Used cars for sale near San Marcos, CA under $5,000

I really appreciate the attentiveness and professionalism of Oleg. Found a car online, came to visit the dealership, left with a totally different car - I wanted a BMW and Oleg helped me find the right one for me. Thank you!

I bought a 2007 Chevy Cobalt LT with 89000 miles roughly every light you can think of on the dashboard was lit up to the guy just want to get rid of it so he sells me for 500 bucks I bought it cause my niece also had the same make and the same year but her car only had 79,000 mi but she didn't think it was I don't know fast enough or what the color maybe cuz hers was yellow so I bought it off her for $1,000 cause she had the money for the car that she wanted and she really didn't care about how much she could get maximum for her car so she said $1,000 I said so plus you know all the closing fees and all that so what I did was did an engine swap I did I'd say about 40% of the engine swap and my niece's husband did the other 60% and swap and it worked out perfectly the 2.2 ecotec engine that's it Chevy made was a very easy swap and they easy to work on and everything like that anyhow I drove that car from 79000 MI at the age of 20 to roughly 256,000 MI I never had a serious engine transmission breakdown I had to get a new exhaust because I hit a rock and it punctured a hole in my old exhaust so I had to buy a new one but I changed the oil on it every 3,000 miles with synthetic high mileage Pennzoil every 3k miles cuz that's what the handbook said I should ever see something on I should change the engine oil in my car I definitely spent more money in engine oil and filters cuz I do my own oil changes on all my vehicles held I think a little less than 5 quarts every time I just had to buy a 5 quart borrow a pennzo and oil filter change a couple of times and find out that this oil phone is better than anything and all that so it wasn't always the same but I never had an ending problem transmission problem or anything the car ran perfect for the time I had it until the time I saw it to buy a 2012 Toyota Camry I bought it was the most reliable midsize car and it was in my price range I basically paid $1,500 for the Cobalt couldn't tell you how much for the exhaust repair the brakes calipers the bigger meeting you in the car but I got $2,500 for the car from a guy I was asking for $3,000 because it never had a problem I told him everything about it he said no problem how about 2500 I said you got à deal. We took the car to the thing to change ownership and all that other crap you know that cost a couple hundred dollars to do and that same day I went and picked up the Toyota Camry roughly 3 hours after I sold the Cobalt at 10:00 in the morning and I have not had any major issues with the Camry so far it has 179,000 MI no lights are on shifts good drives good can't complain just like I couldn't complain about the couple I still talk to the guy every now and again he still owns the car it has 393,000 MI I asked if he had any major issues except for you know normal stuff like changing the oil brake pads calipers stuff like that and he said nope he said it's been smooth never had a problem it's just right now I'm not driving it because I don't have a license cuz I ain't got a DUI in it but parade Chief and a compact car sure had a nice 393,000 MI no major breakdowns just your everyday upkeep I think I did pretty good for $1500 and I think he did pretty good for $2,500 I paid $7,500 for the camry and I just must be looking except I've had no music phones at either and I use it everyday for work and for if I need to go to the store or something like that but that's my story and that's why I give it a 5 out of five I've heard so many horror stories about to come off I think it's mainly because people don't keep the car correctly by you know changing the oil change in brake pads caliper struts all that stuff when they go to bed the reason my niece is cars agencies that was good she never changed the oil in it she drove it like 28,000 miles without ever changing oil in it and it seized up her engine that is but I had a good deal in the end.

A very fun car 5 speed has never let me down as long its maintained, some costly but worth every cent, very dependable. Love the look they have. You can tell it's a beemer not like the newer models. They look like Honda's. Highly recommend.

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.

The best car I've ever owned. I've owned Audi's, Chevy's, Nissan, Acura's, and other cars over the years. None have been better, although Acura's are a very close second. I got the car with 75K miles on it, drove it for 8 years, and just sold it with 307K miles on it. Very few problems over the years. Had to replace 2 timing belts, the radiator, alternator, and one wheel bearing. It was such a great car, so I went out and found a low mileage 2009 RX350 (same body style) but with half the miles. As a sales rep, I feel confident with my new(er) RX and am confident I can run this one up to 300K + miles - no worries.

My 2010 consistently gets 46mpg on the highway, 2.0 with automatic. Bought new, only run Mobile1 full synthetic 5w30. Great little car, should last 300k easy!

