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
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.
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.
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!"
"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.
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!
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 $$$$
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”
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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!
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 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!
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
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 $$$.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
A step nicer the Camry but very reliable is the Toyota Avalon. Very comfortable and with the v6 you can get 24 around town and 35 on the highway. I had a 2008.
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.
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
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."
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 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.
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.
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….
If your 2004 to 2008 tl has a puzzling battery drain problem, the problem is usually the hands free telephone feature and it’s located right where the dome light is. All you have to do is unplug it. They burn out and keep searching for a connection and it kills the battery.
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.
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
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.
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!
cracking up laughing at the BMW rant. As Wizard is talking I'm looking up early 2000s 3 series on Autotempest in my area and it is shocking how many are available in the $2000-$5000 range 😂
@@tati-anaroseee4316 I think it's because he remembers the 80s and 90s when BMW actually made a simple and bulletproof sports sedan. Before the piles of tech and useless options. Before trying to reinvent the wheel at all costs instead of doing what they did best. Mercedes also went the same route after 1997. Chasing HP and Nurburgring times and luxury must mean a video game on wheels... and breaking every other month as a result.
@@plektosgaming idk... Every Mercedes I've ever owned has lasted forever and been reliable, just a bit more expensive to maintain due to needing premium gas, full synthetic oil, Mercedes suspension, trans flush, etc. But as long as you do these things they last. Bmw tho... Not so much😂
The E46 are starting to appreciate especially with a stick since more and more are junked. Autos will be cheaper of course. My 325ci is almost at 200k and ready for another 200k.
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!
Good video Wizard, the 2011 - 2014 Mustangs are very nice to drive. The 3.7 V6 Cyclone has 312 horsepower on premium fuel. I run ethanol free with just a pint of Marvel Mystery oil in my motor. You're right about fuel economy, I get 31+ on the highway with stock exhaust, etc. Keep up the good job you folks are doing. Glenner
It doesnt fit everyones needs and it super niche, but id love to hear what the wizard has to say about the mazda miata. Its so simple and easy to work on people that aren’t mechanics can fix them. They are super reliable, even when my friend had an issue with his it still ran and turned out he only was running on two cylinders. Imagine two pistons driving your entire car. Its not for everyone but its really a gem of a car and super cheap, even at the inflated prices we see now.
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.
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 honestly think an e46 is a great car to learn maintainance on. Everything is easily accessible without having to take apart intake manifolds and motor mounts unlike some v6 cars I used to own. As long as you don't buy one that's been too abused, you can usually completely fix them up for around $1-1.5k worth of parts and some elbow grease.
Let me know if you are interested in a 2005 330xi with 130k on it. Needs maintenance but in good shape, no accidents, 2 owner (first was a doctor that kept it meticulous).
These are my favorite videos from this channel. I got a 2005 Buick LeSabre in high school a couple years ago before I graduated and hated it so much, but I've really come to like it. It likes to eat up tires and it burns a little bit of oil, but it just goes and goes without any issues other than engine mounts and a blower motor. It hasn't had many other problems. Edit: About to hit 135k miles
@@zakyum Oh, I see. That makes a lot of sense. The last tire I had only lasted 26,000 miles but it may be because I had 3 Falken tires and 1 Michelin tire (the one I had to replace) because Michelin stopped making 215/70/R15 tires. I'm not sure if mix and matching tires does that but I'd assume it does.
I’d suggest checking your steering and suspension components to make sure everything is tight and working properly and make sure your alignment is within specification (even if it drives straight).
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.
😀I have a 2014 Ford Mustang. It is the 5.0 Liter GT. However, I bought it new and maintained the car from the start. Knowing that I wanted longevity from the 5.0 Liter engine and the 6 speed automatic transmission, the car was not hot rodded to modified. It now has 102,000 which is still running strong. When I change the oil, I use full synthetic, exclusively.
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).
My first car was an 88 Reliant K. I paid 600$ for the car. I put a 1000$ in fixing, then drove it for 7 years. I crossed Canada three times, pulled a 1700 lbs tent trailer on my last trip accross. The last year I drove it the water pump had stopped working and it never over heated. I really miss that car.
