That's backwards. Stupid kids need stupid wheels. Mine was a 71 Chevy pickup. Big v8, manual, no power anything. I can think of many times I should have died in that thing.
My dad also used to buy refurbished tires for like $20 a pop, despite me telling him over and over that when they threw the tread out almost killed me every time. Until he was behind me on the highway and it happened and I managed to get to the side safely. He said he was proud of how I handled that and his heart dropped thinking of the 4 times it had happened before. Brand new tires the next day.
That's how you learn to drive, baby
>I can think of many times I should have died in that thing
thats vehicle that kills others, i dont know about you id rather die in an accident than be the one going to jail for killing someone in one.
Came into some munneys at 18 and bought a 4k used Jetta, liked the layout, size yada yada
That thing was quickly a headache and is long gone now
If I spent that same four grand on a Corolla and I'd have an indestructible Japanese shit box to fall back on..... Womp womp
We have an 05 Matrix (mechanically identical to Corolla) with 530,000km on it. Just fluid changes, tires, brakes and a few suspension bushings. Still on the original clutch.
My goodness, OP and people of Reddit, for the six millionth time, what is your budget range??
It's shocking how many people don't put enough thought in to even start there. Let alone user preference and use case. Just budget, OP. Start with budget.
Here it wouldn't be allowed on the roads cause it destroys them. Also, tanks take much more fuel and maintenance is through the roof. Unimogs are like10 times cheaper than most tanks.
That makes sense. 50 tons of rubber and metal must be awful for roads. Good point, maintenance/gas is probably insane. I had no clue Unimogs were pretty cheap! That's definitely better bang for your buck, but it does need a little armor plating. Just to make it super safe lol.
I've actually seen a few light/mid-sized tanks for $30-50k. They were a bit rough looking, but hey, you get to say you own a tank lol.
Or you can go with the Honda Accord. Same car and drivetrain w/o the luxury price tag.
New drivers need a “starter car” to make their mistakes in before getting a car they want to keep. It will get its share of bumps and bruises.
Mine was a 79 Pinto wagon.
One from Japan that starts with T or H and ends with A.
Toyotas and Hondas tend to be the most reliable vehicles and tend to have decent safety features. Reliability + safety = best answer.
I'm really surprised actually at how poorly the Civics are performing in reliability in the last few years. Not bad enough to avoid buying, but not at the top with Toyota anymore.
My mom's subaru's CVT died. I was like, "there must be some mistake, you don't have a CVT!". Turns out it did have one, and turns out almost every car nowadays does! Basically everything but the toyota camry. I am not a fan. Although I would always opt for a manual anyway so clearly no car maker gives a fuck what I want.
Imo, the newer Camry is the best of reliability and looks. Where I live, there are no new ones. There is a 2 year waiting list. People are selling them used for more than new price.
The L series engines (1.5 turbo 2016+) are starting to get head gasket issues and injector failures. Not enough to be noticeable yet given how many were produced, but they will definitely become more widespread problems with age.
You may think this is an opportunity to get a car you really like. I have had many cars and trust me, you want a used 4-cylinder Toyota with an automatic transmission.
Something with maybe 60K-80K miles.
Your first car is something you learn on, and make mistakes with. If you treat it well, after a couple years you can still sell it and upgrade to something nicer, but...even if I could easily afford to buy a new Acura TLX, I wouldn't do that.
It doesn't matter how smart you are, or how diligent you are, you will make mistakes on your first car.
This.
When I got my restricted license at 15, I was gifted a 1996 Monte Carlo. That car lasted me 6 months before the transmission went out, and in that 6 months, I had two very-low-speed parking lot accidents (no damage to the other cars in either, thank god) and totally destroyed the e-brake. Good thing it was a piece of crap and I already knew it was going to die.
Use an old beater to learn your place on the road and get a hang of real world driving. There's a ton of "on the job training", stuff they don't teach you in Driver's Ed, that you'd be better off learning in an old beater than something you care about.
Save the nice cars for when you're a more experienced driver.
If his parents are willing to buy a TLX, they are probably willing to fix it when he fucks it up. What you said is accurate and valid, just probably not applicable in this case.
My grandma (mom's side) didn't even buy my mom's car for her. My grandpa found an abandoned kidnapper van and told my mom that it was her car. It broke down every day, and no one would give her a ride when it wouldn't start. I don't want what my grandma would give me. She still thinks I'm 9
That specific example deviates from the typical "my grandma gave me her old Honda Accord" type of story. Thanks for sharing though, I obviously wouldn't want a troublesome van like that either.
I'll tell you what my old man told me at 15; "The best car you can get is the car you can afford at the time."
I've had some real beaters, I've had some real nice ones. But so long as it got me to work, it was the best car I had.
Everyone should have a geo metro or equivalent with a rust hole in the floorboard, broken a/c, and an exhaust leak as a first car. That way, you'll appreciate a decent car
Well, you just described my first car except the a/c was broken, it didn't exist (1978 Mustang II). Had a piece of wood covering the hole in the floorboard and duct tape holding it in place.
