Another part of our Buy a car you can afford series. We will try and show you a larger overview of cars from various segments and classes so that you will be sure to find the best one for your. Enjoy!

1. Hyundai Accent

   Hyundai Accent

   A successor of the good old Pony model that hit the showrooms back in the 1980s. This used to be a real trailblazer, one of the first Korean cars to appear on the American soil. These days, with Korean cars being so much a part of our roads, no one would be surprised to see an Accent among the best picks for under $5000. Having that sum up your sleeve will let you purchase a 2003-2005 Accent. It seems to be a perfect car for city driving. It’s constructed in a very simple way (built back in the days where the electronics was not so ubiquitous as it is today,) requires just regular maintenance and that’s it. Spare parts are cheap and widely available. Although you won’t tell it is very spacious inside when you look from the outside, it turns out that Accent can easily be used for moving around 5 adults and their weekly shopping! And just one more thing – its real fun to drive. Drivers report that the Accent handles truly well for a car that price with having quite decent MPG ratio (around 36 MPG).

Featured engine: stick to the 1.6 (104 PS) – it is not much more of a gas-guzzler than the weaker version but provides better performance at the same time.

2. Ford Ranger

   Ford Ranger

   There is no better choice if you need a small pickup truck. In case the F-150 is too big for you and the regular MPV is too small, the Ranger seems to be the best option for a little hauler. Just see, how popular they are with people that do the Jack-of-all-Trades types of businesses. Plus to that, don’t think twice about a Ranger if you look at low maintenance fees. As a matter of fact, spare parts are way cheaper than they would be in case of Chevys or Toyotas of the same range. Also, you can get around 26 MPG which is definitely not that bad for a pickup truck. And one more thing – Rangers are well-known for offering quite a reasonable amount of space inside, as for a car of that type. You can easily find a 2000-2003 Ranger for $5000 since there were so many of them given up by the previous owners on the wake of all eco movements.

Featured engine: get a 2.5L V6 – it combines relatively nice gas consumption with decent performance.

3. Volvo S40

   Volvo S40

   The good old Viking. The only flaw it is not that comfy inside as the outside would suggest. On top of that, though, for $5000 you will get one of the superb turbo-petrol (basically, a gas engine with a turbocharger) powertrains that are not only fun to drive but also offer decent gas consumption. Another great point – if you like to make quick and simple fixes yourself, Volvo cars are designed in a really basic way, so you won’t encounter any problems at all. Plus to that, the famous Swedish steel would never go rusty! And the car itself is truly safe – in Europe it has always received top notes for its anti-accident features. Our tip: better avoid pre-2001 models. In 2001 Volvo put some brushes on the S40 which improved the car’s quality.

Featured engine: 2.0T that gives around 200 HP and is generally considered a long-lasting engine. Gas consumption would give about 30 MPG.

4. Ford Expedition

   Ford Expedition

   Recommending a huge crossover does not sound politically correct in the days where we are striving to get our cars greener and greener. Yet, getting an 1998 Expedition (that’s the safest purchase if all you can shell out is $5000) could be a great idea for large families with two large dogs living in some neck of the woods. Essentially, to cut the long story short, if you are looking for a large car and you are not afraid about poor MPG ratio, you can go for Expedition. Hardly any car matches its comfort!

5. Subaru Impreza

   Subaru Impreza

   A quick glance at any auction website would reveal that there are lots of Imprezas (2002-2005) up for sale. The crux lies in the fact that unless it’s a fancy WRX version, purchasing one won’t be that expensive. Subaru cars are well-reputed for their reliability, too.
   Not recommend engine: I do not recommend engines 1.5 l, 1.6 l 1.8 l (103 hp), which consume in city traffic until 11 l/100 km and in addition to poor performance – the sprint from 0 to 100 km / h in about 13 sec is not a reason to be proud.