My first car was a manual Ford Focus 03 green that my dad won in a card game between his friends. I got 2 years problem free until the engine blew. I put on 50,000 miles
@@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!
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!😄
Thank you for sharing the best reasonably priced used cars to buy. Getting into a huge car debt is the dumbest thing to do financially by those who are counting pennies. Money expert Dave Ramsey says, "As a general rule of thumb, the total value of your vehicles (anything with a motor in it) should never be more than half of your annual household income. Dave doesn’t recommend buying a new car-ever-until your net worth is more than $1 million". Our society is filled with "car rich" and "portfolio poor" people.
Thanks for giving the Northstar some love. I’ve had two, a 96 and now a 2003. 96 ran hard and it did when I sold it. 2003 had a worn out timing chain tensioner at 140k miles but I suspect this was due to the previous owner using cheap conventional oil and long drain intervals… I am currently in the process of studding the engine right now. The engine when out of the car is pretty simple and seems to be very well made other than the head bolts. I’m having a lot of fun on this adventure!!
The Prius is an excellent choice. Zippy, reliable, and great on fuel. You can get around 60+ mpg in a Prius if you drive it economically.. 63-64 mpg is not impossible. The Camry has also been very reliable so far..
Everything on my Prius 2 is rocksolid build quality too. At 211k miles, it delivers the same mpg and everything still works and feels very solid. The car needs fuel, oil and regular maintenance only
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
I am amazed he recommended the Caddy DeVille. I had one, an '03. It drove and rode like a dream, but everything else about it was a true nightmare. Oil leaks galore and endless expensive problems. It's a real shame, because I could get 29mpg with that full-size car on the highway, and it was like driving around on your living room couch. As Dickens said, "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times"........
Beard-O keeps singing the praises of the 4.6 Crapillac. Either he's insane, or he's trolling...or both. Yes, GM eventually got around to fixing the head bolt problems but the they didn't bother with all the other issues......never ending oil and coolant leaks. Chasing the leaks on the 4.6 is like playing whack-a-mole without any of the fun. The only 1990s Cadillac worth buying are the cars with the 4.9 engine. Because the 4.6 stench adhered to all the Cadillacs from that era, the 4.9 can had in good condition from a geezer's estate for next to nothing.
I had an 02 deville... Same story. Great ride but thing drank oil like no tomorrow and had plenty of problems. A 40 year old lincoln gave me roughly as many problems as a deville 20 years newer.
Both grandparents Olds Alero and 01 Bonneville started using coolant and blowing head gaskets. Also both AC units had bypasses and the Bonnie had slippery and jerking transmission that was limited to 2 gear. Then the final nail was a history of the Bonnie's key having to be reprogrammed. Play to play. They didn't abuse these vehicles and didn't deserve getting hosed for thousands. Both cars given away for a couple hundred bucks with brand new tires not running.
My 4.0 V6 mustang has been nothing short of reliable and incredible. Apart from a thermostat housing it's only been general maintenance. Other money I spent on it was just out of pure love for it.
@@hakeemsd70m 01 gt converible. here. i may buy a 05 to 09 six someday. hey now that i have an eight, i can live with all my friends and their brother asking "is it a v8 is it a v8".
@@subaruamazon The New Edge is one of my favorite Mustangs ever, the fact that you have a GT droptop is even better. How is your car? Lol of course, the ever important Mustang question 😂
@@hakeemsd70m totally unmolested silver. black top. got black decals below doors and on rear bumper and even fake hood scoop 4.6 in case i forget lol.. new top. have to do ram's and possible lines. they worked when I bought it last year then stopped working lol. part of the game I guess. will order parts and do it soon. auto. very nice car. not a show car but shiny and leather seats are not ripped up. It led a good life...but you never really know how many donuts lol. I drive 65 on highway and dont beat it. too old for that. people wave. i wave back. now an enthusiast and am a gm guy go figure. my dream is 18 gt or newer stick but but next one will be 05 to 14 six or if a good deal gt. no place to park it or money right now lol.
That northstar recommendation really hits home for me, I just redid the heads on my 03 deville with new headstuds and it no longer overheats. Its fast as hell and just has no other issues.
