$5k to spend on a used car

[Hirsch]

Trying to help out a friend. Single mom trying to find a decent car for her 17 year old son.

They've got $5000 to spend and need a reliable car with reasonable mileage.


I was thinking Mazda 3, but everything I'm finding has 150K+ miles on them.

With that amount of money to spend, I'm thinking a Japanese car is the way to go.


What do you guys think?

[J-Rod]

If this was last summer she could have bought our Mazda6 with 95k. Looks rough, but runs great. Decided to keep it after a deal on a Cadillac and a Saab fell through.

I think a Corolla would be a safe bet, or even a Ford Windstar, or similar van. A lot of vans seem to have a really low resale value so snagging a decent one under $5k could be easily done.

[Burnsside42]

Saturn SL2/SW2
Toyota Corolla
Chevy Colbolt


You can pick up a 1999-2002 Saturn SL series all day long with 120K for near $2000 - they are great first cars. Good on gas - cheap to fix - they look decent and seat 4 adults fine. Medium size trunks too. Can't beat dent resistant panels either!

[SPGreg]

My vote would be for a Honda. My son has a 1987 Prelude & my wife a 1997 Accord. I've had many Toyotas over the years (two Corollas and one Corona) but the Hondas have been vastly more reliable.

[rpiereck]

I would say also look at used Sonatas or Elantras, they have been very reliable for the last ten years at least. I have owned four Korean cars and none has ever let me down.

[SpecialTool]

+1 on the Honda, ours is unstoppable. But I would be prioritising safety over reliability. First prerequisite would be front and side airbags, for driver and front passenger at least. Should be plenty of those available around $5000 (dare I suggest a 2004 9-5 -- safe and surprisingly reliable according to the statistics)

[Hirsch]

I'm hesitant to recommend a European car simply because the cost of ownership is so high. I can afford $250 for a brake job, but a 17 year old in high school probably can't.

I need to talk to the kid and see what his requirements are.

J-Rod, a minivan for a 17 year old boy still in high school? Are you trying to make sure the kid never gets laid?

[nordwulf]

I need to talk to the kid and see what his requirements are.

I can tell you that without having to ask the kid. His requirements are a newer, fast, 2-door coupe with plenty of horsepower and great looks.

How about considering a new Nissan Versa for $12K out the door? Monthly payment for 60 months will be about $215 so $5000 will cover the first 2 years. And you have a new car warranty and no repair or major maintenance costs for the next 5 years. When you consider the maintenance and repair cost of a 5+ year old car, a new inexpensive car may not be that much more expensive.

[Hirsch]

Because he's 17, still in high school and moms credit isn't that good. They can't afford a new car and the full coverage insurance that a new or leased car requires. They have $5000 to spend, no more.

And economy is highest on his priority list. He knows he's not going to get a late model Mustang or any real performance car in his price range.

[#1SAAB12-17-11]

My daughter is 15 and we'll be crossing this same threshold in the next few years with roughly the same $5K budget. I've got in mind either a Hyundai or Japanese three-door hatch so she can make her way to and from school. Maybe a Ford Focus? Need something cheap, reliable, easy to maintain and nothing to cry over should it get a dent or two along the way.

Of course a giant TANK would add lots of piece of mind. Maybe a Ford LTD?