2:00 2012-2017 Toyota Camry 4:55 1999-2005 Buick LeSabre 7:13 Toyota Prius (hoovie approved!) 10:20 2005-2014 Ford Mustang 13:26 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille 17:24 1997-2003 E46 BMW 3 series
Six cars you should buy according to Wizard: 2012-2017 Toyota Camry, 1999-2005 Buick LeSabre, Toyota Prius, 2005-2014 Ford Mustang, 2000-2005 Cadillac Seville (if you can fix it yourself), 1997-2003 BMW E-3
If you didn't watch the whole video, caution on the BMW E-3. Do NOT maintain the BMW. Don't pay attention to the warning lights. When it dies, throw it in the garbage and spend $1500 on another one.
@@michaelblacktree Bullshit! I buy brand new used cars all the time! You can't say you never got a car that was 5 to 10 years old and told your buddies, "Hey check out my new car!"
Finally, someone mentioned my car!!!!! I bought a 2002 Buick Park Avenue 6 years ago with 198,000 miles for $1,500. Now, it has 270,000 miles and purrs like a kitten. I've spent about $2,000 on repairs in that time. Great mileage, great reliability, and GREAAAAAAT ride. Love it.
I have seen those cars go forever. I am going to get one here as soon as I find my own choice. Everybody I know who has one will claim that any problems it has heals themselves. Change the oil, every 200 thousand changes the belts. The car will get better with time until it is worth far more than you paid. I am considering if I can find it getting a 1970 Grand Marquis which appaerntly was designed by the people who made the park avenue. Both are quiet as a library and smooth as whipped cream.
My 330ci is cherry. 200k miles, m3 interior (it's on its 3rd interior), nice classy csl style wheels and perfect original paint. I've replaced the entire drive train with a 30k mile one out of a wrecked one that I pulled out myself. I love the car, dont know why people dont maintain them as they are very classy and fun.
@@WhittyPics Mine is reliable. I drive it daily, have put 100k miles on it in since I owned it. I came across the low mileage drivetrain, mine didn't go out. I sold it for what I paid for it. Really, as long as you maintain the cooling system, you don't have much to worry about on 2001-2005 models.
the previous owner of my 2002 bmw 530i (e39) bought it at 100k miles for $10,000 and also spent $10,000 maintaining it for the life of 5yr loan. I sold it past 200k+ miles for the price I bought it, the car flipper that bought it put in new tires and detailed the car and sold it in market place +$2000 for what he bought it. If I have space on my driveway I could have still kept it. They really last if maintained $$$$
Big wheels don’t do too well above 100,000 miles. I was the youngest of 9 so I am familiar with high mileage big wheels. Used to bring it to the shop weekly: blown out wheels, snapped pedals, twisted up forks, brittle plastic from sun fade, you name it. Overall worth it for the exhilaration they provide but they really are more like Hoovie’s new used M5 than a newer Toyota
Big wheel trikes don't have solid tires, they have 'blow-mold' hollow plastic wheels. A common issue is that by using your feet on the pedals to 'lock' the front wheel and skid. This quickly wears a flat spot on the wheel, eventually grinding the wheel all the way through. Not exactly a great, reliable vehicle.
I am laughing so hard when he’s talking about the BMW! Also I can listen to Mr Wizard talk all day! His voice is so calm and soothing & I actually learn a lot! As a girl my Dad always taught me how to do things bc he wanted me to be self sufficient. So I love learning from Mr Wizard!
We need more of these kind of videos. Zero f**ks given about clothing, setting, editing etc, but hugely valuable and useful content. So many influencers should learn. Thanks Wizard.
"Welcome to the Wizards yacht" - man that made me smile! No TH-camr I subscribe to deserves to chill out on his yacht more than the Wizard and his family.
2006 to 2011 lincoln town car/mercury grand marquis/crown vic in 2006 they got the 4r75 transmissions that go forever and they had the good engines for a while before that so 2006 to 2011s have the good engine and transmissions theyre for sale all the time with 500,000 miles.
This channel is such a gem! No nonsensical drag races like we see in many of car youtubers channels with millions of subscribers. On top of that, here lies an actual car wizard, fixing cars for more than 20 years! (Not an automotive industry lapdog like most youtubers out there.)
Got a e46 3 series for scrap price and fixed it myself, huge value, drives amazing, you are spot on about them, “nobody maintains them so they’re dirt cheap”
Love my Camry. It's made me lifetime loyal to the brand. At present, 112,000 miles on a 2014 and I haven't had to put a dime in it outside of general maintenance. Oil changes, brakes, and tires. Runs great. Drives great. Plan on driving the wheels off of it.
i have a 2014 camry xle Hybrid and it is my favorite car EVER oil change tire swap and of course windshield washer fluid and ocational wiperblades i think thats it and i have 125,000 i like it so much i got rid of my 2013 ford edge AND i bought a 2020 Tacoma 👍
2012 4cyl Camry here. Bought it four and a half years ago with 53,000, just hit 100k. I know it's still young, but no issues at all except for that variable valve timing rattle which I'm getting the parts to fix. Love the car, drives nice, great ac, the works. Starts every time you turn the key.
Totally agree with the Mustang. Just got an '07 with 44,000 miles for my daughter and every time I drive it I think this is a great car. Feels good, drives great and is really fun. Of course, it does help that it is a convertible.
The Mustang is great, but there is actually two different V6 engines and two different V8 engines in that range (still all the S197 chassis). I would pass on the earlier 4.0 L Cologne V6 - its just not a great engine. The newer 3.7 L Cyclone V6 is much better. The V6 models get a taller rear end for better fuel economy at the expense of acceleration. The real gem is the 5.0 L Coyote V8 engine (400+ HP) in the 2011- 2014 model years. (2004 - 2010 Mustang GTs had the 4.6 L 3 valve.) The 4.6 L v8 is fine, but like Wizard said, probably not that much better than the V6, especially for the money. But if the Coyote V8 is in the budget - DEFINITELY get that one.
My 2001 Buick LeSabre with 54k miles is so awesome. 30mpg plus on highway, quiet, smooth. Easy to work on. Replaced the coolant elbows and intake gaskets and this car will make it 300K plus easy. No s***** turbochargers or b******* to deal with. Love this car. Great choice and also a great observation by the Car Wizard!
Yup. Bought a 98 Civic Ex back in 2004 after some kids stole it from some kid, stripped out the interior, stereo, seats, etc. But, I bought it for a song, restored the interior, and that civic with the upgraded high flow exhaust, ran like a top, sometimes like a raped ape, and never ever did it give me one lick a trouble. Drove from Central Cal to L.A. once a week and was my daily driver for almost two years before I made the stupid mistake of buying a Dodge 1500 pickup that lost it's transmission in just 24 months, lol. Yup, Honda Civic: Pound for pound, the best car I've bought in 30 years friends. - Peace! \\//
My oldest son wanted a cool car when he was 16. He worked summer jobs for a few years and earned about $4000. When he was ready to buy I asked him how much he had. He said $300 so we looked for a $300 car in 1980. He found a 1971 Chevy Vega GT. It wasn't badly rusted and the paint looked good. It ran well with a clutch 4 speed and a full set of gauges in the plastic mahogany dashboard. He loved it and drove it hard for a year, learning to replace head gaskets in few hours until it used as many quarts of oil as gallons of gas. I said it needs another engine. No use trying to rebuild that one. We looked around and found another GT badly rusted for $100. We pulled the engine on a big branch of the old maple tree and did the swap the next day. He ran it for another two years until it was so rusted it looked like it would break in half. He couldn't drive it to the junk yard, he was so sad for the car he loved. I took it there and I was sad too.
Haha,I too purchased a rusty Vega for $100.00 years ago. Drove it for about a year and sold it for what I paid. In that year it never let me down and everything worked including the AC!
Wizard, I bought a brand new 2021 Camry with the 4 cyl and it has 202hp. It goes good enough for everything but a dragstrip. I'm happy with it and I get 40+mpg on long hwy cruises.
With the electric/ hybrid cars coming on line, my guess is this latest series of Camry will go down as the best gasoline powered cars built. Love mine, really notice riding / driving other cars how they come up short on the driving experience and the unbelievable fuel mileage!
Wow, 200 hp from a 4-cylinder! It seems like just yesterday when you needed a V8 engine for that. In the Malaise Era, there were V8s putting out as little as 120 hp.
Obviously the Wizard didn't drive his big wheel hard! I wore out several of them, flat spotted front wheels until they wore through from sliding, and even the rear wheels too. We even broke the frame from riding on it like a scooter. It was fun!
@@Grunt49 yeah, I even though about trying to put on a bicycle wheel up front and wagon wheels out back after my younger sister's one got worn out. I was a 10 yr old kid with ideas, but no way to really make them work. Later on I found out they made ones like that, but for a lot more $$$.
Was watching this with my significant other in the room. She bursted out laughing when you started talking about the 3-series because i own a 2004 e46. I do maintain mine, i bought it so cheap because it had a laundry list of issues. Fixed them and this car has given me 45,000 miles so far. I plan on giving it to the kid if it doesn't blow up by then. 👍
I love my 03 lesabre. Old school, old man sedan luxury at its finest. And with the limited celebration edition package and chrome wheels, a very good looking car. Smooth ride and with the 3800 motor, extremely dependable, but if something does break, it's cheap and easy to fix yourself with limited auto knowledge.
2006 to 2011 lincoln town car/mercury grand marquis/crown vic in 2006 they got the 4r75 transmissions that go forever and they had the good engines for a while before that so 2006 to 2011s have the good engine and transmissions theyre for sale all the time with 500,000 miles. The lesabres have transmissions problems
My wife has a 2012 Camry SE, had 23,000 miles on it when she got it, has 124,000 now, not a single mechanical issue so far, has the 2.5 4cyl engine, it has more zip than expected, she loves it, I had it detailed two months ago and she loves it like the day it was bought and looks, runs and drives like new still.
Good thing it wasn't a slightly older one. The previous gen had bad oil burning problems to the point someone on r/cars yesterday asked a question wondering if he needs to do oil changes on his 2009 Camry, because he goes through two 5 quart bottles of oil every 4000 miles.
@@laurat1129 It's a legit issue, only effects the 2.4 (2AZFE) which came in a bunch of other cars. The lubrication holes on the pistons in some of them (not all) were too small in diameter resulting in poor lubrication of the oil control rings and thus start consuming oil over time. The revised engine (2ARFE) 2.5 in 2012+ don't have this issue.
E46 330ci was the funnest car I've ever owned. I regretted selling the first so I bought another. I did a bunch of track days with them. They were cheap to buy and easy to keep alive. I swear it ran better after I beat on it.
Cannot stress this enough, make sure one you buy is in reliable condition. So much variety in reliability when you buy a neglected one vs well kept. You will no matter what run into lots of repairs at a certain age or mileage as well.
Yea just like Scott Kilmer he isn't chaotic and he doesn't ramble around and yell saying everything that isn't Honda or Toyota Is junk and yelling about the good old days when things were made better.
