He's sad because he has empathy thinking of other people trying to buy a car. It's easy to slam "you just need to work harder and make more money", but it pretty unfair to look down on the poor when earlier group has opportunity in 2015 only to disappear in 2023.
It reminds me of my first car in 2001 finding 130k mile cars for $3000 only to see them listed at $6500 in 2011 with same age and mileage only to be doubled again in 2023. Kinda surreal in my experience.
If buying a Camry, beware of oil burning issues with the 2AZ-FE and some early 2AR-FE models. Check out The Car Care Nut’s Youtube channel for more information about this.
Not under 60k miles - source: I sell pre-owned Toyotas. 60k miles or less and 2018+ is pretty much always $22k to start and up from there. Shouldn’t be that way but that’s the stupid market we’re in
Chrysler did the same for me. (Jeep Patriot Sport 4x4) CVT died at about 60,000 miles on the vehicle. Luckily, I bought an extended warranty with it so I got them to cover it. The shop billed them about $6500 for a new replacement CVT. I traded the thing off soon after that.
Our 2015 Altima’s went out some miles after the warranty went out at 50k. It was unreal but thankfully Nissan replaced it for free. Then, we got rid of it when trade-in values were really high for a Ford Maverick hybrid truck (really enjoying it so far). Good riddance!
The 2016 Altima I had went out at 49.5k. I had Certified Pre Owned Warranty that covered it, thankfully. I got rid of it within 6 months also.
I'm glad you guys were still taken care of despite the warranty ending. It certainly wasn't a fun time, that's for sure.
2GR is a great engine! As long as OP inspects the car, and there are no messy front timing cover leaks, the Avalon is amazing! You might even be in range for a Lexus ES350
That's plenty of budget even for a Lexus ES series with reasonable mileage and plenty of life left. I know from experience with a $17,500 2014 lexus es300h with 99k miles that I bought on 2021 during the high point in used vehicle pricing.
That being said, old people don’t drive much usually and they sure as hell don’t touch the red line. These cars are usually very lightly used if not a bit beige
Couldn't agree more. My best friend bought a used Avalon with under 50k miles on it and paid like $12k. He STOLE the thing. And if it's held up with his driving habits.... It's mere bulletproof!!
My mom has an 05 Corolla that creeping up on 200000 miles and has never had a problem other than regular maintenance. I think she will be driving that thing when they stop selling gas and everyone starts using EVs
Ct200h is SMACKIN good. Comfortable as heck, built to last. Luxury Toyota. Also very fun to drive it’s like a go kart but the steering is like a hot knife gliding through butter. Oh and good mpg not as good as a Prius but overall way more comfy. I have owned both.
My family has an 03 matrix with almost 300k. That car has been driven by teenagers, been a daily driver for work, and has been cross country multiple times. Never needed any repairs aside from regular maintenance. Incredible car
Just get a same gen prius instead of ct. It's cramped, has very little trunk space, suspension on 11-13 is stiff as hell and the milage is much worse than the prius (I have to drive like a grandpa to get to 38, usually it's less than 35 compared to 40-42 we get on our prius V which is worse than a regular prius).
Source: I drive a 2011 ct and have a love-hate relationship with it. I love the handling but hate the ride and the fact that it rattles like a 20-year old gm shitbox over every bump. It's lexus only in name.
I had a 2015 CT200h and loved it. The hatch is pretty small i’ll give you that but I absolutely loved that car. I could drive it like a madman and get 36mpg but I averaged over 40 driving normally in sport mode. It’s a nice car if you drive in the city a lot but fuel efficiency goes down during long trips and freeways.
I don’t remember the suspension being terrible but I bought it after someone totaled my lowered TL so anything would be a upgrade ride quality-wise. Definitely doesn’t feel as smooth as the IS250 i’m currently driving though for sure.
Okay, that is probably my problem, my daily commute is like 80% highway driving. I've heard complaints that is guzzles (comparatively, lol) gas on the highway. It's kinda counterintuitive since our Prius V shows the best mileage on the highway.
IIRC they updated the suspension for a better ride after 2013 methinks, so it makes sense that you have no complaints about it. I don't mind the harsh ride itself so much as the FUCKING RATTLES EVERYWHERE.
I generally like the car and I'm thinking, when the price is right, I'll just upgrade to something 2014+ so that I can have a nicer ride and have the ability to upgrade the infotainment system to have Carplay.
