Here’s the latest reader question, along with my reply!
Chad asks: My daughter has a 2005 Honda Civic and she loves the car, but wants to upgrade to a newer car; she wants to stick with Honda. She really likes the CRV. I was wondering your opinion on buying a used CRV?
My reply: The CRV – and its Toyota equivalent, the RAV-4 – are rightly considered two of the safest bets in the class. They both have well-established reputations for being well-built and very long-term reliable. A good friend of mine owns two CRVs and my girlfriend has one RAV-4 – so I can vouch personally for them!
With a caveat:
As with any used car, the way it was treated (driven and maintained) by its prior owner is extremely important. Abusive treatment and poor maintenance can make a mess of the most well-built car and – conversely – exceptional care can make a brand of car that might not be as “good” as some of the others when it was new into a better bet than its rivals when it is used, especially if you can get it for a really good price.
So, due diligence is the key thing. Whether your daughter ends up with a CRV or a RAV4 or one of the others in the class, make sure you have the car checked out by someone you trust before you agree to buy it. Make sure it will pass both state safety and emissions tests, if applicable. Ask for maintenance records – and be on your guard if none are available.
And: Always heed your spider sense! If it tells you something’s not right, it probably isn’t!
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Got a question about cars, Libertarian politics – or anything else? Click on the “ask Eric” link and send ’em in!
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