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Recommended reliable used car?

Satyrist

Satyrist

Senior member
For under 8-10K at most...Not so concerned about looks/image, just that upkeep doesn't get exorbitant outside of the typical regular maintenance schedule.

AWD would be nice, though not a requirement...Around Chicago it can get lousy when it snows.

Would generally prefer a smaller sedan, though smaller still beyond that is also a consideration.
 
Toyota Corolla, nothing more reliable, efficient and boring. I rented one while I was in Cleveland a few months back and found I was getting close to 50mpg on the highway, 35-40 city, and Toyota consistently tops the charts in terms of lowest failure rates.
 
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Yuriman said:
Toyota Corolla, nothing more reliable, efficient and boring. I rented one while I was in Cleveland a few months back and found I was getting close to 50mpg on the highway, 35-40 city, and Toyota consistently tops the charts in terms of lowest failure rates.
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Okay,

Did this happen to be a hybrid model?
 
No, that was just the vanilla Corolla with a CVT. I want to say it was a 2015 model.

YMMV, I tend to drive on the slower side.
 
I'd go with a Toyota Matrix, looks like they can be had for 3.5k to 7k all day long on Craigslist in Chicago, and some models are AWD.
 
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Apparently we aren't allowed to post links anymore. I was recommending Lexus IS250's with AWD, and something else I can't remember now because my post is gone.
 
Actually, looks like I was underrating what I was getting, this was a while back.

FQQ8fWH.jpg


What I wrote on another forum:

The weather hovered around freezing in the early mornings, warming up to 50-60F in the afternoons. The roads were mostly dry and traffic was not bad. In these conditions I found I was able to achieve ~35-40mpg driving in moderate city traffic (stoplights, stop signs, some idling in traffic). Highway economy cruising at 55mph would start at about 45 and, during longer drives, creep up toward 55-60mpg. My guess is that on a warm summer day with the A/C off and the tires properly aired, greater than 60mpg averages at 55mph would be realistic.

When I filled the tank before handing them the keys, my overall average was around 43mpg.
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Mind you, this was a rental automatic and I just picked it off the lot and drove it.

EDIT: I had absolutely nothing bad to say about the car, other than that Toyota has managed to make a car which is basically the epitome of a cheap, reliable, efficient appliance. There was nothing even remotely polarizing about it, which is a turnoff to me because I like driving weird cars.
 
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jlee said:
Apparently we aren't allowed to post links anymore. I was recommending Lexus IS250's with AWD, and something else I can't remember now because my post is gone.
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I recall it was another Lexus, like a GS. The main issue with lexus as cheap reliable transport is that you getting a somewhat older car than toyota and parts are likely more expensive should anything go awry. I think it's a better option at 20k+.
 
hm what do you know, you CAN find mid 2000 lexus GS for 8-10k

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Ns1... You noted about not being able to post "craigslist" items on here...?

AT Moderator
Bartman39
 
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agent00f said:
I recall it was another Lexus, like a GS. The main issue with lexus as cheap reliable transport is that you getting a somewhat older car than toyota and parts are likely more expensive should anything go awry. I think it's a better option at 20k+.
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All 3 Lexus vehicles that I've owned shared a huge amount of parts with Toyota. That's the beauty of them - they're basically Toyota drivelines wrapped in comfort.
 
jlee said:
All 3 Lexus vehicles that I've owned shared a huge amount of parts with Toyota. That's the beauty of them - they're basically Toyota drivelines wrapped in comfort.
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I mean in Japan, they're still Toyotas...
 
I've owned two Lexus's..... Lexii... Whatever. And I've lost track of how many my dad's owned. 7? Never found parts to be expensive. $55 for a new Gates Water pump, or $72 for an Aisin. Clean IS300's are down to $5k out here.


XavierMace... No "craigslist" adds on here...

AT Moderator
Bartman39
 
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Ns1 said:
I mean in Japan, they're still Toyotas...
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Yes and no. The shared driveline components and whatnot can be toyota but all the other lexus pieces from the dealer are priced for lexus (lux) dealer. Same with dealer service (records) to maximize resale value, though that's less of an issue for a cheapish car.
 
agent00f said:
Yes and no. The shared driveline components and whatnot can be toyota but all the other lexus pieces from the dealer are priced for lexus (lux) dealer. Same with dealer service (records) to maximize resale value, though that's less of an issue for a cheapish car.
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Oh. Sorry I was misinformed - I did not realize they started selling Lexus in Japan.
 
Small, reliable, cheap, and doesn't have to be AWD? Miata.

More realistic option? Well, that depends on how much you enjoy driving. Personally, I would go for a more entertaining car and sacrifice something else. An older Subaru Impreza WRX comes to mind...
 
you can get a brand new Chevy Spark. They may not be as reliable as a NEW Toyota, but it'll be brand new, so no previous owner will have had a chance to abuse it.
 
When I was in the same spot last year I bought a low mile 2013 ford focus hatch with a 5 speed stick. Reliable, good mileage, the DCT auto is kind of meh, and the 5 speed stick knocks around $3k off the price because nobody knows hot to drive a stick anymore.
 
I'm pretty happy with my Ford C-Max. Great gas mileage, performance, lots of space.

The Chevy Volt can be had cheap now too, and if you luck out and get a fleet vehicle you might just get one with a practically unused battery.
 
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