A friend is selling his 06 Ford escape. Automatic transmission 223000 miles 6 cylinder it burns a little oil. He's asking $1200 but said he would give it to me for $1000. Heat and air work its awd with good tires and the miles are mainly highway as he commutes 160 miles a day for work. It does need a wheel bearing. This would be my daughter's first car. I don't want to buy her anything too nice because I've already been down this road with her siblings. If the car lasts a few years I would be happy. Any advice appreciated as i know nothing about these cars. Thanks in advance. Also love the YouTube videos. Keep up the good work!
I feel for you. I have a 2008 4cyl all-wheel drive Mazda Tribute (same as the Escape) with 215k miles. Just had to spend 3k on a transmission. I have had to replace the driveline, brake pads, and other maintenance items. It runs fine now, but with those kind of miles you just can't tell, I would esp. be concerned with the 6 cylinder. Personally, I hope my 08 with a 4cyl will go just a few more years.... but who knows. It's a crapshoot at this point. I am unsure if you can really get a good, reliable car for 1k in today's market, but if it feels like a good deal to you, and you are prepared to put money into a vehicle that really has zero dollar value, then it might make sense. Good luck, and please update the thread as you make your decision.
PS-- I do my own repairs, short of the transmission rebuild. Youtube is great for that.