G20 3 Series is a great recommendation used at ~30k, thanks for adding it to this list. Both myself and a friend have been able to find CPO examples coming off lease with low miles and the previous owners being elderly. Some forum members have pushed them to surprisingly high mileage with no serious issues reported. I was shocked to find that from a BMW product, and if you dont believe me dig into the forums!
One thing many people forget is that if you're a long time planner, its not about initial cost, its about cost of ownership over time. Sometimes a vehicle that costs $10K more initially actually has the same overall cost of ownership over a 10 year period. And that's really the trick, the less often you change vehicles the more you save, and so a new car can make the most sense especially if you factor in that "time is money" meaning for every hour you spend dropping off a vehicle at the shop or whatever, give that a $40/hr or whatever you make opportunity cost.
Also, another advantage of new over very lightly used/almost-new is that people are much more likely to sell a vehicle after a very short period of time because its a lemon that has given them issues. So while 1 in 100 new vehicle may be problematic, it might be 1 in 20 almost-new vehicles that are problematic!
Thank you for the insight. I hate the price on new vehicles these days since it has gone up crazily. However, the frugal mindset of buying a beat up car, then spending every month of so to fix them isn't worth it for me either. Especially, living in a 3rd world country, where everyone is trying to make a buck, the percentage of buying a trash used car that some mechanic slaps a temporary fix is extremely high in my country. So a new budget car that get the job done is probably the way to go here.
I had a 2012 Honda Fit Sport with automatic that was a fun to drive economy car. It got 30 mpg, very reliable and space efficient. It's only problem was the air conditioning struggled when temperatures went above 90-degree F.
Glad you enjoyed that fit. I was considering one myself, but went with Si. I now, plan on selling m 15' si coupe with 120k miles. Has 3 accident, but is stock except on lowering springs. Am I selling the car short for only 10,400? Costmetic 8/10, rims I'd give 6/10. Clutch is roughtly 70% there. Clean title otherwise, never been totaled.
Great video yet again Tyler, smart points, I'm still looking for the best first car, and $10K+ for me is too much. I consider less than 5K. Still thinking E39, E34, E38, Vibe GT, Z3
From my point of view of course, like maybe 2007 Camry hybrid or some Corolla will cost 3 times less to maintain, will be more economical and practical, but you can't outweigh the class, fun, beauty and soul of these BMWs
If the camry hybrid hasn’t had the battery changed, id probably stay away but I’ll have a specific sub 10k video in the next month or so! Corollas are consistently strong (though some were known for excessive oil consumption, same with the vibe), an e46 bmw isn’t really that unreliable but the parts and maintenance can get pricey. I’m also an advocate for the five cylinder vw rabbit or mk5 golf over there (I think).
@@Realistick Yeah I meant Matrix as plan B option, but these E38, Z3, E34, E39 are really nice and somewhat still cheap, BMWs are quite popular in Georgia, but most of the drivers thrash them. Depending on my budget and market, E38 is the best option, beat up E34 least or E39
@@Realistick Appreciate your videos, great info. Been in the market for a cheap car but very torn and can't seem to decide. Not a car person here, what years/miles do you suggest I look for Rabbit? I think 2008-9
There's also the Mitsubishi Mirage. I know people shit on them but they can be had new under $20k and used under $10k. They have amazing gas mileage at around 40MPGs on the highway. They have very cheap interiors and not a whole lot of tech though that doesn't bother me. So far my wife hasn't had any issues with her 2020 G4, though getting new tires can be difficult because most places don't regularly carry Mirage sized tires lol.
