We all dream of driving fancy cars, but in reality, many of us drive clunkers. The average age of a car on the road is 11.4-years old, and 80% of registered vehicles are out of warranty. They can be a pain to maintain, or if your car’s on the older side, you might be in the pricey repair phase.
It’s a great time to buy a new car at the end of the calendar year – dealers and manufacturers are trying to clear the previous model years off their lots. For cost-conscious new-car shoppers, we’ve found a great tool in KBB’s ‘5-Year Cost to Own’ awards, which ranks the most affordable 2014 model-year cars out there. It’s worth it to look through the list, which will help you to save money in the long term.
Here are three of KBB’s picks, along with some of each vehicle’s wallet-friendly attributes:
2014 Chevy Spark Image credit: © General Motors
Chevy Spark – best subcompact
- Low starting price – under $13,000
- Base model is well equipped
- Navigation is just $50 via smartphone app
- 38mpg
2014 Toyota Corolla Image Credit: Toyota News
Toyota Corolla – best compact
- Attractive pricing – $17,500
- Low maintenance and repair costs
- High resale value
- Reliable
2014 Honda Accord Image Credit: Honda Media
Honda Accord – best mid-size car
- Priced under $23,000, but often sells for less
- Base model includes a ‘spirited’ engine, backup camera and decent audio system
- Strong resale value
- Available 50-mpg hybrid model
Vehicle maintenance and repair can be a pain to arrange, and Openbay’s web and mobile app can help you to be an informed consumer. It allows you to search for local auto repair, choose from multiple shops’ binding quotes, book and pay for the service in one spot. Openbay’s app has been featured by ABC as a way to save hundreds, and it was listed as a top in-car app by Men’s Journal. Give it a try today.
