Now that I created the category, might as well use it, right?
I did a first pass on cars in my price range that might not be terrible. Based on my projected income I am looking at used cars, of course. I want something that is compact or mid-sized. Not a fan of SUVs because they’re huge, don’t want a sub-compact because they’re too small on long trips. Oh, right, I like road trips when I have the mental energy, money, and a car that’s safe to drive. Hatchbacks are fine but I lean toward sedans or coupes.
Price wise, I had no idea what a decent but cheap used car would go for. So I poked around on Kelly Blue Book and Edmunds to see what price range cars that fit the above category and are ~10 years old or newer, and it looks like that price range goes from $10,000 to $15,000. If I have to get a car loan, at my terrible credit rating, that works out to a monthly payment of $200 to $300 for a 48 month loan.
I would love to be able to estimate what my insurance payment would be but that doesn’t seem to be a thing. Lots of sites will walk you through the thousand-and-one questions to come up with a very specific quote for a specific car specifically for me but I just want a broad guestimate and don’t want to track down fuckin’ VINs for cars (and sign up for email alerts nagging me to buy things, holy crap) just so they can ballpark me. If anyone knows of any simple car insurance calculators I’d love it!
Things that would be a nice-to-have but not dealbreakers would include CarPlay. I wouldn’t call myself an Apple fan any more; corporations are doing so much damage in the world, but I still do need a phone, and I’m used to Apple phones as far as features go, so that’s what I buy. And being able to get the interface and apps I’m used to in the car would be super handy. Right now, in my ancient Honda, I have a very cheap head unit that my phone can Bluetooth to; it plays music and podcasts and lets me make and take phone calls hands-free if I need to (please don’t call me at all but especially in the car, thanks).
Sunroofs are nice, I suppose. When there’s sun out. Which does happen more and more often as I get older.
All wheel drive would be great because, y’know, weather extremes are happening more and more thanks to corporations’ damage to the world; feeling more secure on snow and ice would be keen, really. Hybrids look like they could save me money as the gas companies continue their intransigence and looting by squeezing every possible penny of profit while also damaging the world, but hybrids to me are a question mark as far as maintenance costs, so while I might include them in my shopping, they require extra research and pre-purchase investigation.
Colors aren’t a big deal, and with used cars you get what you get, but if I have a choice I’d like a nice, non-metallic primary color. A good green or blue would be awesome. Black is also high on my list. Interior wise I’d prefer a black or gray interior, something neutral. Not a fan of tan, at all.
I want a car that’s easy and cheap to maintain, and has a decent track record of safety. That points toward larger makes and popular models; having more parts available means lower costs of repair. No bespoke boutique brands, alas.
From these broad strokes, I’ll start drafting up a list of years, makes, and models. It’s a good starting point!