AN EXPERT mechanic has shared his golden advice on the WORST car to buy second hand – don’t be caught out.
Scotty Kilmer has worked on motors for 55 years and his trusty opinion is reflected by the 5.9million subscribers he’s amassed on YouTube.
The knowledgeable mechanic has revealed one type of car everyone should avoid – as well as five models that are worth the money.
In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel @scottykilmer, he said: “There’s lots of people talking about what’s good and what’s bad, but really, if you want to learn – ask a mechanic like me.
“Just out of curiosity I Googled some of that advice on the internet and – stay away from it.
“I saw some that had three of the top five cars being Chrysler products, which every mechanic knows are some of the worst made vehicles out there.”
In light of this information, Scotty offered his viewers the five best used cars he recommends buying.
In fifth place was the 2012 Honda Accord, he said: “I’ve got customers with these and they love the cars.
“The four cylinder ones seemed to last the absolute longest.”
The mechanic described them as the perfect family car because the “zippy sporty” model doesn’t feel like a minivan.
He also suggested a 2012 Ford Fusion due to their smooth drive and reliability.
“The Ford Fusion is a really solid built car, and since Ford isn’t going to be making cars anymore, you can generally pick up a used car cheaper,” Scotty added.
The trusty mechanic explained once a manufacturer stops producing cars, the value of the older models go down.
His third pick was a 2013 Honda Civic, he said: “They’re very dependable transportation.”
Scotty revealed he had many older customers who hail their Civics because it “hardly uses any gas” and “always starts”.
He even claimed they would outlast a Chrysler by up to four times and repairs would only be a fraction of the cost.
I saw some advice that had three of the top five cars being Chrysler products, which every mechanic knows are some of the worst made vehicles out there.”
Scotty Kilmer
Coming in at second-place was the 2012 Toyota Corolla, according to this expert.
“Toyotas can run virtually forever if you take care of them.
“I remember years ago a mechanic friend of mine was having a party and they said ‘let’s see if we can blow up a Toyota Corolla engine’.
“He emptied out most of the engine oil and then put a brick on the accelerator, and it was just sitting there revving, and it ran for quite some time.
“Eventually one of the cylinders blew and went bang, but the car was still running on three cylinders.”
Scotty also pointed out that his family enjoyed a Toyota Corolla for years and never had any problems.
Toyotas can run virtually forever if you take care of them.”
Scotty Kilmer
The mechanic highlighted there were a lot of the vehicles sold which means there will be a lot for sale on second-hand sites.
But, the top choice was a 2011 Toyota Camry due to their reliability.
Despite being more expensive than Corollas, more Camrys were sold when they first came out – because they were so well made, according to the expert.
They make a great family car with plenty of room, slightly more than the Corolla.
OTHER TIPS
Scotty also recommended not always going for the cheapest used-car on the website.
He explained the reason a vehicle will be listed at such a low price is because it’s just not a good option.
The mechanic also said: “Think about expense over time, that’s one reason my son, who was going to get a used Tacoma pickup truck, got a new one.
“He said, ‘Dad I’ll probably keep this thing for 30 years, it’s gonna cost me any money per month if I keep it for that long’.”
But second-hand cars are always a good bet, according to the expert, because insurance is a lot lower.
His final piece of advice was to have a mechanic check out a used car before buying it because “you can’t trust anyone”.
“Cars can be wrecked, flooded, stolen, started on fire, there’s all kinds of things that can happen,” he added.
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