Best Used Cars Recommended by Mechanics | Easterns (2024)

Mechanics are often opinionated about vehicle quality. They work on a lot of vehicles and know which of their regular clients have the most problems, and which rarely – if ever – require significant repairs. Although they’re not car salesmen, they generally have a lot of relevant frontline experience when it comes to vehicle quality and reliability.

Car, Truck & SUV Recommendations

You’ll frequently see mechanics speak highly of Toyota and Honda brands, including Lexus and Acura (their respective luxury offerings). If you ask mechanics their opinions about vehicles, they frequently focus on miles, longevity and major repair needs. They usually have positive opinions of vehicles that can reliably go more than 200,000 miles when they’re properly maintained.

Some standouts include the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic. Neither are necessarily considered the flashiest vehicles ever designed. That doesn’t mean either model is lacking in modern comforts or features. Both are available in a variety of trims with varying levels of features and add-ons. Regardless of their trim, they generally offer hundreds of thousands of miles of reliable performance without catastrophic breakdowns.

When it comes to SUV and crossover recommendations, you’ll frequently see names like the affordable Subaru Forester, Nissans, Toyota Highlander and the Kia Sorento. The 2022 Consumer Reports Auto Reliability ranking just listed Lexus as number one thanks to its GX SUV. The versatile Mazda CX-9 also made their top 10 list in terms of reliability for 2022 models.

A lot of mechanics still rave about Ford and Chevy trucks for their durability, especially in rough working conditions. If a work truck doesn’t require frequent repairs and maintenance, even though it’s constantly being stressed, that’s probably a good sign. They also frequently approve of Japanese-built trucks like Toyotas and Nissans.

The Tradeoff Between Reputation, Reliability and Value

Many mechanics are also pragmatists, and they often adopt a nuanced view of vehicle recommendations. For example, they might recommend a Buick to some shoppers instead of a Toyota or Honda. The high demand for Japanese-built vehicles is well earned, but it also means they might in some cases be pricier than the less-renowned domestic vehicles. As a result, you can sometimes get a comparable vehicle for less if you’re willing to buy an alternative that might be slightly less reliable.

Cars With Resale Value

Reliability is important for car ownership, but it can also pay dividends if you’re not planning on holding onto your vehicle for the long term. Vehicles that are popular and reliable frequently depreciate at a slower rate than vehicles with bad reputations. You’ll have an easier time selling your vehicle quickly or getting a good deal on a trade-in if your vehicle is renowned for its dependability, even after hundreds of thousands of miles.

New Isn’t Always Better

New vehicles have a lot of quality of life and safety improvements that make driving more enjoyable and less dangerous. Those are great features, until they breakdown. You might notice some mechanics recommend older vehicles with fewer bells and whistles because they do tend to be cheaper and easier to maintain.

You may not want to be forced to take your vehicle to the manufacturer’s service center for every repair. You might also find it frustrating that special parts always need to be ordered to get your fancy HUD or digital dashboard working again.

There are also still some car owners who are dedicated DIYers and like mechanical things they know how to repair. The more advanced vehicles get, the harder it generally becomes for do-it-yourselfers to continue doing things themselves.

Reliability Ratings

It’s worth listening to mechanics, but keep in mind they aren’t necessarily the fount of all wisdom. You should also do your own research and look up metrics, like a vehicle’s reliability rating. Reliability rating is the measure of a vehicle’s chance for needing repairs and ultimately the cost of owning a vehicle in terms of maintenance and breakdowns. It’s likely that the advice of your mechanic and a vehicle reliability rating will coincide, but it’s still worth checking.

Get a Great Pre-Owned Vehicle in Virginia or Maryland

Easterns Automotive’s service experts thoroughly inspect each vehicle we acquire to ensure it will be a reliable new car, truck or SUV for one of our customers. In addition to getting car buyers great deals and flexible financing, we also want to make sure they never get a lemon.

