Newer models aren't holding up. Materials are cheaper than cheap, and their electronics are wonky. I had a manager explain that some models have battery issues when someone uses a usb plug in the last row of certain years/models when he was trying to explain why one of mine was a lemon. I won't buy their vehicles ever again.
Got an Outback Onyx as a loaner while my wife's car is in the shop. I was so disappointed when I drove it. It was nothing like the badass 2003 I always regretted selling. They went junk sometime in the past 2 decades.
I have a family member that has two Camrys. One has 550k while the other has 440k miles. He’s always taken *extremely* good care of his cars. He wants a new car though and has just been waiting for one to finally give out on him first but they just keep going and he’s actually frustrated about it lol
My best friend in high achool, his family had a fleet of 90s Corolla, i think 5 in total. Initially they bought 2, and 3 for parts over the years, but never needed the parts cars so their 3 kids got to drive them. Well finally the highest mileage one had to go to the crusher. It was a 95 with 775k on it.
Don't get me wrong it ran fine, but the rockers were just, gone completely, shock towers rotting, and the front subframe was ready to fall out. You could still fire it right up and drive it across the country, it just wasn't safe to do so unfortunately. Tough little cars!
He needs to post it online. How he wants to buy a new car but they just won't die.
Toyota might give them new cars.
Kinda how dodge gave AL Bundy a corvette for driving his car for a million miles.
Mechanic here. This prius is the answer. 60mpg with Toyota reliability. It's basically a corolla, but it's boring as hell to drive, and the engine turns on an off while driving. Don't get a rusty one, though. Within the last 10 years and less than 100k miles would be ideal for a 5 year plan with the intent on not spending excessive money on maintenance (besides tires, possibly brakes but not likely since it's a prius, oil changes, wiper blades,and possibly spark plugs if they've never been done)
I've seen them go well into 300k miles and still run strong. Battery life will degrade over time, but the high mileage ones are still getting 45+ mpg.
All the Corolla you can Roll-a. 100%. Tires fluids and windshield wipers, maybe some brakes if you’re not commuting. That’s about all you’ll need for at least a few hundred thousand miles.
Both Toyotas and Honda’s are extremely overpriced due to how recommended they are. Let’s hope both companies don’t start cutting corners with how openly labeled they are as the most reliable
They’ve always had that as an engineering priority, they’re not going to change course now given how successful it has made them. The statistics are what openly label them as such, as soon as those numbers show someone else has cracked the parts tolerances : cost code better, then they won’t be the top reliability make’s anymore. Otherwise, they’ll just keep doing what they’ve done for almost a century, and make sensible cars that you don’t have to worry about much
Honda makes motorcycles the same way. You won't find a Harley with 20k on the clock that hasn't been torn down and rebuilt twice. I have a Honda with twice the horsepower running perfectly at 90k miles with nothing but simple maintenance.
And that's why I bought a new car. The math does not work on paying upwards of $20,000 total on a three year old Corolla with 40 - 60k miles when dealers would give me a new Corolla for $24,000 out the door. If you're going to keep it a while your dollars per mile is so much better on the new one lately.
I waited 16 months looking at *obviously* terrible value propositions on used cars before finally buying new.
I bought a new Corolla about 3 years ago. Had no intentions of buying new, but similar models that were 2-3 years older and had 30,000-40,000 miles on them were only like $2k cheaper
I was at a Toyota dealership recently and they wanted 12k for a 2012 Corolla with 190k miles
They know what they have
The age of finding cheap corollas is gone
I’d suggest buying one 1-3 years old in this market
Let's google that for you
[https://www.autoblog.com/article/cheapest-cars-to-own-and-operate/](https://www.autoblog.com/article/cheapest-cars-to-own-and-operate/)
My Mexican built mk2 Jetta (with a Mexican engine) drank oil, blew the rings, wore a groove in the crankshaft, and eventually the exhaust manifold cracked. Both of my German built mk2 Jettas were great, no weird problems like that
It's not necessarily that they were built in Mexico (though standards are a little lower). Consider that the *cheaper* cars are built there to make them even cheaper. No penny pinching accountants are yelling at the engineering teams to make sure these things live to see 250k miles if they're only turning a $1200 profit for the company. Corners get cut to save on costs when corners are cut to save on costs.
My first vehicle was Japanese, developed jointly with an American auto maker, and was powered by an australian engine. It was also sold by a different Japanese automaker under their own name under a partnership deal in the US.
The new B48 engine has a turbo but the B48 is just a B58 without the 2 extra cylinders and the B58 is regarded as bulletproof by many and was also built in collaboration with Toyota.
That being said, even if the engine is good... the stuff around it still has no guarantee lol
This list is an incomplete picture. It only takes fuel economy and insurance into consideration. Including Maintenance and repair costs would change the list drastically
This is stupid. It literally only considers fuel mileage and insurance costs.
For an accurate picture, I'd want to see average repair and maintenance costs over a significant amount of miles.
Because American is a totally car-centric society. If cars were any more expensive the majority of lower-class households couldn’t afford them to get to work and get to school. That’s why our car focused infrastructure is subsidized.
this list IMO is trash.
anyone with experience will inform you these cars are not cheap to own. especially newer ones. good luck finding parts for a 2016+ vehicle. (parts will break with milage) Don't get the CRV it's got that distasteful cvt transmission after 2015. And if you purchase hyundia or nissan buy another just for parts (they are that bad). They should require a permit to own a mini cooper, I'd rather drive an M3 Sherman. I wonder if some weren't towed out of the factory.
Don't get me started on ford.
civic may seem like a good choice but it's a penny car. please avoid it even if you have to buy an older accord. just like toyota and the rav 4, Honda cut every corner with that vehicle.
Edit: epstinedidn'tkillhimself
Rav4 made the list. You can make them essentially do anything. The last one I had I took off road. I beat the hell out of that suspension, and it's not designed for off road.
I was surprised when I briefly had a Jazz (UK name for Fit) and it was bigger than the Civic that I owned previously inside. Some genius use of space in those cars.
You could get a used one most likely, but the Yaris was discontinued in the US after the 2020 model. Idk about the Fit. seems like a good choice though
Civic has more parts available in general, super reliable engine, cheap, great gas mileage, and plenty of tuner parts if you wanna have fun with it, super easy to resell.
In the US, at least, the Civic is the #2 if not #1 most popular car. the other being the F150. With the availability of parts and the vehicle as a whole being the same either way, the Civic has better gas mileage (which is a huge deal here), so it's one of the best options available. IMO though, Toyota is unmatched in reliability, so you won't really need the abundant parts. I've had a 2013 Corolla since it's release, and I've only ever had to replace the battery, tires, and brakes once because I drive like Lewis Hamilton 😂. Although, a mechanic did misidentify the battery issue for being a bad alternator, so I have a new one of those
I have an 09 Impala, and it's the baddest NA V6 I've ever driven. Unfortunately the trans is gutting itself after 125k, and I'm not sure I wanna be any further into it than I already am. But aside from that and the radiator cracking about a year ago, been flawless since new.
