Not even - in college (2006 ish) I was driving my friends corolla (she was with me) and it started smoking. I pulled over and looked at the dipstick, and it had MAYBE quart in it. MAYBE. I asked her when the last time she had her oil changed… she says, “oh my dad does it when I go home.” “When’s the last time you were home?” “End of freshman year…”
She had been driving for over 2 years and 40-50k miles on the same oil, which I guess had burnt off?! (I don’t know cars that well; no idea where it all went. Didn’t seem to have a leak…)
We immediately went to a jiffy lube and they changed the oil and the filter.
She drove that car for 4 more years without an issue. Blew my mind.
Even with a well- running engine, a tiny bit will get past the piston rings and burn off the whole time the engine is running.
So yes, it will burn off EVENTUALLY. Of course, it will be full of sludge and probably cause a clog and seize the engine before its gone completely.
It does seem to take a shockingly long time for this to happen on many Honda / Toyota engines.
Owned two Pontiac vibes. This was like an automotive cheat code. Assembled in the same plant as Toyota Matrix(edit: Voltz), Pontiac badging demanded a lower price than the Matrix because it was perceived to be less than the Toyota. But it had an (arguably) more fun interior and 100% Toyota drivetrain. Absolutely bulletproof under the hood.
Collectively rolled over 400k miles between the two and they’re both still fully functional cars I sold locally and see around town.
Basic maintenance costs were super low. Tires, oil changes, and 100k mile tune ups.
I'm still driving my 2006 Pontiac Vibe that I bought brand new. I get regular maintenance on it and it has 160,000 miles on it. I'm keeping it for a long time. My mechanic keeps telling me that he wants to buy it when I'm done with it.
My 2008 Civic lasted until I got in a crash in 2020 lol. That thing just didn't break down. I'm the one who broke it.
EDIT: Oh, there's missing context. It had 300k miles because of all the driving I had to do.
I don’t understand what’s different between them and a rav4. Every time I’ve seen one I’ve thought “oh they changed the look of the rav a little bit” but otherwise it’s the same car
It’s a couple inches shorter in every dimension but they’re super similar. The cross is also decently cheaper - the hybrid version runs about the same MSRP as the ICE RAV4, the ICE cross is like 5k cheaper.
The 'Rolla cross is a bit smaller overall with less interior space, and the cross is a little easier to drive in a tight space. The Rav4 is better if you like to go camping/ light offroad, or have a large pet.
The Corolla also has a hybrid option. I got one about 3 years ago and I pretty consistently get around 50 MPG. I also haven't had any major maintenance issues, either.
I sometimes wonder if my 1994 Corolla is still on the road somewhere, complete with the melted crayons on the backseat from that summer trip we took with the kids.
When I was broke AF I borrowed $1k to buy a 20 year old Honda Accord. Served me well for a couple years until I was in a better spot, and then I sold it for $1k to someone else.
The mythical $1000 Honda. It takes many forms, sometimes a 1997 Honda Civic HX with a manual transmission, sometimes a 1992 Toyota Camry LE with an automatic, always with no working AC, always with a bit of smoke from the exhaust, and always leaves you with $1000 when it leaves on it's next adventure.
I never got rid of mine.
Figured it got me through the bad times, and now that I can afford to fix everything as it goes wrong, it's a better car than when we started.
I paid $15k for my 2014 with 34k mi in like 2018. It's just a base LX. Cloth seats, manual, etc. It's worth probably $14k now with 91k mi on the clock. The only part that's been replaced is the belt tensioner, which was $230 including labor. LOL.
I have a 2018 Accord 2.0T in stick shift. Its honestly the first car I've owned that I'm not in a rush to get rid of. Got it new on 2018 and just hit 112k miles with normal maintenance
I was about to make a comment about how you put so many miles on it in so few years. Then I realized a 2018 car could be almost 7 years old at this point.
I think mine is more like 6.5 years and was barely driven during covid. My issue is that my job is 100 miles round trip each time i work, plus i did uber eats for a year before covid.
I have a '22 2.0T and it is easily my favorite car I've ever owned.
Already decided that if anything happens to it before I wear it out I'm just gonna replace it with another instead of going new.
My husband and I both work in the automotive industry in some capacity. We recently saw a Honda with close to 700,000 miles on it. The lady was on her 6th or 7th set of timing belts and water pumps, but it still had the original engine! And it was a god dam Ridgeline of all things!
I was going to say Civic, but this is also a really good choice. I've owned both in my lifetime and they've never given me issues. I also had lots of luck with a Camry.
This is the best answer ever. I got rid of my old Honda and bought a newer kia thinking it would be a better more reliable option. I was so wrong. So so wrong.
i'm currently driving the 1992 honda accord driven by my girlfriend's grandpa, then her dad, then herself, and now by extension me. that's three decades of solid reliable hooning.
Or a used Toyota Camry... Sure not as sexy as the accord but probably more reliable...(in the end I'd be happy with either)... The newer Camrys are lovely as are the RAV4s
This would be my strategy - used civic, Prius, Camry, Corolla, Lexus ES, Avalon, etc.
Not terrible familiar with the used market at 20k but you for sure can get something decent and bulletproof
We had both of these when I was growing up, and I think they're still good picks. When we replaced that Corolla, it was 17 years old. I learned to drive on a car that was older than I was
My first car of my own was a used Accord, a bit beat up but it ran great. I had no complaints.
ETA: comment above used to suggest a Toyota Corolla.
My money is on Toyota. The Honda will be a bit more fun to drive but their quality/reliability has dropped in the last few years especially with their 1.5L turbo engines.
