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

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!!

I got this car approximately 3 months ago from a close relative, and I can say there have absolutely been no issues that would make you regret your decision, (knock on wood). The car has never left me stranded, and has always started. When I first got the vehicle I got basic maintenance such as a synthetic oil change, oil filter, an engine filter, and an in-cabin air filter. After some time, the check-engine light appeared due to a thermostat. After one new installment of a thermostat, and some freshly topped coolant, there have been no other issues. I give the comfort rating a 5, due to the spacious interior, and captain-chair seats. I give the interior a 4 because while it may not have "everything" you want, it has everything you need (even coming from a base model). Performance is a 4, because it's not an M3. I give the value a 4 as well simply because of the fact that you can buy one as a consumer fairly priced, and you can sell one as a seller for a decent price. Exterior is a 3, due to the largeness of the vehicle. However, LED brake lights, and rear turn signals are standard, which is really nice. And lastly, other than basic maintenance, and one mishap, I give this car a 5 star rating for reliability.

Searched online and drove several trucks before I came across the one I purchased from Midwest Motors. The Truck drove and looked excellent in comparison to what everyone else in town had to offer just under the $15,000 budget. Was very impressed by the transparent way business was done here and even more impressed by the fact that this local dealer produced paperwork for all service/maintenance performed on it prior to them offering it for sale. I have bought many vehicles over the years and this experience was refreshing.

This Is the best car I have ever owned. If it had a 200 mile battery it would be outstanding and it has a back up gas engine when you run out of energy. Bring it back

I just bought a car from Car City. It was a great experience. I went in at 5:15 and drove away with my new car less than two hours later. Gregg took me around and I saw all possible options. Tony helped with financing and all the rest was done by Mr. Ali. To sum things up, they took great care of me! I highly recommend anyone looking at purchasing a car to check out Car City. I got a great car for a price I could afford and they were so helpful and nice that I felt like I made some new friends. A special thanks to everyone at Car City.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Camaros. I had been in the market for a couple of years, lo and behold this Camaro became available. From the moment that I saw its sleek style to the first time I sat in the drivers seat that just seems to wrap around me up to when I fired it up and felt the horses run on this powerful V6 engine, I fell in love. This car fits me well. The throttle response is unbelievable. Steering is nothing short of effortless. The exhaust tone gives me a reason to turn off the stereo. As the the commercial from the 70’s says… Try it, you’ll like it!

I had a travel experience in January 2023, while vacationing in Florida, to save money I ordered a subcompact and was up graded to a Chevy Malibu. The LT has the smaller 1.5 L 4 Cylinder which was great on gas, performance was good, not great like my Chevy Avalanche. Missed my flight back to JFK NYC, My fault. Jet Blue got me to LaGuardia AP. Rental Company at JFK was About to Close. The same Company had a branch in LaGuardia they rented me a Malibu at no extra cost. It snowed and the front wheel drive just held the road. That's why I purchased a 2020 Malibu Premier it had everything but the Safety & entertainment. I loved everything else.

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

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.

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.

I leased my 2015 Chevy Trax (basic trim) new on March 2025 as my 21st birthday present to myself. Since it’s my first official first car purchase, I was on top of my maintenance. I’ve already taken it to a lot of road trips and decided to own it October 2018. Took it to more road trips ever since. The issues I had on it has been the AC. I did a whole 100k service on it as well, and have had to replace the spark plugs. Otherwise, the engine is still running great on me and now at 110K+ ! I am looking to replace this car at some point in the near future though since I’m growing out of it already. But I’m super happy with this car (I named my Trax as Trixie) as it has been reliable on me most of the time. It was fun to drive in my 20s and I personally love the handling on it as well. I’m driving my 2015 Trax till it completely dies on me. Would be a nice surprise if it gives me another 50-100K+ miles— we shall see!

I have not had any problems with my Encore. I drove it to Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Kentucky and Arkansas and have not had any problems with it at all. I have had the standard maintenance on it, Radiator Flush, Oil changes and put a new battery on it in 2022. The battery it came with lasted 6 years, can't complain about that. And I just put a set of tires on it too. I am very happy with this model and would recomend it anyone looking for a GREAT SUV.

Great prices. Large selection of high quality cars and trucks. Low sales pressure. Jack was great to work with. They do stand behind their cars.Thanks

For buying a used car a manual 6speed at that, I would recommend this car if it has been taken care of like mine. Most definitely.

I purchased my 3rd used car in five years from Efkamp Auto Sales LLC today 1/03/20. I shopped @Efkamp on the Merle Hay Strip knowing they'd have a selection of the absolute finest used cars available in the Des Moines Metro area. Not only was I thrilled to find a selection of Luxury vehicles I could afford; I was able to purchase a vehicle beyond anything I imagined I'd be driving today! Many thanks to Randy Efkamp and his son Taylor for all your help today. I'll be back in a year or so when my son needs his first car! Happy New Year!!!

  I have the Trailhawk trim, the serious off-road version.  Finally, a car that I can confidently drive in and out of rough construction sites, and not be afraid that I'll break it or get it stuck.   It is possessed by a powerful spirit of wanderlust, and frequently demands that I take it on drives just to see places it hasn't yet been, preferably places that normal cars cannot go.   If Don Quixote de La Mancha lived in our time, he would surely drive a vehicle like this one; a vehicle truly fit for a modern Knight Errant.   I didn't know until a few days after I bought it, and I don't think the dealership knew either, but this one has about a 2" aftermarket lift, and slightly larger tires than stock.

