What is the best used car you have purchased?

[DawnM]

Could be longest lasting, best deal, favorite car, anything.

 

We are going to look at a used car tomorrow and I have to say I am a little excited!  

 

Dawn

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

Hands down, my 1989 Honda Accord Lxi (5 speed). Bought it in 93 with 40K miles on it for $9000. We had in twenty years and put 204,000 miles on it and sold it to a friend for $650. It was still running strong, but A/C was leaking, and the paint was in bad shape. Best riding, best performing, most fun to drive car I ever owned.

[school17777]

Dh liked his Toyota Corolla best.  I hated that car - it was dirty and falling apart.  Before that, he had a Honda Civic that he liked (Corolla got better gas mileage) and thought he'd have until it died, but it was totaled (not his fault).

[MomtoCandJ]

2002 ford Taurus. Bought in 2005 with less then 50,000 miles on it. It now has 187000 miles and has moved us from Michigan to Georgia (everything we owned had to fit in it) and back (we had a u haul). I love my car :)

[MomtoCandJ]

2002 ford Taurus. Bought in 2005 with less then 50,000 miles on it. It now has 187000 miles and has moved us from Michigan to Georgia (everything we owned had to fit in it) and back (we had a u haul). I love my car :)

[gardenmom5]

we've bought two used camry xle's.  10 years old when we bought them, low miles, excellent condition.   purely coincidence I'm sure - both were owned by people who upgraded to a lexus.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Could be longest lasting, best deal, favorite car, anything.

 

We are going to look at a used car tomorrow and I have to say I am a little excited!  

 

Dawn

 

My 2007 VW Beetle Convertible.  That car was a dream.  I thought I would drive that car forever but, alas, I owned it for a little over a year.  I cried when I handed the keys over as a trade in on a bigger vehicle.  I still find myself wanting to put the top down and cruise around on beautiful summer evenings.

 

[Tammi K]

Anything Toyota. DH's Toyota Corolla  had 320K on it when we donated it to a charity. The only reason we did is because we were moving to Australia and they put the steering wheel on the wrong side. :tongue_smilie: Otherwise, it was still going strong.

 

My current car is a Toyota rav4 and I LOVE it!!!! Best car I've ever driven.

[SweetMissMagnolia]

don't remember the specs but it was a 1999 pontiac sunfire-the first car I bought in my name---kept it until 2012 and got to where we could get a new car (ford escape) and I was able to pass it on to my girlfriend who didn't have a vehicle and was having to walk everywhere with her little girl-that broke my heart when I heard it.....It felt soooo good to be able to do that.....

[KungFuPanda]

I'm currently driving a 98 Plymouth Breeze. It's been a very good car. DH drives a 99 Saturn. It's had more repairs than the Plymouth, but it's been pretty good too. They've both been paid for for over a decade.

[Ellie]

We bought a low-mileage, former-rental Dodge Gran Caravan. Best.car.ever.

[Maela]

In late 2008 we bought a 2007 Ford Fusion. We've had almost zero problems with it. (One time the check engine light came on, but it was nothing.) DH is very good at negotiating prices, and we got it for a good price. One of our best large purchases.

[Incognito]

Our Corolla lasted forever (I think we had it 10 years and it was a few years old when we got it).  It never needed any major repairs.  It is still in good enough shape that we were happy to sell it cheaply to a relative.

 

[mommymilkies]

My Honda Odyssey.

[gardenmom5]

 

My current car is a Toyota rav4 and I LOVE it!!!! Best car I've ever driven.

 

what about the Rav4 do you like so much?   why the rav4 over any of the other Toyota suvs? 2dd said she really likes it and wants one.  I'd love for her to get one so I can take my kidcar back from her.  (she's a broke grad student).

I also have a Toyota suv in the back of my mind in case I have to replace my van - seems we replace cars when they either die or are totaled.

