Heres one thing that's ALWAYS overlooked. It's not whether the cost of repairs exceeds the value, it's whether it exceeds the depreciation and interest costs of the car you would replace it with. These are perpetual silent killers to your finances. Buy a new(ish) car and expect to lose at least $3-5k per year in lost value & interest. If you're spending $3k or less on maintenance and your existing ride is clean, reliable, and meets your needs, you're ahead of the game.
Hey LJ - I found your comment on a Pink Floyd 1980 related video and I wanted to send you a message, but the thread was flooded and I figured you maybe missed it. My info is in my channel description, and I would love for you to reach out to me. That video was taken down! I'd love to talk about your LA 1980 film. I look forward to your response, if you see this! Thanks! Best, Nick.
i have 3 mechanics and they are all decent. one is a family friend, one is a neighbor, the other is a car dealership. they each have their pros and cons. my neighbor is free, so he'll only do basic stuff. the dealership does multipoint inspections the family friend does great workmanship, but i HATE his prices. but hes self employed and does all types of cars both common, luxury imports, common imports, and so on. all in all i can price compare to see what the market average is and still get quality work or DIY for certain jobs. thing is, besides the car dealership, the other mechanics Ive known for a long time. so i trust them, I just hate their hourly pay rate, but then again thats a personal problem since they do have high skill set.
Whatever you do, don't be fooled by the name like Honest-1 Auto care. I was ripped off by the guys at this place in Charlotte, NC. I told them only the rear brakes need brake pads. They opened all 4 brakes without my approval and recommended the entire new brake system including calipers, rotors and brake pads. I ended up with $2,000 bill.
My daughter was given a ‘99 Camry (5S-FE) as her first car. She drove it for 6 years and I’ve been driving it for 2+ more years. I’ve calculated that over 8+ years of ownership, this car has cost us about $40 per month. I just rolled over 331K this week. It’s still very clean inside and out and drives smooth.
You're just like me, except I fix my own cars and keep them until I can no longer find parts. The savings over the long haul are enormous. I recently read an article that the average car purchase is $47,000, and the average monthly payments of $576!! WTF! No thanks. I'll keep fixing my own cars and spend the money on creating memories with my family traveling.
I have been a car dealer for 30 years this guy knows exactly what he is taking about.I was amazed this guy said what I have always told car buyers but not everyone listens.Great video for sure.
We need to clone you and have technicians like you across the country to act as advisors for those of us who don’t have car knowledge. It’s hard to find honest mechanics. Thank you for always providing such honest videos. Maybe you can start a business of “honest” technicians across the country that can offer advice for a fee. I’m quite sure it would be a welcomed service. 👍
YEP! Imagine if ALL mechanics are like the Car Care Nut and Scotty Kilmer, NO worries about being ripped off. Just CLONE the Car Care Nut and Scotty Kilmer and life will be good. 👍
Dude you can't trust nobody you got to learn yourself and feel car as any good or not you got to learn yourself very simple no one taught me how to do it and I know more about cars than this guy Toyotas especially and many other people oil-burning I know how to find an oil burning Toyota in 2 seconds transmission problems whatever it might be without any equipment okay with it for years and any other tri-axial problems tranny problems Motor problems you don't need to look at anybody you need to just learn it yourself take off your oil cap look in the motor if you see brown shitload of with sludge and you know the motor has sludge in it and it's not it's a smudge burner okay number one it's not worth crap it's just the average car if it's really clean inside then you got a jewel of a car that's how it goes and so on keep watching videos while you learn and if you don't you shouldn't be even on a car
Simply Put-- How much will it cost to fix my old car to avoid car payments that are at least $600 per month. So repairs that cost $3000 and may get you another 24 months will save you $14,400 in car payments for a net savings of $11,400 after repair costs. Lower insurance rates on the old vehicle will add to your savings.
I always get a new car every 5 years, I never pay no more than 350 a month, I know people that have higher cell phone bills because they have to have the newest iPhone every year, I rather pay that money towards a new car than a cell phone, insurance is always low, I have never had a wreck or speeding ticket.
I didn't do the inspection because the dealer told me his mechanic checks it all out - even met the mechanic. He also assured me that everything is fixed on delivery. It was a lie. This was a local small used car dealership, but before that, AutoNation in Orlando pulled a fast one on me, but offered to take the van back. The driver ran two toll booths on the way back and I got the tickets. Van is in the shop again - first a thermostat, then battery replace, then transmission needed a torque converter; maybe 1000 miles later, in the shop again a parasitic electrical issue, yet undefined. PS the clean Carfax was a fraud and someone cleared the check engine lights.
I have been messing with cars for 60 plus years and i grew up in the rust belt. Most used car buyers are incapable of judging the condition of a used car. They are buying the habits of the previous owner. They buy with their eyes. I tell people that a pre purchase mechanical inspection is mandatory, but so is a body inspection. A box of donuts at a body shop will reveal all. Body men love to point out previous shoddy work. They can tell quickly.
I hear you, but the problem at the moment is that anything decent you won't have the time to inspect because the owner will refuse as they know they can just sell it the same day to the next guy.
Run the codes, check the fluids, does it drive right, the best inspection will only tell so much. But the previous owner is a fountain of knowledge, not just from what they say but what they won't. A dealership will lie right to your face, but the average person is more honest and won't lie, at least not without giving a tell. I stopped buying cars from dealerships and stick with private party exactly for this reason.
@@heeroru7781Exactly. You can tell more about the cars history by meeting the previous owner in person and by the condition it was kept in. Like most sporty cars will typically be owned by car enthusiasts that take meticulous care of their cars. By talking to the owner you will find out just how much of a car guy he is and to what degree he cared for the car. The you can do the basics like checking the condition of the oil, coolant, leaks, CV axles, chassis rust and finally scanning it for codes.
Telling a young couple with 2.5 kids the car they just spent every penny they could scrape together isnt worth fixing is a honest mechanics nightmare. Heartbreaking. It still happens every day. Listen to this man, he is telling you the way it is
Thanks for sharing this information with us. I'm a 69 yr old widow here in Memphis. I was hit head-on in November 2022 😢 i ended up with severe injuries. My 2004 Lincoln Towncar car Limited edition that was in excellent condition with only 100k miles was totaled. I babied that car. I serviced it as scheduled all these years. Now I'm a widow and retired and I need to by a new car. I'm out priced by the market. This is scary for someone like me. These videos really help me as i search for a reliable used car. GOD bless you young man for sharing your knowledge with all of us on Utube. You never know who you are helping. Joanne Williams.
Even as a toyota/honda driver, no car is reliable if maintenance is neglected. The problem with used cars is it is really hard to tell the maintenance history for most of them. Always get or do a thorough pre purchase inspection. Cheapest insurance you can ever get
If were to ever even consider buying a used Honda or Acura again, I would make sure one with over 60 k had a timing belt replacement. There are so many high mileage Honda vehicles these days where that has been neglected. We have an Acura in the family and that was the first thing I inquired about. Not planning on buying anything soon, because these prices are ridiculous.
@@rasheemthebestfirstone3274he meant that a pre purchase inspection is the cheapest insurance there is as you can save thousands just looking through the car or pay a relatively small fee for a third party mechanic.
I have had good luck buying my last two cars. Part of the reason they have turned out to be good cars has been because they were sporty cars owned by car enthusiasts that took good care of them. One of them being a 95 Acura Integra that now has 270k miles.
One point (among MANY good points) he brought out is when people are contemplating a repair that exceeds the value of the car and saying, "It isn't worth it." Several years ago, I crashed my car into a deer. I called up my insurance company and they said the cost of the damage was greater that the value of the car so, they would total it and pay me my money. (The value of the car was $900.00 the cost to repair it was $,1,600.00.) Now, the car was very well maintained and in good condition (even with 400,000 miles) Now, could I have replaced that car for $1,600.00? Not likely. Was it "worth" repairing? Depends. In my case, I knew what I had. The car didn't use much oil and was meticulously maintained and I would have let a perfectly good car go to waste. In some cases maybe not. Just because the cost of repair exceeds the value of the car doesn't mean it isn't worth it. A person has to evaluate that.
I had the same thing happen with with my 95 Acura Integra that I had kept meticulous care of. I kept the car anyways, taking a slightly less for the payout of $1,500 that the insurance company was going to give me. With that I ordered the body parts needed to fix it and had a guy I know that does body work on the side fix it for that same amount. I still have that car to this day and don't regret it. Another good option for these types of cases is to find the same car with a good body that has a blown engine for cheap. Then swapping over your good drivetrain and anything else that is better from your old car.
My trusted mechanic had the same talk with me about my 2001 manual transmission camry. The last couple times I had brought it to him for repair (evap check engine code, leaking brake lines) He looked at the rusting body and frame, took a deep breath and I knew this same talk was coming.
I have a '07 camry with the manual transmission as well and fighting tooth and nail to keep it going as long as possible currently have had over 7 years now and that rust is not going anywhere eather
@@efil4kizum after those two repairs another check engine light was on again turned out to be a cat failure. Good thing it was under warranty from previous replacement. I wasn't going to press my luck anymore and sold it as is.
Move to AZ, no rust here. However, you get faded paint and exploding tires 🛞, especially in the low desert in the summer. Battery replacement is common too.
Great discussion. When you have an older car and you understand vehicles and their potential failures, you spend on preventative maintenance. When you commit to older vehicles, you are also committed to maintaining them. Sure it costs a lot, but you will know you have a travel worthy and safe vehicle. Last thing I want is to have a bricked vehicle because I didn’t maintain it. Too many people don’t understand the concept of It’s your horse and your ride and it’s your responsibility to take care of that horse.
Yeah most people are assholes they think they got a Toyota or there's no need it's maintenance-free or they buy a prius and don't believe it has a motor in it needs oil change they'll all the motor burned oil like a dog and it's all sludge up the world is stupid and it's getting stupider by the minute screw the public their own problem
I had to buy a car 18 months ago. What stunned me was the price of cars in the class we wanted that were 6 or 7 years old. My feeling was to go for a very much older car instead. So I found a 16 year old one with a big but fixable dent in the back that has no rust that required some simple fixes that I could handle. 22000 miles later I have no regrets at all. And now it's tidied up it's worth over double what I paid...
AMD we really appreciate your honesty, knowledge and thoroughness and how you share your knowledge and experience with us all. You perform massive service for mankind. You are a a super mentor for anyone who wants to peruse an automotive or technical career. Great work! I found a dealership maintained Lexus ES 350 with 148 k miles. Immaculately maintained with 4,000 mile engine oil services and lexus recommended services performed. Only one problem- the lexus dealership never recommended the transmission fluid be changed since Lexus argues it is lifetime fluid. So sad the dealership never recommended to the owner to change transmission fluid every 60 k miles or 6 years like you recommend. So I did not buy the car. Was that the correct decision?
It doesn't matter if it's worth double now until you actually sell it. And if you do sell it with double the price you paid it for, you are part of the problem.
I literally almost bought a Lexus from a dealer in a different state without even seeing it in person. What you just said about how horrible it is when doing post purchase inspection made me feel so relieved. I’ve just been so frustrated with this market of used cars, but no matter how frustrated I get I’m glad I backed out of the purchase last minute
This is why I'm not willing to spend more than 4,000 on a used car. At that price it'd be cost effective for me to fix whatever surprised repair that comes up. And worse comes to worst, $4,000 is not that much money for me to lose
A lot of people don’t know how to check out a used car before purchasing. I have never paid a mechanic for a pre purchase inspection before but I know what to look for. You get down on your back and check the entire underneath of the car surface rust is ok but rotted walk away if you’re allowed to jack the car up at all 4 wheels and check for play in any of the wheels. Check the struts to make sure they’re not leaking and push down on the car on all four corners to see if it bounces like crazy or goes down then up and stops. Check under the hood make sure you don’t see any visual leaks I personally hate when people detail used car engines because they are hiding a leak usually. Check the oil make sure it’s full and transmission fluid also and make sure it’s not burnt in color. You can rent a scanner from auto zone to check for codes on cars but check that after the test drive in case they cleared them. On the test drive do a smooth acceleration make sure it shifts through all gears smoothly and downshifts smoothly. Then I floor it and check the transmission that way i test drove one car that shifted like butter on soft acceleration but it slipped on hard acceleration. Check the brakes first to a normal stop then make sure no one is behind you then do a hard braking test. If the salesman gets mad at you for any of it I wouldn’t buy the car from them and go elsewhere. And finally always negotiate the price and do your research on the car extensively before buying it, make sure you know all the common problems for the make and model. As he said the interior and exterior look mean nothing to how the car is underneath. Scratches and tears add character. And engine or transmission or shot suspension add someone else’s repair bill they had to your wallet.
+ 1 for me. From another auto mechanic wise words from AMD. I spent a lifetime fixing cars and trucks. Since I retired from the trade I am stunned at the amount of incompetence and pure greed I see now on a daily basis in the trade especially in the used car market. It was always bad but now it's beyond atrocious. It really saddens me the way things have deteriorated where it has gotten to point that auto mechanics are considered crooks until proven otherwise. I've had to back away and just steer family and friends along in the right direction.
I'm also retired 2002 and see the junk out there. Wait until all there is are 7 yr old EV. How do you trust the batteries. I really feel for people trying to make it today.
This video is funny cause barring any significant life changes, I plan to drive my 2012 4Runner until the wheels fall off or it just dies. But it’s a truck I bought new 11 years ago, I go above and beyond doing preventative maintenance, keep the frame clean, and only hit 100k miles last year. I don’t even drive everyday. Dealers keep asking me to sell it to them. Any car could potentially break down for sure, but if you keep up (or even do extra) maintenance on a Toyota/Lexus, it’ll last way way way longer than any other brand car on the road comparatively. Love my 4Runner!!
