r/UsedCarAdvice

I have a 2019 GMC Acadia. I am about 3 months from paying it off and trying to weigh my options. The current trade in value is about $14,000 give or take. It has 0 issues, 72,000 miles, I don’t drive a lot for work so it’s been great and I love this car, so I get routine maintenance all done on time. I already replaced the shifter for GMCs common “shift to park error”. It has fairly new tires and new brakes. If I wait to get a new car I’ll have freed up $367 a month plus if insurance goes down would be great to add to savings. However, I’ve heard these cars often take a shit around 75,000 miles and I’m concerned. Do I trade in while value is high and use that for a new Mazda with a warranty at about $35,000 with 3.9% APR on 72 month loan. Or do I wait it out? Please give any and all input!

Please suggest me guys.

In northern nj. 2012 tC with 220k miles on it. No issues. Newer tires and brakes. Passed inspection with no engine issues or check lights. One owner me. Minor cosmetic wear outside inside. One minor car accident that scratched the rear bumper. But did nothing else to the car.

I’m in the mood for no bs. An idiot of what is aged at an adult was staring as his phone for yards and then hit my head on. Totaled my paid off accord. I am wanting to get a sales job soon where I’ll put miles on a car and between my partner and 2 dogs we need a SUV.

I’m torn between a rav 4 2026 (hybrid with leather - hairy ass husky) for 36500-36700 is the best bid I got.

And a used 2022 Hyundai hybrid limited seems to be a significantly cheaper option 23-25k.

Most rav4 hybrid or not 2021 have sunroof recalls and 2022+ limited are priced 29-35k so like wtf? Obviously higher interest rates as well.

Thoughts?

Also any tips on negotiating a lower interest rate I’m a 800-810 on my own (CRAZY), Toyotas is offering me like 4.99 for 48mo or 5.99 for 60mo and I ain’t doing that bc I only have 7-10k down. And I’m not gonna blow my base or budget on a car. I’m gonna go to a credit union and get a quote it’s my first loan so hopefully I can get down to a 4.5k.

Trying to keep total budget to 300-420 max without insurance.

Folks, I want you to express your opinion regarding buying a used car: why would you choose to buy or support that, or, conversely, what are your reasons for advising people against it? Is it the lack of trust in used car platforms/dealerships, inflated prices, etc. And if you think buying one is a great idea, what are your reasons, such as whether it is a good choice for new learners or a budget-friendly option?

Hey guys i’m looking into a 2022 Toyota Corolla SE hatchback with around 150,000 miles.

I’m using this car as college commute and just something decent I can drive. Only thing that scares me off is the mileage. Does anyone know how long it will last as well as any tips to maximize life span?

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some honest feedback on a used car deal I am negotiating. It’s a 2011 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium.
The Price: Listed at $7,000. The dealership gave me an out-the-door (OTD) price of $7,900
The Odometer: The chassis has around 108,000 miles on it.
The Good (Major Mechanical Work Done):
The CARFAX shows 45 detailed service records, and a certified Subaru dealer recently replaced major components.
Brand-new factory engine short block core installed by Subaru.
Brand-new timing belt installed.
Brand-new steering rack and pinion.
Brand-new power steering pump.
Fresh professional transmission fluid flush.
The Bad / Concerns:
Accident History: The CARFAX lists 3 separate "Minor Damage" incidents. No airbags deployed, and no structural/frame damage is noted. it looks like they were mostly cosmetic parking lot or bumper incidents, but it's still 3 accidents.
Immediate Maintenance Needed: It needs new tires, front brakes (pads and rotors), and spark plugs right away. I estimate this will cost me about $1,500 out of pocket.

https://preview.redd.it/jk9je692b0bh1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=b7ccf73682cb42d28a12366d113fddb935603727

I saw this car on CPO with 56k miles, is this a best option to buy? This will be my first car, I read in few posts that maintenance and infotainment issues. What are your comments on this?

Hello everyone,

I’m currently in hs as a senior and need suggestions on what to do about getting a car. My parents have been reluctant about getting me a car since I go to college in one year and probably won’t need one but it’s been kind of nuisance in multiple ways. So my 2 options I have (if I convince them) would be to

A. Get my dads car (like 90k miles on it)

Pros: I am familiar with the car in terms of how it drives, it doesn’t have some underlying problems and you don’t have to go out your way to search for something

Cons: My dad is driving a lot(400+ miles a week, this would change to much less tho after I finish hs) so if he got a new car it would get beat up a lot. Getting a new car, especially the one he is looking at, is expensive.

