Should I go with used Honda or Toyota?

I think they are the same when it comes to maintenance and fuel economy.

When it comes to safety, Honda leads ahead of Toyota. Toyota has never made safety a top priority like Honda does; however, perception is still alive and many will disagree with me. I suppose one can go look at the latest small-overlap crash test results; of the only midsize cars that they have tested so far, only two received a poor ratting and they where Toyotas. They haven't tested the small cars yet.

A critical part of the picture is repair costs. Honda had a spotty decade between 1998 and 2008. The Great Honda Transmission Debacle causes all Hondas in that time frame with 6 cylinder engines and automatic transmissions to be risky. Carcomplaints.com says of all those model-years with that equipment:"We recommend avoiding this model year like the plague." The 2006-2008 Civic had problems with cracked engine blocks - serious but not as common as the transmission failures - and rear brake wear. The Accord got the majority of the brake complaints in the 2008 model year.

Both have similar quality, dependability, fuel consumption and such. I prefer a Toyota but its a matter of personal preference. When buying used the issue is finding one that is in good mechanical condition and has been treated well. The car you are looking at is a bit high mileage. I'd be concerned since it was driven 20000-25000 miles per year. Well over average. I'd pay accordingly after having your mechanic check it out thoroughly. Go to Edmunds.com. It has a used car valuation tool to help you decide if the price is appropriate.

The two brands are pretty much equal in all the categories you have listed.

Look for the best deal.

i think honda is better. my mom has a honda thats 22 years old and it seems to burn gas pretty nicely. even though she drives EVERYDAY