In search of that elusive $5,000 low mileage used Honda

[swamp]

DS is 17, a senior, and will be going off to college in the fall.   He currently drives my old minivan. 
DD is 16 and a sophomore, and should have her license in the spring.    
If DS goes to a college where he can have a car, we will have to get another car. 

Last night, DH and I stopped at a used car dealer and looked around.  This guy is reputable and reasonable.   The cars ranged from $8,888 to $30,000, and 2010's to 2022's. 

The cheapest car we found was $8,888, it was a 2010 Honda Fit with 103,000 miles on it. 

That's not cheap, and i think it's a bit expensive for that particular car. 

[azucena]

Right behind you with DD15. She thinks she's getting my 2011 Sienna which has 150k miles so she can 'fill it with theater peeps.' Um, yeah no, teen drivers are stupid and she needs to fly solo for a good long while.

Scrolling fb marketplace every once in a while to see what's out there. Looks like we'll have to pony up $10kish too. Remains to be seen if I don't upgrade and flip the van usage to her. Partial to Toyotas and have been watching for Rav4s or Highlanders. Still have several years of minivan need to haul DD11 and friends, so DH and I will have 3 vehicles with the ability to loan one to DD.

[minnesotapaintlady]

You'll get better deals going private party. 

[daisylu]

Used car prices have been ridiculous since Covid. 

How many vehicles do you currently have? Both of my kids have launched, but DH and I keep 3 vehicles. The third is a single wheel drive, 2 seater pickup truck that DH owned before we married.  It is a 2001 with around 130,000 miles and we could easily get $4,000 for it, but we keep it in case one of us is without a vehicle for an extended period of time. It will likely get passed to one of the kids if one of their vehicles die. We have been looking at adding another full size truck anyway (for fun stuff, like hauling kayaks) but prices are ridiculous. But if one of the kids needs a vehicle it is theirs, and we will deal - that idea is much more palatable than  them not being able to get work and needing to move back home.

[swamp]

Nov 6, 2023 11:28:27 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Used car prices have been ridiculous since Covid. 

How many vehicles do you currently have? Both of my kids have launched, but DH and I keep 3 vehicles. The third is a single wheel drive, 2 seater pickup truck that DH owned before we married.  It is a 2001 with around 130,000 miles and we could easily get $4,000 for it, but we keep it in case one of us is without a vehicle for an extended period of time. It will likely get passed to one of the kids if one of their vehicles die. We have been looking at adding another full size truck anyway (for fun stuff, like hauling kayaks) but prices are ridiculous. But if one of the kids needs a vehicle it is theirs, and we will deal - that idea is much more palatable than  them not being able to get work and needing to move back home.

3. 

I have a 2022 Honda Pilot I bought new last year. 
DH has a 2015 Chevy pickup bought new in 2015.   It's paid for, has about 80,000 miles, and he will drive it until he can't drive it anymore. 
DS drives my 2014 Honda Odyssey minivan with about 200,000 miles on it.  It's paid for.  

[swamp]

Nov 6, 2023 10:55:30 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

You'll get better deals going private party. 

I can't find anything that isn't a beat up pick up truck. 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Gwen will probably get DH's car since his dad is giving him his truck.  Gwen is pissed about it but I told her I am not taking out a loan on a car only to have you do something stupid in it like 90% of the teenagers I knew who started driving.   The Nissan doesn't even have 150k on it yet and we know it has been well cared for.  It's a solid car the only thing that is stupid about it is how much batteries for Nissans cost and even then I know where to go to get a better deal. 

I said you don't want to have to take the bus your ass accepts what you are given.

I also would consider giving her the Impala and I switch to the Nissan. 

Car prices are freaking stupid.  I am so glad DH fought with the insurance company to keep the car.  I'm sorry but I don't buy that replacing two doors costs even more than the car is worth.  That guy's prices were jacked up.

There is no way we would have been able to find a car for what we paid for the Nissan or the Impala.  Let alone find them with less than 100k miles on it.   

[daisylu]

Nov 6, 2023 11:48:49 GMT -5 swamp said:

Nov 6, 2023 11:28:27 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Used car prices have been ridiculous since Covid. 