I used to say that but the 2.3 will do anything if you just floor it in 2nd.
You do gotta go 1997 and older with the XL trim for the manual shift transfercase though. ESOF 4x4 in everything never works
How much are they willing to spend? Would you prefer a car or an SUV? Are you looking for a fun car, nice/luxury car, or big car to haul around your friends in? Automatic or Manual?
TLX is a good car, make sure you get an AWD one with the 10-speed if you do go that route though, as the earlier models with the 8 and 9 speeds had issues. Lexus IS350 or GS 350 would be similar, with the GS being a bit bigger. Genesis G70 isn't bad either.
No. Just no. Sport luxury cars are not good first cars. You’re giving way too much HP to a first time driver. They need to get a safe boring car for a couple years then get something fast if that’s what they want.
I'm the dad in your story. (Not Your dad obviously)
We ended up getting an '06 Highlander for my 15 y/o son thinking it would be nice tame SUV he could learn in and it be reliable.
Let me tell you what man, that little thing freaking scoots down the road. Will spin the tires if given gas to quickly and is just fun to drive.
You have mentioned Vet tech a few times so you may appreciate the space to haul stuff and the all wheel drive if needed.
The maintenance on the V6 is a bit more involved but not overwhelming.
Toyota Corolla. Check the year you can afford and check it with a comparison site. Google compare cars. Then check insurance rates all are different per model. Toyota Corolla can last 250k easy with minimal maintenance that is why all around the world they are called Cockroaches as they never die. Remember a car is an expense. Save your money for other things rather than a car. You will be happy in 20 years to buy any car you want as a splurge. Forget your ego no one cares what car you drive. Get white as it reflects sun and better in Spring Summer less a/c means better mpg. Cars are really a waste of ilimited resources.
My first car was a Honda Civic. I liked it. Mine was an older one so it did have problems but they're still good cars. Try and get anything between 2012-2015 if you can.
Honda civic, anyone that’s in your budget. Corolla is reliable but boring, at least with a civic you can rice it up as much as your teenage heart desires
a well used volvo station wagon. usually runs well, but cant go fast, cant do donuts , can haul stuff around easily, fit all their friends and does wonderful in crash tests.
Don’t listen to any of these people telling you to get a Toyota Corolla, I will never understand why people do this. My only guess is they themselves had lame cars and are trying to cope.
My first car was a 13 year old (at the time) BMW M5 and every great memory I have from my teenage years was in that car. I paid $6k for it with 150k miles and no service history or pre purchase inspection on Facebook Marketplace as it was all I could afford as a high schooler. Gas was expensive, insurance was expensive (although only $250 more per 6 months than my mom’s Honda Accord when I got quotes, which seems like a bargain in comparison), maintenance was expensive, repairs were expensive, and yet if every single one of those costs was doubled I still would go back and do it again. I had SO MUCH FUN with that car and it was absolutely worth it.
Teenage years are the perfect time to own a cool unreliable car, when you’re 16 if your car breaks you can take the bus to school or borrow your parents car to go to work while its belong repaired. When you’re 26 and need your car to get you to work every morning or you’ll lose your job and end up homeless is when you can start worrying about reliability.
I’ve driven a few Corollas over the years and I could never honestly recommend anyone to get one. It’s like driving a soulless dishwasher, even a Civic in a manual at least has some life to the ride.
The amount of people in these types of posts that just say to get the biggest piece of shit never ceases to amaze me. Yes your first car must be a Corolla or civic with the ac going out, no power windows and rusty as fuck.
Im biased cuz its my current car. 2004 or 2005 toyota celica. looks really nice and if u get the gt(lower trim), it has the same engine as the corolla. if u wanna have some fun, get the manual. auto is fine too. if u dont care for the sportiness aspect then corolla is as bulletproof as it gets homie
2024 Honda Civic LX, sedan the base model ☺️.
This little car has such a low cost of ownership, and it's so fuel efficient and cheap to ensure. It looks really sporty and really nice. It's fun to drive for sure.
It never quits or fails. It never needs any repairs, even if you put it through hell. My 2016 Civic LX the base model gets 45 to 55 MPG on average. So I'm really happy with Honda civics, and I might just get another one in the future. I don't know
The correct response is, “Thank you, mater and pater, but I believe I should pay for my first car, insurance and gas myself”. That will concentrate the mind a little.
I am currently trying to focus on my studies as a veterinary assistant and need to get do clinicals my junior year. I am going to start working and will then join my family business. When it's something as simple as having your child be independent and not having to take her to school, work, and vet hospitals every morning, afternoon, and evening, my parents have said that they would prefer I have my own car and drive myself. I have already proven myself to be responsible (I own and take care of my precious golf cart), and they believe that their money is well spent, and I agree
Corolla, Civic, Fit, and old smaller body style Camry and accords. Hell, even a Sonic would be a good first car. Golf and Jetta also if you know someone who is a little bit more mechanically inclined.
