Used Car idea's?

Hey guys been a while since I've been on here! College has been stressful! I have a quick question. What is a good Used Car or SUV/Truck under $20,000 used? I'm preferably looking for something; I guess I would say; luxurious. I am looking for cars from around 2007 and on.

Thanks Yall!

Toyota Avalon. Luxurious, good (not great, but good) gas mileage, reliable, stylish, great resale value...and best of all, huge trunk to haul all of your equipment to the course.

Need a lot more information for what you are looking for... Size, speed, luxury, AWD, leather v cloth, gas mileage, etc... Give me a few bullets and I can rack my brain and come up with something

It's not the most luxurious vehicle but it will be the best investment, Subaru outback.

I sold cars for a living and still do as a side job. The best vehicles to come by the used lot were always Subaru. Excellent engines and drive train, great value retention, and rabid fan base. Their awd is spectacular and the 2.5 ho 4cyl is one of the best engines ever put into a car, period. It will be a vehicle that you may not love at first but when it comes time to move on you'll understand why people come back to Subaru. Btw, a modified version of the 2.5 engines are used in planes. That's telling

The other car I'd recommend is camry or avalon. Toyota had switched to the 3.5 6cyl by 07 which is a great engines but the older 3.0 6cyl almost rivals the subaru. I drive an 08 camry xle and love it. Only reason I don't have a Subaru was I got a stellar deal on the camry.

[quote name='SilverBullets' timestamp='1348633713' post='5696927']
Need a lot more information for what you are looking for... Size, speed, luxury, AWD, leather v cloth, gas mileage, etc... Give me a few bullets and I can rack my brain and come up with something
[/quote]


Size, I am looking for a relatively big car, i.e. Toyota FJ Cruiser, 4runner, or Lexus RX size. Would also look at a smaller 4 door i.e. BMW 3/5
Speed, Not a concern.
Drive train, Not a concern
Leather
Gas Milage, something relatively good, maybe above 18 or 19 would like something in the 20s

looking at non american cars please. Thanks

Lost me at "non American"

Why not help your nation's economy? Ford Escape is a great choice.

I just sold my 4runner last year. Great vehicle! You may be pushing the gas mileage even with the 6cyl though. I'd also look at Acura for cars, specifically the rl. Btw, you should be concerned with drive train (engines and transmition). Buy smart on those two points or risk a hefty bill down the road. Lastly, don't discount diesel Audi or Mercedes. Those suckers run great!

[quote name='TheJDMorris' timestamp='1348677458' post='5699011']
Lost me at "non American"

Why not help your nation's economy? Ford Escape is a great choice.
[/quote]

If he buys a used Lexus from the guy down the street, that money isn't going to Japan...

[quote name='bk4' timestamp='1348691671' post='5700247']
[quote name='TheJDMorris' timestamp='1348677458' post='5699011']
Lost me at "non American"

Why not help your nation's economy? Ford Escape is a great choice.
[/quote]

If he buys a used Lexus from the guy down the street, that money isn't going to Japan...
[/quote]

This....lol

If you're going to buy a used car, one out of any type of warranty anyhow, stay away from the high end. Parts are terribly overpriced. Stick with Toyota if you insist on an import.

I'd buy domestic and used simply on the fact that they're easier to work on and much cheaper to get parts for.

[quote name='John3Daly' timestamp='1348692448' post='5700311']
[quote name='bk4' timestamp='1348691671' post='5700247']
[quote name='TheJDMorris' timestamp='1348677458' post='5699011']
Lost me at "non American"

Why not help your nation's economy? Ford Escape is a great choice.
[/quote]

If he buys a used Lexus from the guy down the street, that money isn't going to Japan...
[/quote]

This....lol

If you're going to buy a used car, one out of any type of warranty anyhow, stay away from the high end. Parts are terribly overpriced. Stick with Toyota if you insist on an import.

I'd buy domestic and used simply on the fact that they're easier to work on and much cheaper to get parts for.
[/quote]

I'd buy a Honda or Toyota used simply on the fact that they don't break down as often and you won't need parts. Some domestic models are made in Canada or MX and some foreign cars are made in the US.

