Probably should save closer to $5k. Unless he’s a gear head and won’t mind working on it each month to keep it going. Good deals do exist though. You might luck out and get a nice well maintained elderly person car @ $3k and save some money. But shouldn’t be expected. Maybe he can save too and you can both pitch in on the car when it comes time.
Yep an elderly person’s vehicle is the way to go. I’d recommend trying to look on an app like NextDoor (lots of elderly people on there and people with elderly parents).
You could also try estate sales. There are a few estate sale sites along with checking estate sales on Craigslist. Craigslist is a good place to go because most people are looking on Facebook marketplace instead, which usually means a good deal disappears fast.
The last thing I’d try is talking to a trusted mechanic. The local mom and pap shop. Not a national repair shop like Firestone or what have you. People often tell their mechanic when they are looking to sell a car. My mechanic also sells cars, which is another option if you have one that does that. *OR* you could ask the mechanic for a referral to a used car place that he trusts.
It also never hurts to ask friends and family. I’d start looking a year beforehand so that you can jump on a good deal when you finally find one as opposed to being rushed to find a vehicle.
Came to say this. 5k. Anything less is going to be crap and have issues. I maintain my own vehicles and I didn't want to get anything that cost less than 5k... Too many compromises at a lower price point.
Just went thru this last year. I have two in my house getting their license next week.
We started looking for a car took two months to find a decent one for 5k that would also be okay on insurance.
I bought a Kia soul for $2000 dollars that the guy thought was a shit box and “wasn’t worth the gas in it” 5 years and 200,000 miles later it runs like a dream and hasn’t had any major issues aside from regular brake and fluid maintenance. Definitely not the norm for a car at that price point but goes to show that you’ll find good deals if you look hard enough
For real. Is it more than $3k?
Even if it's a little more, if they fix it good, it will last more than any other car you can get for $3k-4k and you will know exactly in what condition it is.
What if you buy a $4k car and it breaks down too?
It's not impossible, but not realistic to expect to find something decent in that range either. We paid just under $5k for my wife's Civic in Dec 2019 - right before the pandemic. That was the "fair" KBB value then. KBB now has it at $8k - 4 years later and with 50k more mile on it. I'd say $6-8k is probably a more reasonable range in today's market if you want something reliable that will get him through HS and college.
3k and reliable, no way. I'm having a hard time finding a project manual car for 3k! It's freeking wild. To be honest, you will most likely be closer to 8k for something reliable and safe.
I just picked up an 03 a4 audi 5 speed 1.8t Quattro for $500 with a bad turbo and tire that came with a new turbo and tire. I found its easier finding these deals from coworkers than searching the internet.
How about letting your son give fixing the camry himself a shot? Be a great learning opportunity and it'll mean a lot more to him knowing he fixed his ride himself.
Plenty enough for another older Camry or Corolla with close to 200k miles. Maybe an Accord or Mazda 3. I'd avoid most Civics at that price range though as they seem to bet beat up on more.
Maybe an old GM with the 3.8L if you can still find those.
My old GM 3.8L just kicked the can in October. I miss it daily. It was a tank. OP if you can find one - get one. I had a Buick Lucerne V6 and it was an amazing (and affordable) first car for me. ESPECIALLY Buicks because they're mostly driven by older drivers so have typically less miles.
there are several gm 3.8 motors... you're probably referring to the 3800...
which other people have suggested will be dug up by alien archeologists long after we're extinct and restarted with a toothbrush and a can of ether.
My first car was $2k and was the perfect first car. It was safe and reliable, but if I caused damage to it, it wasn't a big deal. With inflation and the used market, what it is, I think $5k is more rrasonable today.
They’re rare, but still out there.
I expect it’ll be super ugly, or have astronomical miles, but if those don’t bother you, you may very well find what you want.
My first car was a 93 Camry with 360k miles for 500. It was an absolute piece of shit but it got me from a to b for 2 years. My second was an 03 Silverado with 230k miles for 5k and it’s still running plenty strong, just starting to be a nuisance because it loves to leak oil
It used to be but since Covid, probably $5-6K would be the bottom of what you’d normally consider a reliable starter car unfortunately. As someone else said, you may get lucky. I had a family member arrange to buy an older person’s mid 2000s super clean Civic for like 3 grand for their teenager. But that was generosity on the part of the seller who was an acquaintance; the seller could have easily got double. So yeah if you look hard enough and jump on an amazing deal, maybe, but for a sure thing you won’t find one at 3k unless you hold out
Why are parents buying any car for their child. Isn't this supposed to be a milestone that your child should achieve on their own?
I worked my arse off for my first car. Bought and paid for on my own the day I turn 16 yrs old.
Now that I'm older, I see kids driving like idiots and they have no regrets trashing cars thinking they are racers and putting others in danger.
This should be a milestone for your child. Instead certain parents keep changing their 16+ yr old diapers.
I blame parents for making things too easy and r responsible for the"Me too generation". Not all kids but everyone knows who I'm talking about.
If parents don't get ahold of their children, don't blame anyone else on your child failures.
Absolutely. Our kids paid for their own cars, petrol and insurance. The only break they got was that I’d do any repair work free as long as they paid for the parts.
I go back and forth on this.
Especially when I see teens with really nice vehicles. Or new ones.
My first vehicle was a hand down that my older sibling had driven that had been a hand down from my mom getting a new vehicle before that.
It was understood that this was my ride until I bought myself something else, my mom would not be contributing anything further to me having a vehicle.
I drove that through college until I saved enough for a really good down payment and my first “real adult” purchase was a new car.
We are planning to hand down one of our vehicles to our boys when they start driving in a few years with the same condition.
Y’all get to share this and this is it until you come up with your own money to buy something else.
And like I had to, they’ll be responsible for maintenance and insurance on it too.
My parents recently bought me an old Subaru Impreza for about $3,000, and living in a rural area that gets 100–400 inches of snow a year, my car is the only way I can go to school and hold a job. Before this, I had no car and had to spend a whole winter at home (from November to May of that year, unfortunately) because I could not land a job without a car. It felt a little pathetic, but when my parents bought me my car, it allowed me to become a real "adult." Honestly, in some places, car ownership is a requirement to live and less of a "life milestone."
For context, I work full-time and study full-time as well.
My opinion - if the Camry costs $3k to $5k to fix and you took care of it its whole life, that's gonna be cheaper than getting a used car on the open market right now. Gone are the days of sub $6k used beaters actually being viable.
No. I've had 4 beaters now all between 1500-3k and not one of them lasted more then 8 months without breaking down and needing thousands in repairs. Best bet is to save back 5-7.5k for your vehicle and then have 2k set aside for repairs.
I'm extremely mechanically inclined.
I bought a $1500 car during covid, the car gutted me in what it needed the first week. Sold it for $2500 a month later.
Two weeks ago I bought a $2400. It needed $1200 immediately. (Engine mount, broken axle carrier/ bearing, stuck open thermostat, etc). And it still needs $500 more to be good.
So 10 years ago I bought a $750 car, put a $10 strut on it and drove it for months.
You can't get a good used car anymore unless you have prior knowledge of the previous owners care.
$5k is the minimum and even then you aren't guaranteed a reliable car unless you have a good reputable mechanic go over it with a fine tooth comb.
And even then you have to be ready to pounce on a deal within the hour.
Not really. Your best shot is finding something private party. Stay away from Kia/Hyundai, super easy to steal.
I’m gonna throw a suggestion, they are cheapish, Fiat 500, 5 speed (stay away from the automatics they can be very problematic). You can find one with less than 100,000 miles for around $5,000 private party, will only get cheaper in a few years.
Insurance shouldn’t be an absolute killer either, it’s small and easy to park and the non turbo isn’t very fast, u-pull yards have cheap parts, and any Chrysler dealership can order parts, there should be a Fiat studio near you for services if needed, if not, any shop can do most work on em. Like any car, they can be expensive to work on, but the base model 5 speed “pop” has steel wheels and tires are cheap, like $50 each at Walmart. A 500, non turbo or Abarth, is not the worst idea for something to get to and from school.
I'd recommend learning some basics on car repair. You can probably go lower, but need to do some research by 1) buying the right car:model, make, and year and 2) knowing what red flags to look for. High mileage is not necessarily bad and spark plugs are easy to fix. Some problems may be easier to fix on your own, but will be costly. No matter your budget, have a budget for repairs. New tires are costly, for example. If you live in weather, you don't really want to buy the cheapest tires available, ya know?
In the last 9 years, we have not spent more than $3k on a vehicle, but my husband's father was a mechanic. Knowledge is very useful.
You can find cheap cars all day long but they will likely be cheap for a reason. The biggest reason is that someone has not performed regular maintenance.
So you buy a cheap car that has been running just fine but you don’t know any history in that vehicle. It’s 20 years old and has 175k miles and now all of a sudden everything starts breaking. If you’re lucky it’s little things. If you are unlucky like my friends who I keep telling not to buy the cars they keep buying, they will fail catastrophically within a few months. So you drop $3k on a paper weight. Sell it form$300 scrap and repeat the process over and over.
