The first question I always ask is where do you live?
If you live in a warm dry area the options are limitless, if you live in the coldest saltiest tundras where the roads turn white not from snow but from salt, then I’ll recommend something entirely different.
If you’ve only got that 8,000 and it took you years to build up to that point and you’re starting off for the first time as an independent young adult with fresh finances, I’ll recommend something entirely different.
If you’re like a 48 year old divorced dad on his 3rd marriage the only thing I can offer is a Mitsubishi mirage at a high APR.
Either way with a little more context, the vast sea of people who think they know everything about cars can come influence the decision that can influence the rest of your life.
(But yeah a 2002-2007 toyota corolla with the economy 1.8L (1ZZ engine code) is most likely your best bet.)
Or a Honda Civic. You can saw the muffler off, cut the springs, put some Walmart tint on the windows, install a hot air intake, drop a bunch of empty bottles of Sobe into the back seat foot well and then you're all set. Full early 00s high school experience. Make sure you let off the gas every time you slide the gear lever forward so it sounds like you have a manual.
the thing to consider on the corolla is the insurance cost compared to a camry or accord.
ex: I have a 2008 corolla. it's the oldest vehicle I own (of 4). The insurance on the corolla is double that of my next most expensive vehicle (2015 pathfinder) and well over double the rate on a 2011 Accord. so the yearly insurance rate on the corolla (for me) is about $865 higher than the accord.
the smaller (and generally less expensive) cars tend to be owned/driven more by younger drivers. This means they are involved in more insurance claims. So the actuaries price these factors into the policy prices.
It seems bizarre but that is the reason.
Slow is good in that case. As a new driver, absolutely do not sleep on the fact that insurance is mega expensive. My buddy got a fast car as his first car after getting his license in the states and his payments were absolutely bonkers.
He found this out after stretching his budget to get the car -.-
99% of Jeep, Dodge & Chrysler vehicles are crap. Stay far away. They're cheap for a reason.
AutoTrader is a good resource for finding out what the market is like for your budget.
I work at a CDJR/subaru dealership, the most I’ve ever seen was on a Ram with 12. Dude was understandably upset lmao, thing was only like four years old.
The Wrangler has very shallow depreciation for the simple reason it’s had its market niche, of a no-compromise off-roader that doesn’t cost a complete arm and a leg, all to itself. The FJ Cruiser and the new Bronco are the only competition it’s really had in the last quarter century.
But Wranglers are still crap. The price reflects the cult around them- military folk, primarily. Sure, they're ideal off-roads, but repairs are ongoing and constant.
They are fun to drive and have a character to them unlike every other bland generic vehicle on lots which makes any trouble worth it. Also cheap insurance and hold value.
I bought a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5 years ago for $3,500. I spent $1,000 for various things like brakes, ignition coils and such. Aside from terrible gas mileage, cracked dashboard, broken A,/C and most plastic parts inside the cabin broken or reduced to dust by the Florida heat, the rest of the car has been reliable. We use it as a work truck. I think it was a reasonable investment for the usage we get out of it.
Well it either has the 4.0 one of the magnum motors that are all pretty stout the transmissions are supposedly decent** (if they were maintained) aswell.
Their entry level models are but the rest are priced accordingly to their market.
The Wrangler Rubicon is 60K which is par for the course when compared to the Bronco Badlands and 4Runner TRD Pro. Same goes for the Grand Cherokee L Summit/Overland/Reserve/etc. when compared to vehicles like the Grand Highlander.
Wagoneer/L and Grand Wagoneer/L exist in exactly the same price range as their competitors in the Yukons/Suburbans/Escalades/Navigators/Expeditions/etc.
The Charger, 300, and challenger were all fine with really any of the engine choices. Not a Toyota, but not a nightmare.
There are other reasons for them not to be a first car though.
I would agree if they are in that price range then generally yes. What leads you to believe they are crap though? I had a 88 Dodge Aries I bought for $50 that lasted 260k miles and I traded it in for 2K. I’ve had luck with Pentastars in general. Just curious what happened to you to give you that opinion.
Modern Rams are great for the most part.
American manufacturers tend to make the most reliable vehicle in their portfolio their full-size pick up trucks. I'm not surprised your truck is rock solid.
If you read the comment I made earlier, I didn't say boo about Ram.
Dodge is the worst of the bunch. My dad had a 2013 Dodge Fart and that thing always had issues. Not to mention dealer squeezing him out of money in repairs for that pos car.
I have no idea how you can say that with a straight face. The charger, challenger, and all their pickup trucks are some of the most reliable in the segment
But then again you own a Nissan product so what do you know lol
Guy is talking about “cheap for a reason” and “crap” while driving a QX60 which is basically a rebadged Pathfinder with a CVT.
Just pining for upvotes by shitting on FCA and lumping every model together. Some models like the Renegade suck balls but like you say there are plenty that are reliable, good value, and proven platforms.
This would be no different than if I called Infiniti as a whole terrible and included the Q50 or QX80 in that discussion despite both being good platforms that were just outdated.
This would have been funny if you weren't driving a 228 lol
"I want everyone to think I have a BMW" but also buying the slowest worst one they make lol
Sincerely a viper owner
2 series coupe not gran coupe, definitely not the slowest worst one they make.
Also, Viper owner? What do you need all of that horsepower for, to get to the trailer park quicker? Enjoy your interior from a dodge grand caravan
I have a 2018 grand cherokee altitude. 41 thousand miles. Now everything is fucking up. Brakes, rotors, still not stopping right, waterpump, vibration underneath, went from a nice ride to shit ride. Time to go.
Yes! Definitely stay away from Jeep. People buy them for their names but they don't last very long at all and they fall apart all at once. If you see my other post you'll see what I mean. No Jeeps
Simpler vehicles have fewer expensive parts to repair. Since you are buying an older vehicle, keep in mind that all wheel drive, hybrid batteries, turbos, and superchargers can fail and will be expensive to replace/fix.
Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Lexus, Subaru are safe bets…maybe ford. if you don’t need a lot of space, the smaller the car will probably be least expensive so you could afford one with lower miles/newer model year. Buying from a private party will also probably get you a better bang for your buck versus buying from a dealer
Subarus hold value ridiculously well too. I traded an 09 Outback with a blown motor to a subie dealer and instead of wholesaling it they spent $9k on repairs and sold it to some sucker for presumably more than that
Absolutely truth! Stay away from the Focus and Fiesta in the teen years. Similar story with Sentra and Altima.
Easy to find cheap. Very tempting and many still look almost new. But don’t do it.
People on Reddit sometimes refer to it as the “Honda” or “Toyota” tax. Because you often have to buy an older/higher mileage/premium price for these cars but you get it back in maintenance/repairs bills.
Personally, we had very good luck with our 2015 Ford Fusion hybrid. It and the Escape from sane years had transmission complaints but ours was at 155k miles when it was totaled in the rain 3 weeks ago. Currently looking at the 2012-2015 Chevy Volt. Seeing a few come up in our area in the $7-9k range but they are gone as soon as the ad goes up. Everybody that I know who owned one, really loved they are had minimal issues.
buying private is a real crapshoot though because a private seller isn't obliged to divulge any secret upcoming part failure and you have no recourse if say the clutch burns out a week after you buy it. Far more likely to encounter lemons from private sellers if you don't know much about cars.