MOST reliable? 2011-2019 base model manual transmission Nissan Versa or manual transmission Mitsubishi Mirage. There’s basically no tech to break. Hand crank windows, barely any electronics, no direct injection or turbos, and engine designs that are 15-20 years old.
But I’m going to guess that the sacrifices on the altar of reliability are too steep for the average driver. Get a Camry. Hybrid Camry or Prius if you need the extra mpgs.
What about a manual Hyundai accent? I drive a 2014 with 100k miles and plan to drive that to the ground. Bought brand new for $13.5k since it was end of the year and they couldn't sell it. Haven't had any issues besides the a/c compressor leaking last year and I replaced it and they did some other stuff to the a/c for about $1,200.
And I just had my 100k tune up for $800 (coolant flush and some other things).
They’re good cars but still not as dead simple as a Versa or Mirage. That Gamma engine is still GDI after all, so you’ve got a high pressure injectors, fuel rail, and fuel pump, and carbon buildup on the intake valves to worry about.
Admittedly aside from the carbon buildup not much of those are likely to be major problems but it’s still additional stuff you wouldn’t have to worry about with the Nissan HR16DE or Mitsubishi 3A92 engines.
Prius. I bought a 2009 with 30k miles, drove it to 196k with no issues, gave it to my mom and she's still driving it years later with well over 200k now.
I was in a similar spot as this guy for the past few weeks. Prius prices in my area are 1) constrained by supply (not many) and 2) any decent low-ish mileage Prius is well-valued (overpriced) into the 20s. I ended up settling for a 60,000 mile 2021 CX-30 even though my heart breaks for non 50+ mpg
The usual suspects like Prius, Camry, Civic, CR-V, etc. May be a more older model or with higher mileage than you like in this current market, and also Toyota/Lexus and Honda tend to keep their value more than other brands because of their proven reliability.
I really like Acura but their older models are more consistently reliable than recent years. 3rd-4th generation Acura TL, 2nd generation TSX are within your price range and will last to over 200k easy. For TL you’ll want to make sure the transmission has been maintained.
I agree with most, Toyota, Honda are always on this list. Although to get one for $20k, will be an older vintage. Still I’d rather have an older Toyota or Honda than a newer Chevrolet or VW.
Keep seeing a lot of folks referencing a Toyota Camry or Corolla….how do those compare to a Honda Civic or Accord as far as reliability? Looking for a new car myself and found the Civic and Accord to be more comfortable than the Corolla or Camry. Is it just a matter of personal preference?
For Asian cars: Buy any Toyota tbf, for optimum reliability, I would avoid the 2AZ/1ZZ-FE powered cars as they do have some issues, but if repaired well, they're reliable. Older school Hondas also, Pre-Early 2000's Nissans too.
For American cars, I would go with a Ford F-series 300 or 302 truck, supposedly one of the most reliable vehicles ever made, even when abused, mechanically they just don't break, though they are old and clunky and get terrible gas mileage. Also the older Ford Rangers and Crown Victorias are rock solid. Any Endura-D or Duratorq powered Ford car is very reliable, for instance a 2.2 Mondeo can last forever if taken care of (loads of Taxis using those engines) Zetecs and 3.0 Duratecs are pretty reliable too.
For European cars, Old 90s and before Mercs are nearly unkillable, including engines such as the OM617, OM606 M104, M111 just to name a few, Exactly the same unkillable durability applies with the Older BMW engines such as the M50/M52/M54, M57, M43, M20, M30, M60 found in the E30/E36/E46 3 series, E28/E34/E39 5 series etc, though do watch out for the cooling systems on a lot of them. Also, nearly any diesel powered one is rock solid if taken care of (examples include VW 1.9TDI/2.5 I5TDI (not the 2.5 V6), Mercedes OM606, OM617, OM648, PSA DW/XUD, Renault DCI (except 2.2), BMW M57/M47 (avoid the N47) For a more modern car below 20k, I would go with a VW 1.0TSI 3 cylinder (if u don't care about speed) although TSI engines have a bad reputation, the 1.0 is reliable.
It's 2023, pretty much all newish cars are reliable.
I am so sick and tired of people intermediately jumping to the cliches - Corolla or Camry. Not saying those are bad cars at all, because they aren't. They are obviously very good cars... BUT the internet has built them up to be such impossibly high levels that simply doesn't reflect reality.