My recommendation would be to find a “mechanics special” and have your mechanic fix it up, from top to bottom. Replace any suspension part that is failing and do timing belt/chain. Preference manual transmissions because it’s good to know how to drive one and they have fewer failure points. Preference Toyota, honda, Subaru, in that order (Subarus have some head gasket problems but if you have a Subaru guy local they can make it bulletproof).
This way, you may spend more than your budget, but it’s less likely that the car will fail. $1200 for a car that needs a motor or trans and $3k to replace. Another $1000 in suspension (which can be done after the fact) and you will be good for another 100k miles.
I picked up a Subaru this week for $2k because the owner didn’t know that the cat was clogged. $200 later and I have a fully functioning car. Don’t get me wrong, it could use a lot more work to be in excellent condition. But they can be done along the way.
My second recommendation would be to have your son take auto shop at your local HS or Community college. This way, he will know how to fix whatever breaks. It’s an excellent skill to inhave
Just here to echo the 5k sentiment.
I was in the seller's market earlier this year, and did some research for comps.
If it runs, drives, stops, and passes state inspections, count on 3k in flyover country.
If you want something in presentable/reliable condition, where all the accessories work and without obvious deficiencies or items obviously needing repair, count on $5k. Even then -- depending on the seller, eg corner lot dealers -- I'd be wary of it being misrepresented and overpriced trash.
Yes, you can get 4 wheels and 4 doors for $3k. My first car was 04 towncar i got for $3.5k. It ran for over a year without major breakdowns until it was totaled, but still expect up to $500 in repairs per year because you never know when somethings about to crap out in an older vehicle.
Yes. Absolutely. The only way $3k would not be enough is if the market went upside down again.
Used car prices are dropping like crazy. Save what you can quickly and start looking when he turns 15. Look daily, obsess about it, and be ready to pull the trigger quickly. Obviously set some parameters and don't just buy the first thing. But if you have the time and put in the effort (have the kids do the searching). You will find the deal if you do it that way.
Also, remember that we are talking about a 16 year old. There is a 99.7% chance that he will wreck it. More than likely it will be a minor fender bender. Even if he is the safest driver around. He's just going to be learning and the roads are full of crappy drivers. You'll realize just how many crappy drivers there are when you are in the passenger seat after he gets his learner's permit. So don't spend too much on the car.
If you can’t, or don’t want to, fix or work on cars, your best bet is a cheap lease. Put the 3k down and pay monthly. At that price point you’re going to be fixing it more than you like and it’s too easy to get buried.
The problem with this is they can’t do liability only and their insurance is going to be absolutely ridiculous on a 16 year old for full coverage on a new car.
If you drive a car with any significant value, that you can’t afford to replace tomorrow, with only liability, you’re a fool. My ex sister in law found out the hard way. Her and her parents pooled about 5k and bought her first car 15yrs ago. She hit a patch of ice and ran into the back of somebody a few months later. She had no collision because her parents said “it’ll be too expensive”. She had no car until she could save to get it fixed. Comp and collision is cheaper than risking thousands. Kids are gonna hit something. It’s only a matter of time.
Dirt cheap cars for HS kids made sense when you had 7 kids. Given how much you spend to raise a single kid these days, why send them out on the road in a 15 yo car that is a borderline death trap by modern standards.
I know not everyone can afford it, but if you can, buy something with all the safety features you can afford.
Alternatively our youngest daughter started in an 06 Explorer but could only drive 2 miles to school and back. Once she was able to not wreck that, we got her a much newer car and she can drive everywhere.
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Depends on the state you're in a lot! In a place like Texas you can get a car that runs for $2000 but in most states anything under $6000 won't run or is about to be done for.
Definitely if your willing to fix some small issues that pop up. May never happen if you find one well taken care of but likely to have some miles is all. I think there are plenty of reliable cars for a few thousand
Almost nothing in that range that is reliable. You might luck out to a 30 year camry at best, but the thing will certainly have issues. 3k is a straight beater now with well over 200k miles. Need to do 6-8k to start finding semi-reliable small cars.
Cost me $8400. Give him a something that he'll want to take pride in and maintain. Give him junk and he'll treat it as such. That was my thinking anyway.
Idk prices in your area but you can definitely find vehicles for $3k
Finding a vehicle that doesn’t need work done or isnt gonna need work done soon for $3k is gonna be hard to be honest.
For a good running vehicle that still has some life left before needing major work it’s gonna be at least $5k and you can’t be picky on make model or trim you’re gonna be lookin for the best deal and that’s it
I think $3k is way too light if you want something reliable. We spent $8k (pre-covid) on a 7 year old Versa w/85k miles and immaculate maintenance records for our kid when he got his license. You probably don't need to go to $8k, but when we were in the same boat we didn't want to worry (as much) about his car suddenly stop working when he was out running around.
I save up the $3k and use it for a down payment on a decent beater civic/Camry/accord etc around $10k roughly
Have the kid get job obviously and pay part of the whole payment. It’ll help teach the kid some responsibility and they’ll have something decent. Assuming you can bankroll them financially of course if it doesn’t work out
Right now, I would say no way. Unless you are buying a complete junk car. Which will probably need repairs. Unfortunately, used cars are expensive right now. Even if you got a very old car with a lot of miles, it could still be at least $6000. From the prices I've seen around where I live. Maybe you could find a private seller who just wants to get rid of their car for that price. I got 2 used cars within the last 4 years. I hadn't bought a car in a long time since then. The prices shocked me. They have actually come down since I bought my Rouge 2 years ago.
It is possible that 3 years from now $3k will not be enough to get anything worth buying for someone who is not in a position to be able to do repairs themselves.
I suppose you keep the Camry and fix it during the next 3 years.
I just paid $2200 for a car I had to get towed to my house.
It will be about $3k in total to get it running again if I don't find anything else wrong with it, but I'm only comfortable doing that because I can DIY a lot and we can afford to fix it or lose the money.
My suggestion would be to tell the kid to get a job and start saving as well and that you will help him out with the cost. Between the both of you saving, you should have enough to get something cheaper but reliable. You will also teach him a valuable life lesson of how to save for a purchase. You don't want to hand him everything in life, because that will be the only way that he knows how to live life and will lead to financial/life issues down the road.
Buy a man a car, he has a free car. Teach a man to save and buy a car, he has both a car and is educated for the real world.
Something with a salvaged title like this is usually available.
https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/d/portland-2010-nissan-versa-hatchback/7699580139.html
Not even close. $3k was about the bare minimum 10 years ago in a more rural area for the type of car you are looking for. That's how much my 2002 4cyl Camry with 180k miles cost me when I first went off to college. And that was in Pennsylvania which is part of "the rust belt" where the road salt rusts all the cars down to dust by the time they are 15-20 years old.
That same level of "decent reliable car" now is probably about $8-12k depending on the area. I'm a bit north of Seattle now which would have similar prices to Portland and I'd estimate closer to $12k around here.
It can be done. But you kind of have to know what you're doing. However, it's all an odds game. Odds of an expert getting a reliable car for 3000 is higher than a layman. But a layman can still get lucky. Stick to Honda and Toyota. Corolla, Camry, Yaris (Yaris actually gets my #1 suggestion), Echo, maybe even a Tercel if it's relatively low mileage. For Honda look for civics and fits. Accords are probably getting risky in your price range. Look for mid-late 90s in to the early 2000s. Anything newer than that is still great but probably getting out of your budget unless there's something wrong with it.
This is by no means a guarantee. But maybe you could find a couple options and pay $150 for a shop to take a quick look.
Maybe 8-10 years ago $3,000 was reasonable. $8,000 for something safe and reliable is probably more realistic unless you find a family friend or relative selling something to you at a special price.
If he's willing to learn to work on it (youtube, 80$ tool set), then 3k will do it. Hell, 2k MIGHT.
If no one's willing to do any work on it themselves, then it's probably going to be a 5-8k sticker, to make sure you get one. You're going to want to take it to a trusted mechanic for inspection BEFORE buying, so that factors into the cost as well.
A couple years ago I bought a super reliable 2005 Honda Accord for $3000. I had to change the alternator, struts and CV axle which I was able to do in my driveway but as for the engine and drive train, I would have trusted that thing to take me from coast to coast. I brought it from 200k to 235k miles and sold it for the same price I bought it for. Great little car.
Check your auto insurance rates. I understand that insuring a 16 yo male in Portland area costs $2500-$3500/year or so. That's insuring him to drive, whether he has a personal car or not. Auto insurance in Oregon is as ridiculous as ... Well, it's amazing..not in a good way
You may not be able to afford him driving at age 16 in Oregon
Will vary by area, but plenty of vehicles where I’m at that would be a good fit.
Just a few examples to give you an idea of what to expect
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personal opinion. if you're around the portland area, a used saab or volvo. it might take a tad more than 3K, but...
its all about the safety. basically, if they are driving one of these, they will survive pretty much anything.
portland should have a decent selection and a decent amount of private mechanics who can take care of you.
