Hello the forum, this is my first post here, my friend has offered me a good deal on his 2012 Caliber SE w/manual transmission. It has 40k miles on it and he wants 8k.

I've heard TERRIBLE things about this car, but it seems like the best deal I've seen on a new-ish car with low miles. Most of the complaints seem to be about 2007-2008 models (ball joints, suspension, transmission), so I'm wondering if the later models have the same issues or did they improve?

My current vehicle is sucking me dry with repair bills and is on deaths door, so I don't want to buy a new car just to deal with the same crap. I don't care that reviews say its a boring car or that it's not as good as an Impreza, that is stupid. I really want to buy this car but I need some reassurance that it's a reliable.

Thanks

 

Don't buy or sell a car to a relative or friend. If there is a huge failure of the car, the relationship is damaged or over.


That being said...if I had 8,000 bucks, the last thing I would be looking at would be a Caliber with a manual trans.

 

Never drove one with a manual trans, so I have no input. I am assuming that it is a 1.8L with the manual trans.