For most people, buying an automobile for the first time also represents the first substantial purchase regardless of its status as new or used. While a first car offers unfettered freedom unavailable via walking or public transportation, a range of responsibilities accompanies it. For these reasons and more, the wrong first car can be troubling.

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Experienced drivers who may have bought half a dozen or more cars over time usually know what will suit their needs as well as certain models to avoid for reasons of reliability or poor driving experience. New drivers can be enticed by perceptions of cars portrayed in media or even from limited experience driving others’ cars. However, driving a car for a few short trips can conceal the pitfalls of a particular model. Furthermore, inexperienced drivers who have not yet had the misfortune of dealing with a particularly problematic car and the sometimes skyrocketing repair bills can be in for a rude awakening when their “dream car” turns out to be a nightmare.

Therefore, as someone who has been on the road for a few decades, I have bought and sold many cars across the spectrum. Additionally, I am a professionally trained mechanic with particular insight into which cars have common problems you might want to avoid, and it has helped me to stay away from money pits. Relying on research and my expertise, I can definitively say new drivers should never buy one of these cars.

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Although many people do not buy their first car until a bit later in life, I am assuming they are teenage first car buyers. When I first started driving, my friend had a Mustang, but that one was well-suited to a teenage driver. He had a 1988 Mustang LX, which came with a four-cylinder engine producing a whopping 90 horsepower with a 0-60 mph time of eventually. It looked cool but lacked the sports half of a sports car.

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For kids lucky enough to get a newer car at 16, any Mustang should be a dubious proposition. In 1988, the V8 Mustang GT only produced 225 horsepower while a slightly older 2020 four-cylinder Mustang makes 332 horsepower with a generous 350 lb-ft of torque. It is a powerful car in any light.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) 2016-17 National Household Travel Survey showed crashes by 16 to 19-year-old drivers in any car significantly higher than older drivers. Furthermore, the NHTSA states that speeding is a factor in a third of all fatal crashes. And in Italy, a 2011 reform limited new drivers to 95 horsepower, gradually rising over time. A study later showed the result was a 20% decrease in risk of causing an accident. The bottom line is fast cars are dangerous for inexperienced drivers, and late model cars including the Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Dodge Challenger are best left to older drivers. Besides, insurance can exceed $1,000 per month, likely exceeding the payment.

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Born out of necessity for WWII, the Jeep quickly transitioned into an outdoor all-terrain workhorse. Along the way, someone thought to market it as more of an adventure vehicle used more for pleasure than work, and that became permanently a part of its image and appeal.

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Indeed, Jeeps are a blast to drive over trails and through the mud. They have proven capabilities that can be modified and augmented in many ways to tackle increasingly rough terrain. When it’s time to hit the road back home, the Jeep reveals its suitability for city driving.

The latest Jeep models benefit from an array of modern improvements and electronic controls, making them more adaptable and tame on pavement, but Jeeps have a few inherent drawbacks. The short wheelbase and off-road suspension makes the ride bouncy, and they have a lot of body roll through corners. Fuel mileage is not great and gets worse with big all-terrain tires. Furthermore, those big tires also tend to be very noisy, making highway cruising loud – a soft top adds to this. They have limited storage and are impractical for hauling much cargo. Perhaps even more importantly, they are not known for reliability. I have had a lot of fun driving Jeeps, but I could not imagine that I would enjoy it in the long term. Comfort and reliability should be rated a little higher for your only car, and you should probably wait to get a Jeep until you can keep it as an overly expensive toy.

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Anyone driving a Mercedes-Benz can attest that the company makes comfortable and luxurious cars. Featuring the latest conveniences and power options, driving a Benz is truly a joy.

Many years ago, my wife bought a Benz, and even though the Mercedes 190E was the entry level “Baby Benz,” I regularly made excuses to drive because I enjoyed it so much. However, the first time we took it to the shop, it cost about $900, of which $700 was for one part – in 1998 dollars. Expensive parts and even expensive mechanics are both just part of the Mercedes-Benz experience.

