The last good cars are still out there.
I spent 22 years under the hood. Here are the used cars I tell my own family to buy — and the ones I tell them to walk away from.
- Walk onto any lot knowing more than the salesman does — or keep guessing and pay for it
- Know which cheap cars quietly cost a fortune later, before you hand over the cash
- Be the one in the family everybody calls before they buy a car
$22.99 $45.99 one-time payment · instant access
What is inside The Last Good Cars
Why They Stopped Building Them Right
- The cutoff years that changed everything
- Pre-turbo, pre-CVT, pre-touchscreen explained simply
- Why overbuilt cars ended up cheap
- What complexity really costs an owner
The Picks, By Name and Year
- Sedans I still stand behind
- Trucks and SUVs worth the money
- The specific model years to target
- The near-identical years to skip
Engines and Transmissions I Trust
- Drivetrains that go the distance
- Known failure points by design
- Simple beats clever, and why
- The oil burner warning signs
The Ten Minute Inspection
- What to look at before the test drive
- Sounds, smells and leaks that matter
- The test drive checklist
- When to walk away on the spot
Paying the Right Price
- Realistic cash price ranges
- Where the dealer margin hides
- How mileage really affects value
- Negotiating without an argument
Keeping It On The Road
- The maintenance that actually matters
- Parts availability and cost
- Finding an honest mechanic
- When a repair is worth it and when it is not
Does this sound familiar?
Every car on the lot feels like a gamble
The sticker says reliable. The engine bay says something else. And you have no way to tell the difference in ten minutes on a test drive.
The dealer knows exactly what you do not
He knows which transmission fails at 90,000 miles. He knows which engine eats oil. He is not going to bring it up.
Modern cars are built to be replaced, not repaired
Turbos, CVTs, screens instead of knobs. One sensor fails and the shop quote is more than the car is worth.
“The difference between a smart used car buy and an expensive mistake is not luck. It is knowing which model year the factory stopped building them right.”
What we cover, start to finish
The Picks
The models I still recommend by name and year.
Engines & Transmissions
Which drivetrains last, which ones quit early.
The Inspection
What to check in the first ten minutes.
Price & Negotiation
What these cars are actually worth in cash.
The Avoid List
Cheap cars that become expensive cars.
Living With It
Keeping an older car on the road for years.
This guide is for you if …
The cash buyer
You pay up front, you keep a car for years, and you want the money to go into the car — not into interest and repairs.
The pragmatist
You do not need screens and subscriptions. You need something that starts every morning and is cheap to fix.
The son or daughter
You are helping your parents shop and you want a straight answer from someone who has actually turned the wrenches.
Get The Last Good Cars now
- My full list of recommended models, by make, year and drivetrain
- The avoid list — cheap cars that turn into expensive cars
- The ten minute inspection walkthrough you can use on the lot
- Realistic cash price ranges so you know what to offer
- Instant access on phone, tablet or computer
PDF e-book, delivered by email link · incl. tax · one-time payment
What you will take away
- The model years the factory quietly changed
- The one sound that ends a test drive
- Why the cheapest car on the lot stays cheap
- The transmission nobody warns you about
- What the dealer hopes you never check
- The badge that costs you thousands for nothing
- Why low mileage can be the wrong signal
- The question that changes the price
- The engine I would still buy today
- What most buyers notice far too late
Common questions
Is this written for US cars and the US market?
Yes. The picks, price ranges and availability are all based on the US used car market.
Do I need to know anything about cars?
No. Everything is explained in plain language, step by step, the same way I would explain it standing next to the car.
What format do I get it in?
A PDF you can read on a phone, tablet, computer or e-reader, and print if you prefer paper.
How do I get it after buying?
Right away by email, with a secure download link.
Is this useful if I am buying for my parents?
Yes. Many readers are adult children helping a parent shop, and the inspection and price sections work just as well that way.
Does this cover newer cars too?
The focus is the older, simpler, overbuilt era — but the inspection and negotiation chapters apply to any used car on any lot.