@GoodTimeJoey - you sound like me. I purchased my 5.7 L V8 2008 Toyota Tundra brand new in September 2008. I have every service record in a binder. I am so fanatical about the upkeep on my truck. Granted it’s 16 years old, but it’s only got 134,284 miles, most of those have been driven on US Highways. Like you, I don’t drive my truck every day. I only use Amsoil oil and filters as well as Amsoil gear oils. I change my synthetic oil every 8500 miles, which is once a year for me. I too plan to keep my truck till the wheels fall off. I love my Tundra. Glad your 4 Runner has been good to ya!
I have a 12 year old car (5/11 build date) with 149,600 miles, and it is perfect. It is a 2012 Ford Focus with MANUAL transmission, so no transmission woes, and the ORIGINAL CLUTCH. I cannot believe how long this clutch is lasting. I DO plan to keep this car until I die. Everything is sound. However, I am watching the K-frame because it is the least protected component of the underbody, and I live in the Rust Belt. The car still runs like new. Transmission is perfect. When the engine goes it will still be cheaper to replace with a new one than buying a $35,000 car to replace it. I've done all the maintenance on it and I've kept it up because I wanted this car to last, and it has. You are 100% CORRECT in your advice for someone looking to keep an old car that has lots of problems. I used to have those cars and got tired of working on them all the time. That's why I bought this one in 2014 with only 16,000 miles on it. Because it was a manual it was CHEAP. I saved $8,400 off of sticker, with what is a year's driving in miles for me on it. I can't get that kind of deal on A-plan.
I've owned my '65 Chevy Corvair for 39 years. My '14 Accord with a manual transmission has 213,000 miles. Everything works as new. A sun visor, brakes and two light bulbs has been the only unscheduled repairs. Now I put 10,000 miles a year. Underneath has minimal surface rust. I'm thinking ten more years.
Maybe 10 to 20 yes but closer to twenty because I used to own an '04 Accord and they are very reliable!I would like to get a Camry or Corrola hybrid but the Accord hybrid is a better value because it's cheaper than the Toyota but may not be as reliable as the Camry Hybrid.
@@craigiefconcert6493 The one caveat of classic cars is they had zero, and I mean zero, rust protection. I live in the rust belt and as a kid I vividly remember all the 60's and 70's cars (not classics then, just older cars) completely disintegrating. Cars still rust, but not nearly as bad as those ones. I had a '78 F-100 with a straight six that would have run forever had I lived anywhere but here.
Hey Dan, my buddy has a '66 Corvair that was completely rebuilt in PA before he bought it about 15 or 20 years ago. They have actually redesigned some of the parts go give better handling than the originals had. Hang on to your 'Vair; they are kick-ass cars! --Old Guy
My neighbor has a model A. He and his friends go on drives from California to Texas and back. I’ve also seen plenty of sharp cars from the 50s and 60s on the road on the weekends around here. You CAN keep a car forever, but you are going to have to do a lot of work.
I was a used car manager and auction buyer for over 25 years and the advice this mechanic just gave you is on the money 💰 and is some of the best advice i have heard from anyone regarding buying a used vehicle! You should take notes and bring those notes with you when you go used car shopping. I would personally recommend a good quality vehicle history report in addition to the above mentioned items.
Hello goods Sir, should I do anything other than general inspection and test drive if a car is checked every year and has about 10/12K KMs a year. I’m looking to buy a secondhand RAV4 2021 in Europe.
You described my situation perfectly. I would like to upgrade my car to a lower mileage, newer used car. But I am not paying inflated prices that are thousands over their true market value. I'll just maintain my perfectly drivable current car. It's like, I want to spend my money, but dealers are still jacking up the used cars beyond reason. It will probably be cheaper for me just to do repairs on the old one as they come up, especially since it's paid off.
I’m in the same boat. I bought my 2008 Pontiac G8 new and I know that the timing chains will need to be changed soon. It’s expensive but my car still looks new. I’ve taken care of it and to me I’d do the timing chain repairs because it’s a fraction of the cost of a new or a newer used car.
I wish there were people like you, in the motor trade, in the UK. May you continue to prosper with your business. Your customers are lucky to have you.
A car is a big purchase for a lot of people so it’s hard to put your feelings aside sometimes. Sometimes you gotta let that older vehicle go. Also be very wary of any dealership that does not allow you to do a pre-purchase inspection with your own mechanic.
Amen! Not allowing a pre-purchase inspection is an instant red flag. The sad truth is, it is a seller’s market, so people are taking chances. As Ahmed said in the video, he’s seen many horror stories.
Pre purchase inspection is the best money i have ever spent in buying a used car. I even use them on Certified Lexuses because i have started seeing reviews from Lexus buyers who bought CPO cars and found later that the car had undisclosed problems the dealer had not fixed or divulged. Even high end luxury car dealers lie, cheat and steal these days.
A good rule of thumb I keep is that dealers always lie about everything. Hasn't led me wrong yet. Many years ago helped a friend out who's air conditioning had quit on their "certified" honda civic. While tracing a wire running across the wrong of the car we discovered major undisclosed crash damage on the front end of the car. The body shop that worked on it didn't replace the structure of the car but instead pulled/hammered it out to just good enough to have the replacement quarter panel, crash bar, bumper cover, grill, etc. line up. (The wire had been pinched in the accident and corroded through after several years.)
This car market is so complex, with parts shortages still keeping inventory at many dealers low. Of course, that forces most people to keep vehicles longer than they typically would. Inflation is also having an effect on people being able to afford basic services, let alone a new or used vehicle.
You’re not lying. I had a beautiful 2 owner (I was the 2nd owner) of a 2003 Toyota Highlander that I purchased 5 years ago with 85k miles on it. I drove it, & worked in it for 5 years without any issues. Unfortunately I needed a truck so I decided to sell it. It looked just as good as the day it came off the Toyota lot, had 121k miles on it (non-interference engine) and I ended up selling it for $1,000 more than what I paid for it. I could have asked more, simply because I had so many people messaging me (over 100) wanting to look/buy the car. The only thing I did to it was change out the headlights, do a 1 step paint correction, put new tires on it, change the oil every 4k-5k miles with full synthetic oil & change the oil tired middle rim caps & that was it. So if you have a gem that you’re getting ready to sell, don’t pay attention to KBB because there isn’t much out there (as far as quality used cars) and let the buyers haggle you down. You will still get way above what KBB says your vehicle is worth. Ended up buying a 2023 Tacoma TRD 4x4 Off Road & love it so far. If it wasn’t for my 2021 Rav4 I would feel like I was driving a spaceship going from the technology in my 2003 to the 2023 😂 One last thing I will say is, it’s hard to get a seller to agree to a PPI when 30 other people are behind you telling the seller they want to buy it right away. Even if it is a very nice car, the seller is going to go with what’s less hassle for them to sell it. Unfortunately things aren’t like they were 5+ years ago. Now if it’s a pos that nobody wants to buy, sure get that PPI but if it’s a gem that goes up, like my 2003 Highlander, that thing will be sold within a day.
Just helped a friend who recently got into an accident with his old Tundra, decent amount of front end damage, after hearing him say he may need another vehicle. The bend in the frame is outside of the wheelbase though, so it can still drive straight. Went to actually look at the damage, saw it looked worse than it was, helped him pull out all the broken stuff, he ended up spending about 200 on necessary parts (radiator, fan, fluids, etc.) and has his vehicle back on the road now. No AC yet but he isn't SOL until he can scrape enough together for another vehicle. His truck isn't rusted, the engine and trans are still going strong at 220K, so in theory, the truck should last him a while longer, so long as he doesn't keep wrecking it lmao.
There's a TH-cam video of a body shop straightening a Ford F-150 frame. Pretty amazing stuff actually. Save thousands of dollars if the rest of the truck is in good shape.
Still driving my 96 4Runner. I do all the repairs so it is worth keeping forever. However I’ve been wanting to replace it with a new one, can’t due to prices
DON'T mid age Yotas are much better/ easier to work on for their lack off computers and electronics controlling everything. My 02 TRD tacoma is at 380k miles and still going strong. Other than tune up items the only electronics that had any issue was the alternator (had the OEM denso rebuilt) and an IAC sensor repalced with OEM) I also do my own wrenching. My 2008 Ford van on the other hand is a nightmare and falling apart at 200k miles.
This is such a helpful video. Last year my impala finally died when the transmission went out so I needed a car fast. Even though this was that case, I took my time and spent 2 weeks looking at cars. I was going to 3-4 dealerships a day. Everything I found was junk and overpriced. I finally found a nice 2004 Lexus rx with 117k with no rust on it, one owner, it has been an amazing car. I did overpay admittedly but I made sure I didn’t settle!
Well I'm sure you got ripped off cuz those cars don't go for that much and you overpaid for it so it just you just rip yourself off and you went to the car dealer if you like it and you love it live with it
I buy full-time AWD for better traction and improved safety. It is worth the 5%-20% extra maintenance expense on the additional complexity in the transmission/drivetrain. In the last year it has helped me to avoid one accident which would have cost me 20-50 times more the outcome with 2WD. IMO, the worst expense with AWD would be from a tyre blowout which means having to replace four tires at a time instead of two at a time in FWD/RWD. But I haven’t had to do that yet. In the meantime I have four tyres that wear almost perfectly evenly.
You don't need it unless the climate dictates and it's uncommon to get into an accident unless you're doing mega miles but hey, may as well roll in a tank
@@markhamer5112 And how much more in fuel consumption for a 4wd? The prices at the pumps are crazy no matter where you live(in the civilised world that is).
One of the lessons I learned from owning four motorcycles is the importance of fixing things when they break. If you let problems slide, pretty soon you have a yard covered with bikes that don't run. I have two old Caddies (1988 Sedan de Ville w/ 98k miles -- mom's old car; and my lovely 2008 DTS) and they are in excellent repair. My new one is in the shop as it was hit from behind, and the old one, Big Red, is my reliable daily driver. --Old Guy
Thank you for your honest opinions. One thing though, you mention people coming in with older cars that need a huge amount of work. They have deferred maintenance rather than having a reasonable amount of work done as it is needed annually. We had a 1997 Camry which had 60k on it when we bought it in 2004. We knew that every year or two we might have to put $1-2,000 into it. We knew we couldn't buy another car for that money, we owed nothing on the car, the car was always safe and dependable, and everything worked on the car. LESSON: It's easier to handle things in this manner rather than defer maintenance and have problems stack up so they seem insurmountable. The biggest learning experience was not having the transmission fluid changed and having to have the trans rebuilt at 150,000 miles for $2,500. Will never make that mistake again! We sold the car in about 2018 with 210,000 miles on it and got $2,500 for it. Everything still worked including the A/C that had never been worked on.
My first car was a Gremlin. Out of curiosity, I asked my mechanic how much it was worth. He gave me two answers: "The current market value is around $800. As a transportation value, it's priceless."
My 2001 Toyota sienna with 240,000 miles and dings everywhere is worth very little in the blue book. But it gets me everywhere I want to go with minimal maintenance.
Gremlins, one of the best cars ever made for the money. AMC never could make enough of them to keep up with the demand. My father who owned a AMC dealership said he probably could have sold one every day but was only allotted 2 a month.
So I have a 1997 Camry. Love it! Has 350,000 miles on a 4 cylinder engine. Always did the maintenance on it myself. Things I couldn't do I would take to my mechanic. The shop is great. I went in with a list of everything I wanted done and they came back and said not to fix it. That it is used up! By watching this video I was able to say OK without regrets. Have a 2002 Sienna that we have had for 17 years. Only 200,000 on this one. I'm finishing a 1940 Chevrolet like I had as a kid. Made a lot of safety upgrades and will use that for short hops around town. My wife's car is a 2015 Sienna. She loves it. Can't thank you enough. Keep it up.
Excellent advice. In most states of Australia it is illegal to sell a registered vehicle without an official roadworthy/safety certificate issued by an accredited mechanic, this is good insurance for used car buyers
In Victoria you can sell without a roadie and/or registration, it is then up to the purchaser to make the car roadworthy. There are dealers who sell such cars and also auctions do that.
You my friend are one of the best YT mechanics I’ve seen. As a car aficionado I find your perspectives spot on. I’m 50+, have gone through mechanics school but never pursued it as a career, and I’m learning new things from you. Great job.
My co-worker bought his 2005 Altima brand new. He ran it to 335,000 without sticking any money into it. Then all the check engine lights came on and he did not think it was worth paying the dealer to hook up the code reader, so he pulled it to the junk yard and got $200.
Just spent 3 months looking for a used car. The market is nuts! Some previously unpopular cars would sell within 2 hours. There would be an immediate line of people wanting to buy it right away. First come first served. You want to bring the money later tonight? Sold to the next person in an hour. That made it impossible to schedule an inspection or get a loan. Had to rely on my own knowledge when it came to assessing condition of each vehicle. I talked to about 50 people, went and saw a dozen cars. I was looking for the best value/ condition/ service records/ history somewhere between $3k and $15k. I have a Corvette and a motorcycle I drive during warmer months but suddenly needed to get a new daily/winter car. Ended up getting a 09 Cadillac CTS 3.6di in the highest trim. 52k miles. $10k. One owner - older doctor who bought it new and maintained it at the same dealership. These can be notoriously unreliable but this one was the best example I've seen. Everyone told me - Get a lexus! They run forever! Ok. A comparable lexus for the same $$ would have 3x-4x the milage. The question was - what would cost less to own? a. Low milage but notoriously unreliable car or b. High milage (180k-220k) but notoriously reliable car such as a lexus or Toyota. Ultimately, I chose option a and budgeted for maintenance. It's a coin toss, so I guess time will tell. It's a tough market and you should really do your research on each make/model and the specific vehicle you are considering. Do a pre-purchase inspection. BlueStar Inspections is a country wide chain. $129 for an inspection. Money well spent. In my case the seller refused because of being "too busy" for things like that . In this market sellers can. It's Your problem. Oh, you want to meet at your bank to get a loan? They'll just sell to the next person by the end of the same day. It never used to be like that and I hope this is temporary. Do your homework on each vehicle and Good Luck out there!
