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What kind of used car should I buy?

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border

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My car was totaled out in an accident this week. Other drivers' fault, but his insurance is only giving me a rental car for a week so I have to move somewhat quick. I would like to get a decent cash car (80K-100K mileage) that I wouldn't have to make payments on. Either that or I would like to finance relatively recent Certified Preowned car that would at least come with a warranty. Conservatively, I'd probably be borrowing at 3-3.5%.

I have looked at the following vehicles thus far:

2008 Honda Civic Sedan - 84K miles - $2500-$3500 (no sticker price, the salesman vaguely offered "If I could get it out the door for $2500 would you take it?" I'm not sure how much of a guarantee that is)

2002 Hyundai Sonata - 36K miles - ~$5000 out the door (Internet price is $3991)

2005 Acura - 120K miles - no price offered by the salesman, but he seemed to think it'd be in my ballpark, and I liked the looks of it Seems like it might be a nice splurge. How are maintenance costs on Acuras?

2013 Corrolla - 100K miles - Sticker price is $9.9K, and it'd be about $12.1 out the door

2015 Corolla LE - Certified, free service and warranty - Sticker price is $12.9, it'd be ~$15 out the door

2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK Convertible -- 82K miles, Sticker price is $5.9K. Please someone convince me that this is a terrible idea before I go against all good judgement and buy this car.

Any there any other archetypes I should be looking at? I tend for feel like well made cash-cars and newer used vehicles represent the best values areoung.

As for what I feel strongly about, the Civic seems to me like the best compromise provided that the salesman is actually willing to get it out the door at less that 4 or 5K. I was kind of in a rush when I was at that dealership so I didn't really want to press the guy. I haven't seen a Carfax on that model either.

The 2002 Hyundai looks like a great deal -- only 36K miles, around $5000. It has a clean looking Carfax: 2 owners, no accidents and regular maintenance performed. I'm not entirely sure if Hyundais made during that era were really any good or particularly reliable. I know they've gotten better in the last 10-15 years, but at that price I want something that will at least get to 125K miles without a lot of hassle.

The newer model Corollas are pretty interesting, and getting a car made in the last few years is pretty tempting. But having to make car payments sucks, and Corollas seem to be well-built enough that you don't need a recent model to get reliability. It'd be nice to have something that's new enough for me to do a little Ubering on the side.....though I'm not sure if Uber is really profitable enough to justify paying $160-$200 per month on a car.
 
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SomewhatGroovy

Banned
You'll want to narrow down which one or two cars you want, get your own independent mechainic to run his own inspection, and get an honest opinion about the transimission and the engine (and rack and pinion)

I would have the Civic be one of the few that you narrow down to.
 
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Sectorseven

Member
The 2002 Hyundai sounds too old to me. That car is 15 years old and repairs are going to be on the horizon. Low mileage for a car that age could indicate a slew of entirely different (potential) problems than a car with high mileage.
 
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Shadynasty

Member
It's hard to go against a civic or corolla. They will both last you. Because I'm cheap I'd say the civic, but check the vehicle history out yourself first to see if they've been in any major accidents. The BMW would be awesome, but if it wasn't maintained well in the past maintenance can be more costly than you may like. Also if you can drive a manual look for one as you can usually (not always) save some money since most people won't buy them.

edit: The Sonata with 36k doesn't sound too bad either, mileage and price seem about right, but I haven't ever driven one so I can't say more than that.
 
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Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
The Mercedes out of nowhere is bonkers. So get that. A lot more car for the money and you might get 200k out of it. Repair and maintenance won't be cheap.
 
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QualityPixel

Banned
If you want something that will last, look for something with ~50,000 miles. If you are going to consider a 100,000 mile car find one that has had the timing belt replaced (if the car uses a timing belt) (or make a deal that includes timing belt service).

I bet you could find a decent Toyota with low miles in your budget.
 
Goro Majima

Goro Majima

Kitty Genovese Member
If you could get a Mercedes that cheap with a CarMax warranty from CarMax, then I'd go for it. Although the warranty is expensive it's great for finicky used German luxury cars.

But I'm guessing that's not where you're seeing that car though so I'd avoid it.

I'd probably avoid buying any car with over 100k miles on it unless they had amazing service records and it was something like a Honda or Toyota...and I didn't care about little electrical things giving out in the interior.

