What's the best used car you'd actually recommend to a friend?
Posted by Unique_Night1895@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 48 comments
Not what the internet says, not what Consumer Reports ranks what have YOU personally owned or driven that made you think "yeah, I'd tell someone to buy this"?
Looking to pick up something secondhand under $15k. Done with reading conflicting reviews online. Want real opinions from people who've actually lived with these cars day to day.
Bonus points if you tell me what finally went wrong with it
RemoteVersion838@reddit
Something that has been well maintained (and documented), has nothing wrong with it, all recalls done, good tires and brakes. Clean inside and out.
LensRebel@reddit
If you want a fun to drive car that goes under the radar and is cheap on insurance. Buy a VW GLI.
Insurance considers it a Jetta and it's bullet proof.
Heavy_Gap_5047@reddit
The LX family platform cars, the 300, Charger, and Challenger.
Nothing significant yet, my 300 is now 12 years old with only minor, easily solved issues.
NuclearHateLizard@reddit
How many km have you done? 3.6 or hemi?
Heavy_Gap_5047@reddit
at 120k/mi, Hemi AWD
NuclearHateLizard@reddit
That's pretty decent. I feel the LX platform gets a bad rep from the average owner and how they barely take care of them honestly
landob@reddit
I agree I feel like Chrysler/dodge has a bad reputation from the past that stays with them. I'll admit it's not a corolla. You can't ignore it. But if you take care if it will go 200,000 miles
Environmental-Rub933@reddit
Reddit will say you’re lying
tads73@reddit
7th generation homda accord 2006-2007.
EVE_Burner_Account@reddit
E39. Only real service need is the cooling system, which is easily done on the driveway with hand tools. Then you are good for another 75k miles.
Pure_Squirrel_1621@reddit
Please don’t recommend this to anyone who is not mechanically inclined. I’ve owned 3 BMWs (E36/E92/E53), my dad has owned 3 (E36/E46 wagon/E91), and my brother owns 2 (E46/E90). They’re great cars. That said, the cooling system is really just the tip of the iceberg. Owning an M5x/N5x car is a labor of love that is not for everyone and if you aren’t capable of repairing it yourself it will bankrupt you sooner rather than later.
Lumpy-Significance50@reddit
My e 90 was a money pit. 2006 330 xi . Family owned and dealer serviced. I bought it for $16k 10 years old. Spent $16k keeping it running for 5 years.
EVE_Burner_Account@reddit
E90 is an entirely different platform and the start of the massive electronics bloat
Lumpy-Significance50@reddit
Don’t I know it . Had an e36 convertible for 20 years and it was the best car ever. Had 200k miles on it with hardly any repairs. Should have bought a lower mileage used one from the south or west. Was arctic metallic grey , so it was clear coated, as all bmw metallic paints were in 1994 . Paint was great after 20 years, no fading.
Pure_Squirrel_1621@reddit
Exactly why I say not recommended for the non mechanically inclined. That $16k in repairs would probably have landed around $3k in parts, which is a lot more doable over 5 years. New BMWs are great for people who like to lease vehicles. Once they’re out of warranty you’re better off buying a new one unless you want to fix it yourself.
Lumpy-Significance50@reddit
I do oil changes and brake jobs myself. Axles all had to be replaced as abs sensors on each failed. As abs sensor are molded into drive axles and not on a bolt on ring, four perfectly good drive axles had to be replaced, not a job I would do.
EVE_Burner_Account@reddit
I will always recommend e46 and e39 to people shopping cheap. They are going to be light-years better to drive and maintain than a 2018 shitbox at the same price. The M52 and M54 are as close to bulletproof motors as you can get, and aren't plagued by the legions of issues present in the the successor N series inline six. They don't suffer from absurd tech and electronics bloat. Parts are plentiful and cheap since the underlying mechanical parts are shared across basically everything BMW made at the time. There is a huge aftermarket support. They are easy to work for 90% of things, but are also fairly straight forward to have serviced at any Indy shop. Service the cooling system, chase the odd vacuum leak from old rubber. Reglue the rear vapor seals and fix the seat twist if you have an e39. That is basically it. Anything beyond that is just regular maintenance that any car needs.
Pure_Squirrel_1621@reddit
The problem at this point is that aluminum m5x blocks don’t handle overheating very well, and many of them have been overheated. I still have an E53 3.0i, but it was also meticulously maintained (unlike many m5x cars). I’d rather have an early 528i (single vanos iron block) or an e36 for that reason. My brother’s e46 330i is currently awaiting head work due to a previous owner overheating it. It’s definitely not universal, but it happens more than a lot of people would like to admit.
EVE_Burner_Account@reddit
It takes an astronomical amount of abuse to warp the block or head on an M54. Like, turbo kit + banging rev limiter constantly. Short of a prior owner literally not once ever servicing the cooling system across multiple service intervals, I cant imagine that happening through ordinary use. Worked in service ata BMW dealer for a few years, don't think I ever saw an M54 come in with head gasket or warping issues. Sorry your brother bought a dud.