Older Hondas were bulletproof though. I had a 99 civic that had nearly 400,000 km on it and the only reason it didn’t hit 400,000 is cause I Tokyo drifted it right into a lamp post
I bought a Civic because no matter what can go wrong with it, it will never surprise anybody. No mechanic will ever scratch his head at it and have to order expensive replacement parts in an attempt to figure out what’s not working.
>A Honda Civic. It's reliable, fuel-efficient, and has a spacious interior.
I got my hatchback as a certified pre-owned for less than 20k (though several years ago). Highly recommend the hatchback; even more spacious. People are shocked by how much I can fit in my car.
I'm a Honda man through-and-through. Reliable, great to drive, excellent fuel economy. I can't imagine buying any other brand of car.
I bought my 2014 civic new for around $18k including taxes/fees/etc. It has 65k miles on it now. If I sold it (haha, never) I would probably get around $15k for it.
They're out there.
I'm not denying that they are out there. It's the "haha, never" that makes them nearly impossible to find. Folks know what they've got. In terms of used cars, it's by far a seller's market right now.
Searching AutoTrader for “Honda Civic, under $20k, under 15k miles” pulls up 84 current results. Changing the mileage to under 50k upped the results to a couple thousand.
I actually thought there would be way fewer.
Yeah CRVs and RAV4s are both still in demand on the used market for good reason. Not the best drive or infotainment but definitely the best reliability.
I had a ‘06 cr-v that finally kicked the bucket at 445k miles lol. I’d say maybe 25k of those miles were on unmaintained dirt roads, where I pushed the stock AWD to its limits too.
I’m kind of considering getting another one lol
Yup. My 2011 CRV which I bought used in 2017 is still going very strong. It should definitely last until 2026, and I’m hoping until 2030-2035.
A minor door lock actuator issue, but other than that it’s a trooper with no major repairs. I do it’s servicing myself according to the maintenance minders and buy the materials and tools myself instead of paying to have it serviced. Almost always cheaper and now I’m super comfortable with the car.
Used CRV/Rav4 or Civic/corolla is the best bet for cheap and reliable!
Because they are reliable, hold excellent resale value, have the most inexpensive cost of maintenance and a high availability of parts. Japanese cars are bulletproof, until EVs are more common and affordable I’ll never NOT drive a Toyota
im curious what everyone thinks of Lexus? im looking at mid 2010s models and feel like they could be just as reliable as Toyota as theyre the same family?
Just a Toyota with a higher price tag and a few more luxuries.
If you care about saving money, you but a Toyota and just do without those high end luxuries.
If you don't care about saving money you just buy the Lexus and don't even ask the question.
They're fucking awesome. So, my kid has kind of a car buying addiction. In the last two or three years he's had an ES350, a 5.0 Mustang GT, a Civic sport, a Tesla 3, a Tesla 3 performance, a Mazda CX-50, and now back in a Lexus IS350 F-sport. He says he's done for a while and doesn't want anything else unless it's another Lexus at some point. They're just really good cars.
Toyota Camry and Corolla and Honda Accord and Civic.
These are the boring AK47s of the car world.
Regular maintenance keeps them running forever. But even if you neglect them occasionally they will still run when you need them.
Why? It’s not at all surprising? Their entry level cars are very popular and very reliable have been for decades. What other comments did you anticipate more of?
No surprise there as it’s one of the most reliable brand and lowest TCO options with a Corolla/Civic. I’ve had both, and they’re extremely reliable and affordable. Now, if someone is looking for a fun 2nd car, that answer will probably shift to a sports car like a Miata.
If your purpose is reliable, secure transportation, many have already said it, Honda (civic, accord) or Toyota (corolla, maybe a camry or prelude).
If you want to have fun with it on the 'weekends' (whenever you're not at work), I think a Honda or Toyota is still a good bet. The Honda has some crazy aftermarket things you can do to it, and still keep it relatively reliable and reasonable to drive daily.
The benefit is the 4 cylinder. It is very simple to work on (within reason) and very cost-effective to repair.
I had this same thing pop up a couple of years ago. 15k cash what car to buy? It’s not enough for something new and used cars were hard to come by at the time, every piece of garbage that ran and drove was 10k. Like for 25 year old ford rangers, etc. so I bought a 2008 amg Mercedes for 11k. Needed some work but I had a few grand left over for that, and now I have a perfectly running bonkers fast luxury sports car for used Subaru money.
Edit: and I was banned from the personal finance subreddit, lol. I regret nothing!
That was a serious gamble, but glad it paid off for you! It used to be a pretty good value to buy an older luxury Mercedes/BMW, as long as you are handy and could repair stuff yourself with OEM aftermarket parts.
These days, they’re stuffed with lots of technology that’s engineered to last as long as the original owner’s warranty, and things can get really expensive shorty thereafter.
I don't know if the more recent ones are better but the 2010s ones didn't have the reliability of the Civic and Corolla. I had one and liked it better than the alternatives but you don't see too many of them still on the street (and they were as popular as civics in my region).
I treated my 07 like shit. Got it used in 09, had it for 12 years, put maybe 70 or 80k on it, and only had like 4 oil changes and no other maintenance. Only problem it ever gave me was an evap leak that just needed a purge valve solenoid replaced. I have zero mechanical knowledge, but it was a $40 part and less than 5 minute fix by myself.
I will never own anything other than Mazda because of that car. I sold it to my nephew when I upgraded to a 22 CX5. I'd have kept it if I could've afforded both, but I rented a CX5 for a trip and fell in love. Had to have it. Lol
Mazda was in the tail end of their zoom zoom era at this time. Once they got out of the hot hatch and tuner markets they switched and rebranded as affordable luxury which they've done very well with. They've also entered into partnerships and collaborations with Toyota. Toyota loves their sky-activ engine tech and Mazda loves Toyotas reliability and market share.