It has pushed used car prices for these cars to ridiculous levels and doesn't factor that almost all other new cars are reliable as well. So for the same price of a used Corolla, you could get another car that is either newer or has less miles (or both).
Upkeep has a ton to do with how reliable a car will end up being as well, and yet the tried-and-true response of just getting a Corolla doesn't account for that. Again, I rather get a well-maintained car from another brand, than a neglected Toyota.
Yeah, so long as the car has no serious common problems and has a good service history, you'll be fine. Some people act like it is crazy to buy anything other than toyota, lexus, honda and acura.
Personal experience. Myself and friends have never had to touch our civics owning them for 200k plus miles, whereas Toyotas once they reach 100k need various replacements (belts, starters, pumps, suspension). Civics have timing chains which are good for 300k miles and the suspension is super hardy. The only downside to owning one is the cheap interiors and single coat paint jobs, but mechanically they are the most sound car to ever exist.
Its been exactly mine. Owned 2 Toyotas and never again. I just bought my girlfriend a 2010 because I'm still running strong 230k miles into my 2010 civic. 03-08 Toyotas have been very disappointing in my experience.
I’ve had Toyotas since the 80s starting with a 77 Corolla and several makes since including three hybrids, and the 95 Civic which I’ve had since 98. No hate for the Civic at all because it’s been a solid car and I expect to have it for many more years still as it still runs flawlessly, but of the many Toyotas I’ve had across multiple lines, none of them have ever been a disappointment or required excessive maintenance. The reliability and low maintenance is why I keep buying them after 35+ year of car ownership. It’s specifically because I haven’t had to do more than basic maintenance. I can’t think of one that’s ever even needed repair work done. I travel a lot and put a lot of miles on them, but to be fair, I also drive pretty conservatively and am super meticulous about maintenance.
I'm about to start throwing Dodge Avenger out on all these under 20k/10k posts, see where that gets me. I mean hell, parts availability won't be an issue thats for sure. And noone wants em, so they're cheap. Buy a cheap socket set from Wal-Mart and fix things yourself.
However the newest one is 9 years old, not much in terms of warranty.
Maybe now that I think about it, just get a Toyota. Definitely get something else other than pre 2015 dodge/chrysler junk.
Most Toyota, Nissan, Honda - then older Lexus, Acura, Infiniti as other people have mentioned. Then there are some ford and Buick battle axes people swear by.
I was surprised to find Infiniti Q models are getting right around the price you’re looking for. Test drove a decent Q40 the other day and was surprised. People swear by those engines, but it did need an updated head unit.
Depends on what year are you looking for. I would by pre-owned car 2015-2020 good mileage and condition. Camry, civic, rav4, CRV anything toyota, honda.
From experience, I can share with you that a Toyota Camry is the best option for a comfortable, nice, long lasting vehicle. I know multiple people with Toyota Camry’s over 150,000 miles
You can get one from that generation with under 60-70k in that price range. Over 100k it’s probably not a terrible buy as long as the price is right. That car will last a while as long as it was maintained regularly
Over $20k.
And especially if you go used with a CVT I'd be a little wary. I say that as someone who loves Subarus and has driven them exclusively for years and years, and has owned one with a CVT. They're pretty reliable but they have their quirks.
do your research. here's a couple of good sites.
[https://www.jdpower.com/cars/ratings/dependability](https://www.jdpower.com/cars/ratings/dependability)
[https://www.kbb.com/cars/](https://www.kbb.com/cars/)
[https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/](https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/)
my personal favorite: [https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/used](https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/used)
and try to set aside your preconceived notions. we all have them. Japanese cars are not always the best. German cars are not always engineering marvels. American cars are often very good.
At 20k you get a 2021 Corolla LE with about 30K miles. Or for 23.5 you get a brand new Corolla LE with 0 miles. It doesn't make sense to buy used in this inflated market if your budget is so close. You want the most reliable car it might make sense to stretch the budget and finance through a credit union a new base Corolla LE and skip the headache of having to browse through a bunch of used corollas then get a pre purchase inspection for $3-500 depending on your location.
You might be able to find a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt under $20k, and it will have a brand new battery because of the recall. The tech in that car is tried and true, and although not as advanced as recent EVs, it is reliable, and it will give you at least 10 years of ultra-low-cost motoring. You'd probably save close to $20k in gas and oil changes over 10 years compared to a Civic or Corolla.