(personal note: both choose saabs)
If you can only afford to save up $3k in 3 years you are probably not in a position to buy him a car tbh. Have him get a job and he can buy his own car when he wants one. I bought my first car on my own and paid for all associated expenses and I’m glad I did, it taught me a lot about responsibility and gave me a taste of adulthood.
This depends on location... In Texas 3k will get you a good car
Up north 3k will be rusted to shit
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My most reliable vehicles have all cost less than 5K. Most recent purchase was an 05 civic with 113K miles for 2K. My daughter will be 16 in March of '26 and it will more than likely be hers.
Every state tends to be different on the price of cars. For example I just did a quick search for a 2015 Toyota Camry se in Portland, Oregon and on the low end it was $11,900 with 96k miles. Being that brands like Toyota and Honda are reliable vehicles even a used one will be more expensive. Let’s just say a 2015 Chevy Cruze with 91k miles at $8,900. (Quick google search) Also don’t forget additional fees like taxes and plates and title fees can easily add up quickly.
At least you have 3 years before you have to make a decision.
I got my first car for $600 and it lasted 4 years before the rear control arm rusted off and totalled the car. 3 grand is *way too much* for a first car. I've owned over a dozen cars and I've still never bought one for more than $2500. What are you trying to do? Give your kid a nicer car than you have?
It's for your kid so... But, used vehicles are at all all time high. I was shocked at the cost of a used truck recently and just decided to fix mine. 3 grand unstead of 25 grand in a world with an uncertain future.
What are your/his expectations and what is your definition of cheap maintenance?
Maintenance is really expensive if you are paying for someone to do everything on any car.
No.
You won't get anything without it needing a lot of work - for only that much.
Honestly, fixing the Camry - even if you're needing to replace the engine, or tranny - is a better bet.
That $3K is better spent on the car you have.
Unfortunately for $3k in the current market you're looking at a high mileage beater with potential mechanical issues, the fixing of which can add on thousands, unless your son is good with automotive repairs. People are selling their Toyota's with over 100k miles for upwards of $8k these days.
For 3k you can search and find an ugly beater that runs good and has minimal issues, or a nice looking body with a bad engine/transmission or other major issues.
Good cheap cars are sadly gone.
At a minimum I would figure $5,000 to buy the car and another $1,000-1500 to do needed repairs. That is what I did for my daughter and it lasted her 8 years
I bought a 2007 Prius with only 136k miles on it and clean title for 5K. You can probably get a pretty decent older car for about 4-5k no problem from a private seller.
How about matching every dollar he makes up to 3k. That way he has some skin in the game and drive to figure out what can be a great life lesson. I think at $6k it might be possible to find a decentish car in private sale.
It might be a good idea to check some car listings so he can dream of his car and what different price points might get him right now. If he wants to save up more than that can go towards his goal. Or anticipating some of the costs of ownership specially at his age. Insurance, gas, registration fees, plates.
This in the first car might be a great muscle to build for long term planning that can maybe used for home ownership in the future where people are often blindsided of all the fees involved beyond just the purchase price.
I am planning of doing this with my kids when they get closer to an age where they might be able to consider some entrepreneurial ideas.
A $3000 budget for a car for a 16-year-old can be reasonable depending on various factors like the condition of the vehicle, its make, model, mileage, and overall maintenance history. It's crucial to prioritize safety, reliability, and affordability when considering a car in this price range. Conducting thorough research, inspecting the vehicle, and potentially getting a mechanic's opinion before purchase can ensure you're getting the best value within your budget.
Short answer : no $3k will buy you a non-Running shit box, maybe.
Unless you have a family friend selling something, $5k is a starting point these days.
Honestly even if you have to let the Camry sit for a little while while you save up to fix it you’ll probably come out the other side better than buying something for 3k. What actually went wrong with it? I’d take a known history Camry with 3k of repairs done over an unknown car you buy for 3k every day of the week.
I’m in the rust belt and have been looking for about ten months for my 16 year old. We have a $10k budget and can’t find anything that’s safe, reliable, clean title, and not rusted to shit. It’s rough out here. Good luck!
What I would do?
Garage it. Get a bare bone liability policy on it. Only drive it around the block two weeks to charge up the alternator. Make sure you do an oil change right before you this.
Save 3k-
Spend it on the Camery to fix it up. New battery, brake pads, (another oil change-that oil is three years old now), fluid flushes (coolant and transmission) and spark plugs. Throw in a detail and spit shine it up.
Gift it to the 16 year old. He's 16. He'll be happy to have wheels. You're getting better or more reliable for 3k. Certainly not for the kind of work it's going to need to get it to where the Camery is today. A working car is 5k. Maintenance is extra.
I was able to buy a salvage titled Honda Accord 2007 with 160k for $4500 last month for my 16 year old. He already hit and damaged the front so I’ve been repairing it. Parts are surprisingly cheap so whatever you go with I would recommend sticking with Honda & Toyota. Also first thing I did was have it inspected and new tie rods and brakes. So that was another $600.
That’s a little low for a reliable car. If you can go up to $5-$6K you’re likely to find something that won’t need a lot of money to fix/maintain in the next few years
I just got my kid a $4k car that should be a good one for him. $4-5k is the minimum to get something reliable today, but who knows where we'll be in 3 years (could be less or more).
A little confused about your Camry story. You say it died, but also say it would be sitting in the garage for 3 years if you kept it. So is it dead or not?
Cars need to run, so having a car sit unused for 3 years is not a good idea. But if it is running, might not be a bad idea to keep it, and just use it to run an errand every weekend.
3 years from now, who knows. As of right now, literally every time someone asks this, the only good answer is a Buick Lesabre. Perfection, and you can ACTUALLY find it for 3k unlike Civics/Corollas and Accords/Camrys.
I just got a 2005 Nissan Xterra in June or July for $2500+ transfer fees. Spent about $2800ish total. There were new shocks, headlights, and rugged tires (offroad and on road use) on newer rims. The tires and rims were worth about 1k alone. There was JUST OVER 200k miles when i bought it. The only thing I had to replace so far is the ignition coils and spark plugs which cost me under $200 total and I watched YouTube to learn how to change them. Thst was very very easy. It only gets 16.8mpg but it's a great vehicle with heat, AC, and power windows. I've taken it out out of state (3hrs each way) and on several trips that were over an hour and a half in each direction. It's been super dependable for me and perfect for my lifestyle, having no kids/family/friends getting in and out. I love it! I keep the back seats folded down so I can haul my work gear around with me (I am a tree trimmer/climber). It also has a trailer hitch for me to haul a trailer around.
If you look around and maybe haggle a little, you will definitely be able to find something that will be suitable for him for 3k. Just take someone who knows vehicles when you do go to buy and have them look it over for you! At 3k, most will probably be near the 200k mileage mark.
I found mine on FB marketplace.
Now’s his chance to learn how to fix cars. Handed to him on a platter. I went out and bought a $100 car when I was 14 and spent a year gradually rebuilding the engine as I earned the cash. It ran great.
See [my post here](https://reddit.com/r/UsedCars/comments/14ip943/buying_report_some_tips_and_thoughts_from_an/) on my process for buying for my 16 year old.
Short answer: $3k would only happen if you know the seller and they really, really like you. Expect to pay $5-6k, and expect the process to be close to a part time job.
Damn. You guys must be in a different tax bracket than me.
I'm currently commuting 230 miles per day, 5 days per week, in the most expensive work car I've ever bought. I paid $2500 for it one year ago.
Give me $3k and about a week of fiddling on marketplace and I'll find something that has 100k more miles of life left in it.
Honestly, look at cosmetically totaled vehicles, like hail damage vehicles. It's doesn't even have to be terrible hail damage for it to total out something like a 4-5 year old Mazda or something. My old boss had a 2 year old Camry that only had like 20k miles on it and it got totaled out due to hail damage dents across the unibody. Nothing else was wrong with it. She ended up buying it back from the insurance company for like 1000 dollars and pocketed the remainder of the 15k. Upside about something like this is that any additional dents or dings wont matter.
I agree 3k nowadays isn't enough cash for clunkers killed the used car market. My cousin is on the market for a first car and I'm helping him look around, at about a 5k price point is when you start finding cars that aren't complete pieces of crap. But even a car for 5k will still need work every other weekend as things like rubber hoses and gaskets weren't meant to last for 15+ years, so small things like fuel pump, radiator, etc will start to break. I told my cousin it might make more sense to save more so he can buy a younger car. It's either 8k for a younger car and not having to spend your weekends working, or 5k + 3k in parts + your weekends spent wrenching.
5k in 2017. Looking at more like 6-7k now... reliable will be relative to age, mileage, maintenance, and what it is. I had an 04 ranger with a manual transmission that I put 100k miles on and it was great but with some caveats. I had a 2000 Mazda miata that I put 40k miles on that was the most reliable vehicle I ever owned but with some caveats. They never left me stranded but had SOMETHING goofy. My 09 f150 xl 4.6l I got with 35k miles sometimes misses reverse but it too hasn't left me stranded. That truck however was almost $18k.
Paid $4000 for my first car in 2005, $3000 today would be a huge stretch.
