutch replacements and cooling system issues,' with average repair bills ranging between $1,000 and $4,500-plus, Gelfand said.
More From GOBankingRates
Here's the Minimum Salary Required To Be Considered Upper Class in 2025
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I'm a Mechanic: 4 High-Maintenance American-Made Cars That Will Drain Your Wallet
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Drive
29 minutes ago
- The Drive
This Homemade EV Buggy Took on the Rubicon Trail and Won—Twice
The latest car news, reviews, and features. If you don't know by now, the Rubicon Trail is a chore. It tests even the most hardcore factory off-road trucks with giant boulders, tight pathways, and the occasional water crossing. You have to be brave to think you can build something from scratch to conquer the 22-miler—either that, or just plain ready to party. I'm not sure which category Nick Dey fits into, but he designed and fabricated this bespoke EV rock buggy in less than seven weeks before traversing the Rubicon the hard way. Emails and DMs flooded my inbox in the past couple of weeks telling me I should talk with Dey because he's too humble to make a big deal of it. I learned during a quick phone call that not only did he make something special, but he did it on a reasonable budget in practically no time at all. That's the perk of being an expert online shopper and a pro fabricator, as Dey co-owns 80% Off-Road with his pal John Graham. 'We had a weekend wheeling trip in Cougar Buttes near Johnson Valley, and I saw a buggy guy having way more fun than me,' Dey recalled. 'I called my metal supply, got a quote for the tubing, and it was 400 bucks or something. I was like, 'Okay, well, I guess we're doing this.'' Dey only worked on the build during nights and weekends. Still, within less than two months, it was running the Rubicon. Nick Dey Dey stressed that he never drew up anything in CAD; he just went for it. The buggy started with a seat on the floor, and Dey simply built around that. The result is a roughly 1,400-pound buggy that uses three 48-volt batteries that he bought off Amazon, an HPEVS AC-20 motor that was listed on eBay, and, interestingly, a T90 three-speed manual transmission from a flatfender Jeep (more on that in a bit). The buggy uses Samurai axles and 35-inch UTV tires to prove not everybody needs one-tons and 40s. Inside those stick axles are 4.57 gears and lockers, which work in concert with the aforementioned transmission to net some serious gear reduction. Dey tells me the electric motor only makes 30 horsepower or so, but thanks to the three-speed gearbox and two-speed transfer case, he's able to eek out every ounce of twist. That's the key to using a small battery pack and compact electric motor. 'Before, it was just a two-speed, so high and low. Then I added the three-speed manual transmission, so essentially, it's a six-speed now.' — Nick Dey And it is compact, too. Dey likened the motor to a fire extinguisher that weighs about 60 pounds. The unit's diameter is a skosh under 7 inches, while it measures 11.35 inches long. He positioned it under the floor, near the front of the rig, showing just how big the packaging benefit is when you go electric. 'You can really control your weight distribution,' he added. 'It made it a lot easier not having to build around a small-block [V8] or something.' As for suspension, the buggy runs a three-link front setup and a four-link rear. Ian Lane-Lohse at Wheel Every Weekend valved the Fox 2.0×8.5-inch air shocks, which Dey picked for their affordability. None of it is particularly complex, though it is purpose-built and effective. The same can be said of the entire machine, really. That's a 3,000-pound Smittybuilt XR3K winch on the back. Nick Dey Dey estimates that he put approximately $10,000 in the whole thing, of which about half came from the EV components. While he notes that electric powertrains aren't 'super cheap,' this build is like 'a drop in the bucket' compared to the Jeeps and whatnot he's owned in the past. Plus, it'll run the entire Rubicon without any fast-charger woes: 'I just plug it into the wall for eight to 10 hours and it's good to go.' From a napkin drawing to a roller in two weeks and wheeling the Rubicon in seven, the buggy is 'really close to its final form,' Dey told me. It doesn't need to be anything more than it is because it already slays trails in its current form. Dey lives in SoCal, so he can trailer it wherever he wants, wheel it for the day, and drag it back home to plug in for the next trip. I'm not sure what else you could want from a homebuilt crawler. Ian Lane-Lohse Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The Lamborghini Fenomeno in Photos
More from Robb Report 'It Needs Cinematic Drama': Lamborghini's Design Director on the 1,065 HP Fenomeno The Lucid Gravity X Reimagines the Electric SUV as an All-Terrain Beast Cadillac's Elevated Velocity Concept Wants to Take the Performance SUV to New Heights Best of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article. The Lamborghini Fenomeno, the marque's most powerful V-12 model to date. 'We give adrenaline a shape,' says Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini's design director, regarding the Fenomeno. Though the interior roughly mimics the Revuelto's cockpit, it adds a few delightfully, and absurdly, sinister elements. The new hard-shell racing seats have a retro-modern styling and feature strategically placed pads. The Fenomeno's airflow management allows for an improvement of 30 percent in both aero load and cooling compared to that of the Revuelto. The Fenomeno's widened and lengthened body—when compared to the Revuelto—has been designed in a very graphical way, with fewer lines, broad shoulders and surfaces, a long tail, and a peaky front. The car is claimed to cover zero to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 217 mph. Only 29 examples are being built for Lamborghini's most valued customers, along with one more for the automaker's museum. Each Fenomeno starts at $3.5 million.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Cadillac's Elevated Velocity Concept Wants to Take the Performance SUV to New Heights
Cadillac is looking to put its best foot forward during Monterey Car Week. The Detroit giant has just pulled back the curtain on a dazzling new concept called the Elevated Velocity. The high-riding, desert-inspired EV is meant to offer up a potential glimpse of the marque's future performance SUVs. More from Robb Report The Last Ferrari Daytona SP3 Just Sold for $26 Million Ralph Lauren Unveils the U.S. Team Uniforms for the Ryder Cup and an Accompanying Collection Meet 'Al Reem,' the New 263-Foot Superyacht That's Exploring the Mediterranean The Elevated Velocity is the crossover version of last year's Opulent Velocity prototype. Both EVs are informed by the adrenaline-seeking lifestyle and share a general profile with the battery-powered Lyriq and Optiq. That's as far as the similarities to those production models go, though. The Velocities are much sleeker vehicles, showcasing smoother lines, a stretched-out nose with a simplified trapezoidal 'grille,' and a more dramatic roofline. The main difference between the two show cars is that the Vapor Blue Elevated Velocity has a significantly boosted ride height, which, besides living up to its name, allows it to better take advantage of its 24-inch wheels. The concept's gull-wing doors open to reveal a spacious (and streamlined) cabin with a 2+2 seating configuration. The elegant seats, door panels, and headliner are all done up in Red Morrello Nappa leather, while nearly every other surface, besides the brushed metal accents, is covered in Garnet red boucle fabric. Cadillac hasn't provided dimensions for the interior, but the trunk has room for a color-matching, hand-crafted polo set. The Elevated Velocity's announcement is short on technical details, but we do know that it is a running show car. The EV, which is said to embody 'Cadillac's V-Series performance,' does feature several selectable modes meant to improve the driving experience, though. These include 'e-Velocity Mode,' which is tailored for intense on-road driving, and 'Terra Mode,' which activates the vehicle's air suspension to ensure a smooth ride even over rough terrain. There's also a 'Sand Vision' feature that will allow for better visibility in a sandstorm. So, will either the Elevated or Opulent Velocities prototypes ever go into production? Cadillac hasn't said one way or the other, but the hand-built Celestiq started as a concept and that's now beginning to roll off the line. But even if the Elevated Velocity isn't bound for the road, those at this year's Monterey Car Week will get the chance to see the SUV in the metal. The EV will be on display at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, on Friday, August of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.