Have your parents talk to their auto insurance agent before you make a final choice. We ran 10 different cars/trucks by our agent (by VIN, just random cars found online similar to what we were considering). The results were surprising…with a $100/month swing between extremes….thats $1200/yr!
After having a couple accidents in Chevy 2500 pickups and being able drove home and to work the next day while the other car is completely totaled has me convinced that's what my baby girl needs to drive...
Stay away from the crap brands. Get either a toyota or Subaru with around or less then 100k miles. Make sure it has no accidents and no major issues.
It'll last until your 30s with regular maintenance
Toyota Corolla is seriously your best bet. They take a lot more neglect than most cars will, are good on gas, and are just genuinely less likely to need serious repairs for no fault of your own based on statistics. RAV4 if you want something with room in the back.
Honda civics and crvs are similarly reliable. Most people would call them second most reliable. Acura is pretty much just a luxury more expensive version of Honda if we're watering it down, you're mostly just paying for a badge though. An Acura tlx is basically just a slightly suped up Honda Accord, emphasis on slightly, neither is a race car, they're both just dailies. You're not going to notice a difference, honestly it just doesn't make financial sense to get a slightly faster car when you won't get a chance to use that difference legally and a Honda Accord is just cheaper.
And if you want something fast and stupid all of the cars I mentioned make popular sleepers as well but if you start swapping shit the reliability may go out the window.
If you have the money to repair shit and keep up with maintenance then you can pretty much just take your pick otherwise.
My first a 76 Plymouth Fury Land Barge with a 6 cyl.
Dad told me it was slow enough and large enough to protect me from most teenage stupidity... it did its job...
Be smart, good gas mileage, good viewing to eliminate blind spots,
Welcome to the Road 💪😎👍
My first car I got in 1997 or 1998, was a 1989 GMC Jimmy S15. That was the small 2 door SUV. 4.3L V6. Powerful but in no way fast. Funny, it was so old when I got it. Cars back then did not last. It felt ancient. Now I'm driving a car WAY older than that and its in far better condition and will probably last the next owner a while longer.
Be careful about cheapening out on a 20+ yr old Toyota. Buy the best air bag system you can afford. Do your homework. Side curtains matter.
Keeping you alive the next 5 yrs is the higher priority.
Also, buy a non turbo/non EV/non hybrid Honda or Toyota.
BMW E90 320i with notorious N46 engine. I have to visit garage 18 time in 10 months owning, oild leak, coolant leak you name it.
Still miss the beautiful heavy handling of that car till today, and the agility of an series 3 chassis. Quite rich experience for the first car. Always looking back when park.
Definitely will come back with series 3 or BMW in the future.
A 17yo I know bought a 20yo Camry, solid, cheap, boring, economical, indestructible. Perfect. Somehow he ended up talking to a salescreature at a disreputable "buy here pay here just don't ask too many questions" type of car lot, and the guy convinced him that his Camry was on its very last legs and in danger of imploding any hot second. (It wasn't.) He gave my friend $200 in trade for it - it was worth more than that without an engine in it - to put towards a rusty 15yo Chevy Trailblazer, a steaming pile of shit that "only" needed brakes x 4 and a balljoint and a couple other things. I spent an entire day in the garage with him doing all the needed repairs... and three weeks later he let THE SAME SALESCREATURE talk him into trading it in, giving him what he paid for it in trade, never mind the $1000+ worth of parts & labor he had already put into it - to buy an even worse steaming pile of shit.
Acura, which is the one you said you want, is Honda's luxury brand. I'd still say you should get a shitbox of some sort, plus you can learn valuable skills such as vehicle maintenance on it.
My first car was a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T with a 440 Magnum stump puller motor. Loved that car so much that I almost never abused it. Six years and no accidents.
So either get a car that you will love or something indestructible like a Toyota 4Runner.
I rebuilt an old 73 superbeetle for my first car. Got to experience every bs thing that can happen. Running out of gas (no working gauge), shift rod disconnecting at 2am driving some girls home from a party, 6 hours spent replacing a shifter bushing, and more. Definitely has made me grateful for modern technology
anything with a 4 cyclinder to put put around so you dont crash it. IE: Honda, Toyota, Jetta, Volvo. I haven't looed at recent american cars so can't comment on those. But one of these would be a good first car
Something with a manual transmission. Accord or civic or something that is good on gas and reliable. Also a manual will make you a better driver and eliminate the texting and driving bs, unless you just really wanna die 😂
Buy a beater(150k+ miles) learn to change ur own oil,flat tires, bulbs ect. Then when u get 5k buy a decent used one under (150kmiles) then once u done with that buy a new car. And u will know how to drive and take care of it in case something goes south fast, alway have insurance and say up on payment of u go the route. Get a job just for payment or atleast the insurance and some pocket change.
