Top 10 Cars for $10K

We may have launched Ask.cars.com just a few months ago but for years, one of the most common questions we’ve gotten at Cars.com is: “What can I get for $10,000?” Now we’ve finally answered the question with our latest Top 10 list. Cars.com’s experts studied the used car market to determine which vehicles offered the best safety equipment and had good reliability and then our editors picked these final 10. The question is finally answered.

Ten Cars for $10K: The Best Used Cars for $10,000

Comments

how come there's bo Nissan Altima? Where's the Toyota corolla?

Personally I think that list is horrible advice... Camry, Corolla... Nissans? I would not touch most of those vehicles with a ten foot pole, especially when used and without a warranty.

Yea screw all those american cars there horrible, you can most definitly come up with better veichles that are under 10k used other than those piles of crap.

Even including a suspicious lack of Toyotas, I'm glad you guys did this, many people don't consider used cars and end up wasting thousands on new cars that lose a money on depreciation...

Parents have an 02 LeSabre. It has been a problem free car for 65K miles. I don't personally like to drive it, not sporty enough for my tastes but is very comfortable and quiet. I think the fuel number listed there are off by quite a bit. In mixed driving LeSabres easily get mid-20s. Hard to find another car that big that comfortable for so little $$ and gets that kind of gas mileage, that is why so many keep going back to it. After having several in the family of many generations they have all proved to be very reliable cars. Stupid GM for dumping this model.

I would guess the reason there are more domestics on the list is the lack of resale value tends to make them a better deal, especially since this list goes at 10K or less. I am sure you have seen the resale values on Toyotas and Hondas. When we shopped Toyota we did not even waste time on used since what was reasonable was old with high mileage anything newer was so close to what we could work on a deal on something brand new. Plus with new did not have to wonder if someone took care of it or what kind of life it had. Just my guess why there are not more Toyotas on the list.

I just did this!
My choice? A '88 560 SEC in pristine rust free shape with 91k miles on it. They're typically garage queens but there's some pigs out there. Original sticker was $75k. Will still do 150+ mph. Granted it's still a garage queen but when I can sneak it away from the wife, mayn what a cruiser..

The 2002 manual transmission Accord's mileage is incorrect(Highway at high 20's), according to cars.com, the DX(w/o VTEC) is 25/32, and LX/EX(w/ VTEC) is 26/32.

J,
Check out the editor's notes at the bottom of the article. We used the EPA's 2008 mileage calculations, which take things like air conditioning usage and faster highway speeds into effect. The EPA applies these standards retroactively to older cars on its website, www.fueleconomy.gov. Although the new standards result in lower gas mileage ratings, we've found the the ratings to be much more realistic.

When you try to buy an used Toyota, they try to sell you overpriced crap with a lot of miles, so they are not very attractive in the used market.

I would never pay more than 10k for a 3 year old car. The car cost 30k, your problem, not mine, I am buying an OLD car, not a new one and I am not going to pay a lot for an OLD car.

The first 3 posts prove why there are so many domestics on this list. TOYOTA/HONDA/NISSAN reputation costs you more on the used car market.

But the point is saving money. I noticed Kelsey STILL managed to stretch the budget to include a pair of Hondas on the list, kinda cheating in my opinion.

I don't know why they blew off trucks so much since the high gas prices have them piling up like cordwood on dealer lots lately.

The Durango seems like a pretty solid truck (and I mean TRUCK) so fuel economy will be poor and there won't be as many safety features. But for a tow/haul vehicle they seem to be in the $4-10k range.

Leaves you lots of cash left for a trailer and a pair of Sea-doos.

Man, i dont care, im happy with my '05 Camry SE 5spd stick. Its sporty and attractive and also its very reliable i already have 47,839 miles on it, and i only put gas, oil, and new tires in it. Im going to probably use it for another year or so. It also has a comfortable ride, and quiet cabin. And all those cars that they listed are grandpa cars, just to let you know.

Yeah, but grandpa cars are practical and come cheap used. That's why they made the list.

For Suvs, the Pathfinder or 4runner should have made the list. I have a 2000 Pathfinder with 165,000 miles and no problems just like in my previous Pathfinder. You can get a used one for under 10K and yeah the gas milage is not great but the utility is awesome and you dont look like an old geezer driving one like in a "reliable grandpa Buick"

After seeing that Buick tied Lexus for the number one spot in vehicle dependability (3 yr study), and the Buick Century took best in class (mid sized sedan) coupled with the fact that the Century in on Edmund's top 10 list for worst residual values after 5 years (read most depreciation) that tells me that a used Century is a helluva bargain.
Links to the articles below-

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/09/buick-ties-lexus-for-top-spot-in-jd-power-2007-vehicle-dependabi/
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/99270/article.html