 

 

 

 91 Volvo we've had 14 years. I don't think they'll ever die.

I had a 20 yo Volvo station wagon.  the body was old, and it showed.  many amenities didn't work.  you had to prime the gas line if it went too long without being driven - but it was very dependable.   I drove it for a couple years, and we sold it for as much as we paid for it.

 

My mom trashed her Volvo body  (there's a reason I put her in a Volvo . . . ) - but mechanically it was very dependable.

[Guest]

I bought my '89 Honda Accord LX in '03. It still runs fine, even after teaching my son how to drive. I think it's going to be considered a "historic vehicle" soon.

[Tammi K]

what about the Rav4 do you like so much?   why the rav4 over any of the other Toyota suvs? 2dd said she really likes it and wants one.  I'd love for her to get one so I can take my kidcar back from her.  (she's a broke grad student).

I also have a Toyota suv in the back of my mind in case I have to replace my van - seems we replace cars when they either die or are totaled.

 

 

A few weeks ago I was wondering aloud to DH about how it might be to drive an SUV. He looked at me, puzzled, and said, "You're kidding, right?" I didn't get it until he finally said, "You know a rav4 IS an SUV, right?"

 

So, in answer to your 1st question, It is an SUV that doesn't feel like an SUV. (At least it doesn't feel like what I thought an SUV would feel like.)  It beautifully easy to drive. Very responsive and has great power.

 

2nd thing: I have fibromyalgia and some days have a hard time moving. Getting into my DH's Saturn or most other sedans is really hard for me.  When we were car shopping I tried about 15 different cars/models before I found an easy one to enter - the rav4. There isn't a 'big car' feeling yet I love the fact that I'm not sitting on the ground.

 

3: It's got great leg room. When I drive, I like my seat moved back, but even when it is quite far back, my 6'2" son can fit comfortably in the back seat. That was an important feature we looked for when we were car hunting. Actually, the 12, 15, and 19 year old all sit in the back seat together with little complaint. I probably wouldn't ask them to ride that way for a 4-5 hour car trip, but we've done 1-2 hour trips and they have been comfortable in the back seat.

 

4: It's got great storage space. The back is big and there is a hidden space under the floor.

 

5: Finally, our previous rav4 met an unfortunate demise when it was totaled in a t-bone car crash. All the air bags deployed and the car was destroyed but all three passengers stepped out with barely a scratch. So, we replaced it...with another rav4 (That has 4 wheel drive...and is a prettier color!)

 

edited because  spell check doesn't catch homonyms.

[Laura Corin]

My current car: a Ford Focus hatchback.  It was 'used' in the sense that the garage had bought it from the distributor in order to boost the look of their order book.  So it had been used for test drives, but didn't have many miles on the clock.

 

I've had it for 5 1/2 years with no problems.  it's a good size for the family: fits four easily, can fit an extra in the back when necessary, and Hobbes' Scottish harp fits in the boot.

 

L

[Camelfeet]

Mitsubishi Pajero!  I've never owned a new car before, so used are standard for us.  Bought this car in Feb and I just love it.  Its comfortable, roomy for the kids, and has a foldway seat in the back if we need extra space for guests.  Its 4x4 so we can take it through the sand or park in sandlots if needed.  Original owner put in lots of improvements like a rear camera, dvd players...

 

One thing it doesn't have is remote locks.  I'd love to have that put in but tbh we don't like spending money on vehicles so it won't get done.

[DawnM]

Awe, that makes me sad to hear!

 

 

My 2007 VW Beetle Convertible.  That car was a dream.  I thought I would drive that car forever but, alas, I owned it for a little over a year.  I cried when I handed the keys over as a trade in on a bigger vehicle.  I still find myself wanting to put the top down and cruise around on beautiful summer evenings.

 

[Night Elf]

I've only had one car I haven't liked and that was a Dodge Neon. It was awful! But if I had to choose one I really liked, I'd choose the 1995 (I think it was that year) model of Honda Odyssey. That was a fabulous vehicle. I ended up regretting my choice to trade that in for a newer model Odyssey.