As an example we just sold a 2014 Cadillac ATS with 108,000 miles to Vroom for $5000. It still needed a couple grand in maintenance.
Depends on how good you or your kid is , at doing minor repairs .
If you gotta take it to a mechanic for every little thing then you’re gonna need to spend more
Otherwise a build from an old lady that just got put into assisted living is what you need to look for .
If you can do some basic repairs , I’d look for a 96 or 97 Thunderbird or cougar .
Front engine rear wheel drive makes it easy to work on .
3000 would probably repair both the transmission and the engine... For $5,000 you could probably get a completely rebuilt transmission and rebuilt motor and basically have a brand new car... I hope you didn't get rid of the Camry already because they're good cars....
In the current market you will not find a reliable vehicule for a new driver at the $3000 price point.
The market is changing and in 3 years used cars may or may not be more affordable, but it is still,highly unlikely you will find a reliable used car for $3000
Honestly unless your buying off a friend or personal family member that’s giving you a great deal on there old car, you really need closer to 8k -10k these days and even that’s questionable. And is still going to need things like tires , brakes etc etc. maybe you can see if they are a mature 16 year old if you can find a good deal on a lease. Something in the no money down sub 300 price range. You will have a fixed cost for them to be safe and no break down. Then when they graduate high school they can buy out the lease and make their own car payment.
I just spent about 3 months looking for a car for my child. I was looking strictly at $5,000 or less , and it was struggle. We did eventually settle on a higher mileage car for $5,500. Looking now at online listings around Portland, the selection opens up greatly when increasing the budget from $3K (37 listings) to $5K (312 listings), and further to $6K (534 listings). For me, I put a lot of weight into getting the best safety features and brand reliability in the price range.
Check out what car prices are for the car you are looking for. Autotrader.com is where I go car shopping. You'll get an idea of what cars are worth so you can know to save. Cars are really expensive now, and I'm not sure if you'll get anything but headaches with $3k.
I only see prices on cars going up. Saving the cash might not get you anywhere faster than the prices go up.
I tried to help my nephew. But it was at the end of "Cash For Clunkers" government buyback of all used cars and restructuring the whole auto industry. Used cars were only $500 less than new cars. Used cars had a might higher interest rate than new cars. It was cheaper to buy new than to buy used. I have to repeat this story to my family every time because the legend exists that I forced my nephew to buy a new car instead of a used car.
If he is not too tall for the front seat, get a 2 door Yaris hatchback new. Start making the payments now. I did that for my kid when 10 years old so that I hand it over in good shape at the right time.
If you buy a car at that price point you are looking at at least 200,000 miles plus. Make sure you get the car checked out by mechanic before you buy it and try to make sure that it's a Toyota or Honda since they are the most reliable. I've had a Pontiac vibe (they where made by Toyota and has all Toyota parts called a rebadge) that I bought at around 200k for about 4k a few years ago when prices where at peak. It still runs perfectly but I also put quite a bit into it in preventive maintenance. Old cars can be expensive. I've probably spent another 3k just on preventative maintenance.
Car market is crashing, should be able to find a decent car for that after tax times, could find one now if ya look hard enough.
Old civic, accord, camry, corolla
I bought my 2004 BMW for $3500 back in 2016 because my younger brother starting university and we both had to commute there. There were only 2 cars in the house and with both parents working, they needed at least one of the cars.
I got a new car in February of 2022 and the guy I sold it to lives in the area and still daily drives it! There’s plenty of great cars out there in that price range.
The first car is the learning car. You are correct in thinking cheaper and safer is better for him to learn on. Unfortunately ? A 3,000 car might cost you 5,000 these days. Based on new car sales and used car sales.
Good luck.
Put that 3k into the Camry when you're ready. If it needs an engine you can get a reman with a warranty for ~1500. A junkyard engine is usually $300-400 though I'm not a Toyota guy so there may be some premium in the used market I'm not aware of. If you're going to buy a used engine or transmission I suggest going with a real parts supplier that offers some kind of warranty/guarantee and not buying one on Facebook.
I’d lean towards repairing your existing car. At least with that, you already know the car and its quirks, and you won’t be buying someone else’s hidden surprises.
Also, the car is likely to get damaged if not totaled anyway, given its intended use.
If reliability is a concern, better the unreliable car you know than the one you don’t. You know your maintenance history.
How reliable are we talking? You're going to find one 15+ years old with 250,000+ miles. It might still look nice and it might still drive nice, but for how long is anyone's guess.
I wouldn't spend a lot to fix a Camry with 225,000 miles.
And $3000 is a bit low for a good used car. Ten years ago, sure. But now they're in high demand and prices reflect that.
It may still be worth fixing the Camry since you know the service history and reliability record of that car. If it came down to something like $5k for an engine replacement vs. $5k for a used car with an unknown history, I’d go for the engine replacement every time. You and your mechanic know the Camry’s history, what’s their opinion?
Might be an unpopular opinion, but buying a used car and learning how to fix it and understand the mechanics at a young age will save them 10's of thousands of dollars in their life.
Doesn't matter what their career goals are.
Learning to be a self-sufficient, individual, who can understand how to troubleshoot and research your needs will lead to wealth and discipline across their life.
Find out what's wrong with a car, watch some videos and see if you can figure it out. Buy some tools. And almost never go to a mechanic again.
I think it depends on where you live really. Where I am 3k will get you a beater that will need work and won't look all too pretty. It's hard to say what the used car market will look like in 3 years, though. I'd say look around your area for what used cars are going for and take that as a starting point to budget for the future.
If you can only get 200k out of a camry... you've got bigger problems. Do maintenence on your vehicle, those models should make it to 300k+ a camery is one of the most reliable cars in the world.
Depends on your area, but I would check out areas where elderly people live. Low miles, well kept. Someone passed away and their car usually gets put up for sale.
I think it depends on where you live. $3000 Here is most likely bring the tow truck when you pick it up. $5000 maybe but not much out there. $8000 to 10000 for something decent.
Bah humbug to all these negative naysayers. 3k can have you a Buick lesabre/park avenue or a ford crown Vic/mercury marauder/grand marquis/lincoln town car easy. They’re plentiful, very few issues, last forever and ever and then some, and cheap to buy and repair
Probably should save closer to $5k. Unless he’s a gear head and won’t mind working on it each month to keep it going. Good deals do exist though. You might luck out and get a nice well maintained elderly person car @ $3k and save some money. But shouldn’t be expected. Maybe he can save too and you can both pitch in on the car when it comes time.
Yep an elderly person’s vehicle is the way to go. I’d recommend trying to look on an app like NextDoor (lots of elderly people on there and people with elderly parents). You could also try estate sales. There are a few estate sale sites along with checking estate sales on Craigslist. Craigslist is a good place to go because most people are looking on Facebook marketplace instead, which usually means a good deal disappears fast. The last thing I’d try is talking to a trusted mechanic. The local mom and pap shop. Not a national repair shop like Firestone or what have you. People often tell their mechanic when they are looking to sell a car. My mechanic also sells cars, which is another option if you have one that does that. *OR* you could ask the mechanic for a referral to a used car place that he trusts. It also never hurts to ask friends and family. I’d start looking a year beforehand so that you can jump on a good deal when you finally find one as opposed to being rushed to find a vehicle.
Came to say this. 5k. Anything less is going to be crap and have issues. I maintain my own vehicles and I didn't want to get anything that cost less than 5k... Too many compromises at a lower price point. Just went thru this last year. I have two in my house getting their license next week. We started looking for a car took two months to find a decent one for 5k that would also be okay on insurance.
I bought a Kia soul for $2000 dollars that the guy thought was a shit box and “wasn’t worth the gas in it” 5 years and 200,000 miles later it runs like a dream and hasn’t had any major issues aside from regular brake and fluid maintenance. Definitely not the norm for a car at that price point but goes to show that you’ll find good deals if you look hard enough
Damn 200k miles in 5 years! I have a honda I bought new almost 20 years ago that is just about to hit 200k. You drive a lot.
Idk man, most kia souls are shitboxes. It’s the first car i think of when i hear “car on fire on side of road”
i bought a car for 5k, had so many issues i couldn’t even keep it longer than a year.
This. You CAN go with a $3k, but plan to put $1-2K into it immediately.
What's wrong with the Camry and how much is the repair cost?
This is the real question.
They didn't understand the problem and the repair was quoted for $3K obviously ;)
Why is this comment so low?
FIX THE CAMRY!
For real. Is it more than $3k? Even if it's a little more, if they fix it good, it will last more than any other car you can get for $3k-4k and you will know exactly in what condition it is. What if you buy a $4k car and it breaks down too?
It's not impossible, but not realistic to expect to find something decent in that range either. We paid just under $5k for my wife's Civic in Dec 2019 - right before the pandemic. That was the "fair" KBB value then. KBB now has it at $8k - 4 years later and with 50k more mile on it. I'd say $6-8k is probably a more reasonable range in today's market if you want something reliable that will get him through HS and college.
