First Car Suggestions?

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CCS

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I'll be graduating from college soon and I'm hoping to purchase my first car after graduation.

Honestly, I don't know much about cars.(If there's a book/website I should look at to educate myself, I'd be happy to hear about it. ) I'm working with a college student budget, so I'm looking for something about $4,000. I'm not concerned about bells and whistles(boring and/or sort of ugly are fine) but more about safety, readability and repair costs. I've looked at the Consumer Reports list of best used vehicles and I'm leaning towards a Honda Civic or Accord.

What are your suggestions?
What questions should I ask before purchasing said car?
Should I be purchasing from a dealer or is purchasing from a private party okay?
 
Welcome to the forum. I'm originally from RI.
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A Civic would be a great choice for a first car. Great on gas and reliable. Try to get a vehicle service history if you can or buy through private sale. You get to meet the owner and can ask the important questions.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I'd go for a Crown Victoria or Grand Marquis. Comfortable, incredibly tough, and cheap to buy and maintain.


That's a pig of a car for a college kid.
 
Worry less about what kind of car and focus on the best car in the best condition you can find and afford.

4K is kind of a lean budget for a used car today, in most areas.
 
Edmunds or True Delta are a lot better than CR. I like carsurvey.org, but it is really tedious to dig through. I would avoid all sub $5000 Civics, they are nearly all beaten on like rented mules. A Corolla would be great for that weight class, Accord or Camry would be fine if you want bigger.
 
Anything with a manual transmission. Don't get into the automatic transmission rut. Automatic transmissions are basically a huge bell/whistle in my book. Also go for hand crank windows and manual door locks. Buy something about 10 years old or older with lower miles (under 100,000).
 
$6000 buys decent car now. $4000 you can but very tough pickings.

Private is better but have a mechanic check the car out for you before final purchase. Any used car can have $1000 or more of repairs hiding underneath beyond bad accidents etc.
 
Get a Honda CRV. You have snow in RI. And for the next 5 years or so you will move a few times and a vehicle like that is great to move your stuff around.

You will get a better deal from a private sale. But no warranty.

Carfax.

While a private sale may not provide much of a warranty, ask that they guarantee it to pass inspection.

If its between Accord and Civic get the Accord.

Don't rule out a Camry. They just go for a long time without expensive maint.
 
You're looking at something from the mid-90s to the early 2000s with that budget. I hope your $4000 budget doesn't also include repair costs, because with a car that age, you're bound to need to fix something.

Here's what I would look at in addition to the Accord and Civic if it were me:
– Corolla/Prizm (some years have oil burning issues but they're like the cockroaches of cars)
– Camry
– Focus
– Maxima (gas mileage isn't great but it's reliable and will probably be the best bang for your buck. But I'm biased
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)
– Neon
– Echo
– Cavalier (only putting this one down because they're cheap)
– Intrepid/Concorde
– 2004+ Malibu

Do your homework on problems specific to the car you're looking at before you go see it. Scour Craigslist and Autotrader. You'll probably get a better deal through a private sale.
 
Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Worry less about what kind of car and focus on the best car in the best condition you can find and afford.

4K is kind of a lean budget for a used car today, in most areas.



This is good advice.

OP - I think the way that you are keeping an open mind and smart on the budget is really great. Too many just get straddled with debt and then stuck with poor long term situations.

If youre graduating, youll be getting a job, and start thinking about your saving strategy... So keep in mind that there are some decent $4000 cars, though you may not want them long term... But just come up with a reasonable strategy and savings plan and go with it.

If I were you, Id plan on $1000 in repairs on a used vehicle just for who knows what... So Id look for something in the $3-3500 range, and then do what you need.

Id look for well maintained "old people" cars. Im not keen on crown vics or other giant, gas sucking cars, but Ill bet you can get a low cost, real decent Buick century, regal, olds intrigue, malibu, fusion, etc. Some of the smaller economy cars would be great too, but my impression is that many of those get beat up, unless they were owned by little old widows, in which case, they can be great deals too. I think thats where the best value will lie.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I'd go for a Crown Victoria or Grand Marquis. Comfortable, incredibly tough, and cheap to buy and maintain.


I`d go for the Police Interceptor or Marauder versions
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Ranger or B-series.

When you are ready to move from the dorms or efficiency apartment to a one bedroom, you don't have to rent a truck or pay movers. They are pretty darn reliable and they are affordable in their most basic forms.

Might even be able to score a 3.0 V6. MPG will take a hit but the Vulcan is solid.

You can probably get an older 3.9 V6 Dakota. It gets even worse mpg than the 3.0 Ranger, but it is a more liveable truck and may even have 4 real doors. Transmission might be a concern but I see lots of long lived 3.9 Dakotas

Or if you don't mind taking a little trip, there's this little beauty:
Mercedes 240D manual
I love it in all of it's ultraslow glory! I might blow my new bike savings account on it.
If I can't have it, I want someone who will love it and care for it as much as I would to have it.
 
For four grand I would be looking for a honda civic/accord or corola or focus and dont forget satur s series good cars and cheap. I am shopping for a car in the 6000 range and I have a few cars in mind then I will find the best shape one I can. You should do the same.
 
i agree a grand marquis is safe and will run forever with little maintanence. Some people call them eith old lady cars or Police looking cars but lately i see a lot of young people driving them and putting nice wheels on and they look hot. A civic is ok also but just in case of an accident a grand marquis would destroy the honda i believe in a strong framed car and the crown vics and Mercury grand marquis is as strong as they come
 
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I'm aiming for 4000, because I'm assuming since it's used I might have to sink a a couple hundred into the thing in repairs. If the car had zero problems, I could afford around 5K but I'm guessing I'd be hard pressed to find a car that doesn't need some help.

I don't know how to drive stick.

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I'd go for a Crown Victoria or Grand Marquis. Comfortable, incredibly tough, and cheap to buy and maintain.

My mother would be thrilled. She always joked about replacing the family van with one of those when I was learning to drive in high school.

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Worry less about what kind of car and focus on the best car in the best condition you can find and afford.


This relates to another though I was kicking around.
Would it better to purchase a car like 2004 or 2005 Ford Focus or Chevy Caviler because it's a few years newer compared to a 2001 Camry/Accord/etc ?
 
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Find a reputable car lot.. place bottle in center of parking lot and spin. If it's within your budget buy it and have fun. I've lived too boring of a life with reliable cars should of played a little!
 
Originally Posted By: CCS

This relates to another though I was kicking around.
Would it better to purchase a car like 2004 or 2005 Ford Focus or Chevy Caviler because it's a few years newer compared to a 2001 Camry/Accord/etc ?


I think that would come down to the condition of the cars and what you need. I would take an older Camry or Accord in good condition over a Focus and Cavalier in mediocre condition because the Camry/Accord are more practical and more comfortable to drive. But if you can find a Focus with significantly lower mileage in good condition then that would be better than a high mileage Camry or Accord.
 
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