The 2002 Hyundai I think was still when the brand was approaching Japanese reliability but I don't believe the brand was *quite* there yet.

If that Acura is a TL, I would avoid like the plague (without a warranty of some kind). I believe the 2005 model was part of the years where the TL had some major issues.

2008 Civic is probably your best "frugal bet" out of all those options and if you view cars as appliances that just get you places.

Have you looked at Miatas if you're actually into convertibles?
 
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hazelnoots

Member
Im a huge fan of corollas despite them being everywhere. My old 2001 lasted me until last year (I bought used in 2008) when I just decided on a new car. Zero maintenence problems that entire time, except for some sensor crapping out. Fit like a glove too, small and nice. Love my 2016 too.
 
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cyress8

Banned
wienke said:
If you could get a Mercedes that cheap with a CarMax warranty from CarMax, then I'd go for it. Although the warranty is expensive it's great for finicky used German luxury cars.

But I'm guessing that's not where you're seeing that car though so I'd avoid it.

I'd probably avoid buying any car with over 100k miles on it unless they had amazing service records and it was something like a Honda or Toyota...and I didn't care about little electrical things giving out in the interior.

The 2002 Hyundai I think was still when the brand was approaching Japanese reliability but I don't believe the brand was *quite* there yet.

If that Acura is a TL, I would avoid like the plague (without a warranty of some kind). I believe the 2005 model was part of the years where the TL had some major issues.

2008 Civic is probably your best "frugal bet" out of all those options and if you view cars as appliances that just get you places.

Have you looked at Miatas if you're actually into convertibles?
Click to expand...

I agree with this. Avoid the Acura though. Around those years, the transmissions are subpar and they love to leak oil. I have one in one of my bays now and it is yet another transmission job.
 
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GrapeApes

Member
Ihyll said:
That civic sedan with 84k miles at 2500-$3000 seems like a no brainier bargain
Click to expand...
Theres probably something up with the Civic. Too good to be true. I'd def look more into it if I was OP. Those Civics have a problem with the paint chipping off. I'm guessing it's more serious thab that though.
 
rokkerkory

rokkerkory

Member
Stay away from old mercs... $$$ in maintenance and upkeep.

Get the honda if everything checks out and it wasn't modded to hell and put back to stock.

Also look at used Mazda 3s.
 
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AstroNut325

Member
If you can handle the 60-65 mile range, a 2013 Nissan Leaf with 40-50K miles is only $7K in Los Angeles.

Otherwise, I would recommend a Toyota, Honda, Lexus or Acura. They have the best 10 year reliability ratings on Consumer Reports to this day.

Avoid German cars. They need lots of maintenance, and very expensive maintenance.
 
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Doominated

Member
OP, what's your zip code? It'd be easier to help you if some alternative suggestions could be made.

-------------------------------------

Avoid that 08 civic like the plague. 06-08 Hondas are steaming piles of shit, do not under any circumstance buy one.

If that was an 03 Sonata I would say go get it yesterday. 02's are okay, but 03 was really the year they got a good handle on quality. Still, 36K miles is really, REALLY hard to pass up. KBB has the value of the car at 3800 with that mileage on it. If the carfax is totally clean on it and the dealer's willing to go down to 4K out the door, including taxes and everything else involved, I'd highly recommend it. I had an 03 LX, incredible car considering the age. When I got it it had 59,000 miles and the only repair I had to do on it all the way to 100K beyond brakes/tires was the ABS sensor. I crashed it around 100K miles, but that thing could've easily gone to 150K. I'd imagine the 02's can go to at least 125 before major problems, so you've got a damn solid amount of time to play with it. Plus with that low of mileage on it, resale value is going to be nice enough for long enough to toy with the idea of going for something else later on down the road. I think 5K is a bit steep considering the age, but 3500-4000 seems very fair. Another bonus to the Sonata; It's a mid size sedan, whereas the Civic and Corollas (And probably Acura) are Compact Sedans. Meaning more leg room, better backseat, likely more trunk space, and overall it'll feel like cramped.

You didn't specify a model for the 05 Acura, but I'm going to assume TL since you're looking at sedans. Acura's are just Luxury Hondas, which means maintenance costs are typically manageable. 2005 TL's are okay, nothing special, nothing incredible. It's hard to give advice without a price, model, and some kind of history, but at 120K miles I'd be wary. In theory it'll go to 200K if you take care of it, but it's no more likely to last YOU that 80,000 miles than it would be for that 02 Sonata to last you 80000 miles.

