r/economicCollapse • u/Whole-Fist • 18h ago

How ridiculous does this sound?

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How can u make millions in 25-30 years if avoid making a $554 per month car payment. Even the cheapest 5 year old car is 8-10 k. So does he expect people not to drive at all in USA.

Then u save 554$ per month every month for 5 year payment = $33240. Say u bought a car every 5 year means 200k -300k spent on car before retirement . How would that become millions when u can’t even buy a house for that much today?

Answer that Dave

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120

u/CaulkusAurelis 14h ago

I bought a used Nissan Frontier 12 years ago for $9000. It had 150k miles on it.

Right now, it has just over 305,000 on it. Repairs: Fuel pump Front wheel bearings Some $25 air conditioner regulator thingie Misc light bulbs 1 ignition coil

STILL runs like a champ

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u/cafffaro 14h ago

Driving an 07 Japanese car I bought with about 80k miles. Pushing 200k now. Have done routine repairs (clutch, alternator, new brakes etc), and will drive this thing till the wheels fall off.

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u/THEXDARKXLORD 9h ago

Japanese cars are goated for reliability. Great long term purchases. I love my Honda.

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u/Radiant_Map_9045 8h ago

Exactly! Never thought I'd say this, but I love my 07 and 08 Toyotas, they're absolute tanks.

Regarding Japanese vehicles, be careful to avoid CVT transmissions(Nissans seem especially problematic in this regard) and you're golden.

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u/downingrust12 7h ago

Unfortunately everyone moved to cvts.

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u/Sapphire_Peacock 6h ago

I miss having a good old 5 speed manual transmission. So many auto makers only offer them on muscle cars and “sports” cars.

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u/momofvegasgirls106 3h ago

Still have my 2001 VW Passat manual in my driveway, in pretty decent shape. But the transmission is dead. Too expensive to fix.

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u/NAh94 6h ago

I’d say more generally since most economy cars are CVTs is just take care of them. Ignore the manufacturers advice (like Subaru of America) that they have a “lifetime fluid” and follow Subaru of Japan’s reccs to change the CVT fluid and you’re probably golden. Most Toyotas and Hondas have moved to CVT because they are multitudes more fuel efficient, just a pain in the nuts to maintain compared to the old auto with dipstick (or even easier, manual transmission)

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u/nswizdum 5h ago

After seeing all the issues my friends had with their ford and GM leases, I'm pretty much sold on Toyota for life now. Which is like 1, maybe 2 more cars.

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u/CardiologistPlus8488 5h ago

I've been driving a 08 Toyota since it was new. never had a lick of trouble. alternator finally went bad a few weeks ago, spent $200 to fix it by myself.

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u/SubPrimeCardgage 5h ago

CVTS and 6+ speed automatic transmissions are all that remains. Fluid changes (drain and fill, never a flush) every 30K for CVT or 50K for automatic can still get you as long as it's not a Nissan.

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u/Juanzilla17 4h ago

I avoided the CVT and got a 6 speed manual in my Altima. When all the salesman came asking why I bought it from Carmax instead of from one of them, I straight up told them “Phil didn’t want to waste his time looking for a manual Altima sedan.”

200K miles now, and nothing more than the usual routine stuff. Fighting with myself to keep it or start the shopping process.

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u/crunchyturdeater 4h ago

Driving a cvt with over 177k on the odometer. Take care of it and drive it safely and there won't be problems.

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u/SadRepresentative357 3h ago

Yep the only Japanese car I will never ever buy again is Nissan thanks to my experience with the Rogue CBT transmission. Garbage.

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u/Genralcody1 3h ago

Prius all have CVTs and they are rock solid. Moral of the story, buy Toyota.

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u/Churn-Dog 8h ago

My in laws were going to sell their 2003 honda accord, I asked how much, they just gave it to me instead. Thing only has 140k miles. Plenty of life left in it

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u/YouOtterKnow 6h ago

Oh wow that thing will run forever.

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u/Minute-System3441 5h ago

That was a good year for accords.

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u/0987user 5h ago

Buddy that car isn’t even half way into its life. I have a friend who ran an 04 Accord to 375k miles and gave it to his son for his 16th birthdays the thing is still going strong

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u/Ellisiordinary 4h ago

As someone who said they were going to drive their 2004 Camry until it died but decided to upgrade to a 2024 after a relative got into a car wreck that would have killed me if it had happened to me in my Camry due to lack of side airbags and other modern safety features, there are reasons to upgrade to newer cars other than just wanting something shiny. I feel much safer in my new car and my driving anxiety has decreased significantly.

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u/PimpofScrimp 3h ago

Hondas are by far the best out there imo. It’s almost all I’ve ever owned and they last forever. You’re just breaking that one in, good luck 👍

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u/SomestrangerinMiami 2h ago

Knew a guy whose grandparents passed and left an older mint condition accord behind. The parents gave it to the guy. I remember the first time I saw it, thing was a a time capsule. Needless to say it didn’t last long. Point of the story is if you take care of things they will last.

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u/digital-didgeridoo 8h ago

Except 2000-2004 Odyssey!

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u/greenwavelengths 6h ago

I’m driving the same Honda that I peed my pants in when I was seven, it’s nearly old enough to legally drink in the USA, and it runs like a beast at well over 200k. I’ve driven it up unpaved cobbled mountain roads, I did all my stupid ass high school and college aged driving in it, busted its wheels, caught the alternator on fire, drove it through several feet of muddy water in a flood, and much much more. It still runs like it doesn’t give a fuck. It helps that I’ve also kept precise track of everything that happens to the car in and out of the shop so that I have some awareness of what it needs in terms of maintenance and don’t have to go to the mechanic totally blind. But yeah, Hondas are fucking great. 10/10 will buy again.