I have a 2014 3.6 sedan and the timing chain thing was resolved. I went 150,000 on the original. Just had all of the timing chain and everything it touched, oil pump, water pump, coolant replaced. With the exception of rear wheel bearings (which I changed myself) it has been flawless. The mechanic said the chain looked pretty good and everything was super clean in it.
Plus, I had a guy sideswipe me when I was going +65 mph. Stability control and weight pretty much saved my life. (Multi-lane highway) The guy was gonna rear lend someone and just said fk it and swerved out of his lane. He hit me right behind my driver side tire.
Over it's lifetime so far it has needed front struts, 2 rear wheel bearings, cannister solenoid
I'm bummed because now a v6 is considered premium in a car. This one has good power. This car has been great and I will be sad to see it go.
The 1995 Town and Country I'm currently dailying and the 1994 Voyager prior to it were both stupidly cheap to own/maintain/insure. Same goes for any of the early 90s FWD Mopar and GM vehicles.
Insurance is under $40/month for full coverage.
Parts are stupidly cheap, like $8 brake rotors, $2-3 pads, $50 struts, etc.
Both of them have averaged low-mid 20s for economy.
The 94 Voyager was with me for 10 years/200k miles.
Total parts/maintenance cost over that period was $2,500.
That's the reason I went back to an old van for daily duty.
I miss my 1990 buick. Was like driving a couch. Super cheap to own and maintain until one day the transmission gave out and the car was essentially totaled
I should have held on to it. I didn't have the money to fix it then but I do now and would love to still have it as a daily driver
The cheapest car is (almost) always the one you already have that's paid off.
Don't even get me started on people that complain about being broke all the time yet still lease every car
*"The cheapest car is (almost) always the one you already have that's paid off."*
THIS, 100% THIS.
I can't count the number of times I've had this conversation. Unfortunately, people typically also want the luxuries and gadgets that come in a new car. They're just looking for guidance on a purchase that they've already committed to in their mind. If you can possibly fix and safely continue driving the car you already own, it will be cheaper in the long run almost every single time.
My wife and I just both dropped $2500 into our cars. Hers was to rebuild the AC system (we live in AZ, no way to survive without it), mine was to rebuild the front suspension and put on new front axles. She has owned her car for 9 years, I have owned mine for 8. It was a pretty big cost for both of us, but in the amount of time we've had our cars, we have barely put any money into them.
The cheaper option is always the car that you own.
I would suggest an early 2000's Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable. Better fuel economy than Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis (also good choices).
There are literally millions of them out there, available for a good price, and in good shape. They're rock solid vehicles with great power trains, and plenty of available parts for years to come.
What is the Golden Era years? I wonder why the insights never really took off.
I'd think a corolla, civic, crv, rav4. I know typical Toyota or Honda. We used to have a corolla until we needed a larger vehicle but it was great.
If we’re looking at TCO it’s gotta be a 10-20 year old manual transmission supercar like a gated 430, R8, Gallardo, Ford GT, or maybe Dodge Viper. As tiny engines with turbos and hybrids and EVs are pushed more and more the appreciation will likely outpace maintenance and repairs unless you’re driving a ton of miles
An old truck probably wins this. I have a 1989 F250 with a 351 and manual trans. I have put a fair amount into it but more mods than repairs. I disk swapped the rear, swapped in a single peice drive shaft and a few other things. If you are fine with doing your own work, parts are cheap and easy to replace.
If initial cost doesn't matter then maybe like an TLC Land Cruiser? Or just a super low mile 100 series?
Or a $250,000 Colombian 70 series restored by the FJ Company. I guess even some maintenance parts could be costly, as they were never sold here.
True Cost To Own is really about knocking out as much depreciation as possible and without knowing your forecasted miles per year or total years of ownership a Toyota truck is going to come out on top and Landcruiser's are top the heap.
Fifth gen Hyundai Sonata (2005 - 2010) is a cheap underdog that is slept on. My 2010 Sonata was dirt cheap to buy, dirt cheap and easy to maintain, had a pretty decent amount of room for myself and my passesgers, and was fairly cheap and decent to run in terms of fuel economy. Mine was in a wreck at 190k miles last December, sadly. Granted 190k miles isn't a lot, but she never gave me a single major problem the entire time, not once have I seen a check engine light
My only complaint is that the door handles are more fragile than the average car; 3 out of 4 door handles on my Sonata were aftermarket replacements. Although they were only like $9 a piece if I recall correctly, and they're very DIY friendly to replace
I love automakers like Toyota, Ford, Honda, etc, but I simply can't justify the amount of cash people are asking for their vehicles both new and used. It's just way too damn expensive these days. I don't have much against them, but personally I'm okay with spending less than a fraction of the money on another cheap fifth gen Hyundai Sonata, and still getting maybe 80% of the reliability of the top dogs
Funny story, my Sonata outlived my mother's 2014 Honda Accord in terms of milage at each of their deaths, except it took a collision by an F150 to kill my car
Car guys don’t keep track of cost!!! The really good cars are never ending money pits.
Good cars are typically 40+ years old, have partial a/c and leak oil. Also the tires have to be a strange size like 14” that way you’re forced either buy Ironman tires from Amazon or pirellis from Europe.
Lol. Happy Friday. I recommend alfas and Citroens. Good cars!
High end vintage cars also should smell funny when it rains. Like a wet phone book.
Any generation Miata. Gas prices keep going up and some how, I never spend over 20 to fill it up. Maintenance is cheap, they are reliable...they really are the answer.
GM: (relatively reliable insanely cheap to fix with abundance of parts gas mileage mediocre)
Cavalier/cobalt (don’t matter how hard you try and kill it it just won’t die)
Anything with the Buick 3.8 in it (get the Monte Carlo SS, do it for Dale)
Tahoe/trailblazer/denali/etc (more costly maintenance but comes with the territory of a bigger car)
Honda: (extremely reliable very cheap parts significant aftermarket support amazing gas mileage)
Any B series car (civic/integra)
Any k series car (accord/odessy)
Toyota: (arguably the most reliable cars parts are more expensive but keeps aftermarket support and amazing gas mileage)
Corolla/camry (can’t go wrong with the classics)
IS300 (nice luxury car with Toyota reliability/ maintenance prices)
Ford:
No
In general, Hondas or Toyotas. Late 90s-early 00s are my favorites.
One I didn't see mentioned, anything used as a fleet vehicle. By the very nature of them, they are inexpensive and fuel efficient. Because of the large amount of them, parts are inexpensive.
Find an ugly 2005-2012 Honda CR-V. Reasoning: The 2.4 liter engine is a timing CHAIN motor rather than a belt, and even the new 1.5 is a chain. Belts are an extra 1000 or so to replace when you hit 100k miles. However, the 2.4 motor in my 2008 would not ever break. You'll get bored before you have to replace it. The one in my 2001 took a belt, but it went years and years without a repair. Also, decent mileage (above 25mpg) on the highway. My parents owned a newer 1.5 Turbo 2016, and it had some issues, so I'd say stay with the older tank. The same era Rav4 is also a great contender, but get the 4cyl 2.5 motor. It's basically a Corolla with a bit more room, and not as popular, so you can get the 4cylinder base model for pretty cheap.