As for the Corollas, if you want to finance a car I think you can do better. I'm not as well versed in that realm (All of my situations have been used cars for full cash and leases), but I'm just not a big fan of Corollas. Never felt comfortable driving one for some reason. This is all subjective though, I've got no objective reasoning behind this.

As for the Benz... It's too old, repair costs are going to be egregious considering you're not exactly shopping in luxury car realm to begin with, and it's a 2 door convertible so you'll have no room in the car. I wouldn't recommend at all considering the other options you're looking at. Driving a 16 year old convertible doesn't qualify as "stuntin" like you think it might. Someone that pulls up in some more recent piece of shit convertible Pontiac or Chrysler will get just as many looks from people as you will.
 
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Big-E

Member
If you like to go out and explore consider an older Toyota 4 runner. I had to take it on logging roads for a year and the only repair job that needed to be done was a broken tie rod. Older 4 Runners are everywhere in my city of Vancouver but rarely go on the used market. I like that I have the option of going up into the mountains and not having to worry about whether or not my car can get there.
 
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Hero_of_the_Day

Member
We just got a 2015 Corolla last night with 33k miles out the door for just over 13,000. They have pretty great reviews from consumer reports. Was planning of another Ford Focus 'cause our last one was a tank. But, they did a redesign in 2012 and apparently went to complete shit. So, avoid those.
 
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Agent_ShortBus

Member
2 door sports coupe hatchback if you can. Best decision I've ever made!
I can't fit a lot of things in the trunk. Can barely fit my groceries in the trunk with my tools in there, runs on premium only and has small gas tank :( sometimes I regret the purchase but damn does my 350z look sweet ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
lem0n

lem0n

Member
I'm just gonna reply to each car with my thoughts. I'm obsessed with cars and will give you my 'informed' and unbiased opinion. I hope it helps!

border said:
I have looked at the following vehicles thus far:

2008 Honda Civic Sedan - 84K miles - $2500-$3500 (no sticker price, the salesman vaguely offered "If I could get it out the door for $2500 would you take it?" I'm not sure how much of a guarantee that is)
If they're willing to take a third off the price of a car without even blinking, you have to wonder what's wrong with it. At least, I would. Good car, though, generally speaking. Should last a long time after that, but if they're still timing belt, it will need one soon if it's not been checked.

2002 Hyundai Sonata - 36K miles - ~$5000 out the door (Internet price is $3991)
This is compelling, because of the miles, but there are issues that can arise from a car not being driven. Hyundai's are way better than they used to be, but '02 they still had some issues they were working out. I'd go '09+ on Hyundai.

2005 Acura - 120K miles - no price offered by the salesman, but he seemed to think it'd be in my ballpark, and I liked the looks of it Seems like it might be a nice splurge. How are maintenance costs on Acuras?
This sounds tempting, but if it's a V6 Acura, it will probably end up having transmission issues down the line. They make a fine vehicle, Honda/Acura, but their early auto boxes are not good. Just look up the model and see if it's affected.

2013 Corrolla - 100K miles - Sticker price is $9.9K, and it'd be about $12.1 out the door
This is probably your best bet, I bet you can haggle down with that mileage, though. Corollas rule if you just need to get places reliably.

2015 Corolla LE - Certified, free service and warranty - Sticker price is $12.9, it'd be ~$15 out the door
If you think the '13 will need some work and you just like the features more here, go newer. Otherwise stick to the '13. Still great cars tho.

2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK Convertible -- 82K miles, Sticker price is $5.9K. Please someone convince me that this is a terrible idea before I go against all good judgement and buy this car.
Hahahahaha
Click to expand...
 
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Chuckl3s

Member
Every once and awhile we have a thread like this and someone always suggest a VW something...I want to say it had a number. They say its the best bang for your buck used car. Good gas and everything. But I can't remember the model.
 
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mike6467

Member
Chuckl3s said:
Every once and awhile we have a thread like this and someone always suggest a VW something...I want to say it had a number. They say its the best bang for your buck used car. Good gas and everything. But I can't remember the model.
Click to expand...

It's the R32. You want an R32.

It's not the R32...That's a different conversation.

