Mechanics share opinion on best bang-for-your-buck cars

Stretching a dollar is more important than ever these days, so when it’s time to buy a car, you should be considering just what you’re getting for how much you’re paying, plus the potentially astronomical cost of maintenance depending on the brand.

Finding that perfect balance between affordability and reliability is a challenge that many people in the market have to contend with when buying a new set of wheels.

The mechanics at Accurate Automotive in Northglenn, Colorado, are helping narrow down the options in a recently posted TikTok. The staff at the body shop weigh in on what they believe to be the cars that give you the most bang for your buck, and one brand in particular emerged as a common denominator.

“Best bang for buck in my opinion is Toyota,” one person said.

“Probably Toyota Corolla,” another added.

One employee rattled off a few options, including “a Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, [and] Honda Accord.”

“I would go with Toyota Camry,” another echoed. “It’s a good car for a first car. It doesn’t cost very much, but it also will last very long, so I feel like you’d get your money’s worth on a car like that, you know?”

Toyota consistently ranks among the most reliable automakers according to J.D. Power’s annual U.S. Vehicle Dependency Study. In 2024, Toyota once again ranked as the second-most dependable car brand in the country behind Lexus, also owned and manufactured by Toyota.

Don’t drive off the lot until you’re sure you’re getting a good deal in the short-run and importantly the long-run.