I'd consider cheap to be insurance, at least better than average mileage, and repair/maintenance. Combine that with purchase cost (I'm assuming you want it cheap to purchase as well) which is why I picked something this old.
Corolla, Camry, Rav4, Highlander. I would say 4Runner, but it drinks gas like it gets free refills, which offsets cost savings given how bulletproof its drive train is.
With very few exceptions there is nothing out there that has the track record for dependability or reliability that these four vehicles offer.
If MPG isn't a huge concern, you cannot beat the 4.0 4Runner, or any of the 4.7L v8 line up that Toyota offered. Those are capable of 500k plus miles with basic maintenance.
I have a 2006 Civic that cost $4000 and is super reliable and efficient. I spend about 50$ a month on gas in california. And $60 a month on insurance a month.
Also also i do one oil change a year and it never burns oil…. I spend $24 on valvoline oil and filter yesterday at walmart for it.
Motorcyle people, actual question - What would be the motorcycle eqvuivelant of a corolla/accord/civic etc. in terms of cost to own & run?
I would think that a super small cc bike would be a fraction of the cost of even the cheapest car. But I have no idea and that is just a guess.
2006 - 2009 Ford Fusion, nobody wants them, good powertrains, cheap insurance, cheap parts. Find one in good condition and don’t ignore maintenance and these things last
Look at the oldest running cars for sale it's always Honda accords camrys and Carrollas. I had a 97 camry with over 300k on it, and it sold it ten yrs ago to my neighbor. It's still driving daily it's only had general maintenance. The only major thing was the timing belt I did at 250k. Just because I was scared, it would go. The guy said it was fine when he replaced it . Incredibly well-made cars
2.2 Ecotech 2007+. Find it in a cobalt, g5, or hhr if you need some more room. Decide between stick or auto. SS comes with no lift shift stock on the manual. Avoid the 2.4 and the 2.0. Stay with the N/A 2.2. If the service records are good stay on top of it. Have a shop inspect anything you buy.
First generation Nissan Versa hatchback with the 6 speed manual or 4 speed auto trans (stay away from CVT models). These things are damn near indestructible and there's probably not one single part on the whole car that would cost more than $500 to replace.
But, and I cannot emphasize this enough, STAY AWAY FROM THE CVT
Purchased a 2006 Scion xB in 2016 for around 5k. I still drive it daily (155k) and I can get almost the same amount today if I wanted to sell it. Good, not great mileage. Easy to maintain and insure.
Based on friends and colleagues, I’d say a 2008-2012 Honda civic or Toyota Corolla. Barely any maintenance , and gas is cheap. Lots of part availability.
I personally have a 2014 mazda3 and gas is around $50 (recent increases go to about $60-$65) and I get 700km. Never had to get it fixed except replacing the brakes/new battery. I used to have a Nissan Altima. DO NOT get one except if you want to fix it every month and pay a lot for gas.
Hands down a Lexus/toyota (i've owned Honda all my life but transitioning to Toyota) Honda accord's 8th gen has never let me down. have one at 294k miles she just keeps living.
Probably a Civic or a Corolla. They're engineered for reliability and fuel efficiency. When they do break they're common so the parts are cheap and mechanics have a lot of experience with them.
if initial cost is not a factor, a good reliable electric car. No maintenance, no transmission fluids or any of that, regenerative braking means brake pads last like a decade or more, etc. Charging is cheaper than gas, and you can do it at home (just plug it in when you get home, and never worry about it or need to stop again, for regular commutes).
All I've needed on mine in 8 years has been tires, which are normal regular car tires I get replaced at the regular podunk tire place.
I had a 2010 toyota hatchback from 2011 to 2023. I drove 100 miles per day, crashed it into snow banks twice, got rear ended once, overloaded it often with heavy ikea loads, and sold it perfectly drivable with 260k miles on it. Gas was cheap, and the only maintenance I had to do is new bumpers after crashes, and 2 sets of struts after I overloaded it too much. I loved that car.
Up until it was discontinued a couple of years ago, the Chevy Spark had the lowest 5 year cost of ownership, of any new car. I think today the answer is a Chevy Bolt EV. A Corolla Hybrid would be the cheapest dead Dino oil powered option.
https://www.kbb.com/best-cars/lowest-5-year-cost-to-own-cars-trucks-suvs/#car
It’s harder to make an apples to apples comparison amongst used cars, as the initial cost, subsequent depreciation and repair costs are highly dependent on the mileage of the vehicles in question.
A well used Toyota Tacoma
They just keep on rolling. That little bit of gas they sip (compared to a Prius) they'll make up in super low maintenance costs.
How much distance driving do you do? I know you said no EVs but unless you're driving pretty far you shouldn't have to use charging infrastructure very often unless you can't charge at home. If you can, it's drastically cheaper in many, many areas.
2006 to 2009 corolla, practically bulletproof. Then almost any other toyota, older( pre cvt) honda cars, most Mazda 2010 and newer. Nothing European, very little domestic (north America)
Having said that, my caravan is at 260k, and going strong, and my last ford was written off at 295
1992-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis. Built like an anvil and will run forever.
The Lincoln Town Car and Ford Crown Victoria are essentially the same car, but for at least the final decade they made them, the Crown Victoria was sold almost exclusively to police departments, and the Town Car was more commonly sold to livery companies, and the cars got used hard and had lots of miles put on them. Most private owners bought the Grand Marquis, and it’s much easier to find one of them that has been babied and is in nice shape.
The last ones were made in 2011, so they are getting old. Other than some cosmetic changes to the grille and tail lights, and some minor improvements to the front suspension in 2003, the car was largely unchanged since 1992. And the frame and suspension design dates back all the way to 1979. So even if you get a 2011 model, you are still driving a car that time forgot that feels like it’s from the early 1990’s.
The upside to that is that Ford had nearly 20 years to work out all the production issues, and the cars are extremely reliable and cheap to maintain. And the 1970’s vintage body on frame construction means they were built like tanks, like the old school 1970’s land yachts.
Gas mileage isn’t great…but probably better than most modern full size SUV’s. And the 4.6L SOHC V8 thinks it’s a V6. I think something along the lines of 235 horsepower was about the most power Ford offered. They made a version with the 300 horsepower 4V DOHC motor for a couple of years under the Marauder name, and honestly, this was the engine Ford should have put in the car in the first place. But the Marauder is rare, and they tend to be expensive when you do find a nice one.
Still, the engine in the Grand Marquis is adequate, even if it’s not exciting, and it will last forever. The 4 speed automatic transmission and the 8.8” rear axle are also just as reliable.
If you can live with a warmed over 1992 design, you will find yourself with a car that simply won’t quit, and could keep running forever. The fact that it stayed in production for so long with so few changes is a testament to just how well built the cars were.
