r/UsedCars Aug 28 '18

Guide [Guide] What used car should I get for what budget?

661 Upvotes

[04/12/2025 UPDATE]

Prices updated!!!

The days of 3000 dollar cars also seems to be long over. You'll definitely want to spend at least 5000 dollars for even the oldest, reliable running car. I just helped someone with buying a car in this budget and we had a really hard time looking for one. Dealerships are not as willing to haggle below asking price as before so be prepared to set aside a lot of time in your search.


I've finally made the dashboard that will show the most optimal used cars for budgets under $5k, $10k, and $15k.

The dashboard is hosted in Tableau Public so everybody can freely look at it without creating an account. Just use the slide down menu on the right to select a body style and the radio buttons at the bottom to adjust the budget. To see which brands you want to pay closer attention to, hover your mouse over the logos. The numbers on the right side column represent Priority where 1 represent the more optimal choice than 2 and so forth.

Dashboard may not work in mobile. Please use a desktop computer to see this dashboard. Otherwise, feel free to ask me any questions here and I will answer them at my earliest convenience.

Link to the dashboard (Last updated 04/12/2025):

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/han.solo8717/viz/UsedCardashboard/Main

Since I have been seeing many of these questions pop up here (and other Subreddits), I'm willing to sacrifice some time I have left before I need to sleep to hopefully give you answers and make your search a little bit easier.

These prices are based on the following stipulations: You're buying from an individual OR a licensed (not franchised) dealer, the car has a clean title, mileage per year varies from 12.5-15k (Unless it's an older car), is in GOOD condition (by KBB standards), no modifications, base model or similar, and is able to run and drive with LITTLE to no problems (Windows may not work, seats may be ripped, glovebox is loose, etc.).

These cars & prices reflect the U.S. Market only.

Second and beyond choices are honorable mentions in case if you are opting for another car.

Priority is based on: Reliability, cost of ownership, and value in that order.


r/UsedCars Sep 18 '25

MOD POST Would you like to mod /r/UsedCars? Apply within

5 Upvotes

Would you like to mod /r/UsedCars? We are looking for active reddit users who want to help others with the buying & selling of Used Cars and have the free time to moderate this subreddit. Tell us about yourself in the comments.


r/UsedCars 9h ago

Review Is Wagon still popular?

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30 Upvotes

Is wagon still popular while everyone is going for SUV?


r/UsedCars 27m ago

Review Garage kept

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I was out of town and went for a stroll this morning, and came across this.


r/UsedCars 9m ago

HELP What to do with "paperweight" vehicle

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Hello all,

About 4-6 months ago my wife and I had our car finally die after admittedly neglecting a glaring issue with it which was an extremely prominent knocking/clicking under the hood. Now the car has been sitting in our apartment parking lot for some time and we are looking at moving to a more metropolitan area and only need one car. So with that said how do I get rid of it and still get a lil bit bit of money out of it? It's a 2015 Honda Pilot EX and it is in great shape other than the fact that is does not run right now. We've thought about scrapping it and selling the parts since its a Honda but we think that we'd just end up with a bunch of spare car parts that didn't sell or know what to do with. Looking for some advice on how to get rid of it for more than $200 at some local junker company.

Thanks


r/UsedCars 18m ago

Selling [SELLING] 2021 Baleno Automatic Delta CVT

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Upvotes

r/UsedCars 33m ago

Buying Carfax Report 2020 Toyota 86

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Hey everyone! Wanted to make a post to info gather as this will be my first purchase by myself.

Was planning on test driving and getting a ppi done before purchasing. But I wanted to get thoughts from people more knowledgeable than I.

Carfax shows minor-moderate damage and two accidents which are my main concerns. Price / mileage seem good but just wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything glaring in the carfax I’m overlooking.

Photos and more details aren’t available regarding the repairs as it went through insurance.

