Used cars for sale near Lake Forest, IL under $5,000

I had a stress-free experience today buying a used car. When does that ever happen? Dan and Juan at Fortune Motor were delightful to work with. I approach most things in life hoping for balance and positive outcomes for all. I paid a fair price. They gave me a fair value on my trade. Best of all, they don't apply hidden dealer fees like so many others. The whole experience was pleasant. I hope to buy again from Fortune when I am ready for the next upgrade.

My grandma drove this car off the lot, brand new. Has been a great car. After a few years it was passed on to my mom, then my dad, and now me. I’ve driven this car for 3 years now but unfortunately there is too much maintenance to be done for the money. Around 160k miles for us it has had minimal issues so I’d say it’s a great car. It started when we got back from a trip and one of the cylinders were misfiring (which was a spark plug and an easy fix). Around 170k miles we were driving it and it ended up overheating. We got it towed and it ended up being the water pump going out (as well as the serpentine belt needing to be replaced). After that we drove it for a few weeks but it started running rough, then we went to go home from work one night and it was idling super rough so we drove it home and decided not to use it until we could get it towed to a mechanic. It was blowing out lots of white smoke. Turns out the head gasket has blown (which we think was from the overheating done originally). Car has officially made it to 173k miles. We were hoping more but it’s not horrible considering. Something to look out for is this also burns a lot of oil. Be sure to check it often, every two weeks depending on how much you drive. Wish the engine had a recall or something for that issue. Overall great car but from my reading, don’t get a 2007-2013 if used since these are the years for oil consumption issues.

I have owned two 2008 Saturn Vue. First one had a accident where was hit by a pickup truck doing roughly 45 mph, in the rear. The deck behind rear seats and chasis observed the impact. No one in car was hurt. Second Vue now has 213,000 miles on it. Just replaced replaced radiator. Replaced wheel bearing, caliper, rotors and tires all way around car. Good inexpensive transportation. Engine could use more guts. But it gets you down the road.

Buying my Camaro from Castle Chevrolet in McHenry was an outstanding experience from start to finish. I worked with Eric Loredo, who set the tone by doing a full virtual walk around and video of the car before I arrived, answering all my questions in real time. When my wife and I landed at ORD, the car was spotless and ready to go. Finance Manager Mike Lazzara had all documents sent ahead so I could DocuSign, making the delivery quick and smooth. Sales Manager Matt Knudson, GSM Jerry Spanier, and Andrew Sytsma (who wasn’t my salesman but still took time to chat and share product knowledge) all played a part in making this one of the easiest purchases I’ve ever had. The team knew my previous car was totaled in a tornado, and they went above and beyond to make this out-of-state transaction simple and stress-free. Eric and the entire Castle team reminded me that buying a car doesn’t have to be a battle. I would absolutely buy from them again.

Solid for a convertible. Goes surprisingly well in the snow and with the seats down can haul stuff. I have this as my only car and it is actually very practical. Plus, it’s just a joy to drive.

They are the greatest team! Shane, Kamal, Nick, Jon and Lacey,Francisco - made my dreams come true

A great reliable car that is easy to maintain. No bells or whistles, but it does have heated seats and keyless entry. I put a trailer hitch and roof rack on my 2008 and it is a great little workhorse. The interior is not fancy but it is very intuitive. I will be buying another once this one dies.

Glad I happened to stopped in on my way home. I was looking for an SUV for our Midwest winters and Robert showed me a few different ones and I was able to take one home the same day. Thank you so much for being so helpful Robert, you were GREAT to work with.

Great car 23-30 mph straight drive I recomend over any automatic transmission especially used found my SL2 used 96,000 and I being 2nd owner from a lady who bought it brand new

Most affordable vehicles on the area, easy purchasing process, after deciding on which car I wanted it took only 15 minutes to do the paperwork and drive off. Taxes plates and registration was taken care of there so I don't even have to deal with the dmv. Thanks again!