I just went through the same. Every decent used car at the big dealers are now quite expensive. Looked at 2010-2012 Rav4 and Venza's around the same years. Only found two vehicles in 2 months of searching that looked like an ok deal. A 2010 V6 awd Venza with something like 120k miles for $12k. Opened the hood and had the dreaded battery terminal corrosion. Battery acid green crust and rust on EVERYTHING on that side of the engine bay. Closed the hood and walked away. A bummer because that car was immaculate otherwise. A 2012 Rav4 sport v6 awd with 90k miles for $10k. Interior covered in pet hair. Exterior covered in scratches and dings. But every fluid was immaculate and everything worked. Then I looked under the rear bumper cover and the crash bar was rotted through. Florida car and I figured it must have been exposed to salt water. Probably explains why it had a brand new looking tow hitch. The rest of the vehicle was fairly solid though which was odd. Walked away from the unknown history. Last thing I need is to chase salt water electrical issues. Like you I think paying more for a car with double the miles is foolish and I wound up buying a model known to be not the most reliable. WJ Grand Cherokee Overland with 98k miles. One owner with clean fluids, clean interior, no battery corrosion, and it was half the price of either of the only two Toyotas I found at a decent price. I'll take it! After putting in some elbow grease doing some small repairs (window regulator, speakers, control arms) it will make for a rather nice winter beater. Our other two cars stay in the garage to retain their value while the roads have salt on them. I could replace the engine tomorrow (the unreliable part of these Jeeps) and still wind up spending less money then just the purchase price of any decent late model Toyota or Lexus.
YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER! I am addicted to your videos on YT. This 20 mins video can save so many here a bundle of money and aggravations. It is getting so hard to trust anybody, these days. Its a wild west, this industry. I am 100% scared buying my next used car. So, whatever the cost will be for independent inspection by a large, well known garage/dealer, before buying, it shell be. And, a report is a must too. Thank you for this, boss.
Just remember the STEALERSHIP is NOT your friend. Not just the sales person, finance person, etc. Even the service advisor at most dealerships are on commission. They are trained to sell you on a service(s) than you don't need, the more services that they write up for your vehicle, the more money they make. Kinda like a CONFLICT of interest. 🤔
We purchsed a 2005 camery at a yard sale last year we needed anouther car and we fell into the deal and so far so good it uses a little oil and it is a 2.4 and is great on gas. No rust and has over 300.000 miles to date. 😊
I bought a 2017 with 18,000 miles in August 2020 - before pricing went crazy. It was an odd buying experience during covid, but I'm so glad I did right before shortages started. Later, I got offers for more than I paid for it. Now, I drive ever so careful - I don't want anyone to hit me, I park way out in parking lots, and I lock it up tight at night I don't want to lose a catalytic converter. Hoping to get a few years until this crazy market settles - if it ever does.
Parking "way out in parking lots " is an open invite to get your converter stolen- it takes 40 seconds to cut one out- park closer to everyone not out on left field.
I don't think the market is ever going to change. Car dealers are making ridiculous amounts of cash and dummies are still lining up to pay it, truck and SUVs especially. Why would they ever want to go back?
@@karlhungus545 I think you are right. Although it's odd I've been hearing that Ford wants to do away with its dealers, and I'm getting ads all the time to go "Ford shopping" online. Perhaps this is the new future - you'll have to order a new car online. Hopefully a new repair station model will come out of this.
What's worse is KBB still hasn't caught up with reality. I was trying to finance a used car, credit union said it was 2k over blue book so they couldn't, I asked them to find me the same car selling for bluebook, anywhere, and I would happily buy that instead. They just gave me a blank look.
Sage advice during a time when new and used cars are ridiculously over priced. I have a 2009 Camry similar to one you showed us about a month ago which was assembled in Kentucky and sold new by Toyota 2008 through 2014 with defective piston rings so now with 140k miles on it, I have to put a quart of oil in it every time I fill it with gas. I've been talking with several mechanics and this appears to be a common problem for those Camrys made in those years and a few other years (1990, 2003/4). I have had my Camry serviced every 5k miles since I bought it new so everything is great, but it needs a rebuild (which is about $8k more than the car is worth). Toyota had to be aware of this problem when they were selling them since it was so common but that is a rant i won't get into for now. With prices and availability what they are, I have decided to hang onto it till things stabilize in about a year. Your videos have been a real help in making decisions like this. You provide a wonderful service for folks. Thank you and all the best to you!
Sea coast, agreed! I’ve heard that engine is reliable outside the oil burning. Just keep maintaining it well. You could try Seafoam or Amsoil engine flush to unstuck piston rings, but because that engine likely has manufacturing defect, the oil consumption problem may not be fixed with that.
The host of this video has a channel where he replaced the entire short-block, and he defines what a short block is in that video, I'm pretty sure it was within the last 2 years, and the total bill was only about $6,500. I'm not clear where you're getting your eight-grand from-unless you're going to someone other than the guy in this video.
@@michaeldunagan8268 Actually I found the video he made about a Camry similar to mine but with about 300k miles where he replaced the short block and it was better than both of us had thought. Here is a link: th-cam.com/video/ug--U5FkTTo/w-d-xo.html He discusses the price at 26:00 and it was only $5k including parts and labor. In the video he also said parts are readily available too. That is a very good price. I talked with my mechanic recently and he said it would be about $5k for the parts and $3k for labor, but I live near San Francisco where everything is much more expensive than other places. I will try to make this car last till the market stabilizes in a year or so and then I will go for a new car. I also retired recently so I am ready for a different kind of car perhaps an SUV which I can use to spend more time in the out of doors. Apart from the defective piston rings the Camry has been a good car, but I am ready to move on maybe to a Rav4 or a midsized SUV.
AMD your 100% right! I like your statement…..better to overpay for a used car that a mechanic has checked out and is in great shape then overpay for a car that’s in terrible shape! The worst thing you can do is buy a money pit! If the seller won’t let you take it to your mechanic or you pay the seller to drive it to your mechanic , then they are likely hiding something about the car ……just run away it’s not worth it! AMD is right, take your time ,get it checked out with your mechanic ,and you will be happy.
As a european, this been pretty much the norm here for decades. maintained cars are hard to find or extremely expensive, while even bad cars are still pricey as hell. combine this with insane gas prices and expensive car parts+labor and you get yourself a huge financial hit even on a tiny economy box. just for reference, something like a new mid trim corolla will set you back roughly 1,5-2 times of ones average yearly net income.
You must live somewhere like Bulgaria. My fiancé's family lives in Sweden and that same Corolla would be like half of one of her family members' yearly income...and they make a normal salary.
Good solid advice here. Please heed it. And when you buy your used car, irrespective of how long you intend to keep it, treat it as if you intend to keep it for ever. Keep it services and above all else, change the oil and filter
Agreed 100% with what you said, I really wanted to upgrade to a 2013 4runner or the new Honda pilot trail sport but the prices are ridiculous! Another reason why I don’t think I will get into another car anytime soon is my 2007 Honda pilot, it has been super reliable I drive it everywhere across the north east. I do my own maintenance with high quality fluids, and only use OEM parts for the timing belt job it runs great currently at 154k miles, no leaks and 0 issues.
A month ago I bought a 2021 Venza with 6100 miles. First Toyota I have ever purchased. So far I love it. I am hoping it will last me several problem free years.
Good advice. My son bought a used Audi TTI convertible and to say it has been a money pit, it’s an understatement. Trouble with the convertible top, trouble with dash and now rough running even after replacing plugs, coils. He removed coils and they were covered with oil. He’s now taking it to a friend who has a auto repair shop. I told him to fix it and get rid of it.
I appreciate this channel to make wise car decisions with the intention to save money for me and my family. I love cars and in the past I've owned BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, and Honda. Many years later and married with four grown children I bought my first Toyota in 2011and my all-time favorite is a '13 Camry 2GR-FE sleeper :) Today this is our current family car line up: '10 Corolla S, '11 Camry SE 4cyl, '12 Camry SE 4cyl, '12 RAV4 4cyl, '13 Camry SE 6cyl, '18 Highlander SE FKS.
I restored a 72 GMC pickup, and yes there comes a point where the car has to be completely restored. I spent about 45k restoring and modifying it and this was me doing the work, most cars are not worth this kind of effort and money. Also if the frame is so rusty that it can’t be lifted you shouldn’t be driving it, that creates a hazard for you and other people on the road.
My wife’s car an Altima would have been a write off due to repair costs if I didn’t fix it myself 😮Body is still very good but mileage has worn a lot and I’ve replaced a lot. She has little into it compared to what it could have been 😊
I've wanted to start doing my own preventative maintenance but the cost of a car is so high that I'm scared off by the risk of messing up. I've had spark plugs sitting on the shelf for 6 months now
This is great advice. I made allot of the mistakes recently. Was holding on to my relatively low mileage 17 year old xterra. Basically sold it for scrap. If I had gotten rid of it sooner I could have made a small fortune with this market. Ended up buying a new Toyota!
Thank you for your advice about keeping an old car. I do find myself in that dilemma regarding a 30-year old pickup truck that I seem unable to let go. Keep up the good work.
This is some very good advice. I can share my experience. In my case, I'm from a place that doesn't experience snowfall, therefore, the last thing on my mind was rusting underneath the vehicle I was purchasing. I checked everything. When the car was delivered, the car drove like a dream. So about 2 weeks later I finally got some time to take it in for servicing. When the car was raised, I was shocked at the rust under there!!!!! My saving grace was that the frame of the car was not damaged, but I had to replace my rear subframe, and my right control arm. The front subframe had some rust, but it wasn't horrible, so I had it treated, and I'll keep an eye on it to see if the front subframe deteriorates any further. IF it does, then I'll replace it. so be vigilant and inspect your car, especially if you're buying from a place that has snow and salts on the roads
I just love this channel. Care Care Nut is simply the best for me. I learned a lot and as a diy dad, this is my got to channel in fixing my cars and getting more insights. Thank you, brother. Indeed, may the Lord bless you and keep you to be a continuing blessing to others.
I got very lucky, I bought a 2018 tundra in 2020. It had 7,000 miles on. I paid 27,000. Within a year the prices went insane. I owe 14,000 now. I think I will keep it😊. Great video as always.
Ahmed your videos are a treasure to the community that you have built. I wish there were more people like you. You not only have passion for what you do but also show great care for the work and people that you interact with. Thank you! I guess my next on my list is to buy a Toyota and move to Chicago.
You don't need more people like him people need to smarten up and get their head out of their ass and that's it anybody you need to watch as one pack I don't need to watch her this s*** I know everything there is about part I wish all my problems with that simple call would take me is about one month and I can find the perfect car but I want $44,000 okay and I'll be practically nothing wrong with it maybe the rest I pay $800 for a car there's nothing mechanically wrong with has no rush to paint job sucks okay and it's a Nissan and old Nissan Sentra 498 okay that's the way people leave in the morning it will last another 30 years if you don't Smack It Up people are stupid everybody does dumb moron you got your mind daughter something else even if you learn you watch these videos you're still not going to learn anything because you're too stupid or no knowledge no mechanical skills that's why they're scammers and this people with money okay and people always get screwed because this is America the land of the free and the land of the scam artist and somebody's always going to go to get screwed even I got screwed five months ago I bought a car Brooklyn 20,000 miles Toyota Corolla for $10,000 tomorrow's was tampered with the Carfax was phony okay and it was all the Ripple so what I did is sold the next day for 9,500 and lost 500 plus another 500 and towing with better to get rid of it the way I got suckered with it
You are the best on utube.. My son brought his 98 Corolla..I told you I was getting a Toyota..just got a 2015 Rav 4 with 42,000 miles.. love it and I will be in touch.. thanks AMD
This is a tough issue. I have to buy a car in 2 - 3 months. Every time I buy a vehicle, I research cars that I’d like to purchase. However, getting a car in certain rural areas is difficult when it comes to a used car inspection. Now, in a different area, I’m going to get an inspection. Things are crazy now. Thanks for the video
I love this video. I have an automotive shop that my dad started in 1959. I have been doing this for 42 years and I love it. I love what you are talking about. I have this conversation quite frequently with my customers and just the same manner. I'm going to refer them to your video might save me some time and just like talking to your children if it comes from somebody else maybe they will listen. Love that man keep up the good work.
I just put 4 new Michelins on my 2011 Camry. It has 320k miles on it and still runs like new. It has never missed an oil change. I will only get a new car when I have to!
This is great advice and I like the comment about finding a good honest mechanic! I bought a car several years ago and took two mechanics to look at it. They both gave it the thumbs up! It was the worst car I ever had. They must have been rubbing there hands in glee thinking of the money they could make working on it every week which they had to. Eventually the wheels did come off and that was the end. Scrap value! You really do have to find an honest mechanic!!
Living in California my whole life.... The idea of rust is completely foreign to me. Having people buy cars without having a mechanic looking at it first is dangerous especially when you also need to factor in the possibility of rust. I can't even imagine. I never have to look for rust when I'm looking at buying a car.
A friend thought that there are no worries about rust in Texas didn't bother to look under before purchasing s10 blazer.he failed to realize that some rust belt vehicles leave the rust belt.bad news first look under it.
I own a 3rd gen 4Runner, an 3rd gen Subaru Outback and a '19 Honda Passport. I learned to work on all my cars and do all their regular inspection, minor and major maintenance on them and replace and service components myself.
