Many high school students don’t have money, and if they do, there is never all that much of it. Buying a car is a huge commitment, and spending large amounts of hard-earned cash can be difficult to bring yourself to do. The following is a list of some cars that will get you the most bang for your buck.
The Toyota Prius (2005-2008)
The Toyota Prius is one of the most reliable, gas-efficient cars on the market, with up to 60 miles per gallon coming from a 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder, hybrid engine. These cars are known to go very far on very little gas. You can find a quality one for around $4,200 that could last for another 50,000 miles easily, with reports of some making it to 400,000 miles and more.
The Toyota Camry (1995-2000)
The old Toyota Camry is a little different. It only gets about 23 miles per gallon, which, in this economy, isn’t nearly as tempting as the Prius. But if you’re desperate, some can be found for as low as $2,100, which is pretty great for a car that will almost certainly be able to get you from point A to point B consistently.
The Honda CR-V (1999-2006)
I am a little biased, but the Honda CR-V seems to be one of the most reliable cars on the market. I bought mine for just under $5,000, and it has gone 20,000 miles with no issues, with the odometer sitting at 185,000 miles. One time, although I strongly advise against this, it had so little oil in it that it couldn’t go above 3000 rpm. The engine was okay. It gets around 25 miles per gallon. It is all wheel drive, which causes the tires to wear more. This means you have to get them rotated more often, but it’s not that much of a hassle. For all kinds of driving, the Honda CR-V will excel unless it’s uphill.
The Ford Focus (2003-2006)
The Ford Focus is underrated in my opinion. You can find a good one for less than $3,000. It can get over 30 miles per gallon, which is almost surprising. I’ve had the pleasure of driving one myself, and it was honestly a fun car to drive. It will last for a good amount of miles, some being said to go well over 200,000 miles.