[quote name='againstthegrain' timestamp='1348697246' post='5700689']
I'd buy a Honda or Toyota used simply on the fact that they don't break down as often and you won't need parts. Some domestic models are made in Canada or MX and some foreign cars are made in the US.
[/quote]

I think you're making some type of point? It doesn't matter where the car is made, it's the aftermarket for parts and the ease of labor.

Domestics are easier to find parts for, cheaper, and easier to work on. They're also usually interchangeable between many different makes/models.

I can't relate the the used car scene, unless it's muscle....

this will do....

A '70 HEMI Cuda grocery getter with a shaker hood......I can dig it.

[quote name='John3Daly' timestamp='1348702145' post='5701091']
[quote name='againstthegrain' timestamp='1348697246' post='5700689']
I'd buy a Honda or Toyota used simply on the fact that they don't break down as often and you won't need parts. Some domestic models are made in Canada or MX and some foreign cars are made in the US.
[/quote]

I think you're making some type of point? It doesn't matter where the car is made, it's the aftermarket for parts and the ease of labor.

Domestics are easier to find parts for, cheaper, and easier to work on. They're also usually interchangeable between many different makes/models.
[/quote]

Maybe because domestic cars need new parts and work on them so much more often? Because there are more hondas and Toyota cars sold here than 'domestics'.

[quote name='TheJDMorris' timestamp='1348677458' post='5699011']
Lost me at "non American"

Why not help your nation's economy? Ford Escape is a great choice.
[/quote]

Not sure about the escape, but i have an explorer and wouldn't wish that curse on anyone. I've owned 3 domestic cars, and all have been pretty crappy quality.

Acura TL. Get an 08. I have one and it is amazing. 4 door, leather, quick, reliable etc.

[quote name='hammy1983' timestamp='1348761822' post='5704631']
Acura TL. Get an 08. I have one and it is amazing. 4 door, leather, quick, reliable etc.
[/quote]

Good recommendation. I've been looking at these as well.

I'm going buzz kill... Pay cash for a new, good mileage vehicle with a long term warranty. You will be getting good mileage, won't have to stress on repair bills and won't be buying someone elses undisclosed problems. Luxary can come later in life, when you will be able to actually afford a nice ride. Don't get caught up trying to impress the ladies with a vehicle, those are the high maintenance women you want to stay away from...Don't get me wrong, I dig riding around in a nice car, but looking back, I could of bought some rental property and been generating income from the money I have wasted on vehicles. I just found two cars you can pay cash for on craigslist, and one would that would be a nice down payment...Just saying

O

I'd buy a Honda or Toyota used simply on the fact that they don't break down as often and you won't need parts. Some domestic models are made in Canada or MX and some foreign cars are made in the US.

 

I think you're making some type of point? It doesn't matter where the car is made, it's the aftermarket for parts and the ease of labor.

 

Domestics are easier to find parts for, cheaper, and easier to work on. They're also usually interchangeable between many different makes/models.

 

Maybe because domestic cars need new parts and work on them so much more often? Because there are more hondas and Toyota cars sold here than 'domestics'.

Lol. I own two imports. My Toyota truck is probably the best vehicle I've ever had and it's easy to work on. Of course, it's old. My late model Maxima is another story. Took me almost a day to change the alternator on it. Not trying to turn this into a war as I own cars from each side of the pond. Domestic vehicles are roughly 50% of all vehicle sales in the US. That's domestic vs all imports, not just Toyota and Honda. Go ahead and get over your stab at more reliable. It's not 1980 anymore.

I'm not sure what the guy above is referring to. Did you actually post a picture of three mid-upper priced cars and suggest dropping the cash on them?

[quote name='ruascott' timestamp='1348778521' post='5706311']
I'd be interested in seeing those numbers for cars only, excluding pickups, where the domestic makers dominate.
[/quote]

I guess cars are less expensive to repair, easier to work on, and more reliable? Surely you are grasping at some straw here.

[quote name='GBglfr' timestamp='1348635961' post='5697051']
It's not the most luxurious vehicle but it will be the best investment, Subaru outback.