I love this car! It's my second smart, only this one is a convertible. It's fun to drive, cute and turns heads. The convertible top is easy to use by one person. People stop me in parking lots all the time to ask about it and to take photos. Shifting is a little rough in the lower gears, but man, will she go. I've had her up to 90mph a few times without protest from the engine. I can comfortably pass slower traffic. You get a bit of road noise at high speeds. I bought the car 900 miles from home, and really enjoyed the trip back. A small seat cushion is a good idea on long drives, but she's perfectly comfortable around town. I can park nearly anywhere, a big plus in big city parking garages and on the street. A big thumbs up for the Smart Fortwo!

I bought a Dodge Charger R/T here. I just want to say that I had excellent treatment. Professional, courteous, and welcoming!

I bought a brand VW Beetle, brand new in 2004. I paid $22,000 for it. Twenty years later, I’m still driving it. It now has 52,000 miles on it and I’ve only had to do general maintenance. (Oil changes and batteries) It’s still like new!!! Leather heated seats, moon roof, and it’s bright red in color. I love this little bug. It’s fun to drive.

I've had the pleasure of getting a new car from Vista Auto sales twice now. And I can't say enough good things about them. Ari absolutely goes out of her way to get you the best deal possible at the best price. Very communicative and stays in touch. So many other dealerships Will give you the runaround or try to keep you there all day sitting and waiting and worrying, they don't do that. If you want to get a car from people who CARE about you, go to vista auto sales

My mom bought this Saturn SL-2 new in August 1997; she drove it until 2014 then gave up driving at 87 years of age. With only 28,000 miles she gave the car to me. I have enjoyed driving it ever since and it has never given me any problems. It has been garaged kept most of its life and still looks great too. Only had to perform the usual maintenance during its entire life, now showing 72,000 miles. I use it primarily to run errands around town but wouldn't hesitate to drive it on "short" highway trips since it's now 28 years old. If you can find a low mileage well cared for Saturn from this time period, I would highly recommend purchasing one as a short distance run-around-town vehicle.

The Truck i got at Legend still runs Great , Flex Fuel Burns Cleaner so the engine is still very brand new clean ,seriously , and Getting the new plates took a speedy 1 day from William at legend once received from dmv , The same clean undamaged Interior I Found on the lot has held up to Use no developing or hidden wear ,Still very happy with the purchase

I currently still drive my 2005 Buick Lacrosse CXL. I currently have 145,000 miles on it. Car is mechanically sound given the high mileage I've put on it. The only major downfalls are the ABS wheel speed sensors and HUB assembly as well as the engine coolant leaks at the intake...which I will be doing next. I've replaced the front and rear HUB assembly. I do all the repairs on my car as well as break jobs. Over all I must say this car is very dependable. Remember to get the transmission fluid changed and flushed twice as often when you have high mileage. Remember to put your car in neutral when at stop lights as this will greatly lengthen the life of your transmission...especially with this car.

Love my Prius. At first I thought it was ugly, but having owned it for so long, I love it! Get 52 miles to the gallon, but then I don't speed. I drive between 27-29 mph. in town, avoid freeways if I can to keep the mileage high. IU have only replaced the tires and the battery a couple of times. The car starts beautifully, responds well when driven. Is in good shape outside, except for a small "ding"on the bottom of the driver's side where I hit a curb.

2006 manual transmission Scion TC!!! Best most reliable fun car I have ever owned!!! I have owned this vehicle since it was delivered to the dealership in August of 2005 and drove it off the lot with 3 miles on the odometer!! It now has 270,000 miles on it and runs and drives like it only has 20,000 miles on it!! Superb Japanese engineering in every aspect of this vehicle!! 17 years now and this car has never broken down on me and left me on the side of the road! I’ve been the only one to perform all maintenance and repairs if needed and anything that needed replacement was normal parts like brakes, struts, alternator. I use only high quality engine oil and trans gear oil and everything runs almost like new still. I finally had to replace the clutch recently but it was just because the dampeners on the clutch disc had finally had enough of the heat from the engine and the clutch disc pads still had about 75% of the pads left at 265,000 miles. Even though that was all that was failing on the clutch system I did still replace the flywheel, pressure plate, clutch disc and throw-out/release bearing. I literally feel this car has at least another 200,000 miles that can be put on it before any bigger problems would arise. This think is a tank of a vehicle and if well maintained will literally keep going and going for you! Buy one if you can find one that was well maintained!!!

