Looking To Buy Used? Here Are Ten of the Best Used Vehicles

Sometimes you just need to get the job done without spending an arm and a leg. The tricky part is that it often feels like these two things are mutually exclusive of each other: you can either get a high-quality car that gets the job done while spending top dollar for it, or you can get a car in your desired price range that might as well be in a dump somewhere. Never fear, Southern California drivers, because our mission here at Orange Coast is to give you access to cheap used cars for sale.

Buying a cheap used car does not mean you lose the fun of car shopping; in some ways, buying a used vehicle actually increases the fun of car shopping because you open the door to a wider variety of models and model years. To help you narrow down your choices, we’ve assembled our Orange Coast top ten list of used vehicles to consider if you are in the market for buying one.

Small Cars and Sedans

If you’re looking for a simple commuter vehicle, you’ll have no problem finding a quality used vehicle well within your price range. While you want to make sure that you carefully identify the features which are most important to you to choose the right commuter vehicle. Looking in the small car and sedan section opens the door to many good options. Here are two of our favorites.

Chevy Spark

While it’s not a sedan, the Chevy Spark is a spunky little cruiser perfect for those who drive mostly alone and sometimes with a couple of extra passengers. Its fun color schemes and design cues make it exciting and fun and crafts an environment that drivers and passengers alike will enjoy. Hosting some of Chevy’s premium technology, both infotainment and safety, drivers will be well-connected and have a good variety of driver assistance features. The biggest benefits of the Spark are its incredibly low price, impressive efficiency (which will pay off dividends over time), and compactness. Parking will never be easier than behind the wheel of your very own Chevy Spark.

Nissan Sentra

Nissan is known for making great cars at an affordable rate, and if you’re looking for a stylish sedan to use as a commuter vehicle, then the Nissan Sentra will serve you very well. A used Sentra is a great option for those looking to stay within a given budget because you’ll be able to buy a Sentra from very recent model years at an astonishingly low price. This means that you’ll have access to the premium Nissan design features that you seek and the latest and greatest technology while staying within your budget. We suggest looking at a 2019 Sentra because it includes standard NissanConnectSM and an incredibly spacious interior with an interior volume of 111 cu.ft.

The Sentra is also a sedan with extremely high fuel efficiency. The 2019 model has an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 29 MPG in the city, 37 MPG on the highway, and 32 MPG combined. Those are the kinds of numbers you want if you want to keep prices down over time. With the Sentra, you’ll be able to keep gas bills low and standards high.

Subcompact Crossovers

Before getting to the big hitters, we should discuss the vehicles that bridge the gap between sedans and SUVs. A good mid-size SUV certainly has its time and place, but there is a real benefit to having a crossover that utilizes the best of both worlds.

Kia Soul

Kia is known for being both eco-friendly and affordable. As ideal as this combination sounds, it may cause you to raise your eyebrows a bit and question the quality of the vehicle, but we assure you that these vehicles perform well and are indeed built to last for the long haul. The Kia Soul, specifically, is extremely efficient, offers a generous amount of passenger space (and its rear storage area is not too bad, either), and is very affordable to buy new, making it wildly affordable to buy used. The Kia Soul makes driving enjoyable, especially when you’ve got people you love in the vehicle with you, and they’ll be extra comfortable in the spacious rear seating area. There’s good times to be had in the Kia Soul, and we think you’ll see what we mean.

Buick Encore

Buick does luxury SUVs and mid-size vehicles unlike any other brand. You may read the term “luxury SUV” and think, “that has to be out of my price range.” Not necessarily. If you look at used mid-size SUV prices from other brands of lesser quality, you might find lower prices for models from ten or more years ago but prices that are almost full value for more recent model years. As a GM brand, Buick is firmly committed to quality (and their vehicles prove it), and you will easily be able to find used Encore prices within a very reasonable price range from recent model years. So why not have leading luxury design features with detailed accents, generous (yet highly-efficient) cargo capacity, and all kinds of helpful technology features? It’s all waiting for you in your used Buick encore.

Larger SUVs

Mid-size vehicles are great, but sometimes they just don’t provide enough space. Purchasing a large vehicle like an SUV often brings with it more specific preferences because drivers have favorite vehicles that they would love to have, and nothing else seems to compare. But what if you could get some of your favorite vehicles from some of your favorite brands for an amazing price?

Jeep Wrangler

We love Jeep vehicles, but you may be surprised to see this vehicle on our top ten list of “cheap” used vehicles. The Wrangler, despite being one of the most beloved and iconic vehicles of all time, is on the cheaper side of SUVs and is much more affordable when purchased pre-owned. But why the Wrangler?

