Used Car Buying - Suggestions?

Hello guys,
I'm looking at a used car. I was originally looking at Honda, Toyota, Hyundai. I went into carsense (carsense.com) and they suggested a kia (i'm looking at reliable/safe/cheap to upkeep,automatic, good fuel, in the 2000s (2003-2006 preferably i guess) and i'd be nice if it's alright in snow just "for those bad days"). I ruled out honda becuase i only really want to spend 10-14k total (14k being my max preferably). What would you guys suggest? Right now i'm looking at a toyota corolla for 2006 toyota corolla with 32k miles and $13,500 or a Kia rio 2008 for $10,000 with less than 15k miles. I was reading about them and corolla seems the obvious safety winner. Otherwise kia seems to have stepped up to the plate and gotten better (cause i've been reading a lot of crap on kia over the last few days). I plan on getting this from a dealer so i can finance it so i can get some credit (i'm 21 years of age) with my mom co-signing, and i can afford either (if i did my math right haha.

Suggestions, or things i should keep in mind? (i live in Pennslyvania in Bucks County (Philadelphia suburbs).

Thanks,
Qua Sar

One thing to keep in mind is the additional costs later down in the road. With a car, you need to worry about gas and more importantly maintenance.
Although the Corolla is more expensive in its initial cost, maintenance of the Corolla is a lot cheaper than that of the Kia Rio, or any other Kia for that matter.
I work in the automotive industry as a mechanic at a family owned shop. Kia's are really expensive in the long run. Whatever car you get, just remember to maintain it properly. Stay on top of your tune ups, oil changes, tire rotations etc. Although it's a lot of money to maintain a vehicle, the Corolla is definitely the cheaper option in the long run.

I think this is a problem many people tend to overlook. They see the initial sticker price, and typically pick the cheaper not taking into account the dependability, maintenance costs, and life cycle of a vehicle. All they have to go on is some review by some guy who drives a vehicle for a couple of hours and writes about it on a blog or magazine.

Ask the seller if the water pump and timing belt have been changed. Although the cars you have in mind have relatively low mileage, it couldn't hurt to ask. Inspect the car carefully, especially the paint. If you see variations in the shades of the paint between different panels, than most likely the vehicle has been repaired before. Don't let that scare you though, it could just be minor blemishes the previous owner repaired. It's just something to think about. Keep in mind though, bumpers typically are off color from the rest of the vehicle because of the flex agents applied to the paint as required by state law (Maryland, could also be national, not sure).
Test drive the vehicle. If you experience shaking at high speeds, or while breaking, the alignment, rotors, or even the tires can be faulty or off track.

Good luck, and I hope that whatever car you choose gives you years of dependability and enjoyment.

Thanks for your suggestions leecho7. That was my original worry about kia. I knew they were getting better but i was still unsure, and i had just recently found out safety ratings (from consumer reports) but no information on repair costs which is something i've been looking for. I definitily before i buy a vehicle inspect in thouroughly as i do want this to last. I am definitily not just looking at the sticker price. Glad I am going in the right direction, instead of just buying .

With Chrysler in bankruptcy, there are some deals to be had.

After having owned a Kia, I have far too sour of a taste in my mouth to ever recommend one to anyone I care about, even a stranger. I understand that they are mostly rebadged Hyundais now, but given the choice between a Kia and a Toyota, I'd take the Toyota.

My wife has a 2003 Corolla ("S" model). It's been pretty good to us (perfect, from a mechanical standpoint - the interior and paint are another story), also mileage is a little on the low side (about 25 MPG, driven almost entirely in stop and go traffic), but otherwise it's been a good car.

My parents leased a 2002 Kia Sedona (the minivan) for four years, and I'm not kidding, it had literally no problems during that time. In addition, my dad didn't maintain it properly (such as going for an oil change a couple thousand kilometers/miles late). Currently they are financing a 2005 Rio, with minimal problems (it was the cheapest car on the market at the time, after all). And by minimal I mean something like the inside door handle not working a for a while (probably caused by one of my aggressive family members).

So what I'm saying is, don't hesitate to buy a Kia if it suits your needs.

I recently bought a 2005 PT Cruiser Convertible GT and am very satisfied with it. I did a lot of reading up on them beforehand and basically everything I read showed that they have proven to be highly reliable. The chief complaints are that the automatics feel too underpowered unless you go with a GT model, and the gas mileage isn't quite what one might expect (17-21 mpg or so, depending on model). But they are roomy.... very roomy for a car of that size. I'm a very big guy and I'm very comfortable in them. And right now, I'd say they are one of the best deals you can get in used cars. For example, I had test driven a 2007 convertible with 12,000 miles on it... a basic model with automatic... it was listed by the dealer for $8,995. If you shop around and are willing to travel, you can get a great deal with low miles, convertible or no.

If you go with a PT... aesthetically I think the 2005 models are tops. Come 2006, they made some weird changes to the front end that ruin the retro-American hot rod look.