My lease on a 2020 Civic ends in three months. The purchase price is $17K right now, which is more than I can really afford (at best, I'd have to do a 72-month loan to keep the monthly payment something my budget can afford).

So I'm in the unpleasant spot at looking for a used car. Being an idiot when it comes to cars, I know to stick to Hondas or Toyotas. Looking at what's available around me, I've zeroed in on two 2012 Civics, both with a little over 100K miles, both around $12K.

What are some general tips I should look for? Also, what's the procedure like on taking in a car for a second party to inspect before purchase?

The two I'm looking at are a '12 Civic LX (dealer link, CarFax) with about 105K miles with sticker price just under $12K and a '12 Civic EX-L (dealer link, CarFax) with a little less than 112K miles with a sticker price about 12.5K. Test drove the LX today; drove well. Liked it. Decent shape cosmetically. Going to test drive the EX-L ASAP.

What does everyone think -- get a used car similar to above (even if not one of those two exact ones)? Suck it up and buy lease? See if the lease can be extended a year and hope for better purchasing conditions?

Any feedback appreciated!