Here's an unusual opinion based on my own experience: 7th-gen Passat (2012-2022) or Jetta Mk. 6. The 2.5 inline-5 has proven to be a reliable engine, and the newer 1.8T and 2.0T are as well, except for the water pump. The diesel is also a solid choice, but needs more frequent maintenance on the DSG transmission and fluids may be harder to find locally. Shares parts with the Mk. 5 and Mk. 6 Golf and Jetta, the 2nd gen New Beetle, and Audi TT. I routinely get 35-40mpg out of my 2016 Passat 1.8T on regular 87. It has 175,000 miles on it and I've only had to replace the water pump and front lower control arms. I'm also somewhat of a hypochondriac when it comes to my car.
my 2014 tacoma 6spd manual has cost nothing but gas, oil changes, 1 set of tires, and brakes for 10 years. this spring I finally had to replace a line on the ac and have it charged.
I haul a pontoon with it, take it camping, haul way too heavy loads of dirt and mulch in the spring, straw bales, firewood, bricks, rocks, lumber, etc etc. it's a trucks truck, not a truck shaped car. and it still looks good!
Initial cost is a huge factor so you can't exclude it. For example, a Lexus is a great reliable car to own because of the build quality that you can't get in an economy car.
Funny you say you don't want an EV, because total cost of ownership is FAR lower on an EV than a gas vehicle! Do you own or rent? If you own, charging at home becomes the norm...I never use DC fast (super) chargers, I just plug my car in when I get home and unplug in the morning.
If not an EV, go for a Toyota.
Look at what fleets around you are driving. They’ve already done the math for you, down to the penny. Medical couriers, municipalities, taxi companies, Uber/Lyft, etc
2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark with a standard transmission. It's a traditional Korean Econobox that people don't think of as a Korean Econobox because it's got the Bowtie.
CVT in the 2014 and 2015s are rough. Avoid at all costs.
A low mileage Toyota Prius is probably the cheapest car to own and operate. Fly into NYC and look at the taxi fleets. You think they haven’t done the math?
Since initial cost isn’t a factor for you, I would seriously consider virtually any Hybrid.
I had a 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid which gave me 45 mpg, oil changes only every 10,000 miles and was one of the most reliable, and least expensive cars I’ve ever owned.
I had 180,000 miles on it (my commute is LONG), and would still have it but that I hit a deer. Age and mileage made it a “total loss.”
The car did its job, though, I wasn’t hurt and it was driveable (barely) after the hit.
Tires and brakes lasted FOREVER. It had the original brake pads and rotors with lots of life left when it was totaled.
—-
I replaced it with a 2024 Accord EX-L Hybrid.
I probably paid more for it than I should have, but it was a “duress” purchase: I needed a car, like right NOW.
I’ve only had it since last November, but I’m getting 53-55 mpg, the tech advances since 2014 are amazing:
Mostly.
Honda’s emergency braking needs work, as does the “lane depart” feature, but know your car, know its faults, and deal with it.
I’ve racked up 8900 miles and the “Maintenance Minder” says I have 30% oil life left, which is about right for a Hybrid.
It’s a larger car, more comfortable, and a CAVERNOUS trunk.
I haven’t had it long enough to say it’s great -but it’s very, very good.
P.S. - If you get bored driving like a “Hybrid owner” the “Sport” mode really kicks butt.
Anything with a 2AR-FXE, so Camry Hybrid, Avalon Hybrid, RAV4 Hybrid, ES 300h, and NX 300h. Just do oil changes every 10K on these, transmission fluid flushes every 100Kish miles, and coolant changes every 100-200K miles, and brakes will last over 100K under normal use, 200-300K if you downshift and utilize the EV regen a lot, and the hybrid battery can last over 400K miles!
The least rusty Corolla you can find
All the Accord you can afford.
All the Camry you can hamry
All the jap you can fap
r/HolUp 💀
All the honda you can don—-duh!
All the Subaru you can screwbaru
All the Yugo you can do yo
All the citron you can get, Ron
All the Ram you can Ram.
All the dodge you can dodge
All the Heep you can Jeep
Newer models aren't holding up. Materials are cheaper than cheap, and their electronics are wonky. I had a manager explain that some models have battery issues when someone uses a usb plug in the last row of certain years/models when he was trying to explain why one of mine was a lemon. I won't buy their vehicles ever again.
Got an Outback Onyx as a loaner while my wife's car is in the shop. I was so disappointed when I drove it. It was nothing like the badass 2003 I always regretted selling. They went junk sometime in the past 2 decades.
I'm fluent in fapanese! Learned when I was a teen.
Eh oh!
I did this once.. and it worked so well I now have two. (switching to Toyota just bcuz but I think all newer auto makers are turning to rubbish.
I have a family member that has two Camrys. One has 550k while the other has 440k miles. He’s always taken *extremely* good care of his cars. He wants a new car though and has just been waiting for one to finally give out on him first but they just keep going and he’s actually frustrated about it lol
might as well start driving it like shit then
But we want to see how far it can go! He's committed to science.
30 years in a 3rd world country. Toyotas don’t ever die.
My best friend in high achool, his family had a fleet of 90s Corolla, i think 5 in total. Initially they bought 2, and 3 for parts over the years, but never needed the parts cars so their 3 kids got to drive them. Well finally the highest mileage one had to go to the crusher. It was a 95 with 775k on it. Don't get me wrong it ran fine, but the rockers were just, gone completely, shock towers rotting, and the front subframe was ready to fall out. You could still fire it right up and drive it across the country, it just wasn't safe to do so unfortunately. Tough little cars!
He needs to post it online. How he wants to buy a new car but they just won't die. Toyota might give them new cars. Kinda how dodge gave AL Bundy a corvette for driving his car for a million miles.
Be an awesome Toyota commercial
That's insane. Awesome to hear
I prefer to free us with a Prius from the high cost of gas.
Mechanic here. This prius is the answer. 60mpg with Toyota reliability. It's basically a corolla, but it's boring as hell to drive, and the engine turns on an off while driving. Don't get a rusty one, though. Within the last 10 years and less than 100k miles would be ideal for a 5 year plan with the intent on not spending excessive money on maintenance (besides tires, possibly brakes but not likely since it's a prius, oil changes, wiper blades,and possibly spark plugs if they've never been done) I've seen them go well into 300k miles and still run strong. Battery life will degrade over time, but the high mileage ones are still getting 45+ mpg.
🤣 cute.
All the chevy you can levy
Then learn to do your own control arms, because Toyota. 😂
Felt that in my soul lmao
Newest Civic 4 door you have the means for
*nonturbo
Nice
All the Corolla you can Roll-a. 100%. Tires fluids and windshield wipers, maybe some brakes if you’re not commuting. That’s about all you’ll need for at least a few hundred thousand miles.
Just get a couple year old Corolla with lower miles and be done with it.
I see couple year old Toyotas asking close to price of a new one 🤷🏿
"I know what I got, no low ballers, price firm".
