There are an estimated one billion drivers on planet Earth. Far too many of them probably drive a used car. We all want to experience that new car smell. However, most people, like myself, can only afford to live within our means. The average cost of a new car is about ,000. What many people fail to consider that it costs over $9,000 a year to financially maintain a car.
This includes costs like mechanical maintenance, gasoline, car insurance, and so on. Most people just can’t afford to pay $35,000 or $40,000 for a brand spanking new car. All hope is not lost, however. There are many brand-new cars with great features that you can own for under $30,000.
Honda Accord
This inline, four-cylinder, 192-horsepower engine has a lot of power. It even comes in manual transmission, if desired. It seats five and gets 30 miles per gallon in the city and about 38 miles per gallon on the highway. The steering controls are sensitive, meaning that experienced drivers will have no problem handling it. There is over 16.7 cubic square feet of space in the trunk, meaning that over a dozen full grocery bags can fit in it.
It comes with a limited, 3-year or 36,000-mile warranty, plus a 5-year or 60,000 warranty for the powertrain. You can get it for about $25,000.
Mazda 6
This mid-sized family-oriented sedan has an aesthetically pleasing interior that makes it look more expensive than it actually is. The 2019 Mazda 6 is basically a sports sedan masquerading as a family sedan. It has a 187-horsepower, four-cylinder, 2.5-liter engine. The company also significantly redesigned the chassis to cut down on cabin noise levels. This vehicle gets about 26 miles per gallon in the city and about 36 miles per gallon on highways.
The Mazda 6 comes with a limited warranty for 36,000 miles or 3-years, and a powertrain warranty for 60,000 miles, or 5-years. Its starting price is about $23,000.
Nissan Altima
The 2019 Nissan Altima come with manual and automatic engine options, expansive cabin space, incredible fuel efficiency, and even some digital technology innovation. It seats five people comfortably. The Zero Gravity class front seats are considered to be the most comfortable seats in the industry. Its 188-horsepower, 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine is powerful. Fuel efficiency wise, it gets 28 miles per gallon in the city and 39 miles per gallon on the highway.
Also available is the optional ProPilot Assist technology, a semi-autonomous driving feature. It was awarded a 3.5 driving reliability rating from J.D. Power and Associates. The Nissan Altima comes with a standard 3-year or 36,000-mile warranty and a 5-year or 60,000 warranty for the powertrain. It starts at $25,000.
Toyota Camry
The 2019 Toyota Camry is user friendly in terms of driving, gets great fuel efficiency, and features a bit more technology extras than most cars in its class. It has a four-out-of-five driving reliability rating from J.D. Power and Associates. The 203-horsepower, 2.5 liter, four-cylinder engine gets about 29 miles per gallon on city streets and about 41 miles per gallon on highways.
The 2019 Toyota Camry comes with new and optional technology interfaces. You can get it standard with AppleCarPlay, Siri Eyes Free, and a WiFi hotspot, or optionally with Amazon Alexa. It comes with a standard 3-year or 36,000-mile warranty and a 5-year or 60,000 powertrain warranty. The beginning price is about $25,000.
A Brand-New “Starter,” Vehicle
OK, so there is nothing sexy or exciting about mentioning a Camry or Altima. It still can’t be denied that these are workhorse vehicles that get redesigned and remarketed often. That doesn’t mean that they are bad choices. Also, instead of getting a used vehicle, this could be a great, “starter version,” a brand-new car before you potentially buy a more expensive model down the line.
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Allen Francis was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years with no money, no financial literacy, and no responsibility when he had money. To him, the phrase “personal finance,” contains the power that anyone has to grow their own wealth. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including focusing on your needs instead of your wants, asking for help when you need it, saving and investing in your own small business.