If you’re in the market for a car with another hundred thousand (or more) miles left, don’t hesitate to browse our inventory or call us at 877-867-0641. You’re sure to find a fantastic vehicle that will meet your needs.

Best Used Cars Recommended by Mechanics | Easterns (2024)

FAQs

Best Used Cars Recommended by Mechanics | Easterns? ›

The top choices for auto brands that are the most dependable, according to mechanics, are Honda and Toyota. Thanks to excellent engineering and quality design, these brands suffer the fewest breakdowns as do the luxury brands associated with these manufacturers, Acura and Lexus, respectively.

What is the most mechanically reliable car? ›

The top choices for auto brands that are the most dependable, according to mechanics, are Honda and Toyota. Thanks to excellent engineering and quality design, these brands suffer the fewest breakdowns as do the luxury brands associated with these manufacturers, Acura and Lexus, respectively.

What car do most mechanics drive? ›

You'll frequently see mechanics speak highly of Toyota and Honda brands, including Lexus and Acura (their respective luxury offerings). If you ask mechanics their opinions about vehicles, they frequently focus on miles, longevity and major repair needs.

What used cars are easy to maintain? ›

Most Affordable Used Cars to Maintain
  • Toyota Corolla. The Toyota Corolla is a compact sedan with a reliable track record. ...
  • Honda CR-V. The Honda CR-V is one of the most popular SUVs on the road, and for good reason. ...
  • Subaru Outback. ...
  • Honda Accord. ...
  • Lexus NX. ...
  • Mercedes-Benz C-Class. ...
  • Ford Mustang. ...
  • Honda Odyssey.
Feb 21, 2020

Which car manufacturer is the easiest to work on? ›

These engines, just so happen to be, the least intimidating to take on for beginner mechanics:
  • Chevrolet Silverado.
  • Honda Accord.
  • Subaru Outback.
  • Toyota Corolla.
  • Honda CR-V.
  • Toyota Tacoma.
  • Jeep Wrangler.
Mar 5, 2022

Which car brand has the least mechanical problems? ›

What is the most dependable car brand? Here are the brand rankings based on the number of problems per 100 vehicles, according to J.D. Power's 2023 U.S. vehicle dependability study. The industry average is 186. The highest-ranking premium brand was Lexus, and Kia was the highest-ranking mass market brand.

What is the number 1 most reliable car? ›

According to this trusted organization, the most reliable cars for 2021 are from brands such as Audi, Buick, Hyundai, and Toyota. The Consumer Reports study is based on surveying more than 400,000 people who own current-generation vehicles made within the last three years.

What is the hardest job for a mechanic? ›

The four most difficult auto repairs (arguably)
  • #1: Spark plugs. When you think of spark plugs, you probably don't think of a tough repair. ...
  • #2: Clutch. ...
  • #3: Transmission. ...
  • #4: Engine swap.
Aug 20, 2021

Who are highest paid car mechanic? ›

High Paying Automotive Technician Jobs
  • Master Automotive Technician. Salary range: $60,000-$88,000 per year. ...
  • Master Mechanic. Salary range: $52,500-$80,500 per year. ...
  • Car Tuner. ...
  • ASE Certified Technician. ...
  • Automotive Service Technician. ...
  • Alignment Specialist. ...
  • Vehicle Maintenance Technician. ...
  • Maintenance Shop Technician.

What car repairs take the longest? ›

Repairing and replacing the following parts tend to take the longest:
  • Engine.
  • Transmission.
  • Catalytic converter.
  • Clutch.
  • Spark plugs.

What cars have the least engine problems? ›

The report found that Lexus and Toyota make the most reliable cars, while Jeep and Mercedes-Benz make the ones you can depend on least. But those rankings reflect an average of all the cars each manufacturer builds. There can still be variation within any one brand.