@@tynewlin uh, yes. No Panther chassis of any kind mentioned? The modern era's automotive equivalent to a Sherman tank. The Northstar, seriously??? One of the most stupendously cramped & difficult to access engine bays ever conceived, complete with a starter that you have to remove the intake for access. And the 4.0 SOHC over the 4.6? When 4.0 SOHC chains fail, it's an engine-out repair or at least a down & dirty trans-out repair. Do you know how many Explorers met an early demise because of that insane chain setup? Nope, Captain lost his credibility on this one. Even the LeSabre is a FWD nightmare to change the trans on when the time comes, done correctly a subframe drop. When I think of cars to recommend, I think of something the average schmo w/o a lift could do in the driveway. Transverse is the devil's work!
@@acemobile9806 What does any of that have to do with Scotty's rants? I'm incredibly confused by your rebuttal. Maybe it'll start to make sense after I finish this L.
I am still driving my 2004 Camry LE -4 cyl. 240,000 miles and counting. It has been a great car and regularly maintained. Has no timing belt to replace. Starting to rust a little in the wheel wells. Has been kept inside a garage most of the time. Wife drives the 2015 Toyota RAV-4 Limited. From Minnesota, she likes the heated seats. 70,000 miles now. Took it to the Grand Canyon last year and it had plenty of pep in the high altitude roads.
07 camry se 142k. i have been puting in repair recently - bearings, fuel pump, coils. no car is perfect but engine and tranny are rock solid. oh need lower control arms as well.
I'm not to sure about the Cadillac, but I sure would include a Ford Crown Vic or Mercury Marquis or a Lincoln Town Car all are rwd. Mine has 419000 miles same drive train and still running great. For something more fun & sporty it is hard to beat a Mazda Miata...
For a really reliable Caddy you have to go back to the good old 472, 500 and 425 all with a TH400. Those combos are absolutely bullet proof! I agree with you 100% for the Panther body platform, I have 3 Grandmas and a Crown Vic, they are hands down THE BEST used cars you can buy.
I had a 2001 and 2005 Buick LeSabre and bought them at 115,000 miles and sold them 3-4 years later at 200,000 miles with the 3.8L. They got 26-28 mpg. Best cars I ever owned. The only money I ever stuck into them was one needed a front wheel bearing that only cost me $73 on e-bay for the parts and the other needed a new blower motor for $100 at O-reilly auto parts store.
I sold my '01 e46 to my mechanic after an 8-year relationship. I was ready to be done; he was OK to keep working on it forever. Still looked, drove and COST me like new.
Wow same I had an 01 325xi for about 5 years and it was the saddest relationship I've ever been in. More like a tragic love story 🤣 I still think about her.
I have been driving used Lexus cars for the past 20 years. They are relatively inexpensive, luxurious and very reliable. They are just a Toyota in a Tux.
Our 2011 chevy impala had 12 miles on it new now has 198k miles on it, runs good quite motor with regular oil changes, uses a little oil, has small leak, and a few repairs that were still cheaper than a new car payment and full coverage insurance.
I enjoy driving around in my yacht too wizard, it's my 98' Mercury Grand Marquee. Not too great mileage, but it's a tank for safety. I got sideswiped by a Toyota Tundra, so now it's a 3 door, but this car still runs great and probably saved my life.
Hi, I don't want to insult or even disagree with you. Toyota is a very good car. Probably one of the best. BUT, I can't stand to ride in one, or drive one. I'll pay extra if I don't have to ride in one. I've had several, I've also had some of the bad chev. And Ford that you say don't buy. Your correct on the break downs, the repairs. I have a 07 suburban 5.3 sitting, not running in my yard now. Honestly I enjoy sitting in it more than riding or driving a Toyota. The Toyota doesn't have one characteristic I care for. That's all I have to say without rambling all day. Thanks for the videos. Keep up the good work!!!
sorry charley, I have a 2001 toyota camry, v6, 185,000 miles. Never spent a dime on a non wearable repair. Only thing I have replaced are brakes, battery, charcoal canister for evap system, serpentine belt and tires. Everything else is oem original. Drives like a brand new car.
Wizard I personally want to add Ford Crown Victoria to the list. I am currently driving the police interceptor. The maintenance I done to it is fluid changes, spark plugs, filters. No issues had since. I know you did do not buy list for this, but if it has solid record of the maintenance, it'll last forever =]
I guess he didn't mention it because he already did with another video, plus he has another video on the 4.6 L V8 2V. Plus he did own a panther not too long ago
If you're willing and able to do the repairs yourself, the e46 is a fantastic value. I just picked up an '02 325CI for $2k. It's trashed. But, but the engine is solid, the manual is fun to drive, and it's actually pretty easy to work on. Parts aren't that expensive. Fixed all my warning lights for under $500. I'm now driving it to work daily.
I have a 2005 330xi with 130k on it if you are interested. Good shape overall but needs some maintenance. I’m the second owner and the first was a doctor that kept it in meticulous shape for the first year. No accidents, never driven hard.
The best, most reliable car I ever owned was a 2003 Honda Civic EX Coupe. Bought it new and owned it 13 years and put 300,000 miles on it. Changed the oil every 10K and besides timing belt changes the only other part I put on it was a new alternator at 200K. Stereo bumped, handled good, great in snow. Awesome car!!!!
Bold on the 10k interval imo but if you don't push them, they won't even leak 👍 my bro in law drive a 96 with low oil for the longest time! Even sold the locked up car for 1500
I don't mind Toyota's but I Personally own Honda's, I really enjoy driving the new Civic Sport Sedan with the 6 speed manual trans and The 2l K20C2 none turbo Vtec engine With 9,000 miles on it it's averaging 37.2 MPG
Same story here. I bought a used 2005 Civic EX (same gen as yours) at 120,000 miles. The previous owner had changed the timing belt. The only repairs I have needed were steering pump, rack, and egr valve and that's it. Now it's at 200,000 miles with zero problems. I also change my oil every 10,000 miles with synthetic.
Dear Weeezard, I maintain my 2000 BMW 328i so you don't have to. It's a shame more people don't, they are such good cars. After 15 years of ownership the car is just over 280,000 miles with no significant issues. Maintaining the car is part of my lifestyle now but I'm thankful for the skills I've gained. I really enjoy hearing your advice and stories. Great videos, keep going!
You're crazy car Wizard! All of us delinquents had Camaros and Mustangs in high school, all v-6's, and we modded them to death trying to get an extra 15hp.
I absolutely agree. I bought and sold cars several years ago, and bought one (Buick), Yes, it was a very solid elegant car with great gas mileage. Yes, quite correct!
I put 330,000+ miles on a 1998 Jeep Cherokee, manual trans, and when I sold it, the engine still ran like a new one. Didn't leak, didn't burn oil. Wasn't the greatest on MPG, but it got up and went to work EVERY morning, including some with deep and ugly snow.
My favorite used vehicle is the Park avenue ultra, we bought one a year ago off marketplace for $1100 and other then tires and oil changes it has been trouble free, it has 270K on it currently, Liked the video
I bought a good looking 96 ranger with 250k two years ago for a grand and drive it to work every day. Came with aftermarket wheels and brand new tires. Everything works including the AC and power windows. Transmission has had a delay between 2nd and 3rd since I bought it so I let off the gas to let it shift. A transmission will be in it's future but it doesn't seem to be getting worse so I'll keep driving it as is until it won't anymore.
From a diy mechanic standpoint, I love my E39 bmw. They’re very simpl cars once you learn ow all the modules work together, and never seem to have many mechanical Issues as long as you take care of them. Parts are cheap, and once you buy a simple 40 dollar scan tool, repairs are simple too. One of the few bmws that can easily make it to 300k
The e46 m3 ran from 2000-2006, e36 '95-'99. '97 saw some significant changes, like engine displacement, body styles, and trim levels, but 2000 is when the next generation e46 came. It was offered as a coupe only and there were updates and trim additions roughly every 2 years, starting in '02 and ending in '06.
Bought one new for my wife (Had to have it) . Told her that she'd have to keep it for10 years because it was so expensive. She kept it for 14. Plastic cooling system replacement and vacuum lines replacement was all we did in 265000 miles. Germans: "Vee have no problems vith cooling system. We do sell replacement kit."
Our 2013 Ford Flex has been very reliable. We have 182,000 miles on it. My 2005 PT Cruiser Turbo Convertible has been reliable until I just hit the 80,000 mile mark. We replaced the brakes, battery, fuses in the dash panel, radiator, & after our new battery was drained because the fog lights kept coming on by themselves & we have never used the fog lights, i took the #8 fuse out & that solved that at no cost! Love my Cruiser.
I had the platinum 2009 with 130,000 miles best suv for kids space good on traveling all we did on it was something front suspension work other than that it's a runner
Bought a Cadillac Deville 2000 almost 2 months ago. I knew nothing but how to change oil in cars when I bought it and after these months I am considering doing the head gasket job if I confirm it is blown. I dig the Caddy and have had a lot of fun learning how to work on them (mostly replacing old gaskets and parts with new ones). Just feels classy.
Had a 2002 Seville SLS as my first car. Bought in 2018 with 85,000. One owner, dealer maintained. Was the best first car for only $3000. As Car Wizard mentioned, maintained everything myself and it was worth while regularly changed oil, coolant flushes, tires, brakes, etc. Parts were decently cheap if you shopped around. Nothing that broke the bank. Did the starter, front struts, other stuff that’s expected to go on an older car. Car was comfortable and rather powerful for a first car. All my friends had newer supposedly “better” cars. Yet mine was a reliable daily while their newer Focus, Imprezas, BMWs needed thousands in repairs and ended up getting junked. Ended up selling it this year with 120k for the same price I bought it for due to the crazy car market. Kinda wish I kept it and just ran it into the ground.
Have a 2011 Camry. 203K miles. 1 issue in all those miles. Rear driver wheel bearing. I put on 6K every 3 months. Been an unbelievably reliable car. BUT I do my maintenance. On 3rd set of denso plugs and all fluid changes including transmission, brake and power steering fluid. Every other oil change I suck out the PS reservoir and every 25-40K on transmission fluid. I do it myself with Toyota WS fluid. Kind of a pain of a process but car glides after change. Brake fluid cycle every 50K. And all filters. So, yes I keep up on my insurance. (If you get my drift)
We have a '12 Focus with a manual. 189k, and it gets 36 mpg combined. It replaced an Escort ZX2. The ZX2 would go anywhere that it wasn't plowing, with those skinny tires. The Focus is a four door, and almost as fun to drive as the Escort.
After many years of driving Chevy trucks with a Vortex 350, (210 horsepower) I just got a 2004 Toyota Sienna with a V6 that has 235 horses. Even though it has over 350,000 miles on it, it still runs good enough to outrun my big Chevy! Very pleased with this car.
I had 2 Buick Lucernes. They were a newer version of the LeSabre. Both with the 3800 series engines. Very good very reliable cars. Good fuel mileage for a larger car.
I currently have a 2007 Lacrosse CXL with the gen 3 3800, slightly improved version over the gen 2. Aluminum intake (no lower intake leak problem), same transmission, lighter, better aerodynamics, and (babied driving) it still will barely get 29-30 mpg freeway mpg, 24-25 city. I highly doubt an older Lesabre gets 30 mpg. The wizard often exaggerates MPG on vehicles he recommends, and lowers on vehicles on his "dont buy list", see his Nissan Titan 10 - 12 mpg bs ( I have an 04).
wizard slays me with unintended comedy. "toyota... it's like a rock." that's chevy's slogan. "well, they're not living up to it, so toyota has it now."