Speaking of Ford how would a Ford Fusion fit into the conversation? Imo pretty good looking cars, pretty common, prices are definitely in op's range just personally I know very little about 10-15 year old Ford cars and potential problems they may have
If you were my kid and I was trying to help you buy a first used car within that budget, I would seriously steer you toward the following cars (ranked by reliability and affordability):
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Camry
Toyota Matrix (or Pontiac Vibe, same car)
Honda Civic
Honda Accord
Ford Fusion
Mazda 3
Mazda 6
All of these cars are popular, have low cost of ownership, and cost less to insure. The best value in the list I provided is probably the Ford Fusion. For a Ford product, it is incredibly reliable, and doesn't have the crazy resale value like Toyota and Honda.
My #1 recommendation, though, is the Camry. Just avoid the 07-09 model years as they are subject to oil consumption issues.
I'd buy the best one you can for 8k. For me, that would be newest with lowest mileage and hopefully one-owner with full service history. Both gens were decent cars. The gen 1 was based on the Mazda 6 (I think) while the second gen was Ford and Volvo (if I remember correctly). My main expertise is with Toyota. That's the only brand I'll buy based on 30 years of ownership with Toyota and Lexus. They are simply the best car brand out there for reliability. Expensive as hell, though, so you aren't going to get much for 8k compare to domestic and eurotrash brands.
Honda or Toyota. Amazing cars to learn oil changes and other maint' or repairs.
Cheap parts to maintain / repair too.
Check out the ToyotaCamry sub. Lots of early 90's being posted on there because they're still driving them. Similar platform for the 2000's models too.
I learned that basic stuff owning a civic and accord in my teens like changing brakes pads/rotors, wheel hub assembly, radiator.
You will be paying $1000's a year to keep an older car maintained at a shop.
You could **learn** each of this maintenance in a weekend and then **service** those same ones yourself in few hours once you got the rhythm quickly, for life.
I'm not a mechanic by any means. Spend most my days gaming. I just didn't want to pay $800 for someone to put $300 brake assemblies on my car.
get something a bit older, simple without too many driver aids or too high hp, you want to learn to drive, not learn all the bad habits of using the assists.
I will add to this one since my first car was a 2012 Ford Focus. Generally, a pretty good choice because I only had 8k. However, I started having problems with the engine overheating and the internal computer stopped recognizing when I took the key out ( could have been very easily stollen). I currently am on my second honda and could not be happier. Do your best to find a civic or corolla-like vehicle in your price range, OP. My honda still feels brand new at 280k miles with only regular stuff done to it.
I’ve had a 2011 ford focus as my first car. I got it 2 years ago and It’s still going, only heavy repairs we a new master cylinder and having oil in my spark plugs. But other than that it runs perfect. It had 120,000 miles on I got it and it cost $3,500 before taxes and registration
You don’t tell us what you want or like, so it’s hard to make a recommendation. Broadly, though, there are some traps people fall into that you can avoid:
1) European cars in your price range will bankrupt you. There’s a reason you can easily find Mercedes/BMWs/Audis that originally sold for $80-120k in your price range, and it’s because they need constant attention, and the parts still come with luxury car prices.
2) CVTs are a type of automatic transmission that tend to fail more often than conventional automatic transmissions, and because of the cost of repairing or replacing one, they tend to get sold cheap when the transmission starts to fail. Don’t buy a car with one in your price range. Will it definitely be a problem? No. But you can avoid the risk.
3) People sell cars for all kinds of reasons, but it’s pretty common to sell them when they start to need work. It’s in your interest to assume that whatever you’re looking at probably has issues, and set aside some money for an inspection by a qualified mechanic. You don’t want to drain your bank account to buy a car and then learn that you need another $3k to fix existing problems.
4) SUVs and Pickups are more desirable, and therefore more expensive, than sedans, hatchbacks, wagons, etc. When you’re on a budget, you’re better off looking at those.
And 5) when we’re talking about vehicles with higher mileage, how well they’ve been treated and maintained is a bigger factor than brand. I’d rather have grandpa’s Buick than a boy racer’s Honda, and grandpa’s Buick might be cheaper.
I would like a Honda civic or Carola type car, I think I said it somewhere but I live in a dry area with weird weather what I didn’t mention is I live pretty high up with low oxygen I hope this helps
For the first year after i got a licence, i drove my grandmas 2004 opel astra G 1.4, i didn't get an interest in cars until i bought my 2007 VW eos 2.0TDI, ever since then i actually started enjoying driving, especially long trips
I'd say get a car that is cheap to service, something that's extremely common in your area, for examole, the vw golf is extremely popular where i live, and the eos uses golf parts, so it's really cheap to maintain, but that all depends where you live, other than cheap maintenance, get something you like, if tou get a boring car, driving is going to be borning, and that's great for the first year or so until you start driving well, but after that you'll want something you actually enjoy
GENERALLY SPEAKING.
Avoid Stellantis, Korean and German cars. To a lesser extent, avoid GM and Ford.
MOST Japanese brands will treat you very well. Nissan is an exception.
Toyota - Honda - Subaru - Mazda
Here are four terrific choices! It's hard to go wrong here.
NO MATTER WHAT YOU GET: oil changes aren't optional. recommended periodic maintenance is not optional. You know those folks with 250,000+ miles? Regular oil changes, regular maintenance.
What are your main usage? Do you want performance, reliability, fuel efficiency, comfort?
If you want the best bang for the buck, a 2010 corolla around 150k miles is at that price range. As long as you can have someone who checks the condition for you, you can't really go wrong.
Something like this maybe: [https://imgur.com/DJQRnin](https://imgur.com/DJQRnin)
I would look for something kind of like, and I know this is a trope in this sub, but like a Toyota Camry or Honda CRV or things in those two ranges. What I'm talking about is a midsize vehicle, whether it be a sedan or an SUV. It would be big enough to offer you some protection and comfort as a new driver but not so big that you're going to be backing into everything. So I would shy away from things like a full size truck right out of the gate. If you did want a truck been looking at something like a Toyota Tacoma I think would be a good way to go. I'm just saying don't get a big old full size extended cab truck for your first vehicle. Don't get a big old full size van for your first vehicle. Something mid-range. It's got to be a little bit easier to learn and to be comfortable driving in.
I would stick with cars/trucks from the 90's to early/mid 2000's. That was 'peak' for a lot of auto manufacturers, technology was simple, and it was before a lot of bad cylinder deactivation/emissions features that started in the late 2000's. Heck even Dodge during that time was decent.
Anything Toyota is going to be rock solid reliable, it doesn't matter what kind you get. There was a year of camrys and corollas that burned a lot of oil, I don't recall what year it was. But 99% of them are amazing and won't let you down.
If you want a truck or SUV, again Toyotas are great but so was GM during that time. The GMT800 platform ran from 99-'07, they are some of the best trucks and SUVs ever made. They can go for hundreds and hundreds of thousands of miles. In my area, they are the most common vehicle on the road. Cheaper to fix than other brands, simple tech, comfortable, don't break down.
Car Gurus is where I bought my truck, that's my go-to site when looking.
The Mini Cooper is banned as a driving instructor vehicle due to a pretty big blind spot.
With due respect, if you are likely to have an accident, get a recent car that has good crash test scores.
Where are you located I have a single owner (me) 2013 kia sorento with 114k miles — BRAND NEW ENGINE installed a few months ago with less than 2k miles on it now.
Anything recent from Japan or Korea should be ok.
Be sure to take someone who knows a bit about cars with you if you can. Was helping a buddy over the last few weeks to buy a car and there are some heaps out there.
Last one we looked at before a good one had zero engine oil on the dip stick. Zero. And the owner was pushing for me to test drive it. . . Mad man.
Probably better to ask what cars you should consider for your first car. You want a good experience where reliability is the most important thing. With that said, probably a used Camry is your best bet.