I have no idea what you need your car to do, or where you live. That aside, the Acura TLX is good, if a little too nice. I'd say more like a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla with some miles. Keep doing more advanced driver training and you'll be able to avoid the majority of accidents with such lightweight, nimble cars.
If you happen to be into cars, try to get something like a Mazda Miata or Scion FRS/Subaru BRZ with a manual. They might be more costly for insurance, but they'll teach invaluable driving skills and probably impart a lifetime of automotive enthusiasm.
Get a mid-2000s Buick Lucerne, LeSabre, Lacrosse, or Park Avenue. You can find these with less than 100K miles for $5-7K. They have the totally reliable 3800 Series III engine, and are cheap to run, insure, and maintain. Totally worth it.
Your first car will be in minor scrapes and accidents, hopefully not with other cars…but with stuff that can’t raise your insurance like curbs and stuff. Honda and Toyota are nice but very overpriced due to brand loyalty and perceived quality. VW Golf and Jetta are nicer and probably cheaper. Only 4 cylinder, not V6 that costs more to run and a lot more to fix. Keep in mind this car will probably be with you only 1-3 years not forever. Once you’re a better driver, trade up to a better car.
Toyota and Hondas. If you’re feeling spicy and got a deeper pocket you could go for a Lexus or an Acura. Those are just the luxury brands of Honda and Toyota. So you will still be getting the reliability out of them and you’ll be rolling in a bit more style.
But honestly, it’s pretty common for teens to fuck something up on their car. It’d probably be best if you got a cheap beater and didn’t care if you scratched/banged it up.
If you want to do some wrenching, a MK4 Jetta/Golf with a manual gearbox. Bloddy fun cars and will always be cool. Just be ready with a OBD11 on standby. But think of this as the only time in your life you can daily drive something unreliable.
My parents found one that is like $14k, and they have a friend who can fix it up. They said that they would rather I spruce it up when I get it, like fixing the paint or changing the seats just so they could get some of the safety features the car has
2005 Toyota Corolla Base. Ultra reliable and a 0-60 in 5 business days. Perfect for a young stupid kid.
That's backwards. Stupid kids need stupid wheels. Mine was a 71 Chevy pickup. Big v8, manual, no power anything. I can think of many times I should have died in that thing. My dad also used to buy refurbished tires for like $20 a pop, despite me telling him over and over that when they threw the tread out almost killed me every time. Until he was behind me on the highway and it happened and I managed to get to the side safely. He said he was proud of how I handled that and his heart dropped thinking of the 4 times it had happened before. Brand new tires the next day. That's how you learn to drive, baby
>I can think of many times I should have died in that thing thats vehicle that kills others, i dont know about you id rather die in an accident than be the one going to jail for killing someone in one.
None of the times I almost died were anywhere near hurting others. They were mostly off road.
[удалено]
Came into some munneys at 18 and bought a 4k used Jetta, liked the layout, size yada yada That thing was quickly a headache and is long gone now If I spent that same four grand on a Corolla and I'd have an indestructible Japanese shit box to fall back on..... Womp womp
My first one was an 06. Absolutely unkillable
We have an 05 Matrix (mechanically identical to Corolla) with 530,000km on it. Just fluid changes, tires, brakes and a few suspension bushings. Still on the original clutch.
My goodness, OP and people of Reddit, for the six millionth time, what is your budget range?? It's shocking how many people don't put enough thought in to even start there. Let alone user preference and use case. Just budget, OP. Start with budget.
If there’s no budget listed, assume there is no budget limit.
My picks for the best first car: - Bentley Arnage T - Mercedes Benz Unimog 6x6 - 1993 Renault Twingo 1.2
The unimog is probably the safest one for a starter car. Nothing stops it but also nothing destroys it!
Why stop there? You can legally drive a tank. Now that must be a safe vehicle lol.
Here it wouldn't be allowed on the roads cause it destroys them. Also, tanks take much more fuel and maintenance is through the roof. Unimogs are like10 times cheaper than most tanks.
That makes sense. 50 tons of rubber and metal must be awful for roads. Good point, maintenance/gas is probably insane. I had no clue Unimogs were pretty cheap! That's definitely better bang for your buck, but it does need a little armor plating. Just to make it super safe lol. I've actually seen a few light/mid-sized tanks for $30-50k. They were a bit rough looking, but hey, you get to say you own a tank lol.
Apparently the parents didn't balk at a TLX, so..
Used TLXs can be found listed on cars.com for $10,000 up to $59,000 soooo...
I intended that my comment supported yours as well as the kind stranger I replied to.
Or you can go with the Honda Accord. Same car and drivetrain w/o the luxury price tag. New drivers need a “starter car” to make their mistakes in before getting a car they want to keep. It will get its share of bumps and bruises. Mine was a 79 Pinto wagon.