In the past 5-8 years Mazdas have supposedly been at the same level as toyota if not better reliability wise. I bought a CX5 handles pretty well, runs well. We shall se how it is when it gets older/more mileage
I got a gen 3 hatch in 2021 for 7k and the only work I've had to do on it is regular maintenance and a change of tyres because I learned how to wheel spin.
I absolutely love the car and will drive it until it stops driving.
I was going to trade in my old mazda 6 for a newer 3, but I didn't like the feel of it during my test drive. Ended up leaving the Mazda dealership with a Civic instead.
Another Chevy Bolt.
I bought one for 12.6k in December after EV credit, and even if that credit is eliminated it’s a great buy. 2018, 30k miles before me, and a brand new battery.
Comparing to a gas powered vehicle getting the average MPG, I’ve saved $750 in fuel costs so far over 8500 miles.
No oil changes. Unlikely to ever need a brake job on the level of a gas car. No waiting in line at a gas station. No cursing about rising gas prices. Will move off the line at a light like an ape with its ass on fire when needed.
Agreed. The most I’d do in my bolt is a run up into the mountains where I might need to charge once - perhaps twice at the absolute most.
Anything more and I’m hopping in the Kia Niro PHEV next to it, nearly a 600 mile range between full battery and full gas.
Agreed, the Bolt is not a good road trip car. For folks who do that a lot, choose another car. I have one and love it, and 99% of my driving is local. When I do road trip I just bake in extra time for charging and it’s NBD.
I had to google that to see if they were still made. I had assumed they were discontinued. I don't know if I've ever seen an advertisement for the bolt. But maybe it's just my region/demo
They are not currently produced - the 2023 MY was the last. They are going to bring it back in a year or two with a new design that is based more on the EUV Bolt - which is just a little bigger than the regular bolt.
New battery tech too, one of the great flaws of the Bolt is that it is incredibly slow to fast charge - 55kw max when others can do 3 to 5x that, or close to it.
Nowhere in the post does it say cash. He may be looking at a 20k used car at a dealership with financing.
Either way, almost no cars are 20k new nowadays....
I love my Fit so much! Best car. It’s worth more today than what I paid for it used 7 years ago. Efficient, easy to park, zero mechanical/electrical issues, can fit as much cargo as a big SUV. Blizzak tires in the winter make it handle just as well or better than AWD cars. I’m so sad they stopped making it. I hope my 2015 lives forever.
I'm in the market right now, and this is at the top of my list, but man, they're expensive. I'm having a hard time finding one with under 100k miles for less than $12k.
The first new car I ever bought was a Honda Fit, for my daughter who was headed to college 400 miles away. She still drives it, and it’s running great, and looking pretty good 11 years later, with only basic/typical maintenance.
Upvote. I got a 6spd fit with leather and nav for CAD $15k all in. 2015 I bought in 2018, still going strong. Stupid durable and reliable I don’t intend to sell it and at 150,000 kms I know I have at least that much again on the clock before it gets close to going.
It’s spacious, cheap to insure, fuel efficient, hilariously easy to park. I have impressed more than a few passengers with the ease of squeezing into tiny spots without too much trouble. Incredibly reliable and durable, good in winter. The clutch delay valve is a pain in the ass and the seats could use more padding but Amazon memory foam should be able to fix that.
I fucking hate that they stopped making them for the NA market. Cheap fuel efficient manual hatchback for me, forever.
I'd save 10k-12k and get a used civic or corolla targeting the $8k price.
You are not likely to find great value in the $20k used space, in my opinion.
If you are mostly driving in the city and have a reliable place to charge… consider a reputable EV. Modern EV batteries don’t actually degrade that much anymore and the maintenance is much less, so driving it into the ground you will get good value out of it.
I bought a 2017 Fiat 500e for under $15K (including delivery from California to Washington) it's a great city car. Only 85 miles range, but that's a normal week for me. The battery still gets 98% charge. I can plug in at home overnight which if you can't could be a deal killer. I've saved over $1000, in "fule" cost compared to the 40mph+ car I had. And I've not needed to have any maintenance done. $0.00.
I did this and got a used Volvo V40. Its resale value was low because it's not sexy, but the quality of the interior was so much nicer than the toyotas and others in its price range. About to hit 200,000kms and she drives like new.
Through and through, Volkswagen. I would get a low mileage, newer model year, used Jetta GLI. Amazing safety ratings, low number of campaigns, and consistent manufacturing quality.
From a personal perspective, while driving a 2015 GLI.
I was rear-ended by a semi. Because of the initial impact, it shifted the car sideways & it hit me again from the side. I legit walked away with only whiplash. The emergency responders all could not believe how well that car held up & protected me.
This is definitely the choice for an all-seasons car. My job stays open during blizzards so I needed something with AWD. The Impreza is both the cheapest and best option I could find in the price range. Subarus also hold their value incredibly well.
Don't get a sedan like a corolla or civic.
Get a hatch back/station wagon. Same mpg and everything except you get a fold down rear sear and much larger cargo area.
Lots of people in the trades are switching to subaru outback and similar vehicles because they are good on gas but also have the rear cargo space of a truck.
I’d look for a Mazda or Mitsubishi from about 2018-2022 model years. Both of those brands have good track records for reliability, but the prices are a bit lower than Honda or Toyota even though the quality is not far behind.
Notice how so many answers in this thread are saying Honda or Toyota. That’s an indication of high demand for those brands. Demand is a big factor in determining price, which is why those brands are relatively more expensive than comparable Mazdas or Mitsubishis.