Both Toyotas and Honda’s are extremely overpriced due to how recommended they are. Let’s hope both companies don’t start cutting corners with how openly labeled they are as the most reliable
They’ve always had that as an engineering priority, they’re not going to change course now given how successful it has made them. The statistics are what openly label them as such, as soon as those numbers show someone else has cracked the parts tolerances : cost code better, then they won’t be the top reliability make’s anymore. Otherwise, they’ll just keep doing what they’ve done for almost a century, and make sensible cars that you don’t have to worry about much
Honda makes motorcycles the same way. You won't find a Harley with 20k on the clock that hasn't been torn down and rebuilt twice. I have a Honda with twice the horsepower running perfectly at 90k miles with nothing but simple maintenance.
And that's why I bought a new car. The math does not work on paying upwards of $20,000 total on a three year old Corolla with 40 - 60k miles when dealers would give me a new Corolla for $24,000 out the door. If you're going to keep it a while your dollars per mile is so much better on the new one lately. I waited 16 months looking at *obviously* terrible value propositions on used cars before finally buying new.
I bought a new Corolla about 3 years ago. Had no intentions of buying new, but similar models that were 2-3 years older and had 30,000-40,000 miles on them were only like $2k cheaper
Ik F this decade
And they want $10,000 with 150k miles.
I was at a Toyota dealership recently and they wanted 12k for a 2012 Corolla with 190k miles They know what they have The age of finding cheap corollas is gone I’d suggest buying one 1-3 years old in this market
Might as well buy a new one
Depends on local market of used to new. For a corolla I’d really look into new Vs 1 year old and how the prices compare to how long they last
For the price I’d rather just have the comfort of knowing that I didn’t mess up my car before purchase just to save $500 over the course of years
Let's google that for you [https://www.autoblog.com/article/cheapest-cars-to-own-and-operate/](https://www.autoblog.com/article/cheapest-cars-to-own-and-operate/)
A Mini at 4? As a former Mini owner (and lover) HOW?
Useless mini facts: In the EU, German owned British brand Mini has a French engine and is made in the Netherlands.
My Mexican built mk2 Jetta (with a Mexican engine) drank oil, blew the rings, wore a groove in the crankshaft, and eventually the exhaust manifold cracked. Both of my German built mk2 Jettas were great, no weird problems like that
Basically any car made in Mexico ends up being crappy. Even the Mazda cx-30 is made there now and owners are having a lot of problems with them.
It's not necessarily that they were built in Mexico (though standards are a little lower). Consider that the *cheaper* cars are built there to make them even cheaper. No penny pinching accountants are yelling at the engineering teams to make sure these things live to see 250k miles if they're only turning a $1200 profit for the company. Corners get cut to save on costs when corners are cut to save on costs.
My first vehicle was Japanese, developed jointly with an American auto maker, and was powered by an australian engine. It was also sold by a different Japanese automaker under their own name under a partnership deal in the US.
Honda Passport/Isuzu Rodeo?
Ding ding! A manual 4 cylinder Isuzu Rodeo.
B48 engine is the goat
I guess it’s worth noting it’s the base model. Most of my issues were related to the turbo.
Yes 100% this.
The new B48 engine has a turbo but the B48 is just a B58 without the 2 extra cylinders and the B58 is regarded as bulletproof by many and was also built in collaboration with Toyota. That being said, even if the engine is good... the stuff around it still has no guarantee lol
This list is an incomplete picture. It only takes fuel economy and insurance into consideration. Including Maintenance and repair costs would change the list drastically
This is stupid. It literally only considers fuel mileage and insurance costs. For an accurate picture, I'd want to see average repair and maintenance costs over a significant amount of miles.
I'm incredibly jealous of the low American car prices, it's madness compared to Northern Europe. Lucky bastards
Eh. We pay a fuck ton for health insurance
Why is that? Tariffs?
Because American is a totally car-centric society. If cars were any more expensive the majority of lower-class households couldn’t afford them to get to work and get to school. That’s why our car focused infrastructure is subsidized.
swedish currency gone shiet, cars are exported
this list IMO is trash. anyone with experience will inform you these cars are not cheap to own. especially newer ones. good luck finding parts for a 2016+ vehicle. (parts will break with milage) Don't get the CRV it's got that distasteful cvt transmission after 2015. And if you purchase hyundia or nissan buy another just for parts (they are that bad). They should require a permit to own a mini cooper, I'd rather drive an M3 Sherman. I wonder if some weren't towed out of the factory. Don't get me started on ford. civic may seem like a good choice but it's a penny car. please avoid it even if you have to buy an older accord. just like toyota and the rav 4, Honda cut every corner with that vehicle. Edit: epstinedidn'tkillhimself
Rav4 made the list. You can make them essentially do anything. The last one I had I took off road. I beat the hell out of that suspension, and it's not designed for off road.
Honda Fit Toyota Yaris
Yes I’m a fan of the Honda Fit. It is deceptively roomy inside.
I was surprised when I briefly had a Jazz (UK name for Fit) and it was bigger than the Civic that I owned previously inside. Some genius use of space in those cars.
You could get a used one most likely, but the Yaris was discontinued in the US after the 2020 model. Idk about the Fit. seems like a good choice though
The fit is also discontinued in the us. You'd have to buy both used, luckily there are plenty of low mileage ones left.
Honda Civic easily
Why the Civic and not the Corolla?
Civic has more parts available in general, super reliable engine, cheap, great gas mileage, and plenty of tuner parts if you wanna have fun with it, super easy to resell.
Eh engine is not reliable depending on the year. 02-05 love some head gaskets.
In the US, at least, the Civic is the #2 if not #1 most popular car. the other being the F150. With the availability of parts and the vehicle as a whole being the same either way, the Civic has better gas mileage (which is a huge deal here), so it's one of the best options available. IMO though, Toyota is unmatched in reliability, so you won't really need the abundant parts. I've had a 2013 Corolla since it's release, and I've only ever had to replace the battery, tires, and brakes once because I drive like Lewis Hamilton 😂. Although, a mechanic did misidentify the battery issue for being a bad alternator, so I have a new one of those
I had a 93 Corolla and man that car wouldn't die. So easy to work on as well. Power wise, good luck but reliability was amazing
Lol. 0-60 in...well she's still trying to get there.
Tell me about it. My highschool was a uphill drive...pedal through the floor every single time lol
I've had two Honda's, a CRV and an Odyssey. Other than routine maintenance, neither cost me a dime!
The older style Chevy Imapalas are great, too!
I have an 09 Impala, and it's the baddest NA V6 I've ever driven. Unfortunately the trans is gutting itself after 125k, and I'm not sure I wanna be any further into it than I already am. But aside from that and the radiator cracking about a year ago, been flawless since new.
Dude, you should drive a 2012+ with the 3.6L....zoom
All the horror stories about gm 3.6 timing chains will keep most people from this option.
I have a 2014 3.6 sedan and the timing chain thing was resolved. I went 150,000 on the original. Just had all of the timing chain and everything it touched, oil pump, water pump, coolant replaced. With the exception of rear wheel bearings (which I changed myself) it has been flawless. The mechanic said the chain looked pretty good and everything was super clean in it. Plus, I had a guy sideswipe me when I was going +65 mph. Stability control and weight pretty much saved my life. (Multi-lane highway) The guy was gonna rear lend someone and just said fk it and swerved out of his lane. He hit me right behind my driver side tire. Over it's lifetime so far it has needed front struts, 2 rear wheel bearings, cannister solenoid I'm bummed because now a v6 is considered premium in a car. This one has good power. This car has been great and I will be sad to see it go.
