Hello students, are you looking to purchase your first vehicle? You’ve come to the right place, here is a complete guide to purchasing your first vehicle. In this article we will go deep into vehicle categories and which ones will fit your needs as well as price ranges, personal experiences, and what cars to avoid. Thank you for reading and I hope this helps with your car buying journey. 

Overview: 

It’s no surprise that your fellow classmates have cars, but most of them are hand-me-downs from their parents or bought for them by their parents, so what about those who are left to buy their own cars? Here I’ll be speaking to those who bought their own cars with their own money and what they can recall from their experience. We’ll also go through price ranges and vehicle types that might fit your needs as well as cars I recommend you avoid at all costs. 

Types of vehicles that are obtainable:

There are many different types of vehicles you can buy but some may fit your needs while others cannot, for example if you play sports and carry large heavy sports equipment around maybe a small compact sedan wont make the cut, or if you want to take your friends around a 2 door coupe won’t be a good fit either but most people choose to do that anyways as long as you carry legless passengers, you have 4 common types of vehicles such as 4-door sedans, 2-door coupes, SUV’s (sports utility vehicle) and pickup trucks, and this article will be a complete guide on what i recommend for you that will last you a long time in the long run so that you won’t be stuck constantly having to put money into your future vehicle because of its unreliability. 

Category 1: Sedans (4-Door cars) ($0 – $10,000)

The most common type of vehicle there is for those looking to buy their first vehicle, a vehicle with 4 doors and a 5-seat capacity (this may include wagons or hatchbacks). Many of my friends have these types of cars and there is one that stands above the rest, its reliable, cheap, powerful and best of all its very economical as far as gas mileage, at least a lot of them are.

Runner ups:

Acura TL 

Cheap, reliable, powerful but the maintenance might be on the higher end considering its a acura despite that it has a Honda engine, overall a really good pick if you want something nice and sportscar like with its smooth handling and quick acceleration. 

Honda Civic

This is self explanatory, everyone knows what a Civic is, as it’s always been known these cars are very fuel efficient, reliable, and cheap to own and maintain, it’s the most simple way of transport, nothing nice but its a car that can get you from point a to b.

Toyota Corolla

You want something more simple, this is your best bet, it’s quite boring but reliable and is down on the costly side depending on the year considering these cars hold their value very well, while the civic is more sports car like the corolla is all about being efficient. 

Subaru Legacy

Cheapest way to get a good All-Wheel drive car in my opinion, this is your best bet for when you want something that will be extremely hard to lose control of, which is a good thing considering how it rains, and our most recent snowfall is affecting drivers. They’re cheap and reliable and they’re really good A to B cars if you’re looking for something along those lines. And speaking from experience as a mechanic myself if you ever need to replace the alternator, this is the easiest car to work on for this type of repair as the Flat-4 engine has it conveniently located at the front of the engine in the most accessible spot.

2. Toyota Camry (98’ – 15’)

The Camry is America’s bestselling sedan for the past few decades, this car is the pinnacle of modern transportation in my opinion, the reason why it isn’t first however is the fact that it still doesn’t lose value to this day, the late 90’s models are your best bet if you’re in the $3,000 range but there are a lot more newer and modern options that go for the same price that are equally as good. This car is extremely reliable, and it can last forever.

If you have the money for a newer one, I will say without a doubt this is your best option for a car in this segment, and best of all, they’re values drop at a very slow rate. 

1. Honda Accord (04’ – 07’) 

This is the best first car in my opinion, reliable, economical, and best of all its fun for its size if you get the more powerful V6 engine over the I4 engine. Many of my friends themselves have one and they have nothing but good things to say about this car, even my father had one back in the day, it’s an overall amazing car for anyone as they offer it in a 4-door or 2-door coupe variant, perfect for any buyer for any need. Ranging from $2,000-$5,000 despite their high mileage if you can find one in good condition they usually have no issues, the most common issue that isn’t that common to occur are ignition issues, besides that you have yourself a nice car with many features that other cars didn’t have in that day, and this would be a great buy for this segment. 

Category 2: SUV’s (Sports Utility Vehicles) ($0 – $10,000)

This category is the most practical type of vehicle, you get more space overall and depending on what you get they can seat up to 5 to 7 people, which is good for those who like to take their friends places, and there’s a lot of good options for this price range. 

Runner up’s:

Mazda CX3

This is a rather interesting one, standard with All Wheel Drive and has many safety features and relatively cheap, just a little bit over $10,000 if you’re buying from a dealership. However there are a few problems with this car such as the Ac not working as it should, problems turning over but not starting, and sometimes your tailgate would randomly drop down without warning which is strange. Overall this still is a good buy. 