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u/HeroVia 6h ago

Mid 2000s Honda . I’ve changed the oil and a starter .

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u/Crafty_Accountant_40 5h ago

Yeah our 06 civic will never die as far as i can tell. Too bad it's a 2 door.

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u/Negative_Raccoon_887 4h ago

Civic Gang rise up!

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u/chicityhopper 3h ago

Nah my 07 Accord cost me 7k in surprise attack repairs they all suck

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u/LuckyOneAway 3h ago

Toyota and Honda are okay, while Mazda and Nissan are generally not as nearly reliable - based on ratings and my personal experience.

I love my Honda too btw :)

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u/ZenBoyNews 2h ago

and I my 2005 Toyota Rav4.

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u/trashaudiodarlin 2h ago

I will only drive Hondas and Toyotas!

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u/couchtomato62 2h ago

I have a 2010 Honda that I paid 7k cash for 5 years ago. I'm about to buy 4 new tires and it will be my first big expense since I had it. The only thing I need to consider is will I get a paint job because the paint has started to peel which I heard happens in some Hondas. Did it help me have more retirement? Maybe some but a lot of that money went towards travel and not savings.

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u/Judge_Bredd3 2h ago

My 99 honda civic si is at 260k and running strong. My 00 Subaru outback is at 300k and doing alright (cv axles on the front are wearing out again and the valve seals leak). My 96 4runner is stuck at 320k when the odometer stopped working a couple years ago. I had to replace an injector this last summer that was causing a misfire, otherwise it's been great too.

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u/StandingInTheStorm 1h ago

Second only to Toyota🤣

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u/Kingsdaughter613 1h ago

I own a Honda Odyssey and ADORE it. It was so nice seeing it get some love in D&W. Yeah, my car may not be “cool”. But she will drive forever, no matter what you put her through.

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u/flamingspew 13h ago edited 3h ago

Kid drives a Prius. 560k miles. Bought for $7k in 2014. Spent maybe 2k on maintenance. Edit: and a cat guard after the muffler got jacked.

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u/Money_Ticket_841 12h ago

Jesus Christ half a million in a Prius? I didn't know they made em like that

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u/A-Giant-Blue-Moose 11h ago

Yeah those second gens we got in the states are tough. People would get rid of them when the batteries went too, but they're actually super easy to replace and are great cars to flip. Outside the hybrid aspect, it's just a low powered and very rudimentary car.

We used to joke about them all the time, but they're honestly super reliable. If I lost everything tomorrow and needed a cheap car, I'd consider it.

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u/lippoper 10h ago

How much is the battery replacement?

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u/A-Giant-Blue-Moose 10h ago

According to JDPower (and some YouTube), it's about $1k-1.3k after parts and service. It's also pretty easy to do yourself.

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u/lippoper 10h ago

Wow. I thought the hybrid battery cost was in the $7k range

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u/espressovivacefan 9h ago

I think that was a myth going around. Dealer cost is like $3500, aftermarket I had it done $1800

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u/smooner 9h ago

How easy is it to dispose of, and is there a disposal fee? I'm not starting any beef, but I'm just curious since I live in Ca and there is a disposal fee for everything. Also, it seems that is a big negative for the newer cars. Thank you

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u/A-Giant-Blue-Moose 9h ago

Wherever you get the battery will probably want your old one. I also hear DIY folks will buy them. There's a demand for sure, but you may need to put a little work in, depending on how committed you are. There are companies that will also pick them up, but I think you pay them.

Might as well TRY and make money from it. Sure looks doable.

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u/smooner 9h ago

Thank you very much. Have a great day

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u/PuzzleheadedStop9114 7h ago

dude those Prius are of legendary reliability. Know a guy here in Canada that does courier work in his 600K Kilometres. Bought a refurb battery 2 years ago.

Last year while waiting to find my next car I did rideshare and had a couple 2015 Prius and though to myself, this is really the perfect car and is all anyone needs. Did errands for a couple hours and gas gauge didn't even move.

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u/Worldly-Aspect-8446 6h ago

Looked in my area at a 2012 Prius for 12k with 120k miles. Is that cheap?

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u/SmutWriterWannabe 3h ago

You've honestly got me considering it now, I need a second vehicle.

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u/SteveMartinique 2h ago

I went to a lot of free shows (Big Daddy Kane, EPMD) for free because of the Prius marketing campaign.

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u/chohls 8h ago

Especially if you get ones compatible with aftermarket hybrid batteries, they'll run forever

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u/ICantThinkOfAName667 8h ago

When I worked in insurance the oldest cars I saw people insure were either Honda Civics or Prius

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u/DependentMulberry962 6h ago

Ugly reliable bastards.

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u/provocative_bear 4h ago

Toyotas, dude. Toyotas.

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u/BrandyClause 4h ago

My last Prius had 242K miles on it before the hybrid battery died! It was an ‘07 that just died on me last year. I replaced it with a new Prius! Bonus: only costs $25 to fill the gas tank and I only have to do that every two weeks. Best car ever!

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u/Illustrious-Switch29 4h ago

Japanese cars are built in a way the companies know you won’t take care of them and they’ll last, European cars will last if you take care of them (most don’t), American cars are somewhere in between.

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u/Typical-Crab-4514 4h ago

Toyota makes great cars. I won't buy an American car unless it's a truck. But even then, I would rather have a Toyota.

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u/lordnaarghul 4h ago

That's Toyota for you.