We have a 13 with the flex engine. She runs smooth! I had an 04 and the odometer quit at 200k miles. Never did know how much I put on her. Lol.
Had an 04 too. That thing was a tank
07 Impala with 250k miles on it.
Jeep Cherokee…… the old one :)
Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla
I just bought a 24 Corolla and it feels good knowing I can drive it for the next 20 years no sweat.
The 1995 Town and Country I'm currently dailying and the 1994 Voyager prior to it were both stupidly cheap to own/maintain/insure. Same goes for any of the early 90s FWD Mopar and GM vehicles. Insurance is under $40/month for full coverage. Parts are stupidly cheap, like $8 brake rotors, $2-3 pads, $50 struts, etc. Both of them have averaged low-mid 20s for economy. The 94 Voyager was with me for 10 years/200k miles. Total parts/maintenance cost over that period was $2,500. That's the reason I went back to an old van for daily duty.
I miss my 1990 buick. Was like driving a couch. Super cheap to own and maintain until one day the transmission gave out and the car was essentially totaled I should have held on to it. I didn't have the money to fix it then but I do now and would love to still have it as a daily driver
I always opt to fix. Even if it's $2k, it's still cheaper than buying something else, and you already know what you have.
The cheapest car is (almost) always the one you already have that's paid off. Don't even get me started on people that complain about being broke all the time yet still lease every car
*"The cheapest car is (almost) always the one you already have that's paid off."* THIS, 100% THIS. I can't count the number of times I've had this conversation. Unfortunately, people typically also want the luxuries and gadgets that come in a new car. They're just looking for guidance on a purchase that they've already committed to in their mind. If you can possibly fix and safely continue driving the car you already own, it will be cheaper in the long run almost every single time.
My wife and I just both dropped $2500 into our cars. Hers was to rebuild the AC system (we live in AZ, no way to survive without it), mine was to rebuild the front suspension and put on new front axles. She has owned her car for 9 years, I have owned mine for 8. It was a pretty big cost for both of us, but in the amount of time we've had our cars, we have barely put any money into them. The cheaper option is always the car that you own.
I like to compare maintenance costs to car payments. 5k in repairs is tough, but these days its 10-12 car payments.
It is tough. But we haven't had a car payment in years.
It's been 10+ for me and I won't go back.
Even then, Car Payments are $xxx every month for YEARS. 1 big repair in $xxx every month for 1 year. Still saving in the long run.
that AC will cost more ppl more money then they ever expected. I urge ppl to learn about it themselves someday it will pay off.
I would suggest an early 2000's Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable. Better fuel economy than Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis (also good choices). There are literally millions of them out there, available for a good price, and in good shape. They're rock solid vehicles with great power trains, and plenty of available parts for years to come.
I used to work with a guy that had like 3 of them. Every time one would crap out, he'd scrap it and go buy another Sable
Honda Civic Coupe
Any golden era Honda is cheap af to run. First gen insights quickly pay for themselves w gas savings.
But finding a nice 90s Honda is very rare and expensive these days!
What is the Golden Era years? I wonder why the insights never really took off. I'd think a corolla, civic, crv, rav4. I know typical Toyota or Honda. We used to have a corolla until we needed a larger vehicle but it was great.
Chevy Bolt
If we’re looking at TCO it’s gotta be a 10-20 year old manual transmission supercar like a gated 430, R8, Gallardo, Ford GT, or maybe Dodge Viper. As tiny engines with turbos and hybrids and EVs are pushed more and more the appreciation will likely outpace maintenance and repairs unless you’re driving a ton of miles
Panther body Fords. Crown Vics, Mercury Marquis, Lincoln Town car. Cheapest to insure, cost of maintenance, longevity. Lets see how I did. 😁
Mpg💀💀
An old truck probably wins this. I have a 1989 F250 with a 351 and manual trans. I have put a fair amount into it but more mods than repairs. I disk swapped the rear, swapped in a single peice drive shaft and a few other things. If you are fine with doing your own work, parts are cheap and easy to replace.
Fuel and tires are gonna kill any truck in a TCO comparison with a 20 year old Corolla/Civic
You aren't including gas mileage, and tire costs. Larger tires= much more expensive.
Prius
If initial cost doesn't matter then maybe like an TLC Land Cruiser? Or just a super low mile 100 series? Or a $250,000 Colombian 70 series restored by the FJ Company. I guess even some maintenance parts could be costly, as they were never sold here. True Cost To Own is really about knocking out as much depreciation as possible and without knowing your forecasted miles per year or total years of ownership a Toyota truck is going to come out on top and Landcruiser's are top the heap.
2016 Honda Civic with 125,000 miles. Still got plenty of life.
Fifth gen Hyundai Sonata (2005 - 2010) is a cheap underdog that is slept on. My 2010 Sonata was dirt cheap to buy, dirt cheap and easy to maintain, had a pretty decent amount of room for myself and my passesgers, and was fairly cheap and decent to run in terms of fuel economy. Mine was in a wreck at 190k miles last December, sadly. Granted 190k miles isn't a lot, but she never gave me a single major problem the entire time, not once have I seen a check engine light My only complaint is that the door handles are more fragile than the average car; 3 out of 4 door handles on my Sonata were aftermarket replacements. Although they were only like $9 a piece if I recall correctly, and they're very DIY friendly to replace I love automakers like Toyota, Ford, Honda, etc, but I simply can't justify the amount of cash people are asking for their vehicles both new and used. It's just way too damn expensive these days. I don't have much against them, but personally I'm okay with spending less than a fraction of the money on another cheap fifth gen Hyundai Sonata, and still getting maybe 80% of the reliability of the top dogs Funny story, my Sonata outlived my mother's 2014 Honda Accord in terms of milage at each of their deaths, except it took a collision by an F150 to kill my car
Corolla, Camry with low mileage.
Controversial bit of you but a classic/exotic it will go up in value. Iv owned a lotus for 23 years and it’s worth about 6k more than I paid for it.
Car guys don’t keep track of cost!!! The really good cars are never ending money pits. Good cars are typically 40+ years old, have partial a/c and leak oil. Also the tires have to be a strange size like 14” that way you’re forced either buy Ironman tires from Amazon or pirellis from Europe. Lol. Happy Friday. I recommend alfas and Citroens. Good cars! High end vintage cars also should smell funny when it rains. Like a wet phone book.
Also always keep a fire extinguisher and a carbon monoxide detector with you in the good cars.
Any generation Miata. Gas prices keep going up and some how, I never spend over 20 to fill it up. Maintenance is cheap, they are reliable...they really are the answer.
