Hope this is just a fun post … a distraction from doomy gloomy shit. So, here’s the deal.
Basically, we’re fucken idiots. We leased our current vehicle, a 2014 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T. (It made sense at the time for tax reasons.) Whatever. That money is a sunk cost, it’s gone. The car has only 26k miles. The payoff balance is $16k … not counting taxes, registration, and other fucken fees.
We’re not going to do it. The car is due to be returned,no exceptions, one week from today.
This time were going to buy a USED car. We’ll be paying cash. I’m fucken sick and tired of car payments. Our Max budget is $12,000. That’s where you come in.
Q: What used car would you recommend I consider?
Is the one below a good deal?
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I think your answers will not only help me … but many other folks here who buy used cars.
Reliability will be key for us. Don’t care much about gas mileage … we only drive 6k miles a year. A car with a high safety rating is also preferred.
According to a US News & World Report article, the Top 5 most reliable cars; Hyundai Genesis, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Ford Fusion, Lexus ES, Honda Accord.
According to JD Power the 5 Top most reliable brands are: Lexus, Toyota, Buick, Mercedes Benz, Hyundai.
I won’t be back until this evening. We’ll be shopping all day … actually, just looking and testing cars. Your inputs will be seriously considered!
Thank You.
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I’ve bought 4 Honda Civic used cars in a row. I think they are the best value for the money. They were all coming off a 3 year lease with 20,000 to 30,000 miles on them. I paid about $13,000 on average for them.
Will second that vote. Just bought a fully loaded ’13 Civic EXL for my mom. 40k miles on it with new tires, new battery, perfect condition etc. Got a smokin’ deal at $11k from the original owner. Mom averages 33 mpg around town and 41 on the highway. My suggestion is to watch Craigslist like a hawk and pounce when you see a deal. The truly good deals i.e. one owner low mile, well maintained, reasonably priced (see KBB private party value) are snatched up within hours if not minutes around here.
Stick to Toyota and Honda if you want the best value and resale. Lexus, Acura, etc are “nicer” but more expensive.
One more suggestion… before you buy anything check out the specific make/model on this site:
https://www.carcomplaints.com/
Some years of some models (even Honda/Toyota) have particular issues.
Great website! Thanks.
2nd worst car ….. 2003 Honda Accord. Interesting.
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I found a similar site:. https://repairpal.com
The questions I would ask would be:
1) Do you drive on the highway a lot? 6K miles a year say no, but you never know. The reason for this question is safety. Car deaths are primarily a function of momentum; a gigantic SUV’s 2x to 3x greater mass means the smaller car exits a collision with 4x to 9x more energy. Yes, the smaller cars like the Accord have great gas mileage, but they also survive real world crashes about as well as a tin can. I would never drive such a small vehicle after seeing 3 of my friends all die due to driving small vehicles.
2) Do you live in a high crime area? Accords are one of the most popular cars to steal
3) How long are you planning to keep the car? I’ve kept my cars until they died – generally due to my own stupidity. The previous car – I bought some crappy fuses in a $1 store on a whim; one of those fuses failed to function as advertised and killed my entire electrical system. Rather than spend $5K to fix it, I dumped the car for $500 after 10 years. The 2nd car, which overlapped the first by 4 years, I left it in what I thought was a safe spot when going on a long business trip. When I came back, somebody had managed to break the double paned windows but had hurt themselves so tore out the center roof console likely in anger. Car was totaled although running just fine. Had I not had a lot more travel, I would have fixed it up anyway and taken the salvage title but I just didn’t have time. In both cases, the net depreciation was under $200/month – and I was buying 8 series Audis that were 3 years old.
You can do somewhat better with a cheap economy car like an Accord – and Accords are cheaper to fix – but you aren’t actually restricted to such cars if you are taking the long view anyway. I’d also note that Japanese cars are really good in terms of reliability until they’re not. They tend to have really catastrophic failures on the rare occasions that they do have problems.
The Civic is a great car, the Toyota sedan (camry) goes forever and
needs a new exhaust system once…and the oil changes at change of
seasons. I have a Rav…V6, allwheel drive = too small. And a Honda
Pilot waiting in the wings.
Good luck Stuck!
The most reliable, inexpensive, durable, and useful small SUV on the planet is the Toyota Rav4. I have owned three of them, and they never disappoint….
I’m on my 2nd Jetta TDI Wagon. 188K, and the only large upkeep has been a $910 chip for the fuel injection system. Otherwise, just tires, wiper blades, oil change, etc. Averages 38 MPG too.
Oh, crap! I forgot that Obama outlawed TDI diesels.
Sorry…
My 20 year old Dodge just gave up the ghost a couple of months ago, and I picked up a 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix with 56,000 miles for around $6000. Most people seem to want SUVs, trucks and foreign makes so low mileage American cars are a real bargain. I just need to get to work and back.
Honda civic/accord – the just work. late model v-6 should be avoided, quirky sludge issue. Get the I-4 for all reasons.
What size, Stuck?
I would say get a used car with warranty still going. Check the log books. Look at the small Fords. Cheaper to service than imports. Might want to buy or think about American made, which I always recommend. Fact is, most cars of any brand are pretty good these days. Real shitheaps are a thing of the past, except for Chineses made trash.
