As a college student, money is something that is hard to come by with the only time you have an extra dollar to spend is when families send you a care package. But as a college student you still will need a way to get around, to and from class, and around campus. You will need a car that is cheap and will last as long as possible, and since money is so hard to come by you will need something with great gas mileage and little repair costs. But most college students don’t really know exactly what cars to look at and what cars are good and worth the money. Well I have taken some of the guess work out of the process; these 5 cars all have excellent gas mileage and little repair costs. Also all of the cars have been known to last well over 200k miles, and the repairs that will be needed eventually will had the least cost out of all of the cars in a college student’s price range.
So before looking at this list, know that all of these cars are best if bought no more than 15 years old. Also don’t get any car that does not look like it was well taken care of, a nice interior no engine noises drives smooth and looks nice on the outside. As far as mileage goes, when buying the car it is best to get a car that is as close to or under 100k miles as possible. Lastly the least amount of owners the better, and if you can find one of these that have been driven in rural or suburban areas as opposed to busy city areas then it is better for you reason being is there are harsher driving conditions in busy cities.
5. Acura Integra
This is a fuel efficient car has both a 2 and 4 door model, and you can get it in 4 and 6 cylinder. Most who get the car make it into a tuner for racing, however when left stock you will have one of the more reliable cars that sit in a college student’s budget. All this car typically needs is TLC, meaning regular fuel changes and tune ups other than that just get up and go. I would probably have this car at #1 however I put it at number 5 because it is the smallest of the list.
4. Honda civic.
Another car that can be found in both 2 and 4 door model, and can also be purchased in 4 and 6 cylinders. This car however has more size to it; this car has a surprisingly roomy inside and a lot of trunk space. This car is perfect for a 4 year stay at a university were you can’t afford to keep up with too many repairs. However it is a Honda there for it sometimes has Honda cancer, which is body rust if not washed often and kept very clean and free salt. Basically if you stay in a cold state where it snows, you will want to hide the Honda when the salt trucks come out.
Small car with an incredibly smooth ride, this car has been known to last up to 250k miles. It is a very low maintenance car; with the only two major repairs that you will need to have will be a water pump and timing belt. These repairs will be a few hundred bucks at most, but afterwards you can drive this car for a very long time. It is reliable and will get you were you need to go, just the usual oil change and tune up will give you a long life span on this car. The negative points on this car are it is small, and at times the struts may go out but that depends on how aggressive you drive the car.
2. Honda Accord
Ok so this car has the perfect size for commuting to and from class and parties with friends, it is low maintenance and its most frequent major repair will be a timing belt and water pump which again will only be a few hundred bucks depending on where you go. It had a big trunk and a roomy interior, so it will make for a very comfortable car. Again it is a Honda, so Honda cancer is a problem for those staying in colder climates or areas where salt is a factor. But other than that this car will give you more than your money’s worth, it is good reliable and the perfect size and still looks good for guys and girls to be happy and look good in.
1. Toyota Camry
Ok this is the perfect car for a college student, as with all the other cars it will need a water pump and timing belt change but other than that just regularly change the oil. This car has been known to sell even after being driven for 300k miles, which is very impressive. It is a good size car, has a big trunk for hauling a lot of college kid junk and it is roomy on the inside for comfortable passenger placement. It looks the best out of all the cars on the list, so with a fresh wash a well kept Toyota Camry can certainly turn heads when pulling up to a late night Greek party or college club. This car probably will require the least amount of mechanical work and replacement of parts out of the cars, and it will give you the best value for your buck in the short and long run, and it will take the most abuse and neglect out of all the cars. Over all the most you will have to worry about is replacing the suspension at around 200k miles, but even that will not be an urgent repair.
