Best Cars for College Students
I don't know what kind of car you had in college, but I drove a 1990 Ford Probe that my dad graciously paid half for (thanks pa!), and after I spent another couple of grand of my hard-earned money pimpin' it out — 2 Kicker comp 15" subs, Soundstream amps, Sony deck and changer, Infinity speakers…I thought I had a pretty cool ride. My neighbors didn't like it so much though as their room shook every time I pulled in the driveway thanks to my booming bass…but I didn't care, I was young.
So, when I read Forbes' selection of Best Cars for College Students 2005, frankly, I was disappointed. Yes, clearly, they are coming from the parents' perspective in thinking the parents would likely be footing the bill and want a sensible and safe car for their kids. But what college kid would want to be caught in a Chevy Malibu or Hyundai Elantra? And how many parents will be able to buy their kid an A4? And how come none of the Scions made it to the list? I'm confused.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Marc James 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
I'm a college student and drive an '03 BMW 325i. I know I'm lucky and really appreciate and take care of the car (zero tickets/accidents). I've paid for a lot of upgrades since it came without any options new and think it looks significantly better than the way I got it: http://sports-central.org/stuff/bmw_sig7.jpg
I think, in many ways, having a nice car *makes* me extra careful. Some people who drive junker cars seem to just not care if they run into something or get a dent. On the other hand, some people my age take having a nice car their parents bought them for granted and treat it like crap because they didn't work for it. So it depends on the situation.
If money was more of an issue, a Mazda 3/6 or Scion would be fine. Those are some pretty nice cars.
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Bryan William Jones 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
Smart cars would be ideal for most college students. They are inexpensive, reliable and fuel efficient. Otherwise I would have to suggest something else that is fuel efficient and reliable so the students are not constantly worrying about repairs. If you are fortunate enough to have your folks pay for a car then fuel costs are likely not a problem as you probably also get money from them for gas.
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Joseph Willemssen 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
I think their main criteria were afforability and safety.
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Lester Jones 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
yo... i took the bus to go to college...
thank God for social mobility...
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Adam 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
I go to college, and I drive the element my dad gave to me, because it's free. I hate it, but it's free so I'm not complaining (that much). I hate SUV's, and I hate elements. I remember seeing it in a magazine and being like "who would ever buy this." It's ugly, it only seats 4, and it doesn't get good mileage (I guess for an SUV it does). I can't even put subs in the damn thing cause the trunk barely fits anything as it is, and then that would defeat it's only redeeming value, folding up the seats to fit crap. I would love to have a scion coupe, or a mazda 3, or even a GTI. But whatever, it moves. When I get a real job I'd love to have a 99 GSX... but then they have that crankwalk problem... maybe one of the new WRX hatches if they ever come out... meh, I can dream can't I?
As for them giving me money for gas... only if they happen to be in it when it's completely empty. I work in a deli 48 hrs/w for the summer so hopefully that will pay for gas/books/random food for the year.
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Dave 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
Forbes must target that special 1% of college parents that actually buy new cars for their kids. For the other 99%, Forbes should have considered the following guidelines:
1. Used, Used, Used: Cheap, broken-in, and you don't care too much when it becomes covered with dents and scuffs that the still-learning-to-drive kid will inevitably accumulate.
2. Reliability is overrated, but not cost: Make your kid pay for his new clutch. Consider it "life experience." And properly maintained, an '89 BMW is likely to be about as reliable as an '89 Civic, but repairs for the Civic will cost about a quarter as much as the BMW's.
3. Cargo capacity: That little Eclipse coupe may be fast and cool, but wait until your fiftieth cargo run when you're moving into your first apartment. Get a boxy old Subaru or Volvo wagon or a Tacoma and you'll earn MAJOR points helping girls move into their sorority house.
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Will C(A Scion xB Owner) 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
I too am confused as to how none of the Scions made it on there...especially the xB which has excellent cargo capacity, is inexpensive for the features, good gas mileage, has good safety tests(it was tested in Japan), and is a toyota product...it seemed to me that list was way to Domestic heavy...
~wC
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Robert 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
Im amazed theres no Mazda 3. I thought it did well enough in crash tests. I knew a guy who swore by his minivan, but his other car was a Charger drag racer so he was content with the plebeian daily driver.