How many vehicles do you currently have? Both of my kids have launched, but DH and I keep 3 vehicles. The third is a single wheel drive, 2 seater pickup truck that DH owned before we married.  It is a 2001 with around 130,000 miles and we could easily get $4,000 for it, but we keep it in case one of us is without a vehicle for an extended period of time. It will likely get passed to one of the kids if one of their vehicles die. We have been looking at adding another full size truck anyway (for fun stuff, like hauling kayaks) but prices are ridiculous. But if one of the kids needs a vehicle it is theirs, and we will deal - that idea is much more palatable than  them not being able to get work and needing to move back home.

3. 

I have a 2022 Honda Pilot I bought new last year. 
DH has a 2015 Chevy pickup bought new in 2015.   It's paid for, has about 80,000 miles, and he will drive it until he can't drive it anymore. 
DS drives my 2014 Honda Odyssey minivan with about 200,000 miles on it.  It's paid for.  

So your son drives the third vehicle daily and may take it to college, and your DD will be driving soon. You definitely need more vehicles. What if someone hits a deer, requiring extensive repairs that can now take several months? Mine did, and that was before Covid. We do not have car rental on our insurance because we have a spare. But you are in a bad spot for having vehicles and trying to buy used. F*cking Covid.

FWIW, the $5,000 used Hondas ended long before Covid. And I am in a LCOLA, or at least I was before Covid and a bunch of remote workers started driving up the prices.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Nov 6, 2023 11:50:31 GMT -5 swamp said:

Nov 6, 2023 10:55:30 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

You'll get better deals going private party. 

I can't find anything that isn't a beat up pick up truck. 

Perfect! 

[minnesotapaintlady]

Nov 6, 2023 12:20:21 GMT -5 daisylu said:

FWIW, the $5,000 used Hondas ended long before Covid. And I am in a LCOLA, or at least I was before Covid and a bunch of remote workers started driving up the prices.

There are several in the 5-6K range in our Facebook Marketplace, but I don't blink at 140-160K miles if it has been taken care of.

I'd probably look at this one if I was shopping for my kid.

www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/333286262645334/?mibextid=dXMIcH

[azucena]

Nov 6, 2023 12:47:50 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Nov 6, 2023 12:20:21 GMT -5 daisylu said:

FWIW, the $5,000 used Hondas ended long before Covid. And I am in a LCOLA, or at least I was before Covid and a bunch of remote workers started driving up the prices.

There are several in the 5-6K range in our Facebook Marketplace, but I don't blink at 140-160K miles if it has been taken care of.

Curious what's your expectation on max mileage. 200k sticks in my head so 150k feels close to that, but maybe 200k isn't accurate.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Nov 6, 2023 12:51:59 GMT -5 azucena said:

Nov 6, 2023 12:47:50 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

There are several in the 5-6K range in our Facebook Marketplace, but I don't blink at 140-160K miles if it has been taken care of.

Curious what's your expectation on max mileage. 200k sticks in my head so 150k feels close to that, but maybe 200k isn't accurate.

I would expect a Honda or Toyota to easily make 200K.  Mine have 240 and 230 respectively.   The car I bought for DS had 192K on it when I bought it and we still have it 5 years later.

They are a 2005 and 97 though. I have less faith in the longevity of newer vehicles because of all the electronics in them, but that's only based on gut feeling because I work in the electronics industry.

[daisylu]

Nov 6, 2023 12:47:50 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Nov 6, 2023 12:20:21 GMT -5 daisylu said:

FWIW, the $5,000 used Hondas ended long before Covid. And I am in a LCOLA, or at least I was before Covid and a bunch of remote workers started driving up the prices.

There are several in the 5-6K range in our Facebook Marketplace, but I don't blink at 140-160K miles if it has been taken care of.

I'd probably look at this one if I was shopping for my kid.

www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/333286262645334/?mibextid=dXMIcH

That is in your area, where you can look at it easily to determine "if it was well taken care of" or take it to a trusted mechanic. I am not driving 500 - 1,000 miles to see a car.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Nov 6, 2023 13:06:42 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Nov 6, 2023 12:47:50 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

There are several in the 5-6K range in our Facebook Marketplace, but I don't blink at 140-160K miles if it has been taken care of.

I'd probably look at this one if I was shopping for my kid.

www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/333286262645334/?mibextid=dXMIcH

That is in your area, where you can look at it easily to determine "if it was well taken care of" or take it to a trusted mechanic. I am not driving 500 - 1,000 miles to see a car.

I wouldn't expect you to.   I was just responding to the comment that they don't exist in that price range anymore. 

[swamp]

Nov 6, 2023 12:20:21 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Nov 6, 2023 11:48:49 GMT -5 swamp said:

3. 

