From Max · listings checked Oct 26, 2026
I went through every used car I could find within 100 miles of home: about 6,000 listings on cars.com and Craigslist, 46 models. Each one is ranked by what it really costs per mile to own: the price spread over the miles it has left, plus gas and repairs. Lower is better. Every car below passed a history or ad check, and I confirmed each one was still for sale today.
Best value of everything, any shape. Priuses win because 50 mpg saves about $700 a year in gas over a 30 mpg car.
#1Great Auto LLC · Rutherford, NJ · 38 mi
Best overall. Low miles for a 2013, one owner, no accidents. The doc fee isn't listed, so ask for the out-the-door price.
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#2Maggio Motors · South Hackensack, NJ · 41 mi
Lowest yearly cost of the safe picks. The price already includes an $895 doc fee, which is high. Try to knock it down.
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#3Private seller (Craigslist) · Hollis, Queens, NY · 55 mi
Very low miles for the price. An amber light shows in the dash photo, probably tire pressure. Ask before you go, and run a CARFAX.
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#4Fair Deal Auto & Tires · Danbury, CT · 88 mi
Cheapest to own on paper, but it's the riskiest car here. 2011 Priuses are prone to head gasket trouble. Only with a mechanic's OK.
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#5Estate sale (Craigslist) · Concordville, PA · 69 mi
13 years of life left. Senior owner passed away, so it's priced to sell. Fence scrape on the passenger side. The executor has to sign the title.
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#6Private seller (Craigslist) · Hicksville, NY · 69 mi
One owner since new, and the inspection sticker backs up the miles. Cosmetic stuff only: scratches and a missing fender liner (seller has the part).
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#7Tarrytown Honda · Tarrytown, NY · 55 mi
Pricier up front but low miles and 14 years left. A real franchise dealer, and the listed price is the final price.
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#8Private seller (Craigslist) · Brooklyn, NY · 45 mi
Best paperwork of the private sales: clean CARFAX, 2 owners, 8 service records, fresh oil change and inspection.
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#9EM Motorcars · Manahawkin, NJ · 77 mi
The buy-once, keep-forever pick: newest body style, one owner, and over 15 years of life left.
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#10Ardmore Toyota · Ardmore, PA · 56 mi
Toyota dealer, 5 service records, new front brakes, a year of prepaid maintenance. Sold as-is. The open recall is a free fix. The photo is a stock image.
See the listingJust outside the top 10. Each one has a specific reason to like it.
Private seller (Craigslist) · Brooklyn, NY · 44 mi
Newest of the cheap cars, and the VIN and odometer match the ad. The seller mentions financing, which is unusual for a private sale, so ask.
See the listingHonda Bridgewater · Bridgewater, NJ · 16 mi
Closest car on the list, at a real Honda dealer, with leather and a sunroof. No photos posted yet.
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Private seller (cars.com) · Connecticut · 71 mi
Top trim. A round 110,000 miles looks like an estimate, so check the dash.
See the listingIf the look matters, here's exactly what it costs compared with #1 ($2,656 a year). Insurance isn't counted, and it runs higher on the Teslas, the BRZ and the Lexus. Get quotes first.
Queens Auto · Woodside, Queens, NY · 48 mi
+$481 a year vs. #1
My pick if looks matter. Sharp car, 15 years of life, and only about $40 a month more than #1. The dealer pushes financing, so get the CARFAX and the out-the-door price first.
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Car Central · Milford, CT · 97 mi
+$933 a year vs. #1
The SUV option. Mazdas of this era are reliable and good-looking. Long drive to Milford, CT.
See the listingSpringfield Luxury Auto Mall · Springfield, NJ · 26 mi
+$1,003 a year vs. #1
Assumes he can charge at home; Superchargers only adds about $550 a year. Insurance runs about 40% more than a Civic. Battery rated Good, about 250 miles of range.
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Brick City Motors · Newark, NJ · 34 mi
+$1,062 a year vs. #1
Fun and cheap to buy, but it's a 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, and the back seat is tiny. A toy that also commutes.
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Private seller (cars.com) · North Haledon, NJ · 37 mi
+$1,050 a year vs. #1
Shorter range than the Long Range. Battery warranty runs to 2027 or 100,000 miles. Same charging and insurance notes as the other Tesla.
