Worst Equipment you ever owned

[jpr62902]

My Sears lawn tractor followed by my Sears water softener. Oh, yeah -- Sears customer service is awful, too. I understand some people have had success with some Sears products, but I've only had frustration with them.

 

[sneaky_pete]

Dodge Dart station wagon bought new; went through three transmissions in less than five years before my sister put it out of its misery. To this day, I wouldn't have a Chrysler product if it was given to me.

Pete

 

[graybeard451]

I bought my first new car, a 1981 Buick Skylark. My wife was driving almost 50 miles a day round trip and was so proud to put her in a new safe car. Right away the paint started flaking off in big sheets. They repainted the POS twice and some spots even more. The powersteering didn't work until the car warmed up. Sometimes the brakes would only work on one wheel, but it was never the same wheel. She would drive it to the dealer, which was near her work then get someone from her work to take her the last couple of miles. At the end of the day she had to reverse the process to get home. Somedays it wouldn't start. Somehow she got it to 50,000 miles, the front end was shot, the exhaust was hanging on with coat hangers and we lost money trading it in on a car that worked. She then got a Mazda 626 that she drove for 150,000 miles with nothing more than oil changes, tires and maybe one set of brakes.

 

[BRIGUY]

We had a new guy working with us on a piece of equipment. So we sent him down to the shop (where a couple of the other guys were working) to get a mechanics punch. He came back rubbing his very red arm.

 

[anthonyk]

groan! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

anthony /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[California]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I bought my first new car, a 1981 Buick Skylark. Right away the paint started flaking off in big sheets. They repainted the POS twice and some spots even more. The powersteering didn't work until the car warmed up. Sometimes the brakes would only work on one wheel, but it was never the same wheel. ... Somehow she got it to 50,000 miles ... -graybeard451 )</font>

Me too. My first new car was an '80 Chev Citation, essentially the same car in a lower trim level. It arrived new with five separate oil leaks and paint so transparent you could see pre-sale body damage repairs through it. The locking rear brakes and the surprise intermittent no-power-steering were scary. Obvious misalignment ate the tires. Requests for warranty repairs were ignored. "What's the problem - they all do that."

Mine didn't make it to 50 k miles. I sold it at 45 k, nearly undriveable with both a flat camshaft and a slipping clutch. After the cam went flat, top speed was 50mph then after the clutch started to slip it wouldn't even hold speed in 4th gear. The Coke bottle that an assembly worker had put in the quarter panel was still rattling around in there.

Sorry, you asked for something humorous if possible, but this was the most expensive thing I had ever paid cash for at that point in my life and it was blatant **** from the moment it arrived. I've never again bought anything made by GM after that disappointment.

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

In order (starting with worst)

1.) 1988 Chevy 1/2 ton pick-up. (Bandwidth limitqations prevent my going into full details) /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

2.) 1976 Case 222 "hydraulic drive" mower. suffice to say, not the fiest effort from Case. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

3.) My (first) HP computer..... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

4.) 1978 Chevy Camaro Z/28. (SATAN with 4 wheels) /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

5.) Ford 4000 Selecto-speed.... Only reason I owned it as long as I did was the delays in getting parts.... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

6.) My (second) HP computer /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

7.) Any cellphone with the word "Sprint" on it /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

I'll stop now before I "rate" everything I've ever owned... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Bird]

Pete, what year was that Dodge Dart? I had good luck with two 1964 Darts, then traded the last one for a brand new 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 that was probably the worst lemon ever to go down an assembly line. So kind of like you and Chrysler, I wouldn't own a Ford product for 25 years, but now I'm back to driving nothing but Fords since '92. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[ByronBob]

Stihl chainsaw. Kept melting the gears inside of it. After several trips to the dealer and finding out it was an oil pump problem I couldn't fix because the model was made in Germany and parts were no longer available for it I put in in the trash.
So I bought a brand new one. Worked like the cats meow until I left the tailgate down one day and got home with it missing. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[TCowner]

I purchased a light McCulloch chain saw from JC Penny around 15 years ago. The saw would not run once it warmed up. After about 5 years of fighting it and multiple trips to the repair shop I gave up.

I went to the local Stihl dealer and purchased a new 026 saw. I went home and put on the heaviest pair of leather work gloves I could find. I retrieved the McCulloch saw from my shed and positioned my self on the concreted slab in front of my shed and proceeded to destroy the McCulloch by beating into the concrete.

Now I know what your saying. Your saying this guy is crazy and is in need of some anger management training. Perhaps so. But the joy I experienced destroying this piece of crap can't be described. I only wish I had the event on video tape so I could re-live it from time to time.

My Stihl 026 has never failed me and continues to run as well as the day I bought it.

 

[sneaky_pete]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Pete, what year was that Dodge Dart? I had good luck with two 1964 Darts, then traded the last one for a brand new 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 that was probably the worst lemon ever to go down an assembly line. So kind of like you and Chrysler, I wouldn't own a Ford product for 25 years, but now I'm back to driving nothing but Fords since '92. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif )</font>

1960, with a push-button automatic transmission.