Sounds like the same thing happened to the Northstar that happened to GM's Olds Diesel of the 70's, the bean counters got to it to save a few dollars per engine.
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.
Out of 20 vehicles I’ve owned over the years: My 2007 Camry was the best car I ever owned; not real exciting but dependable as hell with great gas mileage. My current car, 2014 mustang GT, is the absolute most fun to drive. I agree with you Wizard, the 2005-2014 Mustangs (S197) is the best Body style; very muscular appearing without the European look of the the 2015- current S550 style ‘stangs. I like the ‘13-‘14 GTs best out of all the years. The GTs sound a lot better than any V6 - even with V6 exhaust mods, the GTs sound better . That means something in my book. Just my .02. And I’m a recent sub that loves your channel.
i have an 07 camry se after taking about buying either an accord or camry for years. pulled trigger in 18. 101k not at 142k. good car but needs repairs. bought 01 mustang gt conv with 101k auto last april. . am happy with it. that took seven years to do. pretty happy with what i got.
I had a 2012 V6 Mustang with the v6 and it was okay, but then I got a 2011 Mustang GT and I agree - that is the funnest car I have ever had. Got about 112k miles on it and still runs great and is very dependable as well.
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
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
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.
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.
Prius 2012, never thought I would own a Prius! After 360,ooo miles it still burns no Oil ! Only had to have the brakes replaced twice along with the plugs! The hybrid batteries are still going stong and the car is still getting 52 mpg in Summer and around 44 mpg in the winter. ( replaced the 12 volt battery) Only maintenance preformed would be changing the Oil every 5,ooo and trans and coolant about every 100,000 miles, along with the tires. ( just dawned on me that the wheel bearings and struts are original, that's crazy! )How a car can still be tight and running like new after 360,000 miles is effing mind blowing!!! Ps. Had a Ford Tauras and had to replace the trans after just 40,ooo miles! And I own a dodg minivan that I could have bought a house with, with all the repair costs, so I know exactly how bad it can get!
It doesn't burn oil because you've been doing 5k mile oil changes. And I assume with high quality oil. As long as you keep that up, the engine will last and last. I've got the notorious 2010/2011 engine that is super susceptible to poor maintenance. Luckily for me I've learned about the importance of the 5k oil change before the rings got clogged. I should also be good for 400k+. I would strongly suggest shortening your trans and coolant intervals. The CVT trans is a bit fickle and really likes 40k-60k changes. I plan to go with 40k or 50k from now on in mine. And coolant is recommended at 50k intervals after the first change at 100k. But you're right that the Prius is a very reliable and low cost car as long as you do the proper basic maintenance.
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.
I drive/work on BMWs almost exclusively and I can't disagree with the wizard. If you are not a car guy that wrenches on their own cars - do not buy a used BMW. However, when they are correctly maintained, they are very rewarding to drive (I've owned an E34 525i, 2 E36 M3s, an S52 Z3M and an E90 M3)
I’m in a similar position as you and I can definitely back up your statement. There is a night and day difference between maintained and non maintained BMWs. I’ve owned an ‘01 E38 sporty shorty, ‘99 E39 540i, and now a ‘14 F32 435. If you maintain BMWs they really are such enjoyable cars to drive. However I wouldn’t recommend owning a BMW unless you can work on them yourself. The stealerships will milk every last penny out of a seemingly small problem
The driving experience is worth it in my opinion having driven a 650i Gran Coupe. I haven’t driven anything else that just felt so good being behind the wheel. If you can afford the maintenance and are very strict on it, you will be good.
@@doingyamom Not really. Ive known plenty of friends and customers who bought them new and they quickly had problems that even the BMW shop couldnt fix permanently. Some so bad that they had to sell it again very early. BMW also isnt very accommodating when it comes to problems with new cars. They just keep you in that shop loop until you give up. And it has become much worse with newer models. That literally broke my heart for Toyota, when they made the Zupr4 a BMW. They couldnt have chosen a worse partner for that car.