@@efil4kizum I have done a lot of services myself, except the Timing Belt. Everything from lower ball joints, new radiator/hoses, front/rear brakes, inner tie rod, brake booster, oil changes, etc. I will soon replace the spark plugs and the valve cover gaskets. Maintenance is key. Very easy car to work on. If you have sone tools and are mechanically inclined you can save ALOT of money. I follow Timmy the tool man for all the DIY jobs, best channel in TH-cam for T4Rs.
@@efil4kizum I got 137K miles on my '00 4R, bought it when it had 120K. Long ways to go hopefully. I need to service a few suspension components. If you have the space and some tools, you can tackle many of these jobs yourself. I hate now paying for jobs I know I can do myself, I always follow the service manual and all torque specs. One thing I'd recommend, always try to get OEM parts as replacements. Best R&D. Plus if you buy online from Toyota, you can save up to 20% on OEM parts.
I see a new business for you in collaboration with a car dealer. If the Car Care Nut inspected the car and deems it solid, then the only left to do is negotiate the price with peace of mind! Great video, keep them coming please.
My husband and I welcome your wealth of knowledge and experience, especially for us who don't know anything about cars. But, we do keep up with maintenance. 😊
The first two places I check when buying a used car are 1. the oil dipstick, and 2. the transmission dipstick. Once had a buddy who wanted to buy this pickup, I checked the transmission fluid, and it was black, runny, and chunky. Told him not to buy it. he listed to me and dodged a bullet for sure.
I was a German car mechanic in Southern California (no rust issues) during the '80s and early '90s. When asked if someone should keep their car when it got over 5 years old I'd tell them that they could pay me or pay the bank. The monthly cost would be about the same, or increasing with age. Usually I wouldn't see them for another 4 years when their new car ended warranty coverage.
5 yrs old and pay you or the bank? That's awful. The only work I've had to do (besides regular maintenance) on my 2001 Tacoma is rear wheel bearings, front lower control arms and an A/F sensor. Sure glad I didn't buy a German car!!
@@heeroru7781 Started at a Porsche-Audi dealer in ‘79. Various independents but specialized in BMW mostly until ‘86. Then A M-B dealer until going into Entertainment in ‘96. Then blew cars up for the next 25 years!
@@heeroru7781 solid cars if not lemons from the factory. Had a 88 300TE and a 90 190E. Other than random Toyotas I've owned those were the best and nicest driving cars I ever had. Sure wish I had kept that 300TE!
I've owned a 1994 Nissan 300ZX for 29 years, 132k miles. I've spent $3,500 in maintenance and repairs over the 29 years that I've owned it. Runs like new... Priceless! I own a 2011 Nissan Versa, 168k miles. Spent $1000 in maintenance and repairs over 12 years. It had delayed shifting into 1st and 4th, so I recently overhauled the automatic transmission by changing seals and o-rings so it will make it to 200k miles. Cost for the kit, $136, DIY installed. Runs like new. Two years ago I bought a brand new OEM automatic transmission and new OEM engine for the Versa so I can keep it until 400k miles, another 12 years. I plan on installing the new transmission and engine in the next 3 years. Savings of 10s of thousands of dollars over the years... Priceless. I will never overpay for any new or used car!! We use the enormous savings to travel all over the world and create lifetime memories! Thank you!
I was in between a rock and a hard place, 2 cars with almost 200k miles and some maintenance things started to show and I put 30k plus on both cars a year and I had already been holding out since Covid, luckily I found a couple ok deals (more than I would usually spend) and now I have a 2022 Corolla and a 2023 cx5 all based on your videos! Thanks for all your videos!
What a guy ! Absolutely wonderful honest advice . No wonder he's got the numbers he has built up over the years . Every single word was laced with gold !
Spot on advised, honest and straight to the point. Ethics are top priority as it should be. Mechanics are like doctors, they could save your lives and your pockets.
Know the right thing to say is you should learn what to do yourself you should learn all about cars and you don't need to listen to idiots like this that just looking to rip you off not really with doing the wrong things by fixing your car by charging you too much money from minor things if that don't make any sense you should not even own a vehicle
I live several hours south of you in the western part of our over-taxed state where deer are a common threat to the life of a car. When I weigh repairs on an old car I compare it to the insured value. It doesn't make sense to put more than that into a car and hit a deer and the money is wasted. Thank you for the blessing you are.
Good video. I was shopping around for a few months before finally deciding the best option for me was to just order new and do the months wait on it. My old car is fine in terms of holding together for that 6-8 months no problem (thankfully it'll be spring/summer/fall and not another winter). The used market just didn't appeal at all. No matter what I was looking at things were listed at least 30% more than they were worth, clean low mileage models were pushing same as brand new prices.
Too many people say "I'll run it to the ground" but do the bare minimum to maintain their car. I have a buddy who has a 2014 Chevy cruise and an other with a 2016 Kia Sorento with both saying that. My 2012 Toyota Carmy looks newer than theirs and causes less issues because of this... I'd rather pay $1,000 now, than to pay $30,000 later.
I always figured that as long as you keep the engine and transmission in good shape you can fix or replace anything else. Of course, you also have to keep an eye on any rust and get after it right away. Use an oil undercoating. If you do these things a car will last a long time.
You're doing it all wrong first of all you got to buy a car with a motor that has no smudging nevermind the transmission and you're not even thinking about that so you're going to take care of the engine that's already shot and you going to be keeping your eye out for us you just f*** yourself that makes no sense at all buddy
@@XTRABIG Things like Fluid Film. Woolwax, Blaster Surface Shield and several others. All provide a thick, waxy coating that sticks very well and does a superior job at blocking moisture and preventing rust. You can find MANY vids about them on YT.
As someone who used to work on cars, customers hated to see written on the service order, "Recommend new vehicle", but honestly, we were doing them a favor. They'd bring in a 20 year old car that was rusted through in multiple places, that was burning more oil than gas, and that needed to have most of the front end replaced. They expected that we would fix it and make it act like new again, and we're like, "No. You really need to replace the car. It is way beyond its useful life at this point, and it's a hazard to drive." They'd argue with the service writer about it for awhile before threatening to take it somewhere else. At this point, our response was, "Well, if that's what you need to do, but we won't service a car when we can't make it roadworthy again, and there's just no practical way to do that."
I was going for a Sienna, buy ended up with a 16 Honda Odyssey. It had every oil change in time, transmission fluid serviced every 30k miles, new timing belt with water oump, new front suspension, new sparkplugs... Bought it with 109k miles for 18k in Texas. Crazy
You certainly know your stuff when it comes to cars. I purchased a Toyota Tacoma it had one owner. It actually had 110,000 miles on it mostly highway miles. Gave $23,000 for it it is a 4X4 and it also has a 3/4 ton springs under it . They offered me $26,000 for it. At a dealer even if I didn’t buy one. It in 4 years I’ve only put 21,000 miles on it. Just found this channel love it, most mechanics would repair any car to make a $. I admirer you for telling customers the truth that is rare! God Bless 🙏🏼 for our country
I shopped for a used car for 2.5 years. Finally found the one in a neighboring state. Never thought I'd fly one way to buy a used car but these are the times we live in.
I have an 02 Silverado with 365k miles. The interior and exterior are still in great shape and It still purrs like a kitten. I've done one of the expensive repairs already, namely the main rear seal. Put in an oil pump at the same time as I was having pressure issues. Now it runs so smooth you can't believe it. It could use a couple thousand of front end work as it is still entirely original. It's been a Florida truck for most of it's life and has very little actual rust. One small spot about an inch by 2 inches on the driver side rocker, but underneath is nothing but minor surface rust. The transmission is original as well and still shifts fine even though to my knowledge, it's never been serviced. Many mechanics have told me not to service it at this point that I'd be asking for trouble. With new truck prices so crazy I think it makes sense to keep this one and fix it as needed since there are no safety concerns with rust. It's a ext cab long bed 4x4, so to replace it with a new one would probably be in the $60-$80k range. I feel like even if I needed to put a crate motor or trans in it, that it's still worth keeping. Insurance is dirt cheap too.
For those of you on a tight budget, start a second savings account for a car future purchase. Use automatic deposit from your paycheck because the banks are always willing to sell you a loan product but, if your credit is not good- you will pay a higher interest rate. You can do it!
I had a fairly clear plan when I bought my well used rust free 2007 Tundra back in 2017... my plan was to make a few modifications to the suspension and exhaust while repairing issues revealed by pre & post purchase inspections. My goal was to keep the truck going for another 25 years or so. The truck had 270,000 miles when I bought it and it was on it's 2nd transmission, I drove it another 45,000 miles before the head gasket failed the first quarter of 2024. This failure was due to previous owners not flushing the coolant as often as they should have, they also ran the engine while it was low on oil so I replaced the original engine with a low mileage 3UR FE and the truck is ready for another 300,000 miles. Today my Toyota master mechanic and I know this truck in and out and the money I spent to buy and repair my truck has been money well spent, especially when you consider how long I have owned it and how long I plan to keep driving & enjoying it. Having an older back-up Tundra to drive during the process has made life that much better.
I have an 04 Honda Element with 219,000 miles but I maintain it religiously. Any little issue I get it fixed before it turns into a big problem. Totally agree on the underbody, rust is a killer and unfortunately some shops will pass a car’s inspection without even putting a car on a lift. I would rather drive a car that is safe and that the wheels won’t fall off 😅
Element is a great vehicle. 18 years and 275k on mine. But I am getting to the point of thinking about replacing it. Starting to have regular repairs. So wish they still made the Element.
@@daklight2792 likewise. I had an 03 and Honda paid me$400 cash to attend a focus group to give feedback when they came out. I recommended a V6, more ground clearance and definitely better seats cause they are terrible
Move to the south. I live in Georgia, I bought a 1998 Nissan Sentra with a manual transmission last month and it has no rust... because it has been in Georgia all of its life.
My utmost respect to you sir for your rare knowledge you impact on me each time I view your videos. I have learned a lot. You are a blessing to our generation. Thank you much
Thanks for the great advice. Look forward to your videos on Toyota servicing. We drive two Toyota hybrids and maintain them religiously. Our 9 yr old Camry with 74,000 miles looks and drives like it's brand new. Our 2 year old RAV4 feels like it was just driven new off the dealer's lot. Our plan is to drive them until something inevitable happens. That may take quite a while!
Heres one thing that's ALWAYS overlooked. It's not whether the cost of repairs exceeds the value, it's whether it exceeds the depreciation and interest costs of the car you would replace it with. These are perpetual silent killers to your finances. Buy a new(ish) car and expect to lose at least $3-5k per year in lost value & interest. If you're spending $3k or less on maintenance and your existing ride is clean, reliable, and meets your needs, you're ahead of the game.
Hey LJ - I found your comment on a Pink Floyd 1980 related video and I wanted to send you a message, but the thread was flooded and I figured you maybe missed it. My info is in my channel description, and I would love for you to reach out to me. That video was taken down!
I'd love to talk about your LA 1980 film. I look forward to your response, if you see this!
Thanks!
Best,
Nick.
What's harder than finding a good used car? Finding a good honest mechanic!
Which is mostly a communication problem between customers and mechanics.
Both. I would recommend learning basics about maintenance and the nuances
i have 3 mechanics and they are all decent.
one is a family friend, one is a neighbor, the other is a car dealership.
they each have their pros and cons.
my neighbor is free, so he'll only do basic stuff.
the dealership does multipoint inspections
the family friend does great workmanship, but i HATE his prices. but hes self employed and does all types of cars both common, luxury imports, common imports, and so on.
all in all i can price compare to see what the market average is and still get quality work or DIY for certain jobs.
thing is, besides the car dealership, the other mechanics Ive known for a long time. so i trust them, I just hate their hourly pay rate, but then again thats a personal problem since they do have high skill set.
Finding a good home is harder though similar to finding a good used or new car. Both are a pain and both are unfortunately necessities.
Whatever you do, don't be fooled by the name like Honest-1 Auto care. I was ripped off by the guys at this place in Charlotte, NC. I told them only the rear brakes need brake pads. They opened all 4 brakes without my approval and recommended the entire new brake system including calipers, rotors and brake pads. I ended up with $2,000 bill.
My daughter was given a ‘99 Camry (5S-FE) as her first car. She drove it for 6 years and I’ve been driving it for 2+ more years. I’ve calculated that over 8+ years of ownership, this car has cost us about $40 per month. I just rolled over 331K this week. It’s still very clean inside and out and drives smooth.
Keep it. Cherish it.
@@Trapster99 That’s my plan.
how often car oil changies
I own a 09 Camry Hybrid withv396000 km and its going to have 450000 km with minimal cost...
You're just like me, except I fix my own cars and keep them until I can no longer find parts. The savings over the long haul are enormous. I recently read an article that the average car purchase is $47,000, and the average monthly payments of $576!! WTF! No thanks. I'll keep fixing my own cars and spend the money on creating memories with my family traveling.
I have been a car dealer for 30 years this guy knows exactly what he is taking about.I was amazed this guy said what I have always told car buyers but not everyone listens.Great video for sure.
Do reputable dealers make sure that the used car theyre selling doesnt have a rusted frame?
@@raptango_na6199 does spray painting over it count?
Thank you for your honest advice
We need to clone you and have technicians like you across the country to act as advisors for those of us who don’t have car knowledge. It’s hard to find honest mechanics. Thank you for always providing such honest videos. Maybe you can start a business of “honest” technicians across the country that can offer advice for a fee. I’m quite sure it would be a welcomed service. 👍
YEP! Imagine if ALL mechanics are like the Car Care Nut and Scotty Kilmer, NO worries about being ripped off. Just CLONE the Car Care Nut and Scotty Kilmer and life will be good. 👍
He should start a training school and prepare for a new generation of mechanics.
Impossible
Kage bushin no jutsu
Let’s do this 😂
This guy is a jewel! I'd love to have him as my mechanic! Honest people are hard to find these days.