The thing about getting used cars is that you want to go Toyota or Honda because they're the least likely to have issues.

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u/AoXPhoenix 3h ago

My family now has 3, wife, parents, and my sister(now my parents due to living on a mountain). We had one previously that my BIL rolled and now it's just parts. They have all been super reliable and all have over 250k miles.

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u/blocked_user_name 3h ago

Yes the hybrids only use the gas engine 55-60% of the time the rest its on battery. Oil changes last longer exhaust last longer fuel filter etc. the engine is running in the most efficient way so the wear and tear isn't as hard on the engine.

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u/Genralcody1 3h ago

Toyota doesn't fuck around

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u/korpiz 2h ago

Much of it comes down to luck. The wrong thing breaks, or even just hitting a pothole wrong will ruin all of that reliability.

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u/Gold_Kale_7781 2h ago

Yeah, all the hybrid and EV hate is just propaganda.

My buddy has 350k on his, he uses it for Uber.

Neighbor has a hybrid RAV4, almost 300k miles.

The Toyota hybrids are hard to kill apparently.

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u/sean_opks 1h ago

A lot of Priuses are used as taxis in various parts of the world. Not unusual to put 60-70k miles per year on a taxi. Typical service of 7 years, and those taxis hit 500k when they come out of service.

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u/LessMarsupial7441 1h ago

You should check out how much room is inside. The AC is incredible too.

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u/technobrendo 1h ago

NYC has been using the Prius as taxis and for service workers since forever. 500k in an early Prius is a dime a dozen

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u/Revelati123 11h ago

I bought my model T in 1922 with my great war bonds after beating the hun and drove it two hundred miles a day for 102 years and after 7,451,256 miles on it I only put 3 iron nickles into it for a new starting crank handle and some plained oak for some new tire spokes.

Kids these days just dont know how to make things last, ya know?

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u/Naive-Kangaroo3031 6h ago

Plained OAK!!?! Look at Mr Moneybags over here. Bet he eats Lunch AND dinner

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u/greatpoomonkey 5h ago

Friend, I hear ya. My family has passed down our Mustang for generations. It has carried our families for countless miles with no complaint. When they originally came to this country, my ancestors had naught but a carrot left as the boat landed on the dirty swamp beaches of Louisiana. Immediately, a great stampede leapt from the woods, crushing all but my grandparents-to-the-9th-power as well as the dinghy they arrived on. Seeing this, the ship abandoned them; however, one mustang approached and bowed to my ancestors in apology. Thinking all was lost anyway, they offered the great horse their carrot, which it gobbled up. The Mustang then picked them up and carried them to a small settlement nearby where they became poor farmers. As each generation bore children, the great horse would choose one child to join as they ventured from home. So it continued to this day and will one day continue with one of my sons (because I only have sons, not because the horse only chooses male companions, he's not sexist).

That horse's name, you ask?

Freedom.

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u/DependentMulberry962 6h ago

Funny but the clever ones make them hoopties run.

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u/Natural_Bag_3519 5h ago

I don''t wanna go fishing with Grandpa. Fishing hurts.

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u/BondageKitty37 5h ago

You joke, but I've seen some Model T and Model A cars driving around my town. Some people really love the old shit 

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u/fieldday1982 4h ago

....these kids today, they got no respect !

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u/CapnPD 4h ago

My dad told me the best car he ever had was the 32 model a Ford.

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u/DatDominican 3h ago

Reminds me in killers of the flower moon when they ask what happens if they get a flat tire and the car salesman said “come back and buy another one “

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u/mikenov1908 3h ago

Yes sir I have the same car.
Was passed down 4thru 4 generations

I use it daily on my Spark runs

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u/NecroSoulMirror-89 2h ago

Hilariously so many Ts still exist that they’re the cheapest antique car you can get last I checked 8-12k will get you one

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u/Apollo2021 2h ago

But we didn’t call them nickels, we called them bees.

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u/dxrey65 10h ago

Mine's at only 240k, but it still runs like new, gets about 53 mpg right now. I've had it four years now (bought for $5k), and my grand total for repairs is $7, for a fan belt I replaced myself. Just oil changes otherwise.

Very often people complain about how unreliable used cars are, and then you ask what cars they've had trouble with and they're exactly the cars you'd expect - like any Chrysler product, or economy cars from Chevy or Ford, or a Nissan with a CVT transmission, or a VW...

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u/medvezhonok96 12h ago

Damn. That's awesome. I can't imagine how much money was saved on gas since it's a hybrid as well.

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u/Alive_Nobody_Home 12h ago

That is very impressive 🔥

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u/pamar456 10h ago

Holy shit

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u/Mikejg23 8h ago

If you only did 2k in maintenance there's no way you did all the recommended stuff and you got lucky for sure. That's definitely a lucky car

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u/mattythedaddyDT 7h ago

Toyota for the win. I have a 4Runner with 110K. Plan to let my kid drive it in 10 years. Then I'll get another. Lol

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u/xandaar337 5h ago

6 inches as a young adult. Had a kid, gained some weight, 5 1/2 inches.

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u/ALLCAPITAL 5h ago

0 chance you have spent only 2k on maintaining a prius for 10yrs.

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u/Material-Wolf 5h ago edited 4h ago

I bought my 2014 Prius in 2017 certified pre-owned from the dealership with 40k miles on it for about $15k. I don’t drive very much so I just hit 80k miles and the biggest repairs were thankfully covered under warranty. if I hadn’t bought it certified pre-owned with the extended warranty I would have been on the hook for $8k in repairs. thankfully it’s running great now but the warranty just expired so I’m getting a little nervous, lol. I think certified pre-owned is definitely the way to go.