@@cartrips9263 I’m truly wondering why Toyota didn’t just simply water down either their RC or LC, added all sorts of performance/literal TRD enhancements, stripped most of the luxury of said Lexus models out (no ventilated seats, POWERED driver seat a low maybe below fully loaded, vinyl if even that instead of actual leather) and sell new for about the same prices as the 2 door Lexus counterpart? Performance? Or grand tourer? Slapping a Toyota badge on a Breaks Many Ways could be about the worst thing Toyota has ever done since they outsourced the last gen Celica engine from a company far more familiar with motorcycles than cars, reputation/reliability wise…
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!"
"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.
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..."
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
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 $$$$
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”
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?
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.
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.
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.)
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
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!
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 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.
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. 👍
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
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
I'm a local car dealer. I stumbled across this guy. He's the Real Deal. 👍👍👍
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
I love my 2001 Buick Park Avenue, for me I plan on driving it right down to the ground
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!!!
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.
My ma drives the mentioned Buick LeSabre, makes me realize how every modern car has given up on comfort for performance
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 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 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
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!
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
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
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
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.
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."
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.
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.
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...🤔
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
A step nicer the Camry but very reliable is the Toyota Avalon. Very comfortable and with the v6 you can get 24 around town and 35 on the highway. I had a 2008.
And the 2007-2012 lexus Es350
I will say it's rather amazing how the Avalon gets looked over so much
Not many Avalon around
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.
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.
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
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'
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).
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 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
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.
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.
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….
If your 2004 to 2008 tl has a puzzling battery drain problem, the problem is usually the hands free telephone feature and it’s located right where the dome light is. All you have to do is unplug it. They burn out and keep searching for a connection and it kills the battery.
Great list Wiz! As an E46 fan I found your comments a bit hurtful but fair and decidedly true! Keep those lists coming!
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.
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.
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.
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!
17:50 Laughs in 16 year old E90 with 200,000 miles, the original clutch and a silky smooth inline 6 that is no where near quitting.
cracking up laughing at the BMW rant. As Wizard is talking I'm looking up early 2000s 3 series on Autotempest in my area and it is shocking how many are available in the $2000-$5000 range 😂
that's because VANOS and that engine are crap after 80K
I was dead when he said "get rid of them, blow em up" 😂😭😭 he really wants to rid the world of these so he doesn't have to fix them
@@tati-anaroseee4316 I think it's because he remembers the 80s and 90s when BMW actually made a simple and bulletproof sports sedan. Before the piles of tech and useless options. Before trying to reinvent the wheel at all costs instead of doing what they did best.
Mercedes also went the same route after 1997. Chasing HP and Nurburgring times and luxury must mean a video game on wheels... and breaking every other month as a result.
@@plektosgaming idk... Every Mercedes I've ever owned has lasted forever and been reliable, just a bit more expensive to maintain due to needing premium gas, full synthetic oil, Mercedes suspension, trans flush, etc. But as long as you do these things they last. Bmw tho... Not so much😂
The E46 are starting to appreciate especially with a stick since more and more are junked. Autos will be cheaper of course. My 325ci is almost at 200k and ready for another 200k.
Manufacture's know what works and what doesn't, and yet.....
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!
Good video Wizard, the 2011 - 2014 Mustangs are very nice to drive. The 3.7 V6 Cyclone has 312 horsepower on premium fuel. I run ethanol free with just a pint of Marvel Mystery oil in my motor. You're right about fuel economy, I get 31+ on the highway with stock exhaust, etc. Keep up the good job you folks are doing. Glenner
It doesnt fit everyones needs and it super niche, but id love to hear what the wizard has to say about the mazda miata. Its so simple and easy to work on people that aren’t mechanics can fix them. They are super reliable, even when my friend had an issue with his it still ran and turned out he only was running on two cylinders. Imagine two pistons driving your entire car. Its not for everyone but its really a gem of a car and super cheap, even at the inflated prices we see now.
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.
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 honestly think an e46 is a great car to learn maintainance on. Everything is easily accessible without having to take apart intake manifolds and motor mounts unlike some v6 cars I used to own. As long as you don't buy one that's been too abused, you can usually completely fix them up for around $1-1.5k worth of parts and some elbow grease.
