Like I’ve been saying, sometime before too long I gotta buy a car so as to have it paid off before retirement. This is a need rather than a want as I have never got all that excited about vehicles and my two high mileage (270,000 and 360,000 miles) Corollas still start up every time I turn the key
Probl’y gonna go Carmax, price $20,000 to $25,000 range, maybe 50,000 on the odometer. Need something with decent ground clearance and some towing capacity (seven years from now I might hit the road with a simple trailer). Plan to keep it past 250,000 miles.
Subaru is out of the question on account of their CVT transmissions.
That price would get me a decent basic 2WD Tacoma, or a bells-and-whistles AWD Rav 4 Adventure; better mileage, better off road, more versatile, similar towing capacity.
My question is this; in order to wring out all that versality and capability out of the RAV4 Adventure they have to computerize the heck out of it with respect to the drivetrain and allotted traction. They even have three different push-button drive/traction modes for sand, mud and pavement
I know Toyotas generally run forever, but how about all those electronic/computer doodads they use now, in spades on that Rav Adventure version, do those systems last forever too?
Lot of others, especially Dutch have shared thoughts similar to mine.
IF you are going to buy a used car, why in the world in this day of social media/internet, spend the money and pay the retail markup involved in a dealership?
There is absolutely ZERO reason to pay that extra money. Especially where you live, there is a ton of supply. It just takes time and patience and you can get a good deal.
You stated you had access to a mechanic. He could help you sort through some prospects.
Were I you and decided to definitely succumb to the fever, I would start banking money now. Start searching fb marketplace and craigslist. The shopping part will actually teach you a lot of you are patient. By that I mean, if you have a few vehicles that are prospects and you spend some time looking at a lot of these models and talking to their owners, you will learn a lot. May end up excluding a model you thought you wanted. Will learn what the different models' issues are etc.
I bought my wife a used Dodge 1500 longhorn with eco diesel engine. ~100k on the dial for a little over $20k last year. 4 wheel drive, every option imaginable. Very nice vehicle. Bought it from a salesman that sells his road outfit when it hits 100k. That is in an area that is very short on supply because we don't have the population you guys do.