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Park City Ford · Bridgeport, CT · 91 mi
+$1,268 a year vs. #1
The comfortable luxury pick, and a hybrid at 40 mpg. Price has dropped four times since August, so there's room to negotiate.
See the listingSorted by cost per mile.
| Car | List | ¢/mile | Per year | Price | Miles | Yrs left | Mi away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Toyota Prius II | Top 10 | 21.1¢ | $2,530 | $5,999 | 141,870 | 9 | 88 |
| 2013 Toyota Prius Three | Top 10 | 21.7¢ | $2,600 | $9,890 | 110,836 | 12 | 41 |
| 2013 Toyota Prius Three | Top 10 | 22.1¢ | $2,656 | $10,333 | 83,385 | 12 | 38 |
| 2014 Toyota Prius Four | Also good | 22.5¢ | $2,695 | $11,000 | 110,000 | 12 | 71 |
| 2018 Toyota Prius Two | Top 10 | 23.1¢ | $2,766 | $17,694 | 67,561 | 15 | 77 |
| 2012 Honda Civic | Top 10 | 23.3¢ | $2,801 | $8,500 | 64,000 | 11 | 55 |
| 2016 Toyota Corolla LE | Top 10 | 23.6¢ | $2,831 | $10,000 | 46,000 | 13 | 69 |
| 2012 Honda Civic LX | Top 10 | 23.7¢ | $2,849 | $8,995 | 68,500 | 11 | 45 |
| 2015 Toyota Prius Three | Top 10 | 23.9¢ | $2,870 | $15,999 | 53,306 | 14 | 55 |
| 2012 Toyota Prius Two | Top 10 | 24.2¢ | $2,899 | $12,267 | 86,771 | 11 | 56 |
| 2011 Toyota Prius | Top 10 | 24.7¢ | $2,960 | $11,000 | 68,000 | 10 | 69 |
| 2011 Honda Civic EX-L | Also good | 25.0¢ | $2,995 | $7,995 | 78,080 | 10 | 16 |
| 2020 Hyundai Elantra SE | Also good | 25.3¢ | $3,031 | $11,900 | 23,800 | 12 | 44 |
| 2019 Honda Accord Sport | Nicer looking | 26.1¢ | $3,137 | $15,995 | 46,125 | 15 | 48 |
| 2015 Mazda CX-5 Sport | Nicer looking | 29.9¢ | $3,589 | $14,791 | 53,242 | 13 | 97 |
| 2020 Tesla Model 3 Long Range | Nicer looking | 30.5¢ | $3,659 | $20,995 | 48,207 | 13 | 26 |
| 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus | Nicer looking | 30.9¢ | $3,706 | $19,000 | 64,000 | 11 | 37 |
| 2014 Subaru BRZ | Nicer looking | 31.0¢ | $3,718 | $9,897 | 45,486 | 10 | 34 |
| 2015 Lexus ES 300h | Nicer looking | 32.7¢ | $3,924 | $17,200 | 88,763 | 10 | 91 |
Cost per mile = (price + 6.625% NJ tax + doc fee, plus set-asides for known big repairs and a hybrid or EV battery) ÷ the miles the car has left, + gas or charging + average yearly repairs. Miles left is how long that model typically lasts (iSeeCars lifespan data), minus the miles already on it, capped at 25 years old for NJ road salt. I also re-ranked everything with shorter lifespans, cheaper gas, and more or fewer miles a year; the order is an average of those runs.
Assumes: 12,000 miles a year, gas at $4.29, and repair averages from RepairPal. Tesla assumes home charging at 24.6¢/kWh with some Supercharging, plus NJ's $270/yr EV fee. Insurance is not included for any car.
Most "nice car, low price" listings had a catch. Among the ones I checked: a 2023 Model 3 with a rebuilt title, a low-mile 2019 Model 3 with an unreported accident, a Lexus IS 300 with a storm-damage title and a replaced engine, a rebuilt Lexus NX, all three Acura TLXs, and a Highlander with a title issue. Several cheap Brooklyn Camrys and Civics came from a dealer posing as private "one owner" sellers, and a $9,500 CX-5 was a scam. The Lexus IS, GS, RX and NX, Acura TLX, Infiniti Q50, Genesis G70 and Kia Stinger usually cost 44 to 54¢ a mile, versus about 33¢ for a Corolla or Accord.