r/UsedCarAdvice

Hello! I am asking on behalf of my family, we are hoping to surprise my younger brother with a car when he gets his license. He has been learning in a Kia Picanto and loves the size, he’s also driven a Hyundai i30 and a Mazda 3, but prefers the picanto size.

I have been looking into everything I can find for under 10k but am hoping for some advice on what will be the best in terms of safety, reliability and longevity. And the smaller the better! Thanks ☺️

My old faithful 2004 Camry is on its way out, and I’m in the market for either a used car or a lease (of the new Toyotas). I’ve exclusively driven Toyotas (Camrys and Corollas) since getting my license and feel very loyal to them, but financing a new one is out of my current budget.

Here are some alt. sedans I’ve been considering:

• 2024 Nissan Sentra S - enterprise car sales
• 2024 VW Jetta SE - enterprise car sales
• 2023 Kia Forte LXS (FWD) - certified pre-owned
• 2025 Kia K4 LXS (FWD) - enterprise car sales
• 2022 Subaru Legacy CVT - enterprise car sales

Curious what people’s experiences have been with these makes or models long-term (maintenance, reliability, resale value, any issues after a certain mileage, etc.). Would biting the bullet and going for the Toyota lease or financing be better? Appreciate any help I can get. Thank you!

Last week I bought a Certified 2024 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label for my wife. I test drove it, but didn't test out every single feature the car has, as its a very feature rich driving experience. One thing I asked my salesperson afterwards was if the vehicle comes with the Rejuvenate feature, which is a Nautilus/Navigator specific relaxation mode. He said it does. The car was delivered to my house and I went to test the feature a few days ago and it doesn't exist. The dealer got back to me yesterday and apologized but he found out that Lincoln decided not to install the feature in 2024 models, only 2025 forward and couldn't be retroactively added. Its an odd situation to be in, I don't think he purposely lied to me, but the feature was one of the key items that helped me choose this car over an X5, or a Land Rover Discovery. What could/should I expect from the dealership in this situation?

It’s a Honda Accord Hybrid EX-L with 108,000 miles. It is for 18,000 OTD.

Need detailed second opinion on CARFAX before buying – 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid EX-L

Car details:
\- 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid EX-L
\- 108,300 miles
\- 1 owner, personal use (California)

CARFAX highlights:
\- No accidents or damage reported
\- Clean title (no salvage, flood, etc.)
\- No odometer rollback
\- No open recalls
\- Warranty expired

Ownership & usage:
\- Single owner since new (2019)
\- Driven \~17.8k miles/year (slightly above average)
\- Stayed in California entire time

Service history (10 records, mostly dealer maintained):
\- Regular oil changes + tire rotations throughout
\- Maintenance inspections done consistently
\- Alignment done around 36k miles
\- Battery replaced at \~93k miles
\- Transmission fluid changed at \~100k miles
\- Passed emissions at 108k miles

Recent activity:
\- Last serviced June 2025 (\~100k miles)
\- Listed for sale Jan 2026 at \~108k miles
\- “Duplicate title issued” noted in Feb 2025 (not sure why)

My concerns/questions:
\- Is 108k miles too high for this price?
\- Does the slightly high yearly mileage matter here?
\- Any concern with the duplicate title entry?
\- For a hybrid, how big of a risk is the battery at this mileage?

Overall this looks clean to me, but I know CARFAX doesn’t show everything. Would you guys consider this a safe buy or walk away?

2019 Honda Odyssey EX-L
79k miles
1 owner
No accidents reported
16 service records
Texas vehicle
Open airbag recall (Honda remedy available)
Dealer agreed to $24,000 OTD including taxes/fees.
Is $24k OTD a good buy or should I keep negotiating?

I want a sedan that gives a sporty look and gives a decent amount of hp around 300 for my first car but Idk what I should get, I don’t want a charger or anything basic I was thinking maybe an Audi or something foreign

I currently own a 2004 Pontiac Vibe. For general background I’ve had the car for 11 years now and it is currently at 187,355 miles. For the most part in the last 8 ish years I’ve had to do little to no repairs outside of basic maintenance such as oil changes, battery, tires and brakes. So in more recent years I’ve had to get bigger parts fixed. Overall nothing ever more than 2k a year from what I remember. But so far this year since January I have put in 2.4k into the car with bigger repairs. My check engine light came on and I’m being told most likely I need my ECM fixed. With my car being older and possibly needing the part ordered it could cost up to 2.5k to get fixed. Which would put me at almost 5k in repairs in less than 6 months. At this point I’m conflicted on whether I just fix the part ordered or look into getting another car sooner rather than later. Obviously there’s plus sides to an older car such as cheap insurance and no car payment but I also don’t want it to turn into an endless money pit. Any advice would be appreciated!

