Used cars for sale near Des Moines, IA under $12,000

Worked with Andrew Fisher, excellent experience! Highly recommend! The whole staff was amazing and kind!

I've only owned this car since January 31, 2025. Bought it used from a small dealer in Tennessee with 136,652 miles on it. I bought it because I moved to Tennessee and will be starting a new job soon, so I needed a reliable car to get to/from work. I've always had Hondas; this is my first Toyota, and has not let me down so far. It's comfortable, fun to drive, starts right up every time and you can shift the transmission manually for more fun. All I've had to do to it so far is oil change and replace tie rod ends. I always look forward to driving it. I love the styling of the SE trim, it has the 4 cylinder engine. Only thing I'm going to need to do to it soon is tires. I gave it 4 stars for performance cause the 6 speed transmission seems to lag a bit unless you use manual shift mode and it seems to want to shift into 6th gear too soon. Other than that, I love this car!

Tom was great to work with. All staff was very nice. I would recommend to anyone looking for a great vehicle. I will be a return customer; )

Bought this truck several years ago - 2012 and it drives excellent! Pulled a 20 ft boat and trailer to the bay with no problem. It is a little tricky to maneuver around short turns.

We have now purchased two cars from Moss Motors. One for each of my daughters. The one car over 5 years ago and another just last weekend. I have nothing but good things to say about these guys. They are not hard sell and they work with you in anyway that they can. You will NOT be buying a new or certified car. What you will get is a nice newer car probably with a lot of miles on it but still in good shape. I WILL be bringing my business back to them in the future

Was at dealership shopping and this new Jeep Cherokee Lattitude came in on transport. Wanted it the minute I saw it. Jeep dealership had ordered it custom with every option I wanted. Blackout package, V6 a true dual exhaust, sport, power everthing, 4x4 etc. The 4x4 is excellent and never failed me! Its been flawless, aftermarket tuning has turned it into a screaming black speed machine. 112,000 miles so far. No issues with anything! Would buy another if they still made this Cherokee Latitude Special! One very satisfied customer!!!

Great group of guys. They stand by the product and really help you get what the vehicle that you want.

I bought an LT model new in 2013 and have driven it daily ever since. I have not had a single problem of any sort.....no repairs, service, etc. other than oil changes at the proper intervals. The interior has held up beautifully, and the exterior paint has coped quite well with being parked outside in the hot desert sun. The gas mileage is around 16 to 17 MPG, which is rather low, but it is a large vehicle. Acceleration is excellent, but there is a lag before the transmission downshifts for passing. Overall, it is one of the nicest, quietest vehicles I have ever owned.

I've looked at their inventory for years and know the team over at Performance Auto. I recently purchased an Acura MDX from them and the car was spotless, despite over 135k miles! They put unbelievable care into making sure everything on the vehicle was up to standard. They have a great variety of import inventory. If you are looking for a Honda, Acura, Lexus, Toyota, or specialty Subaru, Sean and Brian are your guys. They were super responsive and easy to work with and I got a great deal!

A few years back I had a Suburban and hated coming upon hybrids. When the time came for a new car I first was thinking Corolla since it was my first new car decades ago. Then I figured why not a Prius? I have the XLE model that has most anything you could want in a new car. I usually only go 5mph over speed limits but I'm always passing all the cars when going uphill. I get looks from other drivers I pass wondering why I'm passing them in a Prius. Great handling too and so far I've taken it up to 114mph. I could've kept going but there was traffic ahead so it'll wait for another stretch of road. If I ever buy a Ferrari, I'll get a license plate frame that says, "My other car is a Prius"!

They were so helpful and so polite and was willing to assist me in all my stressful wants of a used or new vehicle. I can't wait to go back and pick out the beauty I want..