 

I currently drive a 2008 Hyundai Sonata. I got a really good deal on it from Carmax and I enjoy driving it. I can see having this car for years and years.

[Berta]

My 2007 VW Beetle Convertible.  That car was a dream.  I thought I would drive that car forever but, alas, I owned it for a little over a year.  I cried when I handed the keys over as a trade in on a bigger vehicle.  I still find myself wanting to put the top down and cruise around on beautiful summer evenings.

 

My 18 yr old daughter just bought a 2007 Beetle Convertible. It's her first car and I am SO jealous... I drive a minivan lol..

[Kathryn]

1988 Honda Accord LXi. Bought from family friend in 2000 for $2000 with 40K miles. Traded in five years later for $2000. I still see it around. A woman at the dealership bought it, it never went up for sale.

[Beth in OH]

Loved: a Honda Accord and two consecutive Honda Odysseys.

 

Regret:  used Dodge Intrepid

Meh:  used Lexus RX

[Beth in OH]

Loved: a Honda Accord and two consecutive Honda Odysseys.

 

Regret:  used Dodge Intrepid

Meh:  used Lexus RX

[Χά�ων]

And old beat up conversion van. $1,000 paid $500 in work and two years later sold it for $3,000.

[Amira]

Geo Prizm. We bought it in 1998 when it was three years old and finally sold it 13 years later with over 200,000 miles on it. It got 35-40 MPG all those years and took us all over the country. I will always miss that car.

[PrincessMommy]

There's not been too many cars we didn't like.  I would say the ones we didn't like were the ones my dh exclusively picked :huh: .   The ones that we have liked and would buy again are:

 

Subaru Outback

Hyundai Santa Fe (except for the gas mileage)

Toyota Prius

[Ann.without.an.e]

Honda Pilot - love my Pilot

[Lady Florida.]

We've had good luck with all of our used cars, but especially our 1998 Honda Accord. We bought it in 2001, and just got rid of it a few months ago. It was reliable until recently, when things started breaking and would cost more to fix than the car was worth. Unless you get a lemon, it's hard to go wrong with a Honda, new or used.

[Jennifer in MI]

We just sold a 2000 Chevy Venture.  It was an amazing car!  Lasted for a very long time.  It was just starting to have some issues and we needed something reliable.

 

We replaced it with a 2010 Chrysler Town and Country. (Fully loaded, 19,000 miles, $20,000)  I love it, but little things on the inside are breaking that never broke in our Chevy.  :(

[DarlaS]

Love my Chevy Traverse. I'm going to have to get running boards on it soon though as my mom can barely get into it.

[gardenmom5]

A few weeks ago I was wondering aloud to DH about how it might be to drive an SUV. He looked at me, puzzled, and said, "You're kidding, right?" I didn't get it until he finally said, "You know a rav4 IS an SUV, right?"

 

So, in answer to your 1st question, It is an SUV that doesn't feel like an SUV. (At least it doesn't feel like what I thought an SUV would feel like.)  It beautifully easy to drive. Very responsive and has great power.

 

2nd thing: I have fibromyalgia and some days have a hard time moving. Getting into my DH's Saturn or most other sedans is really hard for me.  When we were car shopping I tried about 15 different cars/models before I found an easy one to enter - the rav4. There isn't a 'big car' feeling yet I love the fact that I'm not sitting on the ground.

 

3: It's got great leg room. When I drive, I like my seat moved back, but even when it is quite far back, my 6'2" son can fit comfortably in the back seat. That was an important feature we looked for when we were car hunting. Actually, the 12, 15, and 19 year old all sit in the back seat together with little complaint. I probably wouldn't ask them to ride that way for a 4-5 hour car trip, but we've done 1-2 hour trips and they have been comfortable in the back seat.

