Vehicle reliability - best make/models?

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motorcy90

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Aug 12, 2018
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I read something online that said only 1% of cars make it to 200,000 miles which seems crazy to me. My Camry is just below that and going strong.
I just bought an 03 Pontiac Grand Prix with 136k on it at the time as my work beater. I have no doubts it will see another 136k.. and I'm putting 90 miles a day on it currently with my new job.
 

usedcarguy

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Apr 12, 2008
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I read something online that said only 1% of cars make it to 200,000 miles which seems crazy to me. My Camry is just below that and going strong.

That does seem crazy. The auto auctions are full of 200k mile cars. If there's any truth to it, it has to be because of the number that get totaled out in accidents. As cars get older, it takes less and less damage to deem them a total loss.
 

motorcy90

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Aug 12, 2018
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That does seem crazy. The auto auctions are full of 200k mile cars. If there's any truth to it, it has to be because of the number that get totaled out in accidents. As cars get older, it takes less and less damage to deem them a total loss.
that and around here rust will get to them before the mileage does as well.
 

mramseyISU

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Nov 8, 2006
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Waterloo, IA
Just read an article that a dealership is selling a pre-owned 2019 Toyota Tacoma SR double cab for $4,000 more ($33k) than it cost new just a few years ago ($29k).
The kbb trade in for my 2016 Tacoma is $5000 less than I paid for it new so that doesn’t surprise me at all.
 

besserheimerphat

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Apr 11, 2006
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I read something online that said only 1% of cars make it to 200,000 miles which seems crazy to me. My Camry is just below that and going strong.
As long as there are parts available, there's no reason a car can't run indefinitely. But it gets to be a cost/benefit issue where it costs more to repair than to operate. If you replace enough parts you can get it back to the point that operating costs > repair costs, but who is going to do that? It either has to be a "special" vehicle - sentimental value, collector car, customized for particular work, etc. - or the owner has to be able to repair for cheaper than most people can - usually by doing labor themselves, which often takes time and access to tools and "supply chains" (junk yards etc).

So it's not that the cars aren't capable, it's that it doesn't pencil out for most people.
 

CycloneDaddy

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Sep 24, 2006
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Am I in the right here? Test drove a vehicle on Tuesday and liked it but it was making a noise. Told the sales guy and he said ok. Yesterday they dropped the price $2500 so I call them in the morning and say Im interested but has anyone looked at the wheel. Sales guy says let me check. I finally call him last night and he says not sure let me drive it. He calls me this morning and says its now fixed. I go right over to buy it so we sit down and now the price drop was only $2k. I show them the screenshot of $2500 and they wont budge. I offer we split the $500 difference and they said no so I walked out. This is pretty ****** to change the price on me right?
 

VeloClone

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Jan 19, 2010
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Brooklyn Park, MN
Am I in the right here? Test drove a vehicle on Tuesday and liked it but it was making a noise. Told the sales guy and he said ok. Yesterday they dropped the price $2500 so I call them in the morning and say Im interested but has anyone looked at the wheel. Sales guy says let me check. I finally call him last night and he says not sure let me drive it. He calls me this morning and says its now fixed. I go right over to buy it so we sit down and now the price drop was only $2k. I show them the screenshot of $2500 and they wont budge. I offer we split the $500 difference and they said no so I walked out. This is pretty ****** to change the price on me right?
You did the right thing. If they aren't going to honor a price they published you don't want to do business with them.
 

Gonzo

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Mar 10, 2009
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Behind you
Am I in the right here? Test drove a vehicle on Tuesday and liked it but it was making a noise. Told the sales guy and he said ok. Yesterday they dropped the price $2500 so I call them in the morning and say Im interested but has anyone looked at the wheel. Sales guy says let me check. I finally call him last night and he says not sure let me drive it. He calls me this morning and says its now fixed. I go right over to buy it so we sit down and now the price drop was only $2k. I show them the screenshot of $2500 and they wont budge. I offer we split the $500 difference and they said no so I walked out. This is pretty ****** to change the price on me right?

I would've done the same. Weird they were willing to let a sale walk over $250, still a seller's market apparently.
 

VeloClone

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Jan 19, 2010
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I would've done the same. Weird they were willing to let a sale walk over $250, still a seller's market apparently.
New cars are hard to come by so apparently they feel like they have to get every dime from each sale. I agree, pretty weird to squabble over that when the buyer has a good reason and is willing to split the difference.
 

BryceC

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Honest question here, I was looking to maybe trade in my 2017 F150 because of the high value of trades. I can't get a dealership to just straight up give me a general quote. I'm not looking for something exact, just a ballpark figure within 1-2k.

Basically I've always driven cars until they are worth basically nothing in the past so I've never actually shopped around to try and get a good trade price.

I've never sold a car privately, ever.

Anybody have some tips here on how to find out what it's worth and sell it? Thanks,
 

zarnold56

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Aug 9, 2009
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Honest question here, I was looking to maybe trade in my 2017 F150 because of the high value of trades. I can't get a dealership to just straight up give me a general quote. I'm not looking for something exact, just a ballpark figure within 1-2k.

Basically I've always driven cars until they are worth basically nothing in the past so I've never actually shopped around to try and get a good trade price.

I've never sold a car privately, ever.

Anybody have some tips here on how to find out what it's worth and sell it? Thanks,

Try Carmax, Carvana, Vroom, they will give you one that lasts for up to like 7 days. I see a lot of dealers advertising they want to buy cars even if you're not buying from them. Have you been calling/emailing or stopping by? Maybe stopping by would they would get you an actual quote.
 
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cyclonesurveyor

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Try Carmax, Carvana, Vroom, they will give you one that lasts for up to like 7 days. I see a lot of dealers advertising they want to buy cars even if you're not buying from them. Have you been calling/emailing or stopping by? Maybe stopping by would they would get you an actual quote.

We have sold to Carmax (with no car purchase) a couple of times and it was really slick.
 
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Sousaclone

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We have sold to Carmax (with no car purchase) a couple of times and it was really slick.

Ditto. Sure it probably wasn't the best price (was still reasonable) out there but 8+ years ago when I did it, you couldn't ask for a simpler and smoother process. Probably the most difficult part was making small talk with one of the sales people while they did their appraisal.

Walked in at 11 and had a price by 11:30. Swung back around at 4:00 PM with all the paperwork and such and was out the door with a check by 4:30. None of the private sale worry about title transfers, registrations, checks or anything like that.
 
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Cyclonick182

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Subaru hasn't let me down. I've had two Foresters go over 250k miles. My current two WRXs are at 190k and 90k. If you dont beat them they'll run for a long time.
 

simply1

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I’m selling to Carmax this week, shocking how much better their offer is than any trade offers at multiple dealerships.
 
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brianhos

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My 2011 Honda Pilot was at 200k when I traded it in a few years ago. Only issue I had with it was replacing the alternator. Great car.

my 2011 honda pilot has been a money pit. Probably put $10-$12K in that thing so far.
 

brianhos

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Subaru hasn't let me down. I've had two Foresters go over 250k miles. My current two WRXs are at 190k and 90k. If you dont beat them they'll run for a long time.

Ascents are junk until the '22 model fixed a bunch of the problems.
 

cmjh10

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Looking to sell my truck sooner rather than later. Just too expensive and it might be worth more now than when I bought it. Would there be any issues trading it in with money owed on it yet?