What cars are best for everyday use? ›

Best Commuter Cars for Small Groups
  • 2022 Honda Accord. Best Value for Commuters: $26,520 (LX) ...
  • 2023 Toyota Corolla. Best Value for Commuters: $22,730 (LE + Convenience Package) ...
  • 2023 Honda Civic. ...
  • 2022 Nissan Sentra. ...
  • 2023 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid.
  • 2022 Tesla Model 3. ...
  • 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric.

What cars don't cost a lot to maintain? ›

EVs and Hybrid Cars Cost the Least to Maintain

EVs don't require regular oil, filter, and fluid changes—a big part of the maintenance and repair budget for a gas vehicle. On average, hybrid cars cost only slightly more to maintain than EVs over a 10-year period ($2,785 vs. $2,320).

What are the least reliable car models? ›

10 Least Reliable Cars
  • 2022 Chevrolet Bolt (Reliability Score: 17).
  • 2022 Ford Explorer (Reliability Score: 16).
  • 2022 Nissan Sentra (Reliability Score: 9).
  • 2022 Lincoln Aviator (Reliability Score: 8).
  • 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric (Reliability Score: 5).
  • 2022 Ford F-150 Hybrid (Reliability Score: 4).

Which car brand is hardest to work on? ›

The Hardest Cars to Work On
  • The MINI Cooper. It may not come to much of a surprise that a car with “mini” as its brand name would be difficult to work on. ...
  • Renault Le Car. Not many people in the United States may even be aware of this car manufacturer, much less the Le Car. ...
  • Toyota MR2. ...
  • Nissan 300ZX. ...
  • Mercedes-Benz 600 Grosser.

What is the most reliable American car brand? ›

Toyota, which has long had a reputation for high-level reliability, is the most reliable car brand on the Consumer Reports list. Also, Lexus, the Toyota-owned luxury brand, earned the second spot, followed by German automaker BMW. However, for American reliability, the best one is Lincoln.

What brand car lasts the longest? ›

Toyota was one of the longest-lasting car brands
RankModelCars Over 200k Miles
1Toyota2.3%
2Honda1.9%
3GMC1.8%
4Chevrolet1.6%
2 more rows
Apr 18, 2023

Which Toyota is most reliable? ›

According to Consumer Reports, the most reliable 2021 Toyota models are the Prius, Corolla, Prius Prime, Camry, and 4Runner. These have all been ranked exceptionally highly for their robust comfort, ride quality, and smooth handling.

What is the best mechanic salary? ›

The best Auto Mechanic jobs can pay up to $72,500 per year.

An Auto Mechanic is a trained professional skilled at making repairs and performing regular maintenance for automobiles.

What's the most a mechanic can make an hour? ›

While ZipRecruiter is seeing hourly wages as high as $41.59 and as low as $12.50, the majority of Auto Mechanic wages currently range between $19.23 (25th percentile) to $28.85 (75th percentile) across the United States.

What are the weaknesses of a mechanic? ›

When working as an auto mechanic, you may also experience a few drawbacks, such as:
  • Physical labor. Being a mechanic requires working with your hands and performing physical labor. ...
  • Potential salary and benefits. ...
  • High responsibility. ...
  • Lack of transferable skills.
Mar 10, 2023

What blue collar jobs pay the most? ›

10 high-paying blue-collar jobs
  1. Construction and building inspector. ...
  2. Structural iron and steel worker. ...
  3. Locomotive engineer. ...
  4. Radio and telecommunications equipment installer. ...
  5. Gas plant operator. ...
  6. Electrical line installer and repairer. ...
  7. Boilermaker. ...
  8. Powerhouse, substation and relay repairer.
Mar 10, 2023

What is the highest level of mechanic? ›

ASE's highest recognition is the 'Blue Seal of Excellence' designation for auto repair centers and dealers that exhibit superior service and hire a staff that are at least 75% ASE Certified. These elite facilities are among the best in the nation and offer complete repair and maintenance care.

