Need an affordable used commuter car- what should I get?

[cua90]

Originally Posted by Llewellyn

Hard to go past a Corolla. They're like the Energiser Bunny - they just keep going and going.

+1. 2007 still running strong with 140k+

[scoobydrew]

I'll vouch for the Prius. Not too much experience with the Gen2, but I have a 2013 Gen3 with a little over 100k miles on the clock. It used to be my daily driver with a 90mi round trip commute. With weekend mileage, I was racking up about 20k mi per year before transitioning to public transportation. Maintenance has been a breeze so far with only scheduled oil and fluid changes, filters, and a set of tires. If you're light on the brakes, the original pads will probably last 200k mi if not greater. Plenty of room in the cabin for 4 adults.

[Tickdoc]

FWIW I just rented a Kia Optima from hertz and drove it half way across the country and it was really nice. Quiet, spacious, fast, good fuel economy. It would make an excellent daily commuter. Sedans are a dying breed but just as useful as ever and a better deal than just about anything out there with the rise in suvs.

[BobbyJones]

Nothing wrong with Corollas and Civics, but why think small? If you're looking at older cars, check out Accords and Camrys around 2010.

Contemporary styling (for now), Similar pricing, MPG and maintenance expense as the econoboxes (at least around here) but a whole different level of vehicle.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Happy owner of a 2003 Camry XLE 4cyl 2.4L here. Bought it with 125k and it now has 187k. Heated leather seats. Several months ago I replaced the entire suspension, probably at a cost that was almost half of what I could sell it for, but it was worth it to me. They are great cars. I had the motor mount bushings replaced as well as a section of exhaust that the failing mounts had caused to crack/leak at about 160k. That was about $600. I asked my mechanic if putting that money into the car at that point was a wise move. He chuckled and told me I was about at the halfway point of lifetime mileage the car should see.

My FIL retired from the powertrain line at the Georgetown Camry plant. He knows this drivetrain in and out and his endorsement was a deciding factor for me. I bought it when I was commuting a lot in 2014. It sees relatively few miles now. Much to my wife's chagrin, I just want to run it into the ground.

[p nut]

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

Happy owner of a 2003 Camry XLE 4cyl 2.4L here. Bought it with 125k and it now has 187k. Heated leather seats. Several months ago I replaced the entire suspension, probably at a cost that was almost half of what I could sell it for, but it was worth it to me. They are great cars. I had the motor mount bushings replaced as well as a section of exhaust that the failing mounts had caused to crack/leak at about 160k. That was about $600. I asked my mechanic if putting that money into the car at that point was a wise move. He chuckled and told me I was about at the halfway point of lifetime mileage the car should see.

My FIL retired from the powertrain line at the Georgetown Camry plant. He knows this drivetrain in and out and his endorsement was a deciding factor for me. I bought it when I was commuting a lot in 2014. It sees relatively few miles now. Much to my wife's chagrin, I just want to run it into the ground.

A family friend growing up, had an older 92? Camry. Had 250k when they finally sold it 15 yrs later, still running great. My current neighbor has a 2000 Camry. 280k miles and running strong. Minimal maintenance. ES300 of the same vintage with 160k miles. Same drivetrain, I think (at least the V6 model). All running great. That sort of dependability is hard to beat.

[hokoman]

Actually, now that I think about it... Depending how far your commute is.. the FIT is a loud 'cheap' car. If I didn't live in NY, we would have a nicer 'quieter/smooter' driving car. When I drive my CRV that is in CA, it feels like a luxury car compared to the FIT. 😂🤣😂

[pbarry]

I’ve put 50k miles on my 2016 Chevy Sonic, happy with the purchase. A few minor warranty items have been fixed, but very dependable, decent mileage 32-35mpg, with the 1.8 NA engine. In the top two or three for sub compact safety ratings. You should be able to find a very clean example with low miles in your budget.

[texbike]

A 10-15 year old Lexus could be a good option in your price category. They're essentially nicely-appointed Toyota products with higher quality materials. Also, it seems to be easy to find well-cared for examples as they were often bought by older, wealthier individuals (at least around here). The models to look for are ES, GS, IS250/350, RX (really nice, small SUVs), and possibly even a LS430 in your budget range as well. All are nice cars that drive great, are reliable, and great for families. They're what I suggest to friends and family members that are looking for a 2nd car or one for their kids.

Texbike

[Mike V]

Is the only requirement that it can transport 2 kids and be in budget?

[BobbyJones]

Originally Posted by p nut

A family friend growing up, had an older 92? Camry. Had 250k when they finally sold it 15 yrs later, still running great. My current neighbor has a 2000 Camry. 280k miles and running strong. Minimal maintenance. ES300 of the same vintage with 160k miles. Same drivetrain, I think (at least the V6 model). All running great. That sort of dependability is hard to beat.

Personally, I think the 98-02 era of Accords or Camrys hit the trifecta: Modern Amenities (ABS, Airbags, etc), reliability, and easy to work on. The problem is that unless you know the history or 1like tinkering they're just "too old" for the average person.

07-11 era hits a nice sweet spot of being "as modern" as a new model at half the price.

[weisan]

I find these car threads fascinating and a bit laughable, much like the disc brakes debate...while people are arguing the different "merits", my old faithful (91 honda accord) keep chucking along...day after day after day...the odometer now in excess of 260,000 miles with no sighs of slowing. same with my rim-braked bike, keep delivering yet another successful and awesome ride... today, yesterday, the day before...the numbers keep tickin' while pals are still talking. It makes absolutely no sense to me but hey, it's entertainment!

[RWL2222]

I did this drill last summer. So much depends on what is available at any given time. Getting locked in on a particular car, especially one in high demand like a Prius, can lead to a lot of wasted time.

I was looking for a car I could drive for a year, until I my then 15 year-old turned 16, and he would drive it. I looked on Craigs for a while, for all the cars listed by previous posters. I prob spent too long screwing around, but I could walk to work, so I took my time. Hanging out at the bottom of the craiglist listings was a 2012 Volvo S60 with 100k. I had sworn of Vv but it was getting time to make something happen. The guy who owned mentioned he collected British Leyland and Mercedes. Hmmm... The dealer had all the maintenance records. The 2012 was the first year of the design, which was current until 2018.

$6k did the deal. The fuel efficiency stinks but driving about 4k a year, who cares. Gotta be flexible and patient.

[martinez]

can't go wrong with older civics or camrys.
for newer within the past ten years...I would go Prius, Fit or HRV (although not 10 years old).

[mt2u77]

My vote would be to go a step up in size from the Corolla/Civic compacts to the Camry/Accord level. In my experience, the suspensions and drivetrains are built better and stand up to the rigors of commuting better. Reduced road/cabin noise, slightly better crashworthiness, and lower insurance costs more than make up for the couple of mpgs you lose.


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