A mechanic has revealed the top six used cars he thinks you should buy for under $10,000.
US-based content creator David Long shared the most reliable vehicles in a three-part TikTok series with his more than 40,000 followers.
The car enthusiast explained that his best options were the 2000-2005 Buick Lesabre, the 1999-2006 Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra, the 2004-2009 Lexus RX 350, the 1998-2012 Ford Crown Victoria, the 1996- 2000. and the 2001-2007 Toyota Highlander.
David said the six cars were “no-brainer buys,” which to him meant “As long as it has been well maintained, serviced well, hasn’t been in an accident or is not a flooded car, then these cars are cars you can buy with confidence.’
The mechanic began his video by talking about his first choice: the 2000-2005 Buick Lesabre.
American content creator David Long has shared the six most reliable used cars in a three-part TikTok series with his more than 40,000 followers.
The car’s advantages include a 3.8 V6 with automatic transmission and it gets up to 30 miles per gallon on the highway.
He mentioned that it was less likely to break and if it did, its parts could be purchased cheaply and were easily accessible.
David noted that if the original plastic coolant elbows under the alternator started to leak, they could easily be replaced with metal.
The car lasts between 300,000 and 400,000 miles over its lifetime and costs between $2,000 and $5,000.
The second car on the list was the 1999 to 2006 Chevy Silverado, or GMC Sierra.
He explained why he didn’t make it past 2006 for the model, stating, “We started getting into active fuel management, and we all know they’re garbage, and when they fail, they destroy the engine.” Or you can make grenades in the engine.
The car is “the V8 4.8 or 5.3 LS” and “they are called Vortec 5.3 or 4.8” and has six liters.
He added: “You can get them in special edition trucks or three-quarter-ton trucks, but we’re just talking about the economy half-ton truck.”
David shared that some of his top picks are the 2000-2005 Buick Lesabre, the 1999-2006 Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra, and the 2004-2009 Lexus RX 350.
“These can have a manual or automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive (or) two-wheel drive; that depends on you (and) what you are looking for.”
The car can also tow a small camper or trailer, and is priced between $5,000 and $10,000.
The third car on their list was the 2004 to 2009 Lexus RX 350, which was a mid-size SUV.
It comes in 3.3 V6 or 3.5 V6 and can easily get 30 miles per gallon on the highway.
Older models of the car prior to 2009 cost between $5,000 and $10,000.
The fourth car to make the cut was the 1998 to 2012 Ford Crown Victoria, which police used as their car of choice; However, the popular car stopped production in 2012.
David wrote: ‘These cars are the epitome of bulletproof. They are absolutely reliable.
“Ford really hit the nail on the head. “They really hit the mark when they built a car that was reliable, comfortable and easy to maintain.”
The car has a ‘4.6 V8 and automatic transmission’, however David noted that ‘they are not fuel efficient’.
It can get up to 25 miles per gallon on the highway and has a lifetime mileage of 300,000 to 400,000 miles.
If a part had to be repaired, it was “very abundant and very cheap,” he also noted.
David added: “This is called the Panther Platform; it’s also a Lincoln Town Car (or) Mercury Grand Marquis.”
‘There are several vehicles that use this platform, but it is one of the best, if not the best, platform Ford Motor Company has ever made in its company’s history. “It’s definitely a no-brainer buy.”
The fifth car on the list was the 1996 to 2000 Lexus LS 400.
David explained: ‘These are getting old; They are now (24) years old, but for a 2000 model, they are reliable.
‘There are many still on the road. They are literally tanks. They are built more than extremely reliable. They have a level of reliability recognized worldwide.’
The car has a four-liter V8 and automatic transmission.
If you need to replace any parts, it may be “a little more expensive because it’s a Toyota.”
The car can get between 25 and 27 miles per gallon on the highway.
The three-part video series garnered over 500,000 views, with many people taking to the comments section to share their thoughts.
The 1996-2000 year range means the car is an OBD2, which David says means: “If you have a check engine light, your local auto parts store can still read the code for free and may be able to repair the car yourself. Yes, it’s very cheap.”
Car prices range from $5,000 to $10,000, with most being on the higher end.
David noted, “They beat it with the LS 400. You can’t go wrong with that one.”
The last and sixth car on their list was the 2001 to 2007 Toyota Highlander, which is a mix between a small and midsize SUV.
David shared his personal connection to the car, explaining: ‘My own dad has one.
‘Years ago he asked me what kind of car he should buy; I was looking for a small SUV. I told him, “Go get a Highlander, you’ll thank me later,” and he did.
‘Years later, he thanked me. She said: “I’m reaching a stage in life: I’m getting older. I don’t have time to constantly be fixing things under the hood and trying to fix things.”
He said his father added: ‘This car has served me very well. It always starts, always runs and doesn’t leak a drop anywhere.
The car has a 2.44-cylinder, three-liter engine and a 3.3 V6 that gets between 25 and 30 miles per gallon on the highway.
David added that the car was “very fuel efficient”, offered third-row seating, had a lifetime mileage of 300,000 miles and was priced between $5,000 and $10,000.
In conclusion, David shared: ‘Yes, you should go buy one of those six. Please go out and buy one of those. You won’t regret it, but be sure to check out the interior.
‘Make sure it’s been taken care of: it’s not crushed, kids haven’t broken it, or pets have literally peed on it or something.’ Make sure that’s clean too.
The three-part video series garnered over 500,000 views, with many people taking to the comments section to share their thoughts.
One person wrote: ‘Anything Toyota.’ All the way,” while a second person commented, “Nothing is more reliable than a Toyota.”
A third person agreed: ‘Toyotas are the bomb. I bought an 05 Sequoia sr5 2wd and it has been a rock star.’
“Toyota, Toyota, Toyota… period,” a fourth person wrote.
A fifth commented: “Any Ford with the 4.6 will run forever.”
Another user added: “I always wondered why car companies retired ridiculously successful engine platforms and it never made sense to me.”
Another person said: “New Toyotas have broken turbos and engines.”