Dude you can't trust nobody you got to learn yourself and feel car as any good or not you got to learn yourself very simple no one taught me how to do it and I know more about cars than this guy Toyotas especially and many other people oil-burning I know how to find an oil burning Toyota in 2 seconds transmission problems whatever it might be without any equipment okay with it for years and any other tri-axial problems tranny problems Motor problems you don't need to look at anybody you need to just learn it yourself take off your oil cap look in the motor if you see brown shitload of with sludge and you know the motor has sludge in it and it's not it's a smudge burner okay number one it's not worth crap it's just the average car if it's really clean inside then you got a jewel of a car that's how it goes and so on keep watching videos while you learn and if you don't you shouldn't be even on a car
Jewels can't do anything. He's Toyota Jesus. That's more accurate.
@@ElCineHefecringe
@teelowteelow356
Hope your Yugo is running this week.
@@ElCineHefe what a silly comment lmao. Pathetic
Simply Put-- How much will it cost to fix my old car to avoid car payments that are at least $600 per month. So repairs that cost $3000 and may get you another 24 months will save you $14,400 in car payments for a net savings of $11,400 after repair costs. Lower insurance rates on the old vehicle will add to your savings.
Great points! Many people don't think this way...
Yep, buy i do get bored with old cars after 20+ years. Need to upgrade for bigger space, comfort, quiteness etc.
However, as soon as that part is fixed..your ecstatic..then one week later another part breaks. It's a hard decision.
I always get a new car every 5 years, I never pay no more than 350 a month, I know people that have higher cell phone bills because they have to have the newest iPhone every year, I rather pay that money towards a new car than a cell phone, insurance is always low, I have never had a wreck or speeding ticket.
Cars are pain
I didn't do the inspection because the dealer told me his mechanic checks it all out - even met the mechanic. He also assured me that everything is fixed on delivery. It was a lie. This was a local small used car dealership, but before that, AutoNation in Orlando pulled a fast one on me, but offered to take the van back. The driver ran two toll booths on the way back and I got the tickets.
Van is in the shop again - first a thermostat, then battery replace, then transmission needed a torque converter; maybe 1000 miles later, in the shop again a parasitic electrical issue, yet undefined. PS the clean Carfax was a fraud and someone cleared the check engine lights.
I have been messing with cars for 60 plus years and i grew up in the rust belt. Most used car buyers are incapable of judging the condition of a used car. They are buying the habits of the previous owner. They buy with their eyes. I tell people that a pre purchase mechanical inspection is mandatory, but so is a body inspection. A box of donuts at a body shop will reveal all. Body men love to point out previous shoddy work. They can tell quickly.
Donut boxes? For doing a favor?
I hear you, but the problem at the moment is that anything decent you won't have the time to inspect because the owner will refuse as they know they can just sell it the same day to the next guy.
Run the codes, check the fluids, does it drive right, the best inspection will only tell so much. But the previous owner is a fountain of knowledge, not just from what they say but what they won't. A dealership will lie right to your face, but the average person is more honest and won't lie, at least not without giving a tell. I stopped buying cars from dealerships and stick with private party exactly for this reason.
@@heeroru7781Exactly. You can tell more about the cars history by meeting the previous owner in person and by the condition it was kept in. Like most sporty cars will typically be owned by car enthusiasts that take meticulous care of their cars. By talking to the owner you will find out just how much of a car guy he is and to what degree he cared for the car.
The you can do the basics like checking the condition of the oil, coolant, leaks, CV axles, chassis rust and finally scanning it for codes.
Telling a young couple with 2.5 kids the car they just spent every penny they could scrape together isnt worth fixing is a honest mechanics nightmare. Heartbreaking. It still happens every day. Listen to this man, he is telling you the way it is
I’m amazed how anyone could desire to bring kids into this world
@@DJNoMask I'd like to see the .5 kid!
How do you have half a kid? 😭
@@jaya.0069they are very small
I am more concerned about the half child
Thanks for sharing this information with us. I'm a 69 yr old widow here in Memphis. I was hit head-on in November 2022 😢 i ended up with severe injuries. My 2004 Lincoln Towncar car Limited edition that was in excellent condition with only 100k miles was totaled. I babied that car. I serviced it as scheduled all these years. Now I'm a widow and retired and I need to by a new car. I'm out priced by the market. This is scary for someone like me. These videos really help me as i search for a reliable used car. GOD bless you young man for sharing your knowledge with all of us on Utube. You never know who you are helping. Joanne Williams.
Joanne, we hope you continue healing and find a good used car.
Wish you the best, Joane❤
Even as a toyota/honda driver, no car is reliable if maintenance is neglected. The problem with used cars is it is really hard to tell the maintenance history for most of them. Always get or do a thorough pre purchase inspection. Cheapest insurance you can ever get
What you mean cheapest insurance you can get
If were to ever even consider buying a used Honda or Acura again, I would make sure one with over 60 k had a timing belt replacement. There are so many high mileage Honda vehicles these days where that has been neglected.
We have an Acura in the family and that was the first thing I inquired about.
Not planning on buying anything soon, because these prices are ridiculous.
Very worthy advises.
@@rasheemthebestfirstone3274he meant that a pre purchase inspection is the cheapest insurance there is as you can save thousands just looking through the car or pay a relatively small fee for a third party mechanic.
I have had good luck buying my last two cars. Part of the reason they have turned out to be good cars has been because they were sporty cars owned by car enthusiasts that took good care of them. One of them being a 95 Acura Integra that now has 270k miles.
AMD, When you sit down behind the black work bench with the shop lights dimmed, we know we are in trouble. 😬
One point (among MANY good points) he brought out is when people are contemplating a repair that exceeds the value of the car and saying, "It isn't worth it." Several years ago, I crashed my car into a deer. I called up my insurance company and they said the cost of the damage was greater that the value of the car so, they would total it and pay me my money. (The value of the car was $900.00 the cost to repair it was $,1,600.00.) Now, the car was very well maintained and in good condition (even with 400,000 miles) Now, could I have replaced that car for $1,600.00? Not likely. Was it "worth" repairing? Depends. In my case, I knew what I had. The car didn't use much oil and was meticulously maintained and I would have let a perfectly good car go to waste. In some cases maybe not. Just because the cost of repair exceeds the value of the car doesn't mean it isn't worth it. A person has to evaluate that.
the same thing happened to my son and his 97 grand prix. I told him to keep it as I had just spent $4500 to drop in a rebuilt 3.8 engine
I had the same thing happen with with my 95 Acura Integra that I had kept meticulous care of. I kept the car anyways, taking a slightly less for the payout of $1,500 that the insurance company was going to give me. With that I ordered the body parts needed to fix it and had a guy I know that does body work on the side fix it for that same amount. I still have that car to this day and don't regret it.
Another good option for these types of cases is to find the same car with a good body that has a blown engine for cheap. Then swapping over your good drivetrain and anything else that is better from your old car.
My trusted mechanic had the same talk with me about my 2001 manual transmission camry. The last couple times I had brought it to him for repair (evap check engine code, leaking brake lines)
He looked at the rusting body and frame, took a deep breath and I knew this same talk was coming.
I have a '07 camry with the manual transmission as well and fighting tooth and nail to keep it going as long as possible currently have had over 7 years now and that rust is not going anywhere eather
@@efil4kizum after those two repairs another check engine light was on again turned out to be a cat failure. Good thing it was under warranty from previous replacement.
I wasn't going to press my luck anymore and sold it as is.
Move to AZ, no rust here. However, you get faded paint and exploding tires 🛞, especially in the low desert in the summer.
Battery replacement is common too.
I love all my cars with sticks.
My 1998 Nissan Sentra manual has no rust....the cure is moving to the south, like Georgia or Alabama.
Great discussion. When you have an older car and you understand vehicles and their potential failures, you spend on preventative maintenance. When you commit to older vehicles, you are also committed to maintaining them. Sure it costs a lot, but you will know you have a travel worthy and safe vehicle. Last thing I want is to have a bricked vehicle because I didn’t maintain it. Too many people don’t understand the concept of It’s your horse and your ride and it’s your responsibility to take care of that horse.
Yeah most people are assholes they think they got a Toyota or there's no need it's maintenance-free or they buy a prius and don't believe it has a motor in it needs oil change they'll all the motor burned oil like a dog and it's all sludge up the world is stupid and it's getting stupider by the minute screw the public their own problem
I had to buy a car 18 months ago. What stunned me was the price of cars in the class we wanted that were 6 or 7 years old. My feeling was to go for a very much older car instead. So I found a 16 year old one with a big but fixable dent in the back that has no rust that required some simple fixes that I could handle. 22000 miles later I have no regrets at all. And now it's tidied up it's worth over double what I paid...
What brand?
Not for long
AMD we really appreciate your honesty, knowledge and thoroughness and how you share your knowledge and experience with us all. You perform massive service for mankind. You are a a super mentor for anyone who wants to peruse an automotive or technical career. Great work!
I found a dealership maintained Lexus ES 350 with 148 k miles. Immaculately maintained with 4,000 mile engine oil services and lexus recommended services performed. Only one problem- the lexus dealership never recommended the transmission fluid be changed since Lexus argues it is lifetime fluid. So sad the dealership never recommended to the owner to change transmission fluid every 60 k miles or 6 years like you recommend. So I did not buy the car. Was that the correct decision?
@@dontrend5956 BMW X3 Sport 3.0 Petrol, fully loaded.
It doesn't matter if it's worth double now until you actually sell it. And if you do sell it with double the price you paid it for, you are part of the problem.
I literally almost bought a Lexus from a dealer in a different state without even seeing it in person. What you just said about how horrible it is when doing post purchase inspection made me feel so relieved. I’ve just been so frustrated with this market of used cars, but no matter how frustrated I get I’m glad I backed out of the purchase last minute
This is why I'm not willing to spend more than 4,000 on a used car. At that price it'd be cost effective for me to fix whatever surprised repair that comes up. And worse comes to worst, $4,000 is not that much money for me to lose
A lot of people don’t know how to check out a used car before purchasing. I have never paid a mechanic for a pre purchase inspection before but I know what to look for. You get down on your back and check the entire underneath of the car surface rust is ok but rotted walk away if you’re allowed to jack the car up at all 4 wheels and check for play in any of the wheels. Check the struts to make sure they’re not leaking and push down on the car on all four corners to see if it bounces like crazy or goes down then up and stops. Check under the hood make sure you don’t see any visual leaks I personally hate when people detail used car engines because they are hiding a leak usually. Check the oil make sure it’s full and transmission fluid also and make sure it’s not burnt in color. You can rent a scanner from auto zone to check for codes on cars but check that after the test drive in case they cleared them. On the test drive do a smooth acceleration make sure it shifts through all gears smoothly and downshifts smoothly. Then I floor it and check the transmission that way i test drove one car that shifted like butter on soft acceleration but it slipped on hard acceleration. Check the brakes first to a normal stop then make sure no one is behind you then do a hard braking test. If the salesman gets mad at you for any of it I wouldn’t buy the car from them and go elsewhere. And finally always negotiate the price and do your research on the car extensively before buying it, make sure you know all the common problems for the make and model. As he said the interior and exterior look mean nothing to how the car is underneath. Scratches and tears add character. And engine or transmission or shot suspension add someone else’s repair bill they had to your wallet.
Your average toyota buyer/owner isn't mechanically inclined to know automotive basics
Excellent
@@burntnougat5341 your average buyer of any make doesn’t have that knowledge.
@@kftc1980 true
+ 1 for me. From another auto mechanic wise words from AMD. I spent a lifetime fixing cars and trucks. Since I retired from the trade I am stunned at the amount of incompetence and pure greed I see now on a daily basis in the trade especially in the used car market. It was always bad but now it's beyond atrocious. It really saddens me the way things have deteriorated where it has gotten to point that auto mechanics are considered crooks until proven otherwise. I've had to back away and just steer family and friends along in the right direction.
You can say the same about RV sales, new and used.
I buy used from old people that take care of them and service them
Many of them are crooks. I’ve witnessed it numerous times personally. Good thing I know quite a bit more than the average person about my cars.
I'm also retired 2002 and see the junk out there. Wait until all there is are 7 yr old EV. How do you trust the batteries. I really feel for people trying to make it today.
This video is funny cause barring any significant life changes, I plan to drive my 2012 4Runner until the wheels fall off or it just dies. But it’s a truck I bought new 11 years ago, I go above and beyond doing preventative maintenance, keep the frame clean, and only hit 100k miles last year. I don’t even drive everyday. Dealers keep asking me to sell it to them. Any car could potentially break down for sure, but if you keep up (or even do extra) maintenance on a Toyota/Lexus, it’ll last way way way longer than any other brand car on the road comparatively. Love my 4Runner!!
@GoodTimeJoey - you sound like me. I purchased my 5.7 L V8 2008 Toyota Tundra brand new in September 2008. I have every service record in a binder. I am so fanatical about the upkeep on my truck. Granted it’s 16 years old, but it’s only got 134,284 miles, most of those have been driven on US Highways. Like you, I don’t drive my truck every day. I only use Amsoil oil and filters as well as Amsoil gear oils. I change my synthetic oil every 8500 miles, which is once a year for me. I too plan to keep my truck till the wheels fall off. I love my Tundra. Glad your 4 Runner has been good to ya!
I have a 12 year old car (5/11 build date) with 149,600 miles, and it is perfect. It is a 2012 Ford Focus with MANUAL transmission, so no transmission woes, and the ORIGINAL CLUTCH. I cannot believe how long this clutch is lasting. I DO plan to keep this car until I die. Everything is sound. However, I am watching the K-frame because it is the least protected component of the underbody, and I live in the Rust Belt. The car still runs like new. Transmission is perfect. When the engine goes it will still be cheaper to replace with a new one than buying a $35,000 car to replace it. I've done all the maintenance on it and I've kept it up because I wanted this car to last, and it has. You are 100% CORRECT in your advice for someone looking to keep an old car that has lots of problems. I used to have those cars and got tired of working on them all the time. That's why I bought this one in 2014 with only 16,000 miles on it. Because it was a manual it was CHEAP. I saved $8,400 off of sticker, with what is a year's driving in miles for me on it. I can't get that kind of deal on A-plan.