Honda Pilot

One of the best options for a full size 3 row SUV, these are now starting to drop under $10,000, more specifically the 2nd Generation Honda Pilot, but the first one also qualifies for this ranking, both are excellent vehicles that have stood the test of time, very reliable, heavy on many modern features that come in handy in most cases and they’re not hard to find in nice condition either.

Nissan Pathfinder & Nissan Xterra

This is another good buy; they’re slightly over $10,000 but some are under that with over 100,000 miles which isn’t bad for a full-size SUV, Reliable and powerful and economic this would be a good option if you want something bigger than a pilot. If you want something a little bit smaller with off-road capabilities the Xterra is your better jeep alternative, more reliable and smoother handling and ride quality.

Honda CR-V

Now these are extremely good if you want a smaller SUV with a 5-seater capacity, these are really easy to find for as little as $3,000 if you want one that’s in somewhat good mechanical condition, if you want one that’s newer and nicer you’ll have to spend a little bit more money which isn’t bad considering newer ones have a lot more features then the ones they replaced, these cars almost never have any problems and they will last you a lifetime if you get one with no pre-existing problems.

Subaru Outback

most people know what this is, it’s because they already have one, they’re parents have one, or because they’re one of the most common SUVs to be found here because they’re unmatched All-Wheel drive system that cannot be beaten by any competitor, these typically don’t lost value over time but they’re cheap and easy to find, it’s a car for those who don’t want a full size SUV but has the practicality of a station wagon.

2. Toyota Highlander

You want a big SUV that has bulletproof reliability? this is your option if you want something with 7 seats and great gas mileage. many examples have gone past the 200,000-mile mark with ease and never any problems which is nice to see and perfect for anyone in the market for one of these, many of the older ones can be found for under $5,000 and the newer ones can be found under $10,000.

1. Toyota Rav-4

This car has it all, good value, good gas mileage and many features and best of all the values are starting to drop as they age, these almost never have problems and last forever, even the older models are good cars to buy if you’re looking for something that won’t lose a lot of value over time, not only that some have All-Wheel drive which is good for driving in harsh conditions and these are capable of light off roading.

Category 3 Pickup trucks ($0-$10,000):

This segment covers the best pickup trucks you can buy if you want something good, and as someone who spends a lot of time around them and working on them there are many good ones but a lot of bad ones too.

Runner up’s:

Ford Ranger/Mazda B2500

Yes, these are the same truck on the same chassis using the same engine, it’s a ford ranger and when Mazda and ford had a tight relationship sharing their cars in the early 2000’s these are very similar and they’re the same so there isn’t one that’s better, paired with a V6 and rear-wheel drive these small pickup trucks are capable in their own ways as many don’t do heavy work with these but they also use them for hauling around small goods. typically are reliable with not many issues but they aren’t big major issues either.

Ford F-150 (4.2L V6 model/ from 2006-08 & 2009-12)

Another ford truck on this list, respectfully the Triton V8 models are good trucks too but they’re infamous for the sparkplugs being extremely short meaning they will essentially weld themselves into the engine because they tend to get loose due to extreme heat temperatures, other than that the V6 models are very good too, extremely capable, cheap, reliable and many friends of mine usually don’t have issues with their f150 trucks.

Overall, they’re cheap to obtain and they’re not expensive to maintain with minor issues and overall is a good truck.

Chevrolet Silverado (1st gen & 2nd gen)

These are phenomenal pickup trucks from GM, even with higher miles these tend to not have many issues as these tend to last 400,000 miles on average, some of these have many features most trucks don’t come with, and they have very good sound systems too from factory depending on which version you get. I’ve spent a lot of time around one myself as i was a landscaper for a while and our work truck was a 1st gen Silverado, the only problem it gave us was breaking down on our way to a job site but that was about it, just fit a new alternator on it and called it good, hasn’t given us a problem since.

Nissan Frontier (any)

Now these are really good light trucks, competing with the ford ranger this truck has remained unchanged for 12 years (the 3rd generation) but really any generation frontier is a good truck considering some 3rd gens have lasted 1,000,000 miles or more and they don’t have any problems overall that are major and they’re cheap for what they are, on average some examples for sale are currently going for $6,000 or more depending on the year and mileage, and these trucks will last you forever if you want a better alternative to the ford ranger.

2. Toyota Tundra

Now these are your best bet if you’re looking for a more reliable Silverado or F150 alternative, these trucks along with their smaller sibling the Tacoma are known for having bulletproof reliability and cheap maintaining costs, it doesn’t matter which one you get considering they’re all good trucks (except the new ones) but any generation before the current one we have now are good trucks overall to buy if your wanting something that will last you a life time.