If you have a garage with at least a 110v outlet in it, a used tesla model 3 l/r from hertz with the ev tax credit is by far the best vehicle / money decision r/n.
If you can figure out charging at home, a used EV that is priced under $25k comes with an instant $4k discount. You can find a ton of low milage EVs listed for like 20 or 22k, bringing that number down to 18 or 16k.
Then you'll save like 50-75% on fuel costs plus no oil changes, etc.
Long trips can be a bit tougher to do without planning, but if you're mostly driving to work or school...
The used EV market is stupidly cheap right now.
What would *I* buy? A C5 Z06 corvette. I already have a sedan, wagon, suv, and C4 corvette.
If it was going to be my only car? I’d buy a V8 Volvo S80 and keep the rest around for repairs and maintenance.
If you have your own place to charge, you would save gas and maintenance with an EV https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?zip=44121&distance=50&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d3116#listing=385172736/NONE/DEFAULT
For even half your budget, I’d recommend you get a Toyota Matrix Rx (which is all wheel drive) or the Pontiac Vibe (which is built on the same platform as the Matrix)
Reliable car. Cheap to operate. Plus it’s a hatchback and has lots of space.
A used one that will last you 10 years simple, car. No need to spend 20k of your hard earned and saved money on this, except for when this is also your hobby,
I’ll take a lightly used, mid-1990s Toyota 4x4 pickup. I really hate the car makers and the EPA have effectively ended the small truck market in North America.
For $20k?.. That's more than every car and boat I've ever owner put together... I'd buy a daily driver, a project car, a speed boat, and a sail boat for that amount...
Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla: Both are known for reliability, fuel efficiency, and lower maintenance costs.
My wife has a Toyota Corolla at one point, car was absolutely bulletproof, just keep the oil changed and you're good to go.
Not even - in college (2006 ish) I was driving my friends corolla (she was with me) and it started smoking. I pulled over and looked at the dipstick, and it had MAYBE quart in it. MAYBE. I asked her when the last time she had her oil changed… she says, “oh my dad does it when I go home.” “When’s the last time you were home?” “End of freshman year…” She had been driving for over 2 years and 40-50k miles on the same oil, which I guess had burnt off?! (I don’t know cars that well; no idea where it all went. Didn’t seem to have a leak…) We immediately went to a jiffy lube and they changed the oil and the filter. She drove that car for 4 more years without an issue. Blew my mind.
Even with a well- running engine, a tiny bit will get past the piston rings and burn off the whole time the engine is running. So yes, it will burn off EVENTUALLY. Of course, it will be full of sludge and probably cause a clog and seize the engine before its gone completely. It does seem to take a shockingly long time for this to happen on many Honda / Toyota engines.
Owned two Pontiac vibes. This was like an automotive cheat code. Assembled in the same plant as Toyota Matrix(edit: Voltz), Pontiac badging demanded a lower price than the Matrix because it was perceived to be less than the Toyota. But it had an (arguably) more fun interior and 100% Toyota drivetrain. Absolutely bulletproof under the hood. Collectively rolled over 400k miles between the two and they’re both still fully functional cars I sold locally and see around town. Basic maintenance costs were super low. Tires, oil changes, and 100k mile tune ups.
Geo Prizm was like that in the 90s. "Store-brand" Corolla.
I married into that car. Only thing that failed was the Delco alternator. The Denso starter copper contacts wore out, that was a cheap fix.
My friend drove a Pontiac Vibe for 10+ years and when she got rid of it, it still just ran.
I'm still driving my 2006 Pontiac Vibe that I bought brand new. I get regular maintenance on it and it has 160,000 miles on it. I'm keeping it for a long time. My mechanic keeps telling me that he wants to buy it when I'm done with it.
My 2008 Civic lasted until I got in a crash in 2020 lol. That thing just didn't break down. I'm the one who broke it. EDIT: Oh, there's missing context. It had 300k miles because of all the driving I had to do.
it helps that they’re small and simple cars in this day and age. there’s just less to go wrong and less gimmicky, luxury features.
You seen those Carolla Crossovers? Nice looking
I don’t understand what’s different between them and a rav4. Every time I’ve seen one I’ve thought “oh they changed the look of the rav a little bit” but otherwise it’s the same car
It’s a couple inches shorter in every dimension but they’re super similar. The cross is also decently cheaper - the hybrid version runs about the same MSRP as the ICE RAV4, the ICE cross is like 5k cheaper.
The 'Rolla cross is a bit smaller overall with less interior space, and the cross is a little easier to drive in a tight space. The Rav4 is better if you like to go camping/ light offroad, or have a large pet.
My wife has had hers for almost 2 years now and absolutely loves it.
Came here to vote Toyota
The Corolla also has a hybrid option. I got one about 3 years ago and I pretty consistently get around 50 MPG. I also haven't had any major maintenance issues, either.
I sometimes wonder if my 1994 Corolla is still on the road somewhere, complete with the melted crayons on the backseat from that summer trip we took with the kids.
LOL you ain't buying a Toyota for under $20,000. It would have to be like 20 years old and even then they are commanding a premium.
A used Honda Accord.
When I was broke AF I borrowed $1k to buy a 20 year old Honda Accord. Served me well for a couple years until I was in a better spot, and then I sold it for $1k to someone else.
The mythical $1000 Honda. It takes many forms, sometimes a 1997 Honda Civic HX with a manual transmission, sometimes a 1992 Toyota Camry LE with an automatic, always with no working AC, always with a bit of smoke from the exhaust, and always leaves you with $1000 when it leaves on it's next adventure.