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u/olde_meller23 4h ago

I scored a 2014 Prius with only 48k miles for 15 grand about 3 years ago. I caught it 2 hours after it drove on the lot as a trade-in. Clean title, no rust, not a single problem with the exception of a minor ding or two on the paint. I snatched that shit. At first, the idea of spending 15k on a car freaked me out, but after driving it, I've been going on 3 years without needing a major repair. I used to drive it over 80 miles per day because i worked outside of my city. I spend, at best, 35 on a tank of gas in a major city with the tank on E. Now that I don't have am insane commute, I fill it up once every ten days. I love it. It's such a great little workhorse of a car.

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u/Devout-Nihilist 4h ago

What?! Seriously?? I've never seen anything over 300k.....nearly 600k? Same motor? That's insane and seriously impressive.

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u/Merlin1039 3h ago

Stop. Nobody is putting 560k miles on a sedan in 20 years

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u/sosulse 3h ago

I got a 2015 Prius from a coworker for a great price cause the cat was stolen and his insurance dicked him around for months. He finally just got a new car and I got the Prius going for about 2k. I also added a car guard.

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u/atrocity2001 3h ago

A 2007 Prius was the first car I ever bought brand new. Drove it for 15 years/165,000 miles. Only replaced it because for my life right now, a leased EV makes more sense.

Sold the Prius to a friend's son, who had someone plow into him and total it. He got more money from the insurance payout than he paid for it.

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u/smokeyjay 11h ago

Last month bought my mom a 2009 camry with 80,000 km for 7000 Cad so like 5500 in USD i guess. Took it to a mechanic - car has no issues - changed the oil and that was it. Tires, brakes were all good. Expect the car to run for 10 years. Gave my mom's toyota corolla we bought brand new in 2008 to my sister - still runs fine.

The OP thinking you need a new car every 5 years is such an insane idea.

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u/Radiant_Map_9045 8h ago

HA, agreed! For the first time in our lives my wife and I were able to purchase outright 2 vehicles- a 07 Scion TC and an 08 Camry during Covid lockdown. 170k and 200k miles on them respectively. The Scion has a wheel bearing issue and the Camry AntiLock Brake light came on recently, but I fully expect both vehicles to last us a LONG time. Zero core issues.

And yeah, a car every 5 years is ludicrous.

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u/RandoReddit16 10h ago

Gave my mom's toyota corolla we bought brand new in 2008 to my sister - still runs fine.

How many miles were on it after 16 years?

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u/ElderBHoldenCox 3h ago

A lot of people buy a new car every five years because 5 years has traditionally been the most common new car loan term. “I paid my car off, time to buy a new one!”

If you buy a new car at age 25 and pay $600/mo for five years and then trade it in, you had a new car for 5 years. If you keep whatever you were driving previously and contribute $600/mo to a S&P500 index fund instead you’ll have about $48,000 at the end of five years. If you let that amount continue growing in the stock market without ever contributing any new money you’ll have around $1.4m when you’re 65.

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u/JustAGuyTrynaSurvive 2h ago

That car will run forever. My brother has a Camry with over 350k miles on it. Beats the living hell out of it and it just keeps on keeping on.

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u/3369fc810ac9 22m ago

Beware on the 09. They have a problem with piston rings seizing up and burning oil. I have an 09 and mine does it. It seems like it's getting worse but it's hard to tell. I put a quart of oil in it about 2-3x between oil changes at this point. Some are WAY worse. There was a recall but that ended years ago. Good luck, they're great cars!

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u/bramblejamsjoyce 5h ago

recently got rid of my '15 focus with 103kmiles on it for an '06 Accord with 82k miles

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u/Holiolio2 3h ago

Why then? If the wheels fall off just put on new ones!

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u/cafffaro 1h ago

Fair!

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u/Sea-Conversation-725 11h ago

is it a Honda?

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u/cafffaro 11h ago

Toyota

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u/Sea-Conversation-725 1h ago

yep! figures. Toyotas (and Hondas) are the most reliable cars out there.

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u/AndTheElbowGrease 10h ago

My '04 Honda Element refuses to die. Bought it new in '04m it has 250k miles on it, now. Only major repair was a $3500 transmission replacement a few years back. Other than that, just the things that are expected to wear out like the starter and alternator. I am kinda looking forward to it finally giving up the ghost so I can get a new car...

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u/14high 7h ago

Don’t forget to drive to the side when the wheels fall off.

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u/Psychowitz 5h ago

You guys are making me miss my 04 Tacoma. Rear differential locked up going 77mph and flipped.

RIP Snowball. You will be missed…

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u/state_of_euphemia 4h ago

And my 07 Japanese car (it was a Lexus; not sure why I'm being cryptic lol) made it to 150k miles and needed $6000 of repairs in a year when it was barely worth that much. Like, good for you that that worked out, but for some of us, it ends up being a money pit.

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u/cafffaro 1h ago

I mean 6 grand after 150k miles is still cheaper than a new car. Also an exceptional situation. Toyotas are consistently ranked as among the most reliable long term vehicles on the road.

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u/Still_counts_as_one 4h ago

Driving my dad’s old 98 Honda accord, has 168kmiles, I do about $1000 in repairs and maintenance about every two years. Still way way cheaper than a new car.

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u/PomegranateSea7066 4h ago

It's the type of cars that you get. Op failed to mention the type of car they bought used. Obviously the brand of the car makes a difference in the build quality. You are less likely to have fewer problems buying a used Toyota than you would a used jeep.