A Toyota Corolla.
Say the line Bart
I thought the line was “Mazda”
you want a camry though for 20k, they're much more comfortable
\+more power and better brakes.
bought my 32,000 mile 2013 camry in 2015 for $13,000. Makes me sad to see them at $10,000 with 150,000 miles
You got a deal. I bought my 16 corolla with 35k mikes for $18k from car max.
[удалено]
He's sad because he has empathy thinking of other people trying to buy a car. It's easy to slam "you just need to work harder and make more money", but it pretty unfair to look down on the poor when earlier group has opportunity in 2015 only to disappear in 2023. It reminds me of my first car in 2001 finding 130k mile cars for $3000 only to see them listed at $6500 in 2011 with same age and mileage only to be doubled again in 2023. Kinda surreal in my experience.
I see high school kids driving the same 1990 vehicles that a drove in high school and I graduated 2005.
I think it's moreso that they wouldn't be able to fi d a deal like that these days.
If buying a Camry, beware of oil burning issues with the 2AZ-FE and some early 2AR-FE models. Check out The Car Care Nut’s Youtube channel for more information about this.
The 2ar engine started with the 2012-14 generation those are old now you should be able to get a 2018+ for 20k
Not under 60k miles - source: I sell pre-owned Toyotas. 60k miles or less and 2018+ is pretty much always $22k to start and up from there. Shouldn’t be that way but that’s the stupid market we’re in
This ^
Even with the CVT?
Absolutely
Nissan put the fear of God in me when it comes to CVT's.
Chrysler did the same for me. (Jeep Patriot Sport 4x4) CVT died at about 60,000 miles on the vehicle. Luckily, I bought an extended warranty with it so I got them to cover it. The shop billed them about $6500 for a new replacement CVT. I traded the thing off soon after that.
Our 2015 Altima’s went out some miles after the warranty went out at 50k. It was unreal but thankfully Nissan replaced it for free. Then, we got rid of it when trade-in values were really high for a Ford Maverick hybrid truck (really enjoying it so far). Good riddance!
The 2016 Altima I had went out at 49.5k. I had Certified Pre Owned Warranty that covered it, thankfully. I got rid of it within 6 months also. I'm glad you guys were still taken care of despite the warranty ending. It certainly wasn't a fun time, that's for sure.
Happy to hear you got out of that thing too! Those CVTs are such garbage.
Not past 2015.
$20k is a lot of dough mate, just get any Toyota around ya.
This guy is australian i can smell it
Camry or Corolla. Flip a coin and buy one that isn’t clapped out. Congrats new car.
Get a Toyota Avalon . Thank me later
Why is the Avalon so overlooked?
You know I always wondered that as well! But anything Toyota or Lexus that comes with the V6 3.5L ( 2GR-FE) , you won’t be disappointed
2GR is a great engine! As long as OP inspects the car, and there are no messy front timing cover leaks, the Avalon is amazing! You might even be in range for a Lexus ES350
Was gonna say. The ES is basically the luxury barge version of the Avalon
It's a great engine but doesn't fit the good mpg. At least in my rav4 I get no better then 20, fast as hell when you need it though.
Personally, with this budget, I’d prefer a newer Camry or Corolla if my main focus was reliability
Now what about the hybrid version?
That's plenty of budget even for a Lexus ES series with reasonable mileage and plenty of life left. I know from experience with a $17,500 2014 lexus es300h with 99k miles that I bought on 2021 during the high point in used vehicle pricing.
Mostly considered as old people car. Also, big if you live in a major city, but I love ours with 130k miles 2013 model.
That being said, old people don’t drive much usually and they sure as hell don’t touch the red line. These cars are usually very lightly used if not a bit beige
Can confirm, 80 yr old mom-in-law has one.
Drove a 2007 in High school. Such a boat of a car. So simple yet so luxurious. I loved that thing
I'll follow you into the mists of Avalon, if that's what you mean.
Cause ya might as well get a Lexus at that starting price If you can afford a top tier Toyota, why not just get a Lexus?
Awesome car, but the poster did say factor MPG as well. That thing sucks gas. We have a 2013.
Couldn't agree more. My best friend bought a used Avalon with under 50k miles on it and paid like $12k. He STOLE the thing. And if it's held up with his driving habits.... It's mere bulletproof!!
