It's at 145,000 miles from a used car dealer going for $5000. Can this car go over 300k? Is this a good deal?

 

If you are looking for an inexpensive, reliable, fuel efficient vehicle with a low cost of ownership, a used hybrid is at the bottom of the list.

Run.

 

I hear ya... lookin at 2010 pontiac vibes now. Toyota engine. Honestly the worst time to buy a car but I have no choice as my civic just got totalled while parked by a drunk driver.

So far I found a 2010 pontiac vibe 158,000 miles for 5100 out the door and another 2010 98,000 miles 5,700 out the door. Not sure which one to go with

 

I have no knowledge of that model, but the one with only 60% of the mileage for only 12% more takes the top of my list on that basis alone.

 

im thinkin the same although vincheck.info market value tab has both cars pretty close for whatever reason. Average cost for the 98k one is 6500, 6000 for the 158 one. That's gotta be off right?

 

what do you think about just a regular ford escape? I saw someone post their escape getting to 400k miles with no major issues

 

At $5,000 asking price with 145k miles on a '10, SKeith is probably right (a little harsh but in your best interest.) UNLESS you are very interested in spending a considerable amount of time and money checking that car out, learning all about it, and fixing its problems mostly on your own, you're better off taking the $5 grand and looking elsewhere, something more conventional. You won't save money on the gas, if that's what you're hoping, because unless the person selling it is completely unaware of its real value (in other words, it's a lot nicer car than they realize) you will spend more than you will save.

It's still possible to get a very nice '10 but the key word is "possible" not "likely." And you should have a place to work on it, and lots of other "so ons and so forths."

I have one, a fully-loaded Limited with under 70k miles, and it's a pretty rare example of these cars that was dealer-maintained until 14 months ago. In the meantime you can see that I've posted more than 400 messages to this forum as I've learned as much as I can about the car, so I can keep it running a few more years (hopefully.)

Now, if **I myself** had $5,000 to consider throwing at a car, I might buy an '09 or even another '10 if it was in good shape just for the *parts.* But I have places to put things, and so forth. Different priorities.

You can get a nice used car for $5,000 if you look around, maybe a little more. I have a relative who just snagged a really nice Subaru Outback for $7 grand.

 

Also, it *can* go over 300,000 miles, but it is totally dependent on the maintenance that has been done, where it has been driven (rust!) and the condition of the high voltage battery pack. All of those things are huge variables. Without seeing the car in person it's very tough to say more than that.

 

what kind and year subaru did your friend get?

 

2011 Subaru Outback, approx. 125k miles on the clock. Just the base model car, no sophisticated stuff, non-power cloth seats. The car was in very nice shape including the interior (which was very very clean) well-maintained, all recalls done. Important things on Subarus: Anything in the 100,000+ mile range or more MUST have a timing belt and water pump recently done, and sometimes head gaskets. This car checked out. The Subaru boxer engine is an *interference* engine meaning that if the timing belt breaks, the valves will contact the tops of the pistons and destroy the engine. Lots of people get into the 100,000 mile range and instead of paying $700 to have the belt and water pump done by a good mechanic, they try to dump the car. Don't buy one unless it had a timing belt recently or get the money from the seller as a bargaining chip. Mechanic's tip: It is apparently possible to use the head gaskets from the 3.6 liter turbocharged engine on the 2.5 liter! The 3.6l gaskets are better, thicker, and will *never* leak or cause problems again, according to my Subaru guy.

ALSO: The 2010 up models have CVT transmissions (except for the 3.6 liter turbo engine, which has a more conventional automatic transmission.) NOT eCVT with planetary gears like the Ford Escape Hybrid - I am talking about the **belt and pulley** style CVT. Subaru did a recall on these cars. Make sure the one you're looking at had the recall done. The CVTs can last a long time because the base engine is not that powerful - but not if a lot of heavy towing has been done or the car has been abused. This car did not have a trailer hitch and we checked to make sure one had never been mounted on the car. It is BEST to get an independent inspection done by someone who knows Subarus. The fluid can be changed. It can also be changed in the transaxle and the rear differential, which should be considered.

They are excellent cars apart from those areas of concern. Ordinary mechanics (meaning you with hand tools) can work on most of the rest of the stuff including brakes, interior glitches, alternators, serpentine belts, struts, etc., etc. Hubs and bearings might have to be pressed in/out, but the drivetrain is straightforward. They are reliable, the AWD works great - in the snow they are fantastic with good tires, and lots of parts and so forth are available inexpensively. You just have to do your homework and keep your eyes open. This person looked at a lot of them before making up their mind. The base model cars with just a few options leave a lot less to go wrong and are solid, reliable transportation and particularly good in winter climates where you *have* to get around even when it snows. You can also put your doggy in the back, and it's got a lot of room for cargo esp. when the seats are down.

Also the Forester models may be appealing to you. These are not "flashy" cars but a good one will last a long time and get you where you are going safely. There are a lot of 250,000 mile and up Subarus on the road and there's a reason why.

If you get a base model car, look at it this way: you can put a nicer stereo in it. You can add your own Navigation system. You have a smartphone that is a supercomputer. All the expensive stuff like lane-keeping and the rest of the tech. are options you might not need or want, and it will make your life easier not to have them in the car. The person who got this '11 Outback is in love with it like it was NEW. She is older and doesn't like all the tech. gadgets anyway: "I don't know how to use them or want to use them." She has a flip phone, low-tech, and likes it that way.