Make sure tires are standard size, not the low profile type. They are expensive.
Llpoh
Generally speaking, you can’t go wrong with a Civic or Corolla. I currently have a 2014 Nissan Sentra that’s I’ve been very, very happy with. We bought it used in September 2014, and it had about 18,000 km on it. It now has 106k, and the only thing I’ve had to do is change the oil and filters. It still has the original brakes (its an automatic, but I never tailgate and use brakes sparingly). It gets exceptional mileage – usually around 39-42 mpg (using Imperial gallons – 4.5 litres vs. 3.78 in a US gallon) running back and forth two work (25 km commute on mostly rural roads) and I’ve milked 50 out of it a few times on the highway.
The car we had before this one was a 2011 Hyundai Elantra, which was an absolute piece of shit. The engine block went on it at 70k, which was the third warranty repair. After that was fixed, we traded it for the Sentra.
Before the Hyundai we had a 2008 Corolla, which was perfectly fine except for recurring problems with the computer. It was repaired once and replaced once under warranty. When we found that the computer ran Windows Vista as an OS (no shit) we decided that it would be best o get rid of that car before the warranty expired, which was the only reason we traded it.
And I wouldn’t say this to anyone but Stucky, but its fuckin (you know, short for fucking?) not fucken. Unless of course you go driven on the weekends to your fishen hole.
Folks on TBP advocating foreign made? Gotta say I think it is a bad idea. Even if used. Buy American made if possible. Some Corollas are US made. Accord I think is too.
At 75K the wtr pump is leaking ugh……600 to replace…..92 Accord made in 0hi0……..
I won’t by an American made vehicle unless its pre-computer. I had a 1986 GMC half-ton that I foolishly neglected to undercoat (I live in road salt country). I don’t drive a truck very much (4-5000 km a year), but my lifestyle/occupation demands it. The ’86 was too rusted out to pass inspection last summer, so I “upgraded” to a 2010 Silverado. It now has the dreaded click-no-start computer gremlin that is apparently very common to late model GM trucks. It might be the starter relay, it might be the crank position sensor, it might be the starter, it might be the ignition, or it might be any of the connections within or between all the miles of wire that link these things together. With my old truck, a click-no-start (engine not turning over despite ample battery power) could only mean one thing – bad starter. The starter could be easily reached from under the hood, and could be removed within 4 minutes. I need to jack up the 2010 just to get at the starter, and then I need a socket with a 12″ extension.
I don’t want traction control
I don’t want low tire pressure warnings
I don’t want a touch screen or blue tooth capability
I don’t want OnStar
I don’t want a remote starter or power locks or windows
I don’t want bucket seats
I don’t want a slippery plastic bed liner
I don’t want side curtain airbags that necessitate the A-pillars being 5″ wide and causing massive blind spots
I have to admit, a back up camera wouldn’t suck but I actually know how to use mirrors
I just want a truck that is reasonably reliable and simple to fix when it breaks. I am seriously thinking about selling the 2010 whenever I manage to get it fixed, and going back to something from the 80’s.
Wonder where all the manufacturing jobs have gone?
Llpoh,
Where did manufacturing go? To hell, with all the well managed US companies that make quality products. Manufacturing in the US died along side our morals and values. It’ll be back after the reset, if the US still exists.
Gilnut – manufacturing in the US has not died. There is as much made in the US as ever – as a % of GDP manufacturing is same as it ever was. But it takes only 1/6 as many workers to make the same amount. Manufacturing uses 2.5% less workers for a given amount of work each year. Do the math. In 1950 half the workforce was in manufacturing. Multiply 50% by .975 68 times and tell me what you get. Then take that and do it 20 more times. That will be the % of all workers in manufacturing in 2038. It will be a very small percentage indeed.
Manufacturing is never coming back. It never really left. It just does not need workers anymore.
But you should still buy American made to screw the competition.
The last good truck made was the 89-92 GMC-chevy. V-6 3.08 rear end. Good on gas and very simple to fix.
I would like to drive a truck, but, no one has made anything I would buy for 25 years.
karl – I have a Ford Ranger. 4wd. As good a pick up as any I have ever seen. There are some truly great small pick ups out there, especially the Ranger type and the Toyota. The Ranger is not in the US til 2019, but imagine the Toyota is. As I said, the Ranger is simply outstanding.
They currently do not sell the Ranger in the US as they know it will crap all over the F150. It is a far better vehicle than the F150, so they are waiting awhile.
The Ford Ranger V6 is a damn good truck. If Stuck opts for a truck a used Ford V6 Ranger is a great choice.
I purchased an 89 Chevy P/U and it was the biggest POS in my life for 20 years.
Chevy not only SUCKS, you have to be the dumbest fuck in the world to own one.
It isn’t that simple anymore. The foreign cars are many times made at plants IN the US and with US made components even when they’re not. Even US cars are made with foreign made components.
Maybe you could export one of these to NJ?
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From everything I have read the Two most reliable brands are Toyota Tacoma or the outstanding Honda Accord .A Toyota Corolla is your next best bet for the money.Here in Charlotte NC you can find great deals on Corollas.Buy one brand new for 16,000 and good used one for 12,000 real easy.
