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Focus2Move analysts named the six best cars for college students. They believe such vehicles should be inexpensive, economical, and compact.
Not every college student can buy a car for themselves. Most often, their parents do it for them. However, a car for a student should still be inexpensive since young people are just gaining driving experience. In addition, the car should be easy to maintain and have low fuel consumption since the current costs are already borne by the student, who often has little money.
By the way, saving money is a widespread problem that every student faces. This concerns not only buying a car. Students try to save on everything, be it food, housing, or even using homework help services. It is not necessary to spend money on the latter. You can, for example, use a free education app if you have problems with homework or rewrite your essay with our help if you don’t have the required academic skills.
So, the top six cars for students are:
- Honda Civic
- Mazda 3
- Toyota Corolla
- Volkswagen Golf
- Ford Focus
- Hyundai Elantra.
A car for a student – is it a necessity?
Whether a student needs a car is a controversial issue. Some will say yes, having one really saves time, while others will answer no because it is much faster to get there by public transport than by your own car (typical for living in the capital).
Let’s look at the pros and cons of car ownership.
All the pros and cons of buying a first car
The following factors speak “for” buying:
- Traveling by your own car is much more convenient and comfortable than public transport, especially during peak hours.
- A student with a car is unafraid of cold, rain, and other “delights” of the weather.
- When driving a car, you can offer the person you like a ride home.
These arguments “against” buying:
- A car is an expensive pleasure. Not every student has such an amount. Of course, you can diligently save up, denying yourself everything else. But is it worth it?!
- Remember that a car always means additional expenses. They include gasoline, car wash, repairs, etc. Over a year, you may spend a pretty decent amount on your vehicle.
In any case, everyone decides for themselves whether they need a car or not.
Car buying tips for students
Since in this article we are focusing on average students from ordinary families (and those used to luxury life), the criteria for choosing a car for a student will be the following:
- The affordable price of the vehicle.
- Inexpensive repairs and consumables are available for order.
- It’s not a new car. Novice drivers get into minor accidents more often than experienced ones, and their vehicles need body repairs occasionally.
- Get a free vehicle check to know the basic specs of car and paid checks can tell you if the car has been stolen, involved in accident etc;.
The main criteria to pay attention to
We recommend choosing a car in tandem with an experienced person, preferably a specialist, who can determine whether it really hasn’t been crashed or painted or whether these are just the words of a cunning seller.
A car buyer should consider the following aspects:
- Year of car production. This is not the most important selection criterion, but it does matter. The older the car, the higher the chance it will need some repairs soon.
- The condition of its body. This is the point that you really need to pay attention to. There are brands with a high-quality galvanized body that can last for decades. However, most budget friendly cars do not have this feature.
- The operation of the engine and gearbox. Replacing the engine or gearbox on most cars will cost a pretty penny. When buying, be sure to ask to drive the car and listen to how the engine starts and runs and how and with what sound the gears change.
- The model availability on the market of auto parts. Parts for rare cars are more complex and expensive to find.
- Reviews of owners. Before buying a car, choose 3-5 options for yourself that are suitable in price, and be sure to read reviews from car owners. You can do this on resources such as parker.co.uk or autotrader.co.uk. Here you will find a lot of helpful information and will almost certainly make a choice.
- Select drive and engine type. It is better to choose a first car with all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive helps to ride safely even in mud or snow, reducing the risk of skidding. Rear-wheel-drive cars require confident driving skills.
- Decide on the transmission. Transmissions can be manual, automatic, and continuously variable. The more automated the process, the easier it is for a novice driver. Therefore, if driving is difficult for you, you should choose a car with an automatic transmission.
However, keep in mind that if you get your license without any practical experience with a manual transmission, there is a high probability that you will no longer be able to drive a car with it after some time.
This is not critical if you always drive only your vehicle, but it is inconvenient if you need, for example, to rent a car when traveling. Models with automatic transmission are not available everywhere, and they are more inconsistent in maintenance and more expensive.
- Look at suitable models in person. If you have already completed the previous steps, you should have a short list of cars that theoretically meet your requirements. Before you start choosing, it is better to look at all the options in person – not necessarily at places where you plan to buy.
You can go to car dealerships or used car markets and “try on” suitable models. This way, you will understand how convenient each model is for you based on visibility, seat adjustment options, ceiling height, and other parameters. For a novice driver, an automatic locking braking system, airbags, and power steering are very important – pay attention to models with all these features.
A car is not just a dream! Most students successfully combine studying with work to earn money for things like a car. However, finding a happy medium is essential to avoid being expelled.
