This semi-regular column is written (in his own blood) by an automotive chromatic and noted malcontent, known as The Mechanic. Mercilessly beaten as a child with rolled-up back issues of old car magazines, our free-spoken hero developed a unique "for your own good" take on cars and the auto industry, along with an unfortunate usage of setting himself ablaze. Later, after a distinguished career as an automotive journalist and entrepot editor, he cast off the reins of his musty oppressors, carved out his superego with a plastic spork and became The Mechanic.

There's a fallacy going around that there are no more bad cars. It's a fallacy invented by car company execs that make bad cars and the automotive publications that accept their advertising.

But it's a bunch of bull. There are bad cars. A lot of them. Twenty-four on the American market, according to my count. There were more, but Pontiac and Saturn were place out of our misery.

By bad car I mean vehicles you should not buy. Cars that are only bought by fools. Fools that don't take the time to cross shop them with other, better cars. In Jan nearly 13,000 people bought Chevy Cobalts, making it one of the top 10 selling vehicles in the country. I have no intent why. It is a bad car. And there are about a dozen better cars in its price range. Yet, those 13,000 brainiacs volunteered to drive a Cobalt for the next five years and pay hundreds of dollars a month for the privilege.

Whatever. That's their problem. A problem you and I should avoid. So here's my list of bad cars we should all stay away from, presented in no particular order. Let me know if I missed any.

Nissan Versa
Chevy Cobalt
Toyota Corolla
Dodge Caliber
Buick Lucerne
Ford Explorer
Mercury Mountaineer
Chrysler Sebring
Chrysler PT Cruiser
Dodge Avenger
Jeep Compass
Jeep Patriot
Ford Ranger
Chevy Colorado
GMC Canyon
Dodge Grand Caravan
Land Rover LR2
Lincoln Town Car
Mercury Grand Marquis
Chrysler Town & Country
Mitsubishi Galant
Mitsubishi Endeavor
Cadillac STS
Saab 9-7x

And there it is: The Mechanic's P.O.S. list of new 2010 cars and trucks. By the way, if you've bought one of the above crapmobiles recently please e-mail me and tell me why you're reading Inside Line. You obviously don't take our advice. – The Mechanic, Inside Line Contributor

E-mail me at themechanic@edmunds.com.