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That 190E was made when Mercedes built cars with quality above all. They were finicky and temperamental cars, but solid tanks. Sometime in the ’90s, that changed as flashy features and over-engineered electronics took over. Today, this makes repairing a Mercedes a potentially bankrupting experience. That is why your first car should not be a Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4MATIC. RepairPal rates it a “3,” with average repair cost of $1,020. If you need an oxygen sensor, that’s $1,323 while a window motor is $1,094, and a brake caliper is a relative bargain at just $633. By the way, good luck with your transmission, as replacing that can set you back more than $5,000. Just remember the adage that there is nothing more expensive than a cheap luxury car, and stay away from Mercedes for your first ride.

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Whatever one chooses to be their first car will be heavily influenced by geography. The needs of students vary across the country, except Texas, where it appears to be mandatory to drive a pickup. They just don’t have to be huge.

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For folks needing a tough and rugged pickup capable of hauling a significant payload while delivering reliable operation mile after mile, a Ford F250 with the Powerstroke diesel V8 delivers. You’ll find high school parking lots packed in with pickups in rural America, and that is okay. It is the lifted trucks with 37-inch tires setup with giant pipes for “rolling coal” that present an issue, and F250 diesels are desirable targets for these modifications.

While pickups overall, according to Consumer Reports, have grown in recent years and present a range of safety issues, modifications alter their handling and payload capacity, often in ways you might not expect. This can decrease braking effectiveness, make rollovers easier, and make it more difficult to recover from sudden maneuvers. Furthermore, big diesel repairs can be costly as heavy-duty parts cost more, and the complicated engines often require specialists to service them properly. They are also thirsty and can drain the minimum wage paycheck of the average high schooler in no time. If you want a pickup, by all means, get one. Just get a half-ton gasoline model with stock tires and wait until your contracting business takes off to upgrade in a few years.

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Established in 1972, the BMW M division of the automaker sought to enhance the brand’s motorsports participation and bring it to the masses. The first production model, the incredible BMW M1, came out of the division in 1978, followed by a regular supply of M-powered BMW models across the range. Today, BMW M represents the cutting-edge of high-performance luxury.

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Introduced in 1986, the BMW M3 added some punch to its classy but small 3-series car. It proved to be a popular choice and cemented its place within the BMW lineup. The original four-cylinder cars were quick, but modern M3s are downright fast, with up to 503 horsepower, and that could be dangerous in the hands of an inexperienced driver.

While a new M3 is incredibly fast, its $77,175 price tag prevents teenagers from acquiring one. That leaves only the more affordable and generally well-used models within reach. On AutoTrader, only a few M3 models are listed for less than 10 grand, and they are nearly 30 years old with mileage well over 100,000. Luxury sports cars of that age will be tough to keep on the road affordably, and the kind of abuse teenagers often subject their cars to raises the chance the old M3 will see a steady decline. While anecdotal, the Mike’s Steering Column blog provides a cautionary tale as it details the $43,706 maintenance of a 2011 M3 bought in 2013. The M3 may look cool, but having money is better.

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For most new teenage drivers, something like the Chevrolet Aveo tends to fit perfectly within the shopping requirements that the car is cheap and nothing else. Some people say your first car should be cheap and terrible, and many of us remember well the experience of driving leaking and smoky hunks of metal in our first years on the road.

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Born out of the takeover by GM of Korean Daewoo Motors, the Chevrolet Aveo was adopted from the Korean division to serve as Chevrolet’s most affordably priced car beginning in 2004. With a 1.6-liter engine and its 104 horsepower, not much racing was in store for any Aveo owner, but it would return excellent fuel economy. With an original retail price of $9,995, it became an attractive option for new car buyers on a budget.

Before GM took control of Daewoo, quality was poor, and things did not improve much afterwards. The Aveo is a very small car with few options and little comfort. For the second-generation 2011 model, the IIHS gives it a marginal safety rating on most parameters, and it would likely fare poorly against a modern Escalade in a collision. Furthermore, reliability is an issue, and commonly reported failures include the timing belt, complete engine failure, and assorted electrical issues. In my experience, these engines are unrefined and harsh, requiring lots of throttle to keep up with traffic, which adds stress overall. While these are cheap, better choices still exist.

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Mazda has made great cars for a long time, and its compact Mazda 3 makes a great first car. Its latest model has won awards for safety and design and has been a great seller since it debuted in 2004. The Mazda 3 delivers an engaging driving experience with excellent build quality and high reliability, and any generation of this car is ideal for a new driver of any age. However, the turbocharged 263-horsepower Mazdaspeed3 that debuted in 2007 remains a poor choice for new drivers, despite its popularity among them.