What is highest paying job in USA? ›

Highest-Paying Occupations
OCCUPATION2022 MEDIAN PAYPERCENTAGE INCREASE OVER NATIONAL MEDIAN
Chief Executives$189,520309.20%
Orthodontists$174,360276.50%
Computer and Information Systems Managers$164,070254.30%
Architectural and Engineering Managers$159,920245.30%
17 more rows

What is the most expensive part of a car to repair? ›

The engine can be considered the heart of your vehicle and converts fuel to power so your car can move. As such, it is the most expensive car part to replace and repair, especially if there has been significant damage. This cost can be even higher if you have a luxury car.

What parts on a car last the longest? ›

There is no other part in your car that is more important than the engine. Many factors influence its life span, so it's hard to put a concrete number of miles or years on how long it will last. Typically, engines last around 150,000 miles on the low end and up to 350,000 on the high end.

What is the most complicated thing to fix in a car? ›

Engine swap or replacement An engine swap sounds like a major auto repair and it is. Your auto mechanic can't just pull one engine out and drop another it - it's a lot more complicated than that. Your engine is connected to the rest of the car with tons of wires, hoses, cables, and more.

What car brand has the least recalls? ›

Mercedes-Benz tops the list of least-recalled cars, followed closely by Toyota and Lexus.

What are the top 10 least reliable cars? ›

10 Least Reliable Car Brands We'll Never Buy
  1. 1 Land Rover Range Rover - 30/100. via Land Rover.
  2. 2 Jeep - 30/100. Jeep. ...
  3. 3 Volkswagen - 31/100. Volkswagen. ...
  4. 4 Maserati - 35/100. Maserati. ...
  5. 5 Tesla - 40/100. Tesla. ...
  6. 6 Alfa Romeo - 40/100. Alfa Romeo. ...
  7. 7 Jaguar - 45/100. Via: Bring A Trailer. ...
  8. 8 Lincoln - 41/100. Lincoln. ...
Mar 27, 2023

What is the best car to ever own? ›

Top 10 Greatest Cars of All Time
  • VW Beetle. ...
  • Cord L-29. ...
  • Ford 150 Pickup Truck. ...
  • Oldsmobile F-88. ...
  • BMC Mini. ...
  • Ford Mustang. ...
  • Porsche 911. The Porsche 911 has been beloved on the racetrack and streets alike ever since it was first introduced in 1964 and is now one of the longest-standing sports cars ever. ...
  • Stay. Gateway Canyons Resort.

What is the most common car of all time? ›

The original model Lada produced by AvtoVAZ of Russia, is the most numerous vehicle ever marketed without any major design change during its production history, with over 20 million units sold between 1970 and mid-2012.

What is the most important car of all time? ›

Ford Model T

The car that started it all and ushered in the era of the assembly line, Ford's Model T has to go down in history as the most influential vehicle of all time. It literally influenced every car that came after it—every single one. And the Ford Model T was extremely popular in its day.

What is the most neglected car maintenance? ›

Commonly Neglected Vehicle Maintenance Tasks
  • Transmission Fluid. Regularly changing your engine oil is a task embedded in most driver's brains and for a good reason. ...
  • Air Filters. Most vehicles have two air filters, one for the cabin and one for the engine. ...
  • A wheel alignment. ...
  • A Coolant System flush. ...
  • The Battery.
Aug 27, 2020

What is the least reliable car of all time? ›

The 5 Least Reliable Vehicles of All Time, According to...
  1. 2002 Ford Explorer.
  2. 2003 Honda Accord. ...
  3. 2019 Toyota RAV4. ...
  4. 2013 Nissan Altima. Behold the new jalopy – a 2013 Nissan Altima pic.twitter.com/R1xJHPAmWC. ...
  5. 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee | Stellantis. ...
Mar 4, 2023

Is it cheaper to maintain a car or buy a new one? ›

Generally speaking, it is almost always less expensive to repair a car than buy a new one. Even something as severe as an engine or transmission rebuild will cost you roughly $1,200 to $5,000 — far less than buying a new car.

