When it comes to buying a car, we tend to stick with the advice that says, “go new”, if for no other reason than to avoid crazy maintenance costs, but sometimes that’s a piece of luxury not everyone can afford.
If you’re strapped for cash or looking for a second car with a $6,000 price tag then buying a used vehicle is the only available option – even though we think it’s a bad idea.
There aren’t a TON of amazing cheap choices, but they do exist if you look hard enough. And keep expectations on fancy features low. A great place to start the search would be with a new dealership (avoid all used car lots as much as possible) offering solid used models – the cars come with full history reports that you can trust, which is mega important when dealing with an older vehicle. Online classifieds aren’t bad either (Kijiji even links you to buying car reports if you want more info on the ride you’re interested in purchasing).
A $6,000 budget doesn’t leave a whole lot of breathing room in terms of car age or make, but again, the options are out there! Most people that buy used tend to stick with vehicles that are ten to fifteen years old and often bring home brands like Toyota, Honda, Subaru and Nissan.
Here are some of the best picks of the current used car market. All priced below or at $6,000!
2003 Volkswagen Passat
Depending on who you go talking to, used VWs are some of the best (or worst) options on the market. The 2003 Passat gets a thumbs up here thanks to its gorgeous design and comfortable interior as well as its reliability factor. It might be of some great debate amongst used car consumers, but if you’ve ever owned a Volkswagen you know just how low-maintenance they truly are!
2007 Toyota Corolla
If you want to buy a car used, then you can’t go wrong with a Toyota. The brand offers well-made vehicles that truly stand the test of time (and don’t look half bad while they do it)! The Corolla is recommended often due to cheap maintenance and a powerful little engine that works in all climate conditions.
2006 Honda Civic
Civics are a fan-favourite for many reasons, but the biggest of all is their reliability factor! Used Honda Civics retailing at $6,000 or less may not come with a ton of bells and whistles, but they’re super cheap to fix when problems do arise. WIN.
2006 Subaru Forester
Want to buy a car used? Those that do often recommend purchasing Subarus. Most of their models hold up, but it’s their SUVs that get the most love thanks to a great ability to tackle winter climates and their low maintenance costs.
As with any major purchase, be sure to do your homework before handing over the cash on a used car. It’s important too to take into consideration how you’ll use the vehicle (and in what conditions), the kind of mileage you are comfortable with taking on and, of course, how reliable the make and model is in the long run.
If you have enough money to buy a new car ($10,000 or more), then check out our Deal Finder tool, which lets you set a budget and find a vehicle that will fit within it.
