Hertz takes care of them and Toyotas are tanks.

40,000 miles, $16k

good maintenance and higher miles beats low miles and no oil changes, then what KIND of miles - again lots of highway miles beats lower city driving miles.

It would be very difficult to find a better car for the money. A Kia with 100,000 miles is just getting broken in.

You pay a bit more, but it takes some of the guess work out. Most major makes have them.

require a significant service, i.e. timing chain and water pump while you are at it. My view if the 60K miles are highway miles vs. city miles and it was driven easy and serviced well (oil changes at 3,000 miles), that is no big deal. Good luck to you and you niece.

It’s perfect for me

I knew I would be moving across the country (Texas to Washington State), and my Prius had about 210,000 miles on it and was starting to have electrical problems. So, I traded it in on a 2012 Toyota Sienna minivan. It had 68,000 miles on it, and would carry my cats, artwork, fragile items, bicycles and other luggage all the way from Austin to Tacoma. My only complaint is that it gets 18 mpg. Here is what has gone wrong in the past 3 years of ownership: battery and tires needed replacing. That's it. It now has 91,000 miles. I had intended to buy another smaller car once I got settled, but I just love this thing! It's great for hauling camping gear, bicycles, telescopes and other fun things. It is also roomy enough that I can put a twin sized air mattress in the back and sleep in it during rainy camp outs. As I am 68, it will probably be the last car I own. I highly recommend used Toyotas.

But generally you can't go wrong with a Honda or a Toyota, and 60k is just getting broken in for one of them.

I think it's better to get a car that is still under Manufacturer warranty than one that's certified, because you pay for this repair insurance.

with 190,000 miles that’s an about don’t remember the exact numbers. Suburbans are good to about 250,000 to 300,000. Just cracked 200 thousand still going great. I’ve had the car for 4 years.

Suburban prob too big for one person but the GM brand engines are tanks! The Vortecs especially.

It would be very hard for her to carry a car payment and at 27, I doubt she has the credit rating I have, which means a higher rate of interest. Honestly, she got pretty screwed over by her parents all her life and I just want to help her out. Not to mention, as good a car as it's been, I'm ready for something different after 14 years.

I always look for a one or two owner.
These often have good maintenance records etc Also, I would avoid a car lot first. Many good one owners are available on Craigslist and you don’t pay the overhead of the used car lot or the giant dealership selling the used car You can use the money you save to take the car to a trusted shop and give it whatever it needs to keep you rolling for years.

I am the third owner of my 2008 Hummer H3. Purchased it in late 2016. Got it with 94k miles. Now has 153k. I have had the transaxel serviced @100k and replaced a waterpump, thermostat and radiator. Other than that only consumables like tires, wipers and oil etc.

Good luck on your hunt. Where you at?
I can/would look at the craigslist in your area and post some links back here with options.

I found a 1996 Buick Park Ave in 2015 for $1000. Owned by two CPA’s. I was third owner. The records were meticulous! I gave the car to my son when I bought my Hummer. They still drive it to TX several xs a year to see my d-in-laws mother.

Once, we found a one owner truck at a dealership. My ex husband still drives it and it was purchased in 2012. He did have to replace transmission the transmission in 2018 but the truck was only $6000. V-6 engine and no rust as it has been garaged. Also had upgrades like remote start. Anyway. Wouldnt hurt to call around to dealerships to see if anyone has traded their one owner in recently.

It was a beauty when new and lots of gadgets. It runs like a top. 4x4 is great for our mountain driving. 158,000 miles.
A/C works. New mountain tires

Cars are a bit pricey in Costa Rica. We paid $4000. We are told that was a great deal where 20 year old cars a prevalent. Also we are required to have the car inspected every year.
(There are places were you can rent good tires for your inspection)

If it lasts four years we will be thrilled.

This car was owned for 21 yrs avg miles was about 5,000 yr.

SMART BUY!!!!

Get this and give to your niece!

https://elpaso.craigslist.org/cto/d/el-paso-suzuki-grand-vitara-suv-very/7137415189.html

Due to covid.

Many still have mfr warranties.

I probably would still be driving my Chrysler Sebring except for an unfortunate encounter with a patch of black ice while heading downhill. If there had not been a car in front of me, I probably would have avoided the wreck.

I now have a 2007 Altima, purchased from CarMax. I believe it had 33K miles on it. Been rear-ended twice, still going strong. Current mileage is 140K and I plan to drive it another several years.

By the way, CarMax is a terrific place to check out the different makes and models since they have just about anything you might want to try. Great online shopping too so you get a handle on what is available at the lot nearest you.

7th gen Honda from early 2000s. Excellent car. Still runs great! 👍

I've bought three cars online - two on Cars.com and one through Carvana. All were great deals, good vehicles with no problems and I still have two of them (The 2014 Prius V is my husband's car and the 1999 GMC Suburban gets so little use I might as well keep it as long as it runs).

CarMax was not really a thing the last time I was shopping online. On Cars.com most cars have a Carfax report so you can check on how many owners, wrecks, servicing, etc.