My Toyota Tacoma is 20 years old.Got 486,000+ miles on it.I could probably drive it to the moon and back if you know what I mean.Good luck Stucky my Friend.
I’d LOVE a Tacoma, but here in Denver a used 140K mile, 2005 4WD (I will NEVER own a 2WD Truck) costs $15-fucking-grand. You’ve got to be kidding me.
I bought a used ’03 Tacoma 4×4. Drove it 5 years and added 80k miles to the clock. Sold it for $500 less than I paid for it. If Stuck is looking for a truck, you can’t go wrong with a Taco.
Best Used Small Cars $10K to $12K: https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/used/small-cars-2
https://www.kbb.com/car-reviews-and-news/top-10/best-late-model-used-cars-under-15000/2100004033/
https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/features/best-15000-used-cars-with-top-crash-test-scores.html
Lifted non electronic 80’s diesel suburban 4×4. If you can get an old noncomputerized cummins turbo to put in there so much the better. Cant get more reliable or safe then that. Still, always carry a get home bag.
While the Benz rates high on dependability, the cost of service is higher. The people who own them tend to be able to afford to follow the prescribed maintenance schedule, which helps dependability.
I’ve owned 3 Hondas (Accord, Civic Hybrid, and Pilot) and won’t buy any more. They seem awesome on a test drive but have two major issues:
1) For everyone, they are just not built to be rugged. They may hold up for 20+ years of gentle, light use, but big potholes, large people or dirt road use makes them fall apart.
2) For tall people, they are cramped and ergonomics aren’t good. This was worst in the Pilot, and fooled me on the test drive. I regretted buying it after just a couple months because there just wasn’t a comfortable seating position. Lots of bad ergonomics that took weeks to be apparent.
For non-luxury cars, Toyota, Toyota, and Toyota would be my top three picks. Nissan and GM after that. Don’t laugh, GM quality is pretty good these days. GM also has poor resale, which HELPS you if you are buying used.
For luxury cars, Lexus and Infiniti are hard to fault, but Mercedes and Volvo are good too. Avoid BMW at all costs, they are awesome when new but outrageously expensive to repair. VW and Audi aren’t much better. The only used German car to consider is Mercedes. (N.B. this is based on personal experience of family members and close friends, over several decades.) Acura is an expensive Honda, with the same issues.
Honda Accord was the best car I ever owned. If my son hadn’t swerved to miss a dog and hit a tree instead, the car would probably still be running and running well. Brat.
It had 220,000 miles on it and was strumming and humming along with a minimum of careful stroking, if you get my drift. The car, bought used under factory warranty, got all the recommended maintenance up through about 150,000 miles, when I quit working and paying 79.95 for a transmission flush seemed exhorbitant on a ten-year-old car. So, the oil changes were regular, but no longer “on the record” which is what you have to do to get that warranty work for free. Back when I was close to the Honda servicing dealership, that made sense. Out here in Bumfuck? Not so much.
We had a Mazda 626 that we sold to a fat guy who claimed to be parting it out to Mexico. He hauled it away (although it was running… needed a lot of exhaust system work and probably brakes. And maybe a good engine cleaning because those lifters were beginning to whisper.) However, we did NOT get our license plate off (didn’t think about it!) and we started getting tickets from that little Vanilla Car blowing through turnpike tollbooths between Tulsa and Kansas City and between OKC and Arizona. We filed a sworn affidavit at the DMV to absolve ourselves of association with that car (to dismiss those tickets!), so no more tickets. However, I sometimes see a White Mazda 626 with a beat-up door and more than its share of scrapes and think that is probably that same car putt-putting along. Hauling some sort of contraband.
I can remember the first Mazda commercials in the 70s… the other cars went thumpety thump but the Mazda goes hummmmmmmmmmmm.
Who remembers?
My mechanic, Doug Richmond, of Guilford, Vermont (who I would trust my life with) says: Toyotas and Hondas normally only need maintenance; all the rest require repairs. Our one-car family drives a long-since-paid-off 2006 Toyota Sienna van with 200K+ miles. Next car will be a used Toyota, Honda, or possibly Subaru for max $12,000, cash. Don’t let the auto racket get you. It’s just a frickin’ machine.
Not a big fan of Japanese cars, but I know a lot of people like them. I’ve had plenty of Ford trucks, they are bulletproof. I like to think their cars are probably the same way. Sweet spot on an E-Class is a little more money, probably just over 20 grand. You should be able to pick up an off lease 2014 maybe even a 15 with 30-35,000 miles. You’re driving 6000 miles a year, 10 years from now you won’t have 100,000 miles on it. Just keep up with the maintenance, they’re tanks. Check out insurance rates on that one in New Jersey. Great car though, for sailing off into your golden years, comfortable for a big guy.
Avoid the Mercedes active suspension like the plague. A Mercedes mechanic I know says out-of-warranty repair on those starts at $1500 and goes up from there.
Don’t get anything German and don’t get anything with all-wheel drive. Both increase costs by a lot. Now that I need reading glasses, a big advantage of Toyotas (and Fords, as I recall) is that the controls (heat, AC, stereo, etc.) are simple and easy to see. A caveman could figure it out immediately. The Audi I used to have had everything in about four point font and with little push buttons. I needed to find my glasses to change any settings – and even then it was hell. The Nissan Murano we have now is just as bad.
