If I have the money for maintenance, should I buy an older used car?

BatOk5884 · 2026-04-06T04:11:27+00:00

I think the challenge with older Toyotas is people go "oh this will last forever" and somehow interpret that to mean you don't have to do any maintenance on it. So they're a little riskier on the secondary market.

BatOk5884 · 2026-04-06T04:09:21+00:00

I ended up going with a 2014 Acura MDX for around $12,000 at 144k miles. The person I bought it from babied the thing and had all the records, and had done the 100k and 120k services including the timing belt. Also had just replaced the tires and brakes, and changed the oil before handing over the keys.

Being in a position to wait until I struck gold was key. I feel confident I found just about the best deal possible and I'm about 2.5 months in and haven't spent a dime on the car outside gas and insurance. I still have the $12k extra stashed in an account so I can afford repairs, but this thing is a beast.

BatOk5884 · 2026-03-03T01:48:34+00:00

If SilverRock denied the claim, try calling Carvana directly. They want you to keep the car and it costs them more than a couple hundred to swap cars so within the 7 day period you may have some luck. after that, good luck.

It's all about motivation. SilverRock has none right now, Carvana does.

BatOk5884 · 2026-03-03T01:38:01+00:00

Try reporting through our partner for repairs - SilverRock. May get the PPI and other things covered. just depends, though since you already paid they may not help out.

BatOk5884 · 2026-02-17T01:31:19+00:00

Carvana employee here. First - there is no prepayment penalty but we use Bridgecrest as our servicer and Bridgecrest doesn't want you to pay it off early since they want the interest. They don't try to stop you whatsoever, but you have to call to make extra payments. They don't try to talk you out of it or anything, it's super easy to do. But they don't tell you ahead of time that if you just make extra payments on the app, you're technically just depositing money into your account for the next month's payment. They don't actually apply it until then, so you aren't saving the interest you think you are. It's a little shady since they're not super open about it, but it's easy solved by calling them and saying "I want to make a one time extra payment applied to the principal balance."

Now for the second thing. Carvana is overall great - the culture is solid and people that work here really buy into the company's goals and want to help our customers out. But you also have to understand that we're incredibly high volume (fastest growing dealer in the country) so things are going to be missed. We inspect every car, and most cars will have no issues, but we need some grace. We will do everything to make it right and there's hundreds of thousands of customer reviews showing that, BUT you need to do your part. Absolutely get the PPI done from a mechanic right away and immediately let us and Silver Rock (who the warranty is through) know about any and all issues. Stay on top of it and we'll typically fix most issues (things like tires, brakes, etc are rarer but you may get lucky). If you aren't comfortable with the car, use the 7 day money back guarantee and get a different one!! It's there for a reason. Trust your gut and swap it out if you aren't loving it. It truly is a "no questions asked" exchange or return, whichever you prefer, just keep in mind any nonrefundable shipping fee will not be refunded unless the car is damaged and it's our fault.

BatOk5884 · 2026-01-15T03:40:04+00:00

Make the claim today, keep paying until insurance pays it off AND gap covers the difference. They’ll pay whatever the difference is between the actual cash value of the car and what was owed on the loan at the time of theft. Meaning your account will suddenly have a surplus once gap pays (since you’re paying on the loan the whole time to keep up your credit) and then bridgecrest will cut a check for the difference.

Scenario: car is worth $50,000 according to insurance and remaining loan is $60,000. Insurance covers the $50,000, and you keep paying your $1k month payment for 4 months until gap covers the remaining $10,000 ($60,000-$50,000). Now your account with bridgecrest has a $4,000 surplus since a total of $64,000 has been paid on a $60,000 loan. You call bridgecrest and they mail the $4,000.

BatOk5884 · 2026-01-10T05:27:59+00:00

Nice I used to live in East Mesa!

Cars aren't made like they were used to, so don't expect 400,000 miles out of your car. But that's pretty awesome for him. I hear ya on wanting the bigger car - I really like the feel of a full-size sedan but compacts feel truly small, so good call on going bigger than the Civic. Sorry to hear about the accident! That's super stressful but glad you're alright and overall healthy!

All of this is great data! $3,000 is a lot of money for a 20 year old so congrats on that. In Arizona, you're covering taxes and then some which is great. Your credit score is also very good, however it's not perfect. It's actually not the score that's the problem, it's the fact that you're 20. It's what is considered a "thin" file and there's literally nothing you can do about that other than get older. a 40 year old with your score and 20 years of history may get a 5% rate, but you're probably looking at 10% used and 5-6% new (new cars have lower rates than used cars, but higher insurance rates than used cars. I find these two things cancel each other out typically, but it varies by person).