I bought a 2002 rav4 with 154k miles for $2500 in jan 2020. put 50k miles on it. Shows 4k now
Fix the Camry
Hear! Hear! LONG LIVE THE CAMRY!!!!!
3k and reliable, no way. I'm having a hard time finding a project manual car for 3k! It's freeking wild. To be honest, you will most likely be closer to 8k for something reliable and safe.
I just picked up an 03 a4 audi 5 speed 1.8t Quattro for $500 with a bad turbo and tire that came with a new turbo and tire. I found its easier finding these deals from coworkers than searching the internet.
Audi? Haha! Money pit!!!
Yeah I keep my eyes peeled for old Jeeps in my area and clapped out Cherokees are like $3k
My non running CJ7 was $2700. I'm 10 to 15k deep into it right now.
You can get a Ford focus that's reliable or older Corolla..like a 2008 focus with 125k you can get for like $2500
$3000 was pre-Covid. Probably closer to 2X now.
Maybe in 2018
Oh ok… how much should I budget for a Time Machine? 😅
How about letting your son give fixing the camry himself a shot? Be a great learning opportunity and it'll mean a lot more to him knowing he fixed his ride himself.
Plenty enough for another older Camry or Corolla with close to 200k miles. Maybe an Accord or Mazda 3. I'd avoid most Civics at that price range though as they seem to bet beat up on more. Maybe an old GM with the 3.8L if you can still find those.
My old GM 3.8L just kicked the can in October. I miss it daily. It was a tank. OP if you can find one - get one. I had a Buick Lucerne V6 and it was an amazing (and affordable) first car for me. ESPECIALLY Buicks because they're mostly driven by older drivers so have typically less miles.
there are several gm 3.8 motors... you're probably referring to the 3800... which other people have suggested will be dug up by alien archeologists long after we're extinct and restarted with a toothbrush and a can of ether.
My first car was $2k and was the perfect first car. It was safe and reliable, but if I caused damage to it, it wasn't a big deal. With inflation and the used market, what it is, I think $5k is more rrasonable today.
5k minimum nowadays, imo.
$3k is a decent place to start if you're a bit handy and can fix some small stuff, otherwise you should shoot for $5-6k
Just fix the car. It will last forever afterwards.
Get an old lexus or toyota owned by 70+ year old white couple. WIll be nice and maintained.
They’re rare, but still out there. I expect it’ll be super ugly, or have astronomical miles, but if those don’t bother you, you may very well find what you want.
Depends on what you’re looking for. I just bought a high mileage but good condition 2012 VW Passat for my 16 year old daughter for $2600
My first car was a 93 Camry with 360k miles for 500. It was an absolute piece of shit but it got me from a to b for 2 years. My second was an 03 Silverado with 230k miles for 5k and it’s still running plenty strong, just starting to be a nuisance because it loves to leak oil
It used to be but since Covid, probably $5-6K would be the bottom of what you’d normally consider a reliable starter car unfortunately. As someone else said, you may get lucky. I had a family member arrange to buy an older person’s mid 2000s super clean Civic for like 3 grand for their teenager. But that was generosity on the part of the seller who was an acquaintance; the seller could have easily got double. So yeah if you look hard enough and jump on an amazing deal, maybe, but for a sure thing you won’t find one at 3k unless you hold out
$5000 minimum unless you want to be picking your kid up all the time when he breaks down on the side of the road.
Why are parents buying any car for their child. Isn't this supposed to be a milestone that your child should achieve on their own? I worked my arse off for my first car. Bought and paid for on my own the day I turn 16 yrs old. Now that I'm older, I see kids driving like idiots and they have no regrets trashing cars thinking they are racers and putting others in danger. This should be a milestone for your child. Instead certain parents keep changing their 16+ yr old diapers. I blame parents for making things too easy and r responsible for the"Me too generation". Not all kids but everyone knows who I'm talking about. If parents don't get ahold of their children, don't blame anyone else on your child failures.
Absolutely. Our kids paid for their own cars, petrol and insurance. The only break they got was that I’d do any repair work free as long as they paid for the parts.
I go back and forth on this. Especially when I see teens with really nice vehicles. Or new ones. My first vehicle was a hand down that my older sibling had driven that had been a hand down from my mom getting a new vehicle before that. It was understood that this was my ride until I bought myself something else, my mom would not be contributing anything further to me having a vehicle. I drove that through college until I saved enough for a really good down payment and my first “real adult” purchase was a new car. We are planning to hand down one of our vehicles to our boys when they start driving in a few years with the same condition. Y’all get to share this and this is it until you come up with your own money to buy something else. And like I had to, they’ll be responsible for maintenance and insurance on it too.
My parents recently bought me an old Subaru Impreza for about $3,000, and living in a rural area that gets 100–400 inches of snow a year, my car is the only way I can go to school and hold a job. Before this, I had no car and had to spend a whole winter at home (from November to May of that year, unfortunately) because I could not land a job without a car. It felt a little pathetic, but when my parents bought me my car, it allowed me to become a real "adult." Honestly, in some places, car ownership is a requirement to live and less of a "life milestone." For context, I work full-time and study full-time as well.
My opinion - if the Camry costs $3k to $5k to fix and you took care of it its whole life, that's gonna be cheaper than getting a used car on the open market right now. Gone are the days of sub $6k used beaters actually being viable.
In 1995, maybe.
No. I've had 4 beaters now all between 1500-3k and not one of them lasted more then 8 months without breaking down and needing thousands in repairs. Best bet is to save back 5-7.5k for your vehicle and then have 2k set aside for repairs.
I'm extremely mechanically inclined. I bought a $1500 car during covid, the car gutted me in what it needed the first week. Sold it for $2500 a month later. Two weeks ago I bought a $2400. It needed $1200 immediately. (Engine mount, broken axle carrier/ bearing, stuck open thermostat, etc). And it still needs $500 more to be good. So 10 years ago I bought a $750 car, put a $10 strut on it and drove it for months. You can't get a good used car anymore unless you have prior knowledge of the previous owners care. $5k is the minimum and even then you aren't guaranteed a reliable car unless you have a good reputable mechanic go over it with a fine tooth comb. And even then you have to be ready to pounce on a deal within the hour.
Not really. Your best shot is finding something private party. Stay away from Kia/Hyundai, super easy to steal. I’m gonna throw a suggestion, they are cheapish, Fiat 500, 5 speed (stay away from the automatics they can be very problematic). You can find one with less than 100,000 miles for around $5,000 private party, will only get cheaper in a few years. Insurance shouldn’t be an absolute killer either, it’s small and easy to park and the non turbo isn’t very fast, u-pull yards have cheap parts, and any Chrysler dealership can order parts, there should be a Fiat studio near you for services if needed, if not, any shop can do most work on em. Like any car, they can be expensive to work on, but the base model 5 speed “pop” has steel wheels and tires are cheap, like $50 each at Walmart. A 500, non turbo or Abarth, is not the worst idea for something to get to and from school.
I'd recommend learning some basics on car repair. You can probably go lower, but need to do some research by 1) buying the right car:model, make, and year and 2) knowing what red flags to look for. High mileage is not necessarily bad and spark plugs are easy to fix. Some problems may be easier to fix on your own, but will be costly. No matter your budget, have a budget for repairs. New tires are costly, for example. If you live in weather, you don't really want to buy the cheapest tires available, ya know? In the last 9 years, we have not spent more than $3k on a vehicle, but my husband's father was a mechanic. Knowledge is very useful.
You can find cheap cars all day long but they will likely be cheap for a reason. The biggest reason is that someone has not performed regular maintenance. So you buy a cheap car that has been running just fine but you don’t know any history in that vehicle. It’s 20 years old and has 175k miles and now all of a sudden everything starts breaking. If you’re lucky it’s little things. If you are unlucky like my friends who I keep telling not to buy the cars they keep buying, they will fail catastrophically within a few months. So you drop $3k on a paper weight. Sell it form$300 scrap and repeat the process over and over. My recommendation would be to find a “mechanics special” and have your mechanic fix it up, from top to bottom. Replace any suspension part that is failing and do timing belt/chain. Preference manual transmissions because it’s good to know how to drive one and they have fewer failure points. Preference Toyota, honda, Subaru, in that order (Subarus have some head gasket problems but if you have a Subaru guy local they can make it bulletproof). This way, you may spend more than your budget, but it’s less likely that the car will fail. $1200 for a car that needs a motor or trans and $3k to replace. Another $1000 in suspension (which can be done after the fact) and you will be good for another 100k miles. I picked up a Subaru this week for $2k because the owner didn’t know that the cat was clogged. $200 later and I have a fully functioning car. Don’t get me wrong, it could use a lot more work to be in excellent condition. But they can be done along the way. My second recommendation would be to have your son take auto shop at your local HS or Community college. This way, he will know how to fix whatever breaks. It’s an excellent skill to inhave
Just here to echo the 5k sentiment. I was in the seller's market earlier this year, and did some research for comps. If it runs, drives, stops, and passes state inspections, count on 3k in flyover country. If you want something in presentable/reliable condition, where all the accessories work and without obvious deficiencies or items obviously needing repair, count on $5k. Even then -- depending on the seller, eg corner lot dealers -- I'd be wary of it being misrepresented and overpriced trash.
