I have not bought a used car in a while. I am retired and find I need a “get around town and to the doctor” car. So MPG not important. Reliability and comfortable driving matter, would greatly prefe auto transmission as I have some disability in my left leg.
Would love something like a Prius, but realize that is a fantasy. Currently have access to a Yaris stick shift and I HATE it…
All advice welcome, thanks!
Toyota Camry.
I was on the interstate watching cars that passed me, Ford Focus seemed popular. I looked at one last year, for my daughter in case we could not fix her saturn, and the price was 6k for an 8 year old model. No guarantees but worth a look I think
The main issue I see in your post is that no one on the planet can determine whether or not a used car is going to be reliable. A pre-purchase inspection can help ward off some demons but even that is not a guarantee.
Even buying a brand new car is no 100% rock solid guarantee that you will make it from A to B without trouble.
A few years ago my oldest son rented a Focus for a cross-country trip as he was waiting on a tire order for his car. He was pleasantly surprised by a decent ride and 40+ MPG.
Small cars are not popular these days. What about a Yaris with automatic transmission?
When someone has a physical problem such as a leg disability giving advice on what to buy is impossible.
The best value would be a Hyundai Accent; it’s quieter and more comfortable than the Yaris, and you can get a late model one for under $10,000. A Hyundai Elantra would be a good choice as well. All these have good automatics.These would be the cars I would look at when buying something for a relative who drove little.
With the few miles you drive you will never wear our a Toyota, but a Corolla would also be a good choice.
Is Uber a realistic alternative? I’ve found it very convenient.
I agree with @texases; my parents are elderly and don’t get out much. Just doctor visits and some other odd events. Uber has been very cost effective as opposed to having a car, insurance, registration, maintenance. I also don’t have to worry about them getting in an accident.
The April issue of Consumer Reports is their annual car issue. It always has an article about recommended used cars by price range and car type. $5,000-10,000: Honda Accord '08-09, Mazda 6 '09-11, Toyota Camry '08-09 top list of mid-size and large cars because of their general overall quality plus much better-than-average reliability.