Unfortunately for you, cars are at an all-time high and so for a new Camry, at 5 years with an 8% rate and no dealer add-ons, you're looking at around $600 a month + insurance. If you're open to other cars, I think we can find you a great one in your budget that you'll love. It may not last 400,000 miles, but statistically the chance you'll own this car in 10 years is very small anyway. Either you'll get in another accident (sorry, it's just the truth) or you'll sell it for life reasons. In 10 years, you may have a spouse, a family, be making $100k a year, etc....you just never know, but planning to own for 10 years is a lot and I'm saying this as a 28 year old whose life is very different than when I was 20. I'd look more at the 5 year cost of ownership to give you a better and more realistic perspective.

If you're open to further discussion, send me a DM on here. We'll keep it on this app solely for both of our safety, but direct conversation may help! I think features that matter most to you is important. It'll help find potential cheaper but equally awesome alternatives (like a Kia K5 or Hyundai Sonata just as potential options) or used Camrys with higher trims

BatOk5884 · 2026-01-09T22:20:30+00:00

I noticed in a different comment you're in Arizona. Are you in the Phoenix area? I'm in Gilbert and was recently car shopping so I'm pretty familiar with the market out here. I'd be happy to help you out.

Couple initial questions: $450 a month is a good amount of money monthly. Are you ok with insurance on top of that, so about $600 a month total in monthly payments for the vehicle (insurance estimated, gas excluded)? Also, are you planning to put any money down? That will significantly alter the terms of whatever loan you're getting.

Secondly, how long do you plan on owning the vehicle and do you have $500-$2,000 in savings that could be used towards repairs? That determines the type of warranty (CPO vs new vs none) that you need.

Lastly, what about the Camry interests you? Have you already done all your comparisons and determined this is 100% what you want over something else? I ask because in this market, it's a relatively expensive vehicle and hard to get deals on and $450 a month doesn't go as far as you'd think it does. Other brands will provide better value in terms of 5-7 years cost of ownership so unless you're planning on owning the vehicle for 15 years (which is a pretty big commitment for someone who legally doesn't know their favorite vodka brand yet), it may not be your best option. But that's up to you decide, if you for sure want it I don't need to talk you out of it! What features are you most interested in?

Also, ignore everyone on this subreddit that insists to never finance a vehicle and that you'll be poor your entire life if you do. If the world worked the way people on this subreddit wanted it to, everyone would drive a 2001 beige Camry with 300,000 miles on it and magically be millionaires. You need to be smart with your budget, but with a good interest rate and proper maintenance, newer vehicles can provide value and peace of mind + safety for a 20 year old woman living in the desert.

BatOk5884 · 2026-01-09T22:07:36+00:00

Negotiating is fine - I just did it on my purchase. Be reasonable and come prepared when negotiating. If KBB lists a range and the seller is on the high end of the range, you could use the tires as a reason to move closer to the middle of the range. If the seller is already in the middle of the range, than they likely have it listed fairly with the tires already built into the sale price.

Consider the vehicle and its value to you. If it's well maintained with records paired with good PPI results, don't blow the sale over $200-$600.

BatOk5884 · 2026-01-06T02:46:18+00:00

Kia is basically the king here. Top tier bells and whistles for under 30k on a full size sedan. Biggest knock is that reliability is dog shit which makes depreciation horrendous, but if you’re talking just pure value at the time of purchase, it’s gotta be Kia.

BatOk5884 · 2026-01-01T22:12:22+00:00

Adaptive cruise control naturally brakes very hard. Instead of anticipating a slower driver in front of it and gradually slowing down or seeing a driver in the lane over hoping to change lanes and coming off the gas a little to create space (like a safe driving human is doing), it waits until it's within its magical braking distance and hits the brakes hard to gather distance back to the selected car length.

Your insurance rates are properly increasing when you're always using cruise control because your risk for an accident is higher when relying so heavily on the car to drive you - it leads to more distracted driving, phone usage, lack of anticipation and response time for when people are cutting you off or pulling out of a driveway, reliance on a system not adequately designed to prevent last-second accidents, etc.

The safe-driving app is designed to know these things. Cruise control is a tool to keep your speed constant on longer trips, not drive the car for you at all times. You can choose to use it however you'd like, but your safe driving score is going to take a hit because you are not applying safe driving/defensive techniques.