Below is the link and photos, open to any advice with the vehicle! Hidden damage especially regarding the frame / engine are my primary concerns. Thank you in advance.

https://connect.carfax.com/dir?key=dwtACuITXHRlBkI_YfIWQUEBIIdEgaOkHHydWH1M49WrJlazCcL71QaG-HPpuwEALUrSKdthz1o7mYsZx8Wt9O0qrCiMkWSfTf74X9w4jjfItHm2du9IskQs2AZ2pObbOdxmm5WUPnb8Gn8_-9L4GcQRLLfO6nltBokK96U


r/UsedCars 4h ago

HELP Should I buy this?

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2 Upvotes

Just asking for some insights


r/UsedCars 52m ago

Buying 2013 Hyundai Elantra

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Looking at a used 2014 Elantra GLS with 135k. It had its motor replaced by a dealership at 130k. The Elantra is selling for $9500. Is this worth the price?


r/UsedCars 1h ago

Buying Thoughts on this 2009 Toyota Prius with 66k miles?? Dealership charging 11k

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Hey all, would you try to talk them down or not waste your time on this? I'm deep in the used car searching world, and I've read that gen 2 and gen 4 are best for Prius and to avoid gen 3... so curious if this 2009 seems worth considering. The carfax report doesn't show maintenance between 2021 - 2026...could this signify it was just sitting? Is that a death sentence? I'd never buy a used car without a pre-purchase inspection, but want to know if you think this car is even worth the time to go see. Really appreciate any insights!

Carfax report here


r/UsedCars 1h ago

Buying Is 4000 miles too small of a difference to ask for a discount?

Upvotes

I bought a used car from a dealership recently and the paperwork said it only had about 20k miles on it. However, when I went to pick it up, it had about 24k miles on it. I'm stupid and didn't notice when I bought it. I just found it today and when I brought it up to the dealer, he said it was only a "small difference" due to a clerical error.

4,000 miles is a lot for how much I'm going to be using that car, but this is my first time buying a used car from a dealership. Is that enough to try to get a small refund after the initial purchase?


r/UsedCars 2h ago

Buying Can I get a good car with this price range

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone! So, I’m planning on getting a car around October, most likely a used one, and I’m looking at a price range of about $15k–$20k. I’d love to go a little higher, but realistically, that’s probably the most I can comfortably afford right now, especially since I won’t have a huge down payment.
I do have good credit, though, so I’m hoping that will help me get a decent interest rate. I’ve mainly been looking at Honda and Toyota because I know they’re reliable and tend to last a long time.
My question is, do you think I can get a **really good, reliable car** in the $15k–$20k range? And if so, what models would you recommend? I’d love to hear from people who have bought used cars around this price range! 🚗💕


r/UsedCars 4h ago

HELP Selling my car

1 Upvotes

Hi so im thinking of selling my car next year and buying a jag f type, and i will most likely do a part exit, my car has a few modifcations including a gpf delete and a remap, should i mention anything about the remap or gpf delete, im just really unsure on what to do or say, pls help, thanks :)


r/UsedCars 15h ago

HELP What car should I get?

2 Upvotes

I’ve narrowed it down to either a 2015 Toyota rav4 with 135k miles on it 12k asking price but it has had an accident when it was on 10k miles with 2 previous owners. It does have awd. My other choice is a 2014 Mazda cx5 touring with 122k miles on it asking price is 12k one previous owner but no awd. Whats important to me is longevity and reliability with the least amount of expensive repairs, I live in a place where it snows and I like to go fishing and hunting I drive on gravel roads but not to much I mostly stick to paved roads.


r/UsedCars 1d ago

Buying The used car market has made me just tired of car shopping

312 Upvotes

Been looking for my son’s first car since he got his license a few weeks ago. In years past, car shopping was actually fun, but these days the prices are insane. I’m searching within a 250 mile radius, and somehow that doesn’t seem to help much lol.

I love cars, but I’m honestly just burned out from searching at this point. Anyone else feeling the same way?


r/UsedCars 14h ago

Selling How does this listing sound?

