Watch This First Before Buying a used car

[@dogsense3773]

Old mechanic here, 45 years get a damn Toyota!

[@ridgevanderlaan2211]

My first car was a Toyota Starlet and it drove for years without issues. Simple maintenance and it never broke. I love new cars but I always keep buying an old Toyota. At the moment a Corolla from 1989. Its old, bit rusty but my god it is thrustworthy. All the car mechanics here in the Netherlands always smile when you bring them in and always confirm they are indestructible.

[@archivestereo]

Also agree on CVT. Great for scooters, not for cars!

[@davidswearingen9652]

Couldn't agree more Vin. My sister and her husband both had Camery's with over two hundred thousand miles on them. And the only reason they traded them in was thy got tired of driving them and wanted something different.

[@williammouri1096]

Vinnie just saved the average consumer tens of thousands of dollars. Listen to him. Every mechanic on the front line agrees with him 100 percent.

[@jamesyarno7011]

I've owned a lot of cars in my lifetime and I can't agree more! My 2010 Prius and my wife's 2005 Lexus RX330 (which is made by Toyota for those that don't know) have been the most reliable cars we have ever owned! Both of them now have over 190k miles and running strong. Thanks for the video!

[@13ECHO20]

In August 2013, we bought a used 2003 Toyota Camry with 200,000+ miles for $3,000. When the car got hit, (and the insurance totaled it), by some jackass on his phone, the car had 250,000+ miles on it. NOTHING was wrong with that car. My daughters drove that car from central Arkansas to northern Illinois and back every year. THAT was a good car.

[@ginovannelpawiroastro4076]

My first car.. toyota corolla1996... 2nd toyota yaris echo 2002... 3th toyota fielder 2007..... i can tell ya... toyota for the win...👌💪

[@leahcimthgirw3163]

I live next to a Chrysler plant in Illinois and I see a lot of these new trucks going down the road with rust already starting on them and stuff really just isn't reliable anymore

[@bobhamilton298]

I bought my daughter a 2006 Solara with 300k miles. Everything original. Looks and runs like a car with 50k miles. Quiet and smooth and great transmission. She has driven it another 30k miles. Zero issues.

[@SVSecondChance]

Crown vic is the best car 🚗 on the road. I had a taxi company and I would keep them till around 3 million miles before I would replace it. Yes we would replace the motor And tran but I would get them cheap. The big thing with them is ball joints.

[@mctron22rd]

Thank you so much for the honest assessment of used cars. Had the misfortune of buying a 06' Volvo....so pissed that I hadn't seen this vid, before buying it. Seems with alot of used cars, your actually buying someone else's problems. Also, can you please do a similar assessment of used pickups and SUV's? Appreciate you looking out for us....peace!

[@MichaelRei99]

I have had many Nissans over the years and my last one saved my life. I have a 2015 Sentra . I am worried about the tranny but the brakes definitely didn’t outlast the trans. And and as a bonus I was able to repair the brakes myself!! Wish me luck Vinny!!

[@dg8676]

It depends how you take care of it. As long as you drive slow and don’t drive it like a sports car should last a long time.

[@chrisplace3024]

Hi, From Vermont. I just found your site glad to see you again.

[@HarryComa]

I´m from Europe, and i don´t get mad. You are not wrong 😁 I have dropped more money in my Volvo than i have in my 10 year older Tahoe, and its more strange stuff with the Volvo too, electronic gremlins and very strange and returning suspension issues.

[@rlRACECAR]

I’ve been a mechanic for 9 years in Maine. %100 agree with this advise. I work on Subarus now and OMG love is not what makes a Subaru a Subaru. RECALL city!