I have a 2022 Honda Pilot I bought new last year. 
DH has a 2015 Chevy pickup bought new in 2015.   It's paid for, has about 80,000 miles, and he will drive it until he can't drive it anymore. 
DS drives my 2014 Honda Odyssey minivan with about 200,000 miles on it.  It's paid for.  

So your son drives the third vehicle daily and may take it to college, and your DD will be driving soon. You definitely need more vehicles. What if someone hits a deer, requiring extensive repairs that can now take several months? Mine did, and that was before Covid. We do not have car rental on our insurance because we have a spare. But you are in a bad spot for having vehicles and trying to buy used. F*cking Covid.

FWIW, the $5,000 used Hondas ended long before Covid. And I am in a LCOLA, or at least I was before Covid and a bunch of remote workers started driving up the prices.

We drive my inlaws shitty pickup. 

[thyme4change]

I couldn’t find a $5k Honda with less than 75k mikes on it in 2003. People who say that should just take out their teeth and yell at kids for being on their lawn.

I think my son’s 12 year old 128 with 115k miles on it is like 6k blue book. That is the one that has the technology to plug in your iPod. 😂

[minnesotapaintlady]

Nov 6, 2023 14:52:35 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I couldn’t find a $5k Honda with less than 75k mikes on it in 2003. People who say that should just take out their teeth and yell at kids for being on their lawn.

I think my son’s 12 year old 128 with 115k miles on it is like 6k blue book. That is the one that has the technology to plug in your iPod. 😂

You laugh, but none of our vehicles have anything that fancy.  One has a cassette deck and the other two have CD players.  The Fridge does connect to my phone, but only so I can do hands free calling, I can't play music from my phone through it.


Oh, I forgot. DS's car does have this thing that plugs into the cigarette lighter that let's him play music through his phone of he tunes to the right radio station. 🤣

[TheOtherMe]

The car I was driving when I moved here only had a cassette player.  I had a SiriusXm plug in radio that sat in the seat because I was too cheap to have one installed in an old car.  

I knew going across Nebraska there isn't much radio reception and I didn't want to listen to the farm report.

[giramomma]

Have you trolled the obits and watched estate sales?

Honestly, if you are looking for a granny car..I'd start with finding grannies that don't need their car.

There are a decent amount of Hondas for sale at the 1-5K price point on facebook. You are looking at a minimum of 130-150K miles on them. It wouldn't bother me.

DS bought a used truck for 4K. It's not quite as old as he is. He checked it out and ran car fax on it. It's rusty. I don't know what the mileage is. It has some idiosyncrasies. He's fine with it.

I'd also consider a subaru. I couldn't kill mine, even when it had leaking head gaskets. I really tried hard to push it to where it wouldn't work. Never happened.

[Cookies Galore]

Nov 6, 2023 14:52:35 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I couldn’t find a $5k Honda with less than 75k mikes on it in 2003. People who say that should just take out their teeth and yell at kids for being on their lawn.

I think my son’s 12 year old 128 with 115k miles on it is like 6k blue book. That is the one that has the technology to plug in your iPod. 😂

You needed to have a relative die in order to buy a Honda for $5,000 in 2003. That's how it worked for me! Stepmom's mom died, I bought her 1999 Civic in March 2003 for $5,000. That car was a true unicorn, with only 10,000 miles when I bought it.


Swamp, $8,000 is the new $5,000. I could get $8,000 for my 2013 Fit with only 52,000 miles. I love these cars.

[thyme4change]

Nov 6, 2023 20:37:56 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Nov 6, 2023 14:52:35 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I couldn’t find a $5k Honda with less than 75k mikes on it in 2003. People who say that should just take out their teeth and yell at kids for being on their lawn.

I think my son’s 12 year old 128 with 115k miles on it is like 6k blue book. That is the one that has the technology to plug in your iPod. 😂

You needed to have a relative die in order to buy a Honda for $5,000 in 2003. That's how it worked for me! Stepmom's mom died, I bought her 1999 Civic in March 2003 for $5,000. That car was a true unicorn, with only 10,000 miles when I bought it.


Swamp, $8,000 is the new $5,000. I could get $8,000 for my 2013 Fit with only 52,000 miles. I love these cars.