Pure_Squirrel_1621@reddit
Ordinary use for us (or people who get serviced at a dealer) is a lot different than ordinary use for the people who buy a $3k BMW to look rich. I’ve driven piles of BMWs that are completely destroyed, and unfortunately more often than not they’ve had no cooling system maintenance. They’ve got plenty of visual mods that I’d immediately rip off, but no maintenance.
retardrabbit@reddit
'96-'00 Civic, any trim, auto or manual.
NikkorMatt456@reddit
I might look for an older Corolla with under 100k miles. Budget the remainder for tires, brakes, maintenance, and repairs. I have no experience with one because I've never followed my own advice of buying a used Toyota.
Disastrous-Group3390@reddit
The two most important things are ‘what it is (or IS NOT)’ and ‘how was it maintained?’ Question one-best case is a long term owner, with service records, and evidence they didn’t skimp (little stuff AND big stuff fixed. If you see gey pad a shop to fix loose trim or chase a rattle in addition to fixing the AC, that’s a good sign. Michelin tires are a good ‘tell.’
As for ‘what’; Korean, NO German. No English. No Nissan unless it’s way older, a truck, or truck based. Toyota or Honda, include Mazda. GM full size trucks and body on frame SUVs from ‘90 to ‘06. Rear drive GM and Ford cars from about ‘90 to ‘96 for GM and 2010 for Ford. Hemi powered Dodges and Chryslers (cars and trucks.) Volvo built before 2000.
Even-Further@reddit
Acura ILX with the 2.4L. Has a non turbo K24, and a DCT transmission. Reality is any 15k car can surprise you with a repair bill. A big factor for used reliability, find one that was cared for exceptionally well, and know what to look for when inspecting it.
Bulocoo@reddit
Cars I've owned used and would definitely recommend.
Hyundai Accent hatchback - great car until my kid got road raged off the road into a ditch and it got totalled. At 140k miles it had zero mechanical issues.
2009 Honda fit - Best gas mileage car I've owned at around 42mpg. Battery is small unique and expensive. 197,000 miles and so far only changed a couple of coil packs and tires and routine maintenance.
Chevy S10. Owned 2 of them. Great mini truck for a kid. Both needed ac compressors but good news is they weren't expensive.
Suzuki Grand Vitara - I loved this for the back woods hunting. A little hard to find someone to service it but I loved driving it.
Not recommended.
2012 Jeep Liberty - got this with around 20k on the clock. It was a great vehicle until around 100k and then weird electrical issues started up. Around 130k a lot of oil leaks started up. Finally sold it at 150k for $1500.
KeekuBrigabroo@reddit
Mitsubishi Outlander GT, 2014-2020. It's a sturdy little do-everything car, I picked up a 2017 with 69k miles for $13k in a private sale. It's made in Japan, has Toyota-level reliability* without the Toyota tax -- because most Outlanders had a 4-banger and a CVT so everyone assumes they're junk used, but this one has a V6 and a 6-speed auto transmission. Its AWD is great (got my wife to work on unplowed snow for a 40-minute commute, multiple times), the styling and ride quality is adequate, it has a cramped 3rd row that you can use in a pinch, and it can tow up to 3500 lbs.
*I emailed a Mitsubishi master tech before I bought it to see what common issues he saw, and basically he just said corrosion on the exhaust pipe plus head lamps. The only real downside is it's a timing belt instead of chain, so there's some extra maintenance there, but the oil interval on the trans is more like 60k than 30k so that will counteract it.
SirConscious@reddit
2nd gen Honda fit/jazz
Longjumping_Cable_20@reddit
You're going to have to be a little more specific than "best used car under $15k...recommend to a friend".
Size/body style, seats, doors, power, efficiency, drivetrain, transmission, mileage, age, features, fuel?
Even in today's car market, that still gives you a lot of vehicles to consider.
Unique_Night1895@reddit (OP)
Nothing too old, maybe 2015 onwards. Just want something that doesn't surprise me with a $2000 repair bill three months in
jrileyy229@reddit
Nobody can predict that... Subcomponents on cars don't have a set end of life Wheel bearings, ball joints, cat, shocks, are all designed to last 60k miles... Many last longer, but you can buy a car that needs nothing and have a 2 grand bill in a few months
Longjumping_Cable_20@reddit
You'll have to hunt and be willing to overlook some miles, but I'd say in the 2012-2022 range, usually hard to go wrong with:
Mazda 3, 6, cx5, and obviously Miata Honda Accord, Civic, CRV, Insight Toyota RAV4, Avalon, Camry, Corolla, 4Runner, Prius Acura ILX Lexus ct200h, rx350, is250, hs250 Ford Mustang (5.0 & 2.3), Edge 3.7 & 2.7, F150 Chevrolet Camaro (probably only a 3.6 in this range) Kia/Hyundai/Genesis (I love them, but the models & trims/engines get too confusing and people have ruined their reputation in general from just the specific "bad apples") VW & Audi (most 1.8t & 2.0t are solid) Audi 3.0t Supercharged Dodge Avenger(3.6), charger/challenger 5.7, RAM(3.6) Subaru (honestly are really quite good) BMW, Volvo, Buick, Lincoln, Mitsubishi, Nissan.....
