@kennycompcars is a dealer with literally decades of experience turning wrenches, including prepping the vehicles he lists for sale. He’s known for sharing car-buying tips, used car info, and personal stories. At this point, Kenny has more than 100,000 TikTok followers. Many of them have their eyes peeled for reliable cash cars. And for folks too far to visit his Salem, Virginia, lot, here’s a model to look for in your area.

2009 Honda Civic with 249,000 miles

“What cars do I trust to sell on my used car lot that have very high mileage?” the owner poses. “Well, this is one of them.”

He’s talking about a 16-year-old Honda with a quarter of a million miles on the odometer.

“This car runs and drives great,” he claims. “It’s got cold air.”

When he adopted the Civic, it only had one problem: the right front power window motor petered out. But it’s a cheap fix: a used left front window switch.

The dealer shared that he spent about $20 on the part from his local pick-and-pull.

Runs like a champ, and it’s yours for $3,000

“Now everything works in this car,” he says. “It’ll be a good, cheap option for a customer on my car lot.”

And he’s not wrong.

A 2009 Honda Civic with 249,000 miles still holds its own in 2025. That may sound like a lot of miles, but this generation of Civic built its reputation on staying power. It came from a time when Honda leaned into reliability, not just efficiency.

The 2006 to 2011 Honda Civic was a best-seller for good reason

It used a simple, chain-driven 1.8-liter engine that doesn’t ask for much. No turbo. No direct injection. Just regular oil changes and a timing chain that doesn’t need a spendy replacement. 

That engine, the R18A1, regularly crosses the 300,000-mile mark in private hands.

The five-speed automatic in most of these models also proved durable. Not silky smooth, but dependable. Honda had some transmission problems in earlier Civics, but the 2009 avoided most of those issues.

By 2009, Honda had also worked out many of the bugs from the 2006 redesign. Earlier models had cracking dashboards and paint that peeled. The 2009 still had some of those problems, but fewer. Most importantly, the mechanical side stayed solid.

Cabin materials were basic but aged better than many cheap compacts from that era. The layout made sense. Visibility stayed excellent. A Civic from this year doesn’t feel luxurious, but it still feels honest.

Even with 249,000 miles, if the car has been maintained, it’s probably not done yet

Regular oil changes, transmission fluid service, and valve adjustments matter more than odometer numbers. Look for maintenance records. If it passed emissions and drives straight, it still has value.

In today’s used market, affordable and reliable cars are getting harder to find. The average used car price in 2025 still hovers around $26,000. For many buyers, a well-kept Civic at a fraction of that is a smarter choice than a higher-mile, newer turbocharged car with a CVT.

Parts are also cheap and widely available. Any independent shop can work on one. Fuel economy still beats many modern crossovers, especially with the base engine.

The Honda Civic never tried to be flashy. It just worked. That same simplicity is what keeps it relevant. A 2009 Civic may be old, but it’s not obsolete. With basic care, it’s the kind of car that can still get through a long commute without breaking the bank or breaking down.

It’s not glamorous. It’s just good. And in this market, that counts for a lot.

Kenny explains that he’s well aware that a lot of people would shy away from a 249,000-mile car

“But let me tell you,” he responds, “When my son was 15 years old, and I was looking for him…I didn’t have a lot of money.”

At the time, Kenny worked at a new car dealership. Unfortunately, that company had harsh rules forbidding employees from getting any discounts. They’d pay full retail price until the car was over 30 days old.

Kenny took note of the trade-ins the dealership kept accepting. They might have some miles on them, he explained, but they were decent cars under $3,000. And he couldn’t buy them, since the dealership also refused to let employees take them.

In fact, the company told its team members that they’d be fired if they tried to buy a trade-in from a customer.

Instead, Kenny went around to local used car dealerships. He asked them what they had for under $3,000. “I got laughed at,” he says. “But that was my budget.”

“Some of you folk never had to drive around in a $300 car when you were a kid, like I did. And it shows.”

Kenny has turned into an advocate for drivers looking for reliable cars without financing. “I want to be that dealer that has a car that people can afford.”

And that Honda Civic? He thinks it’ll be a great option for someone with just a few thousand in cash. “They’re hard to kill, man.”

MotorBiscuit reached out to @kennycompcars via TikTok direct message to see if he’d share other cars he trusts with high miles.