My first car as a kid was a 69 Buick Wildcat with a 430 ci motor. I would get $10 worth of gas, that they would fill it for you & check oil, and get over 3/4 tank. A year later bought a 63 300SE Mercedes for $900. Loved that car! Only problem I had was the air suspension. Had to replace both rear air bags and the leveling valve and did it myself. I kept that car until 2008.
I have a 2014.5 Camry Sport SE 2.5L, don't get the moonroof, it never opens when it's hot, even after the dealer "fixed" it. Don't get the 18 in tires either, they cost quite a bit more than the base tires and the ride is much noisier and harder. My parents have a 2005 and a 2016 Avalon, and they still work perfectly and run very smooth over any road.
I feel like that moonroof issue is very specific to your car only. Im also pretty sure the dealership technician had no idea what they were doing. I'm willing to bet if you took it the car wizard, he'd have it fixed the right way.
I bought an 04 prius with 203k that was "totaled" due to a rear bumper impact because the tow truck driver hooked the abs wire and it threw a hybrid code. my friend was the original owner so I knew it was dealer maintained with a new battery at 190k so I paid the buyback from the insurance company of $1100 and fixed it with $100 of repairs It now has 270k and we put around 30k a year on it with no issues. I've fixed a few little things but it still gets over 40mpg and is comfortable and quiet. Never let us down
Adding one more to the list My 2012 Ford Fusion with the 4 cylinder has been the best car I've ever owned. Doesn't use a drop of oil, and thus far hasn't even thrown a check engine light.
My 2010 fusion was literally the worst car I have every owned. I did buy it at high miles around 150k but from that to 200k I had to replace 3 transmission and engine and bunch of control rods and all those things
4.6l Mercury Grand Marquis and Crown Victoria should be on the list! We had an 03 “Grand-Ma Quis” and lived that thing. Super cheap to swap out the rear air bags when they leak(which they will!). 3.23 gearing- 80mph cloud on the highway!
Another example for those that are looking for a newer yet VERY cheap vehicle - Honda Fit. They’re actually fun to drive and can be found for like $6k. They can take SO much abuse and keep running
I bought a 97 civic hx at auction for $300 and it has 313k miles and still runs like a top. Just needed valve cover gasket and the valves didnt even need adjusted. Been daily driving it since, its been awesome
i commited to buying a nice car in 18. was done with jalopies and hand me downs. it was between an accord or camry. camry came up. these cars used if they in are good shape and priced right go in hours. honda and toyotas the best cars in the world.
Hello friend. Love your videos, only recently started watching them and subscribed. Recently I was shopping around with private sellers for a truck, and met with a guy with an immediate late-2000s F150 at a deep discount. I saw it had the 5.4L 3V and your videos instantly came to mind. I would have bought it if I didn’t remember your serious advice. Big thanks from a new viewer, you are the man and I love your content
I have a 2020 Camry with the SE package. It’s smooth, comfortable, quick. It makes my commute so much better. Plus it had flappy paddle shifters which I rarely use in “sport mode” but you can also temporarily downshift with the paddle to pass or something and I really like that feature. 200hp on the 4cyl on this generation. It scoots when it wants to.
Also a ‘21 camry driver, 4 cyl awd, super nice car drives really nice, a lot more confidence inspiring in the winter here in new england than a fwd car. Would 100% recommend
I have a 2012 Scion xB (2.4 liter) with 190k that has been hit 3 times, including being rear ended by a semi on the highway (I drove it home). Other than bodywork and a valve cover gasket, it has required zero repairs. I love that car!
Boxy Camry, that's the engine they used in the Camry at the time. Less economical than the first generation xB, but also larger and more practical in America. It was a good vehicle.
Would have liked to see the 3rd generation (2004-2008) Acura TL on this list. Honda reliability. The last one I had had 289k miles and it was just so reliable. $3000 to $5000 depending on miles and year. One of the prettiest sedans ever made... Still looks good today.
in 09-12 the TL came with a trim that it made it the best vehicle honda made 2012 TL Sh-AWD with a V6 and 6 speed manual trans (and tech pack as they only came with it) ~305 HP At the wheels, torque vectoring, big V6 at 3.7L and the tech pack came with a decent stereo and nav. It was honda's ode to the muscle car. The TLX is awesome, but there will never be another awd manual monster from honda
Had 1! My front headlight went out on it and my mechanic told me $1500 to fix a lightbulb,take off the front bumper and change the entire light system on one side.I picked it up and bought a brand new Dodge Ram 4x4 1500 quad cab with a Hemi same day. My mechanic still gets a kick out of that story….
Another vote for the BMW. My son's car is an E46 2005 BMW 330xi that we have had for about 4 years. It runs and looks great. 180,000 miles and few issues. We knew the first owners and they were extremely meticulous. We keep up with check ups to make sure it is safe, but it has worked out like a charm. It's all wheel drive. We live in Colorado and it goes through snow like a tank, passing lots of other stranded vehicles. And like you say, when it breaks for good, it was all worth it. People have very valid reasons to bag on BMW but I own two with many miles on them that have been nothing but great, and previously I had Toyotas for decades. Once I drove a BMW I was like, "Oh, now I get it". I'm 60 now I'm just one of those guys that's willing to put up with disaster to drive them. They are a freaking blast...
Also a Colorado resident and I’ve owned 3 series 5 series X5’s (many of them) and now a newer 650i gran coupe and they’re a gem I love them the E60 525i with the N52 motor is also a very reliable car
I agree good cars, I had a 2004 320ci m sport, the 2.2 straight 6 ,black with black leather. It was 4 years old when i got it, paid £6k and the original receipt was for £38k, my favourite memories of it was 2 times taking my daughter to disneyland Paris in it, from leaving home just north of London it took me 5 and a half hours to get there , proper nice cruiser and it even had a switch under the bonnet to change the direction the headlights go for driving on the other side of the road without blinding people
car wizard is so spot on about these choices. I also had a 97 Olds 88 with the 3.8L engine. Yes, it's absolutely bullet proof. You could drive to hell and back in that thing. I had about 280k miles when I bought it. I sold it to a coworker with about 380k. It was still pretty much fine except my ghetto Mcgyver upgrades to it.
Dear Car Wizard, you just got another fan, my loving wife! She’s watching your channel in order to buy a suitable car for our business (we are in the health care business) and she ordered me (as wives do) to study all your videos…or else!😄
There's a stark difference between a well maintained E46 and the cheap riced out ones you find on craigslist. I'd argue its problems like cooling system, rear panel carrier, strut tower mushrooming are still easier to deal with than a broken Northstar.
@@drunkenhobo8020 Same here in The Netherlands. And btw...how many new Camry's are driving around in the UK? I've seen maybe 2 or 3 of these in 3 or 4 years. Anyway, the station/estate would be a far more popular choice here. Lots of Auris' though!
@@drunkenhobo8020 what does insurance run in the UK? I live in the US Midwest…to cover my 2007 Lexus ES 330 and 2006 BMW Z4 3.0 SI Coupe, cost $73 a month or 53 pounds but I am 48. In the early 90’s, I think I paid $120 a month to cover an 1984 Escort! That was more about my age than the car, obviously.
@@HamburgerHelperDeath Not sure what it's like now (also in my late 40s) but in the 90s I was looking at a second hand Sierra Sapphire Cossie. I can't remember exactly how much the car was but I remember the insurance quote was just north of 2500 quid (~$4000) a year for a 23-4 year old and that's in 90s money. Then again a chunk of that was probably because a lot of them were being stolen. I didn't end up buying it and still kick myself to this day on that decision.
@@ZerokillerOppel1 There's a site called "How Many Left?" where you can check vehicle statistics. There are about 830 Camrys on the road in the UK. There are more McLarens registered!
For old ones I'd recommend a geo prism if you somehow find a good low ish miles one. They are older but typically sell for less than the Toyota counterparts of the same age with the only difference being some interior bits and the badge. Not fast but for a commuter it's pretty reliable
I know they are pretty reliable, get insane mileage, and probably don't cost much to fix, but I also don't see why not spend the tiny bit extra for a Corolla or Camry of the same year.
@@JBM425 Honestly you may be right. I just assume the Corollas would have better standards and build quality. Besides that I assume assume buying a Geo these days would just be a beater car that isn't well taken care of. I could of course be wrong and if the price is right, you can't beat the mid-90's deigns for longevity. I still see PLENTY of Geo Metros around my town constantly.
@@rushnerdWhen the taillights get cracked you'd appreciate having the Corolla instead of the Metro. I'm not sure if the later ones had different exterior parts like that, but the early Prizm does
18:43 😂 So true. Been driving for 27 years and have been in 2 accidents that were "my fault" and Id argue 1 wasn't. A mild fender bender last year when someone cut me off and immediately slammed on their brakes, and one the day I got my license. I thought it would be a fun idea to start doing fish tails on a dirt road, doing 50, in a 1973 Mustang Mach 1. If you know anything about those cars they are IMO the best looking Mustang ever built, but they are high torque rwd vehicles with a back end that weights maybe 15lbs. I went sideways into a telephone pole, with no seat belt, and literally spun around the pole about 270 degrees. It left a perfect indentation of the pole in the front fender, broke the coolant spill over tank, and bent a few parts of the front suspension, but I was able to drive it home only making right hand turns. Now that thing was a tank.
Also a good buy that not everyone has on the list: most Mitsubishi models. They offer good reliability for less money than the competition (but only in the US, in other countries they’re not cheaper). People love to trashtalk about them because their recent cars (until some years at least) were blend and sometimes outdated, but their reliability is still very good, Even proven by statistics. A 90s or 2000s Mitsubishi Lancer, Mirage, Galant or Montero is a safe bank
The prius i can sadly speak to its reliability. Had one as a taxi and got 430,000km out of it with no issues. It would have kept going if someone didnt run a stop sign. Im surprised no mention of the 2003-2007 lexus es300
@@abdelrahimmohammed1814 thats a service item. You could say the exact same thing as any car that has direct injection. Or every car that runs a serpentine belt
I believe that the 3800 engine has made many lists as one of the best engines of all time. The Buick Century had them as well. And they too are all over the place still humming along
The 97-05 century had the 3100 (3.1) V6. Wizard is no fan of the the 3.1 The last Buicks with the 3800 are the Lacrosse and Lucerne (in some trim levels) up to 2009
Ford Mustang: totally agree that design was the best looking. ADD Ford Taurus: I bought one used 50k miles; has 150k+ now and all I've done is changed the oil. So good.
