Falcondrivr

I'm looking at a couple of different cars for my daughter. I need something safe, reliable, and cheap. Cheap like under 10K purchase and easy to fix when she breaks it. My current thinking is get something that handles well so she can learn to be a good driver, raher than surround her with a huge behemoth and hope the other car loses...
I'm considering:
2002-2005 Original Mini Cooper 5 speed, no S.
2002-2004 BMW 3 series
2002-2004 Audi A4
All have 4 star safety ratings and seem to fit the bill. Anyone have any comments or suggestions about the above, or any other ideas?

Kika

I vote for the A4, can it really be had for under $10k?

CorrdoBrit

Yep, the keul kidz drive Audi's.

element

get the mini! you cant beat the handling\fun you have with them (I have an 03 MCS as my practical car).. carrys enough people and stuff when needed.. very effecient and great DIY community. And you cant beat how fun it is! For just a MC you can pickup a very nice one for that price.. they are also super solid and safe.

phil.

Van Larson

FWIW, I'd also think about a Subie (wrx?) with a stick. My daughter (now 27 and graduating from med school in May) still has her 02 WRX that I bought new when she got her DL. Has 135K on it, she still loves it, it runs better than when new and aside from general maintenance/upkeep, has been trouble free, all through high school, college, 1 year of med office "experience" (100 mi. round trip each day) and med school. Told her I planned to keep it until she buys me a new Porsche!

goofballdeluxe

Are any of those cars cheap to fix? I know BMW/Audi parts can be pricey...

I would imagine something to consider is the likelihood of any 16 year old getting involved in a minor collision of some sort within the first few years is around 100%.

Paul M

I got my daughter an 06 Ford Fusion. 4 cylinder, manual transmission.

She has crashed it twice.

slickster85

Wait till she is 18?

I had good luck with my '02 330ci, wonderful car.

chsu74

I bought my 01 325 new and still love it as a daily. However, I don't know if it is something I would buy for my kid. It is not cheap to maintain but the I6 motor is rock solid.

Falcondrivr

Thanks for the replies so far. Also should mention that it will be a totally city car. We live in the urban core, and she will rarely have it above 45mph, (I hope.)

ca993twin

I think the Audi's and BMWs are very expensive to maintain and repair. I'm not sure about the Mini. I'd get the newest Honda, Toyota, Ford, or Hyundai that fits the budget. I'm also a believer that kids ALWAYS crash their first cars... so maybe something less? I just got my troubled 24-year-old son a 1995 Mazda Protoge. 113,000 miles, $2000. I have low expectations.

Kika

16 YO Girl, one with as uncomfortable a back seat as possible, or preferable NO back seat.

In all seriousness..

my son drove my wife's former 300CE for about a year and a half, then we traded it in on a Mazda 3. I love the Mazda. Rear seat folds down so he can get his surf board inside, gets good mileage, doesn't go TOO fast.

First car should be heavy and slow, until they get some experience behind them.

I initially voted based on what I would like to have, which would be the A4. I am sure the mini is cool, but I would worry if she got in an accident. Although none of the selections are "big" cars. There is another philosophy that says she can better avoid an accident by having a more nimble car however, as OP stated.

which does she want?

ehanauer

VW Golf TDI

CorrdoBrit

Guess that makes a 993 a top contender

Makmov

There is nothing cheap and reliable about anything you have mentioned, nor easy to work on much less fix.

I don't know why anyone would give GIVE a 16 year-old a $10K car to run into the dirt any ways.

It's going to cost you another $10 to keep any of those cars on the road for any length of time before she is ready to replace it - and that will be long before you are ready.

Get something less expensive to buy and up keep.
Get something is far more reliable than an old German car. Any of those three are huge financial liablities.
You can still get something safe and much newer for 10K.

A mazda 6 has a 5 Star rating, Reliable and cheap to fix.

Get a 2.3 5spd sport and in that year range it's probably 1/2 the money to buy and 1/4 the money to up keep.

I run a warranty admin company and I see the losses on Audis, BMW (which are the worst) and Mini, not that far behind BMW. It's stupid rediculous amounts of money spent on these older German cars. I had a claim recently for a valve cover gasket at the dealer on a 5 series. $1700.00, PS pump took out the rack at the dealer $6800 on a A4. A couple burnt up cams on a 3 series $10k, and it goes on and on and on. A set of tires $2200.00, A4 Tbelt and wp $1200 at a indy.

Some cars you cannot afford to own out of warranty. If you are dead set on one of these cars get a CPO with a warranty.