1. Toyota Tacoma

The king of all compact pickup trucks since the beginning of time, the Tacoma has always been above the rest in terms of reliability standards but as of recent times that has changed, considering the new one has the problematic I-Force-MAX hybrid system, but anything before that was at the top of the competition, these also tend to be cheaper as the cheapest one goes for $7,000 which isn’t terrible but i wish it was cheaper, besides the price its equipped with a very good engine and good power figures that make it durable and capable.

Wildcard: Chevrolet S10 (2nd Generation) 

now these are special, no matter which one you get if its the basic work truck or the Xteme version these are capable despite their size and there is something for everyone with these trucks, powered by a 2.8 Liter V6 engine producing a fair amount of power these trucks make good daily drivers and are very underrated, these tend to go for a very affordable price ranging anywhere from $2,000 on the lower end and $6,000 on the higher end and the Xtremes can be found for around $6,000 to $8,000.

Category 4: Luxury Vehicles ($0-$12,000)

Hear me out when i say this, many people want a luxury car, but others think they’re all bad and that’s not true there are many luxury cars that are obtainable that are good in terms of reliability and a lot of them have a lot of good features and luxuries most normal cars don’t have, and many of them are reliable and good for you in the long run.

Runner up’s:

BMW 3 Series (E36, E46, E90)

Now these are phenomenal cars and always have been, I’ve spent my time around these cars for a while and i can say considering my friends have some of these cars they tend to have no issues but there is a catch, buy one that’s lower mileage (150,000 or less) and one that is in visually good condition and you should be set for success.

Lexus ES (Any Version)

Now these are technically a rebodied Toyota Camry/Avalon, so that already tells you what car this is, a nicer version of those cars. the only known issue with these are oil leaks and that’s about it, it’s a common problem plagued in all Lexus cars that are older but there isn’t much of anything else that are problematic, most examples can be found anywhere from $2,000 to up to $5,000 for a nicer one in better condition, despite some having high mileage you shouldn’t worry much about them, as long as they’re in perfect mechanical condition upon purchase, it’ll take a while before you run into your first problem.

Lexus GS (S140,S160,S190)

Many of these under $10,000 are exceptional examples with lower mileage meaning they last you a long time, like i mentioned with the ES they most commonly have oil leak problems and that’s usually the only common problem, like the ES the GS has the same powerful V6 engine and the older versions from the late 90’s have the 2JZ-GE engine, the less powerful version of the same 2JZ found in the very famous Mk.4 Toyota Supra as seen in the first Fast & Furious movie, aside from the popularity of the 2JZ the GS has more room than the ES as it’s in a more sportback configuration rather than a traditional sedan. Higher mileage examples tend to go from $3,000 at the lowest to $7,000 for a very nice example with lower miles.

Mercedes E-Class (W124,W211,W212)

Don’t let the Mercedes name fool you, the luxury auto giant from Stuttgart Germany have made some amazing cars, many of them have their flaws but one stands above them all in terms of affordable luxury, the E-Class has always been a top notch luxury car (until recently) but besides that these 3 generations are the best ones to buy, many examples are still on the road today with well over 200,000 miles, there are many W124 examples serving as taxi cabs in Africa with over 1,000,000 kilometers and counting (621,000 miles). some examples on the market currently are going anywhere from $4,500 to $10,000 and its your best bet to get a newer one as they have lower miles which means less likely to have any problems, but it’s your decision to get whatever one you want if your heart is set on a E-Class.

Volvo S80 (2nd generation)

Straight out of Sweeden this short-lived product by Volvo was nothing short of a masterpiece, I’ve even considered buying one myself but it’s out of my budget considering the modifications i had in mind but that’s beside the point, The S80 is known for its reliability and safety which is a big factor in a good car, there are 2 versions the inline-6 model and the V8 model which has the same V8 engine in their flagship SUV the XC90 which is known to have some problems here and there but has been known to last for several years as many of the 1st generation models are still on the road with some examples racking up 1 million miles, same applies to the S80 as many 1st generation models are still around, but the 2nd generation model is complete with a lot of modern luxuries that aren’t commonly found in newer cars, these typically go for $4,000 to $10,000 as the cheaper you go the higher mileage and lesser they are but as you find more expensive ones the nicer examples can be found, not only that these are known for being indestructible (quite literally), if you manage to crash it and not have any major damage done to it you can have a metaphorical cookie.

2. Acura RL (KB1)

Despite this car isn’t very well known to much of anyone (myself included) this was their flagship luxury sedan from the late 90’s until 2012 when it was replaced by the RLX, besides that these tend to be on the cheaper side ranging from $3,000 to $6,000, these are really reliable as they come with a Honda developed C-Series V6 engine producing a respectable 290 horsepower which is 10 below 300, the maintenance tends to be cheap and they hardly have any issues if you find one without any existing problems.