Hmmm I disagree with Taurus. Me and my gf bought an 01 SES with 80k and needs AC compressor and heater core flushed. Going to cost nearly 1k to get those issues fixed
That BMW recommendation was funny. And that sort of stuff was expected with my first car back in 1989, a 1977 Mercedes 300D Diesel, which had no power compared to other vehicles was in it's last leg at 167,000 miles. My Dad was expecting my to move on to my 2nd car in place of it sometime by late '91 or '92. Didn't happen. Tons of money got spent on it but after an engine re-build at 190K miles in March 1991, it went 90K without consuming any oil and started right up most of the time. It made it a whole year in 1993 without any high priced repairs. But that just ended up being the absolute brightest before the dark because all of a sudden in late summer 1994, the rings all went bad and the whole motor had to be junked because the rings didn't hold up along with the rest of the car and therefore, no more compression. Then I couldn't keep the car much longer but held out another 2 years till October 1996, a month before I turned 25. I was angry about it from 1995-on, knowing that something obviously didn't get done right with the rings going after 90K with the bearings still having minimal wear on them and it was just my tough luck. Instead of having a high mileage car to still go another 300-500K+ or so and be able to keep. So it just ended up becoming a huge money pit ready for the scrap yard like it never had before. But just a year ago, I bought an '83 240D Diesel with a stick-shift and 369K miles on it, about 172K on re-built motor and starts right up like a gas engine every time and no oil consumption. That to me is another "Diamond in the Rough", therefore I bought it and now have what my first car should've ended up becoming but didn't. It was also worth it after many years of wishing I wasn't a fan of the W123 Mercedes Sedans, which I even told to one of my regular car mechanics. My 2011 Mustang is till my #1 daily driver, but my 240D is now a close alternate. And I think I'm gonna give my own comment here a thumbs up here.
2000 E46 2nd owner, from 31k-106k miles so far, they are truly the ultimate driving machine. So many memories with it. it’s only left stranded once shortly after I bought it when the accessory belt broke and disconnected a trans cooler line. After that $600 mechanic bill and some 9-10 years usage later…that $10,000 car hasn’t left me stranded once. So I just replaced the cooling system/front end plastics etc DIY preventatively for around $800, and I guarantee I have the best E46 you can find that isn’t a museum piece. As Wizard says…what you buy can’t matter as much as how you care for it. If you’ve wondered about an E46: don’t think, just do. Once you truly master the handling, you wont regret it.
Wanted to provide some clarity for the "Mustang" section of the vid: The years he mentions is 06-14, yes they are the same chassis but the engine options and hp vary pretty drastically. The first body style is from 05-09, these cars are considerably slower than the 11-14. The 2010s are oddballs with the body style of the newer cars but with the engine options from the older gen. The 2005-2010 GTs only have 300hp and the 4.0 V6s have around 220hp. Its not until 2011 where you get the 412hp GTs and 310hp V6s. The 13-14 GTs get a small hp boost at 420hp.
I bought a 95 Crown Victoria low mileage year old program car, pretty much the base model with the single exhaust 4.6 and a 2.73 rear end. This was one of the most reliable cars I’ve ever owned. It regularly got 28-30 mpg on the highway with a full load of family and luggage. 17 around town, which was V-6 mini van and SUV territory. The only issue I had was brakes, Ford didn’t put as large of brakes as they should have and rotors tended to warp. The Buick 3800s truly were also rock solid cars. Hard to go wrong with a Toyota.
As an aside having nothing to do with the subjects of this video (the yacht or cars), you are much more polished in front of the camera than you were a couple of years ago or even last year. Keep up the good work! (BTW, I would love to see a similar list of SUVs and trucks.)
Super happy I found your channel. I just purchased a 2002 Regal with the 3800 V6. The car has awful hail damage but has been well maintained with pristine interior. Only 118K miles and paid 2K. But now I wanna blow up a 3 series BMW. Great videos Wizard!
I have bought Chrysler vehicles with 4 cylinder engines that turned out to be junk basically add in recent years I have bought Chrysler vehicles with the 6 engines and they turned out to be excellent 4 500000 km no problem and hardly any oil conception or anything else wrong
@@subaruamazon So far I'm extremely pleased. #1 the CD and Cassette deck are probably my favorite haa. Only issues I've dealt with; code for anti lock breaks, easily repaired due to a severed wire on the back side of the driver hub. I ended up replacing the rotors, calipers and hubs all in 1 shot. Easy job if you've ever done those sort of things. I did have to take it to the shop recently due to shaking. I was trying to diagnose the issue myself but am not a skilled automotive technician by no means. I ended up buying new tires and thought maybe it was an issue with the suspension. Well, the driver side axle was about to break and the passenger side axle was also failing. However I had 2 bad motor. I have a good shop I trust. It was only $1100 out the door and now it rides so smooth. Issues I'm trying to fix now. The electronics or probably motor systems for the driver seat are failing. Basically I can't sit in the seat to use the controls and it doesn't like to respond more than 1-2 seconds at a time. And just a couple days ago the glove box latch failed. I haven't had time to run to a u-pull-it yard so it's just open. Pros, does not leak any fluids, the throttle response is pretty fun when you need it and it's just an all out comfortable ride with the Monsoon audio system this is probably my favorite car purchase. And I can thank the Wizard again for the suggestion. Most people are familiar with the best GM motor ever produced. Now that I own 1 I want another.
@@crotopoc I had a 94 sonoma pick up i believe it was a 3800. it thought it was a toyota lol. i have a camry and I will get problems but not like a gm. if anything happened to my camry, id buy another one or would never rule out a 3.8. depends on my situation ie $$$ and availability.
Those V6 Mid 2000s Mustangs are the best gig cars. I always tell people when I'm out doing food delivery apps that it's the best car for the job. Really good gas mileage and cheap maintenance.
Great looks, plenty of parts, easy to work on, great aftermarket, fun little cruiser. A V8 would be nice though. Mustang is Mustang love em' all. Just gotta remember the v6 ain't a racecar, don't rice it up, keep it simple and reliable.
2:00 2012-2017 Toyota Camry
4:55 1999-2005 Buick LeSabre
7:13 Toyota Prius (hoovie approved!)
10:20 2005-2014 Ford Mustang
13:26 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille
17:24 1997-2003 E46 BMW 3 series
Thank you
Thanks
Kudos to you.
E46 has subframe issues which can be very expensive to fix.
@@damilolaakanni - Oh yes! My cousin found out the hard way!
Six cars you should buy according to Wizard: 2012-2017 Toyota Camry, 1999-2005 Buick LeSabre, Toyota Prius, 2005-2014 Ford Mustang, 2000-2005 Cadillac Seville (if you can fix it yourself), 1997-2003 BMW E-3
*used
It goes without saying, they're going to be used.
If you didn't watch the whole video, caution on the BMW E-3. Do NOT maintain the BMW. Don't pay attention to the warning lights. When it dies, throw it in the garbage and spend $1500 on another one.
Thank You Jeff!!!
@@michaelblacktree Bullshit! I buy brand new used cars all the time! You can't say you never got a car that was 5 to 10 years old and told your buddies, "Hey check out my new car!"
Finally, someone mentioned my car!!!!! I bought a 2002 Buick Park Avenue 6 years ago with 198,000 miles for $1,500. Now, it has 270,000 miles and purrs like a kitten. I've spent about $2,000 on repairs in that time. Great mileage, great reliability, and GREAAAAAAT ride. Love it.
I have seen those cars go forever. I am going to get one here as soon as I find my own choice. Everybody I know who has one will claim that any problems it has heals themselves. Change the oil, every 200 thousand changes the belts. The car will get better with time until it is worth far more than you paid. I am considering if I can find it getting a 1970 Grand Marquis which appaerntly was designed by the people who made the park avenue. Both are quiet as a library and smooth as whipped cream.
My folks had an early 90s or late 80s park avenue.
They bought it new & got just over 400k out of it
Change out or disconnect your heater core before it overheats and blows a head gasket! I've seen it on these cars before.
Lmao! "You're not going to maintain it either". Wizard, you are TOO funny!
My 330ci is cherry. 200k miles, m3 interior (it's on its 3rd interior), nice classy csl style wheels and perfect original paint. I've replaced the entire drive train with a 30k mile one out of a wrecked one that I pulled out myself. I love the car, dont know why people dont maintain them as they are very classy and fun.
BLOW them up and wreck them to get them off the road. One less I have to deal with.
@@mattbrawner7888 NICE!
@@WhittyPics Mine is reliable. I drive it daily, have put 100k miles on it in since I owned it. I came across the low mileage drivetrain, mine didn't go out. I sold it for what I paid for it. Really, as long as you maintain the cooling system, you don't have much to worry about on 2001-2005 models.
the previous owner of my 2002 bmw 530i (e39) bought it at 100k miles for $10,000 and also spent $10,000 maintaining it for the life of 5yr loan. I sold it past 200k+ miles for the price I bought it, the car flipper that bought it put in new tires and detailed the car and sold it in market place +$2000 for what he bought it. If I have space on my driveway I could have still kept it. They really last if maintained $$$$
Big wheels don’t do too well above 100,000 miles. I was the youngest of 9 so I am familiar with high mileage big wheels. Used to bring it to the shop weekly: blown out wheels, snapped pedals, twisted up forks, brittle plastic from sun fade, you name it. Overall worth it for the exhilaration they provide but they really are more like Hoovie’s new used M5 than a newer Toyota
3WD or 2WD
Big wheel trikes don't have solid tires, they have 'blow-mold' hollow plastic wheels. A common issue is that by using your feet on the pedals to 'lock' the front wheel and skid. This quickly wears a flat spot on the wheel, eventually grinding the wheel all the way through. Not exactly a great, reliable vehicle.
@@bobflinn7529 yes, I remember doing that. Almost no weight on that front wheel; so it spun a lot.
@@drsudo5135 1WD
@@bobflinn7529 I had a friend that did that, skidded right through the tire.
I am laughing so hard when he’s talking about the BMW! Also I can listen to Mr Wizard talk all day! His voice is so calm and soothing & I actually learn a lot! As a girl my Dad always taught me how to do things bc he wanted me to be self sufficient. So I love learning from Mr Wizard!
same i was loling ,i was looking for a bmw to send straight to hell andI think im going with the e46
He has a bit of therapist tone. "What I hear you saying is..."
We need more of these kind of videos. Zero f**ks given about clothing, setting, editing etc, but hugely valuable and useful content. So many influencers should learn. Thanks Wizard.
"Welcome to the Wizards yacht" - man that made me smile! No TH-camr I subscribe to deserves to chill out on his yacht more than the Wizard and his family.
I’m glad he likes it but Man, boats are so expensive to own!
@@boogitybear2283 probably a hell of a lot less expensive when you do all the work yourself.
2006 to 2011 lincoln town car/mercury grand marquis/crown vic in 2006 they got the 4r75 transmissions that go forever and they had the good engines for a while before that so 2006 to 2011s have the good engine and transmissions theyre for sale all the time with 500,000 miles.
This channel is such a gem! No nonsensical drag races like we see in many of car youtubers channels with millions of subscribers.
On top of that, here lies an actual car wizard, fixing cars for more than 20 years! (Not an automotive industry lapdog like most youtubers out there.)
Describing the prius as a rock that you just find on the ground is perfect.
because they're beloved of looters at a blm riot? ; D
@@jacobl6714 Bruh
*Prius enters the frame*
like a rock...
oooooooo like a rock
I love the Used car sessions "You should and shouldn't buy" Keep them comming!
Totally agree. Love the way Car Wizard educates us. The advice is pure gold.
I imagine car sales people yelling at this video...
Mini Vans would be a great one for him to do.
@@boogitybear2283 Agreed
How bout putting the Buick 3800 into the deville?
