10 Dependable Cars Under $4,000
There are times when you just need a reliable car on the cheap, and you don't care what brand it is as long as it can get you from point A to B without breaking down constantly.
If you're in this situation, take a look at Jalopnik's article from this past week, in which they asked readers to rank the top 10 most dependable cars under $4,000.
The number one pick was the 2004 Ford Crown Victoria. Others on the list include vehicles as far back as 1983 (I don't particularly agree that a car from the 80s will still be very dependable). Some of the later model vehicles such as the 2003 Toyota Corolla, and 2003 Pontiac Vibe may be better choices. See the full ranking below.
| Rank | Vehicle |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2004 Ford Crown Victoria |
| 2 | 2003 Pontiac Vibe |
| 3 | 1983 Volvo 240 |
| 4 | 1996 Lexus LS400 |
| 5 | 1997 Lexus LX450 |
| 6 | 2003 Toyota Corolla |
| 7 | 1986 Toyota Tercel |
| 8 | 2000 Buick Century |
| 9 | 1985 Honda CRX Si |
| 10 | 1994 Acura Legend |
3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money
The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network
Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect
TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.Step 3 Complete my Checklist
Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
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- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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