You can get an aftermarket pussy magnet.
Stucky if you aren’t worried about gas mileage. Buy a Boat and when I say boat I mean a Crown Vic and something similar. Staying away from the ex-copfuk cars of course.
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The Millenials and Gen Xers avoid these cars like the plague. Seeing as you’re most of the way to being a Geezer yourself you won’t stick out. Ya might get laughed at, but that is why those cars come with bumpers. Just go to the dealer and let them know that next time an old Geezer turns one in to give you a call.
Funny story is best car I ever owned was a 1985 Two Door Delta 88. I paid 225 bucks for it. Had it for a year and drove it like I stole it..It was amazing! It looked similar to this without the fancy wheels.
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Yeah it was the Titanic but I was DiCaprio and the Kang of da werld!
Stucky,
I think Rins makes a good bit of sense.
1) you’re a big guy
2) small cars too small
3) good deals can be had on Geezer cars
4) you can find many older luxury cars with low miles
5) why not go for something comfortable? You only live once.
Those are ghetto cruisers. Coon coaches.
Exactly
Here’s my idea. The Big Austrian buys one of these cruisers and we start a fund here on TBP to get him rolling with a set of big wheels and fuzzy dice.. He could blow thru Newark then like nobody’s business…
We can tint the windows too.. I hear the copfuks where he lives love that sort of thing..
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Used car lot in the next town, Hebron Nebraska, has a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis (same as Crown Vic but with better interior), 46,000 original little old lady miles for $6K. Should go out to 300,000 miles easily, if you undercoat it. Like to buy it myself, but need to buy a van instead to use for hauling stuff to swap meets.
Gotta use the van to haul off all my stuff, so when I die, nobody can come in and say, ” Holy moly, look at all the stuff this old geezer collected. Don’t any of these old wheezers care that somebody has to clean out all this crap before the house can be sold?”
4 cylinder Camry or Accord. They come off lease as rental cars all the time and nobody wants them, so they are wayyy cheap. What’s more, they are roomy, fuel efficient and reliable as can be. How reliable? The car in this link is a previous generation Camry, crushed in a horrific wreck and still moving under its own power:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3698135/On-way-MOT-Footage-shows-completely-destroyed-car-DRIVEN-roads-Pakistan.html
In addition, parts and repair costs are dirt cheap. The 2ar-fe 4-banger is found in copious quantity and every mechanic has worked on it.
Put three private sale used cars to 200K now. Toyota Truck, Honda Civic and Saturn Vue (that was a surprise!). Working on a Honda CR-V now, again used, and just crossed 10 years with it. I always fix that which breaks and every single one of them had/has a MANUAL TRANSMISSION!!! No automatics IMO.
Honda or Toyota. Even the cheap shitboxes (’89 Accord 2003-2009 and 1994 corolla 2009-2015) I drove never had major issues. Both I purchased for $1200 cash had ~150k miles and still I drove them 6 years each. The Honda I totaled (got more than I paid) and the Toyota still had plenty of life when I decided I wanted a truck and traded it in (got $500). Damn cheap and reliable transportation.
I do baby cars, though. It’s how Dad did it and its worked out pretty well. My parents had an ’88 Camry that went 300k miles on ONE CLUTCH. Still not sure how that is even possible.
Now, I have a Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Love having a small truck and it cost half what a used Tacoma would have…but it needs work. And it’s fucking financed (LLPOH is going to tear me a new asshole on that one). Planning to change whole front end and all shocks/struts. My buddy and I are going to knock it out ourselves…$4000 worth of work for about $500 in parts an tools. (See…I’m not a fan of wasting money, nor am I scared of work, LLPOH).
Get your parts online at Rock Auto. Rebuilt my front end with the best parts, for half the cost of what the local auto parts stores wanted for no-name Taiwan stuff. Don’t have anything against Taiwan people, all really nice people, but they still haven’t figured out how to make good quality stuff. The Japanese went from producing pathetic junk to making the best stuff you can buy; why can’t the Taiwanese or mainland Chinese figure that one out?
Toyota is my pick for used.
I have had zero problems, bought two used vehicle, one is a 95 tacoma (250k and still running), the other is 2012 rav4.
I tried Nissan for a few years, but the quality is not the same as Toyota.
For $12k you can get into an older sedan like the Corrolla, they start at $18k new.
https://www.edmunds.com/toyota/corolla/
Good luck!
Stuck…. Make sure whatever you buy, it needs to come with a service history. The #1 cause of premature wear and failure, is not performing regular fluid changes on schedule. I can’t tell you how many times I see people skip oil changes, cos they can’t afford it. (but they can’t afford the engine to fail either) THAT is what kills vehicles is the unseen internal damage to a car, and hence, cause YOU grief down the road.
Take it to a trusted garage, and have it inspected. It’s worth the cost.
The kind of car you’ll buy will be determined by the purpose it serves.
The best advice I can give you is to look for a two-year-old lease return with super low mileage that some other schlep has paid the depreciation on already. No offense.
