ISO a Unicorn Used Honda Pilot

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

I'm in the search for a used Honda Pilot for the kids to share.  My price limit is $10,000.  Chances are good some significantly long road trips will be taken in it.  

Do I favor low miles or more recent model year?  For example, I found a 20006 with 106,000 miles on it or a 2011 with 168,000 miles, both under $10K.  

What say you, wise and knowledgeable YM Car Denizens?

[Jaguar]

Low miles would be what I would look for.

[Shooby]

I used to look for low miles. Now i try to find the newest year.

[Shooby]

The 06 has been siting and rusting 5 years longer. Also the safety features have gotten better with back up cams and better features

[Deleted]

I might shop some more. 

Is that a dealer price or private party?  I just looked on Craigslist here and there is a 2006 with 130K for $7500 and a 2007 with 105K for $9200.

[debthaven]

For young drivers, I would DEFINITELY go with a more recent car because of the safety features.

My ex SIL always waited for her nephews (mainly my kids) to need their first car. She would then buy herself a new one and sell her old car to her brother (my ex) dirt cheap for one of his (often my) kids.

On the first day DS2 got his license, he drove out to his Dad's house in the country. On his way back, it rained for the first time in weeks. He was going too fast ... he skidded, flipped the car and ended up on the other side of the road (in incoming traffic). The car was totaled ... DS2 was extremely shaken, but fine.

My ex SIL is extremely anxious and always added all the optional airbags. The fact that DS2 was driving that car saved his life, THANK GD!!!

ETA: And yes he learned his lesson ... that was 12 years ago.

[thyme4change]

Apr 15, 2018 17:36:35 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I might shop some more. 

Is that a dealer price or private party?  I just looked on Craigslist here and there is a 2006 with 130K for $7500 and a 2007 with 105K for $9200.

Used car prices have a location component. Used cars are more expensive in regions that don't have snow and don't salt their roads. Cars last a lot longer here.

[Deleted]

Apr 15, 2018 17:53:11 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Apr 15, 2018 17:36:35 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I might shop some more. 

Is that a dealer price or private party?  I just looked on Craigslist here and there is a 2006 with 130K for $7500 and a 2007 with 105K for $9200.

Used car prices have a location component. Used cars are more expensive in regions that don't have snow and don't salt their roads. Cars last a lot longer here.

I don't know.  I looked at Phoenix and found them even cheaper!  $4700 for a 2006! 

phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/d/2007-honda-pilot/6559625558.html

But GRG lives where there is way more snow than we get anyhow. 

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Prices are all over the place here among private sellers and those small independent dealers/garages. Obviously, I don't want to overpay. But, do I look for low miles irrespective of model year (and possible age-related wear and lack of more modern features) or look for the most recent model I can find under $10K irrespective of mileage? (Anyone have thei crystal ball nearby? 😜)

[TheHaitian]

Apr 15, 2018 19:03:06 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Prices are all over the place here among private sellers and those small independent dealers/garages. Obviously, I don't want to overpay. But, do I look for low miles irrespective of model year (and possible age-related wear and lack of more modern features) or look for the most recent model I can find under $10K irrespective of mileage? (Anyone have thei crystal ball nearby? 😜)

How will they share it? Are they going to the same college?

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Apr 15, 2018 20:27:50 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Apr 15, 2018 19:03:06 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Prices are all over the place here among private sellers and those small independent dealers/garages. Obviously, I don't want to overpay. But, do I look for low miles irrespective of model year (and possible age-related wear and lack of more modern features) or look for the most recent model I can find under $10K irrespective of mileage? (Anyone have thei crystal ball nearby? 😜)

How will they share it? Are they going to the same college?

No.  They'll share it when they are home, or when they need it for employment.  ODS will need a car this summer for his summer internship, YDS will not.  

[gambler]

Have you thought about a CRV, I got one for my daughter, a 2013 for 10K very low miles, she has two kids and is some what big. and they all fit well. I myself drive a 98 with a lot of miles and am big( fat and old)

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

What about a Toyota Highlander?

[Shooby]

Apr 15, 2018 20:55:27 GMT -5 gambler said:

Have you thought about a CRV, I got one for my daughter, a 2013 for 10K very low miles, she has two kids and is some what big. and they all fit well. I myself drive a 98 with a lot of miles and am big( fat and old)

We are a Crv family. Have 3 of them.

[Deleted]

My Honda has over 200K and I see Pilots for sale with well over 200K all the time, so the miles don't really scare me, but I don't know if I could pay 10K for something with 168K. 

[Shooby]

Just curious why do you want a Pilot which is pretty large and not great on gas? I mean, some people prefer bigger cars.

[busymom]

Check out my favorite website: cargurus.com       The last time we bought a used car, that's where we got one for DH.  

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Apr 15, 2018 21:39:33 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Just curious why do you want a Pilot which is pretty large and not great on gas? I mean, some people prefer bigger cars.

Because it's bigger and the older ones look a little like a Jeep Cherokee (vs. a Mom car like the CRV).

ODS will be working 2,000 miles away this summer in remote parts without any "base camp" and will need to keep his gear with him. Hence, the search for an older Honda Pilot. We prefer Hondas -- it's the only brand our trusted mechanic works on.

[bean29]

My DD is Driving a Subaru Legacy (AWD CAR).  She really likes it.

Warning:  Give a college student a car and they will drive it all over the place.