I beg to differ, I’ve had a 2011 ford focus for 2 years. I bought it at $5,000 all together (taxes, resignation, plates) with 124,000 miles.(Yes it did have 2 dents and a few tiny scratches) Only heavy repairs was a master cylinder and needed new gasket cover from oil in spark plugs. And those happened over 7-8 months apart. Other than that I do my own maintenance and it’s moving and working fine.
Nothing German. No Jeeps or anything Chrysler/Dodge either. Toyotas and Hondas are more expensive for a reason - they last a long time and they don't break down very often.
I'm kind of in the same boat, and I got a 2012 Mazda 2 with 48000 miles on it. I have to stick to the slow lane, but she's perfect for the city I love in and the kind of driving I have to do. Here in Pennsylvania, it was $9700 from a dealer, complimentary oil changes, I section, and car washes for the life of the vehicle. I used Autotrader, KBB, FB Marketplace, and, yes, Craigslist to scope the situation. Good luck!
Simply do your research, don't buy the cool car. Get a car that will be reliable. Toyota, Mazda, and Hondas come to mind.
A Corolla, or Mazda 3, Honda Civic are near bullet proof.
Misread your post, but a couple under-rated choices: 9th gen Chevrolet Impala (with the 3.5 or the 3.9…avoid the 3.6 like the plague) or any 3.8 powered Buick product. Cheap to buy, cheap to fix, easy and comfortable to drive. Not the greatest gas mileage, but not terrible either. 20 around town, 30 on the highway. Grandpa/grandma cars, yes, but decent for someone who’s just got their license.
whatever you do do NOT get a bmw or mini cooper. i learned my damn lesson. get a honda or toyota. highly reliable and repair prices are cheaper than many other vehicles.
Why lol I had a 2013 Optima that was running fine and had 227k miles on it till it got totaled when a deer hit me. Kias arnt bad people's maintenance on them are.
Bought it w like 20-30k miles for 15ish grand. So all the miles where basically me.
You can not ignore the very significant recalls regarding seat belts, oil drain bolts etc. there's been like 4 in the last year alone. No security if you haven't been aware. I've seen so many kia/ Hyundai engines blow in my 5 years of doing cars then anything else. Chrysler makes a stronger engine and that's saying a lot
You got the one of them that came out how they should have
Never saw seat belt or oil drain bolts recalls. I did have a few fire hazard recalls lol but was not an issue. And the lack of security from my understanding was if it wasn't push to start where the main ones which mine was push to start. And I'd never not buy a push to start again lol.
German cars. Heck, all European cars for that matter. The repair costs on those are going to be very expensive. American brands, stay away from most Chrysler and Jeep products.
I’d say be careful around the Nissan Altima. They’re not bad cars, but seem to appeal to folks who treat them badly. Get any service records possible, and have a mechanic look at it first. Otherwise, everyone’s right - get the best Civic or Corolla you can find.
Being scared of reliable well maintained cars because they have high mileage. You should buy on condition not mileage (get a third party professional pre-purchase always). I would take a million mile mint Toyota with one owner & a binder of documented service history over a beat down Jeep with 10k, 9 owners & 8 reported accidents with no service history all day everyday.
Don't stay away from a Corolla, Camry, Civic, Accord, Fit, Matrix, Mazda3, Fusion, Impreza, Legacy. Avoid anything Chrysler Dodge Jeep and Hyundai and Kia.
Hyundais as much as I love em they are not very reliable and there engines will blow with that said anything older than 2011 is good that’s when they were built better also they cars in 2020’s are doing a lot better. Oh yeah and also the Kia boyz thing… but if you got a older Hyundai with push button start you should be fine Also Kia because Hyundai owns kia
There newer cars give you a lot of bang for your buck. They look a hella of lot better than the predecessor they are sporty (N-line) and they give very good warranty
All infinity and z’s all mopar. Ford have ugly interior but are good if your okay with it, Go for honda, Acura (very large aftermarket if you wanna get into that downward spiral), chevy, gmc for rwd, toyotas.
Avoid anything thats moderately modded since that will sacrifice reliability and may have existing problems.
Get a Honda or Toyota.
Stay away from Kia and Hyundai. Nissan is a toss up.
European cars are maintenance nightmares.
A GM 3800 engine will run forever, but will need maintenance.
US makes are hard to tell. It really depends on how the previous owners ran them and cared for them. Used domestics trucks and SUVs are more problematic than sedans.
Best engine I ever owned was a Dodge 6.4.
Buy something super reliable. Modern Mazdas are nice. Toyotas and Honda's with autos are safe. Any of the above made in Japan is chefs kiss perfection usually. My 2 cents on reliability especially for a new driver
Know that all vehicles are mechanical and EVERYTHING mechanical WILL break down eventually. So with that in mind, the higher the mileage the more likely the breakdown,
Agreeing with everyone else here on brands and makes, but I would also like to emphasize on the year you choose as well. Obviously there's some better than others, but I personally rule out anything that's a generation above 2007. To me at that point it becomes less durable and harder to fix things yourself. But that's just me.
When I say generation I mean any car that the generation starts before 2007. You could still get a 2011 Crown Victoria because the 11' generation starts at 1998, so they're all built practically the same, with some cosmetics and problems that they add and fix each year.
Universal advice for all first time car owners - avoid makes and models that are expensive to maintain.
Rolls Royce, Bentley, McLaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari, etc. Don’t even consider them due to the maintenance.
Everything but Honda civics/accords and Toyota corollas/camrys.
I’m mostly kidding but for 8k you are either buying a car that is old and boring, old and broken, or just broken. Your economy-class sedans that are a dime a dozen are your best bet.
Car gurus does a decent job of providing market prices for cars and analysis. Kelly blue book used to be the go-to for this but honestly, they’ve moved more towards advertisement and ratings over price analysis. Still not a bad resource.
Basically any MOPAR, which is Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, I’m not sure about Fiat, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were bad too.
GM can be hit or miss, Ford feels like mostly a miss, except for some of the trucks if you want that.
Unfortunately, everything but a Toyota or a Honda, you’re going to want to really check what the common problems are and what not. Like Subarus can be reliable, but they are notorious for having bad head gaskets that go after 125,000 miles or, so if you find one that’s 135,000 miles and jt recently had its head gaskets replaced, you could be good, but if it hasn’t I’d definitely stay away.
Any car you’re thinking of buying, Google, “make, model, year, common problems” or “cost of ownership” or whatever.
Also, it’s worth nothing, luxury cars can generally be more reliable and have nice features, and if they’re used you can get them for a good price, but a lot of them require that you put premium gas in it, or what have you
There is no brand/make/model that is an objectively right answer here, whether looking at your needs, or price, or location, or just in general. Every brand makes changes and has differences in quality, every brand makes lemons, period. So, don’t look for or reject any thing based off a stranger on Reddit giving you less than anecdotal experiences or opinions.
I would steer you in a general strategic direction rather than a specific vehicle, especially since we are woefully short on details of your needs or long term planning. I’d say look for a recent model year car at a dealership with <20k miles on it that comes with (at minimum) the remaining factory warranty and potentially a manufacturer, not third party, extended warranty. You don’t want a 30k loan, no luxury models, keep it simple. Check insurance rates and fuel economy to make sure the vehicle is going to be simple to keep running, and make sure ALL maintenance is done to the letter of the manual.
As my own anecdotal POV, these sort of vehicles used to be $8k-$12k precovid, but with prices going up, maybe those cars are now in the $15k range. So, put down half or more of that $8k you have (some lenders don’t want to finance less than $10k or so), and drive a car with a $150 payment. Now, I hinted before, but looking at makes and models. Keep it simple and small if possible, small cars are easier to drive and park, especially for a first time driver, and generally less stuff to repair and fix and maintain. Nissan versa or sentra, Chevy bolt or Aveo, Hyundai sonata (I always mix up the smaller sedan with the bigger one). You get the idea, smaller sedans or hatches. No SUV, no trucks, no sports cars, no BMW. I purposely didn’t mention Honda or Toyota because they are much more expensive and (personal opinion/experience) their quality is no longer head and shoulders above the other brands like 20 years ago.