B. Find a cheap car on fb marketplace (max 15k?, could fluctuate if that would help)

Pros: Cheap, won’t get that much depreciation, won’t have to worry as much if something happens to it

Cons: Risky, not sure how it works and what to do, complicated and the car would be worse than what I would get from A.

Honestly anything helps even if it’s suggesting something completely else. Thanks you

I'm seriously looking at a 2019 Niro PHEV for a great price ($17.5k) with 74,000 miles. However on the CARFAX it had its clutch replaced by a Kia dealer and it's water pump replaced as well. This was done 20,000 miles ago before it was sold to the used dealership I'm looking to buy from.
I called that Kia service dept and they said the gears were grinding between 2nd and 3rd gears so they replaced the clutch and actuator and it fixed all the problems. Again that was 20k miles ago.
Should I be worried about this car? Would you stay away from it?
I'm having an inspection tomorrow, anything they should look specifically at that's not obvious?

I'm having a trouble and moral dilemma here.
Looking to buy car with more space (currently driving VW Tiguan 2024 R line 4M).

Budget is around 50k.
I've got a deal from my seller for new VW Tayron R-line 4M 2.0 TDI with some optional extras like HD matrix lights, HUD+15" screen and spare tire, DCC pro etc. The only thing it doesn't have is Harman Kardon, panoramic roof (not even like it) and leather seats. Tayron is coming with 5year warranty plus optional extension, and VW assistance on the road trough Europe (if your car stops they give you other one to use it).
Price is 53900€.

On the other hand I'm looking on used Volvo XC90 2023 diesel, with around 20k km in plus dark or bright variant with Harman Kardon nice materials, maybe even air suspension etc. Price depends but around 50000€ you can find descent one (even as Volvo Select vehicle with warranty up to 3 years).

The dilemma that I have is XC90 is now old design (2015) although I still like the look of it, plus it's premium.
VW Tayron has some nice features and it's brand new plus the design is from last year (2025) basically.

As I've said I'm currently driving new generation VW Tiguan R-Line (the same spec for Tayron I'll get from a dealer) but I want more space for the rear pax and more trunk space.
I understand that XC90 and Tayron are different categories however when it comes to rear pax and trunk space they are neck to neck (Tayron even slightly better).

Plan is to drive them both to around 100k km or until 2030. Diesel is a must also as I drive more than 20k km per year on the motorway mainly.
I'm focused mainly on family comfort and safety (both XC90 and Tayron has their own advantages), also everyday practicality and the easiness of selling later on the car with descent resale value.

What is your opinion, what would you choose between those two considering my facts and why would you choose (or not) each one of them?
I'm not looking into any other vehicles.

Hey everyone,

I’m 24 and live in Florida. I do pretty well financially and own my townhouse, so I’m not trying to buy the absolute cheapest car possible but I’m trying to make a smart long-term decision. I’m selling my current older car and should have around $10k cash so I’m considering something like:

2024–2025 Hyundai Sonata CPO
or
2023+ Tesla Model 3 RWD.

Prices seem to be somewhat close, around the mid-$20k range.
My biggest concerns are long-term ownership costs, reliability, depreciation, and future resale value.

For people who have owned either one, what would you choose and why?

I’m (26F) wanting to buy a second hand mini SUV car (ideally a gen 2 Honda CRV or Toyota RAV4) and have a pretty tight budget of around 5-7k. I’ve never bought a car before and had little knowledge but been researching like crazy. I’ve checked out a few FB marketplace cars and found one that I loved, did a test drive and thought the seller was lovely.
I was recommended to get a mobile mechanic to check the car I wanted, but it cost me $340 and the report ended up being 1.5 stars. I did it again, found a car I loved, a lovely young couple owned it, did a bunch of checks I was told to do and seemed fine. Another $340 for a mobile mechanic which came back with a 2.5 stars and a recommendation to not get the car.

Now I’m $680 poorer, still no car, and feeling burnt out. Each private seller is an hours drive away to check out the car, and I don’t have a mechanic friend to bring with me. I’m leaning towards a dealership even though I’ve been told not to, but I’m running out of options. I really need a car for work, and I’m realistic about my budget and what I can get. I’m happy for a car to be in the 200kms and not be mechanically or aesthetically perfect, just not one that will have expensive problems in the near future. Even if this car lasts me a couple years, that’s fine. I want a car I can drive around in the city with, and can take me and my dog on small road trips.

What do I do????

I am buying this of from Facebook for 4.2k( 297,100).now he did say it has a slight sound coming from the back wheel and may need a new baring and the AC is not working.

For my first car at 19 should I buy it and repair it or look for another one cuz I like this car a lot and planning on keeping it for atleast 3 more years