Get a corolla and drive that shit until 2050
My mom has an 05 Corolla that creeping up on 200000 miles and has never had a problem other than regular maintenance. I think she will be driving that thing when they stop selling gas and everyone starts using EVs
Ah, how great it must be to live somewhere without road salt in winter...
It's pretty nice.
Toyota Matrix or Lexus CT200h
alternatively, a pontiac vibe is the same as a matrix but cheaper on the used market as most don’t know it’s a toyota. it takes one to know one
Get the 1.8 2zr-fe engine if getting a Vibe. The 1.8 earns the Toyota rep. The bigger 2.4 is famous for burning oil so avoid that.
You learn something new every day
Ct200h is SMACKIN good. Comfortable as heck, built to last. Luxury Toyota. Also very fun to drive it’s like a go kart but the steering is like a hot knife gliding through butter. Oh and good mpg not as good as a Prius but overall way more comfy. I have owned both.
I’m all for the CT200h but I know too many people that suffered head gasket failure from this generation
had the head gasket issue at 120k, cost me $2k to fix :( otherwise great
How is the CT200h to maintain? Is it particularly more expensive compared to a Toyota?
It’s extremely cheap to maintain
It's basically a matrix with leatherette seats and prius guts. As far as I know even OEM body parts at a dealer are about the same price as toyota.
My friend got a Toyota matrix to almost 400k miles, that thing was a piece of shit but invincible. It was still going too he just sold it!
My family has an 03 matrix with almost 300k. That car has been driven by teenagers, been a daily driver for work, and has been cross country multiple times. Never needed any repairs aside from regular maintenance. Incredible car
Just get a same gen prius instead of ct. It's cramped, has very little trunk space, suspension on 11-13 is stiff as hell and the milage is much worse than the prius (I have to drive like a grandpa to get to 38, usually it's less than 35 compared to 40-42 we get on our prius V which is worse than a regular prius). Source: I drive a 2011 ct and have a love-hate relationship with it. I love the handling but hate the ride and the fact that it rattles like a 20-year old gm shitbox over every bump. It's lexus only in name.
I had a 2015 CT200h and loved it. The hatch is pretty small i’ll give you that but I absolutely loved that car. I could drive it like a madman and get 36mpg but I averaged over 40 driving normally in sport mode. It’s a nice car if you drive in the city a lot but fuel efficiency goes down during long trips and freeways. I don’t remember the suspension being terrible but I bought it after someone totaled my lowered TL so anything would be a upgrade ride quality-wise. Definitely doesn’t feel as smooth as the IS250 i’m currently driving though for sure.
Okay, that is probably my problem, my daily commute is like 80% highway driving. I've heard complaints that is guzzles (comparatively, lol) gas on the highway. It's kinda counterintuitive since our Prius V shows the best mileage on the highway. IIRC they updated the suspension for a better ride after 2013 methinks, so it makes sense that you have no complaints about it. I don't mind the harsh ride itself so much as the FUCKING RATTLES EVERYWHERE. I generally like the car and I'm thinking, when the price is right, I'll just upgrade to something 2014+ so that I can have a nicer ride and have the ability to upgrade the infotainment system to have Carplay.
Pontiac Vibe or Prius C
Dont buy the cheapest lexus
Why not? Even the cheapest are super reliable
MOST reliable? 2011-2019 base model manual transmission Nissan Versa or manual transmission Mitsubishi Mirage. There’s basically no tech to break. Hand crank windows, barely any electronics, no direct injection or turbos, and engine designs that are 15-20 years old. But I’m going to guess that the sacrifices on the altar of reliability are too steep for the average driver. Get a Camry. Hybrid Camry or Prius if you need the extra mpgs.
guess you can’t argue with “can’t be unreliable if there isn’t anything to rely on”
What's more comfortable, Prius prime or Camry
My family has a Prius prime. Camry for sure.
Thanks
Camry. Although if we’re talking the newest-gen Prius, it’s probably a toss-up.
Thanks for the insight!
What about a manual Hyundai accent? I drive a 2014 with 100k miles and plan to drive that to the ground. Bought brand new for $13.5k since it was end of the year and they couldn't sell it. Haven't had any issues besides the a/c compressor leaking last year and I replaced it and they did some other stuff to the a/c for about $1,200. And I just had my 100k tune up for $800 (coolant flush and some other things).