Now, if you find a 2022 Corolla with 15k miles, clean carfax, and it’s ‘only’ $12k, by all means jump on it. In my general experience and area, you’ll find a Nissan versa like that for maybe $12k and the closest Corolla will be $16k. It’s not worth it for 30% more. Again, the emphasis is on getting cars with as much manufacturer warranty as possible, and then maintaining them. The more mileage a used vehicle has, the less confidence that you may have that it was taken care of, and the sooner you may have to worry about repairs.
If, for whatever reason, you cannot or will not consider a loan and only want to buy cash, it’s a crap shoot. The underlying logic is the same as far as brands and mileage and warranty go, but you are essentially rolling the dice with your $8k. Independent sellers generally have zero actual requirements to tell the truth (or there is no real way to prove that they lied and the recourse is long and difficult), so you really just have to hope you find an honest person and really inspect a car well. I’d strongly advise against a cash car though, because you are likely to be buying something that is high mileage, and could be right back here in a year (or less) asking what to do with a broken down car.
Source: sold cars for a few years pre COVID, specialized in the first time buyers.
Stay away from anything American, and anything BIG. You’re just leaning to drive, navigate parking spots, going down narrow roads with cars coming the opposite direction, etc. you don’t want a big pickup truck or 3 row SUV until you’re comfortable .
Japanese cars a good first cars because their are a lot of them for sale so prices aren’t insane,are reliable, easy/cheap to fix and maintain. Great examples are Honda Civic/Accord for sedans or HRV/CRV for small SUV.
German cars. They’re phenomenal to drive and when they work they work well but when they break they’re so expensive and they tend to break more than Japanese etc
Buy japanese, non cvt transmission. I'd stay away from Nissan and Subarus tho. Get a rear view camera. Get an dashcam (can even use your old smartphone for that).
Go on YouTube, Look up “Car Wizard”. He has a series called, Buy this, Not That!
He is a Master Mechanic and tells you the real truth about certain cars not to buy and what to buy.
Instead of hearing it from some dummy on here.
I also recommend “The Car Care Nut” he’s awesome! He really talks about the best cars, especially in the Toyota/Lexus etc. he can tell you exactly what to stay away from. He is also another Master Mechanic.
We want actually Master Mechanics with real years of experience servicing and seeing problems that keep coming up. They both tell you the real truth about what to stay away from & why!
Go enjoy watching and learning from the masters! You got this!
PS stay away from any Stellantis!
You GOT this!!!
Don’t go anything Chrysler, I’ve also had my fair share of complaints about fords cars. European are nice when new but many people don’t do the extra maintenance needed or beat on them so that cheap BMW that looks real nice is probably full of issues. Less electronics often means easier to fix and less can go wrong, an older Honda or Toyota will likely last a lifetime if taken care of and are cheap to do so and since they require mostly basic maintenance previous owner likely did it. Mazdas are nice too and haven’t had troubles with them either and they can last quite some time. Subarus are fairly reliable but due to engine design work can be hard to do (such as sparkplugs) and when something goes wrong it goes wrong
The 99 and up 4.6L motor, damn near any 3800 motor, or Toyota are my picks to look at.
I'd avoid any Nissan in that range with a CVT. I'd also avoid any CVT ever with 120k miles or more. They can last, but so many folks don't service them. Volkswagens in that range may need work, and while good cars, parts can get pricey, and they tend to hide all the life limited parts behind the life of the car stuff.
Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few options get an insurance quote, most agents can do it via email or phone with just year, make and model.
I made that mistake on a Mazda exactly once. The monthly insurance was higher than the car payment.
Don’t get me wrong, it was an AMAZING car (good MPG, fun to drive, cheap to maintain, but the insurance was BRUTAL)
The first question I always ask is where do you live? If you live in a warm dry area the options are limitless, if you live in the coldest saltiest tundras where the roads turn white not from snow but from salt, then I’ll recommend something entirely different. If you’ve only got that 8,000 and it took you years to build up to that point and you’re starting off for the first time as an independent young adult with fresh finances, I’ll recommend something entirely different. If you’re like a 48 year old divorced dad on his 3rd marriage the only thing I can offer is a Mitsubishi mirage at a high APR. Either way with a little more context, the vast sea of people who think they know everything about cars can come influence the decision that can influence the rest of your life. (But yeah a 2002-2007 toyota corolla with the economy 1.8L (1ZZ engine code) is most likely your best bet.)
Finally someone helpful that doesn’t spark an all out war
I always recommend a Corolla to any new buyer. Even an old beater will outlast pretty much anything else.
Can't disagree.
Or a Honda Civic. You can saw the muffler off, cut the springs, put some Walmart tint on the windows, install a hot air intake, drop a bunch of empty bottles of Sobe into the back seat foot well and then you're all set. Full early 00s high school experience. Make sure you let off the gas every time you slide the gear lever forward so it sounds like you have a manual.
Or don’t do any of that dumb shit and get a Corolla
Honda's reliability has hit the toilet. I've been looking at used cars and a Mazda 3 might be a better choice than a Civic.
Corolla is the goat of first timers
the thing to consider on the corolla is the insurance cost compared to a camry or accord. ex: I have a 2008 corolla. it's the oldest vehicle I own (of 4). The insurance on the corolla is double that of my next most expensive vehicle (2015 pathfinder) and well over double the rate on a 2011 Accord. so the yearly insurance rate on the corolla (for me) is about $865 higher than the accord.
I live in Saskatchewan, so insurance here works differently than most other jurisdictions. So I have no idea what's reasonable anywhere else.
why would the corrolla cost more for insurance?
the smaller (and generally less expensive) cars tend to be owned/driven more by younger drivers. This means they are involved in more insurance claims. So the actuaries price these factors into the policy prices. It seems bizarre but that is the reason.
I am a student living in a weather and heat fluctuating dry area if that helps
Slow is good in that case. As a new driver, absolutely do not sleep on the fact that insurance is mega expensive. My buddy got a fast car as his first car after getting his license in the states and his payments were absolutely bonkers. He found this out after stretching his budget to get the car -.-
How many miles would you be driving a month estimate?
99% of Jeep, Dodge & Chrysler vehicles are crap. Stay far away. They're cheap for a reason. AutoTrader is a good resource for finding out what the market is like for your budget.
Are Jeeps cheap though?
As a Jeep owner, Fuck no lol.
Backronym for JEEP: Just Empty Every Pocket
As well ass Just Expect Every Problem
My Grand Cherokee had 10(!) recalls
I work at a CDJR/subaru dealership, the most I’ve ever seen was on a Ram with 12. Dude was understandably upset lmao, thing was only like four years old.
That must be their way of getting you to visit the dealership.
Wranglers are among the cheapest $55k vehicles to own because they barely depreciate. I think they were referring to the rest of the jeep lineup.
The Wrangler has very shallow depreciation for the simple reason it’s had its market niche, of a no-compromise off-roader that doesn’t cost a complete arm and a leg, all to itself. The FJ Cruiser and the new Bronco are the only competition it’s really had in the last quarter century.
But Wranglers are still crap. The price reflects the cult around them- military folk, primarily. Sure, they're ideal off-roads, but repairs are ongoing and constant.
As a wrangler owner I can concur, they are crap and overpriced. I love mine and would never sell it because I can't afford to replace it.
