Last month, I urgently needed a new vehicle. After some quick research, I ended up with a 2017 Chevy Equinox with 90k miles for $13k. This was my first time buying a newer vehicle from a dealership, and I felt the pressure of the situation, so I didn’t do as much research as I should have.
Now, I’m seeing a lot of posts warning about the engine burning oil and other potential issues. After just 200 miles, my check engine light came on and I had to replace the solenoids. It’s been running fine since, but I’ve read that this model struggles in cold weather—I’m in Wisconsin, so that has me worried.
I need a reliable car for the next two years until I finish school. With regular maintenance like oil checks and warming the car in winter, can I avoid major issues? Or should I consider taking the $3000 trade-in loss and switch to something like a Honda? Any advice would be appreciated. I just need a vehicle to get me to work and back.
We had a 2017 Equinox in Maine and didn’t face any issues during the winter. If you stick to regular oil changes every 5000 miles and keep up with maintenance, you’ll likely be fine. The key is how well the previous owner cared for the car.
We had a 2014 Equinox with the 2.4L engine, and it gave out after 85k miles. We did regular oil changes, but the dealerships refused to do an oil consumption test because we were out of warranty, even though GM knew about the issue. I also had issues with my 2004 Silverado at 120k miles. Now, both my wife and I drive Fords, and we’re happy with them so far.