Advice on picking a car for a 16yo...

I'm starting to help my nephew who will be getting his license this month to pick out a car. Currently his budget is <10k (probably realistically $7500 or so). I'm pretty handy with cars and can give him a hand with wrenching at my house but i would be the only male role model in his life as his dad passed away a few years ago---which is why i've taken it upon myself to help him out.

He originally wanted a jeep wrangler but all the ones in that range are 04-06 with >150k miles and we're in the salt belt so most of them were all rusted out or modded to hell. But it would require constant upkeep and work which neither of us want for a 16 year old looking for a DD. So we're back to square 1 but thought id get some opinions on here for suggestions. Here's what i've thought of so car, and most of it will be based on reliability.

1. Honda- Accord or CRV (and for some reason he LOVES the element, but it was d/c in 2011 so im afraid of parts availability?)
2. Toyota 4runner, camry
3. What does TW think?? I'm open for suggestions.

 

3rd gen 4Runner, end your search. Elements are cool, reliable, and can be found cheap, but as far as a proven reliable platform the 3rd gen 4Runner is hard to beat. I love mine and will probably pick up another soon.

 

That's really what im thinking too, i've been sending him a couple seeing if it sparks interest, any particular years to look for?

 

Honda Element and worried about parts?

I was still buying OEM trim parts for a 1991 Accord back in 2012

Honda and Toyota are pretty good about keeping service parts

If it was VW i'd be concerned. They like to make trim parts NLA pretty quick. At least that was my experience 10 years ago

 

They are relatively the same through the years, I’d personally look for 98-00 2wd SR5. There are different opinions on the subject, here’s some reading material for you.

 

Moreso exterior body panels and miscellaneous crap i suppose, not so much engine components as im sure those are pretty much universal across their models.

 

Thats exactly the site i'm on right now! lol

 

All thing being equal, in a crash, the one with the most mass wins.

 

Well this is a Tacoma forum, so that’s what I’d recommend. A nice condition used Taco would be awesome for a 16 year old.

 

Id vote for a 3rd gen 4Runner. But check for rot. They suffered the same as the same generation Tacos but never got any attention from Toyota.

Or a 1st gen Taco.

 

2000-2005 accord, camry, civic, corolla.

 

There's always car-part.com for body parts.

 

Have you tried to find vehicles outside the rust belt?

 

or bondo and spray paint... lol

 

Just starting the search, but yeah i'm open to traveling south for a vehicle and making a road trip out of it.

 

00-04 Civics are cool too, for purely a DD and budget option. Here in Texas they are $2000-4000 all day with under 150k miles.

 

The 4R will suck gas for a teen. If you want to keep him home more, go that route.

 

He was looking at Jeeps so I’m guessing that wasn’t a huge concern lol.

 

Guaranteed, the car will get wrecked within a couple of years. Have a brutally honest talk with him about this natural fact. Spend le$$ on the first, and keep saving for the inevitable replacement vehicle.

 

01-05 Lexus IS300.