Found a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer with 26k miles on it. From the pics looks like good condition. As a first car, I'm not really looking for something super fast, just something I can enjoy around fun corners. The guy's asking $4.5K. Thoughts? It's automatic transmission.
Aside from anything else I'd be wondering why a nearly 20 year old car allegedly only has 26K miles on it.
I would be very suspect about that vehicle.
It says it was owned by their mother who recently passed and only used it to get to and from town
The story told in the old days was usually "Only driven by a little old lady to church on Sundays." If you're really interested in that car better have it thoroughly checked out by a good mechanic. However all else being equal an old Corolla or Civic would be a better bet than an old Mitsubishi any day of the week.
Do they have proof that the mileage is genuine?
Get the Carfax report and check the mileage.
If you want a sporty car thats reliable and fun to drive try to go Craigslist, and search for a ford mustang (2004-2009 had the good transmissions and engines), toyota 86 (becaues its almost idendical to the subaru brz, and they're so much less popular than the brz. They can't be very hard to find. And they're made by toyota, which is known for their reliability), a honda civic type r (good luck finding a used one in good condition), or the subaru wrx sti (it has a 82 out of 100 reliability score by jd power, but I would do some research about that. Just for getting around, any used honda or toyota is a great option. They are extremely reliable and some of the best cars ever made. Mazdas are pretty reliable and they can be pretty fun cars to drive. Ford crown vics are really well made cars that have alot of power, and a lot of space, which is the reason the police used them for so long and still use them today. The reason they are so lager is cause they came just before the SUV became popular. Customers wanted bigger and bigger cars and it came to the point that the SUV was born. The crown vic came before that. The mercury montague grand Marque was just about the same as the crown vic. I personally would buy the straight v8 without a supercharger or turbo or something like that, cause they last longer and are easier to maintain. A good SUV would be again, a honda or toyota suv. Same for sendans and pickups. If you found an old mazda pickup, or a ford ranger, that would be good to. Before you buy a used car you're going to want to have a good mechanic check it out first. And always do your research before you buy a car. I hope that helps.
Sincerely, M.B. Speed
Take current year: 2021. Take the car's year: 2003.
2021-2003 = 18 years.
Average person drives from 8k to 12k miles. Take the minimum - 8k miles (assume youth/old generation driving)
18 years x 8k miles = 144k.
The car should have around 150k miles driven at least.
26k miles? I call that BS.
Oh sorry i answered for the wrong question. my bad 🤣 🤣 🤣