[@TheStuport]

We ALL are so lucky to be able to get this type of advice, knowledge and complete honesty from a mechanic with the experience that Vinnie D has. A real treat to see his genuine pleasure in helping others with advice. Most of us Fans have followed Vinnie since his very early days of American Chopper right up to this channel and nothing but respect for this man! Awesome mechanic....but even more he is a Super Husband and Dad and Pal to those lucky enough to share the air with him. Salute and Cheers From Ohio

[@jocalafarms4051]

Your the best, love you, Junior and Cody back in the day

[@karnesrussell]

Good advice for anyone who is buying a used vehicle. It's a bad time to buy anything in today's market. Everything is over priced, damn the greed. God bless y'all

[@IraqiSniper107]

Thanks Vinnie! Good to hear from you.

[@TheMMAVOICE]

Lol if I was buying a used car from Vinnie I wouldn't even ask any questions. Take my money! Moral of the story if you know a great Mechanic who's honest, treat them well because they'll save you from many a hardship. Vinnie, I have two Toyos. My 2006 camary seems to have a tranny issue? Slipped then eventually stopped moving. I hear it's the one year I should have stayed away from lol. You ever hear that?

[@Ka_Gg]

The 2.5 escapes are solid. The Ford Fusion of those years essentially have the same drivetrain. The older Hybrid models are solid, I don't know about the new ones

[@GunnerMcStabby]

This is a great video! Thanks, Vinnie! You should make a series on used cars. Most Americans buy used cars.

[@Colevid19]

Listen guys, I’ve been a mechanic for 20 years and what Vincent is saying is not a lie. If I were to buy a used vehicle today I would be looking for a Toyota that fits my needs and desires. If I couldn’t find a Toyota than I would seek a Honda. I avoid domestics for there lack of quality and there horrendous value retention after purchase

[@CRUZER1800]

Hi Vinnie....I totally agree with you on Toyota's. I drove them from 73 til about 94. Three Celica's and one Camray. All bought new and they were without problems. The 73 Celica had a burnt valve problem which was fixed under warranty..... Poor head cooling. They fixed it with a 74 model head and a written apology as I remember. Since then I have driven Cadillac's and have had good service with them as well. Russ

[@joel.3112]

Iam so glad that you said Subaru between the head gaskets and wheel bearings! " Wait" if wasn't for them my shop would be in the poor house. Unfortunately I have to agree though. Thanks for the video.

[@archivestereo]

Totally agree with everything you said except 90s and early 2000s GM 3800 and 3400 engines are incredible. No EcoTech though ever. I anyways by $3000 or less used cars. Mostly Honda, Toyota, old Saturns. The Pontiac Vibe as well which is a Toyota of course! My quick three point check on used cars. Does it clunk going into drive or reverse? Walk away. Pull dipstick. Does it smell like kerosene? Walk away. Then drive. Shifts smoothly, nice acceleration. If it passed other two tests, buy it! This three point check hasn’t failed me in 20+ years buying $3000 cars.

[@heartagram073]

i got lucky i bought a 2007 corolla with 124,000 miles just weeks before the pandemic started for $5k (February 2020) they are easy as hell to work on and if its a base model they are easy to add upgrades such as cruise control and i live in michigan and this 15 year old car has zero rust with 163k on it (september 2022) parts are cheap and easy to find and the 1.8l is a very good engine

[@jacobchisler284]

I have the most beat up 03 Sentra Spec V I paid $1500 for just to auto cross…270k miles..one of the most reliable car I’ve ever had.

[@Ka_Gg]

I absolutely agree on the Corollas. You'll see those old ones beat to hell and still running great. My uncle had the late 90's early 2000's model and had like 430k miles when he sold it. He never did anything to it other than basic maintenance. I'm the one that sold it for him and when I drove it around, the transmission still felt very strong in the engine was very smooth. Just dirty and worn-out interior from being an older car oh, but I would have trusted that thing to drive across the u.s. I agree on the 2003 to 2008 models are good-looking and very reliable. If you get an older Honda with a manual transmission, they are very reliable two aside from the input shaft bearing likes to wear. Their early to mid 2000s with the CVT transmissions aren't that great though.