I have a good friend who is a used car salesman, but when I went in just after Christmas to look at what he had, his dealership had a fantastic deals on 2019 Honda Fits so I ended up with one of those - first new car I have bought in decades. Since I don't drive much anymore - I've put about 850 miles on it since December - it may be the last car I buy for myself.

That grew up in an area that doesn’t salt the roads. We bought one from Texas and went a long way for it. But, you avoid a major rust risk that way.

When we get the occasional snow or ice, they use sand instead of salt.

https://media.wired.com/photos/59371d969a93607bd17ca740/master/w_582,c_limit/42-71085728.jpg

Everybody, including the cops will get out of your way. They're easy to fix. Parts may be hard to get. They're about $50k You can park where you want and nobody will bother you.


Wolf

But buy an EV. I’ve been driving them for six years and they are a joy to drive. Used EVs are pretty cheap (except Teslas which hold their value even used). If you need range, look at a used Bolt (240 miles) or the plug in hybrid Volt (2016 of later) which has 50 miles of ev range and 350 gasoline.

These cars are reliable, clean, quiet, and sprint off the line like a Cheetah.

Also, very cheap to operate.

but I live in a house with roommates and don't always get to park by the electrical outlet. I need an SUV because it floods so much here in Houston and I need the ground clearance. I bought the Scion when I lived in Austin and didn't realize how a couple of inches makes a big difference. That was the one thing I didn't like about the Scion.

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/toyota/rav4/2021/2021-toyota-rav4-prime-vs-2020-ford-escape-phev-hybrid-suv-comparison/

40 mile EV range, and VERY nice looking.,

that the total mileage is less of a consideration than it used to be.

I would personally not buy from a private individual, or at least not without having a mechanic I trust look the car over first. I prefer buying from a dealer or a good used car lot, and have had lots of luck with them. For somewhat complicated reasons, mostly involving cars getting totalled, I bought or helped others buy a total of eight cars in something like a three year period. So I got pretty good at it.

First off, the internet is your friend. If you want to go the dealer/used car lot route, go to cars.com, and make use of their resources. Narrow down your search to several likely vehicles, then check the websites for those places to see what else they might have that seems likely. Visit the lot and do some test driving. Be vague about your time line for buying, and don't discuss financing at first.

Also go to the Kelly Blue Book site and check the values they give for whatever vehicles you are considering. Assume that the most amount of money a dealer/used car lot has invested is the lowest value, the trade in value. Start with that number in your negotiating.

Ask for a Car Fax report on any car you are considering. If you prefer to buy from a private individual, you can get a temporary membership with Car Fax so that you can directly access their reports.

If at any dealer/used car lot you don't feel completely comfortable for any reason whatsoever, leave. There are lots of dealers and car lots and cars out there.

I was living in the Kansas City area when I was doing all that car buying, and I got to know several dealers and car lots quite well.

And you are a great guy to be willing to help out your niece like this.

'92 4Runner with 105K on it, still have it at 237K and still love it though I bought another used car, for the same amount(!) 2 years ago with 157K and am good with it. As the newer one is more likely to become a money pit, I will save and invest in refurbishing the Toyota before I decide to bail on the newer one.

Most modern cars are pretty good, just get something you like, mileage for cars goes well beyond 100K these days.

They have zillions of rental cars that are gonna be available. Low mileage,good condition. Sometime around end of July, they say, cars will flood the market.

They even have a "Rent to Own" deal that's kind of an extended test drive. The car has an agreed upon price, and you can rent it for 3 days. If you want to keep it, you aren't charged for the 3 days. If you want to return it, then you pay a reduced rental fee.

The thing about rental cars, and this can be said of ALL cars dealerships these days, is that they have plenty of selection if you want white, gray, silver or black. I prefer a color. They're easier to spot in a parking lot that's a sea of B&W and shades in between. The selection of colored cars at rental places is even worse. How much does a paint job cost? I also prefer leather seats.

What can I say? This will be my last car and I'm picky!

Mine's a 2017 and you can find them from 2015 to 2020 with pretty much this same body style and under 25k. 4 full doors, crew cab, locking hard tonneau cover, v6, and I average 23 mpg. Which is way more than my old truck. Heck, I made money by buying this truck even though the old one was paid off. Only going back and forth to work and nowhere else, my gas and car note is less per month than just the gas alone in my old Avalanche.

You can get them with all the cool gadgets. Mine has an 8" screen for connecting to Android Auto (or Apple Carplay). I plug my phone it and Android Auto takes over so I can hands-free make and receive phone calls, text messages and it even supports the Libby app which lets me download audio books from my local library to listen to in the truck.

I routinely carry 5 passengers and 2 of the regulars are hefty. All my work tools and equipment and supplies are in the locking bed and they stay dry. I travel the state of Florida for work so I have a lot of highway miles and after almost 3 years in it I still love it.

And it goes without saying but I'm going to say it anyway - You're an awesome uncle. I had an awesome uncle in my life and I miss him every day so whatever you end up doing just know that you will have a positive impact.