The most insane ride Ive seen in the Virginia Tech residential lot is a Ram SRT-10. There was also a guy with a Hummer H1, but that was a few years ago. Recently Ive seen a cute blonde in a BMW 850ci, but havent been able to catch up with her yet.
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Dave 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
Often, a college student's first car will inspire the "brand loyalty" that is the holy grail of auto makers.
A fantastic promotion for impressionable youths would be a student discount for used car maintenance and repairs. For example, Chevrolet might offer a 20% discount on parts and labor for used Chevrolets with under 100K miles plus current registration and student ID, and 10% for cars between 100K and 200K.
Just a random thought.
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md 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
#7, believe it or not there are some domestic vehicles that provide great safety and value, in some cases just as much or more than import brands. when you actually look at the individual cars without bias there are some great cars. if your scion is a great car, good for you, you made an excellent choice. however, toyota is not the end all be all in the automotive industry.
this tests' main concern was great safety at a price under $20000 with the audi being the only exception to the price constraint. the scions, though flashy, might not be the safest nor the most inexpensive when compared to other vehicles in their class.
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stephen 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
A Nissan Frontier????
There should be a law against Forbes writing any more articles about subjects they know nothing about, ie cars.
Sheesh, they could have at least listed the Mitsubishi Eclipse instead of the Galant. What kid wants to drive a landboat?
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Devin Lussier 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
I'm a college student and not only do I love my Hyundai Elantra GT but I'm VERY proud to be seen in it. I almost had an used Volvo S40 but I'm glad I got the Hyundai because it actually has more features for the money, and the warranty can't be beat.
I think the Audi should have been substituted with the new Volvo S40 and I think the Scion tC should've at least been mentioned. And why the Galant over the Lancer?
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Jaymez 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
My college car was a '92 Chevy Lumina Euro Sedan. It was/is a great car and never gave me any major problems. My aftermarket remote starter went bad and killed three batteries and an alternator and I had to replace a dragging caliper.
I hate sedans, but the car is plenty roomy, had great cargo capacity, and a great motor. I love those 3100s! I still use it whenever I don't feel like being raped at the gas pump when it comes time to fill my Silverado.
I won't take the car on any long trips, now, due to a strange front end noise that I can't pinpoint. The origional struts need to be replaced, the muffler needs to be replaced, and I'll probably need new tires next year, but it's still a great car. Any problems that car has are due to its age and my lack of funds needed to buy the parts.
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Drew Heyman 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
it seems to me like it really depends on where you go to college. For both my undergrad (Texas Tech) and grad school (Southern Methodist), a high percentage of the students drove nicer cars than their parents (paid for by their parents of course). That meant lots of tahoes, explorers, f-150s, silverados, and jeep cherokees in the dorms and comuter parking lots.
A honda civic seems like a normal college car.
I agree though, where are the scions, v6 mustang, and mitsubishi eclipse?
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Will C(A Scion xB Owner) 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
#10 I didnt say the Toyota is the end all be all...but the tC is one of the few cars in that class with knee airbags...and time and time again Toyotas do really well in reliability...and the malibu had a "Safety Concern" tag on it's side impact rating where the dummies head hit the window trim...
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Joseph Willemssen 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
Here's a great choice for college students:
http://www.zipcar.com/universities/
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md 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
I know you didn't actually say that Will C, but by saying that it was a domestic heavy list it seemed as if you did not believe they were worthy of mention. Toyota does build some great cars and they were represented on the list. the tc may be missing because, while it may be safe, there are others that are cheaper than the scion's 16k pricetag that offer decent safety as well.
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Kenneth 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
My parents decided to give me the '95 Nissan Sentra XE on my senior year of college. I lived about 100 miles away from home and the Sentra pretty much got the job done. I didn't get any add-on for the car tho, but I took care of it and kept it clean.
From time to time, I see college or even high school kids drive some high 20K or mid-30K cars. I'm not really a compact car fanboy, but it's fine for college students.
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Joseph Willemssen 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
Only 3 of the 11 on the list were domestics.
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Bigel 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
The reason the article doesn't make sense is because it was written by a Lienert. None of their articles ever make sense, yet they are automotive consultants...actually that may explain a lot. Anyway, Dave (#6, #9) took the words right out of my mouth.
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