You're likely thinking of the Golf, which is a solid choice. Everyone I know who's owned one has been happy with it. It's going to be more expensive then the Japanese/Korean cars listed, but nowhere near what you'd be looking at for that Merc or a similar BMW/Audi.
 
A

Abounder

Banned
Chrysler 200 is the most car you can get in the teens range but it is a Chrysler, still worth checking out though imo (with a warranty). Anyway get the Hyundai or one of the Toyondas if they have the maintenance paperwork/warranty option.
 
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painey

Member
After my car broke down I went a prior salvage yard and got a 2013 Ford Focus with 30k miles for $7k all in. Amazing ride, and aside from some hail damage it is as good as new. Will never buy a car in the US again that was not prior salvage.
 
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Doominated

Member
border said:
32204 -- greater Jacksonville FL area. I will answer other replies when I get the chance. I am at work at the moment though.
Click to expand...

OP, pretty sure I found your golden chariot;

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/ctd/5957531966.html

I did some basic searches on the dealership, they seem like they should be reputable. Couldn't find any outright complaints and their cars seem to undercut KBB values by a decent, but not suspicious amount. I know a lot of people are apprehensive about looking up cars through Craigslist, but that's why the filter options are there. Everything's case by case of course, but the "seedy" dealers are usually pretty easy to spot.

Anyway, onto the car... 07-09 Sonatas are incredibly reliable cars known for going the same distance as Accords/Camrys, but typically without the consistent issues across the model (Really 03-09 was a fantastic run for Sonatas, but 07-09 is a major sweet spot). That ad isn't a typo; That's only 16,000 miles. I'm not sure how doable $6,000 is, but that's the same price as that Benz you were looking at, so I'm assuming it's within the realm of possibilities. That car's really got everything you could possibly expect in that price range; Low miles, sporty enough look, mint condition interior/exterior going off pictures, engine looks to be pristine, power everything, built in GPS, and the price is damn near unbeatable. That should be going for 7500 EASY, and could even push the 9000 range depending on the options. The ad says it's the V6 model, so we could realistically be talking a car worth 10 grand.

Of course, it's hard to tell based on pictures through the internet. But if I were you, I would call them ASAP and see if they've still got it. The ad was posted 5 days ago, so there's a pretty good chance. Make sure to take it for a test drive, get a carfax, etc. Definitely don't rush the process, but that should be your go-to option. If I lived near Jacksonville I'd probably try to go buy it for my brother since he's getting his license soon.

All that being said, if you show up to the dealership and the place or the owner/sales people seem shady, make sure to take as much caution as possible. But that goes without saying with used cars.You should probably straight up ask why the price is so low, as it's possible something's wrong that they're not advertising.

I spent about 30 minutes just searching for cars in Jacksonville that fit your price/needs, this was far and away the best thing I found. I actually thought the mileage count was missing a digit when I first saw it, so I almost ignored it.
 
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Shadybiz

Member
NOT the Mercedes...maintenance costs out the ass.

Best bets are going to be one of the Corollas or the Civic. The price on that Civic seems questionable, though...seems pretty damn low to me.
 
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rSpooky

Member
I know it is an option you favor the least due to the cost /car payments . but
just a suggestion...You can get Nissan versa's new (2017) for like 12 K. starting price.. with some xtra options probably 15 k ish
They are great cars actually for that price that rate good on safety and low in maintenance cost.
If you have a dealer nearby go check it out.. it can never hurt.

I think ford has a car in same price range too, but it is a bit smaller (fiesta?)
 
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Saganator

Member
Get the Corolla. If you want something a little less boring looking, I hear the Mazda 3 is a nice car for about the same price. I have 2011 Corolla and I'm happy with it, but whenever I see the Mazda 3 I get a little upset that I chose the Corolla.
 
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clav

Member
I would probably choose the Corolla although we need more info about the cars. At the price range, you might as well buy new. Toyota consistently ranks highest in low cost + DIY-able maintenance for their best selling gas-powered vehicles. Lots of aftermarket parts.

Next is the Civic because of the price, but I'm skeptical. Something doesn't seem right for a low mileage vehicle priced that low.

At least plug in a scan tool, inspect what's under the hood, and test drive it on the street + highway.

Alternatively, pay a mechanic to check out the car before you buy it.

Early Hyundais did not have a decent reputation.

European cars usually have a lot of problems starting at that mileage. Usually you have to go to a very specialized mechanic or dealer for fixes + parts.
 