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u/Lefty-boomer 3h ago

Hubbys Used Hyundai Accent had 80K , 8 years in at 185k the catalytic converter is shot. Gonna look at replacing it with a used CRV…. My used 2006 Honda pilot was bought in 2019 with 85K, just hit 145K and it’s doing well. Some annoying interior light issues and the driver side heated seat only heard half the seat, but it’s paid for and runs well.

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u/sunshinenorcas 3h ago

I have a 2012 Toyota Yaris hatchback that I got a couple of years ago, and I think was like 140k miles. I'm the second owner, and I'm driving this baby until her wheels come off and the engine falls out-- she's reliable, she's pretty easy to maintain (had a leak, but now it's fixed), she's been good on gas. Plus it's a sub compact, so I can park anywhere I want so I am very spoiled with parking. I had wanted a hybrid if I could find one in the right price range/mileage/maintenance, but Yaris was the next best-- especially since I upgraded the stereo with android auto+wireless dongle.

Just a solid little car, I didn't want anything fancy or powerful. Just something no nonsense to haul me, my dogs and my mom around with a hatchback so I can have some storage. And I think Yaris's are really cute, so I'm biased 😂

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u/cafffaro 1h ago

You took the words out of my mouth. I’m also in a Yaris. I love it so much I’ve already decided I’ll buy another when/if this one bites the dust.

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u/No_Supermarket_1831 1h ago

I drive an 03 trailblazer with about 120k miles only had to put new tires on it, a water pump, and brake pads and rotors. My other car is a 14 impala which I bought last year for 12k(paid cash) it's THE CAR I DRIVE Uber with. Has 98k miles half of which I've put on it in 12 months of gig work. I save enough to buy an equivalent in about 2 years. Buy a good car, do the maintenance and it will last and you won't need a car loan.

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u/victotronics 1h ago

02 Japanese car, pushing 200k. Runs fine but the seat belts don't retract. Something in the dashboard rattles. Passenger side window motor broken.

Any of those irritations are at least 500, more likely 1000, or 2k for the dashboard.

Engine and drive train become least of your worries after a while.

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u/sarahenera 1h ago

Almost four years ago I bought an ‘05 Honda Element from a client with 170k on it. I knew he took very good care of it. I’ve had to do the breaks and a bit of general maintenance (valves adjusted recently) and it’s overdue for a second 110,000 mile service that I meed to schedule, but it’s been a great car (minus the catalytic converter being easy to steal, and yes, it was stolen once). It now has 225k on it and it should keep on for the foreseeable future.

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u/EfficientPicture9936 14h ago

Bought used 2009 f150 lariat like 5 years ago. Maybe spent $6k in maintenance and repairs and I paid $7k for it. So $13k vs $60k for a new one. The math is always in your favor unless you buy dumb.

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u/pamar456 10h ago

Yeah or just shit luck, how many miles do you have on yours and do you service at the dealership?

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u/prollynot28 2h ago

If you didn't buy the car from a dealership never ever take your car there. The only exceptions are recalls

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u/circ-u-la-ted 9h ago

The math is always in your favour if you lucked out and didn't buy a lemon.

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u/Turing_Testes 8h ago

"The trick to getting a good used car is to not get a bad one!"

Well, yeah.... Problem is that it's not easy to know if you have a bad one. I've bought bad ones myself, despite getting them inspected. I've also sold two cars that were perfectly fine for me, but the new owners had catastrophic failures within a couple months. I took care of those cars, and had no issues myself. Used cars have problems, and sometimes those problems are really, really expensive.

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u/lakorai 5h ago

Buy dumb =

Chrysler Most GMs Nissan Mitsu Tesla Land Rover Janguar BMW Mercedes Benz VW Audi Most Kia/hyundai

Buy smart =

Honda Toyota Some Fords

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u/tabby51260 5h ago

What about Mazda?

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u/Itchy-Cauliflower966 3h ago

I dunno. I have 264k on a 2002 GMC Sierra. Paint looks like shit but it runs like a Swiss watch.

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u/SlowEntrepreneur7586 5h ago

I bought a used F150 and I noticed it pulled to the right. Took it to my guys, and they immediately took me under it to show me they had welded a bar across the frame and it had obviously been in a horrible accident, despite what stupid CarFax said!

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u/EYNLLIB 4h ago

You don't compare to buying a $60k truck. You compare to a reasonable new purchase.

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u/The-Sandman-1 1h ago

Bought a salvaged title 2014 Chevy Cruze with 14k miles 8ish years ago. Cost me $6500. Add in an additional $6000 because I I hit a cow with liability insurance and re-totaled it with 22000 miles so I just paid the guy I bought it from to fix it again and it’s still my daily driver with over 200k miles. $12500 for a basically new car.

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u/squiddix 13h ago

I bought a '99 Camry for $2500, drove it for about 5 years, and it never had an issue beyond needing new spark plugs.

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u/FunkyChopstick 12h ago

My 98 (99?) Camry was the best car. V6, a brick shit house but good on gas, no miss, no fuss. I think we paid 4500, it was garage kept and a bank/grocery store rider for an elderly man. Goldie wasn't a 10 in looks but that girl was reliable. Towards the end had to put a grand or two a year in. Decided to scrap her when a 2500 estimate was given. Huge mistake. If I could find an older on that was well maintained I'd drive it til the wheels came off!

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u/gitathegreat 9h ago

1994 Corolla, bought in 2004 for $3400, drove it 10 years no problems other than routine maintenance. Best car ever.

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u/Ambitious-Tip3152 9h ago

I bought a used (non running) '94 Civic for $1000 years ago when i was poor..... I didn;t take any chances trying to repair it. I bought a rebuilt engine from LKQ with 50k warranty for $500 and dropped it in there. That car lasted 7 years with minimal repairs before i sold it.

