My 2006 Honda CR-V is on its last leg. It has 320k miles and has been super reliable for my 50-mile daily commute.
I found a 2016 Escape SE 2.0 EcoBoost with 170k miles for $8,000. But I’ve been reading about issues with coolant leaks and slipping transmissions in the earlier models. From what I gather, the 2.5L engine is more reliable than the 1.6L or 2.0L.
I don’t have a ton of money, and this will be my daily driver. I need something reliable and can’t afford a major repair if something goes wrong.
Realistically, if I take care of it, could this last as long as my CR-V?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
EDIT:
Thanks for all the replies! Y’all have completely scared me off, and I think that’s a good thing. I really appreciate the honest advice. I’ll be looking for another Honda or Toyota instead!
I had a 2016 SE with the 2.0L and loved it. It was one of the few cars I actually miss.
Did multiple coast-to-coast trips and only had one issue—needed coil packs replaced at 65k miles, and it started misfiring again at 69k. That’s when I sold it because I didn’t want to risk more repairs.
If you’re not the original owner and don’t have full maintenance records, I wouldn’t buy it. At that mileage, it’s not worth the risk.
I’d look for a RAV4 instead—same age, similar price, much better reliability.
@Remy
Yeah, I bought a 2017 Escape with 98k miles for my son to learn on. Big mistake. Paid $7k and have already dumped $1.5k into repairs and maintenance.
Still need to replace the tie rods, reseal the oil pan, and track down some weird clicking noise. Should’ve just spent $8-10k on a Toyota.
320k miles is high mileage for a Honda. It’s unheard of for an Escape, especially this generation.
I have a 2014 with 127k miles and I’m selling it because I don’t trust it to last much longer. My sister-in-law had a 2014 with 180k, and she already replaced the turbo. Now the transmission just went out.
This $8k Escape will end up costing you $16k once you factor in repairs. And even then, something else will break. These cars don’t give warning before things go wrong.