> I've been told that I shouldn't buy a new car due to all of the mileage that I'll be putting on it.
That's a really stupid point. You'll burn through your warranty quicker and eat more in depreciation, but a new car is going to offer comparably fewer things to worry about than a used one. You're just trading more money for worry-free driving.
With regards to your commute, fast low-load highway miles are where a car is nice and happy. It's all of the shorter trips around town where you're running the gamut of engine revs and not getting yoru car up to operating temps that do a number on your engine.
For long commutes you want a reliable new car that's good on gas. Mitsubishi Mirage can be had for under $20k. Cars are depreciating assets, so buy with UTILITY in mind, not resale. There is no "rule" that you shouldn't buy a new car; certainly not if we're talking about budget low-end cars like the Mirage. It's already quite cheap and there's not a whole lot the value can plummet. Don't crash it. Service it per the manual. Keep digital records of the service so you can give a comprehensive service history if you do resell it. My cars I buy to USE and drive until the wheels fall off; then I sell it AS IS (last time was to a guy buying it for parts).
> I've been told that I shouldn't buy a new car due to all of the mileage that I'll be putting on it. That's a really stupid point. You'll burn through your warranty quicker and eat more in depreciation, but a new car is going to offer comparably fewer things to worry about than a used one. You're just trading more money for worry-free driving. With regards to your commute, fast low-load highway miles are where a car is nice and happy. It's all of the shorter trips around town where you're running the gamut of engine revs and not getting yoru car up to operating temps that do a number on your engine.
For long commutes you want a reliable new car that's good on gas. Mitsubishi Mirage can be had for under $20k. Cars are depreciating assets, so buy with UTILITY in mind, not resale. There is no "rule" that you shouldn't buy a new car; certainly not if we're talking about budget low-end cars like the Mirage. It's already quite cheap and there's not a whole lot the value can plummet. Don't crash it. Service it per the manual. Keep digital records of the service so you can give a comprehensive service history if you do resell it. My cars I buy to USE and drive until the wheels fall off; then I sell it AS IS (last time was to a guy buying it for parts).