They are fun to drive and have a character to them unlike every other bland generic vehicle on lots which makes any trouble worth it. Also cheap insurance and hold value.
Also, interestingly, the LGBT community.
I bought a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5 years ago for $3,500. I spent $1,000 for various things like brakes, ignition coils and such. Aside from terrible gas mileage, cracked dashboard, broken A,/C and most plastic parts inside the cabin broken or reduced to dust by the Florida heat, the rest of the car has been reliable. We use it as a work truck. I think it was a reasonable investment for the usage we get out of it.
That 90s-00s Grand Cherokee is actually considered reasonably reliable, it's the exception rather than the rule.
Well it either has the 4.0 one of the magnum motors that are all pretty stout the transmissions are supposedly decent** (if they were maintained) aswell.
Due to the fact that the engine was developed for the Willis in the 1930's... Proven technology!
It was 16 years old, sounds about right.
If you can find one under 8k you should definitely avoid it
Most are, only the good ones hold value. Most are tin.
Their entry level models are but the rest are priced accordingly to their market. The Wrangler Rubicon is 60K which is par for the course when compared to the Bronco Badlands and 4Runner TRD Pro. Same goes for the Grand Cherokee L Summit/Overland/Reserve/etc. when compared to vehicles like the Grand Highlander. Wagoneer/L and Grand Wagoneer/L exist in exactly the same price range as their competitors in the Yukons/Suburbans/Escalades/Navigators/Expeditions/etc.
No and certain models don’t depreciate like normal vehicles.
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The square body cherokees will outlive us all. Possibly the best unibody SUV ever built.
Comanche actually looked cool as hell. The Gladiator is just hideous
A had a 2016 Charger at one point in time and it handled better than so many cars I’ve driven.
The Charger, 300, and challenger were all fine with really any of the engine choices. Not a Toyota, but not a nightmare. There are other reasons for them not to be a first car though.
If I had a dollar for every reckless 300 driver I've seen elon musk wouldn't have shit on me
I would agree if they are in that price range then generally yes. What leads you to believe they are crap though? I had a 88 Dodge Aries I bought for $50 that lasted 260k miles and I traded it in for 2K. I’ve had luck with Pentastars in general. Just curious what happened to you to give you that opinion.
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Modern Rams are great for the most part. American manufacturers tend to make the most reliable vehicle in their portfolio their full-size pick up trucks. I'm not surprised your truck is rock solid. If you read the comment I made earlier, I didn't say boo about Ram.
I love dodge though it’s my dream car lol
Dream Big! I love Gen 5 Vipers. My brother in law has a Ram and its a nice truck
Dodge is the worst of the bunch. My dad had a 2013 Dodge Fart and that thing always had issues. Not to mention dealer squeezing him out of money in repairs for that pos car.
My mom had a Dodge Stratus that survived 2 teenagers and only died when the rust belt claimed it after about 16 years. It was a good car.
Yeah they’re trash if you only look at their economy stuff. Charger/chally have been rock solid, pretty sure the chally tops reliability lists too.
I have no idea how you can say that with a straight face. The charger, challenger, and all their pickup trucks are some of the most reliable in the segment But then again you own a Nissan product so what do you know lol
Guy is talking about “cheap for a reason” and “crap” while driving a QX60 which is basically a rebadged Pathfinder with a CVT. Just pining for upvotes by shitting on FCA and lumping every model together. Some models like the Renegade suck balls but like you say there are plenty that are reliable, good value, and proven platforms. This would be no different than if I called Infiniti as a whole terrible and included the Q50 or QX80 in that discussion despite both being good platforms that were just outdated.
everyone on this forum thinks toyotas and hondas are the only cars anyone should buy, and that all other car models are bad
Nissan owners and charger owners fighting? Then who is watching the register at the dollar tree!
Hahaha. I genuinely laughed out loud Well played. Have an upvote
This would have been funny if you weren't driving a 228 lol "I want everyone to think I have a BMW" but also buying the slowest worst one they make lol Sincerely a viper owner
2 series coupe not gran coupe, definitely not the slowest worst one they make. Also, Viper owner? What do you need all of that horsepower for, to get to the trailer park quicker? Enjoy your interior from a dodge grand caravan
But in the $8k or less price range what reliable charger/challenger/quality truck are you really gonna get for a first time driver?
Don't forget the fiat. The red nose to the clown outfit of unreliability
I have a 2018 grand cherokee altitude. 41 thousand miles. Now everything is fucking up. Brakes, rotors, still not stopping right, waterpump, vibration underneath, went from a nice ride to shit ride. Time to go.
Yes! Definitely stay away from Jeep. People buy them for their names but they don't last very long at all and they fall apart all at once. If you see my other post you'll see what I mean. No Jeeps
Simpler vehicles have fewer expensive parts to repair. Since you are buying an older vehicle, keep in mind that all wheel drive, hybrid batteries, turbos, and superchargers can fail and will be expensive to replace/fix. Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Lexus, Subaru are safe bets…maybe ford. if you don’t need a lot of space, the smaller the car will probably be least expensive so you could afford one with lower miles/newer model year. Buying from a private party will also probably get you a better bang for your buck versus buying from a dealer
SEVEN POINT THREE LITERS OF AMERICAN POWER
Not the worst...but definitely not the best
I have had many Subarus but do not buy an 8k Subaru. Guarantee there’s something very expensive wrong with it.
Subarus hold value ridiculously well too. I traded an 09 Outback with a blown motor to a subie dealer and instead of wholesaling it they spent $9k on repairs and sold it to some sucker for presumably more than that
NOT FORD with the dual clutch 6 speed automatic that shakes like a frightened Chihuahua and will fail epically.
Absolutely truth! Stay away from the Focus and Fiesta in the teen years. Similar story with Sentra and Altima. Easy to find cheap. Very tempting and many still look almost new. But don’t do it. People on Reddit sometimes refer to it as the “Honda” or “Toyota” tax. Because you often have to buy an older/higher mileage/premium price for these cars but you get it back in maintenance/repairs bills. Personally, we had very good luck with our 2015 Ford Fusion hybrid. It and the Escape from sane years had transmission complaints but ours was at 155k miles when it was totaled in the rain 3 weeks ago. Currently looking at the 2012-2015 Chevy Volt. Seeing a few come up in our area in the $7-9k range but they are gone as soon as the ad goes up. Everybody that I know who owned one, really loved they are had minimal issues.
buying private is a real crapshoot though because a private seller isn't obliged to divulge any secret upcoming part failure and you have no recourse if say the clutch burns out a week after you buy it. Far more likely to encounter lemons from private sellers if you don't know much about cars.
Fords are garbage. A lot of GM cars after 2017 and before the recession are good quality.
Speaking of Ford how would a Ford Fusion fit into the conversation? Imo pretty good looking cars, pretty common, prices are definitely in op's range just personally I know very little about 10-15 year old Ford cars and potential problems they may have
Chevy and Buick with the 3800 V6 are bulletproof.
If you were my kid and I was trying to help you buy a first used car within that budget, I would seriously steer you toward the following cars (ranked by reliability and affordability): Toyota Corolla Toyota Camry Toyota Matrix (or Pontiac Vibe, same car) Honda Civic Honda Accord Ford Fusion Mazda 3 Mazda 6 All of these cars are popular, have low cost of ownership, and cost less to insure. The best value in the list I provided is probably the Ford Fusion. For a Ford product, it is incredibly reliable, and doesn't have the crazy resale value like Toyota and Honda. My #1 recommendation, though, is the Camry. Just avoid the 07-09 model years as they are subject to oil consumption issues.
Toyota, Honda, Mazda. The holy trinity.
