I think it depends partly on how used it is, and to a certain extent you have to judge that on a car by car basis. My first car was a 1986 Nissan, but it ran great because it had been owned by my grandmother and then by my parents and had always been well-maintained and respectfully driven. My current car is a Pontiac Vibe, which is simply a Corolla with a different body. I'd buy either a Toyota or a Nissan again without hesitation. My father generally thinks I should avoid used American cars and Volkswagens (although he has a 1996 Ford Contour--Mondeo in the UK--that hasn't given us too much trouble except the vent/blower system is crap).