Used Car Recommendations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FYI volvos are SO EXPENSIVE to repair. like 1.5k+ a year for my older model. I really should just get a new(used) Civic but I like the prestige of having a "nicer" crappy old car. Sometimes I think I am a bad person.

Ditto. I own a Volvo and a Lexus, and can see the difference (in favor of Lexus) in quality, reliability, and repair costs...Within your price range, I would go with a solid and reliable Honda or Toyota rather than wasting money on European cars...

[Anonymous]

Hello all, OP here. After much research, I have decided on a certified, pre-owned, (with extended warranty), low-mileage '05 BMW 3 series coupe. It's a lovely car, gets excellent safety ratings, and topped both consumer reports and Edmunds best used car bets for reliability in my price range. I have an excellent mechanic, who I've used for years for my previous car and for our current car, and I called to ask him about it and he said it was an excellent choice. Again, parts can be expensive, but that's okay with me as long as it's not always in the shop. Thank you for all of your tips!

[jsteele]

Congratulations! Consider joining the local chapter of the BMW Car Club of America (http://www.nccbmwcca.org/). They have a ton of events aimed at helping you get the most from your car. They even have specific events aimed at women if that would appeal to you (though women are, of course, welcome at all events). Maria and I recently participated in a car control clinic that was both a blast, and helpful in learning the limits of our cars. The e46 is one of the most popular BMWs on the road and BMW's CPO program is excellent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Volvo all the way, the best car on the road, safe, reliable and the myth of being expensive to repair is not true, all cars are expensive to repair, you need to find an honest mechanic, AFTER the warranty is up..

Not a myth - we sold our Volvo a few months ago because it was way too expensive to maintain. We spent over $4000 on it last year. It was our 3rd Volvo and they all went bad after about 5-6 years. I would not recommend buying a used one at all. We bought a used 2006 Honda CR-V instead for $18,000 with only 24,000 miles on it (the high end model of the CR-V). It's been great and so far our only maintenance has been a regular service for under $100.