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I owned a Mazdaspeed3 until someone pulled out in front of me and totaled it. It was a one-owner car kept in immaculate condition with about 90,000 miles. The previous owner traded it for a 368-horsepower Kia Stinger GT, a logical step up in performance, and it was clear they had maintained the car. It also had a few professionally installed upgrades, and I could tell everything was done correctly. I estimate its horsepower to have been over 300 because that car was incredibly quick and way too powerful for inexperienced drivers.

The other reason a Mazdaspeed3 is a poor choice for a new driver is the condition of so many you will find today. I would like another one, but almost all of them listed in my area have a laundry list of upgrades, aftermarket wheels with rubber bands for tires, and poorly installed subwoofers. Stick with a non-turbo car and buy a fast one later when you can afford something new.

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Truthfully, it might be a bit preposterous to consider an old Corvette for their first car, but plenty of kids dream of getting some kind of classic or vintage vehicle as their first. My first car became an ongoing project, and I learned a lot from it. Plus, early C4 Corvettes in good running condition can be picked up for less than ten grand. So, why not?

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You have to consider that these cars are now in their 40s. They were built with cutting-edge electronics for the era but are archaic today and incompatible with modern diagnostic gear. Furthermore, I remember well driving many GM cars from the ’80s, and they generally were not well-built, with panel gaps and rattles throughout. The small-block V8 is robust and reliable, but early fuel injection units require specialized knowledge and skill. Other considerations include the need to ensure everything is recently serviced and nothing has been neglected for years. Another huge consideration is tires, as the P255/50R16 tires start at about $200 each.

While the old Corvettes could never compare to the mid-engine 500-horsepower 2025 Corvette ZR1, they are still a lightweight sports car with a V8. Those old, small block engines can still light up the tires and create a cloud of tire smoke, all the while attracting the cops. The allure of a Corvette could also create overconfidence, leading to unsafe driving. Old Corvettes will always be around, so get something reasonable first.

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Mazda’s dedication to its Wankel engine is impressive. For decades, Mazda has been the sole producer of the rotary engine, building several models until the RX-8 retired in 2011. The rotary is said to be coming back as Mazda moves ahead with its Iconic SP concept, which may be great. For new drivers looking for a vehicle, the existing Mazda RX-8 may not be so great.

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I worked at a Mazda dealer and drove many RX-8s, and they are fantastic cars to drive. They have a 50/50 weight balance, which gives them incredible handling and makes them feel planted through the corners. The 1.3-liter rotary engine makes great power considering its low displacement, but 232 horsepower was not very competitive even when they were new. Rotarys also lack torque, so the RX-8 is happiest at high rpm, and they are fun to wind out to the 9,000 rpm redline. Also, with the “freestyle” rear-hinged rear doors, passengers have easy access, making it easy to pick up your (smaller) friends.

Rotary engines are fickle and require special attention. This is why new drivers probably should not buy the RX-8. They use oil and need to be topped off regularly, and they can suffer from a no-start condition if started and not fully warmed up with every start. Furthermore, few shops know how to repair them, so access to service is problematic. For a similar experience without the fuss, the affordable Toyota GR86/Subaru BR-Z is a much better option.

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My first car was a Triumph Spitfire 1500 upgraded with a Weber carburetor and Monza exhaust. It was not fast, but it turned on a dime; the roof was optional, and it looked great.

Having a little car that drove like a go-kart was cool for the driving experience, especially on warm spring days with the top down. Having only one extra seat sucked at times, but worse was when I had a passenger, and it rained; water poured into the car at multiple points, soaking both of us. It also lacked air conditioning; even in the summer, that was not the worst part.

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I wanted to go to school for auto repair, but I got a crash course with my own ride. Random electrical problems plagued the car, and I had to bleed the clutch before driving it for a while – it helped that the transmission cover was made of cardboard that I could slide back for access while seated in the car. At some point, reverse quit, and I had to push it by sticking my foot out of the door. That went on for way too long, but the final straw was when something in the rear end broke and it stopped moving completely. I wanted nothing to do with it at that point and never drove it again. So however unlikely it may be today due to the last one being built in 1980, I cannot recommend you buy a British roadster for your first car.

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