Bought a 2009 6 cylinder Ford Escape LTD. Bought it used with about 68,000 miles in 2013. Loved the look and handling. Extremely reliable vehicle. Did regular maintenance, oil changes, tuneups, tire rotations, replaced tires twice, high speed wheel balances done with alignment, etc. Recently had an oil pan gasket replaced. Never any major repairs, except replaced the water pump x2. Once in 2018 at 150,000 miles again in 2024 at 208,348 miles. It always ran great. It was a southern car until 4 years ago. So, did not have a rust issue. Unfortunately, a Buck came out of nowhere last week after dark and totalled my beautiful Escape. I wasn't hurt. But, the frame was damaged and it was not worth repairing with 213,000 miles on it. I am sure it would have made it to 300,000. Trying to find another. But, live in the North now and rust is a major issue. Heartbroken! I wish Ford would go back to making this style of Escape and with the 2009 reliability. I am hoping to find a 2008 thru 2012. But, need the AWD version. The FWD wasn't great traction in the rare snow we had down South. But, still managed to get me home when a freak snowstorm hit...and everyone was following my car, lol.

Went out of their way for the specific car I wanted. Very good transaction and would go back.

I have owned a 2007 Lacrosse for 15 years now and love that car very much. The only problem I have ever had is the coolant system currently. This car is extremely reliable and fuel efficient. The slow pickup is due to the type of engine Buick puts in to prolong the life and performance. I have the medium red version shown above with tan interior. Some owners do not take care of these cars as should be done which create issues written about in the other reviews. Proper care helps a LaCrosse perform as designed and the owner smile as I do showing off an award winner when first debuted. None can compare to my LaCrosse or be as great to drive. This car would not be traded for anything!!!! Eventually, it will become classic status at which time a full restoration will be attempted. I love Big Red and so does my chichuahua.

Great experience from start to finish. The car was exactly as described and ready on time. Very happy with the service and would definitely recommend.

We’ve only had the van a few days, but so far it has exceeded our expectations and we are very pleased with our purchase. This is our second Chrysler mini van purchase and love the design and features these vehicles offer.

Friendly people, this establishment furthered me in my life expeditions and guided me and helped me. Owner is nice and helpful kind respectful 10/10 recommendation

it is just what i need for the traveling i do. I only need it for short trips to work. The gas mileage is great and I have had no problem. with it.

went it to look at a car that i saw online, called to check if it was available, the moment i stepped in they made me feel like i was family and took really good care of me. Great customer service, and very friendly

The plastic plate across the front of the car comes off and have had to replace it once and now can't afford to put a new one back on!!!! The car has less then 40,000 not bad for 2012 when I bought with 139 miles...LOL! Breaks need to be replaced and the interior of the car needs deep cleaning. I love my Cruze man!!!

I bought a 2011 Equinox w/2Lt, with the 3.0L VVT. 264 HP engine and 18" wheels. This vehicle was T-boned on the passenger side door with air bag deployed and thus declared totalled by an insurance company from a previous owner. This vehicle was rebuilt and salvage title issued with approximately 38,000 miles on the odometer. This vehicle turned out to be a very good experience so far as I have had some repaint done and I replaced my wheel hubs, brake rotors, calipers and brake pads with high performance parts. With this power plant configuration, I can pull my droptail trailer loaded with 2 cruiser motorcycles to Sturgis with absolutely no problems whatsoever. I change oil every 6 months with under 3,000 miles on the oil. The engine does not use oil. I am a conservative driver and use extra caution while trailering. I added a Curt class IV hitch with no trailer brakes. Trailer payload on the scale is 1900-2200lbs depending on what bikes I decide to take. However, I would not have considered ANY Equinox with the xxx I4 Ecotec Engine. Those engines were built with a batch of bad timing chains from Mexico and GM ended up replacing a boat load of those engine. I am a mechanical engineer.