Let me know if you are interested in a 2005 330xi with 130k on it. Needs maintenance but in good shape, no accidents, 2 owner (first was a doctor that kept it meticulous).
@@wolfofwacker4578 where are you located?
@@cyndeerichards6040 Windy City
I agree. its also a great car to teach yourself new swear words
@@w0rd06 Yeah, the ease of repair is countered by the fact that EVERYTHING on it breaks. Gotta love the use of plastic everywhere.
Weezard's BMW recommendation is brilliant. I'll have to get one...
Dude. I was not expecting the justification. 😂
These are my favorite videos from this channel. I got a 2005 Buick LeSabre in high school a couple years ago before I graduated and hated it so much, but I've really come to like it. It likes to eat up tires and it burns a little bit of oil, but it just goes and goes without any issues other than engine mounts and a blower motor. It hasn't had many other problems.
Edit: About to hit 135k miles
Eats tires = soft suspensions. The 1992 to 2001 camrys ate tires like crazy too with those softie suspension systems
@@zakyum Oh, I see. That makes a lot of sense. The last tire I had only lasted 26,000 miles but it may be because I had 3 Falken tires and 1 Michelin tire (the one I had to replace) because Michelin stopped making 215/70/R15 tires. I'm not sure if mix and matching tires does that but I'd assume it does.
I’d suggest checking your steering and suspension components to make sure everything is tight and working properly and make sure your alignment is within specification (even if it drives straight).
Love, love, love my 2000 Buick LeSabre! Still going strong with minimal repairs.
You should do a SUV list of your best to buy. Great videos.
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.
😀I have a 2014 Ford Mustang. It is the 5.0 Liter GT. However, I bought it new and maintained the car from the start. Knowing that I wanted longevity from the 5.0 Liter engine and the 6 speed automatic transmission, the car was not hot rodded to modified. It now has 102,000 which is still running strong. When I change the oil, I use full synthetic, exclusively.
01 gt convertible 101k just bought it last year. so far so good. 4.6 are great engines.
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.
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.
My first car was an 88 Reliant K. I paid 600$ for the car. I put a 1000$ in fixing, then drove it for 7 years. I crossed Canada three times, pulled a 1700 lbs tent trailer on my last trip accross. The last year I drove it the water pump had stopped working and it never over heated. I really miss that car.
My first car was a manual Ford Focus 03 green that my dad won in a card game between his friends. I got 2 years problem free until the engine blew. I put on 50,000 miles
Omg my family had that car. Loved it. The good ole reliant
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!
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!
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!😄
Thank you for sharing the best reasonably priced used cars to buy. Getting into a huge car debt is the dumbest thing to do financially by those who are counting pennies. Money expert Dave Ramsey says, "As a general rule of thumb, the total value of your vehicles (anything with a motor in it) should never be more than half of your annual household income. Dave doesn’t recommend buying a new car-ever-until your net worth is more than $1 million". Our society is filled with "car rich" and "portfolio poor" people.
I've bought 2 new cars in my life in 2012 and 2014. I've decided never to do so again and prefer to shop in the 3 year old range.
Thanks for giving the Northstar some love. I’ve had two, a 96 and now a 2003. 96 ran hard and it did when I sold it. 2003 had a worn out timing chain tensioner at 140k miles but I suspect this was due to the previous owner using cheap conventional oil and long drain intervals… I am currently in the process of studding the engine right now. The engine when out of the car is pretty simple and seems to be very well made other than the head bolts. I’m having a lot of fun on this adventure!!
Where can you get these Head stud kits ? I’m currently on the search of a cheap used luxury car that I can just not stress about and drive
The Prius is an excellent choice. Zippy, reliable, and great on fuel. You can get around 60+ mpg in a Prius if you drive it economically.. 63-64 mpg is not impossible. The Camry has also been very reliable so far..
But not for long road trips. It's like a tin box...loud and awful ride. Can't beat the mileage though.
