List of Best Used Cars under $5,000?

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Hi folks,

Where can i find good list of best used car values under $5,000? What used cars are more likely to be good buys under $5,000 today?

If i don't come across a grandmother selling her "mint condition," unadvertised honda for half of it's book value what other cars should i be looking at?

I completely trust edmund's "Used Car Best Bets" list. However i simply can NOT find the complete 2004 to 2010 versions. The 2011 listing simply doesn't show any cars sold prior to 2004. My google searches do show some "top of the list," first place winners but NEVER show the complete listing from years prior to 2011. (and i'm spending an awful lot of time searching, btw)

My sister will be wanting my help in finding a car fir my 17 year old nephew. I will be assisting her in weeding through the sea of knuckleheads and lemons on craigslist to find someone with something worth looking at.

I'll claim that i've been around enough to know a little bit about a little bit. But i do feel that i need to read up. For example, i understood Hyundais to be horrible cars. But then i understand that they turned things around. I read that they began making much more reliable cars. A reliable car with a horrible reputation -- very poor resale value -- i conclude that used hyundais would often be very good values. As opposed to the honda civic (i've owned two of them). Civics are, of course, wonderfully reliable but can be way way overpriced -- especially here in Philadelphia (it's absolutely nuts).

Another good example of a great deal was my old 1991 ford escort. The escort had horrible reliability reviews for years. But then in 1991 Ford started putting Mazda engines in it's escort and voila! i bought a very decent reliable car for mere pennies on the dollar.

please forgive the longwindedness,
thanks again for all the help over the years,
 
Find a decent manual trans sohc saturn. It's harder to text and drive a stick. The saturn will teach them to check the oil regularly and it gets great mileage. MY sons saturn has been very cost effective and the 42mpg hwy is handy for a college student.
 
I got my Mercury for $8300 with 40K miles on it. I am betting you could get one with about 75K for less than 5 thousand. I had a police car I put 190K miles on. They were very hard miles. The powertrains on these things are tough. Try to get a 2003 or later (better suspensions and PI engines).
 
Hi folks,

Thanks much for the advice about Saturns. I've heard very good things about them. I certainly won't rule them out. Appreciate the thoughts about texting while driving. [however i suspect my sister is half tempted to completely disallow my nephew to EVEN have posession of a cell phone while he has access to the car.]
 
I'm always a bit tempted to pickup a second gen Neon, I always see the odd one mature owner Neon R/T model for $2-3000 with 120,000 miles. The knock on the R/T's is that the top gear is pretty low so at freeway speeds the mileage isn't great for a small car.
Even a normal second gen Neon is a decent car, its just they typically haven't been babied like some R/T's.
 
Take a look at cars from joint ventures, such as GM and Toyota. Prizms share lots with the Corolla, I'd look into the 98-02 models where the Prizm has the toyota 1zz motor. Also, the Pontiac Vibe should be cheaper than its near identical twin Matrix while also sharing the same motor.

And if you're thinking about civics in Philly, it's probably not a wise choice. The older models get stolen quite often and the newer models have their wheels stolen often.
 
3rd the Saturn. I wish Jeeps were cheaper that was my first ride and I learned quite abit with it. Easy to maintain, 4.0L refuses to die and you can't really speed with it lol.
 
Originally Posted By: RISUPERCREWMAN
I have a 1993 Toyota Camry that just won't quit & gets 30+ MPG in the highway at 151K miles!


Same here, 94 LE with 152k.
 
whatever you decide, you should definitely go with a 4 cylinder. they will thank you for saving them gas money when their budget's already tight.
 
Hi Cutter,

Appreciate the feedback from a fellow Philadelphian.

Originally Posted By: cutter
And if you're thinking about civics in Philly, it's probably not a wise choice. The older models get stolen quite often and the newer models have their wheels stolen often.


Tell me about it!!!

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You're preaching to the choir!

They're selling civic shells for above book value of the full car!! I currently own two civics and i am aware that my 4rth generation civic is allegedly tuned more often "than any other car in the world." Hence it is stolen FREQUENTLY.


Great cars -- very often way overpriced.
 
I think the guys that live up and down 5th street in North Philly have something to do with artificially bumping up prices for Civics. Quite popular at the wheel shops.
 
Thanks for all of the responses,

Appreciate the comments on Prism's having Toyota engines. That's really what i would want toyota quality without the pricy name. That's kind of my getting the 91 FORD with the mazda engine -- an absolute steal.

And i have read that Neons ARE recommended. Despite them not having the best reliabiliy reviews their super low resale value can often very well make up for the difference in additional repair bills and then some.
 
92-98 Volvos including the 850, s70, and v70. I see them on craigslist all the time under $3000 w/anywhere from 80K miles to 130K miles. They have great safety ratings: http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=36&seriesid=268 and can manage about 25mpg.

Ya just gotta make sure they've had regular maintenance and that the timing belt, timing belt tensioner, and water pump were replaced recently. They tend to fail quite frequently around the 100-130K mark.
 
Originally Posted By: teambeechstreet
Ya just gotta make sure they've had regular maintenance and that the timing belt, timing belt tensioner, and water pump were replaced recently. They tend to fail quite frequently around the 100-130K mark.


Thanks Team B, appreciated.

That timing belt goes with any purchase of a used car, right? If they can't show me a receipt for it being purchased i may knock $340 off the book value of the car that's for sale -- depending on....

I just bought a civic for myself knowing full well that i'd be replacing the timing belt as soon as i owned it.

I was not going to drive around with an ancient timing belt. Not going to jeopardize killing the engine that i just bought.
 
thanks again,

I saw some camerys and some maximas that also looked very appealing. When i answered their adds they sounded like completely normal people willing to provide the normal information associated with selling a car -- not the infamous wackos from criagslist.
 
Originally Posted By: cutter
I think the guys that live up and down 5th street in North Philly have something to do with artificially bumping up prices for Civics.


Ahhhh! Fifth Street?!?

I get a shot of penicilin at the clinic whenever i'm anywhere near that neighborhood!!



*****************

[rant over]


In all seriousness, i believe you're correct. Also, they did have "jdm exhchange" right off of 5th which promoted the whole civic tuner culture. (was it a few blocks south of Erie?)

As i'm writing this i remembering that someone made me an offer on my civic while on 5th street -- at the old "Strauss Auto" in olney.

After talking for a bit, it turned out this young kid working the register did know more and/or was willing to tell me more about civics than mechanics. Hence i've been going to Hector and his brother, Julio, ever since. I've been perfectly happy with them. I've also brought customers to them who've been very impressed.

Not a good area to BUY a honda. But an area where they really know how to maintain a honda.
 
Back on topic:

This is the kind of list that i was looking for:

Edmunds Best Used Bets of 2010

Now if i only i could find the 2009, 08, 07 and prior versions.


Again I do appreciate all of the helpful feedback. But i don't know that i'll necessarily find one of the above commendations at a good price. Not yet sure what's out there -- let alone test drive, put on a lift, etc.
 
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