Not all makes and models are created equal, and the people who work on them have strong opinions.
Unless you are mechanically inclined enough to keep your cars in tip-top shape by your lonesome, you’ll have to rely on a mechanic for maintenance or repairs at some point. Of course, mechanics are people, and they have professionally developed opinions about car brands and working on specific types of vehicles.
Many mechanics dislike working on Nissans and needlessly complicated European models from brands like Volvo
“For me, anything European.” That’s what one professional gearhead had to say about their least favorite vehicles to work on, maintain, and repair. Frankly, that opinion is a bit of a popular one.
Men’s Journal recently shared a social media video detailing the opinions of mechanics at a full-service body shop in Colorado. “A Subaru’s not my most hated car, but a Volkswagen definitely is,” said one frustrated employee. It’s not just the European marques, either. “I would say foreign vehicles are a nightmare,” one professional tech generalized about anything without a domestic badge.
Taking the hate away from a general dislike for European models, users on the popular Reddit lounge, r/mechanics, dissed Nissan. “F— Nissan,” one user suggested on the topic of their least favorite vehicles to service. When one Reddit user asked why, another responded with “Because they suck to work on and they have a lot of things you can’t do without having dealer software. Personally, I have hated working on them since the 90s.”
Of course, there are mechanics out there with more specific gripes. For instance, one professional complained about their personal Audi, citing an avalanche of electrical issues. Another pro-BMW Reddit user echoed the complaint, saying, “Audis are the worst to work on.”
Sure, a wrenching pro may not want to work on your Nissan, MG, or BMW. But there is almost always someone willing to do so. Before you buy a foreign car, especially a niche, luxury, or classic model, it’s important to ensure you have access to specialists and knowledgeable professionals. It’s especially important if you aren’t up to the task of repairs and maintenance yourself.
