What car would you buy if you wanted to spend 10k or less?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it's just a runabout, I'd buy a Miata. Life's too short for an appliance.

I had a Miata many years ago. Great car, nothing ever went wrong on it. I sold it when my oldest got his driver’s license. A Miata is too small for a young, inexperienced driver.
I ended up buying a used Camry with 50k miles on it. Sold it 10+ years later with almost 300k miles on it. Very reliable car but soulless to drive. Perfect for a teenager.

My first car was a 10 year old Camry. I agree it was perfect for a teen! Though it's hard to find those for $10k unless you go very high mileage. It still may be better than something else though, even with some maintenance costs.

[Anonymous]

Ford Taurus or Mercury Sable. People on DC have short memories but the Ford Taurus out so of the Camry many years and is extremely reliable and cheaper to fix than a Toyota.

A lot of older people bought them so not uncommon to find a 12-20 year old one with 30-60k miles on odometer in mint condition at a reasonable price. Camrys and Accords extremely hard to find inexpensive low miles models

And safety my 1998 Mercury Sable got tboned at 50 miles and hour by a full sized SUV and dragged 20 feet. Cracked windshield blew out two passenger windows. The cop asked if it still ran to get to side of road it did. Then to his shock I drove it home. It still ran after a 50 mph hit from a full size suv.

So teen wise safe. But these are no sports cars or cool cars. Just safe reliable inexpensive transportation that is easy to fix

[Anonymous]

Your best bet is private seller at that price point. American cars will ve lower mileage for the money.

[Anonymous]

Used Camry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it's just a runabout, I'd buy a Miata. Life's too short for an appliance.

I had a Miata many years ago. Great car, nothing ever went wrong on it. I sold it when my oldest got his driver’s license. A Miata is too small for a young, inexperienced driver.
I ended up buying a used Camry with 50k miles on it. Sold it 10+ years later with almost 300k miles on it. Very reliable car but soulless to drive. Perfect for a teenager.

The car isn't for the young, inexperienced driver. The car is for the parents. Hence, my suggestion.

NP here
No, OP said "Parents can drive the beater."

[Anonymous]

Used toyota

[Anonymous]

Ask your neighborhood listserv, if you have one. I have gotten my last two cars this way - both older Toyota/Honda sedans with >100k miles and less than $6K.

I didn't know these people well (and still don't) but I like to think that they would be honest about revealing the issues with their car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it's just a runabout, I'd buy a Miata. Life's too short for an appliance.

I had a Miata many years ago. Great car, nothing ever went wrong on it. I sold it when my oldest got his driver’s license. A Miata is too small for a young, inexperienced driver.
I ended up buying a used Camry with 50k miles on it. Sold it 10+ years later with almost 300k miles on it. Very reliable car but soulless to drive. Perfect for a teenager.

The car isn't for the young, inexperienced driver. The car is for the parents. Hence, my suggestion.

NP here
No, OP said "Parents can drive the beater."

Exactly.

What car are you buying for less than 10k these days if not a beater?

[Anonymous]

https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1MEHM43W28G600843

Nice safe low mileage car for $5k. Mercury Sable. Better car than a Camry.

I used to own a Camry and a Sable.

[Anonymous]

I would get a 2015ish Volkswagen Jetta. SUVs/trucks hold value well and would be hard to find under 10K, unless they are very old. Cars are generally more affordable for a same year/condition. As others have mentioned, a used Toyota or Honda is nice but would likely be over your budget, even a basic car like a Civic or a Corolla, unless you want a 15 year old car.

[Anonymous]

I tried. You can't easily get a car below $10K . It will be a beater or private sale or both. Selling a car is expensive, no way around it. Best overall cost option is to find a car that's $10K to $15K, and keep it for a long time or pass it down to others in the family. Otherwise the savings are lost in the risk of lemon.

[Anonymous]

I have a 2013 Range Rover with 180k on it that I'll sell for 14,800. We are the original owners. Carmax offered me 9800 trade in. And it was 121k new. Great car but only selling bc one of my kids is too tall to fit in the back so bought a a 2020 used lwb one from carmax. Super safe car, very reliable. Also have an 2007 rr sc with 180k that I'll sell for the same price. Only selling bc now we have 5 cars and don't know which one to get rid of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 2013 Range Rover with 180k on it that I'll sell for 14,800. We are the original owners. Carmax offered me 9800 trade in. And it was 121k new. Great car but only selling bc one of my kids is too tall to fit in the back so bought a a 2020 used lwb one from carmax. Super safe car, very reliable. Also have an 2007 rr sc with 180k that I'll sell for the same price. Only selling bc now we have 5 cars and don't know which one to get rid of.

Nooone in their right mind would buy a RR with that kind of mileage. Or a newer one for that matter.

[Anonymous]

RAV4. Extremely reliable and great car

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 2013 Range Rover with 180k on it that I'll sell for 14,800. We are the original owners. Carmax offered me 9800 trade in. And it was 121k new. Great car but only selling bc one of my kids is too tall to fit in the back so bought a a 2020 used lwb one from carmax. Super safe car, very reliable. Also have an 2007 rr sc with 180k that I'll sell for the same price. Only selling bc now we have 5 cars and don't know which one to get rid of.

Nooone in their right mind would buy a RR with that kind of mileage. Or a newer one for that matter.

+1

No kidding. RR have known issues. Why do you think there are so many LEASED new ones on the road??