Best Used Cars Under $5,000 - Buyers Guide

Did you know that you can buy a used car for under $5,000 that can give you 7 years of good service? Why buy a new car and have the payments and high insurance? The below used cars are the best you can get considering normal maintainence was provided. A bargain would be a car with less than the miles shown. Don't be afraid of higher miles than shown, if the car is extra clean and had good care.

1. Honda Accord 92 & Newer - 125k Miles or Less The Honda Accord is build to last forever. The quality, fit, and finish is better than a $150,000 Bently. Make sure you have a good car alarm and insurance. The Accord is the #1 chop shop car in america. Because the made in Ohio Accord last so long, body parts are in high demand. When you get ready to sell your Honda Accord, you could make more money parting it out! The Honda Accord is one of the most trouble free cars ever made. Ditto for the powerful Acura Legend.

2. Toyota Camry 92 & Newer - 125k Miles or Less The Camry is one of the most reliable cars you can get at any price. Your first choice should be the 4 cylinder Camry. The reliable V6 Camry will cost you slightly more to upkeep over time. The Toyota Camry is made in Georgetown Kentucky and has more american made parts in it than most american brands. Camry replacement parts prices are in the same range as Ford and Chevy. You can expect over 300k miles out of a Toyota Camry. Ditto for the Lexus ES300, as is pretty much the same car.

3. Volvo 240 88 & Newer - 125k Miles or Less The Volvo 240 is the most simple car to work on. If you don't like to work on cars, the Volvo 240 is good for you too. The 240 is the most overbuilt car on the planet. Volvo Automatic transmissions last forever, and the engine last almost as long. The rear wheel drive has fewer moving parts to wear out. It handles just like a small pickup truck and has a tow rating of 3000 pounds! Very safe car for teens. Some european Volvo 240 taxis have over 500,000 miles on them! The Volvo 740 and 940 use the 240 powertrain. Stay away from the turbo models.

4. Mercedes 300E 87 & Newer - 125k Miles or Less Mercedes Benz cars are normally owned by mature wealthy people and have excellent maintainence. This combined with the high overall quality makes for a very long life car. Replacement parts cost more, but hopefully you won't need any. Make sure to drive one before you buy. The large steering wheel and solid feel won't please everyone. It is funny that 300E cars with less than 200k miles are sold as low mileage. You see Mercedes Benz 300E cars for sale with 350k miles on them. Ditto for the E320, C280, and sweet 300SE.

5. Toyota Corolla 93 & Newer - 120k Miles or Less What a well built little car! Try to find one with the 4spd automatic as it is less buzzy. The Corolla is very tire picky, so put only premium tires on it. Many owners forget to check oil in the transaxle as it is seperate from the transmission. The Corrolla gets up to 40 mpg and is a very long lasting car. You see many high mileage Corollas on the road. The Chevy Prizm and GEO Prizm are the same car as the Corolla, but sell for less. Also check out the 2 door Toyota Celica.

6. BMW 525i 91 & Newer - 120k Miles or Less What a status symbol! Most people don't know BMW cars, so your old 525i Beemer could be considered a expensive prize in the eyes of others. The straight 6 cylinder engine is built like a tractor motor, but does have some zip. Just like the Volvo, BMW cars are easy to work on. These are so fun to drive that miles get racked up in a hurry. Aftermarket parts are fair priced. The 325i is smaller but just as good. The V8 powered 540i is a luxury rocket, and be had pretty cheap right now. Ditto for the larger 740i.

7. Jaguar XJ6 91 & Newer - 115k Miles or Less You feel like a millionare driving one! The poor quality reputation was caused by the 12 cylinder sports cars 30 years ago. The XJ6 is a very good car and the quality compares to the Mercedes Benz. With years of XJ6 refinement, the engine, transmisson, and chassis is more heavy duty than it needs to be. The powertrain could work in a pickup truck! You see ones that are really driven with 250,000+ miles on them. Most are owned by weathy older people and not driven much. Some will smell like expensive cigars inside. The Vanden Plas is the top prize.

8. Nissan Altima 95 & Newer - 115k Miles or Less The Altima is the sales leader of the Nissan line for a good reason. It is so well built. The only major problem is the suspension struts head south at about 180k. Since many other cars won't make it to 180k, the strut problem is not so bad. You see many Altima cars with dents and dings. I don't know if this is a problem with the car, or young drivers. Shopping carts just love some cars. The 4 cylinder engine is a real gem.

9. Subaru Legacy 92 & Newer - 115k Miles or Less The Subaru flat four engine could be the best car motor ever made. Because of the opposed cylinder design, engine oiling and cooling is overkill. The AWD models are just as reliable as the 2wd cars! Changing timing belts could be expensive as you need 2 of them. The station wagons are popular. The Loyale and Impreza are good choices too. My buddy's trusty 4wd DL had 285,000 miles on it before it met a large tree. The Legacy holds it's value better than most cars.

10. Nissan Maxima 93 & Newer - 110k Miles or Less The Nissan Maxima has an expensive car feel to it. Attention to detail is amazing. The Maxima is so well built that some Infinity models use the same powertrain. The only pain is you need to lift the V6 engine to change a $40 timing belt. With good maintainence the Maxima will give many years of reliable service. Ditto for the Infinity J30, and i30. The Nissan Quest and Mercury Villager vans use the Maxima powertrain. The older Nissan 4 cylinder (Stanza) model is very overbuilt.