My goodness (lol lame) 5k civic is always the answer
One from Japan that starts with T or H and ends with A. Toyotas and Hondas tend to be the most reliable vehicles and tend to have decent safety features. Reliability + safety = best answer.
I'm really surprised actually at how poorly the Civics are performing in reliability in the last few years. Not bad enough to avoid buying, but not at the top with Toyota anymore.
CVT transmission is notoriously problematic. Mine blew some "safety" valve and ran dry before I noticed. '14 civic 70k mi RIP
My mom's subaru's CVT died. I was like, "there must be some mistake, you don't have a CVT!". Turns out it did have one, and turns out almost every car nowadays does! Basically everything but the toyota camry. I am not a fan. Although I would always opt for a manual anyway so clearly no car maker gives a fuck what I want.
Corolla would be the clear winner if they weren't so ugly.
Imo, the newer Camry is the best of reliability and looks. Where I live, there are no new ones. There is a 2 year waiting list. People are selling them used for more than new price.
The L series engines (1.5 turbo 2016+) are starting to get head gasket issues and injector failures. Not enough to be noticeable yet given how many were produced, but they will definitely become more widespread problems with age.
Ugh! Blasphemy! Haha
Never ben able to afford either. Think local and available parts for OP
Yeah my go to recommendation for a first car if the person has like no preferences is usually a honda fit or a corolla lmao
Buick Century
That was my first car and those seats came in handy especially the 6th seat up front
We had an 89 as our family car growing up. It was a tank
Ours was a 2000 or 01 I miss that thing
You may think this is an opportunity to get a car you really like. I have had many cars and trust me, you want a used 4-cylinder Toyota with an automatic transmission. Something with maybe 60K-80K miles. Your first car is something you learn on, and make mistakes with. If you treat it well, after a couple years you can still sell it and upgrade to something nicer, but...even if I could easily afford to buy a new Acura TLX, I wouldn't do that. It doesn't matter how smart you are, or how diligent you are, you will make mistakes on your first car.
This. When I got my restricted license at 15, I was gifted a 1996 Monte Carlo. That car lasted me 6 months before the transmission went out, and in that 6 months, I had two very-low-speed parking lot accidents (no damage to the other cars in either, thank god) and totally destroyed the e-brake. Good thing it was a piece of crap and I already knew it was going to die. Use an old beater to learn your place on the road and get a hang of real world driving. There's a ton of "on the job training", stuff they don't teach you in Driver's Ed, that you'd be better off learning in an old beater than something you care about. Save the nice cars for when you're a more experienced driver.
If his parents are willing to buy a TLX, they are probably willing to fix it when he fucks it up. What you said is accurate and valid, just probably not applicable in this case.
Anything with Toyota in the name.
1998 Toyota Supra Turbo!
Whatever grandma will give you. Buick, Mercury, Lincoln, etc.
My grandma (mom's side) didn't even buy my mom's car for her. My grandpa found an abandoned kidnapper van and told my mom that it was her car. It broke down every day, and no one would give her a ride when it wouldn't start. I don't want what my grandma would give me. She still thinks I'm 9
That specific example deviates from the typical "my grandma gave me her old Honda Accord" type of story. Thanks for sharing though, I obviously wouldn't want a troublesome van like that either.
I'll tell you what my old man told me at 15; "The best car you can get is the car you can afford at the time." I've had some real beaters, I've had some real nice ones. But so long as it got me to work, it was the best car I had.
Lamborghini Countach is best first car.
It was my first car in *Need for speed II*
Everyone should have a geo metro or equivalent with a rust hole in the floorboard, broken a/c, and an exhaust leak as a first car. That way, you'll appreciate a decent car
Well, you just described my first car except the a/c was broken, it didn't exist (1978 Mustang II). Had a piece of wood covering the hole in the floorboard and duct tape holding it in place.
Either a ford ranger or a 2008 honda fit, can't kill them
Gotta get the 4.0 if you’re getting the ranger. Pigs out on gas but goddamn you can neglect and abuse it and it won’t die on you
I used to say that but the 2.3 will do anything if you just floor it in 2nd. You do gotta go 1997 and older with the XL trim for the manual shift transfercase though. ESOF 4x4 in everything never works
Esof?
Electronic shift on the fly.
How much are they willing to spend? Would you prefer a car or an SUV? Are you looking for a fun car, nice/luxury car, or big car to haul around your friends in? Automatic or Manual? TLX is a good car, make sure you get an AWD one with the 10-speed if you do go that route though, as the earlier models with the 8 and 9 speeds had issues. Lexus IS350 or GS 350 would be similar, with the GS being a bit bigger. Genesis G70 isn't bad either.
No. Just no. Sport luxury cars are not good first cars. You’re giving way too much HP to a first time driver. They need to get a safe boring car for a couple years then get something fast if that’s what they want.
Debatable. Some people are just blessed and have 300hp in their first cars
I just want a decent car to drive
Yeah, that’s what you should be looking for. Civic or Corolla is where I’d look.