I've owned my '65 Chevy Corvair for 39 years. My '14 Accord with a manual transmission has 213,000 miles. Everything works as new. A sun visor, brakes and two light bulbs has been the only unscheduled repairs. Now I put 10,000 miles a year. Underneath has minimal surface rust. I'm thinking ten more years.
Maybe 10 to 20 yes but closer to twenty because I used to own an '04 Accord and they are very reliable!I would like to get a Camry or Corrola hybrid but the Accord hybrid is a
better value because it's cheaper than the Toyota but may not be as reliable as the Camry Hybrid.
I expect you don’t drive the corvair in winter. No reason it shouldn’t outlast us.
@@craigiefconcert6493 The one caveat of classic cars is they had zero, and I mean zero, rust protection. I live in the rust belt and as a kid I vividly remember all the 60's and 70's cars (not classics then, just older cars) completely disintegrating. Cars still rust, but not nearly as bad as those ones. I had a '78 F-100 with a straight six that would have run forever had I lived anywhere but here.
Hey Dan, my buddy has a '66 Corvair that was completely rebuilt in PA before he bought it about 15 or 20 years ago. They have actually redesigned some of the parts go give better handling than the originals had. Hang on to your 'Vair; they are kick-ass cars! --Old Guy
My neighbor has a model A. He and his friends go on drives from California to Texas and back. I’ve also seen plenty of sharp cars from the 50s and 60s on the road on the weekends around here. You CAN keep a car forever, but you are going to have to do a lot of work.
I was a used car manager and auction buyer for over 25 years and the advice this mechanic just gave you is on the money 💰 and is some of the best advice i have heard from anyone regarding buying a used vehicle!
You should take notes and bring those notes with you when you go used car shopping.
I would personally recommend a good quality vehicle history report in addition to the above mentioned items.
Hello goods Sir, should I do anything other than general inspection and test drive if a car is checked every year and has about 10/12K KMs a year. I’m looking to buy a secondhand RAV4 2021 in Europe.
@@DUCOS1795 yes, spend time researching online for common problems with the make/model/year and have those looked at specifically.
You described my situation perfectly. I would like to upgrade my car to a lower mileage, newer used car. But I am not paying inflated prices that are thousands over their true market value. I'll just maintain my perfectly drivable current car. It's like, I want to spend my money, but dealers are still jacking up the used cars beyond reason. It will probably be cheaper for me just to do repairs on the old one as they come up, especially since it's paid off.
wow know youre thinking. im so proud of you. are you really a female? wow a girl that thinks like you do? thats amazing
Or buy new
@@zacharypeery4082 unfortunately the car I want is no longer in production
@@labornurse My friend bought a car last year, his car loan went from 608 to 682 per month, if you can, save your money and dont take a loan.
I’m in the same boat. I bought my 2008 Pontiac G8 new and I know that the timing chains will need to be changed soon. It’s expensive but my car still looks new. I’ve taken care of it and to me I’d do the timing chain repairs because it’s a fraction of the cost of a new or a newer used car.
I wish there were people like you, in the motor trade, in the UK. May you continue to prosper with your business. Your customers are lucky to have you.
There's plenty of decent, honest mechanics in the UK.
There are a fair few scumbags too, but it's not hard to find a decent mechanic.
A car is a big purchase for a lot of people so it’s hard to put your feelings aside sometimes. Sometimes you gotta let that older vehicle go. Also be very wary of any dealership that does not allow you to do a pre-purchase inspection with your own mechanic.
Amen! Not allowing a pre-purchase inspection is an instant red flag. The sad truth is, it is a seller’s market, so people are taking chances. As Ahmed said in the video, he’s seen many horror stories.
A repair is always cheaper than a new vehicle unless you're going so cheap it's a beater that repeats the cycle.
@@MyerShift7
Not if the car's been flooded or if it has rolled over.... I'm not saying... I'm just saying....
Always bring a friend to help talk sense into you when you run into a master salesperson
Dealers have no reason to allow that now as used cars will sell irregardless. You'll be waiting forever if you demand that...
Pre purchase inspection is the best money i have ever spent in buying a used car. I even use them on Certified Lexuses because i have started seeing reviews from Lexus buyers who bought CPO cars and found later that the car had undisclosed problems the dealer had not fixed or divulged. Even high end luxury car dealers lie, cheat and steal these days.
A good rule of thumb I keep is that dealers always lie about everything. Hasn't led me wrong yet. Many years ago helped a friend out who's air conditioning had quit on their "certified" honda civic. While tracing a wire running across the wrong of the car we discovered major undisclosed crash damage on the front end of the car. The body shop that worked on it didn't replace the structure of the car but instead pulled/hammered it out to just good enough to have the replacement quarter panel, crash bar, bumper cover, grill, etc. line up. (The wire had been pinched in the accident and corroded through after several years.)
This car market is so complex, with parts shortages still keeping inventory at many dealers low. Of course, that forces most people to keep vehicles longer than they typically would. Inflation is also having an effect on people being able to afford basic services, let alone a new or used vehicle.
Yes the parking hand brake lines are messed up and the parts won't come in for months. I don't know who to believe any more
There are tons of used cars out there today that more than likely have been neglected.
You’re not lying. I had a beautiful 2 owner (I was the 2nd owner) of a 2003 Toyota Highlander that I purchased 5 years ago with 85k miles on it. I drove it, & worked in it for 5 years without any issues. Unfortunately I needed a truck so I decided to sell it. It looked just as good as the day it came off the Toyota lot, had 121k miles on it (non-interference engine) and I ended up selling it for $1,000 more than what I paid for it. I could have asked more, simply because I had so many people messaging me (over 100) wanting to look/buy the car. The only thing I did to it was change out the headlights, do a 1 step paint correction, put new tires on it, change the oil every 4k-5k miles with full synthetic oil & change the oil tired middle rim caps & that was it. So if you have a gem that you’re getting ready to sell, don’t pay attention to KBB because there isn’t much out there (as far as quality used cars) and let the buyers haggle you down. You will still get way above what KBB says your vehicle is worth.
Ended up buying a 2023 Tacoma TRD 4x4 Off Road & love it so far. If it wasn’t for my 2021 Rav4 I would feel like I was driving a spaceship going from the technology in my 2003 to the 2023 😂
One last thing I will say is, it’s hard to get a seller to agree to a PPI when 30 other people are behind you telling the seller they want to buy it right away. Even if it is a very nice car, the seller is going to go with what’s less hassle for them to sell it. Unfortunately things aren’t like they were 5+ years ago. Now if it’s a pos that nobody wants to buy, sure get that PPI but if it’s a gem that goes up, like my 2003 Highlander, that thing will be sold within a day.
Just helped a friend who recently got into an accident with his old Tundra, decent amount of front end damage, after hearing him say he may need another vehicle. The bend in the frame is outside of the wheelbase though, so it can still drive straight. Went to actually look at the damage, saw it looked worse than it was, helped him pull out all the broken stuff, he ended up spending about 200 on necessary parts (radiator, fan, fluids, etc.) and has his vehicle back on the road now. No AC yet but he isn't SOL until he can scrape enough together for another vehicle. His truck isn't rusted, the engine and trans are still going strong at 220K, so in theory, the truck should last him a while longer, so long as he doesn't keep wrecking it lmao.
There's a TH-cam video of a body shop straightening a Ford F-150 frame. Pretty amazing stuff actually. Save thousands of dollars if the rest of the truck is in good shape.
U mean until he dies of a heat stroke in the coming summers 😂
Still driving my 96 4Runner. I do all the repairs so it is worth keeping forever. However I’ve been wanting to replace it with a new one, can’t due to prices
great to hear that
DON'T mid age Yotas are much better/ easier to work on for their lack off computers and electronics controlling everything. My 02 TRD tacoma is at 380k miles and still going strong. Other than tune up items the only electronics that had any issue was the alternator (had the OEM denso rebuilt) and an IAC sensor repalced with OEM) I also do my own wrenching. My 2008 Ford van on the other hand is a nightmare and falling apart at 200k miles.
Maybe get the seats reupholstered. That foam inside degrades after so many years.
This is such a helpful video. Last year my impala finally died when the transmission went out so I needed a car fast. Even though this was that case, I took my time and spent 2 weeks looking at cars. I was going to 3-4 dealerships a day. Everything I found was junk and overpriced. I finally found a nice 2004 Lexus rx with 117k with no rust on it, one owner, it has been an amazing car. I did overpay admittedly but I made sure I didn’t settle!
Well I'm sure you got ripped off cuz those cars don't go for that much and you overpaid for it so it just you just rip yourself off and you went to the car dealer if you like it and you love it live with it
That generation RX is very strong. My ‘05 is approaching 200k (bought used with 132k) and I love it.
Excellent. I would also add to avoid 4WD and AWD in your purchase unless you really need it, it's adds complexity and therefore expense.
I buy full-time AWD for better traction and improved safety. It is worth the 5%-20% extra maintenance expense on the additional complexity in the transmission/drivetrain. In the last year it has helped me to avoid one accident which would have cost me 20-50 times more the outcome with 2WD.
IMO, the worst expense with AWD would be from a tyre blowout which means having to replace four tires at a time instead of two at a time in FWD/RWD. But I haven’t had to do that yet. In the meantime I have four tyres that wear almost perfectly evenly.
You don't need it unless the climate dictates and it's uncommon to get into an accident unless you're doing mega miles but hey, may as well roll in a tank
@@markhamer5112 And how much more in fuel consumption for a 4wd? The prices at the pumps are crazy no matter where you live(in the civilised world that is).
It's worth it to have awd/4wd, the safety and handling makes it top tier and that one time you need it you'll appreciate it
@@YungSteambunstires are way more important than AWD.
I wish more mechanics were as honest and competent as you.
One of the lessons I learned from owning four motorcycles is the importance of fixing things when they break. If you let problems slide, pretty soon you have a yard covered with bikes that don't run. I have two old Caddies (1988 Sedan de Ville w/ 98k miles -- mom's old car; and my lovely 2008 DTS) and they are in excellent repair. My new one is in the shop as it was hit from behind, and the old one, Big Red, is my reliable daily driver. --Old Guy
Thank you for your honest opinions. One thing though, you mention people coming in with older cars that need a huge amount of work. They have deferred maintenance rather than having a reasonable amount of work done as it is needed annually. We had a 1997 Camry which had 60k on it when we bought it in 2004. We knew that every year or two we might have to put $1-2,000 into it. We knew we couldn't buy another car for that money, we owed nothing on the car, the car was always safe and dependable, and everything worked on the car. LESSON: It's easier to handle things in this manner rather than defer maintenance and have problems stack up so they seem insurmountable. The biggest learning experience was not having the transmission fluid changed and having to have the trans rebuilt at 150,000 miles for $2,500. Will never make that mistake again! We sold the car in about 2018 with 210,000 miles on it and got $2,500 for it. Everything still worked including the A/C that had never been worked on.
My first car was a Gremlin. Out of curiosity, I asked my mechanic how much it was worth. He gave me two answers: "The current market value is around $800. As a transportation value, it's priceless."
Just seen a gremlin at a lot that wanted 13000
@@tooclose9465 My aunt drove a Gremlin in college.
My 2001 Toyota sienna with 240,000 miles and dings everywhere is worth very little in the blue book. But it gets me everywhere I want to go with minimal maintenance.
Gremlins, one of the best cars ever made for the money. AMC never could make enough of them to keep up with the demand. My father who owned a AMC dealership
said he probably could have sold one every day but was only allotted 2 a month.
@@paulcoenen7918 A lot better car than Pinto or Vega of that era!
So I have a 1997 Camry. Love it! Has 350,000 miles on a 4 cylinder engine. Always did the maintenance on it myself. Things I couldn't do I would take to my mechanic. The shop is great. I went in with a list of everything I wanted done and they came back and said not to fix it. That it is used up! By watching this video I was able to say OK without regrets. Have a 2002 Sienna that we have had for 17 years. Only 200,000 on this one.
I'm finishing a 1940 Chevrolet like I had as a kid. Made a lot of safety upgrades and will use that for short hops around town.
My wife's car is a 2015 Sienna. She loves it.
Can't thank you enough. Keep it up.
Excellent advice. In most states of Australia it is illegal to sell a registered vehicle without an official roadworthy/safety certificate issued by an accredited mechanic, this is good insurance for used car buyers
In Victoria you can sell without a roadie and/or registration, it is then up to the purchaser to make the car roadworthy. There are dealers who sell such cars and also auctions do that.
@@jayjaynella4539 Well I did say REGISTERED vehicle, you can buy cars "As Is" in any state if you want to take that risk
You my friend are one of the best YT mechanics I’ve seen. As a car aficionado I find your perspectives spot on. I’m 50+, have gone through mechanics school but never pursued it as a career, and I’m learning new things from you. Great job.
My 2005 Matrix still runs great and doesnt look dated so I think I will keep it for another 20 yrs..
Scotty Kilmer?
My co-worker bought his 2005 Altima brand new. He ran it to 335,000 without sticking any money into it. Then all the check engine lights came on and he did not think it was worth paying the dealer to hook up the code reader, so he pulled it to the junk yard and got $200.