 

4: It's got great storage space. The back is big and there is a hidden space under the floor.

 

5: Finally, our previous rav4 met an unfortunate demise when it was totaled in a t-bone car crash. All the air bags deployed and the car was destroyed but all three passengers stepped out with barely a scratch. So, we replaced it...with another rav4 (That has 4 wheel drive...and is a prettier color!)

 

edited because  spell check doesn't catch homonyms.

how much room does it have for "stuff", I ask becasue it seems smaller than the others.  I've driven a mini-van for 20+ years and I really like being off the ground. (the one I currently has, has AWD and I want that feature in my next car.)  I also like how I can haul a load of 4x8sheets of plywood or drywall laying flat.  1dd has expressed how much she likes being off the ground.  if she wasn't saving for a house, she might actually buy a SUV.  It was 2dd who said she really liked the Rav4 specifically.  Maybe it's the space for tall people.  she's 5'11".

 

dh drove mazda miata's for over 20 years, totaled two, and put lots of miles on them.  bought both used.  the reast of us all started to hate that car, and I rued the day I suggested it to him.  (he had really wanted one . .. )  THAT was sitting on the ground.  I felt like a bug about to be squished.  even I hit my head every time I got in or out.  my tall children hated driving it with a top on.

 

I used to be on a writer's forum.  if they had a motto it was:  spellcheck is not your friend.

[Wabi Sabi]

It's a gas guzzler, but my 1997 Chevy Suburban is a dependable tank. I lucked out by finding an older, low mileage truck that was mechanic-owned and immaculately maintained. We've taken several cross country trips with 7 people and all of their assorted luggage, hauled home new appliances and taken old, broken appliances to the dump, moved small furniture in the back, have towed a trailer when moving larger furniture/appliances/lawnmowers, used it to pick up straw bales, etc. It works well for us as a reliable people/cargo hauler. Our other vehicle is a compact car (Civic), and whenever possible we drive that when we don't need the hauling capacity, so the gas usage evens itself out.

 

Last year we had to put $500 into the AC. This year we had to replace the radiator to the tune of $400. I'll need new tires soon. However, the relatively small amount of money we've had to put into it every 8-12 months is nothing compared to having a car payment.

 

I only paid $3k for my old truck, and I imagine that I could probably drive it for another year or two before reselling it for about the same.

[Lady Florida.]

1965 VW Bug.  But realistically, my 2006 Explorer.  I bought it a year old with 20K miles on it.  I've put 100K miles on it and it's still running perfectly.

 

Oh, flashbacks. A friend from high school had a 1967 Bug. She tried to teach me how to drive a stick shift on that car. The clutch was not smooth, and those lessons were..um..interesting. I did eventually learn to drive a stick.

 

Anything Toyota. DH's Toyota Corolla  had 320K on it when we donated it to a charity. The only reason we did is because we were moving to Australia and they put the steering wheel on the wrong side. :tongue_smilie: Otherwise, it was still going strong.

 

My current car is a Toyota rav4 and I LOVE it!!!! Best car I've ever driven.

 

I drive a 2004 Toyota Sienna. It's our first Toyota and we've only had it for 2 years, but if it's typical of Toyotas, they're great. I love my Sienna.

[Lady Florida.]

 

I currently drive a 2008 Hyundai Sonata. I got a really good deal on it from Carmax and I enjoy driving it. I can see having this car for years and years.

 

Dh drives a 2002  Hyundai Elantra. It's the car he got after selling the Accord. It doesn't have much pick-up and is not as smooth a ride as the Honda, but so far it seems like a good little car. He mostly just drives it to and from work.

 

I think the only used cars I didn't like aren't even made anymore, so Dawn, I can't tell you what to stay away from.

FYI, those  cars were a Datsun F-10 and a Mercury Capri. 

[Mrs Mungo]

Honda Pilot

[DawnM]

We went and test drove the car today.  We did like it.