I finished my Ford phase in the late 70's, and my GM phase about three years ago. Nothing wrong with Fords I had, they just didn't make anything big enough for my family that I wanted to drive at the time. The GM's were another story - had three different Suburbans. First one, bought used, was a good truck for a long time. The next two were both bought new and both started costing me big money from multiple failures right when the warranty ran out. I don't think I'm that hard to please or that demanding of my vehicles, and I maintain them well. We've got three Toyotas, a Nissan, and a VW in the family now.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

I guess I'd have to say a Black and Decker Professional series (Nowadays labled DeWalt, by the way) circular saw that did not have enough power to cut 3/4 inch plywood and made more noise then the second worst item which was a sears router that would slowly drop the bit as it warmed up because the collet was built right onto the armiture.

I know better now.

Cliff

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

I finally fixed it with my largest hammer.

The dog or the polisher? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[slowrev]

1966 Ford Fairlane 500 that was probably the worst lemon ever to go down an assembly line.
//
I am with you Bird on the Fords. I saw a brand new (removed) 500 the other day, watchout it is back /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
My wife comes from a (removed) only family. My FIL brags on his old truck with 200K on it, I asked him how many engines in it, with a low voice he says 3 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
If you enjoy working on vehicles by all means buy fords and you will be satisfied /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Ben

 

[mwood]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I retrieved the McCulloch saw from my shed and positioned my self on the concreted slab in front of my shed and proceeded to destroy the McCulloch by beating into the concrete.
)</font>

You had me laughing so hard!!! I'm thinking of the homelite POS string trimmer I bought a couple of years ago. Brought it home, put gas in it, checked it over and pulled the cord. Started up just fine, but the head was sitting about 30 ft away in the grass and all the string was unwound.

Turned off the trimmer, set it down on the gravel drive, retrieved the spool and proceeded to try to wind the line back on it. Hmm.... on one side was an arrow pointing in the direction to wind. On the other side was another arrow with the opposite direction... Put it back together. Pick up trimmer, pull cord. Figure it just started, should start again. Starts right up. At this point, I'm thinking I'm home free. Find some tall grass, hit the throttle and watch smoke come from the head. Let go of the throttle and reach to stop the engine. Head flys accross the yard again and the kill switch comes off in my hand. Wonderful. Pull the spark plug wire to shut it off.

Needless to say, I was at Lowe's bi%$hing up a storm. Let me trade it in on a new Husquavarna (sp?). It may not be top of the line but it works! Man... I would have liked to destroy that thing!

 

[LBrown59]

PowerKraft lawn tractor.

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 that was probably the worst lemon ever to go down an assembly line.
//
I am with you Bird on the Fords. I saw a brand new (removed) 500 the other day, watchout it is back /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
My wife comes from a (removed) only family. My FIL brags on his old truck with 200K on it, I asked him how many engines in it, with a low voice he says 3 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

<font color="red"> If you enjoy working on vehicles by all means buy fords and you will be satisfied /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif </font> )</font>

*********

<font color="red"> I could say the same about my PowerKraft LT.
Ben </font>

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( I retrieved the McCulloch saw from my shed and positioned my self on the concreted slab in front of my shed and proceeded to destroy the McCulloch by beating into the concrete.
)</font>

You had me laughing so hard!!! I'm thinking of the homelite POS string trimmer I bought a couple of years ago. Brought it home, put gas in it, checked it over and pulled the cord. Started up just fine, but the head was sitting about 30 ft away in the grass and all the string was unwound.

Turned off the trimmer, set it down on the gravel drive, retrieved the spool and proceeded to try to wind the line back on it. Hmm.... on one side was an arrow pointing in the direction to wind. On the other side was another arrow with the opposite direction... Put it back together. Pick up trimmer, pull cord. Figure it just started, should start again. Starts right up. At this point, I'm thinking I'm home free. Find some tall grass, hit the throttle and watch smoke come from the head. Let go of the throttle and reach to stop the engine. Head flys accross the yard again and the kill switch comes off in my hand. Wonderful. Pull the spark plug wire to shut it off.

Needless to say, I was at Lowe's bi%$hing up a storm. Let me trade it in on a new Husquavarna (sp?). It may not be top of the line but it works! Man... I would have liked to destroy that thing!
)</font>
======
Bought a homelite string trimmer ,thought it would be good because the homelite chain saw i bought 30 years ago and still going is a peach.
Different story with the trimmer as it turned out to be a real lemon.

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I had an ancient rotary push mower (brand long forgotten) many years ago that I had to wind a rope around the flange on the top of the flywheel. There was even a place for the knot at the end of the rope to go as you wound it. I'd then place my foot on top of the deck and give a mighty yank, spinning the motor about 2 revolutions and giving myself a welt across my back from the rope. A typical lawn mowing would give me 10 or more "lashes" across my back. And my mom couldn't understand why I hated mowing the lawn.
<font color="red"> One day, I figured out how to use my electric drill with a socket on the flywheel nut as a starter..... no more whipping myself senseless. )</font> </font>
**************
<font color="red">
I used to start those type motors with a v belt and an electric motor. </font>

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

Back a few years ago( when i was a young fella) that type of pull starter was normal. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Gosh do i feel old now /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif )</font>

<font color="green"> ========= </font>
Back in those days all small engines were started by a rope.
That is the way my cousin and I started the go cart we built in the early to mid nineteen fifties.
I have started many of those motors using a v belt and an electric motor.
My dad worked at a furniture and appliance store and always had several good electric motors and belts around he got out of old junk washers and dryers from where he worked.

Some of the parts we used to build the go cart with were out of those old washers & dryers.

<font color="red"> Does anybody remember how you started the gasoline Maytage Wringer Washers?</font>