Q: What is the best first car for me ?

A 2005 Toyota Corolla CE typically sells for around $3,500 if you buy it it privately (that is, not from a used car dealer). That vehicle will get up to 35 MPG on the highway, which is good. Also, because the car is so common, parts are plentiful and reasonable in cost. Other recommended vehicles include various years of the Mazda 3, Pontiac Vibe, Volkswagen Rabbit, Hyundai Sonata 4-cyl. and Kia Optima 4-cyl. Each year, "Consumer Reports" publishes a list of recommended used cars and they also publish reliability ratings that can help you make a wise choice. If you interested in used vehicles that can be gotten for $3,500 "now" just look at past year’s recommendations from Consumer Reports. To maximize your chances of a trouble-free purchase, YourMechanic does offer a pre-purchase inspection which will help you to discover if a particular used car you are interested in has any repair needs, damage, or other problems.