Got a e46 3 series for scrap price and fixed it myself, huge value, drives amazing, you are spot on about them, “nobody maintains them so they’re dirt cheap”
Love my Camry. It's made me lifetime loyal to the brand. At present, 112,000 miles on a 2014 and I haven't had to put a dime in it outside of general maintenance. Oil changes, brakes, and tires. Runs great. Drives great. Plan on driving the wheels off of it.
i have a 2014 camry xle Hybrid and it is my favorite car EVER oil change tire swap and of course windshield washer fluid and ocational wiperblades i think thats it and i have 125,000 i like it so much i got rid of my 2013 ford edge AND i bought a 2020 Tacoma 👍
I’ve owned 3 different Camrys and they sold me on the brand, I currently own a 2000 2.2 and aside from brakes and oil it’s been indestructible 🙂
Same with my 08 Sequoia. It is awesome
2012 4cyl Camry here. Bought it four and a half years ago with 53,000, just hit 100k. I know it's still young, but no issues at all except for that variable valve timing rattle which I'm getting the parts to fix. Love the car, drives nice, great ac, the works. Starts every time you turn the key.
@@tipr8739 1
Totally agree with the Mustang. Just got an '07 with 44,000 miles for my daughter and every time I drive it I think this is a great car. Feels good, drives great and is really fun. Of course, it does help that it is a convertible.
The Mustang is great, but there is actually two different V6 engines and two different V8 engines in that range (still all the S197 chassis). I would pass on the earlier 4.0 L Cologne V6 - its just not a great engine. The newer 3.7 L Cyclone V6 is much better. The V6 models get a taller rear end for better fuel economy at the expense of acceleration. The real gem is the 5.0 L Coyote V8 engine (400+ HP) in the 2011- 2014 model years. (2004 - 2010 Mustang GTs had the 4.6 L 3 valve.) The 4.6 L v8 is fine, but like Wizard said, probably not that much better than the V6, especially for the money. But if the Coyote V8 is in the budget - DEFINITELY get that one.
I'm not especially enthusiastic about the live axle, personally, but the V6 is certainly better than an Ecoboost that's thirsty for its own coolant.
I'm a local car dealer. I stumbled across this guy. He's the Real Deal. 👍👍👍
My 2001 Buick LeSabre with 54k miles is so awesome. 30mpg plus on highway, quiet, smooth. Easy to work on. Replaced the coolant elbows and intake gaskets and this car will make it 300K plus easy. No s***** turbochargers or b******* to deal with. Love this car. Great choice and also a great observation by the Car Wizard!
07 camry here but if anything would happen to it woud buy a 3.8 as well.
My K20 8th gen Civic Si and 93 Miata have been the most reliable cars i've ever had too. Few other good ones to add.
Loved my 8th gen truly a stout motor
This guy doesn’t seem to like Honda which is one of the most reliable cars ever built
Yup. Bought a 98 Civic Ex back in 2004 after some kids stole it from some kid, stripped out the interior, stereo, seats, etc. But, I bought it for a song, restored the interior, and that civic with the upgraded high flow exhaust, ran like a top, sometimes like a raped ape, and never ever did it give me one lick a trouble. Drove from Central Cal to L.A. once a week and was my daily driver for almost two years before I made the stupid mistake of buying a Dodge 1500 pickup that lost it's transmission in just 24 months, lol. Yup, Honda Civic: Pound for pound, the best car I've bought in 30 years friends. - Peace! \\//
Now thats a name that I haven't seen in a long time. I watched your vlogs when it was just the ZX-6R
@@concernedcitizen8464 q
My oldest son wanted a cool car when he was 16. He worked summer jobs for a few years and earned about $4000. When he was ready to buy I asked him how much he had. He said $300 so we looked for a $300 car in 1980. He found a 1971 Chevy Vega GT. It wasn't badly rusted and the paint looked good. It ran well with a clutch 4 speed and a full set of gauges in the plastic mahogany dashboard. He loved it and drove it hard for a year, learning to replace head gaskets in few hours until it used as many quarts of oil as gallons of gas. I said it needs another engine. No use trying to rebuild that one. We looked around and found another GT badly rusted for $100. We pulled the engine on a big branch of the old maple tree and did the swap the next day. He ran it for another two years until it was so rusted it looked like it would break in half. He couldn't drive it to the junk yard, he was so sad for the car he loved. I took it there and I was sad too.
Yyyyyyyyy
Those times are gone most places. I miss them. The "modern" world doesn't know what it's missing.
Awesome car story!
Great story, R.I.P. VEGA GT ❤️❤️❤️
Haha,I too purchased a rusty Vega for $100.00 years ago. Drove it for about a year and sold it for what I paid. In that year it never let me down and everything worked including the AC!
Wizard, I bought a brand new 2021 Camry with the 4 cyl and it has 202hp. It goes good enough for everything but a dragstrip. I'm happy with it and I get 40+mpg on long hwy cruises.
Have you test driven the V6 Camry? I think the V6 has some fun factor added!
@@kimdavis5631 It would have been nice, but at an added $5,500 I passed.
With the electric/ hybrid cars coming on line, my guess is this latest series of Camry will go down as the best gasoline powered cars built. Love mine, really notice riding / driving other cars how they come up short on the driving experience and the unbelievable fuel mileage!
Wow, 200 hp from a 4-cylinder! It seems like just yesterday when you needed a V8 engine for that. In the Malaise Era, there were V8s putting out as little as 120 hp.
@@jasonhsu4711 Many also say that V8 sound with low hp is better than 4 cy boring high hp appliances.
Obviously the Wizard didn't drive his big wheel hard! I wore out several of them, flat spotted front wheels until they wore through from sliding, and even the rear wheels too. We even broke the frame from riding on it like a scooter. It was fun!
My son wore the wheels out on 2.Quickly moved on to bicycles.
@@Grunt49 yeah, I even though about trying to put on a bicycle wheel up front and wagon wheels out back after my younger sister's one got worn out. I was a 10 yr old kid with ideas, but no way to really make them work. Later on I found out they made ones like that, but for a lot more $$$.
Especially when you tried to find out how many kids could ride on it at once. The back had a convenient step
My wheels split down center
When wizard was a kid the big wheel had asbestos. 80's kids had plastic wheels
Was watching this with my significant other in the room. She bursted out laughing when you started talking about the 3-series because i own a 2004 e46. I do maintain mine, i bought it so cheap because it had a laundry list of issues. Fixed them and this car has given me 45,000 miles so far. I plan on giving it to the kid if it doesn't blow up by then. 👍
I love my 03 lesabre. Old school, old man sedan luxury at its finest. And with the limited celebration edition package and chrome wheels, a very good looking car. Smooth ride and with the 3800 motor, extremely dependable, but if something does break, it's cheap and easy to fix yourself with limited auto knowledge.
Love my 2004 LeSabre !!! So dependable and looks good!
Yes I totally endorse buying a 22 year old car for a daily driver. Then again, we go to KFC for wedding anniversaries.
@@rogercvc6768 Classy folks! Lol
@@rogercvc6768 You total Wild Man! I get a large bag of potato chips to celebrate.
2006 to 2011 lincoln town car/mercury grand marquis/crown vic in 2006 they got the 4r75 transmissions that go forever and they had the good engines for a while before that so 2006 to 2011s have the good engine and transmissions theyre for sale all the time with 500,000 miles. The lesabres have transmissions problems
My wife has a 2012 Camry SE, had 23,000 miles on it when she got it, has 124,000 now, not a single mechanical issue so far, has the 2.5 4cyl engine, it has more zip than expected, she loves it, I had it detailed two months ago and she loves it like the day it was bought and looks, runs and drives like new still.
Good thing it wasn't a slightly older one. The previous gen had bad oil burning problems to the point someone on r/cars yesterday asked a question wondering if he needs to do oil changes on his 2009 Camry, because he goes through two 5 quart bottles of oil every 4000 miles.
My father in law has a 2001 Camry he’s owned since new. 450k miles and still running. He uses it driving about 200 miles to work and back every day.
i had 2011 with the 2.5 and out 293K on it in 3years... nothing but oil changes and a water pump
@@laurat1129 It's a legit issue, only effects the 2.4 (2AZFE) which came in a bunch of other cars. The lubrication holes on the pistons in some of them (not all) were too small in diameter resulting in poor lubrication of the oil control rings and thus start consuming oil over time. The revised engine (2ARFE) 2.5 in 2012+ don't have this issue.
The 2.5 has more power then she expected lol. Did she ride a lawnmore everywhere before that like the waterboy
E46 330ci was the funnest car I've ever owned. I regretted selling the first so I bought another. I did a bunch of track days with them. They were cheap to buy and easy to keep alive. I swear it ran better after I beat on it.
Cannot stress this enough, make sure one you buy is in reliable condition. So much variety in reliability when you buy a neglected one vs well kept. You will no matter what run into lots of repairs at a certain age or mileage as well.
Love these Wizards lists buy/not to buy, there's so good explanations and reasons why to buy or not to buy, really informative videos 👍
Yea just like Scott Kilmer he isn't chaotic and he doesn't ramble around and yell saying everything that isn't Honda or Toyota Is junk and yelling about the good old days when things were made better.
@@eugene44569 I mean, is he wrong though? No.
@@tynewlin uh, yes. No Panther chassis of any kind mentioned? The modern era's automotive equivalent to a Sherman tank. The Northstar, seriously??? One of the most stupendously cramped & difficult to access engine bays ever conceived, complete with a starter that you have to remove the intake for access. And the 4.0 SOHC over the 4.6? When 4.0 SOHC chains fail, it's an engine-out repair or at least a down & dirty trans-out repair. Do you know how many Explorers met an early demise because of that insane chain setup?
Nope, Captain lost his credibility on this one. Even the LeSabre is a FWD nightmare to change the trans on when the time comes, done correctly a subframe drop. When I think of cars to recommend, I think of something the average schmo w/o a lift could do in the driveway. Transverse is the devil's work!
@@acemobile9806 What does any of that have to do with Scotty's rants? I'm incredibly confused by your rebuttal. Maybe it'll start to make sense after I finish this L.
They’re the best! If I was close enough to Newton, Kansas, he would be my go to Car Repair!
This is a great concept. I'm not even buying cars right now but this was super informative, fun to watch, and relaxing. Another one from the Wizards!
same here
Great list Wiz! As an E46 fan I found your comments a bit hurtful but fair and decidedly true! Keep those lists coming!
I love that the Wiz always rips on gmc acadia, it is well deserved lol
It’s his signature move at this point. He should continue to milk it for all it’s worth.
I am still driving my 2004 Camry LE -4 cyl. 240,000 miles and counting. It has been a great car and regularly maintained. Has no timing belt to replace. Starting to rust a little in the wheel wells. Has been kept inside a garage most of the time. Wife drives the 2015 Toyota RAV-4 Limited. From Minnesota, she likes the heated seats. 70,000 miles now. Took it to the Grand Canyon last year and it had plenty of pep in the high altitude roads.
07 camry se 142k. i have been puting in repair recently - bearings, fuel pump, coils. no car is perfect but engine and tranny are rock solid. oh need lower control arms as well.
I'm not to sure about the Cadillac, but I sure would include a Ford Crown Vic or Mercury Marquis or a Lincoln Town Car all are rwd. Mine has 419000 miles same drive train and still running great. For something more fun & sporty it is hard to beat a Mazda Miata...
Why buy a Caddy with Northstar when you can get a Town Car.