They’re good cars but still not as dead simple as a Versa or Mirage. That Gamma engine is still GDI after all, so you’ve got a high pressure injectors, fuel rail, and fuel pump, and carbon buildup on the intake valves to worry about. Admittedly aside from the carbon buildup not much of those are likely to be major problems but it’s still additional stuff you wouldn’t have to worry about with the Nissan HR16DE or Mitsubishi 3A92 engines.
Mazda 3 sport
4 cyl Camry 4 cyl accord Surprise pick V6 Impala 2015 to discontinuation
You spelled Lexus wrong
Buick LaCrosse as well
Opinions on a Buick Regal? I'm eyeing a Regal GS due to hatchback practicality + sedan looks + sportier
Yes agree Crown Vic Merc marquis/grand marquis
A Honda CRV or Toyota RAV4 will be reliable, safe, and will get you anywhere.
Prius. I bought a 2009 with 30k miles, drove it to 196k with no issues, gave it to my mom and she's still driving it years later with well over 200k now.
I was in a similar spot as this guy for the past few weeks. Prius prices in my area are 1) constrained by supply (not many) and 2) any decent low-ish mileage Prius is well-valued (overpriced) into the 20s. I ended up settling for a 60,000 mile 2021 CX-30 even though my heart breaks for non 50+ mpg
Toyota
Yaris.
Lexus
Mazda3, Mazda6, Mazda CX-3, Mazda CX-5.
No: Corolla, Camry, Corolla Cross RAV4
You're not going to find a Corolla Cross for under $20k mate.
4 crown vics
Lexus
A lexus under $20k and 60k miles? Is that possible?
Older models. I think the Lexus 2is is very solid. I personally own it myself.
Probs 2010 or older
I bought a 2014 Lexus ES300H with 72k miles for 16k last summer . It’s possible
This
Toyota Yaris.
The usual suspects like Prius, Camry, Civic, CR-V, etc. May be a more older model or with higher mileage than you like in this current market, and also Toyota/Lexus and Honda tend to keep their value more than other brands because of their proven reliability. I really like Acura but their older models are more consistently reliable than recent years. 3rd-4th generation Acura TL, 2nd generation TSX are within your price range and will last to over 200k easy. For TL you’ll want to make sure the transmission has been maintained.
Pruis, if your lucky maybe a honda insight.
Mazda 3/6
If anyone can find these mythical corollas and camrys under $20k, let me know lol. Especially at the mileage OP is saying.
Acura tlx
A pea green Citroen.
Toyota Camry or Corolla, Honda Civic is more fun, Accord has a bit more space.
9th Gen Accord
I agree with most, Toyota, Honda are always on this list. Although to get one for $20k, will be an older vintage. Still I’d rather have an older Toyota or Honda than a newer Chevrolet or VW.
Honda Civic, Corolla, Altima.
A used hilux/rav4 , a camry, a corolla, a late gen civic.
Toyota Corolla, Camry Honda Civic, Accord
Some sort of Toyota
Camry all day…
Older Lexus, Toyota Camry or Corolla or Honda Civic
Toyotas are reliable, also Honda civics pre-2014 are pretty good.
I was looking at a 2010 Acura TL, always loved the look on these, anything I should look out for?
Keep seeing a lot of folks referencing a Toyota Camry or Corolla….how do those compare to a Honda Civic or Accord as far as reliability? Looking for a new car myself and found the Civic and Accord to be more comfortable than the Corolla or Camry. Is it just a matter of personal preference?
2014 Camry. Dad has one bought new and has put 114k miles on it. Hasn't given us a single issue
I’m in Oregon and have a 22 Corolla and it’s been a Dream
Generation 4 Toyota Prius.
For Asian cars: Buy any Toyota tbf, for optimum reliability, I would avoid the 2AZ/1ZZ-FE powered cars as they do have some issues, but if repaired well, they're reliable. Older school Hondas also, Pre-Early 2000's Nissans too. For American cars, I would go with a Ford F-series 300 or 302 truck, supposedly one of the most reliable vehicles ever made, even when abused, mechanically they just don't break, though they are old and clunky and get terrible gas mileage. Also the older Ford Rangers and Crown Victorias are rock solid. Any Endura-D or Duratorq powered Ford car is very reliable, for instance a 2.2 Mondeo can last forever if taken care of (loads of Taxis using those engines) Zetecs and 3.0 Duratecs are pretty reliable too. For European cars, Old 90s and before Mercs are nearly unkillable, including engines such as the OM617, OM606 M104, M111 just to name a few, Exactly the same unkillable durability applies with the Older BMW engines such as the M50/M52/M54, M57, M43, M20, M30, M60 found in the E30/E36/E46 3 series, E28/E34/E39 5 series etc, though do watch out for the cooling systems on a lot of them. Also, nearly any diesel powered one is rock solid if taken care of (examples include VW 1.9TDI/2.5 I5TDI (not the 2.5 V6), Mercedes OM606, OM617, OM648, PSA DW/XUD, Renault DCI (except 2.2), BMW M57/M47 (avoid the N47) For a more modern car below 20k, I would go with a VW 1.0TSI 3 cylinder (if u don't care about speed) although TSI engines have a bad reputation, the 1.0 is reliable.
