For most people, the idea of spending $30,000 (or even more) on a brand-new automobile is just so far outside of their everyday life that it’s not even worth considering – $10,000 on a used car is much more in the “wheelhouse” of your average, everyday person.
However, a lot of people have misconceptions as to exactly what the best used cars under $10,000 actually are, and how much of a car $10,000 can buy today.
Hopefully this quick guide clears up many of the misconceptions you might have had and points you in the right direction to free of the best used cars under $10,000 today – which may or may not represent the best used cars under $10,000 tomorrow.
Let’s dive right in!
$10,000 might not buy as much car as you had hoped
The first thing that you’re going to need to do is temper your thoughts as to which vehicles are considered the best used cars under $10,000, in which vehicles are not.
The cold, hard truth of the matter is $10,000 just isn’t going to buy you quite as much of a car as you would have thought – or nearly as much of a car as you would have been able to buy even just 10 or 15 years ago.
As with everything else, the price of vehicles has skyrocketed in just the last few years, and $10,000 is only going to get you a vehicle that is 10 years old (or even older) and with quite a bit of mileage under the hood.
Now, this is not to say that you should be nervous in any way whatsoever of purchasing the best used cars under $10,000 – just that you need to temper your expectations. $10,000 seems like a lot of money until you step on a used-car lot, when you realize just how limited your options may be.
Always have your target used vehicle inspected by a third-party mechanic before purchasing
No matter what used-car you decide to purchase (whether it’s a $10,000 vehicle or otherwise), you need – NEED – to have it inspected by a third-party mechanic before you sign on the dotted line or hand over any of your money.
This is especially true with the best used cars under $10,000, as they will have at least 80,000 miles or so (sometimes a little bit less, and frequently a little bit more) and at least 8 to 10 years on them already.
This is right around when major things begin to go (including timing belts, water pumps, and other issues), and sometimes people aren’t as diligent with their routine maintenance as they should be.
Luckily, you should be able to put in a third-party mechanic inspection in the terms of the sale, so that you can have your vehicle checked out by a mechanic of your choosing without having to spend any extra money – you just roll it into the cost of the used vehicle.
Three of the best used cars under $10,000 right now
If you are searching for the best used cars under $10,000 right now, the three below represent different types of vehicle that you can purchase for this kind of money right now – this very second!
Early 2000’s Honda Civic
A lean, mean, stylish little entry-level coupe or sedan, Honda Civics are legendary for their fuel efficiency and low cost of repair and maintenance
Early 2000’s Ford F1 50
Pickup trucks are certainly on the more expensive side as far as used vehicles are concerned, but you should be able to pick up one of these trucks for around $10,000 so long as a little bit of extra mileage doesn’t scare you
Early 2000’s Chevy Equinox
A smaller SUV, this is a perfect blend of power, performance, in fuel efficiency that you should have no trouble whatsoever buying for about $10,000 or so.