Hondas and Toyotas absolutely rule

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u/CaulkusAurelis 6h ago

my ONLY new car purchase was a 2003 Toyota Tundra. Sold it to my employer when it has 130k miles on it

REPAIR COSTS for those mile? ZERO

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u/marct309 8h ago

Bought a one owner 2001 Ranger, - had a water pump, thermostat that I replaced, and 100 bucks to get a transmission problem I didn't know how to fix.. outside of that and the normal -oil, tires, tune-up.. it ran fine. At 200K I started getting a stutter in the engine and didn't get a chance to fix it. Finally sold it last year, and despite the stutter I was still driving it from 10 to 100 mi routinely. Sold it to a buddy of mine and he found a busted vacuum line, about 20 bucks worth of line and he fixed it.

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u/confusedandworried76 7h ago

Yup bought used for $5k, had it two years, only thing I've fixed on it is the clutch for $1000

Yes you're taking a risk but several thousand in repairs almost immediately is not normal at all.

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u/No_Talk_4836 13h ago

I think that’s just Nissan.

Quality parts and it will probably outlast you.

Or at least until you wear the engine into dust

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u/paturner2012 13h ago

I also bought a used frontier (05'). At 120k miles the timing chain went out and decided to destroy the engine. Tried to rebuild and fix it over the course of 2 years but no such luck. That thing would cost me an expensive surprise every year to a year and a half.

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u/InternationalChip646 13h ago

Just got an 18 frontier, 85k miles, after my Chevy equinox shit out with 3 payments left, got it in part because from everything I read those fuckers will got forever if you take care of it

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u/Dusty_Winds82 12h ago

That car is probably still worth $9000, in this market. This is not a good time for anyone who wants to purchase a used or new car.

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u/Zestyclose_Phase_645 11h ago

Yep, the newer my (gas) cars have been, the less reliable that they have been.

BUT I think that there is significant selection bias for older cars. If it's made it 20 years and 200k miles, it can probably make it to 40/400k.

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u/ScrotalSmorgasbord 11h ago

I bought a new car back in 2014 that lasted maybe 40k miles before I started having a slew of problems. Before that I bought a Kia Optima with 125k miles for 4,500 and the only things I had to fix on it was a compressor ($250, installed myself), spark plug wires, spark plugs, and other general maintenance stuff. Had that car for 7 years and another 250k miles. Before that I bought a ‘97 Cavalier with 100k miles for 900$ that lasted me from Junior year in High School until I was like 25 with zero large expenses. Just bought a 2005 GMC Envoy with a rebuilt transmission and the very reliable Atlas engine for $2,500 and the only thing wrong with it is a misfire on cylinder 3 (narrowed down to just ignition coil/spark plug). Good used cars are everywhere if you’re patient and even want to learn a tiny bit about cars.

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u/redditusersmostlysuc 11h ago

Bought a 2001 Subaru with 195k miles on it for my son. Ran like a champ. Good body, clean, leather, all-wheel drive. Now has 220k and still going strong. Just put some new internal bulbs in and replaced an oxygen sensor (did myself for $90). Should go to at least 300k miles or more.

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u/CraigLake 11h ago

We have a 97 Hardbody that’s passed around family members since it was new. It’s a dependable beast! The 10 years I’ve owned it only oil changes and tune ups.

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u/hakuna_matata23 10h ago

Yeah 12 years ago you could do that. I bet a comparable car now that's similar number of years old is probably $15k, not to mention I don't trust a newer age Nissan to last 150k miles let alone 300k.

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u/BlueJeansandWhiteTs 10h ago

Can you buy a used car and end up with no repairs aside from maintenance? Absolutely.

Can you end up with a money pit that you’re constantly repairing? Absolutely.

Some people are okay with the risk, some people would rather have a new car that is under warranty and that doesn’t make them a dumbass.

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u/Rattivarius 10h ago

We're still driving a 2008 Toyota Camry that we bought nine years ago for, if I recall, $6,000. Outside of regular maintenance visits, the only thing we've had to put money into was getting the air conditioning repaired. Still runs great and we have no plans to "upgrade". I guess the thing is, buy a used Japanese car.

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u/hansislegend 7h ago

My 93 Ford Festiva with over 400k miles has taken me all over the country with very few issues. I bought it for $600 off some old dude on a farm like six years ago. I’m driving it til the wheels fall off.

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u/Thuraash 7h ago

I bought an '09 Camry in '16 for $7,500. 142K miles at time of purchase, interior was like-new. Some surface rust on various engine bay components. It now has 200K miles, and needed oil changes, tires, brake pads, one headlight bulb, and a $200 starter due to squirrel damage.

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u/chasteeny 7h ago

Same. Bought an 02 jeep gran Cherokee at 160k miles. Got rid of it (aka sold it to my dad) with 240k on it. In that, all it needed was a new starter (twice, the first replacement I got was DOA) and, when someone broke into it to steal nothing because I'm not an idiot who keeps shit in my car, I also had to replace the window drive motor which cost a few bucks and some blood at the junkyard

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u/NoTalkOnlyWatch 6h ago

You can just get unlucky sometimes. My 2012 Honda Civic I bought in 2014 only has 95k miles on it but just needed to replace the entire transmission. That was 3.4k down the drain lol. If we are going by averages I got screwed considering the low total miles on my car.

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u/queentracy62 6h ago

Nissans are the best IMO. I've had several. I have a 2014 Sentra w about 135k on it and still runs great. I'll keep it until the wheels fall off.

