Buying a cheap, reliable used car: advice please.

In My Humble Opinion
1

So, i haven’t owned a car for quite a long time. My partner and i were grad students in Baltimore, and couldn’t afford to buy one. Before that, i lived in Sydney and she lived in San Francisco, both places where, especially if you live in the right area, public transport is good enough for almost all your needs.

The last time i owned a car was in the early 1990s, in England, where i spent about 1000 pounds on a rather ratty but extremely reliable Triumph Acclaim (i think it was a badge-engineered Honda; is that right?). Before that, i sold cars for a year in Sydney, and had a new car provided by the dealership. My partner got her mothers 1991 Accord two-door before coming out to Baltimore, but some asshole rear-ended her the following year and totalled it.

Anyway, we’re in San Diego now, and here in Freewayland it’s pretty much impossible to get by without a car. This need is exacerbated by the fact that my partner’s job is in San Marcos, 32 freeway miles from our new place in North Park, and she will have to make that commute 2-3 times a week during the academic year.

We have virtually no money right now (she starts work on August 19, but doesn’t get her first paycheck until September 30), we will only have one income until at least the end of this year, and we have student loan debts that will also kick in very soon, so we need to spend as little money as possible. At the same time, we are also conscious that buying a too-cheap car will probably end up being a false economy, if/when it breaks down and requires major maintenance.

The old Accord she had was, before it got wrecked, a great car, and we’ve also had lots of friends who drove mid- to late-90s Civics with very little trouble, so we have a certain affection for Hondas, but don’t really know very much about other makes and models.

With all that in mind, i’d love any suggestions or advice that people might have. We only need 1 car, not 2. And if anyone here in Southern California is selling a reliable car, let me know. :slight_smile:

2

First question is exactly how much have you budgeted to spend on a car, and how much of your monthly budget can you afford for insurance? The type of car you buy along with your driving habits, driving record, and credit report will influence your insurance rates.

3

I own two Chevy Cavaliers. One is a 98 and one is a 2000.

I bought them for two main reasons.

First, they are very inexpensive to repair. This is key in used cars, as you will have to deal with repairs eventually. Cavaliers are very common and it is easy to find parts at low cost.

Second, they are very reliable. We’ve had ours since 2005 and have had only minor repairs. They are both over 100,000 miles and drive quite well.

I don’t usually recommend “brand names”, but Cavaliers from the late 90’s early '00’s are excellent as used cars. Ours were about $2800 in 2005.

:slight_smile:

4

Unfortunately, you’ve picked exactly the wrong economic moment to be doing this, because there are throngs of SUV and truck owners rushing to buy used economy cars to save on gas. Three years ago when I bought my most recent car there were hundreds of used compacts in decent shape for sale on Autotrader.com within an hour’s drive of me. This year the pickin’s are extremely slim, and the prices are twice what they were a few years ago for the same cars.

I’m not trying to be discouraging – just know you may end up paying more for your used wheels this year than you would have just a year or two ago, and it’s probably unavoidable. Unless you want an SUV, that is…in which case someone might give you one for $5…

If money is your primary concern, I would focus on used domestic (US) compacts like the Ford Focus, Chevy Cobalt/Cavalier, etc. They don’t hold value well compared with imports and you’ll probably get more car for your money that way. Maybe a first-generation Saturn that’s been well loved?

If not, you might want to pony over a little more for a used late-90s Camry in decent shape, or a Honda Civic of the same vintage. Both models have a reputation for lasting forever, and neither is more expensive to maintain than average if the specific car is in good shape to begin with. Expect any used Civic to go for at least twice what you think it’s worth, though. They charge through the nose for them.

If you can afford to finance a little debt, you might consider something like what I did: find someone selling a well-maintained used car in the 2-4 year old range who bought a transferrable extended warranty. If you can land the car for about 10 grand, you’ll only have a small payment each month, and you’ll have a car that is still under warranty and which will last much longer than a beater. Want-ads are better for this than dealers, though, because person-to-person blue-book values are much lower than dealer blue-book. It’s all about finding a seller who clearly has put care into the car.

My example: I bought a 2003 VW Passat in 2005 that had almost 50,000 miles left on the warranty. For my $186/month payment, I got a car that still seemed quite new and more warranty coverage than many people get on a new purchase.

Good luck!!