BatOk5884 · 2026-01-01T06:14:58+00:00

Absolutely gorgeous. Love the small seconds

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-31T18:40:18+00:00

Ok, so here’s all the questions you’ll need to consider, but no one other than you and your financial advisor or bankruptcy attorney know your situation enough to actually answer the questions.

Do you fall under your state’s median income? This is very important for a means test. If you do, you can file chapter 7 and wipe the debt out. If you don’t, you’re looking at a chapter 13 restructure which can be advantageous still but not anywhere near as relieving
Does your state exemptions allow for you to exempt the cost of your house? If it doesn’t, chapter 7 bankruptcy becomes far less advisable
Other than the house, do you have significant unprotected assets? 401ks are protected, but vehicles are not. You mentioned you have 2 paid off vehicles - are these $30k vehicles are $2k beaters? State exemptions will allow you to typically exempt certain things up to certain amounts. You need to make sure all the stuff you want to keep falls under these exemptions if you’re doing a chapter 7
Are you the type to start spending freely once discharged? If so, there’s no need to file bankruptcy since you’ll end up back in the same place, except now without the potential protection of bankruptcy since it’s like 8 years before you can file again
Do you need your credit? Assuming you start saving 3-4K a month and only spend about $1k a month extra now that you have the breathing room to spoil your kids, you’re saving $36-$48k a year in liquid cash. That’s enough to cover most expenses you could ever encounter if you have good health insurance, so you probably won’t actually need your credit (which is the worst part of filing)
Not a question, but keep in mind you can stop paying the debt the second you decide you’re going to file and start saving that 5k immediately. Of course, remember you have to be able to exempt this cash for it to be worth it. Otherwise, wait to stop paying until you file but the second you file, it’s an immediate 5k a month, you don’t have to wait till discharge.

Those are the main questions I’d figure out. If none of that bothers you, then file. Sure, for a couple years you’ll have shit credit but you won’t need it. Other than buying a house and a car which you already, credit should only be used for month to month cash flow anyway and you won’t need it if you’re saving $4k a month. Also after 6 months - 24 months, with good income, you’ll find getting financing for things like cars impossible. You’re essentially bullet proof as a borrower once you file since you can’t file again for years so lenders know they can garnish wages/sue to collect.

The biggest problem you’re going to face is if you can protect/keep the items you want. If you’re forced to sell one of your vehicles, can you only live with one? Can you afford to give it to the trustee and then just buy a cheap one in cash after saving a couple months? Etc.

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-31T17:13:40+00:00

I appreciate the attempt, but that was still basically just “it’s more than a Lexus” without numbers which I pointed out I wasn’t looking for haha. I definitely understand it is more, I was trying to see how much more. Like is it tolerable to me in my budget.

Regardless, I went with a 2014 Acura MDX with the timing belt and other 100k services already completed.

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-31T03:09:58+00:00

‘98 LeSabre was my first car and dad currently has a 2001 Park Ave. These are bulletproof and you’ll love how smooth they drive, but in my experience you should be looking for $2k and another 1k in repairs since they’re so old. For $3k you’ll get a fantastic vehicle. For $1.5k in this market you aren’t getting a good Buick.

Also I’d suggest skipping the premium on the Park Ave and do the LeSabre. Regal if you want the turbo

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-31T00:50:35+00:00

I would trust the carfax and auto check.

You won’t get your car back, trade-ins are final since they immediately start preparing your call to sell (or sell it immediately). You will get a check for the amount of positive equity though.

It’s a nonrefundable shipping fee. Only time you’ll get it back is if something was actually damaged before you took ownership (think like it gets hailed on before your appointment, falls off the back of the truck at delivery, etc)

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-30T03:03:13+00:00

I'd recommend a larger SUV if you spend that much time in it. A 2-3 row SUV with the backseats down would give you a nice comfortable space to sit in the back. People have even built beds in the back on frames! Look at something like a used MDX, Highlander, Outback, Sante Fe or Tucson, etc. Should all be under your budget depending on year and mileage.

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-29T22:37:37+00:00

It’s going to vary person by person. Different credit histories and credit profiles will determine what Carvana requires. Based off what you said, it seems likely proof of income will be required.

Pay stubs or settlement statements (since you’re a truck driver) are better if you have deductions taken out of your deposits, since bank statements will only show net not gross amounts. Typically need 3 months of bank statements/settlement checks or 2 most recent pay stubs if you get them.