Lol I had the front wheel drive v8 Northstar I loved it but no gas mileage
For a really reliable Caddy you have to go back to the good old 472, 500 and 425 all with a TH400. Those combos are absolutely bullet proof! I agree with you 100% for the Panther body platform, I have 3 Grandmas and a Crown Vic, they are hands down THE BEST used cars you can buy.
Good luck finding an affordable Miata anymore
@@Moto_Medics you are correct, they have definitely gone up...🤔
I had a 2001 and 2005 Buick LeSabre and bought them at 115,000 miles and sold them 3-4 years later at 200,000 miles with the 3.8L. They got 26-28 mpg. Best cars I ever owned. The only money I ever stuck into them was one needed a front wheel bearing that only cost me $73 on e-bay for the parts and the other needed a new blower motor for $100 at O-reilly auto parts store.
Sounds like a great deal!
A 3,8 is one of the best motors GM ever made.
I sold my '01 e46 to my mechanic after an 8-year relationship. I was ready to be done; he was OK to keep working on it forever. Still looked, drove and COST me like new.
Wow same I had an 01 325xi for about 5 years and it was the saddest relationship I've ever been in. More like a tragic love story 🤣 I still think about her.
My ma drives the mentioned Buick LeSabre, makes me realize how every modern car has given up on comfort for performance
I have been driving used Lexus cars for the past 20 years. They are relatively inexpensive, luxurious and very reliable. They are just a Toyota in a Tux.
Enter jo bidin...
What's diving a Lexus got to do with that sfi smh
I agree. Everything Toyota brings to the table with nicer trim etc. Good value in the luxury market.
Toyota Avalon is not far behind
Our 2011 chevy impala had 12 miles on it new now has 198k miles on it, runs good quite motor with regular oil changes, uses a little oil, has small leak, and a few repairs that were still cheaper than a new car payment and full coverage insurance.
I enjoy driving around in my yacht too wizard, it's my 98' Mercury Grand Marquee. Not too great mileage, but it's a tank for safety. I got sideswiped by a Toyota Tundra, so now it's a 3 door, but this car still runs great and probably saved my life.
You should do a SUV list of your best to buy. Great videos.
Hi, I don't want to insult or even disagree with you. Toyota is a very good car. Probably one of the best. BUT, I can't stand to ride in one, or drive one. I'll pay extra if I don't have to ride in one. I've had several, I've also had some of the bad chev. And Ford that you say don't buy. Your correct on the break downs, the repairs. I have a 07 suburban 5.3 sitting, not running in my yard now. Honestly I enjoy sitting in it more than riding or driving a Toyota. The Toyota doesn't have one characteristic I care for. That's all I have to say without rambling all day. Thanks for the videos. Keep up the good work!!!
sorry charley, I have a 2001 toyota camry, v6, 185,000 miles. Never spent a dime on a non wearable repair. Only thing I have replaced are brakes, battery, charcoal canister for evap system, serpentine belt and tires. Everything else is oem original. Drives like a brand new car.
Wizard I personally want to add Ford Crown Victoria to the list. I am currently driving the police interceptor. The maintenance I done to it is fluid changes, spark plugs, filters. No issues had since. I know you did do not buy list for this, but if it has solid record of the maintenance, it'll last forever =]
I guess he didn't mention it because he already did with another video, plus he has another video on the 4.6 L V8 2V. Plus he did own a panther not too long ago
Watch out for the Intake Manifold. I have an 08 and that was the only pain I got out of it. Works like a dream and smooth.
I had a 96 Crown Vic and that car got 30 miles to the gallon on the highway was bulletproof!!!
I love my 2001 Buick Park Avenue, for me I plan on driving it right down to the ground
Would love to see you do a video for reliable sedans 2009 or newer that are reliable & fairly affordable to maintain.
If you're willing and able to do the repairs yourself, the e46 is a fantastic value. I just picked up an '02 325CI for $2k. It's trashed. But, but the engine is solid, the manual is fun to drive, and it's actually pretty easy to work on. Parts aren't that expensive. Fixed all my warning lights for under $500. I'm now driving it to work daily.
I have a 2005 330xi with 130k on it if you are interested. Good shape overall but needs some maintenance. I’m the second owner and the first was a doctor that kept it in meticulous shape for the first year. No accidents, never driven hard.
Your'e right
The best, most reliable car I ever owned was a 2003 Honda Civic EX Coupe. Bought it new and owned it 13 years and put 300,000 miles on it. Changed the oil every 10K and besides timing belt changes the only other part I put on it was a new alternator at 200K. Stereo bumped, handled good, great in snow. Awesome car!!!!
I have a 93 CX with 300k! Great car!!!
Bold on the 10k interval imo but if you don't push them, they won't even leak 👍 my bro in law drive a 96 with low oil for the longest time! Even sold the locked up car for 1500
I had a silver '99 2 door. I agree, Hondas will run forever. 👌🏻
I don't mind Toyota's but I Personally own Honda's, I really enjoy driving the new Civic Sport Sedan with the 6 speed manual trans and The 2l K20C2 none turbo Vtec engine With 9,000 miles on it it's averaging 37.2 MPG
Same story here. I bought a used 2005 Civic EX (same gen as yours) at 120,000 miles. The previous owner had changed the timing belt. The only repairs I have needed were steering pump, rack, and egr valve and that's it. Now it's at 200,000 miles with zero problems. I also change my oil every 10,000 miles with synthetic.
Dear Weeezard, I maintain my 2000 BMW 328i so you don't have to. It's a shame more people don't, they are such good cars. After 15 years of ownership the car is just over 280,000 miles with no significant issues. Maintaining the car is part of my lifestyle now but I'm thankful for the skills I've gained. I really enjoy hearing your advice and stories. Great videos, keep going!
Any interest in a 2005 330xi with 130k miles?
@@wolfofwacker4578 I'll take it if it's free! I'm a very broke TH-camr.
@@EndlessMoneyPits lol..not free but not expensive either
You're crazy car Wizard! All of us delinquents had Camaros and Mustangs in high school, all v-6's, and we modded them to death trying to get an extra 15hp.
Literally did this. But was Pontiac Firebird V6. Trashed the tranny putting some weird chip in it for an extra 15HP
I absolutely agree. I bought and sold cars several years ago, and bought one (Buick), Yes, it was a very solid elegant car with great gas mileage. Yes, quite correct!
I put 330,000+ miles on a 1998 Jeep Cherokee, manual trans, and when I sold it, the engine still ran like a new one. Didn't leak, didn't burn oil. Wasn't the greatest on MPG, but it got up and went to work EVERY morning, including some with deep and ugly snow.
My favorite used vehicle is the Park avenue ultra, we bought one a year ago off marketplace for $1100 and other then tires and oil changes it has been trouble free, it has 270K on it currently, Liked the video
That'd be my pick over the LeSabre. Same powertrain/benefits, and much better appearance and interior.
@@Browningate And better handling. In my experience the Park Avenue handles a lot better than LeSabre.
I bought a good looking 96 ranger with 250k two years ago for a grand and drive it to work every day. Came with aftermarket wheels and brand new tires. Everything works including the AC and power windows. Transmission has had a delay between 2nd and 3rd since I bought it so I let off the gas to let it shift. A transmission will be in it's future but it doesn't seem to be getting worse so I'll keep driving it as is until it won't anymore.
@@theupscriber65 my wife's dad used to have a stepside box Ranger and it drove so nice, absolutely good trucks if properly maintained
@@ddg2256 I'm guessing the Ultra has firmer suspension than LeSabre or Park Avenue.
From a diy mechanic standpoint, I love my E39 bmw. They’re very simpl cars once you learn ow all the modules work together, and never seem to have many mechanical Issues as long as you take care of them. Parts are cheap, and once you buy a simple 40 dollar scan tool, repairs are simple too. One of the few bmws that can easily make it to 300k
The e46 m3 ran from 2000-2006, e36 '95-'99. '97 saw some significant changes, like engine displacement, body styles, and trim levels,
but 2000 is when the next generation e46 came. It was offered as a coupe only and there were updates and trim additions roughly every 2 years, starting in '02 and ending in '06.
Bought one new for my wife (Had to have it) . Told her that she'd have to keep it for10 years because it was so expensive. She kept it for 14. Plastic cooling system replacement and vacuum lines replacement was all we did in 265000 miles. Germans: "Vee have no problems vith cooling system. We do sell replacement kit."
Our 2013 Ford Flex has been very reliable. We have 182,000 miles on it. My 2005 PT Cruiser Turbo Convertible has been reliable until I just hit the 80,000 mile mark. We replaced the brakes, battery, fuses in the dash panel, radiator, & after our new battery was drained because the fog lights kept coming on by themselves & we have never used the fog lights, i took the #8 fuse out & that solved that at no cost! Love my Cruiser.
I had the platinum 2009 with 130,000 miles best suv for kids space good on traveling all we did on it was something front suspension work other than that it's a runner
Bought a Cadillac Deville 2000 almost 2 months ago. I knew nothing but how to change oil in cars when I bought it and after these months I am considering doing the head gasket job if I confirm it is blown. I dig the Caddy and have had a lot of fun learning how to work on them (mostly replacing old gaskets and parts with new ones). Just feels classy.
I have a 2010 Camry I bought with 62 K over three years ago. It's a pleasure to drive. Leather too! Has 143 K trouble free miles now.
Had a 2002 Seville SLS as my first car. Bought in 2018 with 85,000. One owner, dealer maintained. Was the best first car for only $3000.
As Car Wizard mentioned, maintained everything myself and it was worth while regularly changed oil, coolant flushes, tires, brakes, etc. Parts were decently cheap if you shopped around. Nothing that broke the bank. Did the starter, front struts, other stuff that’s expected to go on an older car.
Car was comfortable and rather powerful for a first car. All my friends had newer supposedly “better” cars. Yet mine was a reliable daily while their newer Focus, Imprezas, BMWs needed thousands in repairs and ended up getting junked.
Ended up selling it this year with 120k for the same price I bought it for due to the crazy car market. Kinda wish I kept it and just ran it into the ground.
This has quickly become one of my favorite TH-cam channels, very informative! Love this series..
Have a 2011 Camry. 203K miles. 1 issue in all those miles. Rear driver wheel bearing. I put on 6K every 3 months. Been an unbelievably reliable car. BUT I do my maintenance. On 3rd set of denso plugs and all fluid changes including transmission, brake and power steering fluid. Every other oil change I suck out the PS reservoir and every 25-40K on transmission fluid. I do it myself with Toyota WS fluid. Kind of a pain of a process but car glides after change. Brake fluid cycle every 50K. And all filters. So, yes I keep up on my insurance. (If you get my drift)
We have a '12 Focus with a manual.
189k, and it gets 36 mpg combined.
It replaced an Escort ZX2.
The ZX2 would go anywhere that it wasn't plowing, with those skinny tires.
The Focus is a four door, and almost as fun to drive as the Escort.
1) 2012-2017 Camry, 2) 1999-2005 Buick LeSabre, 3.) 2004-2009 Prius, 4.) 2005-14 Mustang, V6 model, 5.) 2000-05 Cadillac DeVille with Northstar V8 (only if you're a mechanic), 6.) 1997-2003 E-46 BMW 3 series (sarcastic recommendation).