ETA: get anything you think about buying inspected by a mechanic of your own choosing. Getting a thumbs-up from a neutral, knowledgable source will tell you more about the mechanical shape the car is in than any test drive.

5

In 2006 picked up my 02 Hyundai Accent for $5,500 - 28k miles and 8 months left on the transferable warranty. It’s done me right so far, and is fondly known as “The Dinkmobile.” So see what you can find in a 2004 .

You can get a better deal buying from a private seller than a dealer. (I test drove the identical car, except in a different color, at a dealer for $7500). Tht seems about right from these listings, for example:
http://www.automotive.com/2004/12/hyundai/accent/used-car-listings/index.html

Edited to add: ditto on the independent mechanical inspection.

6

Everyone I know loves Toyotas and Hondas. They’re a little pricier than Korean cars but I know almost no one who has had an unsatisfactory experience. I’d go for a Corolla or a Civic. My 1984 Toyota 4Runner with 140,000 miles runs like a top.

7

Buy a Corolla.

8

Late 1990’s to mid 2000’s Buicks (esp the Century) are pretty reliable, were usually not abused by prior owners (a BIG factor!), relatively cheap to repair, comfortable to drive, and nobody thinks of them as an economy car, yet they are OK on gas mileage.

9

We just picked up a used pickup for $8K. If you’re traveling 60+ miles a day (like Mr. K), the definition of “reliable” is different than a 20-mile-per-day ride.

We had a Ford Ranger (the little 4-banger) that ran reliably for 12 years (and we bought it used!!). In my experience, it is one of the most reliable rides on the road.

10

Thanks for the replies, folks.

Figaro, i was aware when we started the process that the value of small, economical used cars might have gone up recently, although a quick look at listings in the San Diego area suggest that there are still quite a few decent-looking late-90s and even early-00s Civics and Corollas going for the sort of money that we can afford.

Interestingly, i’ve read a couple of articles recently which suggest that the value of used SUVs and other large, gas-guzzling vehicles is now so low that, even with the high price of gas, it actually makes economic sense for people to hold on to them rather than trade them in for a more fuel-efficient car. Also, the fact is that plenty of people who bought those larger vehicles in the first place won’t be interested in swapping them for a 4-cylinder econobox–especially if they actually need the larger vehicle for a big family, for towing, or for hauling around large amounts of stuff.

Whatever car we buy, well definitely get it looked at by an independent mechanic. We know a few people in San Diego, and we’ve already had a couple of them recommend good, honest mechanics to us.

Hockey Monkey, we’ve factored insurance into our monthly budget, and have checked out what sort of rates we can get. Our chief concern, at least initially, is the up-front cost of the car.

Hello Again, it seems that you’re right about private sales being cheaper, although at the bottom end of the scale the difference doesn’t seem to be too great. We’re going to walk around a few used-car dealerships over the next couple of days, just to see what things cost, and what sort of quality you get for your money. Of course, going with a dealer gives you slightly more protection if something goes wrong.

11

My Ford Contour has given me years of good service.

12

I’ll go along with this. If you’re willing to consider a pickup and as long as you know the engine’s OK at purchase, they’ll run for years and years with little more than normal maintenance. My one knock on the one I had (a '90 regular cab, manual trans) was a lack of power; I never got her over 47 MPH climbing the big hill on the PA Turnpike west of Breezewood. Maybe more recent models have a bit more poke.

13

I have to concur with those who recommend Honda and Toyota products. One caveat, however…

Don’t buy a “Ricer”, or an “ex” Ricer. These are asian import cars that young guys typically soup up and race. For obvious reasons, they have been given quite a hard ride, and have been modified by sometimes amatuer mechanics whose only interest is tweeking a little more speed (at the expense of durability). All the wonderful things people say about asian imports go right out the window if the cars have been “riced”.

Best of luck

FML

14

If you want to get Toyota reliability, but don’t want to pay used Toyota prices, there are 2 other options:

The Geo/Chevy Prizm (sold until 2002) is mechanically identical to Toyota Corollas of the same years. They were even made in the same factory as Corollas.

Likewise, the Pontiac Vibe (2003-present) is a Toyota Matrix with some different styling shapes, also built in the same factory as the Toyota version. Both are basically a Corolla hatchback. I actually prefer the looks of the Pontiac.