Everything on my Prius 2 is rocksolid build quality too. At 211k miles, it delivers the same mpg and everything still works and feels very solid. The car needs fuel, oil and regular maintenance only
@brucefredrickson9677 it is like an empty soda can.. that's the trade off🤷♂️
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
I am amazed he recommended the Caddy DeVille. I had one, an '03. It drove and rode like a dream, but everything else about it was a true nightmare. Oil leaks galore and endless expensive problems. It's a real shame, because I could get 29mpg with that full-size car on the highway, and it was like driving around on your living room couch. As Dickens said, "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times"........
I had an '01 Catera, my worst car ever
Beard-O keeps singing the praises of the 4.6 Crapillac. Either he's insane, or he's trolling...or both. Yes, GM eventually got around to fixing the head bolt problems but the they didn't bother with all the other issues......never ending oil and coolant leaks. Chasing the leaks on the 4.6 is like playing whack-a-mole without any of the fun. The only 1990s Cadillac worth buying are the cars with the 4.9 engine. Because the 4.6 stench adhered to all the Cadillacs from that era, the 4.9 can had in good condition from a geezer's estate for next to nothing.
I had an 02 deville... Same story. Great ride but thing drank oil like no tomorrow and had plenty of problems. A 40 year old lincoln gave me roughly as many problems as a deville 20 years newer.
@@mycitysucks8096 LOL. Made by Opel.
Both grandparents Olds Alero and 01 Bonneville started using coolant and blowing head gaskets. Also both AC units had bypasses and the Bonnie had slippery and jerking transmission that was limited to 2 gear. Then the final nail was a history of the Bonnie's key having to be reprogrammed. Play to play. They didn't abuse these vehicles and didn't deserve getting hosed for thousands. Both cars given away for a couple hundred bucks with brand new tires not running.
My 4.0 V6 mustang has been nothing short of reliable and incredible. Apart from a thermostat housing it's only been general maintenance. Other money I spent on it was just out of pure love for it.
The 4.0 makes the Mustang fairly quick, and it sounds great stock. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your Pony.
@@hakeemsd70m 01 gt converible. here. i may buy a 05 to 09 six someday. hey now that i have an eight, i can live with all my friends and their brother asking "is it a v8 is it a v8".
@@subaruamazon The New Edge is one of my favorite Mustangs ever, the fact that you have a GT droptop is even better. How is your car? Lol of course, the ever important Mustang question 😂
@@hakeemsd70m totally unmolested silver. black top. got black decals below doors and on rear bumper and even fake hood scoop 4.6 in case i forget lol.. new top. have to do ram's and possible lines. they worked when I bought it last year then stopped working lol. part of the game I guess. will order parts and do it soon. auto. very nice car. not a show car but shiny and leather seats are not ripped up. It led a good life...but you never really know how many donuts lol. I drive 65 on highway and dont beat it. too old for that. people wave. i wave back. now an enthusiast and am a gm guy go figure. my dream is 18 gt or newer stick but but next one will be 05 to 14 six or if a good deal gt. no place to park it or money right now lol.
That northstar recommendation really hits home for me, I just redid the heads on my 03 deville with new headstuds and it no longer overheats. Its fast as hell and just has no other issues.
It’s crazy. That engine is a bolt design fix away from being an amazing bulletproof engine with good power for its age
Sounds like the same thing happened to the Northstar that happened to GM's Olds Diesel of the 70's, the bean counters got to it to save a few dollars per engine.
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.
Out of 20 vehicles I’ve owned over the years: My 2007 Camry was the best car I ever owned; not real exciting but dependable as hell with great gas mileage. My current car, 2014 mustang GT, is the absolute most fun to drive. I agree with you Wizard, the 2005-2014 Mustangs (S197) is the best Body style; very muscular appearing without the European look of the the 2015- current S550 style ‘stangs. I like the ‘13-‘14 GTs best out of all the years. The GTs sound a lot better than any V6 - even with V6 exhaust mods, the GTs sound better . That means something in my book. Just my .02. And I’m a recent sub that loves your channel.
i have an 07 camry se after taking about buying either an accord or camry for years. pulled trigger in 18. 101k not at 142k. good car but needs repairs. bought 01 mustang gt conv with 101k auto last april. . am happy with it. that took seven years to do. pretty happy with what i got.