Even as a petrolhead, a Prius would make the perfect daily
After many years of driving Chevy trucks with a Vortex 350, (210 horsepower) I just got a 2004 Toyota Sienna with a V6 that has 235 horses. Even though it has over 350,000 miles on it, it still runs good enough to outrun my big Chevy! Very pleased with this car.
I had 2 Buick Lucernes. They were a newer version of the LeSabre. Both with the 3800 series engines. Very good very reliable cars. Good fuel mileage for a larger car.
Why did you get rid of them? I don’t understand why people get rid of vehicles that never disappoint? If it’s reliable, stick with it!
I currently have a 2007 Lacrosse CXL with the gen 3 3800, slightly improved version over the gen 2. Aluminum intake (no lower intake leak problem), same transmission, lighter, better aerodynamics, and (babied driving) it still will barely get 29-30 mpg freeway mpg, 24-25 city. I highly doubt an older Lesabre gets 30 mpg. The wizard often exaggerates MPG on vehicles he recommends, and lowers on vehicles on his "dont buy list", see his Nissan Titan 10 - 12 mpg bs ( I have an 04).
@@boogitybear2283 Agreed
Better gas.mileage than a hybrid Chevy Malibu.
@@LegendStormcrow Agreed, because the the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is gutless on horsepower and it is not that fuel-efficient.
wizard slays me with unintended comedy. "toyota... it's like a rock." that's chevy's slogan. "well, they're not living up to it, so toyota has it now."
Oh Chevy lives up to their Like A Rock slogan. Because rocks dont move unless they are being hauled in the bed of a Toyota
'What a crock' fits very well in place of 'Like a Rock' in that song/slogan followed by 'It's as bad as it could be!' 'What a crock'
My first car as a kid was a 69 Buick Wildcat with a 430 ci motor. I would get $10 worth of gas, that they would fill it for you & check oil, and get over 3/4 tank. A year later bought a 63 300SE Mercedes for $900. Loved that car! Only problem I had was the air suspension. Had to replace both rear air bags and the leveling valve and did it myself. I kept that car until 2008.
I have a 2014.5 Camry Sport SE 2.5L, don't get the moonroof, it never opens when it's hot, even after the dealer "fixed" it. Don't get the 18 in tires either, they cost quite a bit more than the base tires and the ride is much noisier and harder. My parents have a 2005 and a 2016 Avalon, and they still work perfectly and run very smooth over any road.
I feel like that moonroof issue is very specific to your car only. Im also pretty sure the dealership technician had no idea what they were doing. I'm willing to bet if you took it the car wizard, he'd have it fixed the right way.
Don’t buy a car with a hole in the roof.
I've had my 08 Tc for a year and it's already on its third sunroof switch
The Second generation Prius is bulletproof. I’ve seen vehicles with a million miles. It’s a million dollar car all day.
Mine at 300kmiles
Scotty said its no good haha
@@CRAPO2011 scotty thinks every car is trash
@@8.4V10 Unless its an old celica
I think you maybe overpaid!
I bought an 04 prius with 203k that was "totaled" due to a rear bumper impact because the tow truck driver hooked the abs wire and it threw a hybrid code. my friend was the original owner so I knew it was dealer maintained with a new battery at 190k so I paid the buyback from the insurance company of $1100 and fixed it with $100 of repairs
It now has 270k and we put around 30k a year on it with no issues. I've fixed a few little things but it still gets over 40mpg and is comfortable and quiet. Never let us down
Car I've been looking to get is a 2011-2012 Toyota Avalon.
I have an 03 Avalon . Inside is the same as a Lexus gs300. Very comfy and love the car
I got a 2001. It's so smooth to drive.
Driving a 98 while listening to this
Adding one more to the list
My 2012 Ford Fusion with the 4 cylinder has been the best car I've ever owned. Doesn't use a drop of oil, and thus far hasn't even thrown a check engine light.
That's the yr Volvo merge with Ford,
My 2010 fusion was literally the worst car I have every owned. I did buy it at high miles around 150k but from that to 200k I had to replace 3 transmission and engine and bunch of control rods and all those things
4.6l Mercury Grand Marquis and Crown Victoria should be on the list! We had an 03 “Grand-Ma Quis” and lived that thing. Super cheap to swap out the rear air bags when they leak(which they will!). 3.23 gearing- 80mph cloud on the highway!
i agree.
Yeah, those CrownVic type cars are tanks! No wonder cops had been using those for years!
Another example for those that are looking for a newer yet VERY cheap vehicle - Honda Fit. They’re actually fun to drive and can be found for like $6k. They can take SO much abuse and keep running
Disappointing that it has been discontinued in the USA along with the Yaris/Mazda2.
The Chick-fil-A near me uses Fits for their delivery vehicles.
This is a 10x better recommendation than a Mustang, Cadillac, Buick or BMW E46.
@@AlGoYoSu I just imagine they are every colour of the "rainbow" right?
Fits aren’t cheap…
I bought a 97 civic hx at auction for $300 and it has 313k miles and still runs like a top. Just needed valve cover gasket and the valves didnt even need adjusted. Been daily driving it since, its been awesome
i commited to buying a nice car in 18. was done with jalopies and hand me downs. it was between an accord or camry. camry came up. these cars used if they in are good shape and priced right go in hours. honda and toyotas the best cars in the world.
Hello friend. Love your videos, only recently started watching them and subscribed.
Recently I was shopping around with private sellers for a truck, and met with a guy with an immediate late-2000s F150 at a deep discount. I saw it had the 5.4L 3V and your videos instantly came to mind. I would have bought it if I didn’t remember your serious advice.
Big thanks from a new viewer, you are the man and I love your content
If I'm listening to anyone regarding used cars to purchase it's this guy.
Him and a mechanic wirh permanent shades on in a 94 celica
@@phillyspitta8147 Don't listen to Scotty.
@@phillyspitta8147 Kilmer"s the most inept mechanic out there!
@@aliendroneservices6621 Ctfu Scotty might have dementia wit his drunk tales huh 😆
I have a 2020 Camry with the SE package. It’s smooth, comfortable, quick. It makes my commute so much better. Plus it had flappy paddle shifters which I rarely use in “sport mode” but you can also temporarily downshift with the paddle to pass or something and I really like that feature. 200hp on the 4cyl on this generation. It scoots when it wants to.
Also a ‘21 camry driver, 4 cyl awd, super nice car drives really nice, a lot more confidence inspiring in the winter here in new england than a fwd car. Would 100% recommend
@@jonahruntz9818 And also Camry has very good quality.
Toyotas only have headroom for halflings.
@@jacobzindel987 only the Tacoma has that problem. None of their cars, SUVs, or full size trucks has that problem.
Less car for more money. Pat yourselves on the back though.
I have a 2012 Scion xB (2.4 liter) with 190k that has been hit 3 times, including being rear ended by a semi on the highway (I drove it home). Other than bodywork and a valve cover gasket, it has required zero repairs. I love that car!
XD is great too!
Boxy Camry, that's the engine they used in the Camry at the time.
Less economical than the first generation xB, but also larger and more practical in America. It was a good vehicle.
Would have liked to see the 3rd generation (2004-2008) Acura TL on this list. Honda reliability. The last one I had had 289k miles and it was just so reliable. $3000 to $5000 depending on miles and year. One of the prettiest sedans ever made... Still looks good today.
in 09-12 the TL came with a trim that it made it the best vehicle honda made
2012 TL Sh-AWD with a V6 and 6 speed manual trans (and tech pack as they only came with it)
~305 HP At the wheels, torque vectoring, big V6 at 3.7L and the tech pack came with a decent stereo and nav. It was honda's ode to the muscle car. The TLX is awesome, but there will never be another awd manual monster from honda
The automatic transmissions though....
The problem with those is, you get into any small accident and it's impossible to find parts for it. Also very expensive when you do find them
Had 1!
My front headlight went out on it and my mechanic told me $1500 to fix a lightbulb,take off the front bumper and change the entire light system on one side.I picked it up and bought a brand new Dodge Ram 4x4 1500 quad cab with a Hemi same day.
My mechanic still gets a kick out of that story….
Stick to 2007-2008 TLs. Those had the better transmission out of the MDX. 2005-2006 had lots of transmission failure issues.
Another vote for the BMW. My son's car is an E46 2005 BMW 330xi that we have had for about 4 years. It runs and looks great. 180,000 miles and few issues. We knew the first owners and they were extremely meticulous. We keep up with check ups to make sure it is safe, but it has worked out like a charm. It's all wheel drive. We live in Colorado and it goes through snow like a tank, passing lots of other stranded vehicles. And like you say, when it breaks for good, it was all worth it. People have very valid reasons to bag on BMW but I own two with many miles on them that have been nothing but great, and previously I had Toyotas for decades. Once I drove a BMW I was like, "Oh, now I get it". I'm 60 now I'm just one of those guys that's willing to put up with disaster to drive them. They are a freaking blast...
Also a Colorado resident and I’ve owned 3 series 5 series X5’s (many of them) and now a newer 650i gran coupe and they’re a gem I love them the E60 525i with the N52 motor is also a very reliable car
I agree good cars, I had a 2004 320ci m sport, the 2.2 straight 6 ,black with black leather. It was 4 years old when i got it, paid £6k and the original receipt was for £38k, my favourite memories of it was 2 times taking my daughter to disneyland Paris in it, from leaving home just north of London it took me 5 and a half hours to get there , proper nice cruiser and it even had a switch under the bonnet to change the direction the headlights go for driving on the other side of the road without blinding people
car wizard is so spot on about these choices. I also had a 97 Olds 88 with the 3.8L engine. Yes, it's absolutely bullet proof. You could drive to hell and back in that thing. I had about 280k miles when I bought it. I sold it to a coworker with about 380k. It was still pretty much fine except my ghetto Mcgyver upgrades to it.
Weezard's BMW recommendation is brilliant. I'll have to get one...
Dude. I was not expecting the justification. 😂
Want another yacht? Haha, I have a 32 foot bayliner express cruiser that needs a new home. It's a project, right up your alley!!
If hoovie buys another bmw wizard will get a big pay day and may buy another yacht
I think he found out boating season is short. Buy something you can use now
Dear Car Wizard, you just got another fan, my loving wife! She’s watching your channel in order to buy a suitable car for our business (we are in the health care business) and she ordered me (as wives do) to study all your videos…or else!😄
Agreed on the Mustangs - LOVE that generation's look. And haha... wow, that is the best explanation of why to buy a BMW I've ever heard.
There's a stark difference between a well maintained E46 and the cheap riced out ones you find on craigslist. I'd argue its problems like cooling system, rear panel carrier, strut tower mushrooming are still easier to deal with than a broken Northstar.
2001 Toyota Camry with 112,000 miles. I have never owned such a reliable vehicle. Easy maintenance, good mileage and never getting rid of it!
A really interesting list, for a Brit it's fascinating to see what an experienced mechanic in the US thinks. Top video!
Also the hilarity of suggesting a BMW 3-series for a 17-year-old. In the UK the insurance would cost more than the national GDP.
@@drunkenhobo8020 Same here in The Netherlands. And btw...how many new Camry's are driving around in the UK?
I've seen maybe 2 or 3 of these in 3 or 4 years. Anyway, the station/estate would be a far more popular choice here. Lots of Auris' though!