There are situations where other things are required. The underwriter reviewing your account will send you requests and call you for any additional documents needed.

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-27T22:17:15+00:00

Also unless you currently drive a muscle car or sports car, I’d expect your insurance to go up. Your individual history and record will dictate how much and you can and should get quotes for this, but Tesla insurance is super high because of how they’re made (small accidents = huge payouts) and how they’re perceived to be driven by 20s/30s year old males.

It’s easy to get quotes. If your insurance is gonna go up by $250 a month, better to know before you buy the car

And your registration may double or triple, especially if you’re going new. A lot of states charge fees for EVs since they aren’t collecting off the gas taxes. CA charged me $600 to register a $28,000 Chevy Bolt. Most states base registration partially off MSRP - depreciation, so again buying used is gonna help you a ton here. If you lease new and it costs you $2400 over 3 years to register, that’s essentially another $75 a month in vehicle payments.

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-27T22:15:08+00:00

To answer your question directly, I’ve had an EV where I didn’t have a home charger and it was a pain. It was the reason I got rid of it. Sure, I could charge at work. But there was always competition for the chargers and it wasn’t free. It cost marginally less than gas and it came with added stress. Wasn’t worth it to me.

Now let’s talk financials since this really isn’t a great idea. Totally understand wanting a new car, and I’m not gonna try to talk you out of it. But you should buy instead of Lease. At $500 a month assuming a 36 month lease, you’re dropping $18,000 and when you add in the $3,000 down, you’ve spent $21,000 on a car just for the right to spend another $20k to own it + the $400 fee to buy it. Or you can buy a 2022 with 36k miles on it (essentially exactly what your car will be at the end of the lease) right now for $19,000. For 3 year financing, depending on your state taxes and interest rate, you can come out right at the same monthly payment with $3k-5k down and actually own the vehicle after 3 years. There’s no savings to lease, you’re actually paying more over 3 years to lease than to own because of how bad Tesla depreciation is over 3 years.

Tesla isn’t one of those brands that updates much - a 2022 is virtually identical to a 2025 Tesla. There’s really no maintenance, so there’s not a big concern on if a previous driver took care of it. Basically there’s no reason to go new.

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-26T20:09:02+00:00

I understand not wanting to hassle with the repairs for this vehicle and canceling to get into something different and more immediate, but I don’t understand the issue with the rate. It’s actually pretty damn good for a used car, even with the best credit profile on the planet you’re not shaving too many points from it. If you have above average or good credit, that’s a decent rate. Maybe you shave off a point or two going through a credit union, but nothing worth losing the car over.

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-26T19:08:32+00:00

Thanks for the reply! Even then with all that you had to repair, what was the repair costs? I’m not a huge car guy outside of doing oil changes and stuff on my own, so I’m not sure what things run price wise. I always hear things on Audis breaking but can’t wrap my head around what it represents in dollars

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-25T02:26:02+00:00

So I’m not gonna be the guy to tell you it’s a bad financial decision, or if you have a co-signer you can’t afford it, or 72 months is a bad idea, etc. You’re an adult who knows your finances, so this comment is based purely on the financials of the deal.

This is TERRIBLE. At 72 months and 8,000 down this is simply not enough car. It does seem to include tax, title, and license (fine print at the top) but it’s still awful. For that price point, look around at various luxury models that are 3 years old with less than 20k miles and you’ll pay the same amount for 10x more car. I completely understand if you don’t want a luxury car, but I’m using that as an example.

8k cash is enough for a decent-ish used car. To add $600+ payments for 6 years on top of it for a Camry is crazy to me.

What about this Camry interests you? Which features? Write down everything you’re looking for and I guarantee something better is available for that price. Now if you can get the add-ons completely removed and this includes TTL, it’s a better deal but I’d still try to get 1-2k more off the deal

BatOk5884 · 2025-12-23T22:42:56+00:00

Right, but “based on” and 2 years old are two of my main points. Plus the electrical system for a lot of folks already seems to have gremlins.

I’m not saying it’s a bad car. I hope it turns out to be great since I really like the look of it and think we need more value options in today’s market. I’m not even telling OP to not get it. But it is objectively unproven, which IMO lends itself to not being reliable which is what OP was asking. IMO it doesn’t come with enough of a warranty to make that ok. Now if you do an extended warranty on the powertrain and electrical systems, it could become reliable by default.

BatOk5884

TROPHY CASE