I’ve a Camry se 2010 …it’s seem like bough it yesterday sounds perfect smooth nice and sporty car
Just spent 3 months looking for a used car. The market is nuts! Some previously unpopular cars would sell within 2 hours. There would be an immediate line of people wanting to buy it right away. First come first served. You want to bring the money later tonight? Sold to the next person in an hour. That made it impossible to schedule an inspection or get a loan. Had to rely on my own knowledge when it came to assessing condition of each vehicle. I talked to about 50 people, went and saw a dozen cars. I was looking for the best value/ condition/ service records/ history somewhere between $3k and $15k. I have a Corvette and a motorcycle I drive during warmer months but suddenly needed to get a new daily/winter car. Ended up getting a 09 Cadillac CTS 3.6di in the highest trim. 52k miles. $10k. One owner - older doctor who bought it new and maintained it at the same dealership. These can be notoriously unreliable but this one was the best example I've seen. Everyone told me - Get a lexus! They run forever! Ok. A comparable lexus for the same $$ would have 3x-4x the milage. The question was - what would cost less to own? a. Low milage but notoriously unreliable car or b. High milage (180k-220k) but notoriously reliable car such as a lexus or Toyota. Ultimately, I chose option a and budgeted for maintenance. It's a coin toss, so I guess time will tell. It's a tough market and you should really do your research on each make/model and the specific vehicle you are considering. Do a pre-purchase inspection. BlueStar Inspections is a country wide chain. $129 for an inspection. Money well spent. In my case the seller refused because of being "too busy" for things like that . In this market sellers can. It's Your problem. Oh, you want to meet at your bank to get a loan? They'll just sell to the next person by the end of the same day. It never used to be like that and I hope this is temporary. Do your homework on each vehicle and Good Luck out there!
I just went through the same. Every decent used car at the big dealers are now quite expensive. Looked at 2010-2012 Rav4 and Venza's around the same years. Only found two vehicles in 2 months of searching that looked like an ok deal. A 2010 V6 awd Venza with something like 120k miles for $12k. Opened the hood and had the dreaded battery terminal corrosion. Battery acid green crust and rust on EVERYTHING on that side of the engine bay. Closed the hood and walked away. A bummer because that car was immaculate otherwise. A 2012 Rav4 sport v6 awd with 90k miles for $10k. Interior covered in pet hair. Exterior covered in scratches and dings. But every fluid was immaculate and everything worked. Then I looked under the rear bumper cover and the crash bar was rotted through. Florida car and I figured it must have been exposed to salt water. Probably explains why it had a brand new looking tow hitch. The rest of the vehicle was fairly solid though which was odd. Walked away from the unknown history. Last thing I need is to chase salt water electrical issues.
Like you I think paying more for a car with double the miles is foolish and I wound up buying a model known to be not the most reliable. WJ Grand Cherokee Overland with 98k miles. One owner with clean fluids, clean interior, no battery corrosion, and it was half the price of either of the only two Toyotas I found at a decent price. I'll take it! After putting in some elbow grease doing some small repairs (window regulator, speakers, control arms) it will make for a rather nice winter beater. Our other two cars stay in the garage to retain their value while the roads have salt on them. I could replace the engine tomorrow (the unreliable part of these Jeeps) and still wind up spending less money then just the purchase price of any decent late model Toyota or Lexus.
YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER! I am addicted to your videos on YT. This 20 mins video can save so many here a bundle of money and aggravations. It is getting so hard to trust anybody, these days. Its a wild west, this industry. I am 100% scared buying my next used car. So, whatever the cost will be for independent inspection by a large, well known garage/dealer, before buying, it shell be. And, a report is a must too. Thank you for this, boss.
Just remember the STEALERSHIP is NOT your friend. Not just the sales person, finance person, etc. Even the service advisor at most dealerships are on commission. They are trained to sell you on a service(s) than you don't need, the more services that they write up for your vehicle, the more money they make. Kinda like a CONFLICT of interest. 🤔
They are in business to sell you a car and to sell you parts and services.
There’s no conflict of interest.
We purchsed a 2005 camery at a yard sale last year we needed anouther car and we fell into the deal and so far so good it uses a little oil and it is a 2.4 and is great on gas. No rust and has over 300.000 miles to date. 😊
I bought a 2017 with 18,000 miles in August 2020 - before pricing went crazy. It was an odd buying experience during covid, but I'm so glad I did right before shortages started. Later, I got offers for more than I paid for it. Now, I drive ever so careful - I don't want anyone to hit me, I park way out in parking lots, and I lock it up tight at night I don't want to lose a catalytic converter. Hoping to get a few years until this crazy market settles - if it ever does.
Parking "way out in parking lots " is an open invite to get your converter stolen- it takes 40 seconds to cut one out- park closer to everyone not out on left field.
I don't think the market is ever going to change. Car dealers are making ridiculous amounts of cash and dummies are still lining up to pay it, truck and SUVs especially. Why would they ever want to go back?
@@karlhungus545 I think you are right. Although it's odd I've been hearing that Ford wants to do away with its dealers, and I'm getting ads all the time to go "Ford shopping" online. Perhaps this is the new future - you'll have to order a new car online. Hopefully a new repair station model will come out of this.
What's worse is KBB still hasn't caught up with reality. I was trying to finance a used car, credit union said it was 2k over blue book so they couldn't, I asked them to find me the same car selling for bluebook, anywhere, and I would happily buy that instead. They just gave me a blank look.
I'm 72, looking to buy a newer used car, I'm driving a 2002 subaru outback with 230K. I sure wish I was somewhere near you! Love your videos!
Sage advice during a time when new and used cars are ridiculously over priced. I have a 2009 Camry similar to one you showed us about a month ago which was assembled in Kentucky and sold new by Toyota 2008 through 2014 with defective piston rings so now with 140k miles on it, I have to put a quart of oil in it every time I fill it with gas. I've been talking with several mechanics and this appears to be a common problem for those Camrys made in those years and a few other years (1990, 2003/4). I have had my Camry serviced every 5k miles since I bought it new so everything is great, but it needs a rebuild (which is about $8k more than the car is worth). Toyota had to be aware of this problem when they were selling them since it was so common but that is a rant i won't get into for now. With prices and availability what they are, I have decided to hang onto it till things stabilize in about a year. Your videos have been a real help in making decisions like this. You provide a wonderful service for folks. Thank you and all the best to you!
Sea coast, agreed! I’ve heard that engine is reliable outside the oil burning. Just keep maintaining it well. You could try Seafoam or Amsoil engine flush to unstuck piston rings, but because that engine likely has manufacturing defect, the oil consumption problem may not be fixed with that.
The host of this video has a channel where he replaced the entire short-block, and he defines what a short block is in that video, I'm pretty sure it was within the last 2 years, and the total bill was only about $6,500. I'm not clear where you're getting your eight-grand from-unless you're going to someone other than the guy in this video.
@@michaeldunagan8268 Actually I found the video he made about a Camry similar to mine but with about 300k miles where he replaced the short block and it was better than both of us had thought. Here is a link: th-cam.com/video/ug--U5FkTTo/w-d-xo.html He discusses the price at 26:00 and it was only $5k including parts and labor. In the video he also said parts are readily available too. That is a very good price. I talked with my mechanic recently and he said it would be about $5k for the parts and $3k for labor, but I live near San Francisco where everything is much more expensive than other places. I will try to make this car last till the market stabilizes in a year or so and then I will go for a new car. I also retired recently so I am ready for a different kind of car perhaps an SUV which I can use to spend more time in the out of doors. Apart from the defective piston rings the Camry has been a good car, but I am ready to move on maybe to a Rav4 or a midsized SUV.
Sold my 2006 4 cylinder Camry last year with 326,000 miles. Used oil like yours. Ran great! I would just keep adding oil.
@@jz3532 Amazing! Thanks JZ!
AMD your 100% right! I like your statement…..better to overpay for a used car that a mechanic has checked out and is in great shape then overpay for a car that’s in terrible shape! The worst thing you can do is buy a money pit! If the seller won’t let you take it to your mechanic or you pay the seller to drive it to your mechanic , then they are likely hiding something about the car ……just run away it’s not worth it! AMD is right, take your time ,get it checked out with your mechanic ,and you will be happy.
As a european, this been pretty much the norm here for decades.
maintained cars are hard to find or extremely expensive, while even bad cars are still pricey as hell.
combine this with insane gas prices and expensive car parts+labor and you get yourself a huge financial hit even on a tiny economy box.
just for reference, something like a new mid trim corolla will set you back roughly 1,5-2 times of ones average yearly net income.
You must live somewhere like Bulgaria. My fiancé's family lives in Sweden and that same Corolla would be like half of one of her family members' yearly income...and they make a normal salary.
Good solid advice here. Please heed it. And when you buy your used car, irrespective of how long you intend to keep it, treat it as if you intend to keep it for ever. Keep it services and above all else, change the oil and filter
Agreed 100% with what you said, I really wanted to upgrade to a 2013 4runner or the new Honda pilot trail sport but the prices are ridiculous!
Another reason why I don’t think I will get into another car anytime soon is my 2007 Honda pilot, it has been super reliable I drive it everywhere across the north east.
I do my own maintenance with high quality fluids, and only use OEM parts for the timing belt job it runs great currently at 154k miles, no leaks and 0 issues.
A month ago I bought a 2021 Venza with 6100 miles. First Toyota I have ever purchased. So far I love it. I am hoping it will last me several problem free years.
Good choice. What trim? How much did you pay for it? Did you buy it from a dealership? Did you have a pre-purchase inspection? Thanks!
Good advice. My son bought a used Audi TTI convertible and to say it has been a money pit, it’s an understatement. Trouble with the convertible top, trouble with dash and now rough running even after replacing plugs, coils. He removed coils and they were covered with oil. He’s now taking it to a friend who has a auto repair shop. I told him to fix it and get rid of it.
To be fair it's an audi
German. Expected
@@rowsdower12 yep that’s what I told my son. Stay away from German cars
European cars are all money pits, English being the worse.
@@HotRod-wv4vm there are reliable german cars and engines, you just need to know
When knowledge, common sense and honesty combined life's brighter. Thanks Ahmed.
I appreciate this channel to make wise car decisions with the intention to save money for me and my family.
I love cars and in the past I've owned BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, and Honda. Many years later and married with four grown children I bought my first Toyota in 2011and my all-time favorite is a '13 Camry 2GR-FE sleeper :)
Today this is our current family car line up:
'10 Corolla S,
'11 Camry SE 4cyl,
'12 Camry SE 4cyl,
'12 RAV4 4cyl,
'13 Camry SE 6cyl,
'18 Highlander SE FKS.
I restored a 72 GMC pickup, and yes there comes a point where the car has to be completely restored. I spent about 45k restoring and modifying it and this was me doing the work, most cars are not worth this kind of effort and money. Also if the frame is so rusty that it can’t be lifted you shouldn’t be driving it, that creates a hazard for you and other people on the road.
My wife’s car an Altima would have been a write off due to repair costs if I didn’t fix it myself 😮Body is still very good but mileage has worn a lot and I’ve replaced a lot. She has little into it compared to what it could have been 😊
I've wanted to start doing my own preventative maintenance but the cost of a car is so high that I'm scared off by the risk of messing up. I've had spark plugs sitting on the shelf for 6 months now
I used to have Nissan, it was a first and at the same time the last Nissan in my life. What a piece of junk!!!!!!!!!
This is great advice. I made allot of the mistakes recently. Was holding on to my relatively low mileage 17 year old xterra. Basically sold it for scrap. If I had gotten rid of it sooner I could have made a small fortune with this market. Ended up buying a new Toyota!
Thank you for your advice about keeping an old car. I do find myself in that dilemma regarding a 30-year old pickup truck that I seem unable to let go. Keep up the good work.
This is some very good advice. I can share my experience. In my case, I'm from a place that doesn't experience snowfall, therefore, the last thing on my mind was rusting underneath the vehicle I was purchasing. I checked everything. When the car was delivered, the car drove like a dream. So about 2 weeks later I finally got some time to take it in for servicing. When the car was raised, I was shocked at the rust under there!!!!!
My saving grace was that the frame of the car was not damaged, but I had to replace my rear subframe, and my right control arm. The front subframe had some rust, but it wasn't horrible, so I had it treated, and I'll keep an eye on it to see if the front subframe deteriorates any further. IF it does, then I'll replace it.
so be vigilant and inspect your car, especially if you're buying from a place that has snow and salts on the roads
I just love this channel. Care Care Nut is simply the best for me. I learned a lot and as a diy dad, this is my got to channel in fixing my cars and getting more insights. Thank you, brother. Indeed, may the Lord bless you and keep you to be a continuing blessing to others.
I bought a 15 year old Honda Civic Type R 3 months ago, 69500 km on the clock, drives like new, gonna keep it for some time.
I got very lucky, I bought a 2018 tundra in 2020. It had 7,000 miles on. I paid 27,000. Within a year the prices went insane. I owe 14,000 now. I think I will keep it😊. Great video as always.
Ahmed your videos are a treasure to the community that you have built. I wish there were more people like you. You not only have passion for what you do but also show great care for the work and people that you interact with. Thank you! I guess my next on my list is to buy a Toyota and move to Chicago.
You don't need more people like him people need to smarten up and get their head out of their ass and that's it anybody you need to watch as one pack I don't need to watch her this s*** I know everything there is about part I wish all my problems with that simple call would take me is about one month and I can find the perfect car but I want $44,000 okay and I'll be practically nothing wrong with it maybe the rest I pay $800 for a car there's nothing mechanically wrong with has no rush to paint job sucks okay and it's a Nissan and old Nissan Sentra 498 okay that's the way people leave in the morning it will last another 30 years if you don't Smack It Up people are stupid everybody does dumb moron you got your mind daughter something else even if you learn you watch these videos you're still not going to learn anything because you're too stupid or no knowledge no mechanical skills that's why they're scammers and this people with money okay and people always get screwed because this is America the land of the free and the land of the scam artist and somebody's always going to go to get screwed even I got screwed five months ago I bought a car Brooklyn 20,000 miles Toyota Corolla for $10,000 tomorrow's was tampered with the Carfax was phony okay and it was all the Ripple so what I did is sold the next day for 9,500 and lost 500 plus another 500 and towing with better to get rid of it the way I got suckered with it
Car Nut thanks for the honest opinion. Everything you said is right on the money. Keep up the great work. Love your channel!