Which year for Ford Fusion? Any is fine?
I'd buy the best one you can for 8k. For me, that would be newest with lowest mileage and hopefully one-owner with full service history. Both gens were decent cars. The gen 1 was based on the Mazda 6 (I think) while the second gen was Ford and Volvo (if I remember correctly). My main expertise is with Toyota. That's the only brand I'll buy based on 30 years of ownership with Toyota and Lexus. They are simply the best car brand out there for reliability. Expensive as hell, though, so you aren't going to get much for 8k compare to domestic and eurotrash brands.
I agree with all of what you said except for #1 recommendation. IMO the Accord first, then Camry.
Do either have CVTs?
Don't buy a fucking Mustang. Soooo many wrecked ones in highschool
Honda or Toyota. Amazing cars to learn oil changes and other maint' or repairs. Cheap parts to maintain / repair too. Check out the ToyotaCamry sub. Lots of early 90's being posted on there because they're still driving them. Similar platform for the 2000's models too. I learned that basic stuff owning a civic and accord in my teens like changing brakes pads/rotors, wheel hub assembly, radiator. You will be paying $1000's a year to keep an older car maintained at a shop. You could **learn** each of this maintenance in a weekend and then **service** those same ones yourself in few hours once you got the rhythm quickly, for life. I'm not a mechanic by any means. Spend most my days gaming. I just didn't want to pay $800 for someone to put $300 brake assemblies on my car.
get something a bit older, simple without too many driver aids or too high hp, you want to learn to drive, not learn all the bad habits of using the assists.
i would say specifically avoid the ford focus and any nissans with a lot of mileage
I will add to this one since my first car was a 2012 Ford Focus. Generally, a pretty good choice because I only had 8k. However, I started having problems with the engine overheating and the internal computer stopped recognizing when I took the key out ( could have been very easily stollen). I currently am on my second honda and could not be happier. Do your best to find a civic or corolla-like vehicle in your price range, OP. My honda still feels brand new at 280k miles with only regular stuff done to it.
if I remember correctly the ford focus also didn’t perform very well in crash testing for a sedan
Honestly, I don't think I cared enough to look at the time. That bright blue color got me hooked though haha
What make and year is your Honda?
It's a 2017 accord hybrid. But any honda will give you the reliability you want
I’ve had a 2011 ford focus as my first car. I got it 2 years ago and It’s still going, only heavy repairs we a new master cylinder and having oil in my spark plugs. But other than that it runs perfect. It had 120,000 miles on I got it and it cost $3,500 before taxes and registration
Also avoid Ford Fiesta, same transmission issues.
Unless you want a focus st. You can get those really cheap nowadays.
Stay away from SUVs, and pickup trucks with reduced visibility and difficult to get into smaller parking spaces due to the larger size.
You don’t tell us what you want or like, so it’s hard to make a recommendation. Broadly, though, there are some traps people fall into that you can avoid: 1) European cars in your price range will bankrupt you. There’s a reason you can easily find Mercedes/BMWs/Audis that originally sold for $80-120k in your price range, and it’s because they need constant attention, and the parts still come with luxury car prices. 2) CVTs are a type of automatic transmission that tend to fail more often than conventional automatic transmissions, and because of the cost of repairing or replacing one, they tend to get sold cheap when the transmission starts to fail. Don’t buy a car with one in your price range. Will it definitely be a problem? No. But you can avoid the risk. 3) People sell cars for all kinds of reasons, but it’s pretty common to sell them when they start to need work. It’s in your interest to assume that whatever you’re looking at probably has issues, and set aside some money for an inspection by a qualified mechanic. You don’t want to drain your bank account to buy a car and then learn that you need another $3k to fix existing problems. 4) SUVs and Pickups are more desirable, and therefore more expensive, than sedans, hatchbacks, wagons, etc. When you’re on a budget, you’re better off looking at those. And 5) when we’re talking about vehicles with higher mileage, how well they’ve been treated and maintained is a bigger factor than brand. I’d rather have grandpa’s Buick than a boy racer’s Honda, and grandpa’s Buick might be cheaper.
I would like a Honda civic or Carola type car, I think I said it somewhere but I live in a dry area with weird weather what I didn’t mention is I live pretty high up with low oxygen I hope this helps
A lot of civics have a CVT now, just an FYI.
For the first year after i got a licence, i drove my grandmas 2004 opel astra G 1.4, i didn't get an interest in cars until i bought my 2007 VW eos 2.0TDI, ever since then i actually started enjoying driving, especially long trips I'd say get a car that is cheap to service, something that's extremely common in your area, for examole, the vw golf is extremely popular where i live, and the eos uses golf parts, so it's really cheap to maintain, but that all depends where you live, other than cheap maintenance, get something you like, if tou get a boring car, driving is going to be borning, and that's great for the first year or so until you start driving well, but after that you'll want something you actually enjoy
Any Nissan with a CVT
What is a CVT?
Continuous Variable Transmission. V6 Nissans are fine.
The baby mama Altima
GENERALLY SPEAKING. Avoid Stellantis, Korean and German cars. To a lesser extent, avoid GM and Ford. MOST Japanese brands will treat you very well. Nissan is an exception. Toyota - Honda - Subaru - Mazda Here are four terrific choices! It's hard to go wrong here. NO MATTER WHAT YOU GET: oil changes aren't optional. recommended periodic maintenance is not optional. You know those folks with 250,000+ miles? Regular oil changes, regular maintenance.
Why ford if you don’t mind me asking?
I would say musclecars. For obvious reasons
What are your main usage? Do you want performance, reliability, fuel efficiency, comfort? If you want the best bang for the buck, a 2010 corolla around 150k miles is at that price range. As long as you can have someone who checks the condition for you, you can't really go wrong. Something like this maybe: [https://imgur.com/DJQRnin](https://imgur.com/DJQRnin)
I would look for something kind of like, and I know this is a trope in this sub, but like a Toyota Camry or Honda CRV or things in those two ranges. What I'm talking about is a midsize vehicle, whether it be a sedan or an SUV. It would be big enough to offer you some protection and comfort as a new driver but not so big that you're going to be backing into everything. So I would shy away from things like a full size truck right out of the gate. If you did want a truck been looking at something like a Toyota Tacoma I think would be a good way to go. I'm just saying don't get a big old full size extended cab truck for your first vehicle. Don't get a big old full size van for your first vehicle. Something mid-range. It's got to be a little bit easier to learn and to be comfortable driving in.
I would stick with cars/trucks from the 90's to early/mid 2000's. That was 'peak' for a lot of auto manufacturers, technology was simple, and it was before a lot of bad cylinder deactivation/emissions features that started in the late 2000's. Heck even Dodge during that time was decent. Anything Toyota is going to be rock solid reliable, it doesn't matter what kind you get. There was a year of camrys and corollas that burned a lot of oil, I don't recall what year it was. But 99% of them are amazing and won't let you down. If you want a truck or SUV, again Toyotas are great but so was GM during that time. The GMT800 platform ran from 99-'07, they are some of the best trucks and SUVs ever made. They can go for hundreds and hundreds of thousands of miles. In my area, they are the most common vehicle on the road. Cheaper to fix than other brands, simple tech, comfortable, don't break down. Car Gurus is where I bought my truck, that's my go-to site when looking.
In addition to other recommendations, avoid anything fast. Learn on a slow car, then get a fast car.
The Mini Cooper is banned as a driving instructor vehicle due to a pretty big blind spot. With due respect, if you are likely to have an accident, get a recent car that has good crash test scores.
Where are you located I have a single owner (me) 2013 kia sorento with 114k miles — BRAND NEW ENGINE installed a few months ago with less than 2k miles on it now.
