Cars Owners Regret Buying

We all know the term "buyer's remorse."

Sometimes, when a purchase is relatively small or insignificant, a little bit of buyer's remorse isn't too terrible. In the case of a car or a home, however, fixing a poorly planned purchase decision can be a major, not to mention very expensive, proposition.

Automotive research website iSeeCars.com analyzed 5 million new 2014 model year cars sold between September 2013 and March 2014, then checked back one year later to see what percentage of those cars were sold as used with 10,000 to 15,000 miles on the odometer.

The study identified seven new 2014 model year cars that stood out for having a significantly larger percentage of new cars sold as used after one year when compared with the average of 2.7 percent. The percentage of these cars sold ranged from 7 percent to 11 percent, or about 2.6 to 4 times the average.

Click through the slideshow to find out which cars owners most regret buying.

6.9 percent of Nissan Frontier owners sell their trucks after just one year of ownership.

According to Phong Ly, CEO of iSeeCars.com, “iSeeCars.com analysts think the fact that consumers are giving more of these cars up than the average is directly linked to quality or perceived quality of the cars.”

7.2 percent of Chevy Cruze owners sell their cars after just one year of ownership.

“Because purchasing a new car is expensive and something most people tend to spend a lot of time on, it stands to reason they would make a change shortly afterward if they felt the quality was lacking,” says Ly.

7.4 percent of Mercedes C-Class owners sell their cars after just one year of ownership.

“A new owner that has purchased a more entry-level model from a luxury automaker, such as the BMW X1 or the Mercedes C-Class, is going to find a difference between that car and the top-of-the-line model from that brand. They may feel that their car isn’t up to par for the brand based on their experience with the higher-end model,” said Ly.

7.7 percent of Dodge Charger owners sell their cars after just one year of ownership.

Interestingly, all seven of the cars on this list failed to score well in J.D. Power's 2014 Initial Quality Study. That lends some credence to the idea that owners are finding these specific cars lower in quality than their peers.

7.8 percent of BMW X1 owners sell their cars after just one year of ownership.

Seeing vehicles from Mercedes and BMW on this list proves that it's not just low-cost brands or cars that some owners choose to get rid of after just one year of ownership. Could it be that buyers wish they'd have stepped up to one of these luxury brands' more upscale offerings?

8.9 percent of Chevy Sonic owners sell their cars after just one year of ownership.

Comfort is one issue owners have reported lacking in many of these cars, particularly low-cost options like the Chevy Sonic. A byproduct of owners getting rid of relatively new cars is that bargains can often be found on the used-vehicle market.

10.7 percent of Buick Regal owners sell their cars after just one year of ownership.

The reason why so many owners are selling their Buick Regal sedans isn't completely clear.

“Competitors such as the Lexus IS250 and the BMW320i are known for their top-notch interiors and seat comfort, whereas the 2014 Buick Regal has been criticized by some as lacking in these areas,” said Ly. “These are two key areas that tend to be of high importance to owners, though it may not be apparent in the test drive whether their expectations can be met in the long term.”