nothing wrong with mirage if you dont plan on doing trips too often cause you'll def feel that low hp driving long & you'll feel like a turtle vs rabbit. I drove a rio & I felt like I was in a lambo vs civic. Plus the 2023 mirage I drove, the steering was pulling to the left which left bad taste for me. Never did buy the car, even though the mpg's are great, just not for me. Plus, I could never bring a women into that car, I'd much rather pull up with a 90s civic and save the extra 18k on repairs/new engine
@@dbzownz12345 My wife's Mirage has done several road trips already, from Florida to North Carolina twice, Florida to Texas once and Florida to Michigan once. It can handle highway speeds and hold 80MPH though we try not to push higher than 70. The only complaint I've had is it's pushed around quite a bit from wind due to its lighter weight. We actually had our first accident today with, my father-in-law backed his Toyota C-HR into the side of my wife's Mirage and dented his rear quarter panel and only left a couple small indents in the Mirage's driverside passenger door. It just rolled 42k miles today and so far no mechanical issues, though we're pretty active on maintenance with oil and filter changes every 5000 to 7000 miles. I am curious on its longterm durability though, we got it new in 2020.
Used car and new car market is set plummet by next year. Wait! Yaris? Would you want to be in wreck in one of those? In regard to Mazda, I would avoid those with cylinder cut-off, as in all the newer models. IMO
I've got a Yaris iA and it's been a pleasure to drive. Painfully slow, but it only weighs about 2400 lbs and is really fun around the twisties. The 1.5L makes it rev happy as well so you can rev it out and still be under the speed limit lol. Also packed with features for a budget car and very reliable!
When I was in the market for a hatchback, I stayed the hell away from Mazda 3 or Speed. The grille is so fugly, ain’t no way Imma be seen in that uggo. I went with a Honda Fit. One of the best decisions I’ve made among many good decisions.
@blink182izawsmIt seems you have not looked at Used Car pricing lately. No subcompact made after 2015 is less than about $15k. I was just looking. They were less than $20k pre-pandemic.
Much like the Frontier, the later 2nd gen Xterras are decent and don't suffer from the outrageous Toyota tax of the 4Runner. Just don't buy before 2009.
A used Alfa Romeo Giulia is a pretty good deal imo and can be found under $30k. Some of the 2017s had issues but seems like owners are happy with the 2018+ MY and they are pretty fun to drive. Steering and suspension was developed by Ferrari engineers. The 2.0T engine is also in the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep owners in forums say it’s pretty reliable.
I mean, if you’re getting a 2 year old car that was $50k new, then yeah, that’s a strong value for someone with a budget of $30k. If thirty grand makes you shiver, you can stop watching after the $20k segment!
Have you shopped for $20k used cars recently? Almost all of them have over 60-70k miles or have terrible long term reliability. I did find a 2013 Lexus ES300H with 72k miles for sale for $18,250 out the door recently though.
Surprised no Fiesta ST mention!! Imo best bang for buck one-car-solution. Small outside, big inside, super efficient, runs on 87 octane, reliable and ~12k-15k. Easy to tune and super fun. Every car I’ve had since selling mine has been marginally better but cost almost double what I sold my FiST for
Oh, that is a great one, id be a little concerned on reliability (it’s one of very few cars that have overheated on me) but I haven’t done a deep dive into common issues and whatnot. Maybe I’ll drive one for a review sometime and that’ll make it into a future list oriented more toward enthusiasts!
@@Realistick oh interesting! I never had overheating issues with mine, though to be fair only really commuted in it and rarely got the chance to beat on it
Wow, varied and comprehensive list of options taking into consideration a wide range of budgets. Great work!
Thanks!
G20 3 Series is a great recommendation used at ~30k, thanks for adding it to this list. Both myself and a friend have been able to find CPO examples coming off lease with low miles and the previous owners being elderly. Some forum members have pushed them to surprisingly high mileage with no serious issues reported. I was shocked to find that from a BMW product, and if you dont believe me dig into the forums!
This is exactly the kind of video I was looking for! Keep it up!
One thing many people forget is that if you're a long time planner, its not about initial cost, its about cost of ownership over time. Sometimes a vehicle that costs $10K more initially actually has the same overall cost of ownership over a 10 year period. And that's really the trick, the less often you change vehicles the more you save, and so a new car can make the most sense especially if you factor in that "time is money" meaning for every hour you spend dropping off a vehicle at the shop or whatever, give that a $40/hr or whatever you make opportunity cost.