 

It is a Honda Accord.  Kelly Blue Book says the car is worth (in excellent condition), between 10K and 12K.

 

They are asking 12K.

 

DH thinks we should offer 10K.  I hate bartering.  I really hate it.  Would 10K be a reasonable offer based on the KBB rate?

 

Dawn

 

 

[PrincessMommy]

I hate bartering... if your dh is willing let him deal with it.   Yes, start with 10K and maybe see if they take it or counter.

[Jaz]

Toyota Corolla. We bought it one year old. It's a 1998 and my dh still drives it.

[DawnM]

Here is the car:

 

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/4063221296.html

 

I just sent her an email offering 10K.

 

I found out about it from our local moms' group, but she also listed it on CL.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

If you get it for 10K, you stole it! Very nice car.

[DarlaS]

Here is the car:

 

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/4063221296.html

 

I just sent her an email offering 10K.

 

I found out about it from our local moms' group, but she also listed it on CL.

Nice! A manual trans too!

[DawnM]

YES!

 

We have one automatic, the SUV, and we have another stick shift.   

 

Honestly, what I really liked about this car is that the steering wheel goes in and out, allowing me to push it all the way in (I am short!) and not feel stress from trying to sit behind the wheel but still reach to push the clutch all the way in.

 

She hasn't responded yet.  I keep checking! 

 

Dawn

 

 

Nice! A manual trans too!

 

[DawnM]

Hmmmmm......

 

Offered 10K.

 

She came back and said no, they will only go down to $11,500 right now.

 

Trying to call DH at work.  

 

I honestly still think it is a good deal at $11,500, but knowing DH (accountant), I am afraid he will quibble over not getting a "deal."  But I could be wrong.  He really DID like the car.

 

Dawn

[Ravin]

We've had two used Impalas that served us well.

[lynn]

Buick Century, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Cavalair

[Susan in TN]

89 Volvo wagon. We've had it 13 years. 91 Volvo we've had 14 years. I don't think they'll ever die.

 

I really, really want one of these.  Ds plays double bass and it's the BEST vehicle for carting them around.  Well, I'll say the best vehicle for people who can't afford anything more expensive than something very old :) .  After driving dh's "we don't know what that noise is" Duct-Taped '93 Bonneville to the library this morning, I'm feeling very motivated to find another 2nd vehicle.

[gardenmom5]

I really, really want one of these.  Ds plays double bass and it's the BEST vehicle for carting them around.  Well, I'll say the best vehicle for people who can't afford anything more expensive than something very old :) . 

 

nephew got a VW van.  not only was there room for his cello - he had room for other musicians and their instruments.

(we did test drive one once - it didn't handle crosswinds very well.)

[kbutton]

We put about 150,000 miles on a 1994 Buick that we purchased with 32,000 on it. It was already 8 or so years old when we bought it, I think (for much less than Blue Book price). The engine is still reliable--the transmission seems to be having fits, but I think maintenance earlier on would have fixed that. Our mechanic was good and did tune-up stuff, but I wish he would have done more long-term maintenance. It had a couple of semi-expensive "fix it now, and you won't have to do it again" repairs, but there is no way that those were more expensive than a car payment in the long run. It took our mechanic about 5 years to realize we actually meant to drive it until the wheels fell off (even though we told him so, lol), and if we had made a list of recommended maintenance at certain mileages, I know he would have done it. He just didn't quite grasp our priorities and didn't want us to put a lot of money into an "old car" in his mind. Nothing electrical inside works very well though--too much time spent parked in the sun or a carport (no garage). My first used Buick (Electra, '86, I think) lasted well past $200,000 before the transmission went out. A transmission repair man bought it to fix and resell.

 

We are now driving a 2005 Volvo XC70. We know a specialized Volvo mechanic not loyal to any dealership to do maintenance (who loves Volvos and imports). If we do his recommended maintenance, and it doesn't rust, he said it should easily pass 500,000.