[@paulleighton9568]

I drive a 1997 Toyota Camry but got lucky bought it from a family member with 128,000 miles so a rare find

[@ceciliaabdalla4954]

You got a gem. Japanese 💪

[@thesaurus1523]

I can't say I've had issues with my Subaru but my family bought it new and we've taken good care of it. That being said it had a first generation CVT that the dealer replaced for free at 60K. The parts cost are really out of control for Subaru overall.

[@pirihern9329]

great advice. own lexus/toyota, honda and a 2006 subaru sti 1st and last Subaru money pit no love here

[@mardigrasw]

Have a 99 toyota over 330000 miles runes like a champion 🏆 wires oil break fan motor 1 starter and tires

[@fleetwin1]

Well, of course I ended up with an 09 Camry oil burner. But, I change the oil often and use a carbon guard additive so still get about 3000 miles before it is down a quart, then it is time for another oil change anyway. The car has 190K, so is way beyond the period when Toyota would repair the engine anyway. I wish I had kept my 99 Solara V6 though and put some money into it. Never really liked this camry, even with the 5 speed connected to the 4 cylinder. Listen to Vinnie! Your best resource is a trusted mechanic/body guy that will give the prospective used car a good look over and advise about reliability issues with a particular model. Do the carfax thing to make sure it isn't a salvage title or something like that. Let's face it, most people don't trade/sell off cars that are in perfect running order, most will need some service, so put some money aside to get it up to snuff...

[@vicferrarisgarage]

Big V Telling it like it is. Love my 300,000 1999 ford ranger 2.5L automatic. ❤️ my 2002 Toy tacoma ❤️ nissan frontier but she has a low cyl.

[@jacobchisler284]

Jeep Wranglers pre 07 is a great choice for a used vehicle as well…owning one myself

[@richardrobinson9534]

I've said all these same things for years to all my friends and family. Would like to add though, yes Toyota is what I would suggest to everyone but people like myself that need a Truck........show me a Toyota Tacoma or Tundra in the past 20 years you can afford LoL You can find a 03 Tacoma with 350k on it and they still want 12k or more lol it's crazy. Stay away from all GM vehicles from 06 on up. They have the afm/dod setup on them and no matter what you do they will break, period. Failed afm lifters ( runs a average of 2500 to 4k depending on where you go to have this fixed ) plus it messes up their transmissions and electrical issues out the ass. I bought a 2015 Silverado and it looked in perfect condition, had 205k on them ( which is nothing for the 5.3, at least back before the afm/dod crap ) transmission had to rebuilt before I even got to fully buy it. The dealer tried rebuilt I to free of charge to me since it was the test before buy period. 3 months after buying, afm lifters collapsed. I'm selling both of my Silverados and buying a Toyota now.

[@ceciliaabdalla4954]

Be careful with the dual turbos. I would buy used Toyota. Avoid the expensive new junk

[@kevintanyamontgomery4740]

hey thank you for the information Vinny! peace on you and your family brother

[@rockyroadblues100]

Hey Vin howa doin i have a Toyota Rav $ been driving it for the past 5 years no trouble keep the maintence up ,on it never let me down built like a tank Toyota ye cant go wrong ,greets from Ireland .

[@DaleRitchie]

Damm Vinnie everything you just said was 100% right!!!!!

[@gregorynie8051]

Totally agreed with Toyota. But a well maintained BMW is a reliable car. Excluding V8s which had their hiccups.

[@rons9197]

Bought a 2000 Avalon with 178k for 2200. I put another 1800 in it timing belt, seals, water pump, vvt oil pressure solenoids, spark plugs, O2 air/fuel sensors, coil, Denso fuel pump. Synthetic blend oil, synthetic trans fluid. So we shall see what I get out of this car 1MZ-FE motor. 23 mpg around town.

[@heberthybr]

Al Bundy had a dodge AND with 999.999+ miles! lol But what you said about Subaru and Nissan is somehow correct, cos back in the 80s, 90s, 100% of the parts were built in Japan. Now the suspension is manufactured in Vietnam, the radiator is from Indonesia, and so it goes. The same thing happens with american cars...