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DarkGiygas

Member
Had a 2006 Corolla and just got a 2017 so im biased towards that. Never had any problems with the 2006 just regular maintenance, and always started fine even in the cold ass winter here. Only reason I got a new one was because I got bored of it.
 
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Agent_ShortBus

Member
SomewhatGroovy said:
k car experts. in same boat and need to buy a car but this looks to good to be true. carfax report with history included

tell me whats up

car link here
Click to expand...

My boss has an 08 and it has about 73,000 miles but all I ever hear is him complaining of his car having issues. Last week it started to have a knock coming from the engine. Read some reviews on the car and look up the most common issues for that model and year.
Although it really comes down to how a person maintained their car and how many previous owners a car has had. I've always liked the way the 300c looked. Good luck.

Edit: link with some common issues for that year and model http://www.carcomplaints.com/Chrysler/300C/2006/
 
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SuperBanana

Banned
2008 Honda Civic sounds best but make sure you get it a full check over before you buy and bargain, bargain, bargain. Anything wrong with it, ask for a discount, and start your offer very low and work up.
 
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SomewhatGroovy

Banned
Agent_ShortBus said:
My boss has an 08 and it has about 73,000 miles but all I ever hear is him complaining of his car having issues. Last week it started to have a knock coming from the engine. Read some reviews on the car and look up the most common issues for that model and year.
Although it really comes down to how a person maintained their car and how many previous owners a car has had. I've always liked the way the 300c looked. Good luck.

Edit: link with some common issues for that year and model http://www.carcomplaints.com/Chrysler/300C/2006/
Click to expand...

Thanks my man. Knock in engine? Say no more.

I just turned in my Hyundai sonata 2012 back to dealership on account of a massive recall of faulty engines made in AL with same symptoms.. Will take 7 mo this to get engine replaced (they have me in a rental they are paying for).

Not going through that risk again.
 
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border

Member
Sectorseven said:
That car is 15 years old and repairs are going to be on the horizon. Low mileage for a car that age could indicate a slew of entirely different (potential) problems than a car with high mileage.
Click to expand...

Amputechture said:
This is compelling, because of the miles, but there are issues that can arise from a car not being driven. Hyundai's are way better than they used to be, but '02 they still had some issues they were working out. I'd go '09+ on Hyundai.
Click to expand...

I had never heard that cars can have problems when they aren't driven enough. What sort of issues are we talking about?

The Carfax shows that the first owner had the car for roughly 12 years and put about 18K on it (roughly 100 miles per month or so). The second owner put another 18K miles on it over the last two years, so roughly 750 miles per month. So at least recently, it hasn't been sitting idle.
 
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clav

Member
I think I mentioned this in another thread.

If you want a Toyota car at a GM price, you could look at a Pontiac Vibe. Project was a collaboration between GM and Toyota who once manufactured the car as Corolla Matrix. Think if I remember correctly, production ceased recently.

You can still get internal parts from Toyota. Unsure about body. 2009/2010 models have engine oil consumption problems which had warranty-issued fixes although YMMV on the cars whether that service was done.
 
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border

Member
rSpooky said:
I know it is an option you favor the least due to the cost /car payments . but
just a suggestion...You can get Nissan versa's new (2017) for like 12 K. starting price.. with some xtra options probably 15 k ish
They are great cars actually for that price that rate good on safety and low in maintenance cost.
If you have a dealer nearby go check it out.. it can never hurt.
Click to expand...

How would you rate these offerings?

2016 Nissan Versa 1.6 Sedan - 39K miles, 1 owner, clean Carfax - $9857

2014 Nissan Versa S+ Sedan - 39K miles, 1 owner, Carfax shows only minor damage in rear-end collision - $8991
 
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Sectorseven

Member
border said:
I had never heard that cars can have problems when they aren't driven enough. What sort of issues are we talking about?

The Carfax shows that the first owner had the car for roughly 12 years and put about 18K on it (roughly 100 miles per month or so). The second owner put another 18K miles on it over the last two years, so roughly 750 miles per month. So at least recently, it hasn't been sitting idle.
Click to expand...

Fluids sit and eat at the seals, moisture collects and corrodes the metal, upper parts of the engine aren't lubricated enough, brittle plastic, dry rot on the rubber. The list goes on.
 
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