Best and Worst vehicles under $6K

[Groves]

What are the darlings of the sub-$6,000 car market? What are the tempting stinkers?

My household knows that when I need knowledge & wisdom, with a side-salad of snark & buffoonery, I seek if from you all.

"I'll ask Chiefs Planet"

Child No. 3 had a 2005 Prius just go belly up. Main battery, we'll probably pay to find the bad cells to make it more sellable. So now they're in the market for a vehicle.

I used to be current in my "No subarus after 200k" and "No Buick Encores with the Ecotech" and "No Jeeps ever" type of 'wisdom', but I'm out of date. I know it's always a tradeoff between condition and miles and reliability.

I need your help.

[scho63]

Murano with chips from rocks worst

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

We are in that lot that buys new (or certified pre-owned) every 5-6 years. Why? Because of the warranty.

I hit a deer a couple of years ago. Mostly cosmetic damage. $15,000. Parts are ridiculously expensive. Having a car break down in this day and age almost requires a 2nd mortgage to pay for it. I simply won't own a car that isn't under warranty.

Insurance?

To each their own I guess. Just buy a solid well built vehicle and maintain it. Having a constant stream of car payments is not my idea of financial wisdom. It's nice having lower insurance costs and not being locked into a payment on a depreciating asset.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by jd1020

Insurance?

To each their own I guess. Just buy a solid well built vehicle and maintain it. Having a constant stream of car payments is not my idea of financial wisdom. It's nice having lower insurance costs and not being locked into a payment on a depreciating asset.

Of course insurance covers damage from a deer. It was just to illustrate how much parts cost.

I'd rather have a $400 a month car payment than get hit with a $20K bill. That's the equivalent of insurance for things that aren't covered by insurance.

On my Corolla, the window seals stretched and no longer sealed. Warranty covered it. Without the warranty? $2400. For window seals.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by loochy

eh, a warranty doesn't pay for collision


that's insurance

Again, the deer example was to illustrate the cost of parts. Of course, insurance covered that particular incident. I kind of thought that was elementary.

[RedRaider56]

Originally Posted by jd1020

Still true today. Their transmissions do not get good reliability ratings. Go Mazda if you want to go the cheaper Japanese route.

Yeah, the Nissan CVT is a horrible transmission. If something breaks, you have to replace the whole thing as they are built to be non-repairable.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by RedRaider56

Yeah, the Nissan CVT is a horrible transmission. If something breaks, you have to replace the whole thing as they are built to be non-repairable.

Yep. My daughter had a 2015 Juke.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Again, the deer example was to illustrate the cost of parts. Of course, insurance covered that particular incident. I kind of thought that was elementary.

I'm sorry....I should have realized it was you talking and you're a smart guy. But sometimes on CP there are some real ding-dong posts.

[booger]

The horror stories I’ve heard from friends about repair costs for simple shit and even more advanced things is just a nightmare. If you’re DIY and do some work yourself you have to do an extensive search. Otherwise it’s probably safer to go certified pre owned or better if you want to be covered. I think it’s horseshit on my old beater 03 envoy for all the stuff that’s in the way to get to swap out the thermostat that’s nothing compared to some newer vehicles that one of them my friends wife the dealer quoted over 1k to replace the low beam headlamp. I might cut a bitch over that nonsense

[booger]

Just not a consumer friendly market these days

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by booger

The horror stories I’ve heard from friends about repair costs for simple shit and even more advanced things is just a nightmare. If you’re DIY and do some work yourself you have to do an extensive search. Otherwise it’s probably safer to go certified pre owned or better if you want to be covered. I think it’s horseshit on my old beater 03 envoy for all the stuff that’s in the way to get to swap out the thermostat that’s nothing compared to some newer vehicles that one of them my friends wife the dealer quoted over 1k to replace the low beam headlamp. I might cut a bitch over that nonsense

Yeah, that is my problem.

If your computer doesn't work the way it should, I can fix it. Cars? Nah, I'm just not mechanically inclined. I don't have the experience or knowledge to do it myself "on the cheap" other than maybe an oil change or battery. By the way, my warranty just covered a battery swap that would have cost over $500 otherwise.

And it's funny you mentioned a headlamp - the headlamp that had to be repaired and re-seated (not wholly replaced) after the deer cost a cool $1400.

[htismaqe]

I should also note that my penchant for replacing vehicles every few years had bought me a tremendous amount of goodwill from my preferred dealership. They will go out of their way to ensure warranty coverage no matter what the repair. Because they want me to buy another car from them down the road. I don't pay for much of anything when it comes to my vehicles, other than routine maintenance and even then, we get a discount on oil changes from said dealership.

[BWillie]

Fk them kids.

[booger]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Yeah, that is my problem.

If your computer doesn't work the way it should, I can fix it. Cars? Nah, I'm just not mechanically inclined. I don't have the experience or knowledge to do it myself "on the cheap" other than maybe an oil change or battery. By the way, my warranty just covered a battery swap that would have cost over $500 otherwise.

And it's funny you mentioned a headlamp - the headlamp that had to be repaired and re-seated (not wholly replaced) after the deer cost a cool $1400.

Exactly. Nowadays they make it harder and harder with special tools and things. Or you almost have to have a hoist in your garage and not just a floor jack and stands. A person has to evaluate all that on what they are buying. In lots of ways I think it’s designed that way to keep the jobs outside of the DIY owners garage and keep it in the shop to keep those businesses and jobs available. Just a big shift in things and an in between consumer like myself has to adapt and decide what to buy or just cave in and not worry about it from a DIY perspective. Because the middle ground where I’m at on lots of things from a consumer perspective I’m just pissed at things I like or even love they no longer make. And I can’t go on an engineering killing spree without losing my soul so I just deal with it lmao

[Fishpicker]

I dont have much to add here except

Visor: See the Whole Market

this has got to be the greatest car sale website ever. this aggregates ALL car sale listings on the internet.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by booger

Bugeater and Livesteam those 2 corn cobs have good advice on Honda and Toyota on this board folks just need to do a search. Some of these vehicles are harder to come by but worth the effort in today’s market and vehicle world in general. They just screwed the hell out of so many from 2009 on up trying to usher in a horseshit electrical market where the engineering and research and development was pure junk and hope. Now we’re all getting kicked in the teeth with shit vehicles so you have to be a disciplined and lucky consumer to protect your purchases

I bought my first Toyota Camry in 1992 with 25 miles on my. A "box" Camry that I traded in on my 2nd Camry that I kept for 2 years before trading it in on a Tacoma.....

I kept that Tacoma until I traded it in on my 3rd Camry in 2016 which I still have.to this day.

I have always heard that if you do the normal maintenance and keep the fluids changed at proper intervals they will last for years.