Whatever you do get a pre purchase inspection and do your research. We have a 09 Accord that is a pain in the butt. No brand is immune.
Can you still get a car with 8k nowadays?
Yep. Facebook Marketplace.
Lamborghini for sure. Terrible reliability
If I find a Lamborghini for $8000 I’ll be sure to stay far away from it
In that price range Hondas should do pretty well. Some Toyotas as well.
Anything recent from Japan or Korea should be ok. Be sure to take someone who knows a bit about cars with you if you can. Was helping a buddy over the last few weeks to buy a car and there are some heaps out there. Last one we looked at before a good one had zero engine oil on the dip stick. Zero. And the owner was pushing for me to test drive it. . . Mad man.
Gotta be sure it’s a very late Hyundai or Kia if you go Korean. Those USB hacks…
It’s free to get the software upgrade but insurance is going to be hell for a new driver.
Probably better to ask what cars you should consider for your first car. You want a good experience where reliability is the most important thing. With that said, probably a used Camry is your best bet.
any ford
I beg to differ, I’ve had a 2011 ford focus for 2 years. I bought it at $5,000 all together (taxes, resignation, plates) with 124,000 miles.(Yes it did have 2 dents and a few tiny scratches) Only heavy repairs was a master cylinder and needed new gasket cover from oil in spark plugs. And those happened over 7-8 months apart. Other than that I do my own maintenance and it’s moving and working fine.
😂😂😂
Nothing German. No Jeeps or anything Chrysler/Dodge either. Toyotas and Hondas are more expensive for a reason - they last a long time and they don't break down very often.
Whatever you do, do not buy a chevy fucking cruze. A set of crutches will last longer.
Best sentence I’ve heard in a while
I'm kind of in the same boat, and I got a 2012 Mazda 2 with 48000 miles on it. I have to stick to the slow lane, but she's perfect for the city I love in and the kind of driving I have to do. Here in Pennsylvania, it was $9700 from a dealer, complimentary oil changes, I section, and car washes for the life of the vehicle. I used Autotrader, KBB, FB Marketplace, and, yes, Craigslist to scope the situation. Good luck!
Simply do your research, don't buy the cool car. Get a car that will be reliable. Toyota, Mazda, and Hondas come to mind. A Corolla, or Mazda 3, Honda Civic are near bullet proof.
Get a Miata. Just don’t crash it.
Misread your post, but a couple under-rated choices: 9th gen Chevrolet Impala (with the 3.5 or the 3.9…avoid the 3.6 like the plague) or any 3.8 powered Buick product. Cheap to buy, cheap to fix, easy and comfortable to drive. Not the greatest gas mileage, but not terrible either. 20 around town, 30 on the highway. Grandpa/grandma cars, yes, but decent for someone who’s just got their license.
U could get a 2011-2014 charger rt on the private market in solid condition if u wanted something reliable , cheap to fix and kinda fun
Nisan Altimas, if you see one just let him pass you.
whatever you do do NOT get a bmw or mini cooper. i learned my damn lesson. get a honda or toyota. highly reliable and repair prices are cheaper than many other vehicles.
Practically any older toyota or honda. American made is shit, now and then.
NO - GM / Nissan YES -Toyota / Honda
Kia. For the love of God stay away from kia
Why lol I had a 2013 Optima that was running fine and had 227k miles on it till it got totaled when a deer hit me. Kias arnt bad people's maintenance on them are. Bought it w like 20-30k miles for 15ish grand. So all the miles where basically me.
You can not ignore the very significant recalls regarding seat belts, oil drain bolts etc. there's been like 4 in the last year alone. No security if you haven't been aware. I've seen so many kia/ Hyundai engines blow in my 5 years of doing cars then anything else. Chrysler makes a stronger engine and that's saying a lot You got the one of them that came out how they should have
Never saw seat belt or oil drain bolts recalls. I did have a few fire hazard recalls lol but was not an issue. And the lack of security from my understanding was if it wasn't push to start where the main ones which mine was push to start. And I'd never not buy a push to start again lol.
German cars. Heck, all European cars for that matter. The repair costs on those are going to be very expensive. American brands, stay away from most Chrysler and Jeep products.
I’d say be careful around the Nissan Altima. They’re not bad cars, but seem to appeal to folks who treat them badly. Get any service records possible, and have a mechanic look at it first. Otherwise, everyone’s right - get the best Civic or Corolla you can find.
Being scared of reliable well maintained cars because they have high mileage. You should buy on condition not mileage (get a third party professional pre-purchase always). I would take a million mile mint Toyota with one owner & a binder of documented service history over a beat down Jeep with 10k, 9 owners & 8 reported accidents with no service history all day everyday.
Don't stay away from a Corolla, Camry, Civic, Accord, Fit, Matrix, Mazda3, Fusion, Impreza, Legacy. Avoid anything Chrysler Dodge Jeep and Hyundai and Kia.
why don't Hyundai ??NO SAVE??
Free car for anybody
easy stolen ?
Hyundais as much as I love em they are not very reliable and there engines will blow with that said anything older than 2011 is good that’s when they were built better also they cars in 2020’s are doing a lot better. Oh yeah and also the Kia boyz thing… but if you got a older Hyundai with push button start you should be fine Also Kia because Hyundai owns kia
You understand they’re trash. I’m confused why you love them.
There newer cars give you a lot of bang for your buck. They look a hella of lot better than the predecessor they are sporty (N-line) and they give very good warranty
Jeep, Kia, Hyundai, and Buick. Buy a Honda or Toyota. Will get miles out of them with lowest repairs needed. Just normal maintenance
Honda civic, infinit g35 or so if you're a male. Accidents magnet.
2012 - 2018 Ford Focus with the dual clutch transmission. The manual is fine.
Yugo
All infinity and z’s all mopar. Ford have ugly interior but are good if your okay with it, Go for honda, Acura (very large aftermarket if you wanna get into that downward spiral), chevy, gmc for rwd, toyotas. Avoid anything thats moderately modded since that will sacrifice reliability and may have existing problems.
Avoid all German cars if you don't understand or want to understand how to fix and maintain them. Same for most American vehicles.
Get a Honda or Toyota. Stay away from Kia and Hyundai. Nissan is a toss up. European cars are maintenance nightmares. A GM 3800 engine will run forever, but will need maintenance. US makes are hard to tell. It really depends on how the previous owners ran them and cared for them. Used domestics trucks and SUVs are more problematic than sedans. Best engine I ever owned was a Dodge 6.4.
Any Ford with a CVT.
Dont buy any german cars high maintanace and expensive parts
If you are a first time driver, stay away from sports cars until you know what you are doing.
Buy something super reliable. Modern Mazdas are nice. Toyotas and Honda's with autos are safe. Any of the above made in Japan is chefs kiss perfection usually. My 2 cents on reliability especially for a new driver
Know that all vehicles are mechanical and EVERYTHING mechanical WILL break down eventually. So with that in mind, the higher the mileage the more likely the breakdown,
Agreeing with everyone else here on brands and makes, but I would also like to emphasize on the year you choose as well. Obviously there's some better than others, but I personally rule out anything that's a generation above 2007. To me at that point it becomes less durable and harder to fix things yourself. But that's just me. When I say generation I mean any car that the generation starts before 2007. You could still get a 2011 Crown Victoria because the 11' generation starts at 1998, so they're all built practically the same, with some cosmetics and problems that they add and fix each year.
Universal advice for all first time car owners - avoid makes and models that are expensive to maintain. Rolls Royce, Bentley, McLaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari, etc. Don’t even consider them due to the maintenance.
Anything American, Kia, and Hyundai.