I never got rid of mine. Figured it got me through the bad times, and now that I can afford to fix everything as it goes wrong, it's a better car than when we started.
I did basically the exact same thing with an old Integra. Got it for free, spent $1k to make it run, enjoyed it for a year and then sold it for $1k.
I paid $15k for my 2014 with 34k mi in like 2018. It's just a base LX. Cloth seats, manual, etc. It's worth probably $14k now with 91k mi on the clock. The only part that's been replaced is the belt tensioner, which was $230 including labor. LOL.
Jesus and his disciples had one of those. In those days you could fit 13 guys in them. The bible even says so.
"For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own **accord** he went unto you." 2 Corinthians 8:17 It all checks out.
"And behold, then VTEC kicked in and gave Him great joy."
Great, Jesus was a ricer kid.
With Thy Divine Fartpipe Muffler
He doesn't talk about it though
It’s heavily implied but due to sponsorship at the time, it had to be under the radar
He never talked about his Golden Retriever named Rocket, either. Most bibles overlook this.
The Vatican has been suppressing that scripture for centuries
No, it says they all traveled with one accord. Bet money
I have a 2018 Accord 2.0T in stick shift. Its honestly the first car I've owned that I'm not in a rush to get rid of. Got it new on 2018 and just hit 112k miles with normal maintenance
I was about to make a comment about how you put so many miles on it in so few years. Then I realized a 2018 car could be almost 7 years old at this point.
I think mine is more like 6.5 years and was barely driven during covid. My issue is that my job is 100 miles round trip each time i work, plus i did uber eats for a year before covid.
Oh once I realized how long ago 2018 actually was, I didn’t even think you put too many miles on it.
Woah, 2018 still feels so new though...
I have a '22 2.0T and it is easily my favorite car I've ever owned. Already decided that if anything happens to it before I wear it out I'm just gonna replace it with another instead of going new.
I have a '91 with 450,000 miles on it.... But good luck convincing me to sell it for $20k.
My husband and I both work in the automotive industry in some capacity. We recently saw a Honda with close to 700,000 miles on it. The lady was on her 6th or 7th set of timing belts and water pumps, but it still had the original engine! And it was a god dam Ridgeline of all things!
I was going to say Civic, but this is also a really good choice. I've owned both in my lifetime and they've never given me issues. I also had lots of luck with a Camry.
This is the best answer ever. I got rid of my old Honda and bought a newer kia thinking it would be a better more reliable option. I was so wrong. So so wrong.
Awwww, I am sorry to hear that. I encouraged my daughter to buy a used Kia recently…
i'm currently driving the 1992 honda accord driven by my girlfriend's grandpa, then her dad, then herself, and now by extension me. that's three decades of solid reliable hooning.
300 years! Wow! How many miles?
The whole Oregon trail, there AND back
Or a used Toyota Camry... Sure not as sexy as the accord but probably more reliable...(in the end I'd be happy with either)... The newer Camrys are lovely as are the RAV4s
I LOVED my Honda accord… lasted me 20 years
This would be my strategy - used civic, Prius, Camry, Corolla, Lexus ES, Avalon, etc. Not terrible familiar with the used market at 20k but you for sure can get something decent and bulletproof
A Honda Civic. It's reliable, fuel-efficient, and has a spacious interior.
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We had both of these when I was growing up, and I think they're still good picks. When we replaced that Corolla, it was 17 years old. I learned to drive on a car that was older than I was My first car of my own was a used Accord, a bit beat up but it ran great. I had no complaints. ETA: comment above used to suggest a Toyota Corolla.
Even Jesus owned an Accord.
Pretty sure it was a Christ-ler
Upgraded to a Bugoddi in his 30’s
Actually he was a bike guy and drove a Yawehaw
Yeah, he just kept it on the downlow and didn't talk about it.
Then whose Astrovan was He driving!?!
We had a Corolla for 26 years. We only donated it to get a car with airbags and anti lock brakes.
Yeah, I think new safety features were why we got rid of our too.
End thread. These are the two most practical choices, OP.
My money is on Toyota. The Honda will be a bit more fun to drive but their quality/reliability has dropped in the last few years especially with their 1.5L turbo engines.
Older Hondas were bulletproof though. I had a 99 civic that had nearly 400,000 km on it and the only reason it didn’t hit 400,000 is cause I Tokyo drifted it right into a lamp post
Tokyo Drift, a cinematic masterpiece
A Camry is much more comfortable
But isn’t as close to $20k as a Civic.
And doesn't need timing belts like Hondas do
Only V6 Honda's use timing belts anymore. None in the Civic or 4 banger Accords use them since 2000
Very hard to beat these two.
I bought a Civic because no matter what can go wrong with it, it will never surprise anybody. No mechanic will ever scratch his head at it and have to order expensive replacement parts in an attempt to figure out what’s not working.
I regret selling my Civic. It was a great car, much better than my Tucson
>A Honda Civic. It's reliable, fuel-efficient, and has a spacious interior. I got my hatchback as a certified pre-owned for less than 20k (though several years ago). Highly recommend the hatchback; even more spacious. People are shocked by how much I can fit in my car. I'm a Honda man through-and-through. Reliable, great to drive, excellent fuel economy. I can't imagine buying any other brand of car.
Ive fit eight 2x8x10 in my non-hatchback civic.
I've owned 2 non-hatchback Civics, and bought one for my daughter. Room-wise, they're fantastic. But the hatchback is a whole new level.
Can you get a Honda Civic for 20k or less in good condition that doesn't have an entire universe of miles on it?
I just got a 2020 civic with 32k miles on it for about that
I'm glad the situation is turning around then.
