These used cars show that not every cheap buy is a bargain buy.

A cheap mode of transportation is something many would appreciate. Getting around has turned out to be hard, especially if you are from a smaller town, due to the terrible public transport options and extreme weather conditions in the United States. This is where cheap used cars make quite a lot of sense. Even though there are enough examples on Craigslist and eBay, you also need to be wary of many of these choices due to the extreme unreliability and difficulty in maintaining them.

For a price of under $5,000, you are going to see a lot of clean low mileage examples which would look enticing, especially when compared to the high-mileage Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla offered at the same price. However, there are quite a few used cars from some of the reputed brands that you should never touch with a barge pole. Here are the 10 worst choices in the used car segment from Autotempest that you should never get even if they are offered for free.

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The third-generation Nissan Altima scores highly in the comfort and luxury front, especially when compared to the previous generation. However, the reliability factor went down considerably due to common engine issues, making it a terrible choice for those who are looking for a cheap mode of transportation.

The 2.5-liter QR25DET naturally aspirated inline-4 engine with the aluminum head and block was famous for its head gasket failure at low miles. Once that happens, they are quite expensive to fix and many owners would often junk the car as the cost of repair would be higher than the cost of the car. The mediocre interior quality, paint problems, and electrical gremlins were very common too.

The sixth generation of Nissan Maxima is a very problematic full-size sedan. Coming with the 3.5-liter VQ35DE naturally aspirated V6 engine mated to a CVT automatic transmission, the engine and transmission were very unreliable. This also meant that the repair costs would often run into thousands of dollars.

The Maxima managed to churn out a respectable 265 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque, and the fuel efficiency rating of 18 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highways is decent. Even then, the issues with the timing chain guides, CVT transmission, and electrical gremlins make the Maxima a choice that is hard to recommend.

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If you expected to see no Honda on this list, you would be mistaken. The second generation of the Honda Odyssey which was on sale from 1999 to 2004 was notorious for its torque converter failure. When the problem arises, which happens very commonly and at low miles, you are going to see the bill run more than the buying price of this minivan.

Apart from this major issue, the second-generation Honda Odyssey is a nearly perfect family hauler. The 210 hp and 229 lb-ft of torque-producing V6 engine offer decent acceleration and the cabin is versatile and spacious. You also get a highway gas mileage of 23 MPG. The cheap price tag of $2,000 makes it a very enticing purchase too. However, we would highly recommend you skip this Honda.

Chrysler, in the '90s and early 2000s, made quite a lot of terrible cars, and the Chrysler PT Cruiser could easily top the chart. This 5-door hatchback is one of the least desirable offerings from the Chrysler stable. The 2-door convertible version was even worse. The weak engine and transmission meant that the acceleration was mediocre, too.

The engine was quite troublesome with the head gasket being quite problematic. Usually, these cars are also not well cared for as they are often owned by first-time car buyers or college students after their sale from the initial owners. As a result, getting a clean example is going to be quite hard as well. Many owners also reported problems with electronics, power steering, and regular wireless control module failure.

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The GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, and Buick Enclave are all based on the same platform and are some of the terrible cars to ever hit the American market from General Motors. Many owners of these vehicles have reported multiple failures and issues in short ownership duration, and that's why we would recommend you steer clear of them.

The 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine is famous for timing chain issues and the 6-speed automatic transmission is a common failure point of these vehicles. Electrical issues are very common too, along with the constant HVAC system failure.

If there is one modern compact SUV all the mechanics would recommend you to never buy, it is going to be the first-generation Chevrolet Equinox. The horrible 3.6-liter V6 that also came in the GMC Acadia came in the Equinox, and that is a good enough reason to skip it without further thought.

The fragile transmission means that the owners would have to rebuild them every once in a while. They are quite expensive to repair and would be even pricier than a used Equinox pricing. Other issues include power steering failure, electrical issues, air conditioning issues, and rust.

Even though the third-generation Subaru Outback scores highly in performance, off-road ability, and versatility, we would recommend you never look out for one. The 2.5-liter SOHC Boxer-4 engine which puts out 165 hp was quite synonymous with its head gasket failure. This happens even when the car is under 100,000 miles and repairing it would even cost more than the current market value of the Outback.

Both the block and head of these engines are aluminum built, and this also contributes to more failures in the same Boxer-4 engine present in Outback, Legacy, and Forester of the time. Transmission failure is not very uncommon with the third-generation Outback, which is also going to be an expensive job. All of these mean that you should not get lured by the low price of the Subaru Outback in the used car market.

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One car that you should steer clear of is the Jeep Patriot. Considered by many as one of the worst Jeeps ever made, the Patriot is not going to last at least a couple of years if you get one, mainly due to many mechanical, electrical, and quality control issues. The Jatco CVT automatic is terrible in all regards too.

The weak engine came mated to the CVT transmission, and the performance is highly lethargic. Sunroof getting clogged, exhaust manifold problems, and rust were common issues. These aren't very cheap fixes, and you are going to see the expensive repairs creeping up as the days go by.

This is one of those cars where the mechanicals isn't the biggest culprit that makes it a terrible purchase in the used car market. The 4.2-liter naturally aspirated inline-6 engine puts out 291 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque, and the performance and reliability of this engine are pretty decent. The 4-speed automatic and the RWD drivetrain are alright too.

However, the biggest issue with the first-generation Trailblazer is the cheap interior quality. You would find the interior to look very run down as they never hold up over time. Dash cracks and seat tears are common. Along with that, the HVAC actuator is quite problematic and replacing it is going to be ridiculously expensive.

The Kia Optima of this timeframe came with the 2.4-liter Beta II naturally aspirated inline-4 engine that was notorious for connecting rod knock and cylinder block cracking even with proper maintenance. This makes both the second-generation Kia Optima and the fifth-generation Hyundai Sonata a terrible choice for a used car buyer.

This generation of the Kia Optima was otherwise a decent car offering an adequate performance of 156 hp and 144 lb-ft of torque and an excellent combined gas mileage of 29 MPG. The cabin had many more standard features than the similarly priced Hondas and Toyotas and the cabin was pretty spacious too. The cheap starting price of $3,700 is hard to ignore as well. However, none of these qualities should attract you to this money pit.

Sources: autotempest, Edmunds, Classic.com, Hagerty

Mohith is our in-house motorcycle mechanic and automotive geek. He loves riding and driving at the limits, and you would frequently notice him on racetracks at the weekends. Mohith is someone who would redline anything that comes with a motor - even our office lawnmower. He often does cross-country road trips in his trusted 300ZX and you could find him riding his CB750 quite often through the streets of Pasadena as well as on the Moore Motorsports racetrack.