1. Lexus LS400 (XF10,XF20,XF30,XF40)

Don’t let the name fool you, powered by a big Toyota developed V8 engine this engine is offered in many different vehicles from Toyota and some examples of the LS400 have been seen surpassing 1,000,000 miles on its original engine, the interior was way ahead of its time with many modern and luxury features that some new cars still don’t offer, cheap reliable and very economic these can be found for around $3,000-$6,000 in nice condition. 

Category 5: 2-Door Coupes ($0-$12,000)

Finally for the last segment we have 2-door sportscars which is for people like me, you don’t drive your friends around, you don’t need to use it for anything that involves hauling things or anything useful along those lines and you just want something fun to drive, well as someone who has been around cars like these for the entirety of my highschool years i have put together a list like before of the best 2 door coupes under $10,000.

Runner up’s:

Audi A5 (B8)

If you don’t like BMW (which is fine but you hurt my feelings if you said that) and want something somewhat more minimalist (or lesser in other words) than this is for you, equipped with a somewhat powerful engine producing 211 horsepower this would be a good option if your into Audis however, the ignition coil and coil pack are the most common failure points in these Audis but fear not because the parts themselves are cheap to obtain and cheap to get fixed. other than that, you have yourself one of the most beautiful looking Audis of the modern era (except from the R8 and older S model cars), these can be found anywhere from $7,000 at the lowest to a little over $10,000.

Chevrolet Camaro (Fifth Generation)

If you don’t like mustangs or challengers than its quite obvious this is your first pick for a muscle car, i can say this isn’t my first pick but its definitely my top 3. The fifth generation Camaro was the revival of chevys famed sports car back in 2009 when it went on hiatus for almost 8 years, This generation is definitely my favorite because of the nostalgia behind it but im not getting into that right now, but these can be found for almost $8,000 to over $10,000 for the V6 models, but even the V6 is capable of making impressive power once modified, don’t ask how i know but you don’t need much to make it happen.

Infiniti G37

Yes, before you hate on me for mentioning the king of intersection takeovers (if you don’t know what that is do a quick google search) just hear me out please, The G37 is the 2-door sibling to the G35 (which also has a bad reputation) this car powered by a 3.7 liter V6 engine which is found in the legendary R35 GT-R supercar by Nissan because those engines are on the “VQ” platform which are known for their superior reliability and there unlimited potential in making more power. Besides the power this car has many luxuries including premium leather, a moonroof and a premium Bose audio system. These cars can be found anywhere from $8,000 to $10,000.

 2. Mazda Miata (NB or NC) *NA if you want to go cheaper*

Everyone is well aware of what this is, sure it’s slow but it’s fun to drive and they’re really good drift cars (don’t try it on the streets however) and these tend to be extremely reliable as these hardly have any issues at all which is good for someone who wants a fun car but doesn’t have the money to fix it, if you want a NA Miata (late 90’s model) with the unmistakable pop-up headlights they can be found anywhere from $4,000 for your average beater Miata to $7,000 for a nice one, not bad. and the other versions like the NB and NC can be found anywhere from $6,000 and up.

1. Ford Mustang (S197)

Ah yes, I love Mustangs, and so do my friends as they have many of those and I am considering getting one myself (I’ve said this so many times before but never commit to it) but other than that these are definitely the most reliable muscle car out of the other 2 (and no I’m not biased this is factual). Many of these are still on the road today with more than 200,000 miles and counting and they tend to be cheap as some on the market are going anywhere from as little as $2,000 to $8,000 or more expensive if you want a really nice one.

Wildcard: Hyundai/Genesis Coupe (BK1 & BK2)

Now I bet most people reading this have never even heard of this car (or brand) which is fine because I’m going to introduce you to an underrated car that deserves more attention from anyone and that is the Genesis Coupe, made by Hyundai as an attempt to appeal to the younger audience by introducing their luxury subdivision called “Genesis” which has now turned into its own brand this was the introduction.

This car by itself is nothing short of a masterpiece, powered by either a 2.0 Turbo 4-cyliner or a bigger 3.5 Liter V6 engine from the Genesis Sedan that produces a fair power figure but besides that these have always been known to be reliable and rarely have problems. some examples on the market currently range from $5,000 to $10,000. these cars are not well known but will be several years from now, mark my words.

No matter what grade you’re in, your budget, your job or whatever the case it may be there’s always something for you, and I hope this article helped you find what you’re looking for or give you an idea of what you’re searching for currently, i wish the best to you and i hope you find something that will serve you right.