Safest Vehicle Under $5,000
 

I'm looking for a cheap used car or SUV that won't be driven much. Want it to be safe and affordable. Will probably have high miles, so want it to be well built. I like the old GS350, ES-350, Camry, Avalon, RAV-4, Highlander, Honda CRV, Subaru Forester, etc, but when did they add ESC and curtain airbags as options? Any recommendations as to cars that meet the criteria? Specific year range and trim would be appreciated.

Requirements:
1. Under $5k
2. ESC
3. Curtain airbags
4. Good safety rating
5. No smaller than a mid-size sedan or small SUV
6. AWD (would be nice but not mandatory)

Welcome to CL. :) In that price range, you are generally looking at very old and/or vehicles with potential reliability problems. The Toyota 4Runner will likely have the fewest potential problems (in many ways, it is built like a tank)...but check the frame for rust, a classic problem on older Toyota trucks. Also, any old vehicle, even a 4Runner, will be a risk at having a number of rubber seals/hoses/weatherstripping parts replaced with age. Last, give it a good test-drive and, as you check it out for mechanical problems, see if you don't mind the stiff ride..it is definitely truck-like in ride comfort.

Problem is of course that Toyota's and Honda's under $5K (especially SUV/crossover) are going to be very old/high mileage. Outside of those brands you'll find something newer. Still, an older Toyota is probably more reliable than a newer anything else. Rav4's and Highlanders, you're looking at 15 years old area.

I was curious myself what $5k buys (ok over by $600 but I'm sure it can be negotiated). Apparently a 2006 CR-V with 94k. My relatives have this car, bought used 2 y.o., with 30k, now has 270k, and the tranny whines. The starter did fail and that was a bit of a job to replace, but here's how many times they have been stranded in the last 9 years with this vehicle.

Answer: 0

edit Theirs is awd, this one is fwd

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...7724/overview/

Thanks for the replies everyone!
My #1 concern is safety. I don't want to throw reliability out the window, but safety is by far my main concern. So I just changed the title from "best" to "safest".
What is the safest vehicle that I can buy for under $5k, that isn't going to be a money pit?
Things that I think are important for safety are:
-Large size and weight (but not massive)
-Electronic stability control
-ABS
-Curtain airbags
-Safety engineering
-Crash test ratings
-AWD (would be nice)

If AWD is a must, I would stretch the budget a bit for a 2nd gen RX. A little over the budget, but it ticks all the boxes, has a luxury interior, and will retain its value better than some other choices.

Also consider the 4th gen ES, I consider it a great buy at the 5k and under range. Plenty available to choose from.

My experience with my 2004 ES 330 was that it only required routine maintenance - oil changes, brake pads, rotors, and timing belt preventative maintenance at 90k - from 60,000 miles to 140,000 miles when I sold it.

Almost 600,000 miles on this 4th gen ES.

1:35

Honestly, for the money, you can't beat a used ES or LS. But only do it if you are doing your own repairs. If you have to take either of them to a garage for work, it gets really expensive, really fast. As for me, I do all of my own maintenance and repairs once out of warranty. My 2002 ES300 has 190k and still truckin'. I see super clean examples of these in the $5k ballpark here all day long.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...4c842d18ff.jpg

^^^ Yeah, you can’t beat the value found in those old Lexus ES models. They are silky smooth and the back seat is surprisingly roomy. My Uber driver picked me up in a older gen ES and I was jealous of how roomy the back seat was when compared to my GS.

I would look to a Honda Accord, around 2004 and get the most you can for your budget, 6 cylinder Accords are nice though not as common as the 4 cylinders. Problem with luxury cars on small budgets is your options are only older with a lot of miles, over to well 150K and often worn/several accidents/salvage. With a Accord you can get a little newer with less miles on your budget, they are roughly the same size as a ES, optioned similarly, Accord will handle a little better. Make sure what you are looking at had the original timing belt service done, you don't want a car closing in on its second timing belt service if you are on a budget unless you are adding that to your budget.

As for luxury you can also find 1st Gen Acura TSX's for your price range, they are solid and fun to drive but it is going to still have a lot of miles. I would try to stretch your budget into the 6-7K range if you can, a lot more choice and less miles. First Gen Infiniti G35's can be had for your price range but you are again talking well over 100K miles. I would avoid German cars, way too many pricey issues when they have over 100K miles.

Hi,
with that budget, you can buy:
Nissan Pathfinder 2005 or 2005 Honda CR-V EX
something not newer than 2005 could be Nissan, Honda or Toyota.





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https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...&firstRecord=0


I input zip code 90005 within 500 miles up to $5999, but it will give you a starting point anyway.

We were hanging out with friends last weekend and they were having a yard sale due to upcoming move (very interesting, some people rolled up wanting to basically steal everything, while others were more modest--there was a 60+ y.o. gentleman (driving a corolla I might add lol) trying to buy an entire china set for $3. Three. They wanted $3 per piece, and he kept at it saying they'll never sell it so just give him the set for $3. Noritake [sp.] vintage with ser#'s).

Our friends had 2 cars, both of which the husband bought for $250 a piece (1995 Tahoe with 297k, 1999 Dodge Durango with ~150k). He said his limit is about $1,500, and has never spent more than that on any car. It kind of opened my eyes, that not everyone can buy a $60k car, and secondly, not everyone wants to. Was humbling.

So now just imagine one has five thousand to spend. The possibilities are endless.

p.s. I like these friends so much that I am canceling the new 3 autocross to have dinner at their house, our time slots happened to be on Easter Sunday.

The situation for me is that I actually purchased a 2014 rx350 about 1.5 yrs ago. And I don't really like the vehicle... I'm paying $630/mo for the next 3.5 yrs. I could sell now and break even. Im considering if I should just sell it and get something else. I purchased the car because of the safety and reliability, but I hate the ride, transmission, and cost. I keep thinking about all the cars that I had before it that cost less than 2k, and which I actually I liked much more. I only drive a few thousand miles per year, so the only thing that the RX has going for me personally for that price is the safety. And that's my dilemma with buying a cheap car... I'm happier with those older cheap cars, but I just want something that is at least comparable in safety to the RX.

Serious question. What kind of RX does $5000 buy? If a 2005 CR-V can be had for $5000, it implies the RX has to be older. I don't know when the RX first was made, personally.

I will never say what my personal limit on a car is, because it depends. I would probably spend $160k if a) I had it and I don't b) it were something like a Porsche

Part of me is ashamed to say, I would and probably will, spend 80k on a car someday. And to think that's more than some folks' salary, it's not being humble....but it is what it is.

I think you gotta re-read my post...
The 2014 RX I have now was not 5k.
My question was what was the best/ safest car u can get for 5k.
Its not really about what's the most u can afford.
Some people would rather do other things with their money. Just because they can afford more, doesnt mean they want to spend more.