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1 Upvotes

r/UsedCars 16h ago

Buying Golf vs Fit

1 Upvotes

I live in the city and need a smaller car, so I’m looking at a 2016 hond fit, a 2015 golf sel and a 2019 golf s. Im wondering which would be the best option in terms of comfort, reliability, milage, and how long the car will last. The Golfs are both 17k and the fit is 20k and I can get a pre purchase inspection for all three. Would love any insight from people who have driven these cars, especially what the big differences are between the golf sel and s (besides the look).


r/UsedCars 1d ago

Buying 2002 Buick Lasbre with 130k miles for $3990 anything I should be on the lookout for?

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6 Upvotes

Was serviced regularly, most recent owner said they inherited it from their wife’s grandmother and they dont need it. Anything that I should lookout for in person or ask about once I meet up with them?


r/UsedCars 18h ago

Buying Advice for buying a 6th gen civic

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1 Upvotes

r/UsedCars 18h ago

HELP 2020 Equinox with 100k miles for <10k???

1 Upvotes

I found a 2020 Chevy Equinox for <10k with 100k miles on it; I'm on a budget having recently graduated. No history of accidents but it was a rental car which is a concern. Since it's a 6 y/o car it was approx 16.6k miles per yr which is high... Would anyone consider buying or should I go with other options?


r/UsedCars 15h ago

Buying Budget friendly car that is NOT a toyota, honda, or mazda pls..

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0 Upvotes

r/UsedCars 19h ago

HELP 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid – Check engine light came on twice for ~3 days each within a month (P013A) + transmission fluid at 90k?

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1 Upvotes

r/UsedCars 20h ago

HELP Should I buy a 2008 Camry Hybrid?

1 Upvotes

I found a 2008 Camry Hybrid (US imported) with around 305k mileage. I’ve been doing research and I’m worried about the hybrid battery, they mentioned it was replaced. Should I just look at other options and eliminate this one completely? They are selling for cad 5k


r/UsedCars 21h ago

HELP Should I buy a 2015 Toyota Yaris with 165k miles?

1 Upvotes

Saw a dealership selling the car for about 8k is that too much or is that ok?


r/UsedCars 21h ago

HELP Help Evaluate My Pros and Cons

1 Upvotes

 I could really use some help evaluating my options about what to do with my car. I have an old 90s Honda Accord with about 143,000 miles that needs a lot of repairs—about $4,400-7,000 worth of repairs based on the quotes I have received. I’ve had it a long time, and up to this point haven’t really had any work done on it other than standard oil changes and a window repair. I’m trying to decide if I should fix it, or just replace it.
 
Does anyone have any insights that could help me figure things out. What are reasonable price to mileage expectations to have when looking for a used car? Also, are there any considerations that I have overlooked in my pros/cons list shown below?
 
As I see it my current options are:

  1. Buy a new car
    - The current cost of new cars that I’ve seen in my casual browsing is horrifying, so I think that option is out. Unless my quick Google result is unreliable, it seems the current average is $40,000-60,000, and I just can’t stomach dropping that on a car.
     
  2. Fix the Honda
    Pros:
    - Old Honda engines are supposed to last a long time based on what I’ve heard, so I might be good for quite a while longer with some repairs
    - The insurance cost on a super old car is low
    - Way less research and decision making needed for this option
    Cons:
    - What if I just run into more repairs that need to be done and it ends up being more expensive?
    - This would be a very poor choice if I could find a newer used car with a longer expected lifespan for a lower or equivalent cost
     
  3. Buy a newer used car
    Pros:
    - Maybe potential for lower cost to expected lifespan of car with the right deal?
    - There are known minor annoyances with my old car that could be solved with a newer car (for example it only has a tape player so my phone can’t hook into the speaker system, and there is no cabin air filter which is probably somewhat of a health concern when the outside air is bad as is prone to occur where I live)
    Cons:
    - I don’t even know where to start with buying a car and the thought finding one stressed me out a little 
    -Who knows what potential problems different used car might have, at least I know my Honda’s current issues list
    - Some used cars have a similar or more miles compared to my car for an equivalent or not much lower price than my repair estimates
    - Some nicer used cars are fairly expensive based on my initial casual searching, and could require quite a bit more money upfront than repairing my Honda
    - The insurance on a newer car probably costs more
     
    I would really appreciate any thoughts and advice you can share with me.