The Ford Fusion SE FWD has proved itself to be a solid choice. It is reliable in stop-and-go traffic and is nimble enough to overtake other cars on highways. It is also quite comfortable, although the headrest is quite uncomfortably placed. The suspension absorbs most of the road's vibrations. When turned on at lower speeds, the motor can be louder than expected, but the transition between electric and ICE power is quite smooth. The design is aggressive, and it looks quite good. The car is also reliable, and parts aren't hard to find. The infotainment system, however, is not as sophisticated as expected, but not in a pleasant way. Overall, I would still recommend the car; it's practical, reliable, and nimble.

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; )

its such a beautiful and fun car, I love the car for its personality. in fact I'm getting married to this car on April 8, 2025, which is also my 21st birthday. All of you are invited! it is also better than a megatron civic

David was a really good guy, I bought a truck last Friday and so far so good, I will definitely go back when myself or my kids need a vehicle, thank you David so much

Interior is wonderful, love everything about this vehicle. Drives great, looks great, and was very affordable. I just feel very safe in this vehicle and I love it.

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.

The car has pluses and a few minuses. First the good things. It is by far one of the smoothest vehicles I've ever driven, especially highway driving. You barely feel the road. Breaking is quick and responsive which adds to the smooth driving experience. The car is agile and has a impressive turning radius. Engine performance is adequate but acceleration is a bit weak especially taking it from 0 to 60. so you will not be passing every car on the road with this. Also the car sways a bit in high winds so it feels like you have to fine tune the steering at highway speeds to stay in lane. Exterior stying of car is also a bit unorthodox with it's small 15 inch wheels and oversized headlights. Interior is very comfortable for most people seats are comfortable with good back support. The rear seating is large for a subcompact with excellent legroom . The dash is not terribly impressive though cheap plastic is used and the glove compartment is too small . Also audio system is subpar and basic. What I love about the car is the price, the gas mileage and the comfort and reliability. If your looking for fancy or fast look elsewhere.

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

Fabulous car gets me anywhere I love it. It is a 2013 and still feels new to me. I love the storage and small size of car. Very safe.

I was looking for an SUV for my daughter and stopped by Kars to test drive a few cars. The first one was a little rough but we found a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer that we really liked. The staff was very friendly and gave us a competitive price. We have only had it a week but so far it is a nice car. I would recommend this dealership if you are looking for an older car for a pretty good price.

So I bought this car with no intention of owning it long... but now I love it! Have the SE with the 2.0 (which I read with the 6 spd is most reliable). My only complaint is that it could have more power for maneuvering into traffic... that said it's getting me 37+ mpg going 80 and even over mountain passes. It has great weight distribution and corners almost as well as my bmw 3 series did thanks to the Alpha Romeo chassis. The shifts are smooth - even in high traffic freeway driving and over the mountain passes (maintains whatever speed I want over the passes as well). It's comfortable on long drives - have a 5 hour drive 2x per month. I kind of hate that I love it so much - but also a value shopper - so I take that it was so cheap to purchase into consideration. It only has 68k miles, so interested to see how it holds up in the long run... haven't had any issues at all with it over the past 12k miles I've owned it. It was well maintained by the original owners.

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..

I bought my Equinox new off the lot in 2015 to be my winter driving car. I’ve had it for 10 years, and have driven it 60 miles round-trip in some of the worst winter weather in the lower 48 states. The Equinox held the road well on ice, in slush, and in deep snow on days that I was on the road before the snow plows. It has always been reliable and has never left me stranded. I’ve had no major issues in over 107,000 miles. I appreciate the cargo space which is much better than the newer models. I regularly recommend Equinoxes to my friends and family.

No hassle transaction. Had a great buying experience at Midwest Motors. LOVE my Nissan Cube, loaded with options for a great price. I would recommend a stop here before you buy

Super reliable car! I have yet to replace the brakes. Only major purchase was a set of replacement tires. Had a 90,000-mile full checkup, and had nothing noted as deficient. I only wish the batteries for propulsion could maintain a higher value. They have decreased from 22 miles of power to 12 miles.

I bought a 2016 Cruze Limited brand new in December 2015 and just this week parted ways with it at 100k miles. This was a great little car that I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again! The interior is comfortable and roomy and for the price, it has all the tech that you really need. Like most cars, it started needing more than the regular maintenance when it started getting close to 100k miles, but it’s still a reliable car and a great value. If you’re truly looking for a car to get you from A to B with a little extra in the way of amenities and you don’t have a complex about impressing people you don’t know with things you can’t afford, this car is a wonderful option.

Scott went above and beyond for me! Will definitely visit and recommend Scott for all future needs. I fell while at the dealership and Scott made sure I was okay and provided ice.

I owned this car for 10 years (2013 purchased in 2012). Spent less than $3k in repairs over those 10 years. With regular oil changes and good tires reached 135k miles comfortably and quietly. Buying a new Equinox looking forward to another 10+ years

Had been shopping for another brand but when I test drove this car I fell in love. It was quiet, smooth driving and riding. Price was right for me.