@@drunkenhobo8020 what does insurance run in the UK? I live in the US Midwest…to cover my 2007 Lexus ES 330 and 2006 BMW Z4 3.0 SI Coupe, cost $73 a month or 53 pounds but I am 48. In the early 90’s, I think I paid $120 a month to cover an 1984 Escort! That was more about my age than the car, obviously.
@@HamburgerHelperDeath Not sure what it's like now (also in my late 40s) but in the 90s I was looking at a second hand Sierra Sapphire Cossie. I can't remember exactly how much the car was but I remember the insurance quote was just north of 2500 quid (~$4000) a year for a 23-4 year old and that's in 90s money. Then again a chunk of that was probably because a lot of them were being stolen. I didn't end up buying it and still kick myself to this day on that decision.
@@ZerokillerOppel1 There's a site called "How Many Left?" where you can check vehicle statistics. There are about 830 Camrys on the road in the UK. There are more McLarens registered!
For old ones I'd recommend a geo prism if you somehow find a good low ish miles one. They are older but typically sell for less than the Toyota counterparts of the same age with the only difference being some interior bits and the badge. Not fast but for a commuter it's pretty reliable
I know they are pretty reliable, get insane mileage, and probably don't cost much to fix, but I also don't see why not spend the tiny bit extra for a Corolla or Camry of the same year.
Also the Geos get the crappy 3 speed automatic transmission. While the Toyota counterparts get the 4 speed that everyone wants.
@@rushnerd The Geo Prizm came off the same assembly line as the Toyota Corolla at the NUMMI factory in California. That would be a great buy.
@@JBM425 Honestly you may be right. I just assume the Corollas would have better standards and build quality. Besides that I assume assume buying a Geo these days would just be a beater car that isn't well taken care of. I could of course be wrong and if the price is right, you can't beat the mid-90's deigns for longevity.
I still see PLENTY of Geo Metros around my town constantly.
@@rushnerdWhen the taillights get cracked you'd appreciate having the Corolla instead of the Metro. I'm not sure if the later ones had different exterior parts like that, but the early Prizm does
18:43 😂 So true. Been driving for 27 years and have been in 2 accidents that were "my fault" and Id argue 1 wasn't. A mild fender bender last year when someone cut me off and immediately slammed on their brakes, and one the day I got my license. I thought it would be a fun idea to start doing fish tails on a dirt road, doing 50, in a 1973 Mustang Mach 1. If you know anything about those cars they are IMO the best looking Mustang ever built, but they are high torque rwd vehicles with a back end that weights maybe 15lbs. I went sideways into a telephone pole, with no seat belt, and literally spun around the pole about 270 degrees. It left a perfect indentation of the pole in the front fender, broke the coolant spill over tank, and bent a few parts of the front suspension, but I was able to drive it home only making right hand turns. Now that thing was a tank.
Also a good buy that not everyone has on the list: most Mitsubishi models. They offer good reliability for less money than the competition (but only in the US, in other countries they’re not cheaper). People love to trashtalk about them because their recent cars (until some years at least) were blend and sometimes outdated, but their reliability is still very good, Even proven by statistics. A 90s or 2000s Mitsubishi Lancer, Mirage, Galant or Montero is a safe bank
How about Diamante?
@@josephmengele7804 yes that also. But the 3.0 V6 is quiet thirsty
I agree, I would have thought about the DSM series, being Eagle Talons and Mitsubishi Eclipse, also, the Lancer Evolution from 2006 thru 2015
@@brianthe82studioandlegomov97 I remember those. Those were awesome bang-for-the-buck sports coupes!
@@JBM425 I prefer the Eclipse sporty cars over those hideous Eclipse Cross, they ripped off the Pontiac Aztek
The prius i can sadly speak to its reliability. Had one as a taxi and got 430,000km out of it with no issues. It would have kept going if someone didnt run a stop sign. Im surprised no mention of the 2003-2007 lexus es300
Timing belts….
The 3.0L and 3.3L V6 engines Toyota made need their timing belts replaces every 100k miles
@@abdelrahimmohammed1814 thats a service item. You could say the exact same thing as any car that has direct injection. Or every car that runs a serpentine belt
@@abdelrahimmohammed1814 They are non interference engines. So if the belt breaks, just throw a new one on and it'll keep going.
@@RicardoPCGamer its a pretty silly thing to say its bad because timing belt.
I believe that the 3800 engine has made many lists as one of the best engines of all time. The Buick Century had them as well. And they too are all over the place still humming along
Thoughts on 01 Camry???
I am getting rid of my century. Not because the engine but it is over 300K Miles and the body is falling apart yet the engine. will. not. die.
I gotta 2002 Buick Century Limited I've been everywhere and it's been used on a daily basis 🫡✍️🏾
Yeah, thats true, 3.8 used to be a solid engine both for Ford and GM
The 97-05 century had the 3100 (3.1) V6. Wizard is no fan of the the 3.1
The last Buicks with the 3800 are the Lacrosse and Lucerne (in some trim levels) up to 2009
Ford Mustang: totally agree that design was the best looking.
ADD Ford Taurus: I bought one used 50k miles; has 150k+ now and all I've done is changed the oil. So good.
Hmmm I disagree with Taurus. Me and my gf bought an 01 SES with 80k and needs AC compressor and heater core flushed. Going to cost nearly 1k to get those issues fixed
@@anthonytech Mines a 2012; so maybe in that range
That BMW recommendation was funny. And that sort of stuff was expected with my first car back in 1989, a 1977 Mercedes 300D Diesel, which had no power compared to other vehicles was in it's last leg at 167,000 miles. My Dad was expecting my to move on to my 2nd car in place of it sometime by late '91 or '92. Didn't happen. Tons of money got spent on it but after an engine re-build at 190K miles in March 1991, it went 90K without consuming any oil and started right up most of the time. It made it a whole year in 1993 without any high priced repairs. But that just ended up being the absolute brightest before the dark because all of a sudden in late summer 1994, the rings all went bad and the whole motor had to be junked because the rings didn't hold up along with the rest of the car and therefore, no more compression. Then I couldn't keep the car much longer but held out another 2 years till October 1996, a month before I turned 25. I was angry about it from 1995-on, knowing that something obviously didn't get done right with the rings going after 90K with the bearings still having minimal wear on them and it was just my tough luck. Instead of having a high mileage car to still go another 300-500K+ or so and be able to keep. So it just ended up becoming a huge money pit ready for the scrap yard like it never had before. But just a year ago, I bought an '83 240D Diesel with a stick-shift and 369K miles on it, about 172K on re-built motor and starts right up like a gas engine every time and no oil consumption. That to me is another "Diamond in the Rough", therefore I bought it and now have what my first car should've ended up becoming but didn't. It was also worth it after many years of wishing I wasn't a fan of the W123 Mercedes Sedans, which I even told to one of my regular car mechanics. My 2011 Mustang is till my #1 daily driver, but my 240D is now a close alternate. And I think I'm gonna give my own comment here a thumbs up here.
2000 E46 2nd owner, from 31k-106k miles so far, they are truly the ultimate driving machine. So many memories with it.
it’s only left stranded once shortly after I bought it when the accessory belt broke and disconnected a trans cooler line. After that $600 mechanic bill and some 9-10 years usage later…that $10,000 car hasn’t left me stranded once.
So I just replaced the cooling system/front end plastics etc DIY preventatively for around $800, and I guarantee I have the best E46 you can find that isn’t a museum piece.
As Wizard says…what you buy can’t matter as much as how you care for it.
If you’ve wondered about an E46: don’t think, just do.
Once you truly master the handling, you wont regret it.
Wanted to provide some clarity for the "Mustang" section of the vid:
The years he mentions is 06-14, yes they are the same chassis but the engine options and hp vary pretty drastically. The first body style is from 05-09, these cars are considerably slower than the 11-14. The 2010s are oddballs with the body style of the newer cars but with the engine options from the older gen. The 2005-2010 GTs only have 300hp and the 4.0 V6s have around 220hp. Its not until 2011 where you get the 412hp GTs and 310hp V6s. The 13-14 GTs get a small hp boost at 420hp.
The 4.0 v6 lasts forever.
Wizard, really digging that yacht of yours and the interior styling!
I bought a 95 Crown Victoria low mileage year old program car, pretty much the base model with the single exhaust 4.6 and a 2.73 rear end. This was one of the most reliable cars I’ve ever owned. It regularly got 28-30 mpg on the highway with a full load of family and luggage. 17 around town, which was V-6 mini van and SUV territory. The only issue I had was brakes, Ford didn’t put as large of brakes as they should have and rotors tended to warp. The Buick 3800s truly were also rock solid cars. Hard to go wrong with a Toyota.
As an aside having nothing to do with the subjects of this video (the yacht or cars), you are much more polished in front of the camera than you were a couple of years ago or even last year. Keep up the good work! (BTW, I would love to see a similar list of SUVs and trucks.)
Super happy I found your channel. I just purchased a 2002 Regal with the 3800 V6. The car has awful hail damage but has been well maintained with pristine interior. Only 118K miles and paid 2K. But now I wanna blow up a 3 series BMW. Great videos Wizard!
😂😂
I have bought Chrysler vehicles with 4 cylinder engines that turned out to be junk basically add in recent years I have bought Chrysler vehicles with the 6 engines and they turned out to be excellent 4 500000 km no problem and hardly any oil conception or anything else wrong
how has the regal been for u?
@@subaruamazon So far I'm extremely pleased. #1 the CD and Cassette deck are probably my favorite haa.
Only issues I've dealt with; code for anti lock breaks, easily repaired due to a severed wire on the back side of the driver hub. I ended up replacing the rotors, calipers and hubs all in 1 shot. Easy job if you've ever done those sort of things.
I did have to take it to the shop recently due to shaking. I was trying to diagnose the issue myself but am not a skilled automotive technician by no means. I ended up buying new tires and thought maybe it was an issue with the suspension. Well, the driver side axle was about to break and the passenger side axle was also failing. However I had 2 bad motor. I have a good shop I trust. It was only $1100 out the door and now it rides so smooth.
Issues I'm trying to fix now. The electronics or probably motor systems for the driver seat are failing. Basically I can't sit in the seat to use the controls and it doesn't like to respond more than 1-2 seconds at a time.
And just a couple days ago the glove box latch failed. I haven't had time to run to a u-pull-it yard so it's just open.
Pros, does not leak any fluids, the throttle response is pretty fun when you need it and it's just an all out comfortable ride with the Monsoon audio system this is probably my favorite car purchase.
And I can thank the Wizard again for the suggestion. Most people are familiar with the best GM motor ever produced. Now that I own 1 I want another.
@@crotopoc I had a 94 sonoma pick up i believe it was a 3800. it thought it was a toyota lol. i have a camry and I will get problems but not like a gm. if anything happened to my camry, id buy another one or would never rule out a 3.8. depends on my situation ie $$$ and availability.
Those V6 Mid 2000s Mustangs are the best gig cars. I always tell people when I'm out doing food delivery apps that it's the best car for the job. Really good gas mileage and cheap maintenance.
Great looks, plenty of parts, easy to work on, great aftermarket, fun little cruiser. A V8 would be nice though. Mustang is Mustang love em' all. Just gotta remember the v6 ain't a racecar, don't rice it up, keep it simple and reliable.
God alive this guy had me laughing and feeling good about cars and car repairs!!! That is a gift.