Should I avoid buying used cars from 14 years ago?

[Anonymous]

I guess a more specific question would be what’s the oldest car can i buy and still be practical/worth it? Im trying not to buy cars older than 20 years. I see a used car who seems like a good deal from 2009. I dont know if that’s still a bad idea. Im also on a budget, but would like to avoid a lot of repairs when i buy a used car.

[MrOracle]

Any car over, say, 8 years old is going to come down to:

• Brand/model
• Mileage
• Condition

No two will be the same, and you should ALWAYS assume that you're going to need to perform at least one and probably two significant repair (s) on any used car.

You will get the best deals by buying directly from current owners, BUT, that also means either you or someone very knowledgeable about cars is going to need to do a THOROUGH inspection on the car, or you'll just be rolling the dice and hoping not to crap out. I buy nearly all the used cars for my family and friend group, and I've only had one bad car out of the last 15 or so, which is far above average with 10+ year old used cars.

As a rule, I would avoid American brands - they tend to have very little Blue Book value at this age for good reason: they're not built to last. Yes, you can keep them going if you don't mind doing the work yourself (and some of it will be major), but if you have to pay to have it worked on, even if the parts are reasonable, the labor will kill you.

As such, I recommend sticking to the MOST reliable used cars:

- Honda Accord or Civic

- Toyota Camry or Corolla

If you MUST have a small SUV:

- Honda CRV or Toyota RAV4

And if you MUST have a pickup:

- Toyota Tacoma or Tundra

All of these are going to cost more initially than their domestic counterparts, but IF they are in good condition, they're worth fixing brakes or suspension, tires, etc., because these cars can all potentially go 300,000+ miles. Most of their "competition" is done at half that mileage, which is why their book value is nearly nothing.

The last used car I bought for my brother's girlfriend, and it was a 2010 Honda Accord. The body, interior, engine, and transmission were all in excellent shape, but the suspension had a problem (which allowed me to negotiate a low price even lower), which turned out to require the replacement of the entire steering knuckle on one side. The bushing for the tie rod had disintegrated and it looked like it had been driven for several years without it, and the hole was so enlarged that it couldn't be "fixed" - it had to be replaced. Still, even with repairs, I was only $6000 into the car, and it's been flawless for her over the last year. Several people asked her if it was new, because it was in such good condition.

[Orion84]

There's really a number of factors to consider when buying a used car, beyond simply the age.

Older cars can be fantastic, provided they were taken care of. Conversely, some newer used cars can be pieces of hot garbage, if they weren't well maintained.

You also have to consider the location where they were owned. Were they driven in a lot of snow? If so, road salt could have caused extensive rust issues, whereas a car from a warmer client wouldn't have that issue.

The best thing you can do is find a mechanic that you trust, and ask if they can perform an inspection on the vehicle before you buy it. A lot of independant shops will do that for pretty cheap.

If the owner of the car that you're trying to be (either private owner or dealership) has a problem with you getting the vehicle inspected, then I would consider that a warning sign.

[Lliam]

The newer the car, the more computers there are to cause problems.

I have a fully loaded 2007, Rav4 Limited with low mileage. It was like new with 83,000 when I bought it in 2017. It had been owned by a little old lady for 10 years and always serviced at the dealer. She had every service record.
It's great, but computer errors still pop up occasionally. Newer cars have even more computers.

I see nothing wrong with a good make and model car over 20 years old or older as long as it has low mileage and was well maintained.

[jshm2]

To be honest, if you know nothing and no one about cars, then don't risk second hand right now.

Yeah PCP, is a pain in the ass as you're paying monthly and don't own it in the end. But buy the smallest and cheapest you can. Anything goes wrong, they fix it, else give you a new one.

Do it for the minimum contract and save the rest. Once things get up and back in a couple of years then you can get cheap and decent second hand cars again.

[Wonderingguyy]

Avoid buying second hand cars if you can. They almost always turn out to be completely unreliable, and always have something wrong with them even if it’s a small thing. You are better off taking public transportation until you have enough money to buy your own car. Of course you can but a fully restored old car, but they can be pretty pricey

[Wonderingguyy]

*buy

[exitseven]

Yes, especially if it had more than one owner.

[Stacey55666]

Are you planning on making payments?

[barn_stormer]

buy a Honda or Toyota ftw