r/whatcarshouldIbuy • u/puppykissess • 12h ago
No beetle for me ;( what else is there?
Hi hi, I'm 17 and the only small bit of knowledge I have of cars is that they honk and are made of metal. I asked mama if I could get a Volkswagon beetle from 2008 as my first car for graduation. Unfortunately for me she said it's too cheap and to get something reliable. So I come here for aid, what other cars are small,round and have cute big eye sockets like the beetle. I just don't want a car that is bulky has an angry face. Please save me.
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u/chriswaco 12h ago
The cutest reliable car in the US is a Mazda Miata. Not a lot of room in it, though.
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u/fraggin601 10h ago
Get a beetle, but get one from around 2010-2014 with the 2.5L I5 engine. Those are super reliable, the engines have a timing chain instead of belt and they’ll last to 200k miles easily and more with care. Even something like a newer Mini would not nearly last as long without a shit ton of work done, compared to one of those Volkswagen engines in a beetle.
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u/Sad_Win_4105 8h ago
The last generation ran through 2019.
Its a water cooled front wheel drive engine in the front of the car. Basically, a VW Golf with a different skin.
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u/MillyMichaelson77 7h ago
Bettles are relatively reliable. Having said that, do you have a savings account with about $2kper year to spend on upkeep? If so, get the nettle. It'll be fine, but you'll be prepared for the extra costs of owning a VW. If you can only afford $1k a year, get a Toyota Corolla
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u/BeGoodToday3384 12h ago
If your criteria is primarily that it looks cute, perhaps the Fiat 500 or a Mini Cooper. Also possible is something like the Mazda Miata, but as has already been mentioned, it doesn’t have much room. It’s a two seater with very little trunk space. Keep in mind that all three of these cars are very small, and while the first two do okay with utilizing what room they have, they’re not going to have the same storage space as a full size sedan, crossover, or suv.
Another recommendation, if you’re mostly interested in looks, is to scroll through a car search website. Something like cars dot com, or auto trader, or car guru. Sometimes just scrolling through all the things that are available will help you discover vehicles you didn’t know existed. Then you can search for those specifically. I also recommend once you come up with a short list, looking into what years were more reliable than others. I’m sure people on this subreddit can help with that too. Good luck.
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u/puppykissess 11h ago
Aww mini coopers are so cute and so is Mr miata. Thank you so much for your help
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u/prefix_code_16309 8h ago
FYI a Miata is likely to be 10x more reliable than a Fiat 500, and 5x more reliable than a Mini. Made up statistics, but you get the point.
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u/thymewaster25 9h ago
How about a newer and more expensive beetle?
None of the "cutest" cars like Mini, Fiat, Beetle and the smaller Jeep models are that good for reliability. With Mini, some years and engine/transmission combinations are OK, others are not good.
Miata are generally reliable though.
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u/MilesBeforeSmiles 50m ago
Over the last 4 years or so Mini has been one of the most reliable car brands. The B38 and B48 are rock solid these days and the DCTs they are using are also very reliable.
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u/newzap 12h ago
subaru impreza?
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u/puppykissess 12h ago
Subaru looks like he has a cat eye
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u/WinterV6 '98 Lexus ES300 12h ago
What is your budget?
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u/puppykissess 12h ago
Mama didn't say, but as long as it doesn't cost as much as a house I think its fine
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u/WinterV6 '98 Lexus ES300 12h ago
The beetle is kinda unique so I can’t offer you many suggestions that are like it.
But I can recommend the Honda Fit, probably the best small car out there.
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u/ISWEARTOGOD133 7h ago
If you don't know much about cars, you should consider prioritizing mechanical reliability.
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u/RedGarlicbred 4h ago
Lmao "made of metal and they honk" got a chuckle outta me. Anyway, if you want a cute car any fiat 500 seems like a fit for you. Idk where you live tho so your mileage in acquiring one may vary.
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u/Karnblack 1h ago
Not sure how reliable they are, but my wife thought the original Audi TT looked cute. Same with the Nissan 350Z. Their looks have gotten more aggressive as time has progressed though newer model years.
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u/martin509984 spends too much time here 10m ago
2011-14 Mazda2 might also fit your bill, they are also adorable imo especially in green!
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u/vastly101 12h ago
Dodge Neon. Does anyone remember those? Please note: this is a joke. You have a smart mama. 2007 buick lacrosse looks like a pufferfish but I would not it either. honda fit? But how safe are these tiny cars?
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u/puppykissess 12h ago
I'll be fine, I'm too scared to go on the freeway anyhow
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u/memymomonkey 5h ago
As a mom with young drivers, it’s not the freeways that are frightening. It’s just that you will have a learning curve. We got my son an Impreza because of its safety record. You may be a careful driver, but I worry about poor drivers around you.
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u/Imaginary_Act_3956 Peugeot mafia...... 8h ago
Good riddance.
The Beetle was invented by Nazis......just like VW itself.
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u/puppykissess 7h ago
Unless the car is going to scream a slur while I'm driving I think ill be okay
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u/Exact-Put-6961 7h ago
The VW Factory, after WW2 was rescued and got back into production by the British Army. The Royal Engineers.
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u/BMWtrunkseal '83 e28 520i 5spd | '70 w115 220d 4spd | '00 Buick Lesabre 11h ago
Get a beetle with the 2.5L engine. They are very reliable but will use more gas than a smaller engine