I second the Crown Vic or Mercury Grand Marquis. Buy one with 100-125k on the clock, probably cost $3-4000. Plan on putting another $3-4k into it and you have a monster car, smooth, reliable, reasonably cheap to own, 20 ish mpg, comfortable. Cops tend to not pay much attn because geezer, civvies tend to avoid you because cop. Get a neutral color if possible. Just enough electric gizmos to make life enjoyable, but not hackable. Or traceable. Even the ex copfuk cars arent too bad if’n you get one that is in halfway decent shape. Then you can be into the car for maybe $2k and the aforementioned repairs.
It’s not what you buy as much as it is where you buy it. If you live in PA you don’t want to buy a used car there. Take a trip to SC or FLA or come out west to Vegas or CA and buy a car that has never seen snow. Any car you want is going to be better for not having been driven through salt.
Just got back from local shopping. Leaving in 5 minutes to go non local. These three cars specifically
2005 Mercedes Benz E500…. 37k miles … $11,500. All the way into Long Island … 80 miles … but I LOVE Mercedes.
2015 Lexus IS250 ….. 25k miles …. $11,195
2016 Chevy Malibu … 9650 miles …. $9725
What do you think … which of hose 3 is best??
We are Not buying today. Will make decision by Monday.
Thanks!!
Bye.
Smart money is on the Malibu. Low mileage, warranty, and a great price – comes in under your budget. But I completely understand your love for MB. I share it.
Good luck.
Chev
Malibu
I can see the appeal for the Benz but it is getting long in the tooth. The Chev should last 5 or 6 years with no problem maybe longer.
37,000 miles is long in the tooth for a Benz!!! If true, stay the hell away from ANY Benz then.
Okay I will and you can do me a favour too.. I hate to break it to ya, well not really.. but how about you go suck on a bucket of dicks..
It ain’t the mileage, it’s the age! He needs a car that will work. Not one that will impress people he doesn’t give a shit about. That is the problem these days. People are driving too much car for what they need. Besides Stucky lives in New Jersey and has to deal with rust and if he ends up having to fix the Benz he will be takin’ in the ass.
Worst of all he is going to LOVE that car. Big mistake. It will end in a major Fuckery!
Cars are like whores.
Lube, oil and filter.
Drive and repeat
When they are worn out ya kick em to the curb.
LOL. Never heard that before.
Opinion: 1. Lexus, 2. Benz, 3. Malibu is more risky on reliability vs. the other two.
-suds
Yeah the Benz might be a better car, Lexus as well. Still if a fella is only driving 6k a year then it will mostly be just brakes and oil changes. Best remove the Bling and Emotion and stick with practical. You get a Lexus or Benz and it won’t be long and you get attached to it. If the Malibu shits the bed in a couple of years, it can dropped off at Car lot like the 100 dollar whore it is and left to somebody else fuck with
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And it will still be worth 5 or 6 k on trade.. that can be put towards the next trick er car er whatever
You are so very right. This Hyundai Tucson we just hauled back from Rolla we bought new in 2009, paying cash. It has another 100,000 on that engine, but without a new manual transmission (reason for the enormous discount in 2010… no more manual transmissions) or at least a functional one, the car, which was completely refurbished cosmetically when that deer hit me head on in a game of chicken on a lonely mountain road on a dark and stormy night. Even at best condition, blue book value might be $5,000 for trade-in. But the engine turns on and purrs like it is supposed to. Don’t put in the clutch. The noise is not pleasant.
There has to be a tranny out there somewhere. Still it is best to put it down at the road and sell to next sucker/dreamer. Someone will come along and buy it. The Ozarks must have plenty of shady tree mechanics looking for projects. Let them put it back together as some sort of Joe Dirt special edition roadster..
If we could find a decent tranny, Nick and I are game to put it up in the barn and change it out. However, we don’t want to take one OFF at one of these odd Jesse the Junker places at the junction of F and OO. Jesse got me some good deals on a couple of things and then I discovered the truth about Jesse. Fortunately, it was on the news late at night and not firsthand.
I actually dropped a transmission on a 1978 Datsun pickup (Pre Nissan days) in a friend’s garage in Houston Texas with just a bit of help from him. I have done worse things in tighter spaces.
Yeah not a big deal changing out a Tranny. Problem is getting one that is decent. I have been down the road of “if we just fix this”. It almost always ended with yet another thing to repair. Took me a long time and I had to learn the hard way but sometimes its best to just let go. Even my truck last year I gave thought to painting it but after some thought realized it doesn’t make sense. Why spend 3 grand painting something that will still only be worth 5 at the most. So instead I went to Canadian Tire. Bought a couple of spray bombs. Fixed and matched the bad paint the best I could and was good to go..
The Tucson was my “dog car.” Since it was not fancy… no leather or plush seats and it had the 5 speed on the floor, it made a good car to put the back seats down and put two enormous dogs in… on proper bedding, of course. It had dog hair everywhere in the back and even after it was completely detailed, there were still traces of Pyrenese fur or their famous drool. I fully expected it to last my son another five years, but after that damn deer went under it, I should have known it was doomed. I should have talked to the folks at the collision repair place and convince them to have it totaled. I didn’t. It had another good hundred thousand miles left to shift through. And, believe it or not, I really enjoy shifting through the gears on a beautiful country road like those we drive locally here.
