Used cars for sale near Lakeside, CA under $20,000

Matt at El Cajon Ford is the man to see. Customer service is A+ and he has your best interest in mind.

Hello, my review is positive. I'm happy with my jeep compass limited. Stylish body design. I, like having fuel efficiency mileage. Pretty good performance and awd suspension. Comfortable heated seats. Plenty of cargo area for my items. Very cool ride, reliable fun to drive.

Bobby the internet director took great care of me! Had the car I wanted pulled up washed and ready to test drive before I even got to the dealership! The nogotion process was quick and easy, I left in my brand new Flex and have been happy since.! Kuddos to Bobby and his crew at El Cajon Ford!

I bought a used 2020 Ford escape hybrid titanium with 33,000 miles. I came from a 2015 X3 and I am surprised how well this car handles and feels firmly planted. I love the electric driving at slow speeds and you can hear the gas engine come on and it’s louder than my BMW, but I am still pleasantly surprised by the low level of road noise at highway speeds. Mine is Persian green, which is rare, and absolutely beautiful after I waxed it. The exterior is pretty good, considering its price range, and the interior is subpar with the hard plastic on the doors, but overall, the controls are very intuitive, easily reachable, and after I learned how to use all the options, my favorite feature is the adaptive cruise control with stop and go and lane centering. The car basically just drives itself, even in the city at low speeds. I just have to make the turns and stop at red lights and stop signs if there is no car in front of me. I also love the short stopping distances with the brakes, which feel great and confidence-inspiring, and the steering actually feels better than in my BMW, which was too light at highway speeds. Another feature that sold me was how much legroom there is in the backseat, especially the fact that you can recline the backseat a little bit and also push it a few inches back to create more legroom. There is definitely more legroom in the front and back than in my BMW, even though my BMW was a few inches longer than this car. I love the look of the RAV4 hybrid XLE and it has more cargo room, but if you check the user reviews, you’ll see that the Escape hybrid actually beats it in mpg and in my area, I would’ve paid $8k - $9k more for a similar used RAV4 so I felt like the Escape hybrid was a better value overall. I rarely buy extended warranties with cars, but I did with this one since it was such a good deal at only $4000 but it gave me seven years of extended coverage and up to 80,000 more miles, whichever comes first. Considering how tariffs will affect car part pricing and car repair bills, I thought this was a an exceptional value, just like the car itself. I’ve only had it for three weeks, but I am really enjoying driving the car and seeing how little gas it sips.

Went to see Bobby Morales in the Internet Department and got the best deal in town on my brand new Fiesta. Thank you to the Internet Dept. and friendly staff for working with me and making my family feel right at home.

I drive the 2023 Kia Forte GT Manual, and I couldn’t recommend this car more!! The only complaint I have is now that I’m trying to find a new car with a more fancy name to impress clients, I can’t find anything I enjoy nearly as much. The car is built on a BMW M3 chassis, has the luxury features and interior to match with an average combined fuel mileage of 34mpg and the reliability of a newly redesigned Kia. It handles phenomenally well and is unmatched within its price point. It loses value quickly (until the general population realizes their tech and reliability recently surpassed Toyota and Honda) so buy a used 2023 or 2022, and you’re smooth sailing. I drove this car from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and was complimented by strangers in almost every city I stopped in along the way!

I had a very good experience with the Good services 👍🏻They are so Nice and friendly😁 I love my KIA SORENTO Kia of Escondido ca

I've owned this car for a little over 10 months now, and I thoroughly enjoy it. Some of the things that could use some improvement would be road noise, speakers in the back are almost inaudible, placement of the infotainment screen is kind of odd, and maybe less plastic in the interior. As far as the engine goes and transmission, transmission runs smooth and the engine could use a little more get up and go. Of course I only have the 2.0L. The ride is pretty smooth and I don't feel too many bumps like I did in my Soul.

El Cajon Ford was amazing I was working with the internet sales department they helped me get what I was looking for that not only fit my budget but worked my challenged credit. By the time I arrived they had the car I was looking to buy out front ready to go with the ac blowing which was great especially with the heat we've been having. When I came in my internet sales associate then introduced me to his general manager Paul xxxx, his sales manager josh and His internet director bobby morales they really treated me like a customer something no dealer has ever done for me before I felt you can say SPECIAL and very important to them you can really feel the family ownership in this place in comparison to the other larger corporate stores! I love this place I will be back to purchase more cars and highly recommend this place to everyone in search of a new or used car.

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!!!