In my many years of car driving and ownership, I have rarely had a better vehicle than my 2019 Jeep Compass Latitude. It has been reliable, comfortable, fun to drive and, for its' size and type, very good on gas. In April, I will have been driving "Lattie"for 5 years. My upkeep has been minimal. She is pretty and still looks new. This vehicle is such a pleasure to drive. Handling and response are excellent. Controls are super easy to manage and absolutely love the heated seat and steering wheel. On a long trip, it is very comfortable (yes, I have ridden in the back seat, too) and fuel economy was just great...fully loaded with air-conditioner on and travelling at highway speeds gave me 30+ mpg. Really can't complain. My Neon didn't do any better. This is a great vehicle. Oh, and I had leased it new, and purchased it when the lease was up..that's how good this car is!

Very happy with the deal the did what they said they would do very easy to deal with on my end of the deal Happy

Our SRX has been awesome. It currently has >110K miles, and it is still going strong. With regular maintenance aside, we have really only had two significant repairs performed. The touchscreen went out at about 85K. Thankfully, our extended warranty covered that replacement. A few months later, I took it in for a slight vibration while driving. This vibration became noticeable at speeds above 30MPH, and it become slightly more pronounced the faster at which you travelled. Repair tech find that a coil spring on the passenger front strut assembly had broken. Service manager, service writer, and the technician/mechanic were all surprised, and they took me into the garage to look at where the bottom portion of the coil spring was simply gone with clear break line showing. There was no indication of how or why it broke, but our current theory is impurities or maybe air bubble(s) while they were casting the spring. Motor & transmission have been solid. AWD system has been great, and it handles the winter snow & ice quite well. The 3.6L, naturally-aspirated motor performs decently. One must take that with a grain of salt, as it can easily seem slightly lethargic when compared to the slew of slightly newer cars & SUVs that are now coming out with some kind of forced-air induction (turbo(s) or supercharger). All things considered it is a solid performer. Ride quality is good. Handling is better than expected. It lacks features like Apple CarPlay, but it does support basic Bluetooth connectivity. Audio quality is better than your average vehicle, and the on-board microphones make it easy to hold phone conversations at any speed. The dual, rear seat DVD screen option is a rarity, but it is great for anyone with kids. The included Bluetooth headsets let your kid(s) listen their DVD while you listen to something else. It also comes with a "simplified" remote control which allows them to navigate menus and perform normal video functions (FF, REW, Pause, etc.). Another standout option, in my opinion, is cooled/ventilated front seats. This was our first vehicle with this option. My youngest daughter & I are both in love with this option. Overall, I think the SRX is still (12-years and counting) an attractive looking mid-size SUV with a solid drivetrain and Cadillac-level creature comforts.

My Dad has bought 4 cars from Toms before he over he passed away. I myself have bought at least 2 as far as I am concerned Toms auto is the only place to go for a Used car! So, as you can see, we have never been disappointed. This car I bought 3 days ago is the best yet! I had a saleperson that was great! Tom Phan thank you for all your help I sure do appreciate all your help and kindness!

I have the 2013 model SEL. I really don't care for the front wheel drive but overall this car is a workhorse. I have 250,00 on the 2013 and she will get up and go smoothly. Good on gas as well and dependable. Except for the 2013 waterpump issue. Other than that, its dependable and the interior is nice leather, not cheaply made. Im getting another one for sure.

Joe was my go-to guy at one of the lots where this vehicle I was interested in is they have four lots in Des Moines. It's always wanting to come up there and have the vehicle taken to another shop nearby and pay to have it inspected so I can find out what it needs and decide if I wanted this still purchase it with whatever it needed and that was no problem but they wanted me to fill out the credit app online and that was cool and Danny but there's no reason to pull a hard hard copy of my credit report if I'm coming up to go look at the vehicle because if there's more things that need to be done to where then I want to put into it I probably wouldn't do the deal and I'd have a hard thing on my credit report that I wouldn't be able to get taken off so other than that them telling me to go do that even though they knew I wanted to get it checked first was my only irritation. But something came up and I had to register another vehicle that I have in my personal access right now so I may have to wait a couple months before I want to go up there and do that but my job allows me to travel all over so I might get to go up there if I can this month and check out the vehicle to see if it's something that I really really want before someone else gets it so yes Joe I appreciate you working with me and look forward to consuming this business transaction soon. Crazy from Energy Illinois

