Forget carmax.

I think you could find a Subaru with 100k miles. But have your mechanic look at it. Especially whether the timing belt and water pump were replaced.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have time to look around and check things out? If so, I'd go with Craigslist. Find a type of car you like (Honda Accord, maybe?), ask to see the car and take it to a trusted mechanic. Spend the $80-100 to get it checked out thoroughly and, if whatever repairs are needed seem manageable, buy it. You'll get much more car for your money than you would with any used car dealership or Carmax

We did that 5 years ago. The car passed inspections by the State and a trusted mechanic, then had major issues on the 6th day. We couldn't even get the seller to respond to our emails, let alone talk about adjusting the price. It was a costly repair (1/3 the purchase price). In contrast, Carmax not only repaired my partner's car, but loaned him a vehicle so we weren't short a car.

Agree with everything in this post. Side question: are you gay? Every time I see "partner" I think "gay." Not judging, just curious about word usage here.

Nope. We've just been together a long time and at our age, BF/GF sounds silly. We're actually getting married in 3 mos.

Those carmax prices seem really high! I have a 2004 Camry with 102k miles. Similar cars (2005) are on carmax for 10k! I'd sell my car for about $4k. That's what I've seen on craigslist and other sites like carguru.

I don't know who is spending twice as much for a car like that on carmax!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You probably want peace of mind since you don't want to be stranded with kids in the car, so go to a place like Carmax. You pay a bit more, but the quality will be better. Generally, go for newer model year-wise, even if it's a lesser car. For example, you can probably get a base Corolla or Civic taht's only a few years old.

Great advice. I hadn't considered this. Thank you.

+1 We've purchased three cars from Carmax, all in great shape.

how many for $5000?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have time to look around and check things out? If so, I'd go with Craigslist. Find a type of car you like (Honda Accord, maybe?), ask to see the car and take it to a trusted mechanic. Spend the $80-100 to get it checked out thoroughly and, if whatever repairs are needed seem manageable, buy it. You'll get much more car for your money than you would with any used car dealership or Carmax

We did that 5 years ago. The car passed inspections by the State and a trusted mechanic, then had major issues on the 6th day. We couldn't even get the seller to respond to our emails, let alone talk about adjusting the price. It was a costly repair (1/3 the purchase price). In contrast, Carmax not only repaired my partner's car, but loaned him a vehicle so we weren't short a car.

Agree with everything in this post. Side question: are you gay? Every time I see "partner" I think "gay." Not judging, just curious about word usage here.

Anonymous wrote:I would definitely get either a Honda or a Toyota.

These vehicles tend to be more dependable and not break down too often.

They are known for their longevity and they also hold value much much better than Domestic & Korean counterparts.

+1 Hondas have been very dependable in our family. Our first Civic was 18 years old with 250 miles when we sold it to a friend who used it a few more years. Our daughter is driving a 2000 Civic with no issues, my Accord is a 2003 and dh has a 2007 that still feels "new" to us. We had major issues with Ford (found on road dead acronym) and a Chev Cavalier that we sunk way too much into repairs. I am sticking with Honda!!

Anonymous wrote:I'm also interested in a similar used vehicle. Anything but a Corolla (never again).

What's wrong with a Corolla. I just bought a 2005 corolla for way less than $5000 from a family member and it seems great.

Mazda Protege?

PP ^
True, but who wouldn't want a car that holds its value over the years?

Anonymous wrote:I would definitely get either a Honda or a Toyota.

These vehicles tend to be more dependable and not break down too often.

They are known for their longevity and they also hold value much much better than Domestic & Korean counterparts.

That's not necessarily a plus if you're on the buying side of the used car market.

Anonymous wrote:How about a Hyundai Elantra?

Hyundai cars have vastly improved over the years, but they still are cheap and junky cars vs. their Asian counterparts.

They still have a LONG way to go.
I wouldn't necessarily say they are improving by leaps + bounds however only time will tell.

I would definitely get either a Honda or a Toyota.

These vehicles tend to be more dependable and not break down too often.

They are known for their longevity and they also hold value much much better than Domestic & Korean counterparts.

Bought used Mazda3 in 2008. Have had no major problems. I use it for short commutes and seems like it is going to last another 7-10 years.

How about a Hyundai Elantra?

Scion - any of the models. XB if you want more room.