What's a good car a HS student can get from 5k to 10k?

I agree. The Ford Ranger is a good little truck. I had mine for 10 years with no major problems. Until I got my own car in hig school way back when, I drove a little Toyota pickup.

 

Good mid-range car manufacturers:
Toyota, Honda, Nissan.

Bad mid-range car manufacturers:
GM (Chevy, Pontiac, Olds, etc), Ford (ESPECIALLY Ford), Mitsubishi, Mazda (Which is owned by Ford nowadays but still makes its own cars - Ford gets the trucks), Volkswagen (the newer models, 1996 and beyond)

Good truck manufacturers:
Toyota, Nissan (even though they SUCK to work on), Ford (they even got better after 2001, unlike most other manufacturers), Chevy/GMC, Dodge (really borderline...they do some stupid things on these IMO).

Bad truck manufacturers:
Mitsubishi.

Don't buy a Mitsubishi. Why do you think they're giving them away brand new? They suck. So do GM cars. They are both better cars than Ford, Mazda, and new VWs, though. Go with a Honda Prelude, a Honda Civic R, a Toyota Cellica, a Toyota Supra, a Nissan 300sx....just stay with one of those 3 companies and find the stylin'-est car you can get for under 10K with them. Then make sure you service the damn thing appropriately. If the vehicle has an accessible fuel filter, change it out every 20,000 or so (really it's 15K)...If it doesn't, clean out the fuel injection system every 30K. Even if it does, you should still clean your injectors evrey 2 fuel filters. And don't forget the transmission. Give yourself 40-50K on that, depending on what type of fluid your car uses. Service the rear differential every 60K if yours has one. You do these few things, alongside an oil change every 3 to 5 thousand at the least, and you'll have a bad ass car that runs you through high school and college and graduate school and to the hospital with your pregnant wife and to your kid's graduations from high school, college, and grad school....maybe even your grandkids too. No, but seriously, it'll definitely get you through college if you keep up with it. You might have to replace one or two simple parts...but that's about it.

 

If you really want to save $$$, you are going to have to learn to drive a standard. Are you ready for that kind of commitment?

 

damn straight...get a truck for your dads sake...he's the one buying it. when you have kids of your own you will understand. if you think having a "cool" car in HS will make your life better, youll find out later in life it wont make a damn difference.

 

Get an early-mid 90's Nissan 240, that's if you don't want to follow the civic and integra trend. If you ever want to "fix-up" the car, they also make a lot of stuff for it.

 

The other thing to consider is what is the insurance cost. The sports cars and SUVs you mentioned will cost a lot in insurance.

 

Before I forget, I had to make a similar decision about a month ago. My parents told me that they would help me get a new car to take with me to grad school this summer. The plan hit a snag when their van died. I really didn't have a choice...my parents got themselves a new Jeep. My parents don't buy new cars so I'm happy for them although I'd love to be driving a new Honda right now

 

oh to be a teenager again.