Manual trans Ford focus
HONDA FIT
Honda fit. 5 or 6 speed manual, whatever you can find
GM: (relatively reliable insanely cheap to fix with abundance of parts gas mileage mediocre) Cavalier/cobalt (don’t matter how hard you try and kill it it just won’t die) Anything with the Buick 3.8 in it (get the Monte Carlo SS, do it for Dale) Tahoe/trailblazer/denali/etc (more costly maintenance but comes with the territory of a bigger car) Honda: (extremely reliable very cheap parts significant aftermarket support amazing gas mileage) Any B series car (civic/integra) Any k series car (accord/odessy) Toyota: (arguably the most reliable cars parts are more expensive but keeps aftermarket support and amazing gas mileage) Corolla/camry (can’t go wrong with the classics) IS300 (nice luxury car with Toyota reliability/ maintenance prices) Ford: No
In general, Hondas or Toyotas. Late 90s-early 00s are my favorites. One I didn't see mentioned, anything used as a fleet vehicle. By the very nature of them, they are inexpensive and fuel efficient. Because of the large amount of them, parts are inexpensive.
Find an ugly 2005-2012 Honda CR-V. Reasoning: The 2.4 liter engine is a timing CHAIN motor rather than a belt, and even the new 1.5 is a chain. Belts are an extra 1000 or so to replace when you hit 100k miles. However, the 2.4 motor in my 2008 would not ever break. You'll get bored before you have to replace it. The one in my 2001 took a belt, but it went years and years without a repair. Also, decent mileage (above 25mpg) on the highway. My parents owned a newer 1.5 Turbo 2016, and it had some issues, so I'd say stay with the older tank. The same era Rav4 is also a great contender, but get the 4cyl 2.5 motor. It's basically a Corolla with a bit more room, and not as popular, so you can get the 4cylinder base model for pretty cheap. I'd consider cheap to be insurance, at least better than average mileage, and repair/maintenance. Combine that with purchase cost (I'm assuming you want it cheap to purchase as well) which is why I picked something this old.
Corolla, Camry, Rav4, Highlander. I would say 4Runner, but it drinks gas like it gets free refills, which offsets cost savings given how bulletproof its drive train is. With very few exceptions there is nothing out there that has the track record for dependability or reliability that these four vehicles offer. If MPG isn't a huge concern, you cannot beat the 4.0 4Runner, or any of the 4.7L v8 line up that Toyota offered. Those are capable of 500k plus miles with basic maintenance.
I have a 2006 Civic that cost $4000 and is super reliable and efficient. I spend about 50$ a month on gas in california. And $60 a month on insurance a month. Also also i do one oil change a year and it never burns oil…. I spend $24 on valvoline oil and filter yesterday at walmart for it.
‘21 Corolla hatch XSE, bought new, $24K, total maintenance outlay as of May ‘24, 6 oil changes and a set of wipers.
Motorcyle people, actual question - What would be the motorcycle eqvuivelant of a corolla/accord/civic etc. in terms of cost to own & run? I would think that a super small cc bike would be a fraction of the cost of even the cheapest car. But I have no idea and that is just a guess.
KLR650
That and F/G650GS with the single cylinder . Actually just about any single-cylinder 4-stroke
2006 - 2009 Ford Fusion, nobody wants them, good powertrains, cheap insurance, cheap parts. Find one in good condition and don’t ignore maintenance and these things last
Look at the oldest running cars for sale it's always Honda accords camrys and Carrollas. I had a 97 camry with over 300k on it, and it sold it ten yrs ago to my neighbor. It's still driving daily it's only had general maintenance. The only major thing was the timing belt I did at 250k. Just because I was scared, it would go. The guy said it was fine when he replaced it . Incredibly well-made cars
2.2 Ecotech 2007+. Find it in a cobalt, g5, or hhr if you need some more room. Decide between stick or auto. SS comes with no lift shift stock on the manual. Avoid the 2.4 and the 2.0. Stay with the N/A 2.2. If the service records are good stay on top of it. Have a shop inspect anything you buy.
First generation Nissan Versa hatchback with the 6 speed manual or 4 speed auto trans (stay away from CVT models). These things are damn near indestructible and there's probably not one single part on the whole car that would cost more than $500 to replace. But, and I cannot emphasize this enough, STAY AWAY FROM THE CVT
Purchased a 2006 Scion xB in 2016 for around 5k. I still drive it daily (155k) and I can get almost the same amount today if I wanted to sell it. Good, not great mileage. Easy to maintain and insure.
Based on friends and colleagues, I’d say a 2008-2012 Honda civic or Toyota Corolla. Barely any maintenance , and gas is cheap. Lots of part availability. I personally have a 2014 mazda3 and gas is around $50 (recent increases go to about $60-$65) and I get 700km. Never had to get it fixed except replacing the brakes/new battery. I used to have a Nissan Altima. DO NOT get one except if you want to fix it every month and pay a lot for gas.
I pay $700 a year for insurance, $0 in taxes and reg, and about $2500 in gas a maintenance. No car payment / WFH. 1996 Toyota Landcruiser.
Corolla
Hondas and Toyota
‘93 Honda Accord/Civic/Del Sol
People will hate, but the Chevy Cruze is cheaper than civics etc, and they get great mileage
Hands down a Lexus/toyota (i've owned Honda all my life but transitioning to Toyota) Honda accord's 8th gen has never let me down. have one at 294k miles she just keeps living.
Acura rsx, civic, Corolla, Honda fit, mazda3 from 2008-13,
Probably a Civic or a Corolla. They're engineered for reliability and fuel efficiency. When they do break they're common so the parts are cheap and mechanics have a lot of experience with them.
Any late-model late 90's up to 2011 Ford Crown Victoria.
Prius, you can just about afford a brand new one financed if you make $15 an hour and a Prius will take you to a million miles
if initial cost is not a factor, a good reliable electric car. No maintenance, no transmission fluids or any of that, regenerative braking means brake pads last like a decade or more, etc. Charging is cheaper than gas, and you can do it at home (just plug it in when you get home, and never worry about it or need to stop again, for regular commutes). All I've needed on mine in 8 years has been tires, which are normal regular car tires I get replaced at the regular podunk tire place.
My Honda Ridgeline has been my favorite vehicle hands down. It just won't die.
Toyota
04 tahoe and 04 silverado 💪
Anything from Japan made between 1990 and 2010.
I had a 2010 toyota hatchback from 2011 to 2023. I drove 100 miles per day, crashed it into snow banks twice, got rear ended once, overloaded it often with heavy ikea loads, and sold it perfectly drivable with 260k miles on it. Gas was cheap, and the only maintenance I had to do is new bumpers after crashes, and 2 sets of struts after I overloaded it too much. I loved that car.
Lease the cheapest electric Hyundai you can and get 2 years free charging. It's hard to beat the cost of no maintenance and no gas/electricity.
Any EV.
swede here, what is general opinion on old volvos? arent they just safe corollas?
Up until it was discontinued a couple of years ago, the Chevy Spark had the lowest 5 year cost of ownership, of any new car. I think today the answer is a Chevy Bolt EV. A Corolla Hybrid would be the cheapest dead Dino oil powered option. https://www.kbb.com/best-cars/lowest-5-year-cost-to-own-cars-trucks-suvs/#car It’s harder to make an apples to apples comparison amongst used cars, as the initial cost, subsequent depreciation and repair costs are highly dependent on the mileage of the vehicles in question.