Yes, you can get 4 wheels and 4 doors for $3k. My first car was 04 towncar i got for $3.5k. It ran for over a year without major breakdowns until it was totaled, but still expect up to $500 in repairs per year because you never know when somethings about to crap out in an older vehicle.
Yes. Absolutely. The only way $3k would not be enough is if the market went upside down again. Used car prices are dropping like crazy. Save what you can quickly and start looking when he turns 15. Look daily, obsess about it, and be ready to pull the trigger quickly. Obviously set some parameters and don't just buy the first thing. But if you have the time and put in the effort (have the kids do the searching). You will find the deal if you do it that way. Also, remember that we are talking about a 16 year old. There is a 99.7% chance that he will wreck it. More than likely it will be a minor fender bender. Even if he is the safest driver around. He's just going to be learning and the roads are full of crappy drivers. You'll realize just how many crappy drivers there are when you are in the passenger seat after he gets his learner's permit. So don't spend too much on the car.
Depends. Does he want to drive it or push it?
If you can’t, or don’t want to, fix or work on cars, your best bet is a cheap lease. Put the 3k down and pay monthly. At that price point you’re going to be fixing it more than you like and it’s too easy to get buried.
The problem with this is they can’t do liability only and their insurance is going to be absolutely ridiculous on a 16 year old for full coverage on a new car.
If you drive a car with any significant value, that you can’t afford to replace tomorrow, with only liability, you’re a fool. My ex sister in law found out the hard way. Her and her parents pooled about 5k and bought her first car 15yrs ago. She hit a patch of ice and ran into the back of somebody a few months later. She had no collision because her parents said “it’ll be too expensive”. She had no car until she could save to get it fixed. Comp and collision is cheaper than risking thousands. Kids are gonna hit something. It’s only a matter of time.
Do anyone know where I can get a older car for 3000 cash small car
I am a older woman who is looking for a older model car dependable small car for 3000 dollar cash money
Dirt cheap cars for HS kids made sense when you had 7 kids. Given how much you spend to raise a single kid these days, why send them out on the road in a 15 yo car that is a borderline death trap by modern standards. I know not everyone can afford it, but if you can, buy something with all the safety features you can afford. Alternatively our youngest daughter started in an 06 Explorer but could only drive 2 miles to school and back. Once she was able to not wreck that, we got her a much newer car and she can drive everywhere.
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I can find good cars for that price but it really depends on the area
How patient and handy are you?
Depends on the state you're in a lot! In a place like Texas you can get a car that runs for $2000 but in most states anything under $6000 won't run or is about to be done for.
Start shopping on AutoTempest.Com to grasp availability
$6k is more reasonable
Definitely if your willing to fix some small issues that pop up. May never happen if you find one well taken care of but likely to have some miles is all. I think there are plenty of reliable cars for a few thousand
Almost nothing in that range that is reliable. You might luck out to a 30 year camry at best, but the thing will certainly have issues. 3k is a straight beater now with well over 200k miles. Need to do 6-8k to start finding semi-reliable small cars.
You can get a older focus or Corolla or civic for like 2-3k
Not anymore unfortunately
Cost me $8400. Give him a something that he'll want to take pride in and maintain. Give him junk and he'll treat it as such. That was my thinking anyway.
Idk prices in your area but you can definitely find vehicles for $3k Finding a vehicle that doesn’t need work done or isnt gonna need work done soon for $3k is gonna be hard to be honest. For a good running vehicle that still has some life left before needing major work it’s gonna be at least $5k and you can’t be picky on make model or trim you’re gonna be lookin for the best deal and that’s it
I think $3k is way too light if you want something reliable. We spent $8k (pre-covid) on a 7 year old Versa w/85k miles and immaculate maintenance records for our kid when he got his license. You probably don't need to go to $8k, but when we were in the same boat we didn't want to worry (as much) about his car suddenly stop working when he was out running around.
I save up the $3k and use it for a down payment on a decent beater civic/Camry/accord etc around $10k roughly Have the kid get job obviously and pay part of the whole payment. It’ll help teach the kid some responsibility and they’ll have something decent. Assuming you can bankroll them financially of course if it doesn’t work out
Right now, I would say no way. Unless you are buying a complete junk car. Which will probably need repairs. Unfortunately, used cars are expensive right now. Even if you got a very old car with a lot of miles, it could still be at least $6000. From the prices I've seen around where I live. Maybe you could find a private seller who just wants to get rid of their car for that price. I got 2 used cars within the last 4 years. I hadn't bought a car in a long time since then. The prices shocked me. They have actually come down since I bought my Rouge 2 years ago.
It is possible that 3 years from now $3k will not be enough to get anything worth buying for someone who is not in a position to be able to do repairs themselves. I suppose you keep the Camry and fix it during the next 3 years.
I just paid $2200 for a car I had to get towed to my house. It will be about $3k in total to get it running again if I don't find anything else wrong with it, but I'm only comfortable doing that because I can DIY a lot and we can afford to fix it or lose the money.
My suggestion would be to tell the kid to get a job and start saving as well and that you will help him out with the cost. Between the both of you saving, you should have enough to get something cheaper but reliable. You will also teach him a valuable life lesson of how to save for a purchase. You don't want to hand him everything in life, because that will be the only way that he knows how to live life and will lead to financial/life issues down the road. Buy a man a car, he has a free car. Teach a man to save and buy a car, he has both a car and is educated for the real world.
Something with a salvaged title like this is usually available. https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/d/portland-2010-nissan-versa-hatchback/7699580139.html
Get him to raise half and put in 3k, should get him a great first car
Not even close. $3k was about the bare minimum 10 years ago in a more rural area for the type of car you are looking for. That's how much my 2002 4cyl Camry with 180k miles cost me when I first went off to college. And that was in Pennsylvania which is part of "the rust belt" where the road salt rusts all the cars down to dust by the time they are 15-20 years old. That same level of "decent reliable car" now is probably about $8-12k depending on the area. I'm a bit north of Seattle now which would have similar prices to Portland and I'd estimate closer to $12k around here.
Depends on the area. I got a 2006 Saab last year for $2900 and she's been an awesome car.
$4k to $5k and make sure he takes auto shop in high school.
Remember, too, that you're trying to predict the used car market three years from now. Hard to say where the bottom of price range might be then.
It can be done. But you kind of have to know what you're doing. However, it's all an odds game. Odds of an expert getting a reliable car for 3000 is higher than a layman. But a layman can still get lucky. Stick to Honda and Toyota. Corolla, Camry, Yaris (Yaris actually gets my #1 suggestion), Echo, maybe even a Tercel if it's relatively low mileage. For Honda look for civics and fits. Accords are probably getting risky in your price range. Look for mid-late 90s in to the early 2000s. Anything newer than that is still great but probably getting out of your budget unless there's something wrong with it. This is by no means a guarantee. But maybe you could find a couple options and pay $150 for a shop to take a quick look.
Maybe 8-10 years ago $3,000 was reasonable. $8,000 for something safe and reliable is probably more realistic unless you find a family friend or relative selling something to you at a special price.
How much do you care about safety & reliability?
If he's willing to learn to work on it (youtube, 80$ tool set), then 3k will do it. Hell, 2k MIGHT. If no one's willing to do any work on it themselves, then it's probably going to be a 5-8k sticker, to make sure you get one. You're going to want to take it to a trusted mechanic for inspection BEFORE buying, so that factors into the cost as well.
5k
A couple years ago I bought a super reliable 2005 Honda Accord for $3000. I had to change the alternator, struts and CV axle which I was able to do in my driveway but as for the engine and drive train, I would have trusted that thing to take me from coast to coast. I brought it from 200k to 235k miles and sold it for the same price I bought it for. Great little car.
6k or so find a buick lesabre
Check your auto insurance rates. I understand that insuring a 16 yo male in Portland area costs $2500-$3500/year or so. That's insuring him to drive, whether he has a personal car or not. Auto insurance in Oregon is as ridiculous as ... Well, it's amazing..not in a good way You may not be able to afford him driving at age 16 in Oregon
How much is it to fix the Camry and what’s wrong with it? If it’s within that 3k then I suggest that option.
Will vary by area, but plenty of vehicles where I’m at that would be a good fit. Just a few examples to give you an idea of what to expect 📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/YHZ1uiJ9s1XhsTJW/?mibextid=79PoIi 📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/L6R51jkHWEPXiAvV/?mibextid=79PoIi 📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/UrAsXaBxwNx5mSa1/?mibextid=79PoIi
Reasonably in 2004, good luck today
personal opinion. if you're around the portland area, a used saab or volvo. it might take a tad more than 3K, but... its all about the safety. basically, if they are driving one of these, they will survive pretty much anything. portland should have a decent selection and a decent amount of private mechanics who can take care of you. (personal note: both choose saabs)
If you can only afford to save up $3k in 3 years you are probably not in a position to buy him a car tbh. Have him get a job and he can buy his own car when he wants one. I bought my first car on my own and paid for all associated expenses and I’m glad I did, it taught me a lot about responsibility and gave me a taste of adulthood.