We have been customers of El Cajon Ford since 2007. Have we had some challenges over the years? Yes but very few and they were remedied quickly and to my satisfaction. In fact I have gotten to where I don't want anyone touching our vehicles except the folks at El Cajon Ford.

I’ve had my 2019 Buick Envision since January of this year (2023). We were traveling from GA to MS today and for the first time ever after hitting a bump two different times (a couple hours apart) our vehicle started vibrating and shaking terribly. Very concerning.

Christina along with Jeff provided great customer service. The entire deal was negotiated via text & phone. I drove over 70 miles to pick up my car and Christina even offered to meet me half way if necessary. Every aspect if the deal was exactly as we had discussed. No bait and switch or funny business. I couldn't be happier with my Telluride SX Prestige!

Bought the vehicle new in October of 2023. Now it’s March of 2025. Have yet to have an issue🤞though have heard of common problems many have had. I’ve put roughly 20 k miles on the car in a year and a half (mostly interstate driving). Technology package is lovely and the vehicle has an overall stylish feel. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that you’re buying a 20k dollar vehicle from 2023. It’s plastics galore in there, so, though stylish, the material quality isn’t the best. If you’re someone who takes care of your things, you shouldn’t have an issue! Use the maintenance schedule found in the Owner’s manual and this vehicle should get you where you’re going for a reasonable amount of years. That being said, if you’re trying to decide between and LX[S] and GT (not including GT-Line), choose the GT. Though you’re paying a little extra, you get a standard transmission with real gears (the car has more power than you’d think too) rather than the CVT found in the LX[S] (and GT-line). CVT tech has greatly improved within recent years, but they’re still known to be problematic at times. All in all, this generation of Kia seems to be more reliable than most previous gens. Definitely a real deal competitor with the carolla/civic and worth the consideration!

Overall good service and great cars the only thing I didn't like is that all cars come with no dealer warranty

I bought my Elantra new. Never had to take it in for mechanical problems just front end due to pot holes. The car gave me an average mileage of 5.3/100km. I finally traded up to a newer Elantra. My old car had 483000km, no warning lights or repairs to the engine or transmission. Keep up with your maintenance

I had a 20/20 Equinox that I was traveling from Illinois to Florida. As I was getting back on 75 South I got rear-ended and throw a hundred feet. The car took the brunt of the hit my cat that was in the cage in the back never got hurt my dog that was tethered in the front seat never got hurt I got a small concussion with a bump on my head but overall I absolutely love the car. When I got reimbursed for my 20/20 I went out and bought another one I was so impressed with the impact it took for that crash.

This dealership was an excellent experience from start to finish. Chris was very helpful. Not once did I feel pressured to make any decisions. They offered me a great trade in deal on my car and I drove home with a pre owned TDI Touareg. I would recommend this dealership to everyone!

Best car I have purchased next to my Lancer. Darrell Waltrip Buick Franklin Tennessee best dealership in town. They will always get my business plus more

I answered your questionnaire with Excellence for my service. I was treated very well. Carolyn Barnard

So far I have been pleased with the performance of my Rogue. It just turned 20,000 miles. I'm reading some of the negative reviews and wondering if they take proper care of their vehicles. Time will tell if the 3 cylinder turbo is a winner.

Provided excellent service and great communication! My car was ready sooner than expected as well! Thank you William!

Largest small car I’ve driven and great car for today’s times. Small enough to save money with today’s fuel prices yet big enough to carry everything needed to travel with family.

They've been very accomodating and do a great job. They always pick up and drop off my car when they say they will. They do a good job of maintaining and servicing my car.

Had a 2022 Elantra for 3 years only reason I got rid of it was the fact it was a lease and the 36000 miles was up and I did not need a 3rd vehicle. Used this car solely for road trips it had been to 28 states in total and never let me down. Car a bit low for bigger people like myself however very comfortable driving, got phenomenal gas mileage I could get from NH to VA on a single tank with gas to spare. Overall not a fan of Hyundai however I wouldn’t hesitate buying another Elantra. Only Con I ever had with this car was the fact it is so low to the ground it makes it a magnet for rocks to the windshield I did replace 3 while owning.

They helped me very well they had manners and helped me pick out the car for me and my family I recommend this dealer ship to anyone who wants to buy a car

I bought (used) the R-Sport diesel in British Racing Green with roof racks. Super cute car, but not real roomy inside. I could complain about a lot of things like no compass and cramped back seat, but for me, the good points outweigh the bad. It has only been in the shop a few times (I'm the 2nd owner, so I figured things would be due to need replacing anyway); the gas mileage is phenomenal - on the highway I've gotten as much as 40mpg - and around town is an easy 30+. I like to stand out from the crowd, and this car certainly does it for me. Overall pretty happy with it!