These cars all have excellent reliability. The Vibe and Matrix were available in an all-wheel-drive version, but that version is underpowered (it actually has fewer horsepower than the front-wheel-drive version!) They probably won’t be selling any of those around San Diego, though!

15

In 2003, my wife and I bought two Suzuki Aerios. They’ve been fine cars: roomy, easy on gas, plenty of horsepower, reliable. I always recommend them in this sort of thread.

Their resale value is about nil, since nobody’s ever heard of them, and that’s good for you, the used-car buyer. I’d avoid the four-wheel drive versions, since they’re a lot heavier, and the automatic transmission, since I hear it really lowers the performance.

16

Another vote for Ranger, and another vote for Cavalier.

Still own the '97 Ranger, would still have the '95 Cavalier if it hadn’t been wrecked.

In 11 years and 125K miles ownership of the Ranger, I’ve had an oxygen sensor and a battery replaced under warranty; replaced the original shocks,the original set and one replacement set of tires,and the starter after the warranty. That’s it!

I’ll replace the Y2K-installed warranty-replacement battery this winter, just as a precaution. BTW, have had superb luck with Ford Motorcraft batteries since the '70s and was quite shocked at one failing in only 2.5 years.

The Ranger’s not as easy on fuel as a 4-cylinder car, but I’ve owned “economy cars” that more than ate up my savings on gas in repairs.

The Cavalier had an ignition coil-pack–the electronic-ignition equivalent of the old rotary distributor-- fail @ 150K and was otherwise absolutely reliable. It got 4-5 mpg more than the Ranger and rode better.

17

I hear ya on the lack of pep. Ours started out just fine (4-cyl, manual, regular cab with a cap) but the last couple years…well, her get up and go got up and went. But aside from that, extremely reliable. We are on our 3rd used ranger in 20 years. I swear by 'em.

I suggest the extended cab. You never know when you’re going to need to transport a 3rd party.

18

The Cavalier always had appalling side impact crash ratings. Combined with the name (in addition to referring to a knight, “cavalier” means “careless”), it’s a legendary marketing error. At GM we’re Cavalier about safety!

2005 Cavalier impact ratings:

Compare to
2005 Hyundai Accent impact ratings

19

2000 Saturn LS1 116,000 miles single cam 2.0L gas engine- Haven’t replaced a single part on the car except normal maintenance (plugs, filters, tires). It has a steel timing chain and a plastic panel body that doesn’t rust so it looks brand new. They don’t have the resale value of Honda’s but it has held up better than my 86 Honda (mile for mile). For me it was a better value as a used car.

20

Just thought i’d provide an update for those who were kind enough to post here with their advice and experience.

Yesterday we took possession of our “new” car. Specs as follows:

1998 Honda Civic LX
Silver with grey cloth interior
Four-door sedan
Five-speed manual
A/C
Power windows and locks (could have lived without these)
Panasonic MP3 CD player

131,500 miles

$4,100

The interior is in excellent condition, and the exterior has only a few little parking scrapes on the bumpers and a couple of paint chips on the fenders.

Before buying, we took the car to a mechanic just a few blocks from our new place here in San Diego. The mechanic had come very highly recommended by a friend, and also has outstanding reviews on a couple of consumer websites (Yelp, etc.).

One of the mechanics took it out for a drive, with me in the passenger seat, and put it through its paces on surface streets and on the freeway. He said it felt and sounded great. While we were out, the other mechanic spent about 20 minutes with my wife, showing her on his computer the parts that sometimes go wrong with Civics, and generally explaining to her the pros and cons of the car.

When we got back from the test drive, the two mechanics went over the engine, and looked under the car, checking for telltale signs of wear and/or replacement, and they both said that they could find no problem. The engine was clean, but had not been recently steam-cleaned, which they said was often a sign of someone trying to make it look good in order to distract from mechanical problems. The previous owner also had records of a comprehensive service at 90,000 miles, which included replacing a few big-ticket items like the timing chain, and had kept the car regularly serviced since then.

Both mechanics recommending buying it without reservation, as long as it passed a CarFax check. We did the check, and it came up clean, so we bought the car. Now we’ll just keep our fingers crossed that it is as reliable as we were hoping.

By the way, after spending a considerable amount of time and effort on us, the mechanics refused to take a penny. We’ll obviously be taking the car there whenever it needs work. It’s Smitty’s Service in Normal Heights, in case you ever need work done in San Diego.

Thanks again to everyone who responded.