I'm hoping for the success of self-driving cars before I'm too old to drive.

"Car, take me to the America Legion hall - it's Bingo night"

That's why I'm looking for something under $25K that I can pay off in 5 years that has, hopefully, less than 50K miles. The internet sure makes it easier to look for cars.

I too will end up giving it away one of these days

if I was going to buy a used car I want it to have no more than 30K miles

It might still have some of the original warranty left. But, the more I've thought about it, the more I'm leaning towards buying new. You just never know how well someone has taken care of the car. One of the cars I was looking at was a Toyota RAV4. Turns out they are selling the 2020 HYBRIDS at 0% interest for 60 months. I can get one for around $450 a month. Since I've already been socking away $400 a month for a year, it will be pretty painless.

you're like me, keep them a long time......go for it!

is the best guarantee that I won't be facing a car payment when I'm 75.

and there's really nothing like being the sole owner of a car

, even today is beautiful. She was motor trend car of the year, well the year I purchased her. Never let me down, and I feel so safe driving her. She’s still my girl. Daughter wants to buy her. I told her no.

If you buy from a dealer they will usually include some sort of warranty. If you buy privately make sure you take it to a trusted mechanic and have an oil leak-down performed. Leak-downs have saved my ass before and it will be worth the $100 or so you'll have to spend. I like to purchase cars with around 30K miles on them. Even if I won the lotto and had all the money in the world, it kills me to pay for a new vehicle that is going to depreciate 10% when I drive it off the lot. Let someone else take the hit. Happy hunting.

We've been very happy with used Toyotas from Enterprise. You know they've had all their scheduled maintenance and are kept in tip-top shape. I think they sell them after only a few years. My last was a 2011 Camry that I bought in 2015 for $18,000. Perfect car, never had a problem, 40,000 miles when I bought it. Last year my son bought a 2017 Corolla for $15,000. There's no haggling, which I appreciate.

I heard about buying rental-car stock from the Car Guys on NPR. I don't think a lot of people know about this option, but it's definitely worth looking into. You can shop online.

Due to the downturn they are dumping a lot of late model cars. Several articles I have read said prices are low and will likely continue to fall for the next month or so.
Only other advice I would have is NEVER buy a used car without having a mechanic check it out. If the company won't let you take the car to the mechanic of your choice, walk away.

If you like it and want to buy it, the rent is forgiven.

Last edited Thu Jun 11, 2020, 08:23 AM - Edit history (1)

This car comes with an umbrella:

https://gfycat.com/afraidwindyburro

back when her mom became very ill and she needed to drive home from college frequently to help out. She is a love, now settled in her (1st) good job and things have calmed, for the time being and except for Covid.

It felt great to be practical, to give, and to help out; transportation was seriously needed and she appreciated it tremendously. I picked up the insurance etcetera.

You're a good uncle, what you're doing for your niece esp. when she hasn't asked for help.

I have a 27k low mileage, Ford Escape 2012 AWD in excellent condition that I want to sell in the next few months for something smaller; not using it that much or in need of the space as originally planned.

Most cars made in the last 10 years are disposable cars. If you can find a Toyota made in Japan, go for it. You probably already know Scion is really a Toyota.

Stay away from any car that is purported to be 'sporty'. Absolutely stayaway from:
1. Dodge Challenger
2. Dodge Charger
3. Ford Mustang
4. Chevy Camaro
These cars tend to get abused by show-off divers.

Manual transmissions tend to last longer than automatics, but they are hard to find.

Scotty Kilmer tends to give blunt advice about used cars, especially the ones he does not like. ROLL UP YOUR WINDOWS!

I found a 2017 Toyota RAV4 HYBRID (!!!) with 30K miles, Certified Pre Owned for $21K. But oh did I have to haggle. Now the $21K was their advertised priced. I looked at Kelly Blue Book and the price was fair, so I didn't haggle about the sticker price. Things are tough all over and they deserve to make a fair profit. I even pre-applied for a loan so I knew what my payment would be.

HOWEVER, when I sat down with the salesman, he showed me their offer and they had added a $900 GPS Security System called Apex that I had not asked for ("We add it to all our cars&quot and a $1600 "Reconditioning fee". I told him any "reconditioning fee" that was paying for what needed to be done to the car to get it into sellable condition should have been included in the sticker price. Same goes for the Apex. His answers all started with "But" and my replies all started with "That's not my problem". I started getting up to leave the negotiations THREE TIMES. Finally they took both extras off and I threw them a bone by doing the financing through Toyota instead of through my bank.

Then, as I was driving home I witnessed a terrible accident. Well, I didn't witness the impact, just a JEEP spinning through the air 10 feet above the ground. I'm not exaggerating. It was like something out of an action movie. I called 911. There were plenty of people who stopped to help so I went home. I AM SO TIRED!!!

Don't let your niece talk you into trading cars.

I don't have access to a plug anyway. Too many roommates!

In ten years, get a plug-in hybrid.



Anyway, good car!