# Buying a used car

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-car/43918>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [February 6, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-car/43918 "2010-02-06T03:33:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Torsten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Torsten](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Torsten)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-car/43918/1 "2010-02-06T03:33:59Z")

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I’m shopping for a cheap, reliable used car. I’ve got $3,000 (and I’d love to spend less if I could). Any suggestions for a mid to late 90s American car. I’ve checked out Hondas and Toyotas, but most that I have found in my price range have very high miles or are older than I’d like. Help? Thanks,  
  
  
  
 Torsten

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**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-car/43918/2 "2010-02-06T03:46:39Z")

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Taurus, Impala, Crown Vic, Mark VIII.  
In that price range though, condition is more important than brand. Take it to a mechanic and have them give it an inspection before you buy it. Nothing worse than blowing the piggy bank only to need a new transmission a month later

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**Author:** ![GSN\_fan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@GSN\_fan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GSN_fan)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-car/43918/3 "2010-02-06T05:04:37Z")

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If you are looking for a midsize sedan, go for the Taurus. You can find models from the last decade for less than $3K, because so many of them were dumped on rental lots.