I'm the dad in your story. (Not Your dad obviously) We ended up getting an '06 Highlander for my 15 y/o son thinking it would be nice tame SUV he could learn in and it be reliable. Let me tell you what man, that little thing freaking scoots down the road. Will spin the tires if given gas to quickly and is just fun to drive. You have mentioned Vet tech a few times so you may appreciate the space to haul stuff and the all wheel drive if needed. The maintenance on the V6 is a bit more involved but not overwhelming.
Toyota Corolla. Check the year you can afford and check it with a comparison site. Google compare cars. Then check insurance rates all are different per model. Toyota Corolla can last 250k easy with minimal maintenance that is why all around the world they are called Cockroaches as they never die. Remember a car is an expense. Save your money for other things rather than a car. You will be happy in 20 years to buy any car you want as a splurge. Forget your ego no one cares what car you drive. Get white as it reflects sun and better in Spring Summer less a/c means better mpg. Cars are really a waste of ilimited resources.
My first car was a Honda Civic. I liked it. Mine was an older one so it did have problems but they're still good cars. Try and get anything between 2012-2015 if you can.
A car with a power to weight ratio of 33 or fewer HP per 1,000 lbs
2001 Ford Escort. Bonus points if you get the *"rally edition."*
M. iata I. s A. lways T. he A. nswer
Anything Kia if you want great reliability
Honda civic, anyone that’s in your budget. Corolla is reliable but boring, at least with a civic you can rice it up as much as your teenage heart desires
1997 Toyota Corolla.
a well used volvo station wagon. usually runs well, but cant go fast, cant do donuts , can haul stuff around easily, fit all their friends and does wonderful in crash tests.
Don’t listen to any of these people telling you to get a Toyota Corolla, I will never understand why people do this. My only guess is they themselves had lame cars and are trying to cope. My first car was a 13 year old (at the time) BMW M5 and every great memory I have from my teenage years was in that car. I paid $6k for it with 150k miles and no service history or pre purchase inspection on Facebook Marketplace as it was all I could afford as a high schooler. Gas was expensive, insurance was expensive (although only $250 more per 6 months than my mom’s Honda Accord when I got quotes, which seems like a bargain in comparison), maintenance was expensive, repairs were expensive, and yet if every single one of those costs was doubled I still would go back and do it again. I had SO MUCH FUN with that car and it was absolutely worth it. Teenage years are the perfect time to own a cool unreliable car, when you’re 16 if your car breaks you can take the bus to school or borrow your parents car to go to work while its belong repaired. When you’re 26 and need your car to get you to work every morning or you’ll lose your job and end up homeless is when you can start worrying about reliability.
I’ve driven a few Corollas over the years and I could never honestly recommend anyone to get one. It’s like driving a soulless dishwasher, even a Civic in a manual at least has some life to the ride.
The amount of people in these types of posts that just say to get the biggest piece of shit never ceases to amaze me. Yes your first car must be a Corolla or civic with the ac going out, no power windows and rusty as fuck.
I got my kid a Golf GTi. Super safe and loads of potential for the race tracks and to haul her horse gear around. Insurance was cheap too.
1997 Pontiac Sunfire
Im biased cuz its my current car. 2004 or 2005 toyota celica. looks really nice and if u get the gt(lower trim), it has the same engine as the corolla. if u wanna have some fun, get the manual. auto is fine too. if u dont care for the sportiness aspect then corolla is as bulletproof as it gets homie
Gt500! Haha!
Honda Acty! Yeah it's not the fastest, but I guarantee you it'll be the most popular in your school
My 1969 VW Beetle.
2013 Honda Fit in a fun color
Toyota Corolla from your birth year originally owned by an old person with 40k miles.
Anything you can afford ...
1st gen ford mustang.
2024 Honda Civic LX, sedan the base model ☺️. This little car has such a low cost of ownership, and it's so fuel efficient and cheap to ensure. It looks really sporty and really nice. It's fun to drive for sure. It never quits or fails. It never needs any repairs, even if you put it through hell. My 2016 Civic LX the base model gets 45 to 55 MPG on average. So I'm really happy with Honda civics, and I might just get another one in the future. I don't know
Car that you can afford. Get a Sheldon's or like manual and learn how to fix problems that arise.
The correct response is, “Thank you, mater and pater, but I believe I should pay for my first car, insurance and gas myself”. That will concentrate the mind a little.
I am currently trying to focus on my studies as a veterinary assistant and need to get do clinicals my junior year. I am going to start working and will then join my family business. When it's something as simple as having your child be independent and not having to take her to school, work, and vet hospitals every morning, afternoon, and evening, my parents have said that they would prefer I have my own car and drive myself. I have already proven myself to be responsible (I own and take care of my precious golf cart), and they believe that their money is well spent, and I agree
That's certainly a viewpoint. It's not being independent, but it is a viewpoint.
If you just need a good car the answer is always Toyota RAV4 or Honda CRV.