[@nateoconnell5404]

Good stuff, Vinnie! Thank you!

[@TheEclecticHandyman]

I turn my own wrench when I can, but some of the bigger items I can't do myself. If I lived in NY you'd have 100% of my business.

[@pickeringautoandperformace8266]

Great Advice on used cars Vin, Toyota and Honda are holding market share, the ones you listed not to are spot on from CVT units, to leaking head gasket Subbys , to i hate to say it American made. Here in Michigan finding a GM 2.4 that does not need a timing chain by 80k is a wonder, as for Dodge before i opened my shop in 01 the course of Chrys has been nothing but a bloody night mare now with the Fiat situation iam not sure there is something anyone would touch, the Small Turbo engines are disasters to include Ford Trucks 3.5 Eco, not to mention the smaller car verisons of Eco's . I feel like i should be a spokesman for Toyota as well lol but its the truth... Hope all is well. Fred

[@philsroad7959]

Missed seeing you buddy. Glad to see you are doing well

[@warrenmitchell7463]

I love your videos, wish you would upload more

[@toyhaulerobs5839]

Being a 12 volt tech, I am in the same boat as you with your suggestions. Nissans SUCK. The truck based vehicles are fine. Frontier even. Dodge (Fiat), CRAP. Honda is OK. Toyota is great but being a 12 volt tech working on new Toyotas really sucks. They changed so much. Fords are weird as they have always been. New GM is ehhh.Easy as hell for a remote start for sure. Thats about it. I own an 05 Outback H6 for the past 6 years and I hate it now. I love my 92 Caprice wagon. Bulletproof. Getting an LS swap soon. I tell people to ask me about cars before they buy but no one listens to me when they start having problems that I deal with on a daily basis.

[@V-max97]

My first car was the family 95 Nissan Pathfinder. Only thing we had to fix when I got it was the reverse gear but that engine ran like a Rolex. It lasted me another 2 plus years before I sold it to my uncle with 227,000 miles and he went on to put another 113,000 miles on it before we had to scrap it because the frame was rusting out. But the engine was still good. I’ll be it’s in another pathfinder right now.

[@RidinONChrome]

Good info. I think most cars now days will last a while. You just have to do regular maintenance which a lot of people don't do. They put gas in it and think it will run forever. Of course like you stated in your video some cars have quirks that you should stay away from.

[@oilhammer04]

Toyotas are the best cars on the planet. You can spend a lot more money and not get as good of a vehicle as a Toyota. Hondas are ok, but why buy second best?

[@davidnelson8451]

Vinnie it's great to hear from you very great information thanks for the honesty it's rear in repair shops don't know if you will have time to respond I have a 2003 escort zx2 never heard of it until I bought one would like you're apionon thanks man can't wait to see you soon hope you and your family are well 🙏

[@Ka_Gg]

Also, you are spot-on with the Chrysler cars and the European cars. The Chrysler products are junk and the European cars are just over engineering and cost way too much to fix. If you are buying a cheap car, you want it to stay cheap you don't want to buy a $5,000 used car and then have to replace the engine and transmission and need specialized mechanics to do that

[@dg8676]

My daily driver was a bmw twin turbo got it for 11k already put about 7k in maintenance. It sits in the driveway now. I bought a 02 Highlander v6 160k and it runs like a top

[@rlRACECAR]

I also grew up driving and I working on Chevy trucks but honestly they still have tons off issues and a tundra would be just as good for a 1/2 ton..

[@DrainMedic]

Thanks for posting Vinnie good to see you

[@mikeparis81]

Got a 2012 Silverado and a 2014 Corolla. I'm on my 3rd tranny with the Silverado. Only brakes and rotors with the Corolla.

