Engineer dad’s viral car buying advice includes one brand to avoid at all costs

Navigating the complex landscape of car purchasing can be a daunting endeavor, fraught with significant financial implications and the promise of long-term ownership. In a world where consumers often grapple with a deluge of marketing and conflicting information, unbiased expert advice is a highly coveted commodity. Recently, a viral thread on X (formerly Twitter) offered just that, as a user known as “StripMallGuy” shared invaluable insights from his mechanical engineer father, providing a refreshing perspective on vehicle reliability and brand performance, specifically highlighting one brand to avoid at all costs while championing others for their unwavering dependability.

The source of this highly sought-after automotive wisdom is a self-confessed “incredibly gifted mechanical engineer” with a lifelong obsession for dissecting the reliability of various car makes and models. This deep-seated expertise, honed over years of rigorous study, imbues his counsel with a level of authority rarely found in casual online discourse. StripMallGuy’s decision to share his father’s candid assessments was met with an overwhelming response, garnering millions of views and an influx of requests from eager users seeking guidance on their own car buying journeys. The engineer’s methodical approach to problem-solving, even if his specific industrial challenges remained obscure to his son, proved directly transferable to discerning automotive longevity, resonating deeply with a public hungry for genuine, data-backed insights.

When it comes to brands to steer clear of, the engineer’s most emphatic warning was reserved for Land Rover, bluntly labeling it “the worst troublesome car money can buy.” This strong admonition extended to other luxury European brands as well, albeit with nuanced distinctions. Mercedes vehicles were deemed less reliable and significantly more expensive to maintain, with upkeep costs reportedly four times higher than more recommended options. Audi SUVs fared even worse, described as “far inferior than Lexus,” with a stark prediction that while a Lexus might boast a decade or 100,000 miles of zero failures, an Audi could expect breakdowns within just two years. Porsche SUVs, while offering a similar reliability profile to Audi, compounded the issue with even higher repair expenses, cementing their position as potentially problematic luxury investments.

Beyond the premium segment, the mechanical engineer offered critical assessments of several other popular vehicle lines. The Volvo XC90, for instance, was relegated to a “lower league” due to its transverse front-wheel-drive engine, drawing unfavorable comparisons to less aspirational models like the Volkswagen Atlas and Chevy Equinox, underscoring that it is “not your grandfather’s undestructible Volvo 144.” Newer Subaru models also faced scrutiny, specifically for their adoption of the “troublesome CVT transmission,” a component known to plague owners with issues ranging from stalling to fluid leaks. As for Jeep, the engineer encapsulated his concerns with a concise and pointed Elvis Presley quote: “If you are looking for troubles, you came to the right place,” a clear indicator of their perceived unreliability.

Conversely, for those seeking robust and reliable SUVs, the engineer’s top recommendations centered squarely on Toyota and Lexus. His prime choice was a slightly used Toyota 4Runner with a V6 engine, emphasizing its proven durability over the newer, smaller 4-cylinder turbo engine introduced in 2025 models. For a more luxurious, yet equally reliable, alternative, he recommended a slightly used Lexus GX equipped with a V8 engine, again highlighting a preference for the older, more dependable powertrain over the newer V6 turbo versions. These recommendations underscore a fundamental principle: proven engineering and historical reliability often outweigh the appeal of contemporary updates that may compromise long-term dependability and higher maintenance costs.

Looking ahead, the engineer also weighed in on the burgeoning electric vehicle market, expressing a pragmatic optimism. He acknowledged that “electric cars are getting there” and predicted they “should eventually be more reliable than IC cars,” attributing this potential to fewer moving parts. However, he tempered this enthusiasm with current concerns regarding battery life, the high upfront cost of electric vehicles, and their considerable weight. This forward-looking perspective demonstrates a holistic understanding of automotive engineering, balancing current practicalities with future technological advancements.

This viral thread serves as a powerful reminder that informed decisions, especially in the realm of high-value purchases like automobiles, benefit immensely from the insights of true experts. By prioritizing long-term reliability and lower ownership costs over brand prestige or fleeting trends, consumers can make more strategic choices. The engineer dad’s advice, now a viral sensation, offers a critical lens through which to evaluate automotive reliability, guiding countless individuals toward more dependable vehicles and potentially saving them significant financial headaches in the long run.