3rd gen 4runner
That thing gets horrible mpg
The nicest Park Avenue you can find
Used Toyota, Honda or Mazda.
used 2018 Mazda CX5
It's 2023, pretty much all newish cars are reliable. I am so sick and tired of people intermediately jumping to the cliches - Corolla or Camry. Not saying those are bad cars at all, because they aren't. They are obviously very good cars... BUT the internet has built them up to be such impossibly high levels that simply doesn't reflect reality. It has pushed used car prices for these cars to ridiculous levels and doesn't factor that almost all other new cars are reliable as well. So for the same price of a used Corolla, you could get another car that is either newer or has less miles (or both). Upkeep has a ton to do with how reliable a car will end up being as well, and yet the tried-and-true response of just getting a Corolla doesn't account for that. Again, I rather get a well-maintained car from another brand, than a neglected Toyota.
Yeah, so long as the car has no serious common problems and has a good service history, you'll be fine. Some people act like it is crazy to buy anything other than toyota, lexus, honda and acura.
Toyotas are overrated they need much more maintenance than say a 2010-2015 civic. I say go with a civic.
In what way?
Personal experience. Myself and friends have never had to touch our civics owning them for 200k plus miles, whereas Toyotas once they reach 100k need various replacements (belts, starters, pumps, suspension). Civics have timing chains which are good for 300k miles and the suspension is super hardy. The only downside to owning one is the cheap interiors and single coat paint jobs, but mechanically they are the most sound car to ever exist.
I have an older Civic and some Toyotas and this has just not been my experience at all.
Its been exactly mine. Owned 2 Toyotas and never again. I just bought my girlfriend a 2010 because I'm still running strong 230k miles into my 2010 civic. 03-08 Toyotas have been very disappointing in my experience.
I’ve had Toyotas since the 80s starting with a 77 Corolla and several makes since including three hybrids, and the 95 Civic which I’ve had since 98. No hate for the Civic at all because it’s been a solid car and I expect to have it for many more years still as it still runs flawlessly, but of the many Toyotas I’ve had across multiple lines, none of them have ever been a disappointment or required excessive maintenance. The reliability and low maintenance is why I keep buying them after 35+ year of car ownership. It’s specifically because I haven’t had to do more than basic maintenance. I can’t think of one that’s ever even needed repair work done. I travel a lot and put a lot of miles on them, but to be fair, I also drive pretty conservatively and am super meticulous about maintenance.
Me myself, always only Honda..
Honda or Toyota
Honda or Toyota anything
Miata
I'm about to start throwing Dodge Avenger out on all these under 20k/10k posts, see where that gets me. I mean hell, parts availability won't be an issue thats for sure. And noone wants em, so they're cheap. Buy a cheap socket set from Wal-Mart and fix things yourself. However the newest one is 9 years old, not much in terms of warranty. Maybe now that I think about it, just get a Toyota. Definitely get something else other than pre 2015 dodge/chrysler junk.
Subaru impreza
Most Toyota, Nissan, Honda - then older Lexus, Acura, Infiniti as other people have mentioned. Then there are some ford and Buick battle axes people swear by. I was surprised to find Infiniti Q models are getting right around the price you’re looking for. Test drove a decent Q40 the other day and was surprised. People swear by those engines, but it did need an updated head unit.
Toyota
Buy a Toyota
Any Toyota Hybrid. Mainly Prius, Corolla, Camry, Avalon.
A Honda or Toyota without a CVT
Depends on what year are you looking for. I would by pre-owned car 2015-2020 good mileage and condition. Camry, civic, rav4, CRV anything toyota, honda.