There has been a 2011 Taurus SHO in my family since 2013 it was purchased with 10,000 miles and now has 140,000 these cars are great they have good power they're decent to drive and they're mainly designed for Highway driving. Plenty of power considering it's a 90° V6 it sounds not terrible and it can haul xxx the reason cops use them the infotainment in the early cars pretty much anything sync 2 is outdated and it feels that way however it's not unusable. The rest of the Interior is decent you still have some cheap feeling Ford Plastics but the seats and most things you touch are decent to sit in and deal with especially if you're a bigger person. There is a lot of space we have fit full vacations including me and my two siblings on many trips to Florida and Texas however it is a not all Sunshine rainbows. As for maintenance these cars tend to eat brakes quicker and we have had to replace all the piping to the turbo as it got filled with oil this car also received a catch can on top of oil changes every 5,000 miles, coolant flush every 15 to 20k and Trans Fluid every 30,000. You cannot talk about this car without the elephant in the room that being the water pump if you don't want to change the water pump don't buy this car go buy a Honda Accord my family bit the bullet and paid to get it done at 110,000 it's done now we don't need to worry the car has been great if you're not afraid of doing maintenance I would recommend this car they're cheap

Very helpful personnel. Dealership a little difficult to get in to and parking was limited. Good selection of vehicles in the price range I was interested in.

Very good choise for me and value of money car. Huge cargo space. Powerful engine and fuel economy. Fun to drive and good handling. Very good economy suv.

Kudos to Lindy,very professional, good customer skills. Will recommend him to others

At 129,000 mi I replaced the plugs,igniti on coils,belt tensioner and belt,PCV,M AP sensor,water pump,new aluminum coolant crossover( by plastic), aluminu m thermostat housing and thermostat ,upper & lower radiator hoses,new all aluminum oil filter housing(by plastic),n ew lower& upper intake manifold gaske ts,cut out the plastic heater core "Tee" and installed a metal 1"x1"x1/2" and ne w hose clamps,flushed and refilled OAT antifreeze,drained trany pan and put in new oil filter and new trany pan"with a installed drain plug" in it,replaced the 3.5 qts of synthetic ATF+4 transmission fluid that come out of it and used the trany fluid check stick at 150° F throug h the "dealer only" trany fluid tube cap to 63 mm measurement trany fluid leve l,replaced both upstream O2 sensors, cleaned the throttle and throttle body, put on a new lower engine oil pan( that the oil change shop stripped the drain plug threads out on) changed the 5W-2 0 synthetic oil,and drained/ pumped out all rear end gear lube oil and put in new 75W-140 gear lube. I figure,that, my 2014 charger SE 3.6L should be good for another 100,000 to 200,000 miles ( of course,I will drain an d refill the trany fluid again after 10,00 0 to 15,000 mi to bring my fluid ratio up to 75% -90% clean/ new trany fluid) . I've already brought my MPG up from 18 mpg to 26mpg Lesson and advice--"take care of your car/ investment and you won't have to spend another $30,000 to $90,000 for/on a new car' (I call "the junk and crap cars of today)". Personally-im considering a 1960' s to 1970's dodge,Chevy SS,Pontiac,cuda,or GTO of yester-year I remember owning and diving in my youth( 45+ years ago).

I have now had this car for over five years, as the second owner, and have over 275,000 miles. It's not as comfortable as Suburban, and doesn't handle as nicely as a mini van, but most of the issues to this point have been cosmetic or fairly normal for the vehicle category (suspension, etc). I have the most basic package; The interior is showing wear, and the driver information center's light sensor has been acting up for a while, but it still gets us where we need to go.

I bought this GMC Sierra about 5 years ago and only had to change the battery, tires, and oil change. Dependable. Everyone wants to buy my truck but I'm in the process of details on outside doors. Being a woman with a V8 like this, I get around. Excellent truck!