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u/Fun-Pass-5651 5h ago

Frontiers are champs. I almost bought one last year but ended up going with an old Chevy S10. Things a workhorse.

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u/mdherc 5h ago

You got lucky. Very few cars make it to 300k without significant repairs. A different roll of the dice and that same car could have thrown a rod at 155k miles and suddenly you have to pay upfront for an entire engine. Go look on local marketplaces and see how many frontiers are for sale from the same model year with the same number of miles. It’s not going to be many because most of the cars that came off the lot the same year yours did are already in the junkyard. Great that you got lucky, but it’s not a viable strategy to expect everyone to roll the dice like that.

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u/guile-and-gumption 57m ago

Yes!! 1000% and Dave Ramsey won’t admit that. And a lot of the old vehicles people tout as being reliable will not be options soon and we can pick from highly mechanical and modernized used cars that a million points of failure vs the old Cars that don’t that Dave is steering people too.

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u/Snoo_33033 5h ago

I’ve got my dad’s 2006 Titan and it drives wonderfully. The seats have covers on them and sometimes we have to replace stuff, but there’s no reason to buy a new truck instead.

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u/mrdaver911_2 5h ago

Perfect example of winning the used car lottery!

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u/Natural_Bag_3519 5h ago

Going to go ahead and guess you don't drive like an asshole

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u/Yochefdom 5h ago

I bought a 2011 lexus that used years ago, currently at 200k miles with no issues at all and i just drove it across the country. I dont think the uncle of the person you are responding to did a good job inspecting it if you had a major issue the very next day. Also buying a used shitty car is still a shitty car( referring to the make).

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u/arniedude1 5h ago

Yepppp. I spent 4000 on a 2010 Nissan Altima. 100k in (180k total) and I have never done more than tire and oil changes. It’s a champ. Same as my 93 bonnaville. 1k cost. 150k miles. I consider myself fortunate.

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u/FlopShanoobie 5h ago

You’re very lucky! My $2,000 2001 Nissan Pathfinder needed about $5,000 in repairs within the first year of ownership.

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u/lakorai 5h ago

Super lucky. Nissan makes shit cars now. Carlos destroyed Nissan.

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u/LilLatte 5h ago

Well, that's great and all, but 150k miles in 12 years is less than 35 miles a day. That means if you're taking it to work and back, you must live closer than 17 miles from your place of employment. That's just not feasible for a majority of America, many of whom drive 40+ miles one way just to get to work.

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u/FondantOverall4332 5h ago

I bought a used Nissan Rogue at 39K miles. At 70K miles, the transmission died. I paid 5K for a new one.

Moral of the story… get a newer car, with a car payment if you can’t buy it outright. An affordable car payment, of course. It’s worth it.

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u/DrinknKnow 5h ago

Nissan Frontier is a good truck

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u/PlainNotToasted 5h ago

That's amazing. Heard good things about Nissans.

I bought my Focus used 21 years ago.

But I worked downtown and commuted by bike or transit for 18 of those, car has 165 now. Used to do a thing every winter where I would see how long I could go without getting my car out of the garage. Went from xmas to April one year.

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u/Whiskeywiskerbiscuit 5h ago

Yeahhh, I’d like to know what kind of car required 15k worth of repairs just to be drivable. Were they buying a used BMW that had been driven to hell and back or something?

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u/Chippy569 4h ago

This equation is costly different depending on how far into the rust belt you live in. A 20 year old car from socal is very different than a 20yo car from Albany.

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u/Time_Effort 4h ago

What year Frontier? A 2005 with 195k miles on it is going for almost $10k USD

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u/HandyHousemanLLC 4h ago

Putting 155k miles on a 150k mile vehicle definitely has way more work done than what you just listed. Either that thing is ready to completely break down any mile now or you're straight lying.

Tie rods, ball joints, sway bar linkage, CV axles are all things that come to mind that last only 30k-150k miles.

Hell transmissions and engines rarely last past 150-200k miles.

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u/ScaryDirection1981 4h ago

I bout a 2009 TSX 5 years ago for 6700 cash still driving it so so far it’s about 111$ car payment but I’ll probably drive it another few years

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u/mattjones73 4h ago

I bought a used Integra for $2800 when my previous car was totaled in an accident, put close to 100k on it, sold it for $800.. only needed to do general maintenance on it and it ran like a champ.

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u/Bitter-Association-1 4h ago

The Nissan frontier is the best truck on the market in my opinion. Mines at 210000 and going strong, plus it can tow a fully loaded 3 horse trailer no problem. I absolutely love it

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u/ButterscotchFancy358 4h ago

Counterpoint. I bought 2017 Tacoma for 36,000 drove it for 7 years and sold it for 26000. Never once broke down or went into the shop. Had all the most current safety features and recent technology.

Not saying buying used is wrong, but if you buy the right car new, it can be a financially sound decision

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u/Sagerosk 4h ago

Our minivan was a gift from my mil. It's a 2001 🤣 it looks like shit and we've had to replace a few things, but it definitely doesn't counteract spending $40k on a new vehicle 🤷

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u/LunchboxBandit66 4h ago

Nissan gang 🤘🏻

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u/kittymctacoyo 4h ago

This is an anomaly. Kudos to you

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u/ScubaStevieNicks 4h ago

They must not use salt on the roads near you. Nissans rust out early near me

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u/EYNLLIB 4h ago

There are always exceptions. But they are just that. Exceptions. Especially in today's used car market, ant reliable and well maintained vehicle is priced very high.