Also, another advantage of new over very lightly used/almost-new is that people are much more likely to sell a vehicle after a very short period of time because its a lemon that has given them issues. So while 1 in 100 new vehicle may be problematic, it might be 1 in 20 almost-new vehicles that are problematic!
Thank you for the insight. I hate the price on new vehicles these days since it has gone up crazily. However, the frugal mindset of buying a beat up car, then spending every month of so to fix them isn't worth it for me either.
Especially, living in a 3rd world country, where everyone is trying to make a buck, the percentage of buying a trash used car that some mechanic slaps a temporary fix is extremely high in my country. So a new budget car that get the job done is probably the way to go here.
I had a 2012 Honda Fit Sport with automatic that was a fun to drive economy car. It got 30 mpg, very reliable and space efficient. It's only problem was the air conditioning struggled when temperatures went above 90-degree F.
Glad you enjoyed that fit. I was considering one myself, but went with Si. I now, plan on selling m 15' si coupe with 120k miles. Has 3 accident, but is stock except on lowering springs. Am I selling the car short for only 10,400? Costmetic 8/10, rims I'd give 6/10. Clutch is roughtly 70% there. Clean title otherwise, never been totaled.
Used Accord V6 is an underrated car with a manual. It’s a very reliable engine and transmission and can last up to 400K miles with proper care.
Great video yet again Tyler, smart points, I'm still looking for the best first car, and $10K+ for me is too much. I consider less than 5K. Still thinking E39, E34, E38, Vibe GT, Z3
From my point of view of course, like maybe 2007 Camry hybrid or some Corolla will cost 3 times less to maintain, will be more economical and practical, but you can't outweigh the class, fun, beauty and soul of these BMWs
The Vibe GT is technically a Toyota, so it would be decently cheap to maintain.
If the camry hybrid hasn’t had the battery changed, id probably stay away but I’ll have a specific sub 10k video in the next month or so! Corollas are consistently strong (though some were known for excessive oil consumption, same with the vibe), an e46 bmw isn’t really that unreliable but the parts and maintenance can get pricey. I’m also an advocate for the five cylinder vw rabbit or mk5 golf over there (I think).
@@Realistick Yeah I meant Matrix as plan B option, but these E38, Z3, E34, E39 are really nice and somewhat still cheap, BMWs are quite popular in Georgia, but most of the drivers thrash them. Depending on my budget and market, E38 is the best option, beat up E34 least or E39
@@Realistick Appreciate your videos, great info. Been in the market for a cheap car but very torn and can't seem to decide. Not a car person here, what years/miles do you suggest I look for Rabbit? I think 2008-9
Some good recommendations here. Mostly safe ones here.
My apologies for the lack of visual editing for the Yaris iA, she deserves more respect than that🤕
Only coz it's a Mazda2 😉
There's also the Mitsubishi Mirage. I know people shit on them but they can be had new under $20k and used under $10k. They have amazing gas mileage at around 40MPGs on the highway. They have very cheap interiors and not a whole lot of tech though that doesn't bother me. So far my wife hasn't had any issues with her 2020 G4, though getting new tires can be difficult because most places don't regularly carry Mirage sized tires lol.
nothing wrong with mirage if you dont plan on doing trips too often cause you'll def feel that low hp driving long & you'll feel like a turtle vs rabbit. I drove a rio & I felt like I was in a lambo vs civic. Plus the 2023 mirage I drove, the steering was pulling to the left which left bad taste for me. Never did buy the car, even though the mpg's are great, just not for me. Plus, I could never bring a women into that car, I'd much rather pull up with a 90s civic and save the extra 18k on repairs/new engine
@@dbzownz12345 My wife's Mirage has done several road trips already, from Florida to North Carolina twice, Florida to Texas once and Florida to Michigan once. It can handle highway speeds and hold 80MPH though we try not to push higher than 70. The only complaint I've had is it's pushed around quite a bit from wind due to its lighter weight. We actually had our first accident today with, my father-in-law backed his Toyota C-HR into the side of my wife's Mirage and dented his rear quarter panel and only left a couple small indents in the Mirage's driverside passenger door. It just rolled 42k miles today and so far no mechanical issues, though we're pretty active on maintenance with oil and filter changes every 5000 to 7000 miles. I am curious on its longterm durability though, we got it new in 2020.