When it was newer the engine had some issues and a couple of recalls. I had the engine replaced because of a piece of metal getting into a cylinder. That when it was 10 years old and had 105,000 miles on it. Since then mostly maintenance. I do some myself. I enjoy driving it more than any car I've had before. The fastest, best handling and most economical, gas wise of any of them. I've gotten as much as 44mpg with it on a trip. Only mods I made to the engine are a K&N air filter cleanable cartridge and a blow off valve for the turbocharger.

Found Mercedes Benz through Cars.com and worked with Nick. Had an amazing experience purchasing my used E-class. Would recommend this dealership to friends and family everyone was extremely knowledgeable and helpful.

This car now has almost 170k miles.other than normal wear and tear and some recalls the car has been excellent. The real subject here is KIA . They have been a real stand up company. In my opinion KIA has had my back. KIA will be my next purchase

This car is the most reliable car I had. after all these years still drives very well. I have the SE model and it is supper comfortable with the lower back support. I haven't had any mayor problems at all. I hardly recommend this car.

This is my first car. I bought it with 168,000 miles on it, and had to replace the fuel pump ($500). After that, I’ve driven the car back and forth without any major issues. I drove from Florida to Massachusetts in two days - with 11-hour drives each day - and the car behave perfectly. It has never let me down since I bought it. Considering the price I bought it from, it is extremely reliable and pretty good-looking. It also has more than enough space for you and your partner, and spacious trunk for storage. I cannot describe in words how amazing this little car is. My car is about to hit the 200,000 miles on it and still drives smooth down the road. The only bad thing that I could say about this car is the leg space in the rear seats. Even though it’s enough for people to put their legs, it seems to be a little tight for them. Other than that, the design is fun and comfortable overall. The original audio system is above other competitors from the same year. What a shame GM discontinued this brand!!

Oleg very nice knowledgeable, the cars on his lot were very clean inside,will bo back.

I've known the 2013 Ford Fiesta SE for the last 10 years, got it new back in 2013, it's at 168,300+ miles at the moment. Not fancy by any means, but the seating isn't bad if you're under 6 feet tall, for example I'm 5'5" and I have decent leg room and headroom, no one else but the driver gets an armrest, for entertainment it has Bluetooth and the speakers are nice, it gets the job done of going from A to B safely without costing an arm and a leg. Small eco cars of course may not favor well in accidents but that's countered by the cheap value, which is great for safe drivers who may not have deep pockets. 35MPG with 12 gallon tank gets you roughly 400 miles full at the 15K price range these days while being fairly reliable, can't really be beat. Only thing I've had to do is change out an electrical board piece, the caliper belt, brakes, battery and the tires, but that's just what it takes to keep a vehicle going long term. One thing I have noticed though is that the transmission has a tough time changing gears when you're at a stop and trying to accelerate out of the first gear, but after that it's smooth sailing. It's been doing that no worse or better for at least a year now, just a quirk at this point. Don't wanna waste any big money on a big part like that if it only happens in low speed conditions where it's safe to be quirky.

I want to send a very big thanks to Sam!!! He’s wonderful to work with, no pressure. He took his time to explain and answer my questions. Go to Sam!

Love all the space and comfort of this car. Has good fuel prices economy and so far I haven’t had any mechanical issues. Bought it at 151k miles.

This vehicle has been a great resource for a long time, lasted about 10-11 years, or longer than that. We had some issuues with the extieror body but yeah.

I bought a used 2005 chrysler pt cruiser a few years ago. My wife found in in Trenton , NJ. It was a one owner with just over 30,000 miles on it. We only drove it a few blocks, tried the convertible top and was sold on it. I had a small accident a few years ago but it was fixed fantastic like new. I love my car everything works like new and always getting some compliants Inferno Red Black Top Will never sell it!

The sales associate Arlene Bonifacio was great to deal with. Everything went smoothly except for waiting for the finance people. I am happy with the purchase.

A most reliable car I ever owned. It simply keeps running and without any problems. Comfortable and secured ride. Wonderful in long distance driving. Excellent radio and cd player ... great sound.