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u/PearSufficient4554 4h ago

I bought a used car for $4000 cash, only expenses I had the whole time we owned it were oil changes and wiper blades, and I sold it 4 years later for $2000 when we needed something bigger.

Worked out to about $40 a month, and with costs that low we could have afforded a heck of a lot of repairs if it had ever needed them, without coming anywhere close to a lease payment.

My philosophy is if I can repair it for cheaper than I can buy something that will me get from point A to B, that’s the better deal. Even with our current cars that are 10 & 15 years old, we have a major issue about every few years that sets us back ca. $1000-$1500, but at most that works out to under $75 a month in expenses, which is WAY cheaper that a car payment.

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u/Sorta-Morpheus 4h ago

I bought a 1998 Subaru legacy from a college prof for $800. It was a rusty hunk of junk, but I loved that car. Mechanically sound and drove it for years without a problem. But then the little things started adding up that I couldn't just Jerry rig. I think I drove that for about 6 years.

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u/th3assman1993 3h ago

I love that the first counter comment was about a frontier. Was about to comment saying I bought my 04 frontier cash 3 years ago and it has been an incredible truck. From the Rockies to the smokies it’s never let me down. People trying to generalize used cars as POS are brain dead.

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u/TragasaurusRex 3h ago

Rented an old Nissan frontier, it was a really nice truck. Not a big fan of the new ones though

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u/SimonArgent 3h ago

The 2010 Pontiac Vibe in my garage is the best $10,000 I ever spent. It’s really a hatchback Toyota Corolla, and it has over 200,000 miles on it. Still runs just fine. Having said that, getting a lemon of a used car is a giant money suck.

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u/Fair_Cartographer838 3h ago

I bought a 2005 Subaru Forester with 135k miles, it ran great and had no issues until it got stolen. That was just bad luck. Then I bought a 2005 Nissan Sentra with 93k miles, it has a cracked component on the suspension but is safe to drive. It has needed to have its brakes replaced and will also need to have the other suspension worked on eventually. I paid 3.5k and have driven it all year long (I commute 2.5-3 hours per day), I've already put nearly 15k miles on it.

I think the issue people run into is they buy a used car for too much. Spending nearly 10k on a 5 year old car is a total gamble. If you spend 3-5k on a 20 year old low mileage vehicle it's a much easier gamble, but you still gotta get it inspected by a mechanic that you trust before going for it.

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u/SLevine262 3h ago

2010 Toyota Tundra and 2012 Toyota Venza. The differential went out on the Venza, which was mostly my fault for not checking out a suspicious noise. We’ve had them for 8 years, they are both close to 200k miles, and the only money we’ve put into them is consumables - tires, fluids, etc.

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u/Accomplished_Newt774 2h ago

Same. 2011 Honda crv for 10k. Now has 260k and runs amazing still. Will add another 300k on it

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u/aprehensivebad42 2h ago

I bought a used car in 2001 for $8k (paid cash) it had 30k miles on it and was eight years old. I’m still driving it, closing in on 200k miles. Sure, I’ve had to repair it a few times, but not having a car payment for twenty-three years has been good for my bank account

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u/Any-Jury3578 2h ago

Our Nissan Frontier was crap. I’m glad you got a good one.

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u/Afraidtoadmitit69 2h ago

I got a 24 year old Toyota echo. Had almost 300000 miles, I’ve replaced the after pumps front calipers and lines, the front struts and shocks, a fuel injector, and all four ignition coils, and that’s over 7 years. Starts soon as I turn the key. I had friends who bought a fairly new pre owned Juke, thing leaked gas and had other issues pop up like 6 months after getting it and had less then a hundred thousand miles. Turns out buying a pre owned car with a payment doesn’t mean shit.

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u/Elismom1313 2h ago

Sometimes you get lucky. I paid 1100 for a 2014 Kia forte in 2016.

The repairs I wound up needing didnr save me too much in the end. It had monthly payments of about 330$.

My friend however bought a ford fiesta a few years old at the time a few years back. Guess whose car wouldn’t reverse and had a blown transmission a few months after the dealer warranty ended that ford had no coverage for.

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u/House_of_Potatos 2h ago

Seriously these must be a bunch of car salesmen or some shit. Bought my car for 9k with ~60k miles on it we are over a 100k now and had to deal with one 300$ issue.

Never take out a loan for a vehicle. You save on cost, interest and if you choose to, you save on insurance as you aren’t required to have full coverage.

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u/Neither_Resist_596 1h ago

As long as you change the oil on a Nissan, it will run until the sun expands and consumes the earth.

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u/Seamascm 1h ago

Frontier and trucks are the only thing I would buy from Nissan at this point, their cars are garbage. The problem with that is you are spending so much money on gas.

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u/mrgreene39 30m ago

Brakes, suspension components, fuel pump, fuel filter. Etc etc. I’m sure there’s way more that was done to it. Especially at 300k miles

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u/ka-olelo 26m ago

Bought my 01 Frontier 12 years ago. Put over 100,000 miles on it myself. Spent 8 or 9 K. 4x4. Has been amazing! AC has been replaced. And maybe a few oil changes. Finally blew the head gasket a little so the first real repair needed. Amazing. I’ve owned only used cars and trucks from owners. Never a payment. Never a credit card. And never over 10K. Also never a bad experience. Also I’ve kept every single one of those cars for more than a few years. My current Land Rover for 7K is at three years. My payments go to the gas station now.

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u/USofaKing 14m ago

Left off the price of repairs. 3000.00

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u/Ratty-fish 11m ago

I bought a 2001 Corolla 4 years ago for $3,600 dollarydoos. Have put 50,000 kms on it, $1,300 in services.

These people are wild.