After shopping at few dealers, this was our first and last stop. we were approached by Mohammad Ali and transaction was very smooth from beginning to end. It was a great experience shopping at CAR CITY for the service we received. I will recommend this place and Mr. Ali to any one!!

This is my 5th Accord. I have owned one since 1987. Each time I have purchased a used model. I bought my current 2010 Accord with 125,000 miles on it 4 years ago. It now has 180,000 miles and just past inspection. Burns no oil. Has NO leaks (oil, rain or otherwise). No "idiot" lights on the dashboard, and rides like new. In 35 years (and 5 Accords) I have NEVER been stuck! Not once! Don't get too hung up on any negative details you might see or hear of. The resale value is near the best. The gas mileage is more than decent. I am over 6 feet tall and the driver's seat in more comfortable and supportive than any other vehicle I have sat in. This includes BMW, Lexus, Mercedes and Cadillac. As for dependability, it just might be the best. If you're in the market for a used car, I suggest that you at very least, test drive one.

I worked with a lot of good people and got a vehicle on payments and I got a 2011 Ford fiesta and the sales people there are awesome I think one guy name is Augie I believe he was a really good salesperson there so was the salesperson of Alexander I enjoy my vehicle that I just got for low payments. They did a good job

I’m a 6’5” man and I fit very comfortably in the 2014 Hyundai Elantra GL. It is the only compact car that I could sit without my knees hitting the steering wheel and being able to comfortably extend my legs. I put my seat all the way back as you would expect which doesn’t leave much room for passengers in the back seat, but it doesn’t matter since I extremely rarely have passengers there.

I sent a request for availability of one of their cars via cars.com. I did receive a prompt email reply. However, I didn't proceed any further.

I've had my 2016 Focus SE for 9 years this year & will drive it until one of us dies. I've never had a problem with it. It gets great gas mileage, is comfortable & roomy. I've hauled many things that others thought wouldn't fit but with the back seats folded down ...no problem. I would recommend a Focus to anyone looking for a reliable vehicle.

They went above and beyond helping me get approved to get a vehicle. They never gave up like other dealerships. I'm very grateful for everything they did. The vehicle I purchased is absolutely wonderful! Thank you guys again.

My 2013 Tahoe LTZ w/ 143k miles is the best Chevy vehicle I’ve owned yet, for the last 20k miles I’ve owned it’s been very reliable, has never left me stranded. the only thing I do not care for is the afm to drop into 4 cyl mode, putting trans into manual 5 works like a charm to keep all 8 cylinders running up to 60mph. Working on these vehicles yourself is really easy for routine maintenance (except for the transmission), I’ve replaced a lot of stuff and fresh tune up on mine because she’s getting up there in mileage and I want to make sure she is going to be a top performer for the long run. Overall 9/10 recommend this Vehicle

This is definitely a well built truck. Rugged and durable plus a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing interior. Bought it primarily for farm use and towing trailers. However, after riding in the spacious cab my wife is now making plenty of travel plans for places we can take it.

Very knowledgeable and fair. I went to about 10 different places to drive cars and I could tell they knew more about the cars they were selling than anyone else I talked to. They will be my first stop any time I shop for a car in the future.

Purchased a used 2018 with 35K miles in 2023. I now have 75K miles as it's a commuter car, about 90 miles a day. I average almost 41 mpg going from Pueblo to Colorado Springs and back. The CVT was a bit suspect when I first got it, but I think the driving has corrected the 3rd gear delay. The CVT is hands down better than my Altima. One year that car was gone, total junk.

Website makes it easy to shop for a vehicle and I was able to decide on a vehicle to go look at and text drive

I bought new in 2015. Now over 110K miles. No issues at all except regular maintenance. It's been one of the best cars I've owned - value, comfort, MPG, etc. It has dated well and doesn't look like a 11 year old car. The 2.4 does burn about a quart of oil every 2K miles. I regularly check the oil level and do all maintenance early. I don't know how it would hold up if I drove it hard or didn't do regular maintenance.....