Aside from setting the standard for both classic and modern Jeep styling and design, the Wrangler is one of the most exciting and highly-performing champions of off-roading in automotive history. Vehicles don’t get as iconic as the Wrangler without earning it, and circular headlamps, fun grills, and open-roof designs don’t stand the test of time if the vehicle doesn’t perform well. But it does, and that is why the Wrangler continues to be sought-after, both for its looks and performance. Whether you’re looking for the old-school or modern Wrangler look, the vehicle will provide you with the most fun you’ll have in a vehicle anywhere.

Ford Expedition

Now, if you look at the MSRP for a new Ford Expedition, chances are you wouldn’t even consider it. But because this model has been in the Ford family for so long, you’ll easily be able to find some models that will come at a very agreeable price.

Ford is one of the pioneers of the United States automotive scene, and as such, it has over a century of excellence going into every one of its vehicles, especially the Expedition. One of the biggest benefits of the Expedition is its very generous interior space, which is one of the most important components of an SUV. Ford certainly puts special love into the expedition with exceptional options, innovative technology, and premium capability. It sounds like it would be impossible to find within a used car budget; however, it is very much possible.

Trucks

Finding a great truck for a cheap price can be difficult, because it can feel like you’re walking a fine line between seeking the work-oriented features you need and going over budget. While there certainly is careful consideration to be had as to which of these two things–a few extra features or staying within budget–is most important to you, understanding the best models to look for can help you to make an informed decision that allows you to achieve both of these things.

Chevy Silverado 1500

The Chevy Silverado 1500 is one of the best and most acclaimed pickup trucks on the market. Offering seriously impressive performance specs which are hard to find on any other truck currently available, you’ll be able to tackle any challenge. Most Silverados from the past several years offer up to 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, meaning that you’ll perform at top level. With premium towing capability (and excellent towing assist technology), plus a very innovative pickup bed, loading up and hauling your cargo will be no problem.

Additionally, the Silverado hosts some of the best infotainment and safety technology you’ll find. Used Silverados are easy to find at significantly reduced rates. Our suggestion for optimizing your used Silverado experience is to purchase a Silverado from 2017 or later. You’ll still have a great truck before 2017, but you’ll be missing some of the higher-level performance and technology features. With 2017 models or later, you’re looking at a game-changing trucking experience.

Nissan Titan

You may be surprised that the Titan made one of only two selections for cheap used trucks, but it is a top-level truck with amazing performance capabilities that can easily be found in the target used-truck price range. Nissan does a very impressive job with the Titan in that they combine their premium luxury design features with workhorse truck performance on a high level. The Titan is certainly acclaimed, but it is somewhat surprising that it is not one of the more talked-about trucks because everything about its capabilities and design puts it right up with the leaders. We think very highly of the Nissan Titan, and we think you will too. Its design may even have you shocked that it’s within your price range.

Performance Vehicles

Most performance vehicles aren’t known for being “affordable,” but it certainly is possible to buy them at a cheaper rate than the MSRP price tag you’ll see on the newest model. If you’ve always wanted to have a racerunner of a vehicle, buying one used allows you to have the car without paying top dollar. Let’s see which ones are the best to purchase used.

Chevy Camaro

When you think of a Chevy performance vehicle, chances are the first thing to come to mind is the Corvette. This is fair, as the Corvette is one of the most impressive performance vehicles that the industry has ever seen. But, Chevy has an unsung hero: the Camaro.

The Camaro provides all the thrills you could ask for in a performance vehicle. Its design will not let you forget what it can do on the track, but it also makes itself usable for everyday purposes that you may not want to use for a Corvette. It is quite easy to find used Camaros for very reasonable prices, and if you are looking for thrills in your driving experience, you’ll want to look into this great performer.

Ford Mustang

This is another nameplate you may be surprised to see on this list. Everybody knows that iconic horse when they see it, and everybody knows that the name Mustang is essentially synonymous with high-performance driving. What many people don’t know, however, is that the Mustang can be surprisingly affordable. Of course, you have to look for the right trims in the right places, but this iconic performer can be found within a very reasonable price range.

To get a Mustang within a reasonable price range, you may not be able to have every single performance and design feature that you would ideally want, but no matter what, it will be outstanding in performance and design. The Mustang has earned its status as a model by which other performance vehicles are compared, so there is no such thing as a bad Mustang.

Just a Glimpse of Many of the Great Used Vehicles Available

Of course, we’ve only begun to scratch the surface when finding a cheap yet high-quality used vehicle. This list is not meant to be definitive nor exhaustive, but rather a starting place to help get the gears turning in your head so that you can make an informed decision to look for the vehicle you ultimately want. There are many fantastic options out there, and no matter what kind of vehicle you’re looking for, such as a sedan, SUV, truck, or performance, we want you to be well-educated so that you don’t compromise your budget or your preferred quality.