Hey r/WhatCarShouldIBuy,

I’m in the market for a used SUV or pickup under $15k that I can drive hard for the next several years. No sedans — I need something spacious because my partner and I are planning to start a family in the next year or two, and we’re also buying a house soon. Reliability and safety are my top priorities since I want something I don’t have to worry about.
I’ve been focusing on Honda, Acura, Toyota, and Lexus because of their legendary reliability and longevity. I’ve been searching on Carfax, Cars.com, CarEdge, CarGurus, etc., and I’m seeing a decent number of options in those brands, but I’m also coming across a lot of Ford Escapes and some Mitsubishi Outlanders in my price range with reasonable miles (many Escapes and Outlanders under 40-100k).

A few specific questions:
• Ford Escape (especially 2013-2019 models): Are these actually reliable enough to run into the ground? I keep seeing them pop up at good prices. What are the common problems (transmission, engine, electronics, rust, etc.)? Has anyone owned one long-term and put serious miles on it?
• Mitsubishi Outlander: These seem like a good value with lower miles for the money, but I basically never hear anyone talk about them. Are they reliable? Any major known issues? How do they hold up over time?

I’ve already done my own research on reliability ratings, recalls, etc., but Reddit is usually the best place for real-world owner experiences. Bonus if you have thoughts on safety ratings, interior space for car seats/strollers, cargo room, or fuel economy.
Budget is firm under $15k (ideally with some room left for repairs/maintenance). I’m in the Northeast so rust is a concern. Any other underrated reliable SUVs or pickups I should be looking at in this budget?

Thanks in advance — really appreciate the help!
(Will update with what I end up getting)

i’m looking to buy a car at Carmax in SoCal. They have a 2019 Ford fusion hybrid with 80,000 miles and clean Carfax for $16,000 and they have a 2015 Toyota Camry SE with 92,000 miles and clean Carfax for $17,000. is the Toyota upcharge ridiculous? I’m wanting the older Toyota, but it seems like a bad investment to me considering it’s four years older and the fuel economy is significantly worse than the Ford.

UPDATE: well fuck. I bought the damn Fusion and it is as if they had a normal sounding engine in there for my test drive and replaced it once I bought it. I’m hearing weird cluggy engine noises and a weird noise when I brake, sounds like crickets sorta. Did not experience this on the test drive. This is why I wanted to use carmax cuz I can return the car easily, but I’m wondering if another dealership would have had a car that didn’t have these issues. I can’t believe I finally made a decision and the car sounds funky all of a sudden. Buying a good trustworthy used car for a lowish price is impossible it seems.

I'm looking to buy a car with a budget of under $20k.

To be honest, my dream was to get a Jeep Wrangler, but almost everyone I talked to warned me against it, saying the maintenance and reliability are a total nightmare.

Is the Wrangler really that prone to breaking down and having issues?
I'd love to hear some honest opinions from owners.

Since I might need to move on from the Wrangler idea, I'm looking for other options.
I'm open to two completely different vibes:

1. A larger vehicle like a SUV that is actually reliable and easy/cheap to maintain.

2. Something completely sporty and fun, like a Mazda Miata.

Since I'm an international student, reliability and ease of maintenance are my top priorities
I don't want to spend all my time and money at the mechanic.

What cars would you recommend within my budget that fit either of these descriptions? Thanks in advance

So I want to buy a used 4runner something around 2013 or 2010-2013 at least. So i'm unsure what would be my best bet to save up and buy one or try to finance one.

From what i have been seeing i'm gonna pay at least 15k maybe more for a 4runner in that range.

So what would be my best option just try to save up and get it or finance it?

Money is tight right now i'm able to save roughly $700 a month right now.

I've been driving a beater for about a year and am looking to move on to something a little nicer. Any recommendations? Im currently 19

A friend is selling 2022 top model Skoda Slavia 1.0L MT for 9.5L, 40km driven. All service records are there. No accident or water damage.
No warranty left.
Good buy?
I’ll get PDI done of course but if everything checks out, should I get it?

I’m 19 and have up to 20k to spend on a car in Idaho. I want something that catches eyes and is sportier than daily traffic. Thinking about a 9th gen accord coupe V6, Audi S5, BMW 230i. Reliability is definitely a big factor but I was hoping for some advice.