Hey Scotty I’m looking at buying my first car I’m still in college and need something reliable. The used car market prices are insane right now I see cars that once sold for $1500 selling for $6000. I don’t want to over pay for a very old car so I was thinking of buying a 2013 or 2014 civic within the 10k price range. Was just curious if older cars such as an 06 civic is even worth buying for 4-5k.
The older ones are better than the newer ones. Also I don't consider a 2013 or 2014 old. I consider them new or newer. I would look at the 2006 for half the cost just make sure it checks out.
It's not just about age. You also need to consider how much distance there is on the odometer, and the mechanical condition of the vehicle. All three factors are important. Please read our car buying guide in the FAQ.
The youngest car I own is an 08
Imo the cars they put out today are focused on infotainment/comfort and fuel economy
From the comfort point of view the car requires an enormous amount of extra wiring, motors, sensors and computers
All those additional electronics are additional points of failure
In regard to fuel economy auto makers have come up with CVT, Additional gears, "soft start" etc
CVT's are proving to be unreliable and very expensive to fix
The additional gears make a trans rebuild very expensive (what once took 3-5 gears are now 9 and up)
"Soft Start", or whatever its called when the car turns off when stopped at a light, puts additional wear on the starter, fly wheel etc
When it comes time to replace that starter all the $ u saved on gas will be spent on those starters x2
Though im not sure u save anything at all
Theres also the turbo and piston delete that have ther own problems and are very expensive to fix
Final analysis: older cars imo are way more reliable and cheaper to own than a new car
The main issue when buying an older car is rust
A rebuilt/reman engine can be had for 1k while rust damage can be 5-10k
Agree with all here. A pre 2010 car that shows a good history and care would be the way to go. It may take you weeks on end to find a good one but they are out there.
Just take the time to have a mechanic look at it before you commit to buying thats your safest bet
You might want to look a Toyota corolla's too
Just take the time to have a mechanic look at it before you commit to buying thats your safest bet
You might want to look a Toyota corolla's too
The 2013 Civic is one of the best Civics. It was the final year before they switched to CVT transmissions. The only issue currently is that you’d end up over paying for one. They were charging unreasonable prices for them at most places even before this car market crisis started. I had a 2013 Civic and I gave it to my brother last year after I bought a Camry. That Civic never gave me issues and it is still running as strong as it did when I first got it with 10k miles. My brother treats it pretty poorly and it’s still going pretty strong.