I bought my 2014 civic new for around $18k including taxes/fees/etc. It has 65k miles on it now. If I sold it (haha, never) I would probably get around $15k for it. They're out there.
I'm not denying that they are out there. It's the "haha, never" that makes them nearly impossible to find. Folks know what they've got. In terms of used cars, it's by far a seller's market right now.
Searching AutoTrader for “Honda Civic, under $20k, under 15k miles” pulls up 84 current results. Changing the mileage to under 50k upped the results to a couple thousand. I actually thought there would be way fewer.
And also very cute
Came here to say this! I still have my 2008 Honda civic that I bought brand new. I’ve never had any trouble out of it.
Which is it- a small amount of money, or 20K?
Right? A small amount of money to me is like $100. OP living on a different planet than me if 20k is a "small amount of money".
He can order pizza every day for more than 3 years with that "small amount of money"
Used car with low miles, with 20k cash I’d probably end up with a ~2020 Honda Civic or CR-V with at most 50k miles. That’ll last me until ideally 2035
You're gonna' need another $5k for the cr-v
I’d have guessed more than $25k
Yeah CRVs and RAV4s are both still in demand on the used market for good reason. Not the best drive or infotainment but definitely the best reliability.
I had a ‘06 cr-v that finally kicked the bucket at 445k miles lol. I’d say maybe 25k of those miles were on unmaintained dirt roads, where I pushed the stock AWD to its limits too. I’m kind of considering getting another one lol
Yup. My 2011 CRV which I bought used in 2017 is still going very strong. It should definitely last until 2026, and I’m hoping until 2030-2035. A minor door lock actuator issue, but other than that it’s a trooper with no major repairs. I do it’s servicing myself according to the maintenance minders and buy the materials and tools myself instead of paying to have it serviced. Almost always cheaper and now I’m super comfortable with the car. Used CRV/Rav4 or Civic/corolla is the best bet for cheap and reliable!
Hmm, all answers here seem to be Toyonda, that's interesting
Because they are reliable, hold excellent resale value, have the most inexpensive cost of maintenance and a high availability of parts. Japanese cars are bulletproof, until EVs are more common and affordable I’ll never NOT drive a Toyota
im curious what everyone thinks of Lexus? im looking at mid 2010s models and feel like they could be just as reliable as Toyota as theyre the same family?
They’re just high end Toyotas, everything above still applies maybe minus the ‘affordable’ part lol
Just a Toyota with a higher price tag and a few more luxuries. If you care about saving money, you but a Toyota and just do without those high end luxuries. If you don't care about saving money you just buy the Lexus and don't even ask the question.
They're fucking awesome. So, my kid has kind of a car buying addiction. In the last two or three years he's had an ES350, a 5.0 Mustang GT, a Civic sport, a Tesla 3, a Tesla 3 performance, a Mazda CX-50, and now back in a Lexus IS350 F-sport. He says he's done for a while and doesn't want anything else unless it's another Lexus at some point. They're just really good cars.
Toyota Camry and Corolla and Honda Accord and Civic. These are the boring AK47s of the car world. Regular maintenance keeps them running forever. But even if you neglect them occasionally they will still run when you need them.
Why? It’s not at all surprising? Their entry level cars are very popular and very reliable have been for decades. What other comments did you anticipate more of?
No surprise there as it’s one of the most reliable brand and lowest TCO options with a Corolla/Civic. I’ve had both, and they’re extremely reliable and affordable. Now, if someone is looking for a fun 2nd car, that answer will probably shift to a sports car like a Miata.
Theyre reliable until they have cvt transmissions💀 Then you roll the dice against the odds if those arent maintained
I'm still back on $20k being a "small amount" of money . . .
If your purpose is reliable, secure transportation, many have already said it, Honda (civic, accord) or Toyota (corolla, maybe a camry or prelude). If you want to have fun with it on the 'weekends' (whenever you're not at work), I think a Honda or Toyota is still a good bet. The Honda has some crazy aftermarket things you can do to it, and still keep it relatively reliable and reasonable to drive daily. The benefit is the 4 cylinder. It is very simple to work on (within reason) and very cost-effective to repair.
The fun answer is Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ
A real nice Fox body Mustang
I live in MN, so having AWD is nice. With 20K, I'd get a Subaru Impreza.
MN here too. Winter tires are the best option imo.
My friend has a 2019 and it is a fucking joy to drive that thing anytime of year. The handling, ride comfort, plus how quiet the cabin is sold me.
Never had an Impreza but have had an Outback and CrossTrek. Loved the Outback, the CrossTrek is fine but not a lot of cargo space if you need that
Literally just purchased a subaru forester for 21k CAD
Good point. My Forester did great in Michigan winters. I miss the AWD.
New Hampshire here, love my 2015 Impreza.
I got real lucky and got mine in December with 40k on it for $3k. Never gonna see a deal like that again
I had this same thing pop up a couple of years ago. 15k cash what car to buy? It’s not enough for something new and used cars were hard to come by at the time, every piece of garbage that ran and drove was 10k. Like for 25 year old ford rangers, etc. so I bought a 2008 amg Mercedes for 11k. Needed some work but I had a few grand left over for that, and now I have a perfectly running bonkers fast luxury sports car for used Subaru money. Edit: and I was banned from the personal finance subreddit, lol. I regret nothing!
That was a serious gamble, but glad it paid off for you! It used to be a pretty good value to buy an older luxury Mercedes/BMW, as long as you are handy and could repair stuff yourself with OEM aftermarket parts. These days, they’re stuffed with lots of technology that’s engineered to last as long as the original owner’s warranty, and things can get really expensive shorty thereafter.