We bought a 2022 BMW X5 great follow through.by Kyle B. Vehicle was clean and like new, we were shown all the feature it had to offer. Paperwork went smoothly and we were on our way home driving our new car in just a few hours.

Good all - around vehicle...decent power, roomy and comfortable interior, quiet and smooth ride, good handling and nice steering feel, great gas mileage, good visibility... Freeway passing requires a bit of patience and planning...

I want to Thank everyone at NCAC for their help and assistance in making my 1st ever vehicle purchase (@ age 44!!!) amazing and painless. One particular individual named Arion (hope I spelled it right) was extremely helpful and courteous answering all our questions and always asking if we wanted water or needed anything (it was hot out today). That’s one thing we didn’t get at the 3 previous dealerships. Just a lot of pressure to buy and fast talking. NCAC is 5 Star Rating all the way. Thank you guys, and thank you Arion (Ar-ree-on)!

2017 Nissan pathfinder SL with 135,00 km bought used with 75,000km-no issue's at all changed trany oil-no flush at 88,000km, regular oil change now changing out suspension to higher grade-as per mechanic. *NOTE* If you change out transmission oil every 80,000km you will have no issues, proper maintenance helps every Japanese Auto.

Ethos was great helping us, finding the best car for us. We came in with a plan and he helped us execute it. He went out of his way to make it happen, even drove home with us to take payment, in his own car. The sales manager was not very nice to us, he was all business, no personal touch, he was fine with seeing us leave, but Ethos pushed and finally convinced us, we would have walked away from your dealer if it wasn't for Ethos. The manager made us feel like we weren't good enough because we were buying a cheaper used car, I'm sure he's used to people spending a lot more money than us, I also do sales and no matter if it's a small or big order, I give everyone my attention and respect, people buy to their budgets and what isn't a lot of money to some, can be all they can afford. If you're looking for a BMW, go talk to Ethos at BMW of Carlsbad.

This truck is one of the best. I had a GMC before this and there is no comparison. I love this truck and will keep for long time.

Awesome experience. The sales reps here know what it takes to get You on the car you chose. Even before we arrived we knew and they knew the car we were there for. The rep came out with the keys ready for us to test drive. We came back Halley and they were able and willing to get the paper work rolling. We left extremely happy with every aspect of the experience. They even picked up my trade in Which happened to break down on the way to trade it in. They came and picked it up anyway. Awesome work guys. Auto city in Rl Cajon rocks keep up the standard guys

My wife and I were going shopping for a new SUV at a Subaru dealership but weren't sure about the CVT on the Forester when we ran across a used 2014 Tiguan with only 1,700 miles on it. We both liked the functional but restrained look of the interior of the Tiguan with its smaller, well-integrated screen rather than the fussy look of dashboards in other cars. This Tiguan was the SEL with every option other than 4 motion. With nearly 80,000 miles on it, I am still pleased on how it handles in Los Angeles freeway traffic. It has enough power to smoothly merge onto freeways and it has very tight and true tracking despite freeway bumps and potholes. Reliability has been very good. This model year solved the chain tensioner issue plaguing earlier years and this was also one of the last model years to be built in Germany so its fit and finish has held up very well.

Great service provided by dealership Specialy Khaled did great service for us thank you Khaled Everyone was great

I traded in my 22 Accord with the 1.5T and CVT transmission. My 2021 has the 2.0T and 10 speed automatic. It’s a great car for the money, dollar for dollar, you cannot beat it! Fully Loaded, very strong motor and tranny, rides beautiful, handles everything beautifully!

I have purchased my last two used cars from this dealership and I’m happy with how everything went. I was in and out in just a couple of hours both times. They provide a hassle-free, easy experience and get right down to business. Bottom line, I got a great deal on my trade-in, they gave me a lower interest rate than my trusted bank did, and they were not pushy in the least. Another huge plus is that the dealership seemed really scrupulous about safety protocols and keeping things clean among this Covid crisis. They wiped down the keys every time they handed them to me, they wore masks, and the Finance Manager had a glass screen in front of his desk. I felt safe there.

This vehicle was very fun to drive, it is comfortable and sporty, and the handling was excellent. Barely any issues, just overall a great driving experience.