For most of these, I'd say general mileage to expect for the price would be anywhere from 60/70k - 150/160k, depends on which one and how old/new.
I could keep going, it gets ridiculous. It all depends on what you want and what you're looking for. But none of that matters if the vehicle wasn't taken care of properly. Service records, Carfax, PPI. Do your part on whatever car you look at to ensure you know everything possible.
I have either worked on, owned, driven, or know someone(s) who have owned or own the vehicles I've listed.
Longjumping_Cable_20@reddit
If you're truly concerned about simply having the least worrisome and least expensive ownership: Prius, Corolla, Civic, Mazda 3.
MCBarlan@reddit
A Mazda 3. My 2013 Mazdaspeed 3 has never broken down or really needed anything other than oil changes. And I'm a car guy so I've worked on everyone else's newer Hyundais, Fords and Chevy's. I hear about coworkers and friends taking in their brand new Teslas, Volkswagens, and Toyota for unexpected issues. Meanwhile the 13 year old Mazda still has yet to break down. The last 35k miles have been my son driving it all over Florida for his band activities. We'll be pushing 100k soon so we'll do a tune up but so far so good. My buddy has a regular Mazda 3 that's got twice as many miles and nothing major has gone out yet, a few minor things but nothing he couldn't handle with some hand tools in his driveway and he bought his used with 100k already on it. Best car I've ever owned.
SuggestionOrnery6938@reddit
If you dont need more room a Civic or Corolla.
Tuques@reddit
Lincolns. The last gen mkz and continental are the best sedans ford has ever made. And the aviator punches well above its rank
AlarmedResearcher997@reddit
Any non 2012 - 2015 Ford Focus - I've had 4 of them in different flavors and they've all run forever, we're cheap to fix, got decent gas mileage and are fun to drive.
Brilliant-Onion2129@reddit
Toyota Corolla or Camry
Doyoulike4@reddit
If you're fine with a hybrid, I've honestly loved the Fusion hybrid and it's brother the MKZ hybrid. Strong contender for most reliable thing Ford was building at the time, good gas mileage, the batteries do eat into the trunk space a significant amount but outside that it's a fantastic car.
FutureAfternoon1944@reddit
If you want a used car that actually feels like a modern upgrade and isn't just a "budget" compromise, you should definitely check out a used Lynk & Co 06.
Diligent-Body-5062@reddit
A lower trim Honda Civic with a 2.0 four, not the turbocharged engine. Be sure to change the transmission fluid , oil , flush the coolant when you buy it .
NuclearHateLizard@reddit
Mazda miata, easily. Biggest problems is the older ones can be rusty. Given absolutely zero stipulations other than price, that's my answer lol. I've owned quite a few different things. Going on 5 years with my miata and I don't even consider other cars. I just want more miatas so I can stuff different engines in them
Worth_Writer2668@reddit
Any Mazda. My fourth…
Sad_Win_4105@reddit
Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix or Mazda3. 2009 Pontiac & 2013 Mazda are fun to drive & still going strong.
OGDirtDude117@reddit
2010-2014 Honda Fit in any color but white or black, they're thinner paint.
The cupholders are God tier. The storage space with the magic seats rival a Tardis. The manuals are hilariously fun while being slow. The automatics are fine for commuting.
They REALLY do need good tires due to road noise and a lack of insulation but they're incredibly durable.
Do the spark plugs, accessory belt, and valve adjustment every 90k miles. Oil changes every 5000-7000mi with full synthetic, and always use Honda Coolant and pads/drums.
It's a cockroach for durability
south-of-the-river@reddit
R31 Skyline, I’ve owned 13 of them over the years and I think they’re neat
Mx5, everyone should have one and if they think it won’t suit their lifestyle they’re wrong
Toyota RAV4. That shit heap will drive you to the heat-death of the universe and get you home again.
Confident-Curve4672@reddit
2017+ chevy cruze. idk why, one of my favorite cars i’ve owned.
told my sis to get one, she’s had it 5 years no problems.
Unique_Night1895@reddit (OP)
has she done anything major to it or just basic maintenance? 5 years no problems on any car is pretty impressive ngl
Confident-Curve4672@reddit
just normal maintenance, tires, filters, full stynth oil. it’s a 2018
i have a 22 tesla bought new that has 150K that i have only ever put tires on. if you have home charging go electric.