My friend Angie names all of her cars.
Over the years, now that I think about it, it’s been through quite a few cars. They haven’t been new cars, but she loved them all equally. She no longer traveled in them. The last time I rode in one of Angie’s cars, it was a 1996 Beretta in an unusual shade of purple that she called Patches. This particular car got its name from her because the body had about two dozen pieces of metal to patch up the holes.
I don’t know how Patches has so many holes. I think it was a bank robber’s getaway car, sold for a nickel and a dime when the owner left to make a ten and a twenty.
Anyway, Angie and I were traveling along this stretch of road near Wheeling, West Virginia, and the road got pretty bumpy. There were a lot of twists and turns, and Angie didn’t seem inclined to slow down. She then she hit a pothole, and I found there were unrepaired holes in the underside of the car when water splashed onto the floor and drenched me completely.
“Decelerate!” I screamed at him, holding on for dear life.
“Can’t!” she yelled back. “The brakes will fail!”
In fact, that was the last time I rode anywhere with Angie. She calls her current car her Boomwhacker, and I don’t even want to know why. Maybe one day Angie will buy a new car; there are many good but cheap trips out there.
So for all the Angies in the world, I dedicate this tip on what to think about when looking for a cheap car.
Two of the biggest little prices in the industry these days come in the Hyundai Accent or the Nissan Versa, each around $10,000. About a decade ago, people joked about buying Hyundais. Now the company produces models in a wide range of styles and prices, right up to the $32,000 Genesis.
But let’s stick with the Accent, because we’re shopping for Angie. Mileage is about 29 mpg which is great. It’s not the most powerful cuz in the lot, which is probably a good thing for Angie. If you search for reviews, you’ll see that users rate it at the high end of a ten-point scale.
The Nissan Versa is around the same price, and consumers have praised its safety ratings, as well as great gas mileage, also around 28 mpg. One user loved its spacious interior. And just like Hyundai, Nissan also offers a wide range of other options.
But you also have to consider: What does cheap mean to you? Most people think of the car’s advertised sticker price. You can search for cars online, or in industry catalogs or magazines, to find cars in the price range that fits your wallet. You can decide how many options you simply have to have. But you also need to factor in the costs of insurance, financing, extended warranty coverage, and routine repairs and maintenance.
Yes, it is possible to buy a cheap new car that will give you everything you want in a trip.
However, I think for Angie, we will still recommend a Pogo stick.