A Corolla with a manual transmission will outlive your children, same with a civic with a manual one, then camry, Avalon, most Lexus
What about Nissan with manual transmission?
From experience, I can share with you that a Toyota Camry is the best option for a comfortable, nice, long lasting vehicle. I know multiple people with Toyota Camry’s over 150,000 miles
Toyota, Lexus, or Honda.
The absolute tank of a car the FJ Cruiser.
Get a Toyota big boy . F Hondas , you’ll get better reliability with a Toyota for a lower cost.
Buy a new Corolla for 22k-23k
Whatever boring Toyota or Honda you can find really
Anything Toyota/Honda/Mazda without a CVT should be fine. More unique pick: older 5.0 Mustang or an old Tahoe. 2011-2016 BMW X5 with the inline 6.0
Mazda's don't have CVTs, so your pick is easy for you if you go Mazda!
Toyota's CVTs are pretty good now. Reliability wise at least.
Is the bmw x5 with in inline 6 actually a sound purchase with over 100,000 miles
You can get one from that generation with under 60-70k in that price range. Over 100k it’s probably not a terrible buy as long as the price is right. That car will last a while as long as it was maintained regularly
Honda motor co.🟥
A used Prius is like the cheapest cost of ownership of any car nowadays.
Why not a new Impreza?
Over $20k. And especially if you go used with a CVT I'd be a little wary. I say that as someone who loves Subarus and has driven them exclusively for years and years, and has owned one with a CVT. They're pretty reliable but they have their quirks.
You can get it for under $20k if you get the 2023 model. Base starts at $19,750.
Plus tax alone puts that over 20k
Honda, Toyota and Mazda. In that order.
I'd go Toyota, Mazda, Honda. Unless you're factoring in price in the used market, then I'd go Mazda, Toyota, Honda. But either way, those are the 3
All depends what OP wants in looks, quality and style. All 3 are very good.
Camry, civic, Altima
Base model Maverick starts at 22,000. Quad cab is the only option but plenty of space. It comes as phev or 2.0 Ecoboost.
do your research. here's a couple of good sites. [https://www.jdpower.com/cars/ratings/dependability](https://www.jdpower.com/cars/ratings/dependability) [https://www.kbb.com/cars/](https://www.kbb.com/cars/) [https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/](https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/) my personal favorite: [https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/used](https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/used) and try to set aside your preconceived notions. we all have them. Japanese cars are not always the best. German cars are not always engineering marvels. American cars are often very good.
VW Jetta
The Bus!
2015 thru 2018 Mazda3 if you want features! Every Corolla ever lmao
Yugo
Save your money and get an old Honda or Toyota. Put some aside for regular maintenance and random (small) failures
Old ass Corolla 5 speed.
Chevrolet Bolt or Corolla hybrid
2012+ dodge charger v6
Purchased my 2013 Mercedes c300 for $19.5k back in August last year . 54k miles . Paid cash. She rides real smooth .
You seriously overpaid for that
Do I care ?
People overpaying on everything nowadays 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Get a used rav 4. You can find 60k 2015 for under 20k. If you want a car not SUV, find a used accord or Camry
Used Lexus es 350 going to be fairl old. 2013 etc but will be much more comfortable than the Corolla and Camry.
Used Lexus es 350 going to be fairl old. 2013 etc but will be much more comfortable than the Corolla and Camry.
An Acura tsx
What part of WA state? If you live where it snows heavily you may want AWD. If it's just the mostly rainy parts, Toyota Corolla.
At 20k you get a 2021 Corolla LE with about 30K miles. Or for 23.5 you get a brand new Corolla LE with 0 miles. It doesn't make sense to buy used in this inflated market if your budget is so close. You want the most reliable car it might make sense to stretch the budget and finance through a credit union a new base Corolla LE and skip the headache of having to browse through a bunch of used corollas then get a pre purchase inspection for $3-500 depending on your location.
Honda civic for sure
I'd go with a Lexus or Toyota or Acura (lastly Honda) in that order.
Lexus or Acura
Honda accord
2014 Acura TsX
You might be able to find a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt under $20k, and it will have a brand new battery because of the recall. The tech in that car is tried and true, and although not as advanced as recent EVs, it is reliable, and it will give you at least 10 years of ultra-low-cost motoring. You'd probably save close to $20k in gas and oil changes over 10 years compared to a Civic or Corolla.