so one of my kids is getting ready to start driving.
there are no real cheap cars anymore, but I started looking at cars that are cheap to fix, just due to layout and common parts etc.

mostly this leads to fords.
full size from 1995 to around 2011ish
the mercury and Lincoln cars with the 4.6 v8.
since that engine is pretty common so parts should be easy to source since they put them in mustangs too.

looks like 2001 and up are the way to go as some stuff got fixed that were problems before.

I figured that worst case a drop out engine and rebuilding the soft parts up front would make it a decent daily driver.
I originally thought I would give it to the kid, but I think I would rather they have all the airbag stuff, and I will give them my 2016 sonata to drive.
barring insurance being crazy to add them.

I have been seeing these full size fords for around 6 to 8k.
figure another 2k for a new motor if needed, as most have nearly 200k miles on them.
maybe another 1k for a suspension rebuild up front.
so worst case maybe 11k total.

anyone see a flaw in my plan?

It is true for around 16k we could probably pick up a subcompact new. but those little squish boxes seem like a poor choice. then I would give that to the kid. stripped down version of course.

Putting $11k+ into a 12+ year old car that's worn out and has 200k plus miles on it. If you're willing to spend $11k or more on something like that and giving them your Sonata, why not buy the kid a 5-6 year old Corolla or Civic? You'll spend a little more, but they're also cheap and easy to own/maintain, and you'll have a few years before you have to start chasing the constant wear/breakage that will occur with the 95-2011 Fords you're referring to.

well, 2 to 3 k of that was to replace all the parts that might have worn out was the plan.

at the point I would buy a 5 year old corolla or honda, it is within a couple of k of a sub compact new.
I mean that is where I am kind of now in my thinking, but 4k instead of 2k or so.
if that makes sense.

Box styled Jeep Cherokees last a long time if you can find one that is not totally used up, or has been turned into a rock crawler.

The majority of the rebuilt engines average $3500, not 2k. Then what if the trans lets go? There's another weekend and close to 2k. What about the rear? Another weekend and several hundred if your doing all the work. Tires are expensive as heck now too. I personally would go the rear drive v8 platform because the comfort and maybe mods down the road. The price of fuel may play into things for you as well.

The only 2 subocompacts you're getting for $16k are a Chevy Spark (if you can find one) or a Nissan Versa. Versa has a ton of safety features for it's price point, but the Civic and Corolla are still better cars with better track records.

I'm in a similar situation. Younger daughter starts driving in less than a year. Used car prices are high. The 6 year old, $3,700 Civic I bought for my older daugher in April 2019 and put $2,500 into would be a $7,500 car today, and still need $2,500 worth of work. We're trying to decide whether to buy my wife a new car and give my wife's car to my daughter, buy my daughter a new car (Civic or Corolla), or bite the bullet and overpay for a similar used Civic/Corolla that we bought for the older one, only at the higher price point of today. Not an easy call.

that is true, but my job has a couple of kickbacks if I pick up a new all electric car.
it drives the final price down on the few I found into the 14-16k range.
but it would be something like a leaf or bolt.
along with texas and .gov kick backs on 1 or both I forget. which also may not be there when I am ready to buy.

honestly if I could find an old m-body or r-body with working A/C I would take that all day long, lol.
I know what goes wrong on those and can fix them in my sleep.
but the lack of safety features for the kids would drive me to newer cars.

I believe the last two years of M body production had airbags. Of course that would make them at least 30+ year old airbags

Dodge Darts are cheap (last version not the A body ones, lol)

Just flipped 300K on my Pontiac (Toyota) Vibe. (well sort of...odometer quits at 299,999..LOL). Runs like a top, cheap to fix. Would drive it anywhere

I love those Fords. Reliable, RWD, V8, easy to fix and not too bad on gas either. if your kid likes them it can get them interested in working on them because if you buy a normal Crown Vic or Grand Marquis etc you can get the dual exhaust and other goodies off a police package and if you get a police package there are any number of parts you can get off of other ones to make them nicer even as simple as rims.

It should be kind of obvious but put some guidelines down and get something that your kids like because they'd be more likely to treat it better then a car that they're stuck with that they hate.

Lots of advantages to an older car that still has parts support and is simpler/cheaper to repair, and finding the nicest one you can for the money.
FWD or RWD depends on where you live; my FWD car was simply better in snow when I was commuting 126/day on mixed roads.
Best safety feature is a good high-performance driving school so they learn control, dynamics, paying attention, and to not panic.
Not to mention firmly establishing a "no phone when driving" rule.
To learn the value of money & material things, a used car is better IMO. As in "want better? earn it" life lesson.
There's also something to be said for depreciating assets, meaning minimizing them, which is also a valid and useful life lesson.

Not exactly new but C3 corvettes are pretty cheap and reliable. Basic 350 to fix, parts everywhere. If he takes care of his stiff it would be worth at least what you put into it on a few years. Of course a 16 YO on a Vette is another concern.

lol, I tried that idea on the ol' lady, when my son turned 16, telling her "no back seat". It didn't fly, I wonder what insurance for a teen boy and a C3 would cost

I think your plan is pretty solid, giving your kid the newer, safer car to drive and the 4.6 cars you are looking at are probably decent choices (tough for a Mopar only guy to say).

You're overthinking it. Its his first car, it will probably get destroyed, find something cheap, that isn't a 20 yr old taxi cab.

2.4 Auto darts with under 100k miles are easy in the 8-9k area.

Some 2.4-s have oil burning issues but not all. the 2.0s are good also, the 1.6 turbo and manual are all junk by 100k.
Some well taken care of 2.4-s (auto) are now past 300k miles.

My main reason to buy the first one is my wife is frail and the Darts have 10 air bags and a very good crash rating.

If needed they are simple to work on.

Just an example off the web.

Andrew, does your area get snow and would front wheel drive (or AWD) be a better option?

like 1 week a year we get ice.
Jan or Feb time frame.
so snow really isn't an issue. When we do get the ice storms the city shuts down, so no one drives anyway.
except stupid 17 year old me spinning out and having to drive the wrong way on an empty street with a cop driving my way on the correct side of the street.

The other reason I was going to take the older car, was if it doesn't work that day, I can work from home without it being a big deal, vs the kid missing school or whatever.

I recognize that she might kill what ever I give her, based on my destructive past, and while a beater might be better, safety is more important.

Another option is an S-10; Dakota or Durango all can be found pretty cheap and they are pretty durable. V6 Ram may be an option too.

Last spring I found an 03 Chev Monte Carlo SS 2 nd owner for about 4k. I have less than 6k in it it's been a great car. 3.8 gets 23 mpg. Avoid anything that doesn't have a 3.8. Their out there. Buicks, Olds.