Used Elantra N is a good value.
Toyota Sequoia gas mileage? Awful ++
Ridgeline
Used car and new car market is set plummet by next year. Wait! Yaris? Would you want to be in wreck in one of those? In regard to Mazda, I would avoid those with cylinder cut-off, as in all the newer models. IMO
Honda fit no longer made in usa
would have def went with the fit & should have used my pandemic money to get a 2020 version before I spent it on crap.
You wonder why the Avalon was not more popular? Nice V6
Lexus Lite.
The Mustang and the Camaro are great choices for cheap speed.
🟦 This almost qualifies as a public service announcement
Love your videos, just wanted to say wow dude your'e looking fit as f@#$
I've got a Yaris iA and it's been a pleasure to drive. Painfully slow, but it only weighs about 2400 lbs and is really fun around the twisties. The 1.5L makes it rev happy as well so you can rev it out and still be under the speed limit lol. Also packed with features for a budget car and very reliable!
When I was in the market for a hatchback, I stayed the hell away from Mazda 3 or Speed. The grille is so fugly, ain’t no way Imma be seen in that uggo.
I went with a Honda Fit. One of the best decisions I’ve made among many good decisions.
Pls try to find good used cars for under 10k as well because there are few that can come in that price point
Video is already written!
@blink182izawsmIt seems you have not looked at Used Car pricing lately. No subcompact made after 2015 is less than about $15k. I was just looking. They were less than $20k pre-pandemic.
Much like the Frontier, the later 2nd gen Xterras are decent and don't suffer from the outrageous Toyota tax of the 4Runner.
Just don't buy before 2009.
Like your no nonsense getting to the point. Would like to hear cvt or not and gdi or not on every car.
Wish the si price would drop already 😭
I know this is an old video , what do you think of the 2013 Mazda 3 i , there is one in my neighborhood for sale cheap.
Thanks
Great recommendations!
Tyler, awesome job on your videos. You have a good sense of humor as well.
Thanks, glad you enjoy them!
A used Alfa Romeo Giulia is a pretty good deal imo and can be found under $30k. Some of the 2017s had issues but seems like owners are happy with the 2018+ MY and they are pretty fun to drive. Steering and suspension was developed by Ferrari engineers. The 2.0T engine is also in the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep owners in forums say it’s pretty reliable.
So $30k vehicles are considered “budget“ vehicles now? 🤦♂️
I mean, if you’re getting a 2 year old car that was $50k new, then yeah, that’s a strong value for someone with a budget of $30k. If thirty grand makes you shiver, you can stop watching after the $20k segment!
Unfortunately, it is nowadays. Average price of a new car is around $50k.
Sadly yes.
Have you shopped for $20k used cars recently? Almost all of them have over 60-70k miles or have terrible long term reliability. I did find a 2013 Lexus ES300H with 72k miles for sale for $18,250 out the door recently though.
Unfortunately anything solid below 15k you are getting over 100k miles easily haha
Surprised no Fiesta ST mention!! Imo best bang for buck one-car-solution. Small outside, big inside, super efficient, runs on 87 octane, reliable and ~12k-15k. Easy to tune and super fun. Every car I’ve had since selling mine has been marginally better but cost almost double what I sold my FiST for
Oh, that is a great one, id be a little concerned on reliability (it’s one of very few cars that have overheated on me) but I haven’t done a deep dive into common issues and whatnot. Maybe I’ll drive one for a review sometime and that’ll make it into a future list oriented more toward enthusiasts!
@@Realistick oh interesting! I never had overheating issues with mine, though to be fair only really commuted in it and rarely got the chance to beat on it
First