I sold cars for a living and still do as a side job. The best vehicles to come by the used lot were always Subaru. Excellent engines and drive train, great value retention, and rabid fan base. Their awd is spectacular and the 2.5 ho 4cyl is one of the best engines ever put into a car, period. It will be a vehicle that you may not love at first but when it comes time to move on you'll understand why people come back to Subaru. Btw, a modified version of the 2.5 engines are used in planes. That's telling

The other car I'd recommend is camry or avalon. Toyota had switched to the 3.5 6cyl by 07 which is a great engines but the older 3.0 6cyl almost rivals the subaru. I drive an 08 camry xle and love it. Only reason I don't have a Subaru was I got a stellar deal on the camry.
[/quote]

I've never owned a Subi but their latest offerings look impressive. Trying to convince my wife to look at one since she's due for a new vehicle.

One question though...what about the spun rod bearing issues I've read about on the Internet? Are those mainly on the highly modified WRX engines?

Not flaming or bashing...just trying to gather info.

[quote name='KaTooM' timestamp='1348846425' post='5711359']
[quote name='GBglfr' timestamp='1348635961' post='5697051']
It's not the most luxurious vehicle but it will be the best investment, Subaru outback.

I sold cars for a living and still do as a side job. The best vehicles to come by the used lot were always Subaru. Excellent engines and drive train, great value retention, and rabid fan base. Their awd is spectacular and the 2.5 ho 4cyl is one of the best engines ever put into a car, period. It will be a vehicle that you may not love at first but when it comes time to move on you'll understand why people come back to Subaru. Btw, a modified version of the 2.5 engines are used in planes. That's telling

The other car I'd recommend is camry or avalon. Toyota had switched to the 3.5 6cyl by 07 which is a great engines but the older 3.0 6cyl almost rivals the subaru. I drive an 08 camry xle and love it. Only reason I don't have a Subaru was I got a stellar deal on the camry.
[/quote]

I've never owned a Subi but their latest offerings look impressive. Trying to convince my wife to look at one since she's due for a new vehicle.

One question though...what about the spun rod bearing issues I've read about on the Internet? Are those mainly on the highly modified WRX engines?

Not flaming or bashing...just trying to gather info.
[/quote]

I'll let one of the WRX owners chime in but I only subi's that I have heard of with spun bearings are usually do to abuse and running more pounds of boost than your engine can handle. ie too cheap to rebuild the block with quality parts or even throw on a blockguard so they up the boost until kaboom.

[quote name='hammy1983' timestamp='1348846965' post='5711423']
[quote name='KaTooM' timestamp='1348846425' post='5711359']
[quote name='GBglfr' timestamp='1348635961' post='5697051']
It's not the most luxurious vehicle but it will be the best investment, Subaru outback.

I sold cars for a living and still do as a side job. The best vehicles to come by the used lot were always Subaru. Excellent engines and drive train, great value retention, and rabid fan base. Their awd is spectacular and the 2.5 ho 4cyl is one of the best engines ever put into a car, period. It will be a vehicle that you may not love at first but when it comes time to move on you'll understand why people come back to Subaru. Btw, a modified version of the 2.5 engines are used in planes. That's telling

The other car I'd recommend is camry or avalon. Toyota had switched to the 3.5 6cyl by 07 which is a great engines but the older 3.0 6cyl almost rivals the subaru. I drive an 08 camry xle and love it. Only reason I don't have a Subaru was I got a stellar deal on the camry.
[/quote]

I've never owned a Subi but their latest offerings look impressive. Trying to convince my wife to look at one since she's due for a new vehicle.

One question though...what about the spun rod bearing issues I've read about on the Internet? Are those mainly on the highly modified WRX engines?

Not flaming or bashing...just trying to gather info.
[/quote]

I'll let one of the WRX owners chime in but I only subi's that I have heard of with spun bearings are usually do to abuse and running more pounds of boost than your engine can handle. ie too cheap to rebuild the block with quality parts or even throw on a blockguard so they up the boost until kaboom.
[/quote]

Ah...OK...that makes sense! Thanks!

Will be a non-issue for us since the engine will remain stock and the vehicle will only be used as a daily commuter and grocery getter...not drifting and qualifying for the Dakar Rally! LOL!

Thanks for the clarification!

