Bruh, you almost mentioned Jeep and reliable in the same sentence …

My pick would be 2014+ Mazda 3. Cheaper than Toyota or Honda without sacrificing reliability.

From what I’ve learned on the internet, the answer is always Miata.

Some 2000s fords are reliable with cheap ish maintenance, especially the ones with timing chains instead of belts. Or just something Japanese, they’re mostly really reliable

Unfortunately, “reliable” and “Jeep” don’t play nice in the same sentence. I get the allure, but unless you’re ready and willing to put in a lot of time in labor and money in parts, they’re not what you’re looking for.

You may not think you’re looking for a Toyota, but you’re looking for a Toyota. In 2016 I bought a 2009 Camry LE with 142,000 miles. I’ve put 52,000 miles on it since. It’s needed exactly five oil changes, two sets of brake pads, two sets of tires (one that I had installed the day I bought it), and two sets of wiper blades. It sometimes sits for months at a time from spring to fall, when I mostly drive my other cars. But whenever I need it, I know that I can hop in and turn the key. It WILL start. If I need to drive a thousand miles to Kansas on short notice, it WILL get me there and back. That’s peace of mind you can’t put a price tag on.

I would advise that you hold off and save until you can put in at least $7,000 for the car and another $500ish to cover tax, title, and any other fees and initial maintenance you need to do. At $5K, you’re going to be facing an uphill battle to get something decent and reliable. If you get yourself to $7K, you can start looking at some solidly built vehicles in good condition. You’re not far off the mark, and I know a year feels like an eternity, but it’ll blow by in a blink and your future self will thank you. As for financing, the best prices are always available from private party sellers, and financing those isn’t really done. Maybe see if you could get a loan for the balance from a parent and pay it back monthly to them.

The reason $5K won’t cut it is because it just so happens that the market’s magic number is around $7K right now to get into a new-enough reliable vehicle in good condition. You can’t really get around this by looking at higher mileage because reliable vehicles tend to hold their value. Do not compromise by buying a previously crashed car or one from an owner who can’t provide the car’s maintenance history; cheap Toyotas are cheap for a reason.

To demonstrate just how little these things depreciate, I bought my Camry for $7,500. I looked up how much that exact car costs today. Here’s the first listing that popped up. https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/4T1BE46K89U270038. You guessed it. $7,499. Granted, that’s at a dealer, so the price is marked up, and used car prices have not fully recovered from their trip to the stratosphere during COVID. But a GM or Ford from 2009 goes for a little over half that. The reason is that reliable cars do not depreciate much, if at all, with age once they get past their first few years; nor do they depreciate much with mileage, but unreliable cars drop like rocks. This example has over 283,000 miles, and Carfax says it’s still worth $5,600. https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/4T1BB46K09U082171. It probably is.

So, save up a bit more and get yourself a 2010+ Corolla or Camry in good condition, never crashed, with a consistent maintenance history. Here’s hoping for years upon years of trouble-free ownership.

I would lease a car if didn’t know anything about cars and didn’t want to learn. Pick a dealership near where you live and lease a car where maintenance is included. Electric cars require even less maintenance. Only downside is that you will need to save up for a down payment every 3-5 years.

Get a 2013-2016 Honda accord v6 - maybe a coupe since it’s cooler when you’re younger. These cars are bullet proof and aged great. Best of all is that’s it doesn’t need premium

Subaru imprezas (non wrx, non sti) have one of the highest percentages when it comes to still drivable cars with high mileage

Whatever you get consider a manual if you aren’t, usually cheaper, and a good skill to have

As the adage goes, buy the most Accord you can afford.

I’ve owned two Jeeps and they are not very reliable.

I’d stick with Civics, Accords, Corollas and maybe a Mazda 3.

Get a 1998 taurus. The old “round one”, I think it is edge / bio design.
They drive well, are safe, confortable and roomy.

I suspect the maintenance can be had for cheap and stay like this if the car was properly maintained.

There was a “luxury” version, buick le sabre, with leather , chrome trims nice wheels etc…

No so glamour, but top for a roadtrip or daily life imo.

Hi, I’m come to these parties to talk up older Hondas and Toyotas! Find something that has decent maintenance history, and let her rip. I love my 99 rx300. Great car, timing service is expensive, but otherwise built very well. By now most know it’s a Camry that’s been made into an SUV with better build quality. Locally I see the best examples under 5k with lower miles and good service history. Good place to start looking

Mazda 3, Honda civic, Toyota Camry or Corolla?

I live in Michigan where the weather is often bad and snowy, so I opted for a Subaru Crosstrek and that has been a pleasant experience for the past 4 years of owning it. (Coming from a Buick LeSabre)

I think if I lived in an area that had better road conditions I would have probably gone with the Honda Civic. Hard to argue with 33/42ish miles per gallon and a great track record.

It is very possible… this was around 2000. These cars were just workhorses…
V6 (small), shifter behind the wheel ! Awesome, much room in front.

Honda Civic or Accord, Toyota Camry or Corolla, Mazda 3.

Run away from anything that says Dodge, Jeep or Chrysler on it.

Basically get something small and Japanese, except for Nissan and Mitsubishi.

Camry, Corolla, Accord, Civic, Mazda 3. Just pick a trim you like and get the newest/ lowest mileage you can afford.