Is Honda more reliable than Toyota? ›

Honda and Toyota are comparable in terms of reliability among affordable car brands. RepairPal identifies Honda as the most reliable brand, while Consumer Reports and iSeeCars prefer Toyota as the most dependable marque.

Which cars are cheap reliable and fast? ›

Models like the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Toyota 86, and Subaru BRZ count as fast cheap cars in 2022. Hot hatchbacks like the Ford Focus RS, Volkswagen Golf R, and Honda Civic Type R all qualify as affordable fast cars in our current year.

What are the most unreliable engines? ›

10 Car Brands That Build The Most Unreliable Engines
  • 8 Subaru.
  • 7 Jeep.
  • 6 Mercedes-Benz.
  • 5 BMW.
  • 4 Mazda.
  • 3 Maserati.
  • 2 Volvo.
  • 1 Alfa Romeo.
Mar 2, 2023

What car breaks down the least? ›

The product evaluation service released its annual auto reliability report this week. The report found that Lexus and Toyota make the most reliable cars, while Jeep and Mercedes-Benz make the ones you can depend on least.

What is the best car brand in terms of durability? ›

Toyota vehicles are known for their longevity, and they are proven to last longer than any other brand. Toyotas are built so well they have below-average maintenance and repair costs, which helps contribute to why they remain on the road for so long.

Which brand of car lasts the longest? ›

Toyota was one of the longest-lasting car brands
RankModelCars Over 200k Miles
1Toyota2.3%
2Honda1.9%
3GMC1.8%
4Chevrolet1.6%
2 more rows
Apr 18, 2023

What car does not have a lot of problems? ›

Beyond the brands: The most and least reliable vehicles
RankMost ReliableLeast Reliable
1.Toyota PriusChevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500
2.Lexus NXSubaru Ascent
3.Buick EncoreVolkswagen Atlas
4.Lexus GXJeep Compass
6 more rows

What cars are less likely to get pulled over? ›

10 Least-Ticketed Cars And Trucks
  • Buick Encore – 3% of drivers ticketed.
  • Lexus IS 350 – 3%
  • Acura ILX – 6%
  • Cadillac ATS – 6%
  • Chevrolet Express – 8%
  • Cadillac Escalade – 8%
  • GMC Savana – 9%
  • Audi A3 2-Series – 9%
Feb 18, 2016

What is the longest lasting car on average? ›

The top 2 models with the longest lifespans are Toyota SUVs, with the Sequoia and Land Cruiser both enduring nearly 300,000 miles over the past 20 years. Three hybrids, all of them Toyotas (Prius, Highlander, Camry), and two minivans (Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey) also make the top 20.

Can a car last 500000 miles? ›

Depending on how well you treat your car, you could potentially reach over 500,000 miles. In fact, there's a driver whose car reached even more than that.

What is the average lifespan of a car? ›

A conventional car can last for 200,000 miles. Some well-maintained car models will reach 300,000 or more miles total. The average passenger car age is currently around 12 years in the United States. Choosing a well-built make and model can help extend your car's longevity.

Which Toyotas last the longest? ›

Which Toyota car lasts the longest? The Toyota Prius has the longest potential lifespan of any of the Toyota car models, followed by the Avalon, as mentioned. Other Toyotas making the top 20 list include the Highlander Hybrid, 4Runner, Sienna, Tacoma, and Camry Hybrid.

What is the strongest engine on the market? ›

1) Ferrari 296 GTB – 218 HP/Liter

There are small details that include 164 horsepower in electrical assist and a V6 layout that's similar to the McLaren Artura. But let the math show that the 296 GTB reigns with the highest hp-per-liter figure of any production car currently on sale.

What year is the best muscle car? ›

The late 1960s saw a fierce battle among American car makers to produce the coolest and fastest muscle cars. Many of the finest muscles cars ever made were produced between 1965 and 1969.

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