[@rickdaystar477]

Unbelievable! You say Toyota. I never owned a Toyota but picked up a one owner Camry XLE with 200k well cared for miles. It's 15 years old and everything works great. I was always a Chevy pickup and Suburban guy but wrecked my Suburban this Winter. That Toyota is a great car. Suprised the hell out of me! Thanks for the video hope all are well with you. 👍

[@egodeathplease]

I do mess around with Dodges but your right they are not great. But I work on my own stuff and free or dirt cheap is my rule. Yotas are givers but you have to pay more.

[@peanutbutterisfu]

I also own a repair shop and I had a used car lot for years. I tell everyone to buy a Toyota but they never listen. I worked on European vehicles for years and their are more bad euro cars then good if u want a European car buy it new and get rid of it when the warranty is up. I agree with most everything other then fords I would never buy one. Also Subaru’s they really are good cars their cvt trannys are good they only typically need a tcc solenoid and the engines need head gaskets but they are so easy to do head gaskets on I mean 1 hour and the motor is out. I’m in Rochester ny I’ve been a professional auto tech for 20 years and I’ve only done a few Toyota engines and transmissions and it’s always because of the owner of the vehicle like the radiator was leaking and the drove it till the motor was bad or car had bald tires and got stuck in the snow and the customer keeps flooring it and blows the diff pin through the case of the tranny. Toyotas are more expensive but they really only need maintenance but around 2012-2014 ish Toyotas had torque converter issues. I personally drive an older 2002 diesel vw golf they run forever and get 36-45 mpg but hard to find a shop to work on them. I have customers that drive over an hour to my shop because nobody knows how to work on them.

[@nealwiley9950]

Hey Vinnie,great to see you and thanks for the video..👍👍

[@reddog543211]

thanks Vinnie....great info !!

[@j.p.8304]

Guy always speaks common sense 👍

[@glen8449]

Vinnie, thanks for the advice.

[@orionfixr7713]

I'd really be interested in your opinion of KIA's . I've had a strange attraction to them since they first came out .

[@Thankyou_3]

Steer clear from V6 Hondas and Honda Turbo engines. Consider Mazda especially the ones made in the last few years.

[@harlemd6101]

I would suggest early 2000’s grand Cherokee with a 4.0. They’re still super cheap compared to other Jeeps, parts are plentiful, and the inline 6 will last close to 300k. The body will rot away before the drivetrain goes.

[@carolinabeacher1558]

i own several cherokees, (have owned jeeps from willys on up in the past 30 years) id recommend the jeeps with a 4.0 long as you give them a good look over as a lot of people have abused the crap out of them, and the last people who did proper maint were the original owners, mine are around 250k, one is mainly for offroad.

[@Kmann071]

Love my Toyotas. That’s all we purchase. Our last forerunner gave us 330,000 miles. My friends T100 will hit 500,000 miles soon.

[@soilsmanadv6673]

steer clear of any used hybrid. Even Toyota, the start and stop of the engine makes them have problems!

[@femaledeer]

We need more videos like this. I have no idea who makes good cars anymore.

[@OldBenOne]

As someone who works in the driveway - sometimes in the snow and rain - my life is a lot easier with Toyotas. It's just wear items and oil changes

[@gsarjos]

Make a video of what to look for when buying a used car....it'll be helpful to many

[@johnnygucci9]

Thanks Vin 🙏

[@Intrix_Gaming]

People want to buy luxury vehicles, new or used, but don't want to put the money in to it to keep it running. It is going to come with a price tag after the fact, ESPEICALLY if you drive it like it's a rocket ship. Toyota, Honda, you can't go wrong. It's simple modest living and it's affordable. But if you buy a Honda, DO NOT buy one from some teenage kid. Buy one from an old guy or a middle aged guy. Chances are it won't be chopped up and had stupid things done to it. Stupid things I've saw were some Civic kids one day at a car wash, do things like remove their AC belts or doing anything that could possibly do to gain an extra 1 HP.