I sold my nephew my Accord in 2014. I charged him more than 5k - but not much more. My family has been generous about selling cars to the next generation for deep discounts. I felt I needed to pay it forward. He offered to sell it back to me when he was done with it. I regret not getting it back, but he sold it to another family member - so the tradition lives on. And I ended up buying my Dad’s car (for my son) for a deep discount.

Swamp - if my Mom gives up driving soon, I will see if I can bring you into the family - but you will have to get it home 🤣

[Tiny]

You might need to "vulture" - wait for some old person in your circle of aquaintances to give up driving (or die)  and for the estate to sell the newer lower mileage car... you might pay more than $5K but it might be a better deal. The plus for the estate is that you are a "ready buyer" who is a low risk of being a "scam artist" - your money or check or zelle or venmo will be good.

[TheOtherMe]

DN1 got my parents' car when dad decided he couldn't drive.  It was definitely an old person's car.  It was about 8 years old and had about 12,000 miles on it.  It was too old to get a loan on it.  Dad was insistent they had to sell it so a note was drawn up.  There was no payment schedule as they were starting their first jobs out of their PhD programs and would not get paid until the fall.  

When DN1 finally sent the first payment, the check didn't get cashed.  He called Grandma and she told him it was a gift.  

They still drive that car and it's got a ton of miles on it.

They recently imported it in to Canada and paid a lot of money to do it.  Also said the insurance there is ridiculously expensive for no more than they drive, but it is what it is.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

My 16 year Subaru has 125k miles on it and out of curiosity I went looking at what I could sell it for.  $8000 is not out of the question.  

I think the $5000 beater doesn't exist anymore.  

[minnesotapaintlady]

Nov 7, 2023 11:19:02 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

My 16 year Subaru has 125k miles on it and out of curiosity I went looking at what I could sell it for.  $8000 is not out of the question.  

I think the $5000 beater doesn't exist anymore.  

I would be dancing in the streets if anyone gave me 5K for either of mine!

[nidena]

Used prices are dropping a bit.  I just looked at KBB for my car and where it was at a equal price for used and new, now it's getting closer to where it should be i.e. $10,000 less than I paid five years ago.  When I looked at the beginning of the year, it was still high 20s.  Granted, a year ago, it was only four years old and had 50,000 miles.  Now, it has 72,000 miles.  It's a 2018 HRV.

[alabamagal]

We went through kids cars about 10 years ago. We bought 4 $5k cars plus a $1k car. All we3 bought with 120-160k miles on them. Only the $1k car died of mechanical failure. The $5k cars lasted over 5 years except the one that was wrecked. Ewe had one Hondathat we got from a scaler trade in just lucked out to be there on the right day. It was the one that was wrecked. We had 2 Kias (I call them Korean Hondas) and one Pontiac. Got kids through high school college and a year or so after.

[swamp]

Nov 6, 2023 20:37:56 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Nov 6, 2023 14:52:35 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I couldn’t find a $5k Honda with less than 75k mikes on it in 2003. People who say that should just take out their teeth and yell at kids for being on their lawn.

I think my son’s 12 year old 128 with 115k miles on it is like 6k blue book. That is the one that has the technology to plug in your iPod. 😂

You needed to have a relative die in order to buy a Honda for $5,000 in 2003. That's how it worked for me! Stepmom's mom died, I bought her 1999 Civic in March 2003 for $5,000. That car was a true unicorn, with only 10,000 miles when I bought it.


Swamp, $8,000 is the new $5,000. I could get $8,000 for my 2013 Fit with only 52,000 miles. I love these cars.

Would you sell it to me?   Lol. 

[Cookies Galore]

Nov 7, 2023 19:47:57 GMT -5 swamp said:

Nov 6, 2023 20:37:56 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

You needed to have a relative die in order to buy a Honda for $5,000 in 2003. That's how it worked for me! Stepmom's mom died, I bought her 1999 Civic in March 2003 for $5,000. That car was a true unicorn, with only 10,000 miles when I bought it.


Swamp, $8,000 is the new $5,000. I could get $8,000 for my 2013 Fit with only 52,000 miles. I love these cars.

Would you sell it to me?   Lol. 

Lol, then what the hell am I going to drive? You think I'm buying with these interest rates?! 😂

[Sharon]

When I was looking for a car for my DD I talked with my mechanic.  He just so happened to know of an elderly lady who was going to be selling her car.  It worked out perfect all the way around.  The mechanic was familiar with the maintenance history of the car, the lady didn't have to try and advertise to sell her car and we ended up with a great granny car.