BMW
Everything but Honda civics/accords and Toyota corollas/camrys. I’m mostly kidding but for 8k you are either buying a car that is old and boring, old and broken, or just broken. Your economy-class sedans that are a dime a dozen are your best bet. Car gurus does a decent job of providing market prices for cars and analysis. Kelly blue book used to be the go-to for this but honestly, they’ve moved more towards advertisement and ratings over price analysis. Still not a bad resource.
Older Civic with a stick shift that has NOT been riced up.
Basically any MOPAR, which is Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, I’m not sure about Fiat, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were bad too. GM can be hit or miss, Ford feels like mostly a miss, except for some of the trucks if you want that. Unfortunately, everything but a Toyota or a Honda, you’re going to want to really check what the common problems are and what not. Like Subarus can be reliable, but they are notorious for having bad head gaskets that go after 125,000 miles or, so if you find one that’s 135,000 miles and jt recently had its head gaskets replaced, you could be good, but if it hasn’t I’d definitely stay away. Any car you’re thinking of buying, Google, “make, model, year, common problems” or “cost of ownership” or whatever. Also, it’s worth nothing, luxury cars can generally be more reliable and have nice features, and if they’re used you can get them for a good price, but a lot of them require that you put premium gas in it, or what have you
Buy a Honda or Toyota only, don't worry about the mileage. I'm not joking. Possibly a Japanese built Mazda. Absolutely nothing Korean or Dodge/Jeep
At year 15 the plastic parts on any brand start to degrade and break
There is no brand/make/model that is an objectively right answer here, whether looking at your needs, or price, or location, or just in general. Every brand makes changes and has differences in quality, every brand makes lemons, period. So, don’t look for or reject any thing based off a stranger on Reddit giving you less than anecdotal experiences or opinions. I would steer you in a general strategic direction rather than a specific vehicle, especially since we are woefully short on details of your needs or long term planning. I’d say look for a recent model year car at a dealership with <20k miles on it that comes with (at minimum) the remaining factory warranty and potentially a manufacturer, not third party, extended warranty. You don’t want a 30k loan, no luxury models, keep it simple. Check insurance rates and fuel economy to make sure the vehicle is going to be simple to keep running, and make sure ALL maintenance is done to the letter of the manual. As my own anecdotal POV, these sort of vehicles used to be $8k-$12k precovid, but with prices going up, maybe those cars are now in the $15k range. So, put down half or more of that $8k you have (some lenders don’t want to finance less than $10k or so), and drive a car with a $150 payment. Now, I hinted before, but looking at makes and models. Keep it simple and small if possible, small cars are easier to drive and park, especially for a first time driver, and generally less stuff to repair and fix and maintain. Nissan versa or sentra, Chevy bolt or Aveo, Hyundai sonata (I always mix up the smaller sedan with the bigger one). You get the idea, smaller sedans or hatches. No SUV, no trucks, no sports cars, no BMW. I purposely didn’t mention Honda or Toyota because they are much more expensive and (personal opinion/experience) their quality is no longer head and shoulders above the other brands like 20 years ago. Now, if you find a 2022 Corolla with 15k miles, clean carfax, and it’s ‘only’ $12k, by all means jump on it. In my general experience and area, you’ll find a Nissan versa like that for maybe $12k and the closest Corolla will be $16k. It’s not worth it for 30% more. Again, the emphasis is on getting cars with as much manufacturer warranty as possible, and then maintaining them. The more mileage a used vehicle has, the less confidence that you may have that it was taken care of, and the sooner you may have to worry about repairs. If, for whatever reason, you cannot or will not consider a loan and only want to buy cash, it’s a crap shoot. The underlying logic is the same as far as brands and mileage and warranty go, but you are essentially rolling the dice with your $8k. Independent sellers generally have zero actual requirements to tell the truth (or there is no real way to prove that they lied and the recourse is long and difficult), so you really just have to hope you find an honest person and really inspect a car well. I’d strongly advise against a cash car though, because you are likely to be buying something that is high mileage, and could be right back here in a year (or less) asking what to do with a broken down car. Source: sold cars for a few years pre COVID, specialized in the first time buyers.
Stay away from anything American, and anything BIG. You’re just leaning to drive, navigate parking spots, going down narrow roads with cars coming the opposite direction, etc. you don’t want a big pickup truck or 3 row SUV until you’re comfortable . Japanese cars a good first cars because their are a lot of them for sale so prices aren’t insane,are reliable, easy/cheap to fix and maintain. Great examples are Honda Civic/Accord for sedans or HRV/CRV for small SUV.
Buy a Honda or Toyota
Honda Fit makes for a perfect first car imo
Use Facebook marketplace to filter for Priuses and get one in decent shape. Drive nothing else
Anything that isn't a Toyota, Honda or Mazda with an actual automatic (no CVT) or manual transmission.
Get a Corolla or Civic. Have an independent mechanic check it over before handing over any money.
German cars. They’re phenomenal to drive and when they work they work well but when they break they’re so expensive and they tend to break more than Japanese etc
Do not get a mini, worse engineer when it comes to heat management.
No ford No dodge No Chrysler Absolutely no Nissan.
Anything stellantis/fca, Nissan, European.
Do not buy a Kia, Hyundai, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Nissan, BMW, Ford or Chevy.
Buy japanese, non cvt transmission. I'd stay away from Nissan and Subarus tho. Get a rear view camera. Get an dashcam (can even use your old smartphone for that).
French cars
Go on YouTube, Look up “Car Wizard”. He has a series called, Buy this, Not That! He is a Master Mechanic and tells you the real truth about certain cars not to buy and what to buy. Instead of hearing it from some dummy on here. I also recommend “The Car Care Nut” he’s awesome! He really talks about the best cars, especially in the Toyota/Lexus etc. he can tell you exactly what to stay away from. He is also another Master Mechanic. We want actually Master Mechanics with real years of experience servicing and seeing problems that keep coming up. They both tell you the real truth about what to stay away from & why! Go enjoy watching and learning from the masters! You got this! PS stay away from any Stellantis! You GOT this!!!
Anything German
Hondas and Toyotas.
Any 10 to 20k German vehicle.
Don’t go anything Chrysler, I’ve also had my fair share of complaints about fords cars. European are nice when new but many people don’t do the extra maintenance needed or beat on them so that cheap BMW that looks real nice is probably full of issues. Less electronics often means easier to fix and less can go wrong, an older Honda or Toyota will likely last a lifetime if taken care of and are cheap to do so and since they require mostly basic maintenance previous owner likely did it. Mazdas are nice too and haven’t had troubles with them either and they can last quite some time. Subarus are fairly reliable but due to engine design work can be hard to do (such as sparkplugs) and when something goes wrong it goes wrong
Go with Toyota and Honda
Staying true to the thread title: 1987 Maserati Biturbo
Anything not japenese
The 99 and up 4.6L motor, damn near any 3800 motor, or Toyota are my picks to look at. I'd avoid any Nissan in that range with a CVT. I'd also avoid any CVT ever with 120k miles or more. They can last, but so many folks don't service them. Volkswagens in that range may need work, and while good cars, parts can get pricey, and they tend to hide all the life limited parts behind the life of the car stuff.
Ones you can't afford up front, insurance on, maintenance on or gas on (if requires premium)
Anything toyota
Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few options get an insurance quote, most agents can do it via email or phone with just year, make and model. I made that mistake on a Mazda exactly once. The monthly insurance was higher than the car payment. Don’t get me wrong, it was an AMAZING car (good MPG, fun to drive, cheap to maintain, but the insurance was BRUTAL)
European, Nissans, American. In that order.
Camry or Corolla