Soo i live in suburban hell and need to buy one to commute daily but I dont know anything about cars and I dont really know if I can trust random reviews on google.
I don't need anything big/fancy/powerful, just a car that will last and don't need much repairs and is fuel efficient. This would be for North America btw. Any recommendations? Also is it worth it to get a hybrid? I am looking to buy new since it seems like used ones are still super expensive atm.
What's your budget? Do you need to carry passengers, pets, or mountain bikes? Do you need something that's good in the snow?
Without knowing more, I'd suggest any small Honda or Toyota, maybe a hybrid. I wouldn't buy anything brand-new, that's almost never a good financial decision. But sometimes you can get a good deal on a "certified pre-owned" car from a dealer. Something a few years old will still have plenty of life left, but you're letting someone else pay the new car premium. If you can, get financing through your bank. Dealerships usually have the worst deals for financing. Look up guides on how to negotiate at a dealer or with a private seller.
For a practical hatchback, I've heard good things about the Honda Fit and Toyota Matrix, and you can't go wrong with a Civic or Corolla if you want a sedan. You also might look at a Mazda 2, which was also sold as the Scion iA.
If you want a hybrid, check out the Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, or Chevrolet Volt. There are also hybrid versions of the Civic and Corolla.
Whatever you choose, take it to an independent mechanic for a "pre-purchase inspection." This should cost around $150 but will tell you if there's anything major that needs repaired. Also google common problems with a particular car, and ask the salesperson for receipts of major services if the mileage requires them. Be prepared to walk away if it doesn't seem right.
If you live where it snows a lot, get a set of snow tires and change them out in the winter. Get a second set of wheels for the snow tires to make it easier to change them. "All-season" tires are a compromise, and all-wheel drive will only get you so far.
My budget is around 20-28kish. I would really like to stick to more on the 20ish end if possible but if I can save more down the line then I am willing to pay a bit more. I don't need to carry anyone or anything large, maybe like 1 other person sometimes? I think my preference would be a small car for sure.
I've browsed used cars around me but they all seem to be either the same or more expensive sometimes than newer ones unless it's like 5-10+ years old or has a lot of miles. Is there anything I am missing with this or can the posted prices be negotiated down a huge amount?? I am planning on paying cash as l really want to avoid payments as they give me a lot of anxiety. I know it's probably better to do some sort of financing but this whole purchase is overwhelming already and kind of just want it to be a done deal even if I may not be getting the best possible price.
Thanks the advice on inspection, I will def do that!
For $20k there's a lot of good cars out there, especially if you don't mind something used. The average car in the USA lasts around 12 years or 200k miles, so even a gently used car will last you a long time.
I haven't looked at new car prices much lately, but my understanding is that there's a shortage of electronic components from China that's affecting all new cars, so dealerships are taking advantage of this by charging higher prices ("additional dealer markup," or ADM). This is also driving up the cost of used cars. If you're buying new, you still might need to pay MSRP or slightly over. You can negotiate down some of the markups, especially the unnecessary ones like VIN etching. More info here: https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/buyer-beware-dealer-markups/
If you can afford to pay cash, that's great! You'll save money in the long term. I would still advise against buying a brand-new car, unless it's the same price as a certified pre-owned car with a warranty.
Also: stay away from Carvana, they've been known to rip people off.
I don't mind used at all so I'll keep that in mind and ask around still.
From my limited understanding/research, inventories are really low so a lot of gently used/new available cars are being sold above MSRP because there's people willing to pay a lot to get the car they want right away and the cars with good mileage are going fast because of gas prices. Luckily, I have family willing to let me borrow a really old car and I'm not in a super hurry to get one so I'm thinking of trying to place an order for a car with min specs at MSRP and waiting it out. I could also try and wait out the shortage but I don't have unlimited time and I'm worried that even with the shortage being over the price gouging/hoarding will remain because that's what's most profitable and there's no hope the government would ever implement price controls.