Why Not to Buy a V6 Car (Inline 4 Cylinder vs V6 Engine)

V6 engine explained and why not to buy a V6 car, car review with Scotty Kilmer. Inline 4 cylinder engine vs V6 engine, which is better? How V6 engines work, the pros and cons of having one in your car or truck. There are benefits to having a V6 engine, but also a lot of downsides. DIY car repair with Scotty Kilmer, an auto mechanic for the last 50 years.

Thanks for watching!

⬇️Scotty’s Top DIY Tools:

⬇️Things used in this video:
1. Common Sense

🛠Check out my Garage to see what I use every day and highly recommend:

Consider subscribing and press the bell 🛎 icon to be notified of all new videos.

👉Follow me on Instagram for the latest news, funnies, and exclusive info / pics:

❗️Check out the Scotty store:

Scotty Kilmer is a participant in the Amazon Influencer Program.
#savagescotty

[scottykilmer]

⬇️Scotty’s Top DIY Tools:


🛠Check out my Garage to see what I use every day and highly recommend:

Consider subscribing and press the bell 🛎 icon to be notified of all new videos.

👉Follow me on Instagram for the latest news, funnies, and exclusive info / pics:

[zNoah]

>Look at this inline 4 mustang, it makes 310hp
>Previous videos: "Why don't buy turbocharged cars"

[darrelc]

I get the feeling after seeing your vids, that the only car I should buy is a 25 year old Toyota Celica. Is that correct?

[matthewstorm]

After going from a four cylinder to a V6 Accord, I can only say that, given the choice, I would NEVER go back to a four cylinder, at least in a car of the size and weight class of the Accord. Sorry, but this video is just incorrect on SO many fronts. A V6 is just better in pretty much every way:

1. Power. As if this really needed to be brought up. The V6 just accelerates and climbs hills effortlessly compared to the four cylinder. The four cylinder by comparison just feels like it shouldn’t be in a car that big. It seems like it has to work hard at anything other than cruising on level ground. Also, while the V6 can stay in a given gear, the four cylinder requires a whole lot more shifting to handle such things as passing and climbing hills.

2. Gas mileage. Honestly, I have not seen a difference. Maybe this is due to the fact that the four cylinder Accord was automatic and the V6 a six speed manual. But I can’t see transmission choice amounting to more than a few MPG. But even if the V6 does a little worse on gas with a particular car, it never seems to be more than a few MPG worse. In other words, with a four cylinder, you give up LOTS of power to get a fairly tiny improvement in MPG. Unless you just flat-out don’t care about power, it’s not worth it.

3. NVH. The V6 is naturally a better balanced engine than a four cylinder. Consequently, it is much smoother and quieter. A V6 is also smoother and quieter due to the fact that it has to work a whole lot less hard to propel the car.

4. Reliability. Contrary to what this guy says, I have NOT found four cylinder engines to be reliable. Quite the contrary. The most unreliable engine is an overworked engine - one that has to work REALLY hard just to get a car moving. Sound familiar? Yes, a V6 may have more moving parts. But if these parts are less stressed, they are less likely to fail. It should also be noted that, compared to a four cylinder engine, V6 engines tend to have shorter strokes and longer rods. Both of these factors reduce internal stresses, which improve reliability.

5. Sound. This may be a silly one. But it can be important to many. Let’s face it. A V6 just has a MUCH nicer sound than a four cylinder engine. While the sound of a four cylinder engine is often described as sounding like a sewing machine, a V6 sounds MUCH more musical.

[Kcducttaper]

Couple things you missed there Scotty.
- You didn't mention I6's at all, which are the smoothest engine design out there. The reason most auto makers use a v6 instead of an I6 is simply because an I6 is too long for the engine bay where a v6 is much more compact.
- That Mustang I4 is turbocharged, so it's awfully unfair to compare it to non-turbo motors.

[jacobob]

Or get an Inline 6 like I did for best of both worlds... Bulletproof, smoother than a V6, as easy to work on as a 4, sound incredible and are just different being a dying breed!

[jblyon]

Sure an inline 4 is smarter to own, but you'll have to pry the 3.5L V6 in my Camry out of my cold dead hands!

[TJSpike]

It seems like that Celica has had 239, 000 miles for a while

[CasualGamer]

1. The 4-cylinder Mustang has a turbocharger which you said not to buy.
2. The power output difference between a normally aspirated 4-cylinder and a normally aspirated V6 is huge. Modern V6's make 300 hp and modern inline 4's make around 130-190hp.
3. There are some cars that just need the V6 engine (or bigger) just to get them moving easily. Imagine having a 4-cylinder on a Chevy Suburban.

[angelsaurora]

Honestly, my '99 Buick LeSabre has one of the best engines ever made, the 3.8 L V6 (series II). These engines are bulletproof, easy to work on, reliable, and give lots of power with great fuel economy. 205 horsepower and 230 ft-lbs of torque is nothing to scoff at when you're getting 32 mpg on the highway and the car itself weighs around 3, 400 lbs. One of the hidden powers of this engine is it's low-reving torque. I just took it from Pennsylvania to North Carolina with two other full-size passengers, a seat full of luggage, and a trunk full of luggage. That low-reving torque is what really let's it haul the weight and still has passing power to spare. I had to come back early because of a hurricane, so this engine made the trip twice within 72 hours without a single problem. Also, having the AC on at full blast didn't effect the fuel economy. Also, it made the over 300 mile trip on a full tank of gas each time with about a quarter tank left over. I will admit though, I do love inline 6 engines too (Volvo 960 and Toyota Supra).

[fireblazer]

I'm a huge fan of 4 cylinders myself! Easier to fix. Easier on gas. Cheaper to fix. And they do usually last a long time. Scotty is completely right about V6's. Harder to fix. Cost more to buy. Cost more to fix. More moving parts, so more things to break.

[angrysloth]

Toyota engines are so indescribable it’s really amazing. We used to HAMMER my buddies 320k mile v6 and it just wouldn’t quit, ran great. The Japanese got it going on

[tylerechard]

Basically
I4 Economical and cheap
V6 more comfortable with smoother torque and horsepower curves+33% more horsepower (average)

[crisgarcia]

I love v6. You get power and save gas...what's more to ask for?

[mikeyg]

You forgot to mention that the mustang has a turbo on So it doesn’t make 310 hp and over 300 torque from a naturally aspirated engine

[eddiekane]

You have taught me so much Scotty especially when i didnt have enough money to take it to a shop. I just want to give you my thanks and appreciation. You don't have to do what you do but you do. Thank you poppin out the trunk is always hilarious!

[darrenheard]

Thought my 4-cylinder Impala was an issue. But, thanks to your video, it's great to know a 4-cylinder is a blessing. Sometimes simple is better.

[JPennor]

I like how you glossed over the fact that the mustang has a turbo and that's a whole can of worms in terms of long term reliability. I'll take my V6, have fun with your turbo 4 cylinder turbo lag machine.

[michaelanderson]

Mustang has to have a turbo or supercharger in a 4 cylinder to get 300 hp funny how you didn't mention that part

[Shellshock]

This is really dependent on the year of car you want to get. If it's say an older car around 2007 you'll get more power from a v6 than a 4-cylinder car but also slightly less gas mileage. But in the newer more expensive cars they've got 4-cylinder turbo engines with plently power similar to an older V6 250HP engine, or even better. In the case of my 07' honda I bought it's not too bad to maintain.