I admit having a soft spot in my heart for the Tucson. It is the first car I ever drove off a lot with less than one hundred miles on it. I
Used to be a good manual tranny place on West Alameda in Denver. When I lived in the area, mechanics told me that place could sell a rebuilt tranny cheaper that the mechanic could buy the parts. Parts bought in large volume are cheaper, I guess. They always want your old tranny as part of the deal.
Need to find that place again for my own purposes. Will publish search results as soon as I hit paydirt.
Had a great auto tranny guy in Federal Heights, also, but he retired. Unrealistic to expect a him to keep working, once he hit 90 years old. Probably just sitting around drinking beer and listening to the radio.
Auto tranny guy was legally blind, couldn’t get a driver’s license, but he could sure rebuild a tranny. Got a turbo 35o rebuilt for $300, including R&R and new fluids. Before you start the jokes about blind guys, just be aware I put 200,000 hard miles on that tranny.
A good mechanic feels his way through the gears with his fingers anyway. Or so I’ve heard.
If the Lexus or MB has any repair issues, you are going to wish you bought the Chev. And that is no joke.
Old Guy I usta hang around with had a Merk-a-dees. Went to the dealer for some odd electrical problem. Got a bill for $100.15.
Old guy says, ” Why 15 cents?”
Service Mgr replies, “That’s for replacing the burned-out fuse.”
“OK, so what is the 100 buck for?”
“That’s for raising the hood. We always get 100 bucks, even if we just raise the hood. Anything else is extra.”
The Is 250, hands frigging down for reliability, but the Malibu gets 2nd place for sheer value, room, and front wheel drive, which will be easier to deal with in snow. Let someone else buy that merc.
Note: If the is250 is an awd model, then the Malibu’s most important advantage is rendered irrelevant.
Lexus IS250 is a BMW fighter. It’s SMALL. I don’t fit in one and you are several inches taller than me.
Also, $11k for a 2015 IS250 is WAY too low. Probably a rebuilt wreck, flood totaled, or something like that.
Jesus, you must live in New Joisey or something.
Here a 2014 Lexus IS250 with 29k miles is $26,500!
https://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/d/2014-lexus-is-250-is250-awd/6431677943.html
I have owned the 2005 E500 for the past 4 years. Aside from maintenance haven’t had to do much to it at all. Bought it with 91K on it for $13K and it’s now just over 146K.
Not to mention, it’s easy to work on as I do the majority of it myself.
I like buying used cars from older people that know how to take care of their stuff, the strategy has served me well for a long time.
Happy to answer any questions if you are seriously considering it.
I say none of the above. Keep looking.
Stucky,
Honda Civic or if you want a little more room a Honda CR-V. Have both and they are great vehicles, reliable, low maintenance, and reasonable to repair. My daughter still drives our 2001 CR-V, about 175,000 mile. Drove it yesterday, runs like a top and great in the snow. You should be able to find a 2012 in about that price range depending upon the options. The Civics are even cheaper unless you get one of the fancier models. My son bought a 2 year old hybrid Civic with all the options of lease for about $16,000. I am sure you can find one without heated leather seats and such for a lesser price. Good luck, and when you go in to negotiate act like you don’t need a car.
Bob.
Fusion or it’s sister car the Merc Milan, if shopping for an average to smaller driver. We had them in our work fleet, and I’ve had my 2011 for 6 years. 26-31 mpg. Split rear fold down seats 60/40 let’s you stow more than you’d think. Reliable. American made. After 2011, the body went more aerodynamic. I like the squared off back end. I have 165k on the odo, only had minor issues w maintenance. Comparable to an Accord. I could fit into a Civic or Corolla, but found those a bit small for my tastes. There’s a lot of Fusions out there. Just need to find a clean one w low miles. One reco, if UR staying in Jersey. Hit an aftermarket place for heated seat addition. Mrs. Freud will be much warmer in time like this January sub zero cold, w 2-3 more months of winter. Good Luck in your search.
I have a 2010 AWD. Decent car… though still think the Malibu is better buy..
As for heated seats I used to think that was silly option but car came with that and now I can’t go without it.
Get the 4 banger fusion. Mazda engine will run forever.
This’ll make me sound like a foreign car enthusiast, which I’m not. But if I was looking for a car right now it’d be Subaru, Toyota, or Honda. Probably in that order. Damn Subaru’s last forever and most owners keep ’em for that long. #1 for me is reliability. I added in Toyota and Honda because they tend to be a bit cheaper in price and maintenance but also have very high reliability. My next truck will be a Toyota, since Subaru doesn’t make a full size truck.
2004 to 2011 Cadillac DeVille / DTS. Usually you can find a low mileage one for cheap. 6-7 K tops. 300 HP reliable northstar V8 heated air conditioned seats, every luxury you could want. Most were bought new by older folks who took very good care of them. One usually finds that the old person can not drive anymore and gets rid of it. Car seats 5 or 6 (the DTS has a center console) comfortable. The trunk is huge lots of good things. Car is fast and smooth, handles well for a 4200 pound car. Gets about 25 MPG on the highway. I have my 2004 Deville since 2006. Bought it with 20K on it now have 270K on it and commute 140 miles a day round trip. Car runs like a champ. Put only tires and brakes and a set of spark plugs in all that time. With Front wheel drive they are pretty good in the snow.