Both kids put major miles on their cars, I often find out incidentally where they are - like when something is posted to social media.

ETA:  It was the bodyshop guy that sent DH to look at Subaru's when her Elantra was totaled in a rear end collision.  He had recommended a Subaru CrosTrek.  DH liked it, DD hated it.  They both liked the car and the safety ratings were top rated.




 

[giramomma]

Apr 16, 2018 10:59:09 GMT -5 bean29 said:

My DD is Driving a Subaru Legacy (AWD CAR).  She really likes it.

Warning:  Give a college student a car and they will drive it all over the place.

Both kids put major miles on their cars, I often find out incidentally where they are - like when something is posted to social media.

ETA:  It was the bodyshop guy that sent DH to look at Subaru's when her Elantra was totaled in a rear end collision.  He had recommended a Subaru CrosTrek.  DH liked it, DD hated it.  They both liked the car and the safety ratings were top rated.

 

Depending on the location, though, it's super hard to find a used subaru. Both our 2004 and 2008 had head gasket issues...which can be pretty pricy to fix.

I live in a decent sized city (200K) there are some subarus that fit OPs criteria. Two newer ones.. both have about 100K on them though and are about 8-9 years old.

5K might get you a 14 year old subaru with 150 miles on it, car is in good shape...But, I'm not sure OP wants to go older than 14 years...

[alabamagal]

My mantra has been if you are not putting a lot of miles on it get a newer, higher mileage vehicle.

When my kids were in college, they really didn’t put a lot of miles on their vehicles. Sure there were a few road trips, but they put very few everyday miles on vehicles. All my kids went to school 100-200 miles away and only came home for big holidays. They typically lived off campus but less than 2 miles away. I always wanted them to have a way to get to class in case of car issues - like when one totaled car we could take time to replace. If you average less than 5 miles per day, you don’t put a lot of mileage.

We just bought whatever was cheapest and hoped for low repairs, and it worked. We had one Pontiac, two Kias, and one unicorn Honda Accord, all 100k plus miles and we never had any major issues. The Pontiac made it 6 years and was traded in, the Honda was totaled after 3 years, one Kia was totaled after 2 years and the other Kia is now sitting in my driveway as a spare (trade in value is $500).

I am big believer in the quality of Honda and some other brands, but when it comes to $, you are paying for it.

[tskeeter]

Apr 15, 2018 16:29:15 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

I'm in the search for a used Honda Pilot for the kids to share.  My price limit is $10,000.  Chances are good some significantly long road trips will be taken in it.  

Do I favor low miles or more recent model year?  For example, I found a 20006 with 106,000 miles on it or a 2011 with 168,000 miles, both under $10K.  

What say you, wise and knowledgeable YM Car Denizens?

Low mileage = car is likely to last longer.

More recent model year = more safety features.

The older, lower mileage car will probably last 6 or 7 years.  The higher mileage car, about 4.

Why a Pilot?  Any SUV sits higher than a sedan, giving them a high center of gravity.  This makes them much more likely to roll over than a sedan.  And, young drivers are more likely to lose control of a less stable SUV than they are of a relatively more stable sedan.  What’s the point of a car with a lot of safety features if it is inherently unstable (says the guy who has driven sedans sideways down the road on a few occasions)?

[Deleted]

Apr 17, 2018 10:57:47 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Apr 15, 2018 16:29:15 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

I'm in the search for a used Honda Pilot for the kids to share.  My price limit is $10,000.  Chances are good some significantly long road trips will be taken in it.  

Do I favor low miles or more recent model year?  For example, I found a 20006 with 106,000 miles on it or a 2011 with 168,000 miles, both under $10K.  

What say you, wise and knowledgeable YM Car Denizens?

Low mileage = car is likely to last longer.

More recent model year = more safety features.

The older, lower mileage car will probably last 6 or 7 years.  The higher mileage car, about 4.

Why a Pilot?  Any SUV sits higher than a sedan, giving them a high center of gravity.  This makes them much more likely to roll over than a sedan.  And, young drivers are more likely to lose control of a less stable SUV than they are of a relatively more stable sedan.  What’s the point of a car with a lot of safety features if it is inherently unstable (says the guy who has driven sedans sideways down the road on a few occasions)?

It sounds like it's going to be his home away from home in the woods.  He probably needs an SUV and lots of space for stuff.

[tskeeter]

Apr 17, 2018 11:02:54 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Apr 17, 2018 10:57:47 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Low mileage = car is likely to last longer.

More recent model year = more safety features.

The older, lower mileage car will probably last 6 or 7 years.  The higher mileage car, about 4.

Why a Pilot?  Any SUV sits higher than a sedan, giving them a high center of gravity.  This makes them much more likely to roll over than a sedan.  And, young drivers are more likely to lose control of a less stable SUV than they are of a relatively more stable sedan.  What’s the point of a car with a lot of safety features if it is inherently unstable (says the guy who has driven sedans sideways down the road on a few occasions)?

It sounds like it's going to be his home away from home in the woods.  He probably needs an SUV and lots of space for stuff.

Oops, missed that post.  May not be appropriate in this case, but for most drivers, I think my sedan vs. SUV argument holds true.

[myrrh]

I found a 2007 Honda Pilot with 158,000 miles for $3700 in Albuquerque. It might be cost effective to fly out somewhere and drive it back. Good luck!