No one else has mentioned it so I'll put in my two cents, check out some Audi's if you want an import, quick, reliable, and luxury all in one. I have an 07 A4 I got 18 months ago for 19,999 with 30k miles on it. Brand new shape, and it's certified so if you need any repairs there is a chance of it being covered. To date I've spent $600 on maintnence in the last 18 months and that was only because I just rolled 55k miles and had their suggested 55k mile tune up. New spark plugs, new filters, new fluids, fresh oil, electronic and mechanical testing etc all done in 4 hours, and I got to drive a 2012 A4 as the loaner for the day. They make most of their cars in quattro so you get the AWD if you need it, or you can look at their FWD models and save even more money

Thanks for the offerings guys, I've looked at the TL and i've also looked at the Honda Ridgeline. Any more information on the older FJ cruisers?

[quote name='hammy1983' timestamp='1348846965' post='5711423']
[quote name='KaTooM' timestamp='1348846425' post='5711359']
[quote name='GBglfr' timestamp='1348635961' post='5697051']
It's not the most luxurious vehicle but it will be the best investment, Subaru outback.

I sold cars for a living and still do as a side job. The best vehicles to come by the used lot were always Subaru. Excellent engines and drive train, great value retention, and rabid fan base. Their awd is spectacular and the 2.5 ho 4cyl is one of the best engines ever put into a car, period. It will be a vehicle that you may not love at first but when it comes time to move on you'll understand why people come back to Subaru. Btw, a modified version of the 2.5 engines are used in planes. That's telling

The other car I'd recommend is camry or avalon. Toyota had switched to the 3.5 6cyl by 07 which is a great engines but the older 3.0 6cyl almost rivals the subaru. I drive an 08 camry xle and love it. Only reason I don't have a Subaru was I got a stellar deal on the camry.
[/quote]

I've never owned a Subi but their latest offerings look impressive. Trying to convince my wife to look at one since she's due for a new vehicle.

One question though...what about the spun rod bearing issues I've read about on the Internet? Are those mainly on the highly modified WRX engines?

Not flaming or bashing...just trying to gather info.
[/quote]

I'll let one of the WRX owners chime in but I only subi's that I have heard of with spun bearings are usually do to abuse and running more pounds of boost than your engine can handle. ie too cheap to rebuild the block with quality parts or even throw on a blockguard so they up the boost until kaboom.
[/quote]
Truth on that! I have a 08' Impreza with a 2.5 non turbo. 100K and the only thing it needed so far was a cluth. Actually was a throwout bearing but did the clutch anyway. Parts were a wooping 150 Bucks so so much for that foreign parts be so expensive.

The Ridgeline isn't a bad choice, but I would look at a crew cab tacoma over it all day long. Down the road there's a lot of aftermarket stuff that you can do, and there are a lot of forums out there that you can get info on how to do repairs and stuff yourself.

A slightly older Forerunner would be a great choice as well. I love that the back window on those things goes down instead of flipping out. The FJ cruiser is a little goofy. If you could take the top off it would be great, but they're not super roomy.

Let me throw a 4 door jeep out there..... You could probably get up to a 2009 for under 20k. Gas mileage isn't great, but they are just awesome vehicles and are relatively low maintenance. They also hold their value really well.

Thanks for the offerings guys, I've looked at the TL and i've also looked at the Honda Ridgeline. Any more information on the older FJ cruisers?

I love mine! What do you wanna know about them?

Thanks for the offerings guys, I've looked at the TL and i've also looked at the Honda Ridgeline. Any more information on the older FJ cruisers?

I love mine! What do you wanna know about them?

What is the gas mileage and ride like? are they very reliable? what would the insurance be like on one for a college freshman, using to get from the course and back.

[url="http://www.carsoup.com/details/used/2004/Lexus/RX-330/21473445/?returl=L3ZlaGljbGUvc3VtbWFyeS5hc3B4P3ZlaGljbGV0eXBlaWQ9MSZpbnZ0eXBlaWQ9MiZtYWtlaWQ9NDQmYm9keXN0eWxldHlwZWlkPTMmbWlucHJpY2U9MTUwMDAmbWF4cHJpY2U9MjAwMDAmbWlueWVhcj0yMDAwJm1heHllYXI9MjAxMiZtYXhtaWxlYWdlPTU1MDAwJnppcGNvZGU9NDUyMDI%7e"]http://www.carsoup.c...GNvZGU9NDUyMDI~[/url]

LOW MILES in Cincy.

I just traded my Lincoln MKZ in for a Toyota Venza (needed more room for kids car seats, etc.) on Friday, and so far I am really liking it. Not quite an SUV, but even my AWD is getting 25 MPG on hwy