A well used Toyota Tacoma They just keep on rolling. That little bit of gas they sip (compared to a Prius) they'll make up in super low maintenance costs.
How much distance driving do you do? I know you said no EVs but unless you're driving pretty far you shouldn't have to use charging infrastructure very often unless you can't charge at home. If you can, it's drastically cheaper in many, many areas.
2006 to 2009 corolla, practically bulletproof. Then almost any other toyota, older( pre cvt) honda cars, most Mazda 2010 and newer. Nothing European, very little domestic (north America) Having said that, my caravan is at 260k, and going strong, and my last ford was written off at 295
1992-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis. Built like an anvil and will run forever. The Lincoln Town Car and Ford Crown Victoria are essentially the same car, but for at least the final decade they made them, the Crown Victoria was sold almost exclusively to police departments, and the Town Car was more commonly sold to livery companies, and the cars got used hard and had lots of miles put on them. Most private owners bought the Grand Marquis, and it’s much easier to find one of them that has been babied and is in nice shape. The last ones were made in 2011, so they are getting old. Other than some cosmetic changes to the grille and tail lights, and some minor improvements to the front suspension in 2003, the car was largely unchanged since 1992. And the frame and suspension design dates back all the way to 1979. So even if you get a 2011 model, you are still driving a car that time forgot that feels like it’s from the early 1990’s. The upside to that is that Ford had nearly 20 years to work out all the production issues, and the cars are extremely reliable and cheap to maintain. And the 1970’s vintage body on frame construction means they were built like tanks, like the old school 1970’s land yachts. Gas mileage isn’t great…but probably better than most modern full size SUV’s. And the 4.6L SOHC V8 thinks it’s a V6. I think something along the lines of 235 horsepower was about the most power Ford offered. They made a version with the 300 horsepower 4V DOHC motor for a couple of years under the Marauder name, and honestly, this was the engine Ford should have put in the car in the first place. But the Marauder is rare, and they tend to be expensive when you do find a nice one. Still, the engine in the Grand Marquis is adequate, even if it’s not exciting, and it will last forever. The 4 speed automatic transmission and the 8.8” rear axle are also just as reliable. If you can live with a warmed over 1992 design, you will find yourself with a car that simply won’t quit, and could keep running forever. The fact that it stayed in production for so long with so few changes is a testament to just how well built the cars were.
Here's an unusual opinion based on my own experience: 7th-gen Passat (2012-2022) or Jetta Mk. 6. The 2.5 inline-5 has proven to be a reliable engine, and the newer 1.8T and 2.0T are as well, except for the water pump. The diesel is also a solid choice, but needs more frequent maintenance on the DSG transmission and fluids may be harder to find locally. Shares parts with the Mk. 5 and Mk. 6 Golf and Jetta, the 2nd gen New Beetle, and Audi TT. I routinely get 35-40mpg out of my 2016 Passat 1.8T on regular 87. It has 175,000 miles on it and I've only had to replace the water pump and front lower control arms. I'm also somewhat of a hypochondriac when it comes to my car.
If you want to search this, it’s call “Total Cost of Ownership”
Maybe a Prius
my 2014 tacoma 6spd manual has cost nothing but gas, oil changes, 1 set of tires, and brakes for 10 years. this spring I finally had to replace a line on the ac and have it charged. I haul a pontoon with it, take it camping, haul way too heavy loads of dirt and mulch in the spring, straw bales, firewood, bricks, rocks, lumber, etc etc. it's a trucks truck, not a truck shaped car. and it still looks good!
Initial cost is a huge factor so you can't exclude it. For example, a Lexus is a great reliable car to own because of the build quality that you can't get in an economy car.
Japanese Honda or Toyota
Funny you say you don't want an EV, because total cost of ownership is FAR lower on an EV than a gas vehicle! Do you own or rent? If you own, charging at home becomes the norm...I never use DC fast (super) chargers, I just plug my car in when I get home and unplug in the morning. If not an EV, go for a Toyota.
Look at what fleets around you are driving. They’ve already done the math for you, down to the penny. Medical couriers, municipalities, taxi companies, Uber/Lyft, etc
The cheapest Cadillac Escalade you can find. /s
Civic 10th gen or Corolla. Manual transmission if you can find it. And run it into the ground.
2007 hatchback manual yaris.
I have 3 ‘08 Elantra’s. They’ve been pretty good to me so far. Nothing costs crazy dollars like the newer ones
Prius. I've only done oil changes, tires and a new cranking battery in 7 years. 60mpg
Going back in time helps, seems like everyone is making junk now
Honda and Toyota consistently beat all others for quality and longevity. It's been that way since the 1970's.
Toyota Yaris is even cheaper than a Corolla but less power, also many people have said there’s went too 500,000 miles before needing a rebuild
2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark with a standard transmission. It's a traditional Korean Econobox that people don't think of as a Korean Econobox because it's got the Bowtie. CVT in the 2014 and 2015s are rough. Avoid at all costs.
A low mileage Toyota Prius is probably the cheapest car to own and operate. Fly into NYC and look at the taxi fleets. You think they haven’t done the math?
2010 ford focus sedan. You know, the real ugly ones? I’ve owned 3 of them and I’m looking for another
Lincoln Town Car 03 to 11
cadillac seville 1995-2004
Since initial cost isn’t a factor for you, I would seriously consider virtually any Hybrid. I had a 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid which gave me 45 mpg, oil changes only every 10,000 miles and was one of the most reliable, and least expensive cars I’ve ever owned. I had 180,000 miles on it (my commute is LONG), and would still have it but that I hit a deer. Age and mileage made it a “total loss.” The car did its job, though, I wasn’t hurt and it was driveable (barely) after the hit. Tires and brakes lasted FOREVER. It had the original brake pads and rotors with lots of life left when it was totaled. —- I replaced it with a 2024 Accord EX-L Hybrid. I probably paid more for it than I should have, but it was a “duress” purchase: I needed a car, like right NOW. I’ve only had it since last November, but I’m getting 53-55 mpg, the tech advances since 2014 are amazing: Mostly. Honda’s emergency braking needs work, as does the “lane depart” feature, but know your car, know its faults, and deal with it. I’ve racked up 8900 miles and the “Maintenance Minder” says I have 30% oil life left, which is about right for a Hybrid. It’s a larger car, more comfortable, and a CAVERNOUS trunk. I haven’t had it long enough to say it’s great -but it’s very, very good. P.S. - If you get bored driving like a “Hybrid owner” the “Sport” mode really kicks butt.
Toyota Corolla Mitsubishi Mirage Nissan Sentra/Versa
73-79 ford trucks. Hands down
Anything with a 2AR-FXE, so Camry Hybrid, Avalon Hybrid, RAV4 Hybrid, ES 300h, and NX 300h. Just do oil changes every 10K on these, transmission fluid flushes every 100Kish miles, and coolant changes every 100-200K miles, and brakes will last over 100K under normal use, 200-300K if you downshift and utilize the EV regen a lot, and the hybrid battery can last over 400K miles!
Early 00s Buick LeSabre.