I had a 2012 V6 Mustang with the v6 and it was okay, but then I got a 2011 Mustang GT and I agree - that is the funnest car I have ever had. Got about 112k miles on it and still runs great and is very dependable as well.
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
This has quickly become one of my favorite TH-cam channels, very informative! Love this series..
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…
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.
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.
Prius 2012, never thought I would own a Prius! After 360,ooo miles it still burns no Oil ! Only had to have the brakes replaced twice along with the plugs! The hybrid batteries are still going stong and the car is still getting 52 mpg in Summer and around 44 mpg in the winter. ( replaced the 12 volt battery) Only maintenance preformed would be changing the Oil every 5,ooo and trans and coolant about every 100,000 miles, along with the tires. ( just dawned on me that the wheel bearings and struts are original, that's crazy! )How a car can still be tight and running like new after 360,000 miles is effing mind blowing!!! Ps. Had a Ford Tauras and had to replace the trans after just 40,ooo miles! And I own a dodg minivan that I could have bought a house with, with all the repair costs, so I know exactly how bad it can get!
Lol had a 2001 chevy metro that got the same mileage seemed to be very reliable too, 79hp and 1.3 liters of pure hell under the hood lol
It doesn't burn oil because you've been doing 5k mile oil changes. And I assume with high quality oil. As long as you keep that up, the engine will last and last. I've got the notorious 2010/2011 engine that is super susceptible to poor maintenance. Luckily for me I've learned about the importance of the 5k oil change before the rings got clogged. I should also be good for 400k+.
I would strongly suggest shortening your trans and coolant intervals. The CVT trans is a bit fickle and really likes 40k-60k changes. I plan to go with 40k or 50k from now on in mine. And coolant is recommended at 50k intervals after the first change at 100k.
But you're right that the Prius is a very reliable and low cost car as long as you do the proper basic maintenance.
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.
"welcome back to the wizards yacht" sounds like something either a baller or a super villian would say...I can dig it
I drive/work on BMWs almost exclusively and I can't disagree with the wizard. If you are not a car guy that wrenches on their own cars - do not buy a used BMW. However, when they are correctly maintained, they are very rewarding to drive (I've owned an E34 525i, 2 E36 M3s, an S52 Z3M and an E90 M3)
I’m in a similar position as you and I can definitely back up your statement. There is a night and day difference between maintained and non maintained BMWs. I’ve owned an ‘01 E38 sporty shorty, ‘99 E39 540i, and now a ‘14 F32 435. If you maintain BMWs they really are such enjoyable cars to drive. However I wouldn’t recommend owning a BMW unless you can work on them yourself. The stealerships will milk every last penny out of a seemingly small problem
The driving experience is worth it in my opinion having driven a 650i Gran Coupe. I haven’t driven anything else that just felt so good being behind the wheel. If you can afford the maintenance and are very strict on it, you will be good.
@@doingyamom Not really. Ive known plenty of friends and customers who bought them new and they quickly had problems that even the BMW shop couldnt fix permanently. Some so bad that they had to sell it again very early. BMW also isnt very accommodating when it comes to problems with new cars. They just keep you in that shop loop until you give up. And it has become much worse with newer models.
That literally broke my heart for Toyota, when they made the Zupr4 a BMW. They couldnt have chosen a worse partner for that car.
@@cartrips9263 I’m truly wondering why Toyota didn’t just simply water down either their RC or LC, added all sorts of performance/literal TRD enhancements, stripped most of the luxury of said Lexus models out (no ventilated seats, POWERED driver seat a low maybe below fully loaded, vinyl if even that instead of actual leather) and sell new for about the same prices as the 2 door Lexus counterpart? Performance? Or grand tourer?
Slapping a Toyota badge on a Breaks Many Ways could be about the worst thing Toyota has ever done since they outsourced the last gen Celica engine from a company far more familiar with motorcycles than cars, reputation/reliability wise…
@@schwenda3727 Dont ask me. Ill just keep my MKIV longer I guess. But they cant expect me to wave back at Zupr4s who drivers think they drive a Supra.
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.
Even as a petrolhead, a Prius would make the perfect daily