Thank you for your honesty. I am very impressed with you as a mechanic and as a person. God Bless You. John in Ohio
You are the best on utube.. My son brought his 98 Corolla..I told you I was getting a Toyota..just got a 2015 Rav 4 with 42,000 miles.. love it and I will be in touch.. thanks AMD
This is a tough issue. I have to buy a car in 2 - 3 months. Every time I buy a vehicle, I research cars that I’d like to purchase. However, getting a car in certain rural areas is difficult when it comes to a used car inspection. Now, in a different area, I’m going to get an inspection. Things are crazy now. Thanks for the video
I love this video. I have an automotive shop that my dad started in 1959. I have been doing this for 42 years and I love it. I love what you are talking about. I have this conversation quite frequently with my customers and just the same manner. I'm going to refer them to your video might save me some time and just like talking to your children if it comes from somebody else maybe they will listen. Love that man keep up the good work.
I just put 4 new Michelins on my 2011 Camry. It has 320k miles on it and still runs like new. It has never missed an oil change. I will only get a new car when I have to!
thankfully I don't live in the rust belt!
This is great advice and I like the comment about finding a good honest mechanic! I bought a car several years ago and took two mechanics to look at it. They both gave it the thumbs up! It was the worst car I ever had. They must have been rubbing there hands in glee thinking of the money they could make working on it every week which they had to. Eventually the wheels did come off and that was the end. Scrap value! You really do have to find an honest mechanic!!
Living in California my whole life.... The idea of rust is completely foreign to me. Having people buy cars without having a mechanic looking at it first is dangerous especially when you also need to factor in the possibility of rust. I can't even imagine. I never have to look for rust when I'm looking at buying a car.
A friend thought that there are no worries about rust in Texas didn't bother to look under before purchasing s10 blazer.he failed to realize that some rust belt vehicles leave the rust belt.bad news first look under it.
I own a 3rd gen 4Runner, an 3rd gen Subaru Outback and a '19 Honda Passport. I learned to work on all my cars and do all their regular inspection, minor and major maintenance on them and replace and service components myself.
@@efil4kizum I have done a lot of services myself, except the Timing Belt. Everything from lower ball joints, new radiator/hoses, front/rear brakes, inner tie rod, brake booster, oil changes, etc. I will soon replace the spark plugs and the valve cover gaskets. Maintenance is key. Very easy car to work on. If you have sone tools and are mechanically inclined you can save ALOT of money. I follow Timmy the tool man for all the DIY jobs, best channel in TH-cam for T4Rs.
@@efil4kizum I got 137K miles on my '00 4R, bought it when it had 120K. Long ways to go hopefully. I need to service a few suspension components. If you have the space and some tools, you can tackle many of these jobs yourself. I hate now paying for jobs I know I can do myself, I always follow the service manual and all torque specs. One thing I'd recommend, always try to get OEM parts as replacements. Best R&D. Plus if you buy online from Toyota, you can save up to 20% on OEM parts.
@@efil4kizum Awesome!
I see a new business for you in collaboration with a car dealer. If the Car Care Nut inspected the car and deems it solid, then the only left to do is negotiate the price with peace of mind! Great video, keep them coming please.
Great idea, Car Care Nut approved stickers in the making.
My husband and I welcome your wealth of knowledge and experience, especially for us who don't know anything about cars. But, we do keep up with maintenance. 😊
The first two places I check when buying a used car are 1. the oil dipstick, and 2. the transmission dipstick. Once had a buddy who wanted to buy this pickup, I checked the transmission fluid, and it was black, runny, and chunky. Told him not to buy it. he listed to me and dodged a bullet for sure.
Knew nothing about cars before, am 55, today started to learn something, and already feel I got it 😊
&, I´m enjoying to watch these videos
I was a German car mechanic in Southern California (no rust issues) during the '80s and early '90s. When asked if someone should keep their car when it got over 5 years old I'd tell them that they could pay me or pay the bank. The monthly cost would be about the same, or increasing with age. Usually I wouldn't see them for another 4 years when their new car ended warranty coverage.
5 yrs old and pay you or the bank? That's awful. The only work I've had to do (besides regular maintenance) on my 2001 Tacoma is rear wheel bearings, front lower control arms and an A/F sensor. Sure glad I didn't buy a German car!!
80s and early 90s Mercedes were the best cars ever built. What did you work on? VW or BMW or something?
@@heeroru7781 Started at a Porsche-Audi dealer in ‘79. Various independents but specialized in BMW mostly until ‘86. Then A M-B dealer until going into Entertainment in ‘96. Then blew cars up for the next 25 years!
BTW, I drive a Toyota RAV4 now.
@@heeroru7781 solid cars if not lemons from the factory. Had a 88 300TE and a 90 190E. Other than random Toyotas I've owned those were the best and nicest driving cars I ever had. Sure wish I had kept that 300TE!
I've owned a 1994 Nissan 300ZX for 29 years, 132k miles. I've spent $3,500 in maintenance and repairs over the 29 years that I've owned it. Runs like new... Priceless! I own a 2011 Nissan Versa, 168k miles. Spent $1000 in maintenance and repairs over 12 years. It had delayed shifting into 1st and 4th, so I recently overhauled the automatic transmission by changing seals and o-rings so it will make it to 200k miles. Cost for the kit, $136, DIY installed. Runs like new. Two years ago I bought a brand new OEM automatic transmission and new OEM engine for the Versa so I can keep it until 400k miles, another 12 years. I plan on installing the new transmission and engine in the next 3 years. Savings of 10s of thousands of dollars over the years... Priceless. I will never overpay for any new or used car!! We use the enormous savings to travel all over the world and create lifetime memories! Thank you!
I was in between a rock and a hard place, 2 cars with almost 200k miles and some maintenance things started to show and I put 30k plus on both cars a year and I had already been holding out since Covid, luckily I found a couple ok deals (more than I would usually spend) and now I have a 2022 Corolla and a 2023 cx5 all based on your videos! Thanks for all your videos!
What a guy !
Absolutely wonderful honest advice .
No wonder he's got the numbers he has built up over the years .
Every single word was laced with gold !
Spot on advised, honest and straight to the point. Ethics are top priority as it should be. Mechanics are like doctors, they could save your lives and your pockets.
Know the right thing to say is you should learn what to do yourself you should learn all about cars and you don't need to listen to idiots like this that just looking to rip you off not really with doing the wrong things by fixing your car by charging you too much money from minor things if that don't make any sense you should not even own a vehicle
I live several hours south of you in the western part of our over-taxed state where deer are a common threat to the life of a car. When I weigh repairs on an old car I compare it to the insured value. It doesn't make sense to put more than that into a car and hit a deer and the money is wasted. Thank you for the blessing you are.
Good video. I was shopping around for a few months before finally deciding the best option for me was to just order new and do the months wait on it. My old car is fine in terms of holding together for that 6-8 months no problem (thankfully it'll be spring/summer/fall and not another winter). The used market just didn't appeal at all. No matter what I was looking at things were listed at least 30% more than they were worth, clean low mileage models were pushing same as brand new prices.
Too many people say "I'll run it to the ground" but do the bare minimum to maintain their car. I have a buddy who has a 2014 Chevy cruise and an other with a 2016 Kia Sorento with both saying that. My 2012 Toyota Carmy looks newer than theirs and causes less issues because of this... I'd rather pay $1,000 now, than to pay $30,000 later.
I always figured that as long as you keep the engine and transmission in good shape you can fix or replace anything else. Of course, you also have to keep an eye on any rust and get after it right away. Use an oil undercoating. If you do these things a car will last a long time.
You're doing it all wrong first of all you got to buy a car with a motor that has no smudging nevermind the transmission and you're not even thinking about that so you're going to take care of the engine that's already shot and you going to be keeping your eye out for us you just f*** yourself that makes no sense at all buddy
oil undercoating? I'm not familiar. can you explain
@@XTRABIG Things like Fluid Film. Woolwax, Blaster Surface Shield and several others. All provide a thick, waxy coating that sticks very well and does a superior job at blocking moisture and preventing rust. You can find MANY vids about them on YT.
As someone who used to work on cars, customers hated to see written on the service order, "Recommend new vehicle", but honestly, we were doing them a favor. They'd bring in a 20 year old car that was rusted through in multiple places, that was burning more oil than gas, and that needed to have most of the front end replaced. They expected that we would fix it and make it act like new again, and we're like, "No. You really need to replace the car. It is way beyond its useful life at this point, and it's a hazard to drive." They'd argue with the service writer about it for awhile before threatening to take it somewhere else. At this point, our response was, "Well, if that's what you need to do, but we won't service a car when we can't make it roadworthy again, and there's just no practical way to do that."
I was going for a Sienna, buy ended up with a 16 Honda Odyssey. It had every oil change in time, transmission fluid serviced every 30k miles, new timing belt with water oump, new front suspension, new sparkplugs... Bought it with 109k miles for 18k in Texas. Crazy
that is crazy but check the insane price of a new one
I paid 17.5k for a 2014 AWD Premium Sienna with 140k miles last March, ugh. And had to put 4k into it in maintenance afterward.
@@will_mcfarland honestly, yes you spent a lot, but you got an amazing van that will last many years. I’m hoping mine does too…
@@onenikkione yep, absolutely nuts. The important thing, in my opinion, is a good maintenance record
You certainly know your stuff when it comes to cars. I purchased a Toyota Tacoma it had one owner. It actually had 110,000 miles on it mostly highway miles. Gave $23,000 for it it is a 4X4 and it also has a 3/4 ton springs under it . They offered me $26,000 for it. At a dealer even if I didn’t buy one. It in 4 years I’ve only put 21,000 miles on it. Just found this channel love it, most mechanics would repair any car to make a $. I admirer you for telling customers the truth that is rare! God Bless 🙏🏼 for our country
I shopped for a used car for 2.5 years. Finally found the one in a neighboring state. Never thought I'd fly one way to buy a used car but these are the times we live in.
@thecarcarenut is this a scam?
@@violinforeverdefinitely a scam
Did you inspect it?
@rasheemthebest First one of course, I also sent a friend to check it out beforehand.
I have an 02 Silverado with 365k miles. The interior and exterior are still in great shape and It still purrs like a kitten. I've done one of the expensive repairs already, namely the main rear seal. Put in an oil pump at the same time as I was having pressure issues. Now it runs so smooth you can't believe it. It could use a couple thousand of front end work as it is still entirely original. It's been a Florida truck for most of it's life and has very little actual rust. One small spot about an inch by 2 inches on the driver side rocker, but underneath is nothing but minor surface rust. The transmission is original as well and still shifts fine even though to my knowledge, it's never been serviced. Many mechanics have told me not to service it at this point that I'd be asking for trouble. With new truck prices so crazy I think it makes sense to keep this one and fix it as needed since there are no safety concerns with rust. It's a ext cab long bed 4x4, so to replace it with a new one would probably be in the $60-$80k range. I feel like even if I needed to put a crate motor or trans in it, that it's still worth keeping. Insurance is dirt cheap too.
For those of you on a tight budget, start a second savings account for a car future purchase. Use automatic deposit from your paycheck because the banks are always willing to sell you a loan product but, if your credit is not good- you will pay a higher interest rate. You can do it!
I had a fairly clear plan when I bought my well used rust free 2007 Tundra back in 2017... my plan was to make a few modifications to the suspension and exhaust while repairing issues revealed by pre & post purchase inspections. My goal was to keep the truck going for another 25 years or so. The truck had 270,000 miles when I bought it and it was on it's 2nd transmission, I drove it another 45,000 miles before the head gasket failed the first quarter of 2024. This failure was due to previous owners not flushing the coolant as often as they should have, they also ran the engine while it was low on oil so I replaced the original engine with a low mileage 3UR FE and the truck is ready for another 300,000 miles.
Today my Toyota master mechanic and I know this truck in and out and the money I spent to buy and repair my truck has been money well spent, especially when you consider how long I have owned it and how long I plan to keep driving & enjoying it. Having an older back-up Tundra to drive during the process has made life that much better.
I have an 04 Honda Element with 219,000 miles but I maintain it religiously. Any little issue I get it fixed before it turns into a big problem. Totally agree on the underbody, rust is a killer and unfortunately some shops will pass a car’s inspection without even putting a car on a lift. I would rather drive a car that is safe and that the wheels won’t fall off 😅
Element is a great vehicle. 18 years and 275k on mine. But I am getting to the point of thinking about replacing it. Starting to have regular repairs. So wish they still made the Element.
@@daklight2792 same here but with more ground clearance, peppier engine and definitely more comfortable seats
@@daklight2792 likewise. I had an 03 and Honda paid me$400 cash to attend a focus group to give feedback when they came out. I recommended a V6, more ground clearance and definitely better seats cause they are terrible
Move to the south. I live in Georgia, I bought a 1998 Nissan Sentra with a manual transmission last month and it has no rust... because it has been in Georgia all of its life.
@@efil4kizum I once knowingly bought a car with holes in the top of the gas tank that leaked as I drove or if I parked on a hill. 😅😂
My utmost respect to you sir for your rare knowledge you impact on me each time I view your videos. I have learned a lot. You are a blessing to our generation. Thank you much
Thanks for the great advice. Look forward to your videos on Toyota servicing. We drive two Toyota hybrids and maintain them religiously. Our 9 yr old Camry with 74,000 miles looks and drives like it's brand new. Our 2 year old RAV4 feels like it was just driven new off the dealer's lot. Our plan is to drive them until something inevitable happens. That may take quite a while!
Independent honest advice from a master mechanic like this gentleman is worth gold.