Caddy not a bad idea.
Now your’re talkin’.
I can see Stucky in this job. Just imagine all the nookie he could pick up.
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I had a 1995 Caddy Brougham. So roomy and comfy.
Ran great until a little over 100k. Like flipping a switch, things turned to shit, and never stopped. Before it got to 130k I HAD to dump it off.
Have you considered the Dodge Viper? It’s not very practical, and it’s tiny inside, but it’s got a big fucking engine, it’s loud, and you can burn the tires at will. But the upside is, the police will never bother you. Buy a red one, so you can blend in with traffic.
Open the sunroof so your head can stick out. Only way you will get in a viper.
It’s new and over budget, but there is a dealer here in Dallas trying to get rid of 2017 Corolla’s for $13K.
If I was in the market….
About 3 years ago. I picked up a basic Ford Ranger (2003) model for $3K from a coworker. It had a 110,000 on it at the time. I had to put about $1000 of maintenance into it, but it runs great with 138,000 on it now. I keep getting notes on the vehicle from people trying to buy. Had another one this morning in my drive way, which is remote and behind the house.
I have an 2007 Ranger that I bought New. It has worked like a top! Yeah it ain’t the sexiest truck and many of my full sized friends make fun of it. But it has been cheap to run..
That Truck is like a fat girlfriend that gives great blow jobs.
And in the quiet moments I do as well get notes pleading for a trade..
but I can’t seem to get rid of it. I am going to ride it till the tires fall off…
Best part is the truck, like the fat girl, counts herself lucky driving her to McDonalds..
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I like Nissan. They are less expensive than Toyota or Honda, etc.
I’ve had 2 small Pick-ups (1996 & 2004) (the ’96 got totaled in an accident in 2011). The 2004 has 144k miles on it. I bought it used w/ 120k miles in 2012 for $8000.
I have a 2008 Sentra that I bought used in 2011 w/ 50k miles for $10k give-or-take, don’t exactly recall. Now has 104k miles
I have a 2014 Versa Note … 40-44 mpg. I bought it in2016 w/ 5 k miles on for $11,000 and change. Now has 54k miles.
The three together have only been to the shop once, the ’04 pu had a water pump failure 2 years ago.
Bucking the trend here, but I’ve been driving used Jeep Wranglers for the last twenty years. No major maintenance issues and the problem with the windshield frame rusting out seems to finally have been solved. Gas mileage and cargo space are not the best, but overall, I
would certainly recommend one. Sound advice, though: get a hardtop if you work on the corner of Crackhead and Dindu like I do.
Lt – sounds like you need a tank.
I’d settle for an aftermarket .30 cal.
Something like this? No lift, 20mpg highway good SHTF get away ride.
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Robert (QSLV)
That is the Jeep I wish I still had… long ago far away.
Got 290,000 miles on mine. Runs like a raped ape.
Runs like a raped ape… great visual Bob I am laughing my ass off!
Nissan Leaf. We picked up a used one (2013) for under $8,000. Range is over 70 miles per charge. Never stop at a gas station again. Charge it at home only using a standard 110-volt outlet. Maintenance is near zero. Nice sound system. Fun to drive. Heated seats & steering wheel. Wife LOVES the car. You could likely get a ’15 or ’16 for the kind of money you are willing to spend.
Our other car is a 1996 Tacoma pickup. This is the perfect combination for us. Truck for hauling stuff & long trips. Leaf for commuting & trips to the grocery, which is about 80% of our driving.
Never, ever buy (or lease) a depreciating asset using credit. Not ever.
I bought my 2015 Jeep Laredo from a local shade tree dealer who buys wrecked cars at auction and refurbishes them for resale. In 2016, I paid him $12,000 for the Jeep with 29,000 miles on it, fully under warranty. Supposedly, the blue book value was around $26,000 but while it is nice and the 4WD/AWD feature is very nice in downpouring rain or snow, I do not like all the gizmos and gadgets. I’m hoping my son decides to buy it from us (he loves all the gadgets and connectivity and he will never get a better deal on a car, but it does carry the stigma of being his “mother’s” car.) Then, I’m going to get a Pre-2014 Ford F150 4×4. Double Cab because why wouldn’t you? But, it is up to the young man.
That is another reason that I like the Wranglers so much. No power windows, locks, heated seats or any of that crap. I refuse to use the cruise control it came with and am only getting used to having air conditioning. My God, I am such a fossil.
This Laredo talks to me if I hit the wrong button. Oh, it is also connected to my husband’s and my son’s phone, which irritates me when they are in the car with me. I don’t like my cars to talk to the people in the car.
Why the pre 2014 limitation? What’s wrong with 2014 and later F150’s?
I figure it will be easier to find them without all the gadgetry prior to 2015, when it seems to have become “standard” to install on new trucks and cars all electronic connectivity possible.
30+ years with Nissan trucks, never a mechanical problem. Do the maintenance and your good to go-go-go!
Know someone who loves GMC – has a truck with 386k original miles. Just now starting to have some problems.
Good Luck !!
Nobody has mentioned CarFax or similar. Real important because there is a lot of rebuilt wrecks/flood damaged wheels out there. KNOW THE HISTORY.