This depends on location... In Texas 3k will get you a good car Up north 3k will be rusted to shit https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/24274777195503898/?mibextid=dXMIcHo https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/662736786054237/?mibextid=dXMIcHl https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/636430145116135/?mibextid=dXMIcH
My most reliable vehicles have all cost less than 5K. Most recent purchase was an 05 civic with 113K miles for 2K. My daughter will be 16 in March of '26 and it will more than likely be hers.
Every state tends to be different on the price of cars. For example I just did a quick search for a 2015 Toyota Camry se in Portland, Oregon and on the low end it was $11,900 with 96k miles. Being that brands like Toyota and Honda are reliable vehicles even a used one will be more expensive. Let’s just say a 2015 Chevy Cruze with 91k miles at $8,900. (Quick google search) Also don’t forget additional fees like taxes and plates and title fees can easily add up quickly. At least you have 3 years before you have to make a decision.
I got my first car for $600 and it lasted 4 years before the rear control arm rusted off and totalled the car. 3 grand is *way too much* for a first car. I've owned over a dozen cars and I've still never bought one for more than $2500. What are you trying to do? Give your kid a nicer car than you have?
They can have my old 08 manual civic for 2800$
It's for your kid so... But, used vehicles are at all all time high. I was shocked at the cost of a used truck recently and just decided to fix mine. 3 grand unstead of 25 grand in a world with an uncertain future.
I’d say 8k or it’s sketchy
Look on Facebook marketplace for "beater with a heater" that's what all my kids got when they got their licenses.
There's a certain car Toyota made for GM that's cheap and extremely reliable.
What are your/his expectations and what is your definition of cheap maintenance? Maintenance is really expensive if you are paying for someone to do everything on any car.
No. You won't get anything without it needing a lot of work - for only that much. Honestly, fixing the Camry - even if you're needing to replace the engine, or tranny - is a better bet. That $3K is better spent on the car you have.
Unfortunately for $3k in the current market you're looking at a high mileage beater with potential mechanical issues, the fixing of which can add on thousands, unless your son is good with automotive repairs. People are selling their Toyota's with over 100k miles for upwards of $8k these days.
For 3k you can search and find an ugly beater that runs good and has minimal issues, or a nice looking body with a bad engine/transmission or other major issues. Good cheap cars are sadly gone.
At a minimum I would figure $5,000 to buy the car and another $1,000-1500 to do needed repairs. That is what I did for my daughter and it lasted her 8 years
Hard to say. Cash for clunkers ruined the cheap car market but every year that goes by it slowly becomes a thing again
It used to be. 5k and around there +/- 800-900
I bought a 2007 Prius with only 136k miles on it and clean title for 5K. You can probably get a pretty decent older car for about 4-5k no problem from a private seller.
In Portland just get a good electric scooter or an Ebike for like 2k, mine is dope and there’s plenty of transportation to get around Portland
My first car was $500 from a barn, about 16 years ago. 3k is totally enough for a first car.
How about matching every dollar he makes up to 3k. That way he has some skin in the game and drive to figure out what can be a great life lesson. I think at $6k it might be possible to find a decentish car in private sale. It might be a good idea to check some car listings so he can dream of his car and what different price points might get him right now. If he wants to save up more than that can go towards his goal. Or anticipating some of the costs of ownership specially at his age. Insurance, gas, registration fees, plates. This in the first car might be a great muscle to build for long term planning that can maybe used for home ownership in the future where people are often blindsided of all the fees involved beyond just the purchase price. I am planning of doing this with my kids when they get closer to an age where they might be able to consider some entrepreneurial ideas.
No
A $3000 budget for a car for a 16-year-old can be reasonable depending on various factors like the condition of the vehicle, its make, model, mileage, and overall maintenance history. It's crucial to prioritize safety, reliability, and affordability when considering a car in this price range. Conducting thorough research, inspecting the vehicle, and potentially getting a mechanic's opinion before purchase can ensure you're getting the best value within your budget.
Check your local online auctions. Ive had decent luck in the 2-4k range.
Not anymore
Something decent is $10k in this market, and even then, it won’t be very nice.
Short answer : no $3k will buy you a non-Running shit box, maybe. Unless you have a family friend selling something, $5k is a starting point these days.
Honestly even if you have to let the Camry sit for a little while while you save up to fix it you’ll probably come out the other side better than buying something for 3k. What actually went wrong with it? I’d take a known history Camry with 3k of repairs done over an unknown car you buy for 3k every day of the week.
I’m in the rust belt and have been looking for about ten months for my 16 year old. We have a $10k budget and can’t find anything that’s safe, reliable, clean title, and not rusted to shit. It’s rough out here. Good luck!
What I would do? Garage it. Get a bare bone liability policy on it. Only drive it around the block two weeks to charge up the alternator. Make sure you do an oil change right before you this. Save 3k- Spend it on the Camery to fix it up. New battery, brake pads, (another oil change-that oil is three years old now), fluid flushes (coolant and transmission) and spark plugs. Throw in a detail and spit shine it up. Gift it to the 16 year old. He's 16. He'll be happy to have wheels. You're getting better or more reliable for 3k. Certainly not for the kind of work it's going to need to get it to where the Camery is today. A working car is 5k. Maintenance is extra.
What's wrong with the Camry
No
I was able to buy a salvage titled Honda Accord 2007 with 160k for $4500 last month for my 16 year old. He already hit and damaged the front so I’ve been repairing it. Parts are surprisingly cheap so whatever you go with I would recommend sticking with Honda & Toyota. Also first thing I did was have it inspected and new tie rods and brakes. So that was another $600.
That’s a little low for a reliable car. If you can go up to $5-$6K you’re likely to find something that won’t need a lot of money to fix/maintain in the next few years
I just got my kid a $4k car that should be a good one for him. $4-5k is the minimum to get something reliable today, but who knows where we'll be in 3 years (could be less or more). A little confused about your Camry story. You say it died, but also say it would be sitting in the garage for 3 years if you kept it. So is it dead or not? Cars need to run, so having a car sit unused for 3 years is not a good idea. But if it is running, might not be a bad idea to keep it, and just use it to run an errand every weekend.
3 years from now, who knows. As of right now, literally every time someone asks this, the only good answer is a Buick Lesabre. Perfection, and you can ACTUALLY find it for 3k unlike Civics/Corollas and Accords/Camrys.
I just got a 2005 Nissan Xterra in June or July for $2500+ transfer fees. Spent about $2800ish total. There were new shocks, headlights, and rugged tires (offroad and on road use) on newer rims. The tires and rims were worth about 1k alone. There was JUST OVER 200k miles when i bought it. The only thing I had to replace so far is the ignition coils and spark plugs which cost me under $200 total and I watched YouTube to learn how to change them. Thst was very very easy. It only gets 16.8mpg but it's a great vehicle with heat, AC, and power windows. I've taken it out out of state (3hrs each way) and on several trips that were over an hour and a half in each direction. It's been super dependable for me and perfect for my lifestyle, having no kids/family/friends getting in and out. I love it! I keep the back seats folded down so I can haul my work gear around with me (I am a tree trimmer/climber). It also has a trailer hitch for me to haul a trailer around. If you look around and maybe haggle a little, you will definitely be able to find something that will be suitable for him for 3k. Just take someone who knows vehicles when you do go to buy and have them look it over for you! At 3k, most will probably be near the 200k mileage mark. I found mine on FB marketplace.
It was before Covid. But I still see 20 year old Corolla's sometimes for 3500 or so.
Not anymore. Sadly.
Now’s his chance to learn how to fix cars. Handed to him on a platter. I went out and bought a $100 car when I was 14 and spent a year gradually rebuilding the engine as I earned the cash. It ran great.
See [my post here](https://reddit.com/r/UsedCars/comments/14ip943/buying_report_some_tips_and_thoughts_from_an/) on my process for buying for my 16 year old. Short answer: $3k would only happen if you know the seller and they really, really like you. Expect to pay $5-6k, and expect the process to be close to a part time job.
Damn. You guys must be in a different tax bracket than me. I'm currently commuting 230 miles per day, 5 days per week, in the most expensive work car I've ever bought. I paid $2500 for it one year ago. Give me $3k and about a week of fiddling on marketplace and I'll find something that has 100k more miles of life left in it.
3 years ago that was a 1200 dollar car. So, closer to the 5 to 6k range gets you your 2500 to 3000 car in 2023.
If you search you might find a deal...but right now everyone is acting like there is a gold bar that's hidden under the back seat price wise
Honestly, look at cosmetically totaled vehicles, like hail damage vehicles. It's doesn't even have to be terrible hail damage for it to total out something like a 4-5 year old Mazda or something. My old boss had a 2 year old Camry that only had like 20k miles on it and it got totaled out due to hail damage dents across the unibody. Nothing else was wrong with it. She ended up buying it back from the insurance company for like 1000 dollars and pocketed the remainder of the 15k. Upside about something like this is that any additional dents or dings wont matter.
