Hey Scotty or anyone else who sees this! I’m 15 years old and turning 16 in march and I’ve been doing research on cars! I’ve recently came across your channel and I love it keep up the videos! I have a few cars that I want to ask if they are worth the money for being my first car and by the way these are all under 6,000 dollars! The first one is the Ford Focus I’ve found models ranging from 2014-2012 all within my budget. They all have 115,000 miles or less and as a bonus the 2014 model ONLY HAS 80,000 miles for 6,000 dollars! The second car is the Honda Civic, I found a 2009 and a 2013 mod with them both being between 140k-150k miles! Next is the Honda Accord it has 160k miles and is 2011! Second to last is the Mazda 3’s from 2011-2012 with them being below 130k miles and the lowest being 105k! And last but not least which is honestly a wild card is the 2015 dodge Dart it’s the 2015 model with 150k miles for 6,000 dollars(I only have this on the list because it looks really nice and if it’s a reliable car I might want this one!)
@ethanu
Make it a Civic if don’t wish to search anymore, … don’t you dare to even touch that Fiat, … er, Dodge! Skip Focus. Maybe add a Toyota to your remaining list of potentials?
Good luck,
F.S.
Thank you Ill keep that in mind!
@ethanu
RatchetsandWrenches has some very good videos on various makes, models and years to consider in various price ranges and exactly why.
You've got an extraordinary budget. Consider your insurance costs. Full coverage on a 6000 dollar car with no driving experience is going to wipe you out. Get a car you can afford to lose, and get liability only insurance. Odd are high that you're going to wreck it anyway, so get an older corolla, matrix, vibe, civic... something low miles maybe beat up a bit. Learn to drive a manual transmission, that will save you money. Picking up my kids first car tomorrow, $1500 Avalon. If he wrecks it, we just part it out and find something else cheap.
@hogdoctor
Hmm ok So how much on average does insurance cost? Also if you had to give a vague range of years, of the cars you recommended which would you say? Because I don't want something that looks beat up you know?
You will have to choose an insurance company now... if you can get on board with a more established family members group policy, that will be helpful. Then when you find something you want, call them and request an insurance quote. Then you can decide if you can afford both the car and the insurance. Get your driving license as quickly as you can, so hopefully you can catch a break until you turn 18... then when you do, you'll have established a driving skills reputation of some sort. For my kids, all their cars were had for $1200-1500, and they're all Toyotas with a solid 100k miles of life left in them. Early to mid 2000's. Pontiac Vibe is a secret bargain as it's 95% Toyota made, depreciates like a GM car, but routinely runs past 300k miles. 03-08 are the best years. The Toyota cousin to the Vibe is the Matrix... same thing but holds a higher value because of the name. Corollas and Civics are good if you prefer a trunk over a hatchback.
Insurance varies for a variety of reasons. Your age, type of car, etc and sometimes doesnt follow what seems logical. Years back an ex GF with a decent driving record had a Dodge Neon (cheap car) and the insurance was outrageous. The reasoning I believe was that lots of young and inexperienced drivers bought those. Your best bet is to send your list of preferred cars to multiple insurance agencies and see what they advise.
Also, as another person advised, consider adding Toyotas to the list, but be sure to research any car you are considering buying (for example, Toyota Camrys from 2006-2011 have a chance of burning a lot of oil).
Out of all your choices you posted, I personally would get a Honda Civic or Accord, manual transmission if available and you can learn to drive one. I would avoid the Focus and the Dart. I'd list the Mazda 3 as a maybe...I don't know too much about them.
I hope you have great luck on your search! I hope you find something awesome!
@mark-13
thank you! Also why do you recommend that I go for a manual over an automatic? Wouldn't automatic be easier for teenagers like me?
@mark-13
Generally, manual transmissions are cheaper to buy, cheaper to maintain, more fuel efficient, more fun to drive (JMO) and keeps people from asking to borrow your car. - and a bit of a theft deterrent. When you're skilled at driving a stick shift, it can save your brakes from a lot of wear and tear, and serves as an old school antilock as decelerating by downshifting and braking will not lock your wheels as using just the brakes can. For the record, I started driving my first truck at ten years old... didn't own anything with an automatic transmission until 25 years later, I was forced to buy a minivan.
Glad to help! You're right, the automatic would definitely be easier, especially if you'll be doing a lot of city driving. I live out in the country so it is no issue usually, but when I do have to get into city traffic the manual transmission gets old quick!
The benefit of manual transmissions is they tend to have less problems and less maintenance in just about any vehicle they are in. Generally about all you have to do to manual transmissions is once in a very long while (if you don't do tons of burnouts) is replace the clutch assembly (though I've known folks with tons of miles who never had to change it), and possibly once in a long while change the manual transmission fluid. With automatic transmissions, you have to have the fluid changed more often and also the automatic transmission filter replaced. You could learn to do that yourself though.
Ideally just to see how you would do with a manual, you would have someone local who could teach you to drive a manual and you could see if you want to go that direction. If you go with an automatic, try to research the cars to see if they have any issues with their automatic transmissions...Scotty may have some vids specific to the ones you mentioned too.
@mark-13
Ok thanks for that I'll definitely look into it. And going back to what you said about the city, I live in Los Angeles right by the beach too, and oh boy! Lets just say that when the traffic hits, it hits HARD haha, the streets and freeways can feel like a huge parking lot sometimes! And although I'd mainly use my car for small things like going/coming to/from school, picking up my little brother from school, and going to see friends, I feel like a manual would be a bit tedious but I'll definitely explore with it, also my dad drove a manual back in his teenage and young adult days so I'm sure I can learn from him! Thanks!
@mark-13
I do admit being stuck in traffic with a manual transmission is a bit of a pain. Slip it into neutral often and keep your foot off the clutch as much as possible to spare the throwout bearing from an early failure.
No problem! Best of luck to you!
Check out the recommendations of YT channel ratchesandwrenches for some excellent advice on used cars in several price ranges...makes, models, years and exactly why.
Hi! It's nice you're getting into cars this young. I do suggest getting a Hondas and Toyotas, they're pretty reliable and probably under 6,000 too would be nice, and get one that's all stock or original parts. Without mods. So if it's 3,4 or 5,000$ you can mod it yourself. And have a great adventure with your very own first car. And have a good, credible and trusted mechanic with you to check it out first. From top to bottom.
God bless! Hope you find that right one for ya!