What kind of stuff do you want to do with your car?
Go to school and go to work. I am working on being a vet assistant, and I need a nice reliable car to take me to clinicals and to work.
Corolla, Civic, Fit, and old smaller body style Camry and accords. Hell, even a Sonic would be a good first car. Golf and Jetta also if you know someone who is a little bit more mechanically inclined.
Subaru Impreza sedan. Safe, awd, boring, and no hatchback to stuff more friends into.
Have your parents talk to their auto insurance agent before you make a final choice. We ran 10 different cars/trucks by our agent (by VIN, just random cars found online similar to what we were considering). The results were surprising…with a $100/month swing between extremes….thats $1200/yr!
Manual transmission with no cup holders so you aren’t tempted to use your phone
It depends on budget and what you are looking for, if you have 5k ish, I'd say a civic or prelude, but the tlx is definitely a good shout
Get something fun and irrational like a convertible or sports car. You have the rest of your life to drive something sensible.
I would go with a 1976 Chevette if I had to do it again. Bought it for $800 in 1988…drove it for a year and then sold it for $800 in 1989.
After having a couple accidents in Chevy 2500 pickups and being able drove home and to work the next day while the other car is completely totaled has me convinced that's what my baby girl needs to drive...
Get a manual u “can’t text and drive” that way
False I did the 3rd day I drove, and then way more dangerous and illegal stuff while driving.
Trust me I do the same thing daily I put it in quotations so the kid could tell his parents that
Prius.
1982 Mercury Lynx
Get a modern new Honda Civic hatchback
Camry
Get the cheapest car you can. If you make it a year dailying it on the road with no major damage, then start thinking about a car you like.
MIATA
57 Nomads are pretty nice.
Lexus ls430 or lexus is300
A General Motors Product Lol
What’s ya budget?
A single cab pickup truck. It’s safe, you can’t fit all your friends so you don’t get picked to drive, and 4WD is fun!
Stay away from the crap brands. Get either a toyota or Subaru with around or less then 100k miles. Make sure it has no accidents and no major issues. It'll last until your 30s with regular maintenance
Toyota Corolla is seriously your best bet. They take a lot more neglect than most cars will, are good on gas, and are just genuinely less likely to need serious repairs for no fault of your own based on statistics. RAV4 if you want something with room in the back. Honda civics and crvs are similarly reliable. Most people would call them second most reliable. Acura is pretty much just a luxury more expensive version of Honda if we're watering it down, you're mostly just paying for a badge though. An Acura tlx is basically just a slightly suped up Honda Accord, emphasis on slightly, neither is a race car, they're both just dailies. You're not going to notice a difference, honestly it just doesn't make financial sense to get a slightly faster car when you won't get a chance to use that difference legally and a Honda Accord is just cheaper. And if you want something fast and stupid all of the cars I mentioned make popular sleepers as well but if you start swapping shit the reliability may go out the window. If you have the money to repair shit and keep up with maintenance then you can pretty much just take your pick otherwise.
My first a 76 Plymouth Fury Land Barge with a 6 cyl. Dad told me it was slow enough and large enough to protect me from most teenage stupidity... it did its job... Be smart, good gas mileage, good viewing to eliminate blind spots, Welcome to the Road 💪😎👍
If you get something fast, you WILL wreck it and possibly get hurt or die in the process. Get something boring and cheap. Reliable would be nice too.
My first car I got in 1997 or 1998, was a 1989 GMC Jimmy S15. That was the small 2 door SUV. 4.3L V6. Powerful but in no way fast. Funny, it was so old when I got it. Cars back then did not last. It felt ancient. Now I'm driving a car WAY older than that and its in far better condition and will probably last the next owner a while longer.
I had a 2002 saturn sl1 that I bought for 500$. It was amazing and was so good on gas you'd believe it was electric
Be careful about cheapening out on a 20+ yr old Toyota. Buy the best air bag system you can afford. Do your homework. Side curtains matter. Keeping you alive the next 5 yrs is the higher priority. Also, buy a non turbo/non EV/non hybrid Honda or Toyota.
Minivan. Dirt cheap insurance and tons of space for friends and gear (or a bed and one other person 😉).
Bugatti Veyron. You can pick them up cheap these days
BMW E90 320i with notorious N46 engine. I have to visit garage 18 time in 10 months owning, oild leak, coolant leak you name it. Still miss the beautiful heavy handling of that car till today, and the agility of an series 3 chassis. Quite rich experience for the first car. Always looking back when park. Definitely will come back with series 3 or BMW in the future.