[@JayJr2007]

Check your carfax! I am a commuter & every car I get rid of ends up showing up somewhere with the odometer rolled back. 🚗

[@jolemays3218]

Vinny speaking facts you can have a Toyota for a hot minute

[@abc-ke2yq]

Thank you Vinnie for the information cheers

[@anthonyfigueroa7869]

Hope everything is well with u and family. Great to c u again. 👍👍👍

[@micqyy]

Nice to hear from you.

[@MacGregor.]

Good man. Five grand,you need tires And a suspension. Detroit Union carpenter here which doesn't mean much. But the car market is tight. The good money goes to Ohio.

[@jivenhoe]

Thanks Vin, great advice. I am considering having my transmission rebuild on my 2006 Ford ranger truck AWD. 190k miles on it. Really not sure if its worth the 2.5k it will cost. Any advice?

[@demang0405]

Would love to know what happened with your ctsv. After you got the Magnuson on you didn’t ever say anything much again after. When did you sell it? Who got it? Would be interesting to know where it is now. I could probably find it with a vin. You were a pioneer with that. Lol. Glad to see you posting again.

[@MrAutocontrol]

Good video Mr Vinnie.

[@michaelmitchell5909]

Good info Vin....

[@19841mlee]

5 grand isn’t doing anything nowadays for used cars. Years ago you could get away with that.

[@mvoss43]

Vinnie We should just stay away from everything except Toyota Honda in Ford. Lol

[@patrashdigger]

I did love my 1970 SS Camaro!

[@spacecowboy2k]

Find an elderly lady who is getting rid of her car, you know it'll be a gently-used vehicle :D

[@JohnFFox12]

Shit Vin I bought a 13 Dodge Avenger have had for about year and a half,knock wood no major issues so far but I totally agree about them. Example: I changed the license plate light , it took me 45 mins because when I unscrewed the 2nd screw the wire was stretched so tight it sprung and dangled in the e molded bumper so had to unscrew the top of the bumper and reach in that way to install it. Just a shitty design. What happened to just change a bulb?? Thanks Vin🙏👍🏻

[@PcLover81]

Excellent video.

[@Zenbudd6849]

Shoot I thought Vinnie knew how to work on chopper bikes only good stuff

[@spacecowboy2k]

Nissan Rogues are a NIGHTMARE. The Chevy Traverse I have has NO cheap repair. Toyota are great, can't complain. The 2021 highlander hybrid has been pretty great

[@taimaishu-nao1922]

Couldn’t agree more! However, the last Toyota I had was a money pit. 99 4Runner. Loved it and it was an absolute blast to drive when it wasn’t in the shop which was quite often. As for Nissan, yeah. Now that Renault has taken over, the build quality has really gone downhill. I got loaned a newer Versa and that thing was junk. Plus, they’re more European than Japanese now so going back to your “don’t buy used Euros”… just stay away. Subaru? Yeah, not very good because #HeAdGaSkEt. Also, where I live, Hyundai and Kia are terrible. My local dealerships don’t stock a lot of hard parts so if things go horribly wrong while under warranty, you’re out of a car for a month and that was BEFORE the pandemic! Now? It’s two months! That’s why I recommend Toyota too. Friend has a Scion xB (first gen) and got it for FREE! The car isn’t much of a looker but that thing still runs and drives everywhere.

[@RevN3]

Are there any inexpensive used cars anymore? Independent of that I agree with your assessments. This all makes sense. Although there were some surprises in there. Thanks!

[@Ka_Gg]

Yes, there are if you look at independent sellers. There are no cheap cars at car lots though

[@michaelsullivan1262]

Good stuff, Vancent Von Vancypants! ✌🏼

[@Johnny53kgb-nsa]

Scotty likes Toyota too.

[@juliebyrne1013]

Hi Vinnie.. Do you have Ford Cars in the US? I the old Jaguar.

[@THEATREofPAIN270]

I bought a 2016 VW Jetta a few years back. Other than brakes and tires I've been lucky. It's a good California car I've had here in PA. Does the directional wand count? I broke that with my knee. $350 🤪 🤘Vin🤘