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First Car Suggestions?
I am looking for a first car. I want something that is fast and fun to drive. I want to be able to fit up to 5 people at most in the car including me, and everyone be able to be comfortable and have room. I want something that can get me through high school and through college (out of state), and be able to drive back and forth between the university and my home. I also want it to be a good looking car, preferably a sedan/coupe, and it needs to feel good to drive it, awesome for others to ride in, and something that will turn heads as I drive by. I want to buy a car used, under 20k with under 40k miles on it.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2014 MINI Countryman S ALL4
I’ll be pragmatic instead and suggest a last generation Civic SI or a CPO 2015/2016 VW GTI. Both are fun to drive but not dangerously so, they’re safe, and the Civic especially will be very reliable.
A '15-'16 Charger R/T fits all your requirements.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
For a 5-6 year timeframe, can stick with the usual suspects. Last generation accord. Or, can get a new or nearly new Jetta. My nephew is buying one I find for him over thanksgiving. A 2017, about 6k on it, from a VW dealer. An SE AT, so well equipped. Paying about $14,700 for it.
So I vote for that.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Also agree....mileage might be a tough get at that price range.
How about a used Buick Regal GS? I’d start right there.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
I already checked on the SHO. It doest fall into the pricerange.
i think some of you folks suggesting smaller cars are missing the 5 person seating requirement.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
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Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and let us know! Post a pic of your new purchase or lease!
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2014 MINI Countryman S ALL4
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
An SS would be great---supercharged, roomy, inconspicuous to the police, and faster than you might think.
The challenge of course is to find one with decent miles, clean title and no modifications. Not so easy anymore.
I don't think you can have all your wants in your price range to be honest. You have to be realistic and give up on something to get more of what you really REALLY want.
If you can up the money to be spent, I'd look at a used B8/B8.5 S4 which gets you a sedan, AWD, and I think room for 5 teenage Americans.
Having recent experience with the whole HS car, transition to college with it deal, especially having to support the car from afar, and knowing how they get treated (parking, etc) I might have a different perspective. But, I would stay away from anything too nice, “collectible”, older, or really large. Plus consider MPG, since college kids tend to be broke!
A couple years old if possible is best. Fits in smaller parking spots. Won’t care that it will get beat up. And not worried about solo trips home, often at night. Reliable is key, because dealing with repairs at school is a nightmare. And you are looking at at least 5 years now, so an Impala SS would be pushing 20 years old by the end.
Save the hemi for after graduation! If a 4 banger really isn’t fast enough, a V6 Malibu maybe? But, getting too fancy is likely going to push back the MY, or up the miles.
Heck, right now, could get a brand new sonata squeezed into budget. Maybe not cool enough, but got the room!
2017 Jetta and Passat are just really good used deals now, slightly used. And a turbo Jetta moves along just fine.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
Considering all the related costs, and trying to balance the desire for fun and flashy, I still think it comes back to how much do you want it to meet your current wants (e.g., fun and flashy) versus your long-term needs (e.g., reliable, spacious, cost-effective)? Ultimately, you are going to have to pay for this and get good use out of it over the next what, six to eight years?
I think Q's suggestion of a Charger is pretty solid in terms of balancing your criteria, but you're likely to pay out the nose on insurance. You can probably get good enjoyment in terms of sportiness out of an Optima/Sonata or Passat, and have a lot of space, and not pay a ridiculous amount of insurance because these are not "high risk" cars. Neither are flashy, per se, but these are elegant cars. In addition, you'll save a lot buying any of them at the level of "used" you have in mind. Also, they're great highway cruisers for those long jaunts between home and college, and you probably won't have to make multiple trips to haul your belongings.
If you want to go bigger, you could consider a Flex EcoBoost. Those are deceptively fun to drive and are cavernous inside. When you get to college, you would be the king of cargo! They'll grab attention, even though they're not a traditional sort of "flashy." Not sure about insurance, though pricing at $20K will dictate a little more age and/or miles to get there for an EcoBoost example (as opposed to some of the other rides already mentioned).
Perhaps the best part about any of these cars is that they give you room to grow into your love of driving without setting the bar too high. It's better to not pine for that S4 that you "must" have before you can reasonably afford to own it...
That may change the requirements. That being the case, given the need/want of room for 5, I’d look at a Merc Grand Marquis, Ford Crown Vic, Buick LeSabre, Chevy Malibu/Impala type of hoopties.
All are practically bulletproof, cheap to own and fix, can carry 5, and probably less expensive to insure. Add to that, given typical campus abuse, probably better suited for the rigors of college duty.
Plus, I can think of some great entertainment any of those cars would provide during the “college years”. Those types of cars usually yield stories of epic proportions.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve