Oh God, another [used car] thread.

That_Spoony_Bard

So I'm in the market for a used car. Here's the lowdown.

Currently have a '05 Focus that I'm getting rid of for various reasons (don't really feel like going into details, mostly reliability issues).

I'm looking for a car that is reliable as all get out. I don't know jack shit about car repairs and would rather not have to worry about shit falling apart (given proper routine maintenance). Not looking for anything extravagant, just a 4-door automatic that will last me a good long time. Not interested in a subcompact, as the car will probably end up seeing a baby stuffed in the backseat somewhere during it's lifespan. Price range is ~15k (as a graduation gift, my parents are paying half of the cost up to 15k, rest is up to me and I have about 7k give or take).

I've poked around at some of the previous car threads and I've noticed that quite a few people think that Hyundai is a good brand right now. While the prices are pretty attractive, my concern is reliability and repairs 5-7 years down the road. I was hoping someone could speak to that. The other brands I've seen tossed around were Honda, Toyota, and Mazda.

L Ron Howard

Go Japanese, you can't really go wrong.
I'd recommend the Mazda 3 myself.

Casually Hardcore

Reliable as all hell?




4.6 V8, body on frame, last of the full size sedan.



I've been a mechanic for a number of years. I've seen many of these cars with 500,000+ miles. I've seen some with 700,000+ miles on stock parts.



There is a reason why these cars are the go to cars for Taxi drivers. It's a shame that Ford is killing the platform, but such a glorious car can't exist in todays market.

But, if you want a reliable full size sedan then you cannot go wrong with the Ford Panther platform..

Iceman.USAF

If you want Japanese it seems like an Accord is right up your alley. Not too big, not too small. Reliable. Yeah. If you can find a police interceptor that'd be awesome. Sometimes tough to come by (in New England anyway).

Spudge

Reliable inexpensive cars that can handle a child in the near future:

Chevrolet Impala - pre '06, get the 3800. 06+ The 3.9 or the 5.3DOD. Excellent for long hauls, comfortable as all get out, proven engines and tranmsissions, great fuel economy (considering the bulk of the vehicle)

Ford Fusion - You may be jaded on Fords from your Focus, but the Fusion really is a great car. Strong V6, 6spd auto. Lots of nice features that really show the new side of Ford

Nissan Altima - top of my recommend list. Both motors power this car nicely. Not quite as comfortable as the Impala but tons of interior and cargo space. Hard to beat the "New Nissan"'s reliability

Subaru Legacy - would probably be a good find up in WA. Legendary AWD system, reliable, fun and comfortable. Not to mention the wagons are hot as hell

Mazda Mazda6 - Aside from some electrical issues that can plague the radio and dash of early models, these are great, perky, attractive cars. There's a reason Ford used the 6 to base the Fusion from

Saab 9-3 - If you like acres and acres of buttons, this is the car for YOU! Excellent inclement weather capability, strong motors, conservative styling and awkward key placement

Hyundai Sonata/Kia Optima - understated, reliable, vanilla cars. But pretty much indestructible

Then yes there's the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry that everyone else here will probably talk about

John Matrix

If you're looking for a 4-door sedan in the 20k ballpark, what about a used Volvo S40? For that kind of money I think you can pick up a low-mileage 2007 model. If you're thinking about putting your child in the back the volvo piece of mind might be a factor.

wmelon

John Matrix wrote: »

If you're looking for a 4-door sedan in the 20k ballpark, what about a used Volvo S40? For that kind of money I think you can pick up a low-mileage 2007 model. If you're thinking about putting your child in the back the volvo piece of mind might be a factor.

Heck you can practically pick up a S60 for that price range.

MushroomStick

An ex girlfriend's family swore by Volvo. I never understood it. Here, there is exactly one guy, besides the dealership, that will touch the things for maintenance. I remember one instance where it cost them almost $3k for a tuneup and when I thought that was insane, they thought I was crazy. So OP might want to check stuff like that out before buying any Swedish cars.


Take a good look at a Mazda3. With the budget outlined in the OP, a brand new one might not be out of the question. Especially if they still have the 0% financing deals going.

Spudge

Yeah I've had my fair share of Volvos (and my fair share of problems with them). Models before the S70 you could work on yourself, but most anything after that if you have a problem it generally has to be dealt with by dealership/mechanic who owns the special Volvo diagnostic tools

Djeet

I think both edmunds and msn autos use JDPower ratings for reliability, their press release has some interesting conclusions for those who pooh-pooh american marks' reliability.

You cannot solve the longterm maintenance/reliability problem by just buying the right car. If you want to keep a car for 5-10+ years proper maintenance speaks to long term reliability more than make/model (IMO). When buying used you should try to get the service records for the vehicle you're looking at so you can see how well the previous owner serviced his car; in my experience though, most used vehicles have absent or spotty service records. Carfax/autocheck may help you determine some sense of the service history, or may not since garages are not required to update the databases these services pull from, and these records don't say what's being done only a date and an odometer reading.

proXimity

Check out things on this list (and feel free to change some of the variables, I just chose what you're most likely looking for)

Dunadan019

if you have 15K for a used car, you should consider getting a new car and financing the rest at 0%.

the thing is that a certified used 2008 Honda Accord will cost you about 20K while a new 2010 model will also cost 20K.

also, financing the rest of the 5K will help build you credit now that you've graduated.

illig

John Matrix wrote: »

If you're looking for a 4-door sedan in the 20k ballpark, what about a used Volvo S40? For that kind of money I think you can pick up a low-mileage 2007 model. If you're thinking about putting your child in the back the volvo piece of mind might be a factor.

You're recommending an out of warranty Volvo as a reliable vehicle? It's going to be a money pit on a level that's mind blowing to someone who owns a focus.

OP, just buy yourself a driving appliance - the newest Camry or Accord you can afford. Get the 4 cylinder models with basic options and they'll run forever. They'll also have great resale value, so you can actually get something for them when you need to upgrade.

kuhlmeye

I've been driving Altimas, Accords, and Camrys in the past 2 weeks. So far, the favorite to drive has been the Altima. It drives a lot more sporty than either of the other two, and I like the styling a little more. Camry is probably the second favorite, with Accord in third.

My only real advice, go drive some cars, see what you like. Don't feel like a test drive means you have to buy, you are never obligated to buy a car.