Buying a used car

Fizban140

I am planning on buying a used car, something under $10,000, I was mostly looking at civics. I just need something to pretty much get to and from work. Which would save me more money in the long run? A more expensive used car with not too many miles on it or a cheap car with 100k+?

PeekingDuck

It really all depends on luck. I'd personally buy a higher quality used car and not chance the 100k+. You'll spend more on routine maintenance and some car brands just don't do well in their "old" age. Honda and Toyota are obviously exceptions and you could get away with saving some money buying a high mileage model from them. Alternatively, you could look into either of their new economy cars (Fit and Yaris) which aren't much more than 10k base and you get a shiny new car.

Daenris

Yeah, if you really have around $10,000 you might think about a new car (the Yaris would I think end up a few thousand cheaper than the Fit, but they're both in the 10-15 range). Though your best bet would probably be to get something used from a good dealer that will have some kind of warranty on it. Go for factory or manufacturer certified cars. If you spend 1-2,000 on a high-mileage used car you might get lucky, or you might end up pouring hundreds or thousands more into it in the next year or two... it's a crap shoot really.

Deathwing

Which would save me more money in the long run? A more expensive used car with not too many miles on it or a cheap car with 100k+?

Having spent quite a bit of time with a high mileage car (Used an 84' Camry for about 5 years, 220,000 miles when we sold it), I can say that you will definately be risking a higher chance of expensive or "scary" stuff failing, depending on how well it is/was maintained - mine started getting holes in the exhaust, a brake line failed, rust everywhere, door locks getting stuck, etc.

Also worth noting is that the federally mandated warranty on catalytic converters and the engine control computers end after 8 years or 80,000 miles, and they tend to be rather expensive to replace.

Szechuanosaurus

Yeah, my Peugeot 307 really started to take a crap at around 40k. Started costing a couple of thousand a year to keep it on the road. Granted, that's Peugeot, but still. I think all things being equal, the newer/lower mileage the car you can afford to buy the better. Naturally, the make and model factor in as some are more reliable than others.

Also bear in mind that newer cars are typically more fuel efficient. Overall, new cars should have lower running costs because better reliability means less garage expenses, better fuel efficiency means lower fuel costs etc. But of course, how new a car you buy is going to depend on the limit of you current budget and the size of car you're looking for. $10k will probably get you a base engine size small compact brand new, but you'll probably have to hunt around for an older car if you want something with a bigger engine or simply more space inside.

Maybe check around here before buying.