Just a warning on Hyundai Sonatas with the standard engine. The 2011,12 and 13 models years of these cars had engine issues in many of the cars. We owned a 2011 and at about 110k miles (we drive a lot of miles) the engine began using oil at a rate of a qt. every 500 miles. The dealership indicated this was “normal”. Many of these cars had engines that suddenly seized and required engine replacements. They extended the powertrain warranty to 120k miles to deal with this but it was difficult to prove your vehicle was one of the ones affected. You can look up common problems for most vehicles. You will find a number of people have had this issue.
It looks like we are on the same page. I just inherited the same car with a few more miles (97K) and all maintenance up to date including timing belt! I could do it my self but It would take me at least triple the time as a pro could do it so glad that was done. Relative was offered only $500 on a trade in, so they just gave it to me.
We put new tires on it and hopefully we can get 4 years out of it for commuting freshman.
BTW, we got 19 years of of our last Toyota (last of the Japanese made ones) and it was still running fine w/160K miles. Lots of expensive things were going to hit soon and a persistent oil leak convinced us to replace it… with the same model. That was 5 years ago and the “new” car (made in USA) has been just as reliable as the old one.
We found a friend selling a one-owner, ten year old Toyota SUV as they upgraded to a new car. They had it checked out by a mechanic we both trusted and we bought it for $5000. Maybe you know someone with a car they’d like to sell.
We tend to buy new and keep for a long time. A 10k budget doesn’t go far these days. You can find something but you have to look harder to make sure it’s in good shape. Carfax is very helpful. D just bought her first car lightly used. We were surprised what you could see on Carfax-even some maintenance records.
@lvvcsf We have a 2011 Hyundai Sonata that we purchased used in 2016. We had no idea about the engine issue until it seized up and died on the highway a couple of months ago, at about 80k miles, with no advanced warning. Scary stuff. Thankfully the dealer was awesome and we got a brand new engine within days. It’s otherwise a terrific little car.
We had the same situation as the OP. Safety was a primary factor for us and we poured over all the sites that rate and rank by safety. We ended up buying a used Volvo from the Volvo dealer. It got us through both kids’ high school years and then we sold it to a friend whose oldest son was getting his license.
The expansion of car sizes over the years is evident when a large car is described as “little”.
My 20-year-old niece has had a ton of problems with her Prius. I’m not going to get one for D, that’s for sure.
I know a couple of auto brokers who buy wholesale for a 4% commission. Most car dealers look for a car they can quick turn for a $3000-5000 profit. That leaves a lot of cars with minor cosmetic problems that go cheaply, maybe a few scratches or an unpopular color. Using a broker can potentially save a lot of money. You have to be a little flexible on timing and have a check ready to go.
We bought our kids a purple Saturn for $745 7 years ago and it is still going strong. No need to lock the car.
I used a similar approach to buy my not much more than $10k, reliable, beater car. The woman I bought it from put giant rims on the car, with as thin as possible tires. Even with the thin tires, the giant rims would rub on the bottom of the car on a hard bump. There is a certainly a market for that type of car, but not a lot of overlap with Acura buyers. Many people came out to look at the car, including commercial dealers, but they left after seeing the rims.
With this cosmetic issue, I was able to get the car at a heavily discounted price. After buying the car, I took it to a tire/rim specialty shop in an area of town where that type of rim is more common. The shop and customers loved the giant rims. They kept one of them on display in the front of the shop, and multiple persons asked about and complimented the rims as they were coming off. I was able to trade them for a nice, new set of rims+tires, along with some cashback.
I’d likely take a hard pass on such a car too, because if the seller chose to turn their car into a “hooptie,” then there’s also a high probability that the same lack of common sense by the seller also applied to service/maintenance. I’d rather pay a premium and get a fully documented and meticulous one or low owner car. YMMV.
Being a “donk” with big wheels does not mean you are unlikely to perform regular service/maintenance. In contrast, people who spend a lot of money customizing their cars often take great pride in their cars, including keeping up with maintenance and service. In my case, she was the original owner and had maintenance records, with service more often than recommended.
IMO, buying and installing big ugly chrome wheels and tires doesn’t equate to taking pride in one’s car IMO. And I can only post my experience buying and selling cars over a lifetime.