11. Honda Civic 93 & Newer - 110k Miles or Less The quality of the Honda Civic compares to the Accord. However the Civic is normally owned by younger drivers and maintainence could be suspect. The great power to weight ratio has made the Civic popular for street racing. Avoid a Civic that has had any modifications. It is important to meet the true owner before you buy! Honda Civics like good tires. The 4 door version could be the better car. Ditto for the Acura Integra.

12. Buick LeSabre 95 & Newer - 105k Miles or Less What makes the LeSabre a winner is the 3.8L (3800) long sleeve engine. It is no doubt one of the longest lasting gas engines since the International 345. The transaxle will need replaced or rebuilt around 190-220k miles. The Buick Park Avenue, Chevy Camaro, Chevy Venture, Oldsmobile 88, Olds Intrigue, Olds Silhouette, Pontiac Bonneville, Pontiac Montana, and some Pontiac Grand Prix cars also had the 3.8L V6 engine. Any of these vehicles with the 3.8L engine would be a good ride. What is cool about the Buick LeSabre, is you can find one for less than $5,000 with under 70k miles!

13. Nissan Sentra 93 & Newer - 105k Miles or Less The Nissan Sentra is a very reliable car and compares to the Civic and Corolla quality. Because the Nissan Sentra is considered a budget car, the maintainence could be suspect. Check one out very well before buying. The Sentra is so much fun to drive and feels like a sports car. Nissan air-conditioning has to be the best. Some Sentra cars have lived their whole life never needing a R34a charge. Choose the 4 door model. Ditto for the awesome upscale Infinity G20.

14. Mitsubishi Galant 94 & Newer - 105k Miles or Less The Galant is always overshadowed by the popular Mitsubishi Eclispe. The Camry and Accord out sell the Galant 10 times over. The brand name "Mitsubishi" sounds japanese and I am sure this contributes to the lower sales. The reliable 4 cylinder Galant compares to the lifespan of the Corolla and Altima, if maintainence is kept up. The Eclispe is a good car too if you can find one not trashed by younger drivers.

15. Mazda 626 94 & Newer - 105k Miles or Less The Mazda 626 is one of the best bargains. Expect to pay 40% less for a used 626 comared to the Accord and Camry. Just like many budget cars, the lower cost Mazda 626 could suffer from maintainence neglect. Ask the owner about maintainence. Check out the 626 very good before you buy. Parts cost are reasonable. The 4 cylinder engine and automatic transmission are pretty much trouble free.

16. Chevrolet Caprice 92 & Newer - 100k Miles or Less When Chevy quit production of the Caprice in 1998, there was many tears. If you talk to cops and cab drivers, they will tell you the Caprice was their favorite. The Chevrolet Caprice is so cheap to maintain, that many taxi cab companies are still using them. A rebuilt 350 V8 engine can be had for $750! It is common to see taxis with 400k miles on them. The Buick Roadmaster is a premium grandpa car and uses the Caprice platform. Buick Roadmaster cars can be found in excellent condition. Ditto for the Cadallic Fleetwood.

17. Volkswagon Jetta 92 & Newer - 100k Miles or Less The real prize is if you can find one with the diesel engine. The gasoline 4 cylinder is pretty good too. Most are with standard 5 speed transmission, but automatics can be found. The VW Jetta drivetrain is as reliable as you can get. Other stuff needs more attention than some other cars, such as brakes and electronics. If you are a fix-it guy, these are minor annoyances. The Passat in both 4 cylinder and V6 are as good as the Jetta. Ditto for the upscale Audi A4, A6, and Audi 90.

18. Ford Crown Victoria 93 & Newer - 90k Miles or Less Avoid the used police cars. Even with good maintainence and lower miles, most have been trashed. Most Ford Crown Vics for the public were owned by older people and are in very good condition. The only major problems to watch for is the power window motors. Make sure all the windows go up and down before you buy. With the high gasoline prices, the Crown Victoria can be had pretty cheap. Also see the Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car as they share the powertrain and chassis with the Vicky.

19. Saturn SL1 96 & Newer - 90k Miles or Less The Saturn started out as an experiment in american quality. Many of the production methods were taken from the Japanese companies. The Saturn has the best american 4 cylinder engine since the Pontiac Iron Duke. With good maintainence, the Saturn will just keep going and going. The well used ones are buzzy, rattle some, and shake for no reason. Just live with it and drive. Ditto for the other Saturn models. The wagons are normally in the better condition.

20. Ford Taurus 95 & Newer - 90k Miles or Less It took Ford eight years to refine the Taurus to the point that it is stone reliable. The only pain is the "check engine light" that comes on for no reason. I think this was a trick to get you to visit the dealer service departmet often. Parts are cheap and used body parts are easy to find. Use good oil and change it often. The station wagons are very desireable. Also check out the Mercury Sable, as it is the same car.

Is the car you want not in the top 20 list? This list is a guide only, and not set in stone. The good maintainence the owner gave the car is the most important. Dodge and Chrysler vehicles with the reliable 3.3L V6 are good even though you may need a transmission rebuild every 90k miles. Some american cars like the Chevrolet Cavalier, Malibu, and Lumina; Dodge Neon, Stratus and Intrepid; and the Ford Contour, Mustang, and Escort can all be trouble prone. However I have seen these cars with very high miles on them just because the owners took care of them. We excluded pickups, SUVs and vans from this guide. It does not work trying to compare a Toyota Camry to a Ford F250 Powerstroke, or compare a Honda Civic to a Chevy Astro van.