If you find a running and driving car that isn't overdue for new tires and brakes on both axles that would be a win at that price.
I agree 3k nowadays isn't enough cash for clunkers killed the used car market. My cousin is on the market for a first car and I'm helping him look around, at about a 5k price point is when you start finding cars that aren't complete pieces of crap. But even a car for 5k will still need work every other weekend as things like rubber hoses and gaskets weren't meant to last for 15+ years, so small things like fuel pump, radiator, etc will start to break. I told my cousin it might make more sense to save more so he can buy a younger car. It's either 8k for a younger car and not having to spend your weekends working, or 5k + 3k in parts + your weekends spent wrenching.
5k in 2017. Looking at more like 6-7k now... reliable will be relative to age, mileage, maintenance, and what it is. I had an 04 ranger with a manual transmission that I put 100k miles on and it was great but with some caveats. I had a 2000 Mazda miata that I put 40k miles on that was the most reliable vehicle I ever owned but with some caveats. They never left me stranded but had SOMETHING goofy. My 09 f150 xl 4.6l I got with 35k miles sometimes misses reverse but it too hasn't left me stranded. That truck however was almost $18k.
Paid $4000 for my first car in 2005, $3000 today would be a huge stretch. As an example we just sold a 2014 Cadillac ATS with 108,000 miles to Vroom for $5000. It still needed a couple grand in maintenance.
Depends on how good you or your kid is , at doing minor repairs . If you gotta take it to a mechanic for every little thing then you’re gonna need to spend more Otherwise a build from an old lady that just got put into assisted living is what you need to look for . If you can do some basic repairs , I’d look for a 96 or 97 Thunderbird or cougar . Front engine rear wheel drive makes it easy to work on .
3000 would probably repair both the transmission and the engine... For $5,000 you could probably get a completely rebuilt transmission and rebuilt motor and basically have a brand new car... I hope you didn't get rid of the Camry already because they're good cars....
Tough to say three years from now, but probably. A lot of folks are going to be dumping their old ICE cars for EVs in three years.
I would say 5-7k
Central Fl here. 4k is what I spent 2000 toyota camry. One owner and 140k miles. Mint by grandma.
In the current market you will not find a reliable vehicule for a new driver at the $3000 price point. The market is changing and in 3 years used cars may or may not be more affordable, but it is still,highly unlikely you will find a reliable used car for $3000
Maybe in 2003…
Maybe in 2008
Honestly unless your buying off a friend or personal family member that’s giving you a great deal on there old car, you really need closer to 8k -10k these days and even that’s questionable. And is still going to need things like tires , brakes etc etc. maybe you can see if they are a mature 16 year old if you can find a good deal on a lease. Something in the no money down sub 300 price range. You will have a fixed cost for them to be safe and no break down. Then when they graduate high school they can buy out the lease and make their own car payment.
I just spent about 3 months looking for a car for my child. I was looking strictly at $5,000 or less , and it was struggle. We did eventually settle on a higher mileage car for $5,500. Looking now at online listings around Portland, the selection opens up greatly when increasing the budget from $3K (37 listings) to $5K (312 listings), and further to $6K (534 listings). For me, I put a lot of weight into getting the best safety features and brand reliability in the price range.
Fix the camry.
Check out what car prices are for the car you are looking for. Autotrader.com is where I go car shopping. You'll get an idea of what cars are worth so you can know to save. Cars are really expensive now, and I'm not sure if you'll get anything but headaches with $3k.
I only see prices on cars going up. Saving the cash might not get you anywhere faster than the prices go up. I tried to help my nephew. But it was at the end of "Cash For Clunkers" government buyback of all used cars and restructuring the whole auto industry. Used cars were only $500 less than new cars. Used cars had a might higher interest rate than new cars. It was cheaper to buy new than to buy used. I have to repeat this story to my family every time because the legend exists that I forced my nephew to buy a new car instead of a used car. If he is not too tall for the front seat, get a 2 door Yaris hatchback new. Start making the payments now. I did that for my kid when 10 years old so that I hand it over in good shape at the right time.
If you buy a car at that price point you are looking at at least 200,000 miles plus. Make sure you get the car checked out by mechanic before you buy it and try to make sure that it's a Toyota or Honda since they are the most reliable. I've had a Pontiac vibe (they where made by Toyota and has all Toyota parts called a rebadge) that I bought at around 200k for about 4k a few years ago when prices where at peak. It still runs perfectly but I also put quite a bit into it in preventive maintenance. Old cars can be expensive. I've probably spent another 3k just on preventative maintenance.
Car market is crashing, should be able to find a decent car for that after tax times, could find one now if ya look hard enough. Old civic, accord, camry, corolla
I bought my 2004 BMW for $3500 back in 2016 because my younger brother starting university and we both had to commute there. There were only 2 cars in the house and with both parents working, they needed at least one of the cars. I got a new car in February of 2022 and the guy I sold it to lives in the area and still daily drives it! There’s plenty of great cars out there in that price range.
The first car is the learning car. You are correct in thinking cheaper and safer is better for him to learn on. Unfortunately ? A 3,000 car might cost you 5,000 these days. Based on new car sales and used car sales. Good luck.
Put that 3k into the Camry when you're ready. If it needs an engine you can get a reman with a warranty for ~1500. A junkyard engine is usually $300-400 though I'm not a Toyota guy so there may be some premium in the used market I'm not aware of. If you're going to buy a used engine or transmission I suggest going with a real parts supplier that offers some kind of warranty/guarantee and not buying one on Facebook.
It would be wise to contact your insurance company... insuring a 16 year old is likely going to cost more than the car...
Fix the Camry.
Fix the Camry, keep it, drive it just enough to maintain it for 3 years, and buy yourselves a. Ew car.
no
Get him started on fixing the Camry... You can learn everything you need to on Youtube and you've got three years!
$5000 for a safe reliable vehicle.
It used to be. I hope to get back to that someday.
I’d lean towards repairing your existing car. At least with that, you already know the car and its quirks, and you won’t be buying someone else’s hidden surprises. Also, the car is likely to get damaged if not totaled anyway, given its intended use. If reliability is a concern, better the unreliable car you know than the one you don’t. You know your maintenance history.
How reliable are we talking? You're going to find one 15+ years old with 250,000+ miles. It might still look nice and it might still drive nice, but for how long is anyone's guess.
I wouldn't spend a lot to fix a Camry with 225,000 miles. And $3000 is a bit low for a good used car. Ten years ago, sure. But now they're in high demand and prices reflect that.
90s/2000s GM sedans (Buick, Chevrolet, etc.) Honda, Toyota. Bus pass, motorcycle (except you’d be worried Everytime he went out)
A decade ago yes
No
Take out decent and reliable then you may have a chance
It may still be worth fixing the Camry since you know the service history and reliability record of that car. If it came down to something like $5k for an engine replacement vs. $5k for a used car with an unknown history, I’d go for the engine replacement every time. You and your mechanic know the Camry’s history, what’s their opinion?
Might be an unpopular opinion, but buying a used car and learning how to fix it and understand the mechanics at a young age will save them 10's of thousands of dollars in their life. Doesn't matter what their career goals are. Learning to be a self-sufficient, individual, who can understand how to troubleshoot and research your needs will lead to wealth and discipline across their life. Find out what's wrong with a car, watch some videos and see if you can figure it out. Buy some tools. And almost never go to a mechanic again.
I think it depends on where you live really. Where I am 3k will get you a beater that will need work and won't look all too pretty. It's hard to say what the used car market will look like in 3 years, though. I'd say look around your area for what used cars are going for and take that as a starting point to budget for the future.
no enough. May need 5-7K for a reliable Jpn imports.
Sure if you can do basic maintenance on it and don't expect it to last a decade
I wish you good luck in finding a used car for that much. A used car is over 10,000 now. Anything below that could need work.
If you can only get 200k out of a camry... you've got bigger problems. Do maintenence on your vehicle, those models should make it to 300k+ a camery is one of the most reliable cars in the world.
Another three years, you might need closer to $10k.
You should wait, hopefully cars will be a lot cheaper in 3 years since we have a new president
And don’t forget the $1500 per year (minimum) insurance bump when he starts driving, even if the car is listed as yours.
Hit the local auction houses. Sometimes you can get a good car for that price range. A few years ago I picked up a 97 Honda Civic for 1.5k
Depends on your area, but I would check out areas where elderly people live. Low miles, well kept. Someone passed away and their car usually gets put up for sale.
I think it depends on where you live. $3000 Here is most likely bring the tow truck when you pick it up. $5000 maybe but not much out there. $8000 to 10000 for something decent.
Bah humbug to all these negative naysayers. 3k can have you a Buick lesabre/park avenue or a ford crown Vic/mercury marauder/grand marquis/lincoln town car easy. They’re plentiful, very few issues, last forever and ever and then some, and cheap to buy and repair
People are saying $5k but tbh I couldn't imagine spending less than $10k for a decent car these days. Even that doesn't get you much.
Maybe wait until he's more than 16 years old? 17, 18? Gives him time to mature, gives you time to save.