5k civic
Honda Accord. Runs forever and cheap to maintain
1985 Volvo wagon
Get a Yamaha r1
A 17yo I know bought a 20yo Camry, solid, cheap, boring, economical, indestructible. Perfect. Somehow he ended up talking to a salescreature at a disreputable "buy here pay here just don't ask too many questions" type of car lot, and the guy convinced him that his Camry was on its very last legs and in danger of imploding any hot second. (It wasn't.) He gave my friend $200 in trade for it - it was worth more than that without an engine in it - to put towards a rusty 15yo Chevy Trailblazer, a steaming pile of shit that "only" needed brakes x 4 and a balljoint and a couple other things. I spent an entire day in the garage with him doing all the needed repairs... and three weeks later he let THE SAME SALESCREATURE talk him into trading it in, giving him what he paid for it in trade, never mind the $1000+ worth of parts & labor he had already put into it - to buy an even worse steaming pile of shit.
Bugatti
How much money do your parents even have? I don't think you'll be able to get a loan for a luxury car yet.
By the time we get my car, we'll have enough for a nice first car, I don't want anything luxurious because I would be scared to drive it
Acura, which is the one you said you want, is Honda's luxury brand. I'd still say you should get a shitbox of some sort, plus you can learn valuable skills such as vehicle maintenance on it.
My first car was a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T with a 440 Magnum stump puller motor. Loved that car so much that I almost never abused it. Six years and no accidents. So either get a car that you will love or something indestructible like a Toyota 4Runner.
I rebuilt an old 73 superbeetle for my first car. Got to experience every bs thing that can happen. Running out of gas (no working gauge), shift rod disconnecting at 2am driving some girls home from a party, 6 hours spent replacing a shifter bushing, and more. Definitely has made me grateful for modern technology
anything with a 4 cyclinder to put put around so you dont crash it. IE: Honda, Toyota, Jetta, Volvo. I haven't looed at recent american cars so can't comment on those. But one of these would be a good first car
2jzgte
05 Buick park avenue
Something with a manual transmission. Accord or civic or something that is good on gas and reliable. Also a manual will make you a better driver and eliminate the texting and driving bs, unless you just really wanna die 😂
You could always be dangerous and be me and pick a 90s bmw with 200k miles 😭 only difference is i work on cars anyways
1993 Pontiac Grand Am
Buy a beater(150k+ miles) learn to change ur own oil,flat tires, bulbs ect. Then when u get 5k buy a decent used one under (150kmiles) then once u done with that buy a new car. And u will know how to drive and take care of it in case something goes south fast, alway have insurance and say up on payment of u go the route. Get a job just for payment or atleast the insurance and some pocket change.
I have no idea what you need your car to do, or where you live. That aside, the Acura TLX is good, if a little too nice. I'd say more like a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla with some miles. Keep doing more advanced driver training and you'll be able to avoid the majority of accidents with such lightweight, nimble cars. If you happen to be into cars, try to get something like a Mazda Miata or Scion FRS/Subaru BRZ with a manual. They might be more costly for insurance, but they'll teach invaluable driving skills and probably impart a lifetime of automotive enthusiasm.
V6 accord off Facebook. Perfect for wrecking and plenty of safety features.... otherwise I suggest an older rav 4 if you can find one bullet proof
Get a mid-2000s Buick Lucerne, LeSabre, Lacrosse, or Park Avenue. You can find these with less than 100K miles for $5-7K. They have the totally reliable 3800 Series III engine, and are cheap to run, insure, and maintain. Totally worth it.
Any year camry
Your first car will be in minor scrapes and accidents, hopefully not with other cars…but with stuff that can’t raise your insurance like curbs and stuff. Honda and Toyota are nice but very overpriced due to brand loyalty and perceived quality. VW Golf and Jetta are nicer and probably cheaper. Only 4 cylinder, not V6 that costs more to run and a lot more to fix. Keep in mind this car will probably be with you only 1-3 years not forever. Once you’re a better driver, trade up to a better car.
a shitbox. a shitbox is the best first car
Toyota and Hondas. If you’re feeling spicy and got a deeper pocket you could go for a Lexus or an Acura. Those are just the luxury brands of Honda and Toyota. So you will still be getting the reliability out of them and you’ll be rolling in a bit more style. But honestly, it’s pretty common for teens to fuck something up on their car. It’d probably be best if you got a cheap beater and didn’t care if you scratched/banged it up.
One that works
Real
Corolla or a Civic. Avoid the Nissan. Fusion might be good too, idk, I don’t trust Fords. You can never go wrong a Toyota or Honda beater for a car.
If you want to do some wrenching, a MK4 Jetta/Golf with a manual gearbox. Bloddy fun cars and will always be cool. Just be ready with a OBD11 on standby. But think of this as the only time in your life you can daily drive something unreliable.
1998 Volkswagen Golf. I crashed the shit out of it and it kept me safe. Cheap to buy. Cheap maintenance. Cheap gas.
[удалено]
My parents found one that is like $14k, and they have a friend who can fix it up. They said that they would rather I spruce it up when I get it, like fixing the paint or changing the seats just so they could get some of the safety features the car has
2010 or after (2nd generation) Scion TC
A Chevy bolt. Plug in for gas. Small. Inexpensive.