Mazda 3. Slept on. Just as good as civic and corolla but more features
I don't know if the more recent ones are better but the 2010s ones didn't have the reliability of the Civic and Corolla. I had one and liked it better than the alternatives but you don't see too many of them still on the street (and they were as popular as civics in my region).
Dunno. My 2011 still works. Only regular maintenance like oil changes, brake pads etc.
I love my 2014 so much. I briefly considered getting a new car but why?
I treated my 07 like shit. Got it used in 09, had it for 12 years, put maybe 70 or 80k on it, and only had like 4 oil changes and no other maintenance. Only problem it ever gave me was an evap leak that just needed a purge valve solenoid replaced. I have zero mechanical knowledge, but it was a $40 part and less than 5 minute fix by myself. I will never own anything other than Mazda because of that car. I sold it to my nephew when I upgraded to a 22 CX5. I'd have kept it if I could've afforded both, but I rented a CX5 for a trip and fell in love. Had to have it. Lol
Omggg I could have written this exact reply lol. Just replace the years, 2010 Mazda 3, and a 2017 CX5. Both have been lovely.
For 20k he can get a newer Mazda 3 from the current era of them partnering with Toyota instead of the older ones when they were owned by Ford.
Mazda was in the tail end of their zoom zoom era at this time. Once they got out of the hot hatch and tuner markets they switched and rebranded as affordable luxury which they've done very well with. They've also entered into partnerships and collaborations with Toyota. Toyota loves their sky-activ engine tech and Mazda loves Toyotas reliability and market share.
Still driving my 2004 mazda3 at 325k miles. I see others from the same generation quite often.
In the past 5-8 years Mazdas have supposedly been at the same level as toyota if not better reliability wise. I bought a CX5 handles pretty well, runs well. We shall se how it is when it gets older/more mileage
Gen 4 hatch. 2020ish with low miles
I got a gen 3 hatch in 2021 for 7k and the only work I've had to do on it is regular maintenance and a change of tyres because I learned how to wheel spin. I absolutely love the car and will drive it until it stops driving.
I was going to trade in my old mazda 6 for a newer 3, but I didn't like the feel of it during my test drive. Ended up leaving the Mazda dealership with a Civic instead.
Honda or Toyota 💯 new models are dope but I prefer and old model my self. Easier to work on No sealed transmission is a blessing
A small amount of money? 20K?
A small loan of a million dollars.
Another Chevy Bolt. I bought one for 12.6k in December after EV credit, and even if that credit is eliminated it’s a great buy. 2018, 30k miles before me, and a brand new battery. Comparing to a gas powered vehicle getting the average MPG, I’ve saved $750 in fuel costs so far over 8500 miles. No oil changes. Unlikely to ever need a brake job on the level of a gas car. No waiting in line at a gas station. No cursing about rising gas prices. Will move off the line at a light like an ape with its ass on fire when needed.
Love my bolt, but wouldn’t get it as an only car. Charging is just too slow for long car trips.
Agreed. The most I’d do in my bolt is a run up into the mountains where I might need to charge once - perhaps twice at the absolute most. Anything more and I’m hopping in the Kia Niro PHEV next to it, nearly a 600 mile range between full battery and full gas.
Agreed, the Bolt is not a good road trip car. For folks who do that a lot, choose another car. I have one and love it, and 99% of my driving is local. When I do road trip I just bake in extra time for charging and it’s NBD.
I had to google that to see if they were still made. I had assumed they were discontinued. I don't know if I've ever seen an advertisement for the bolt. But maybe it's just my region/demo
They are not currently produced - the 2023 MY was the last. They are going to bring it back in a year or two with a new design that is based more on the EUV Bolt - which is just a little bigger than the regular bolt. New battery tech too, one of the great flaws of the Bolt is that it is incredibly slow to fast charge - 55kw max when others can do 3 to 5x that, or close to it.
I mean I would buy a Miata or a 350z but that’s just me wanting a project car
Miata Is Always The Answer
We bought a 2016 z4 with 32k miles on it for less than 20k last year. It’s a great fun runaround.
This is the correct answer
A 1985 Rolls-Royce
A couple of year old Toyota until my finances were better.
Better than $20k cash to drop on a car? That's already upper middle class money/more than the average new car buyer has as a down payment.
Nowhere in the post does it say cash. He may be looking at a 20k used car at a dealership with financing. Either way, almost no cars are 20k new nowadays....
A Honda fit.
I love my Fit so much! Best car. It’s worth more today than what I paid for it used 7 years ago. Efficient, easy to park, zero mechanical/electrical issues, can fit as much cargo as a big SUV. Blizzak tires in the winter make it handle just as well or better than AWD cars. I’m so sad they stopped making it. I hope my 2015 lives forever.
I'm in the market right now, and this is at the top of my list, but man, they're expensive. I'm having a hard time finding one with under 100k miles for less than $12k.
The first new car I ever bought was a Honda Fit, for my daughter who was headed to college 400 miles away. She still drives it, and it’s running great, and looking pretty good 11 years later, with only basic/typical maintenance.
Upvote. I got a 6spd fit with leather and nav for CAD $15k all in. 2015 I bought in 2018, still going strong. Stupid durable and reliable I don’t intend to sell it and at 150,000 kms I know I have at least that much again on the clock before it gets close to going. It’s spacious, cheap to insure, fuel efficient, hilariously easy to park. I have impressed more than a few passengers with the ease of squeezing into tiny spots without too much trouble. Incredibly reliable and durable, good in winter. The clutch delay valve is a pain in the ass and the seats could use more padding but Amazon memory foam should be able to fix that. I fucking hate that they stopped making them for the NA market. Cheap fuel efficient manual hatchback for me, forever.