Hard to beat the Japs and an SUV because they’re so dependable and flexible with loads of room.
hi, the 3 used Toyota’s i had died out under 100,000 miles-so i stay away from jap. meanwhile the 3 $600.00 escorts wnet to 230,00 before the engines failed. my first/only new car? ’14 focus with extended warranty.so far so good.
1. vw tdi-
2. e class mercedes
3. 92 cadillac deville with 4.9l front wheel drive (only get the ’92…the motor is bullet proof…if you can get the one with the shiny gold hubcaps everyone will think you’re a retired realtor…seriously though, these cars are extremely well made and run about like glocks) drove one for a few lean years and was impressed by durability, reliability and performance – scoots pretty good for an old guy’s car.
4. 2006 6.0 L powerstroke ford (f250, f350). the earlier 6.0’s are a disaster, but once ford paid out fixing their booboo’s they got it together…tow about anything, great mileage, run forever, can be “chipped” for enchanced performance/economy. be sure to use a good injector cleaner every tank.
2010 – 2015 Toyota Camry -LE with the 2.5L 4cly engine. Even in New Jersey will be around $12000 depending on miles. Buy only one owner and if service records available from either dealer or carfax. I like craigslist myself. Make sure car had oil changed every 5,000 miles. If so, these vehicles are like hair dryers. Just use them until they stop running. Don’t be afraid of miles, they run 300,000 easy if taken care of. I’ve bought several Camry’s with over 100,ooo miles for my kids and the only things I’ve ever had to do to them is normal maintenance like brakes, tires, batteries, cooling system flushes and so forth. They say the transmission oil never needs to be changed but I always change it every 100,000 miles or so.
“…Reliability will be key for us…”
If it has tires or tits sooner or later it’s going to give you trouble.
(My 2001 4Runner gives me less trouble than my ex did)
Steve C.
Words to live by….!
I tend to drive cars until they’re ready for the junkyard, and used to be a big Honda fan. I drove a succession of Honda Civic stationwagons for years. Last time I was car shopping (2012), I couldn’t find any newer Hondas with manual transmissions nor at a reasonable price, but got a good deal on a 2010 Subaru Forester with 28K miles. I hated it until I replaced the “these will last forever” tires with some sticky tires and I’ve been loving that Forester ever since. I’ve had to replace the brakes on it and get the oil changed regularly but, aside from the tires, that’s it. Since they are one of the few that apparently still subscribes to the KISS principle for cars, I’m becoming a Subaru fan.
The guy at the Benz dealership said people are injecting nitrogen in their tires for a smoother ride. Says it works. Never heard that before.
Stucky- I looked through the listings on cargurus.com for you a nice Mercedes and found quite a few that would fit the bill. Is Voorhees, NJ in your neck of the woods?
Don’t settle for less, I don’t because I like to be “stylin’ and profiling” when I am motoring. Look for a 2012-13 C or E Class 4-matic with 50-60,000 miles (one owner). You only live once Stuck, drive the best.
Also make sure it has a clean CarFax and the AMG models (Add More Gas) are more expensive to maintain so I would steer clear.
I have owned 10 MB’s (C,E,S,ML,SLK Class) Loved them all. Ordered one of the ML’s from the factory and drove it 14 years. Most of them we have driven at least 7/8 years, great cars. Bought my first MB in the 70’s so I have decades of experience with them.
You just can’t live in a mansion and drive a Chevy.
http://www.cargurus.com
We bought a low-milage 2nd gen Toyota Prius a year ago for under 10K. My wife and I both love it and it has been problem free. We don’t mind at all that it is not a “drivers” car, or has “mushy” steering.
We actually love the smooth acceleration from the electric motor assisting the engine. The big concern used to be the cost of a new hybrid battery, but you can get used or refurbished if needed. Based on all the reports, I’m hoping to take this car to 200K miles. I did upgrade the stereo so I can have bluetooth and iphone integration.
used car for 12k… funny but these days I dont know if that will cut it . The price that dealers ans individual sellers want for used cars is simply ridiculous. In a number of markets one can work out a new car for a better price than a used one (trucks anyway).
I hobby mechanic because its sometimes fun, sometimes needed and sometimes a pain in the ass. Best car I ever had (still have) is a 2002 2.4 L Chevy Cav … rare model engine, french design I believe. 350k miles, same engine, same manual trans no rebuilds… oil changes every 3k and a switch put in for the fan and cooling system for power trans, oil system to regulate heat. In buying used vehicles that seems to be the biggest thing, changing the fluids regularly and keeping a tolerable heat on the parts as heat kills engines.
Everybody has their own favs but all car models tend to have certain years that had a “unique” engine as compared to other models… I go for these. The unique engine often has better characteristics than the rest. Models pre-2002 if you happen to be good with engines, or even able to follow an example to switch out parts. Its nice to find someone that religiously changed oils and did at least semi regular maintenance on the fluids. Even a beat up shell of a car can run for a long time if whats under the hood has been taken care of.
99 right here followed closely by…
One Hundred. Damn thing said I posted too quickly.
Actually, I think the message was “You are posting comments too quickly.”
Like I don’t have better things to do than sit and try to post the one hundredth comment on Stuckey’s car advice post.