I just bought this 2013 4 cylinder Venza with 126K miles on it. I have the base LE trim. My primary reason for buying it is because I am 6'4" tall and this model does not have a sunroof. All cars with a sunroof have lower head room. The only minor issue is the suspension is very firm and I feel every bump. But that firm ride also makes emergency high speed maneuvers safe. There is no top heavy rocking like most SUVs suffer from.

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.

Excellent service. Went in for a B1 service and was out in about 90 minutes! Thanks to Joe and the rest of the crew at McGrath!

We bought a sonic lt with a 1.4 turbo engine, great gas mileage and no major problems. As long as you keep up the maintenance the reliability is great.

Elvir and Matt did a great job and I was pleased with the attention, negotiation and the car I got.

Everyone always has something to say about the early modle of the caliber the 07'. I have not a single issue with my Caliber Mechanically since I've owned it. With just absolutely basic preventive maintenance this car has been more reliable than anything I've owned previous from the private market. So long as you don't run it into the ground by not preforming proper and needed maintenance. This car is awesome. It has amazing options for aftermarket speakers by providing not one, not two, but four 6"x9" door speakers. Which I personally have installed some keenwood 5-way 650w peak speakers in. I had to make absolutely no modifications to the wiring, install an amp, or replace the factory head unit to get an amazing sound. The amazing part about it is the fold down seats. Though as a whole the car is compact with the added feature you are able to fit quite a lot in the hatch. I own the SE and have had absolutely no mechanical issues with it. Amazing car with amazing features so long as you care about your vehicles

First-class service from Sam, who made the purchasing process stress-free and informative throughout. He listened carefully to my requirements, which I was really happy with, and there were absolutely no hard sales tactics. A great experience from start to finish.

Bought used @ 8 yrs old. Very satisfied for retiree use and care. Great mileage. Some paint issues with rust on rear tire wells. It's Michigan winters & no garage.

Dealing with Trevor Jr and Dave the owners assistant. Dave was friendly and helped us make our deal. Trevor was also very friendly and professional. 5 stars.

This was one of my favorite cars I test drove, but also one of the base models. It has a huge trunk and tons of room for a car seat or 2. Gets an average of 38-40mpg which is awesome for my driving to and from work.

Professional employees, clean environment, and well maintained vehicles. As a returning customer, this dealer has come a long way and always prioritizes customer satisfaction

I bought my LTZ as a Certified Pre Owned, already 5 Years old. I have driven it for 3.5 years and just had to pay for my first Repair - a broken motor mount. It is quiet, smooth and comfortable. I am 6' 4" and go 250 lbs so space and comfort are paramount for me, and I could not be happier.

Bought a 2017 Range Rover from this dealership and the salesperson Stan, Manager Eugene and Finance Manager Chris were very instrumental in making the sale possible. I really appreciate all their help in making this deal possible. I even interacted with the owner who was also very nice. Love this dealership!!!!

I work the GM for a few years my dad retired from GM after 32 years I started doing mechanical work on cars my dad I picked out a Cadillac 2007 DTS for him and it was on the lot in 2009 when he went and got it didn't have any miles on it I told him to trim little trim the best Cadillac in the world get it you got it he had it from 2009 until he passed 2014 and then I paid it off for my mom and she kept her 2023 last year when she passed and then became my car it's a beautiful car I've never had to replace one thing except for a headlight and it's easy you do not have to take off the bumper you have to loosen it up and you have to turn the light on a slight angle to take it out and it comes right out and I replaced that ball twice once for my dad and once for myself turn out you want to take it off and then mechanic for 20 years of killings it is a beautiful car ride for the dream I love it I'll never get rid of it I don't drive in the winter time just to summertime !

Good sales guy for my Lexus ES 350 drives nice. Murphy Murphy Murphy ask for Murphy. He will get you the best deal. No doubt

Bought this T5 four years ago for my first college student. Now has 155K and still looks and runs great. Get a decent OBD2 tool to deal with random codes and this is a GREAT used car! Ready now for Kid 2 and cross your fingers for #3 waiting in the wings.