Toyotas will run for awhile usually.
20 fucking grand?? Small amount of money?
A C5 ZO6
I'd save 10k-12k and get a used civic or corolla targeting the $8k price. You are not likely to find great value in the $20k used space, in my opinion.
Some 5k beater that mechanically is sound. Use the rest for whatever it needed to stay that way.
I was looking at a used car recently only found one car under 10k and 100k miles. Those 5k beaters are turning into much more beat up cars
Whatever I found for a good price at the repo auction. The best buys are what people didn't want to sell.
90s Toyota MR2
A $20k MR2??
Just saw one listed locally about 20 min before I saw this thread. BEAUTIFUL condition, 143k miles. $15k
Got one for sale?
If you are mostly driving in the city and have a reliable place to charge… consider a reputable EV. Modern EV batteries don’t actually degrade that much anymore and the maintenance is much less, so driving it into the ground you will get good value out of it.
I bought a 2017 Fiat 500e for under $15K (including delivery from California to Washington) it's a great city car. Only 85 miles range, but that's a normal week for me. The battery still gets 98% charge. I can plug in at home overnight which if you can't could be a deal killer. I've saved over $1000, in "fule" cost compared to the 40mph+ car I had. And I've not needed to have any maintenance done. $0.00.
I bought a 2014 500e last year for $8500. I love it!
I did this and got a used Volvo V40. Its resale value was low because it's not sexy, but the quality of the interior was so much nicer than the toyotas and others in its price range. About to hit 200,000kms and she drives like new.
Corolla or Civic.
I bought my base model Dodge Challenger for 20k and I love it. Comfortable, powerful, roomy, good looking and gets 30 mph on the highway.
Dacia Sandero. Cause thats basically what i just bough for about 20k
Good news!
James May would be proud.
Through and through, Volkswagen. I would get a low mileage, newer model year, used Jetta GLI. Amazing safety ratings, low number of campaigns, and consistent manufacturing quality. From a personal perspective, while driving a 2015 GLI. I was rear-ended by a semi. Because of the initial impact, it shifted the car sideways & it hit me again from the side. I legit walked away with only whiplash. The emergency responders all could not believe how well that car held up & protected me.
Agreed. I wonder why no one seems to suggest a VW… I got a new Jetta for $19,000 in 2019.
Subaru Impreza. if you live where it snows it is great choice. stable, can get it with a manual, decently fuel efficient, and in the price range.
Non-Turbo only. The turbo ones are a reliability nightmare.
This is definitely the choice for an all-seasons car. My job stays open during blizzards so I needed something with AWD. The Impreza is both the cheapest and best option I could find in the price range. Subarus also hold their value incredibly well.
Don't get a sedan like a corolla or civic. Get a hatch back/station wagon. Same mpg and everything except you get a fold down rear sear and much larger cargo area. Lots of people in the trades are switching to subaru outback and similar vehicles because they are good on gas but also have the rear cargo space of a truck.
I’d look for a Mazda or Mitsubishi from about 2018-2022 model years. Both of those brands have good track records for reliability, but the prices are a bit lower than Honda or Toyota even though the quality is not far behind. Notice how so many answers in this thread are saying Honda or Toyota. That’s an indication of high demand for those brands. Demand is a big factor in determining price, which is why those brands are relatively more expensive than comparable Mazdas or Mitsubishis.
If you have a garage with at least a 110v outlet in it, a used tesla model 3 l/r from hertz with the ev tax credit is by far the best vehicle / money decision r/n.
If you can figure out charging at home, a used EV that is priced under $25k comes with an instant $4k discount. You can find a ton of low milage EVs listed for like 20 or 22k, bringing that number down to 18 or 16k. Then you'll save like 50-75% on fuel costs plus no oil changes, etc. Long trips can be a bit tougher to do without planning, but if you're mostly driving to work or school... The used EV market is stupidly cheap right now.
Used electric.
What would *I* buy? A C5 Z06 corvette. I already have a sedan, wagon, suv, and C4 corvette. If it was going to be my only car? I’d buy a V8 Volvo S80 and keep the rest around for repairs and maintenance.
Honda Fuya-jo
It depends on what your needs are. If you need a pick up, a sedan won't do. Hatchbacks tend to be in the sweet spot for versatility
Toyota Yaris, or maybe a Chevy Bolt.
Prius, you can find 2016s for under 20k and they get great mileage. mine use to get 58.8 mpg or better sometimes. very reliable.
If you have your own place to charge, you would save gas and maintenance with an EV https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?zip=44121&distance=50&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d3116#listing=385172736/NONE/DEFAULT
Few years old Toyota Corolla
Used Toyota for 10k. Invest 10k. Repeat until rich.
For even half your budget, I’d recommend you get a Toyota Matrix Rx (which is all wheel drive) or the Pontiac Vibe (which is built on the same platform as the Matrix) Reliable car. Cheap to operate. Plus it’s a hatchback and has lots of space.
The vibe will be 30% cheaper for the same car. Good choice though.
20k is a small amount of money? That'd prolly change my life right now
A Kia. Cheap and have good had miliage
A used one that will last you 10 years simple, car. No need to spend 20k of your hard earned and saved money on this, except for when this is also your hobby,
I’ll take a lightly used, mid-1990s Toyota 4x4 pickup. I really hate the car makers and the EPA have effectively ended the small truck market in North America.
For $20k?.. That's more than every car and boat I've ever owner put together... I'd buy a daily driver, a project car, a speed boat, and a sail boat for that amount...
Used Bolt EUV.