I second this. Someone mentioned the Toyota Corolla should not be included in the list, which I don't agree with (depending on the price and condition of the v

I second this. Someone mentioned the Toyota Corolla should not be included in the list, which I don't agree with (depending on the price and condition of the vehicle, of course). One option to look at it is a Chevy Prizm, which is a re-branded copy of the Corolla made in Fremont. They are usually cheaper used than the version with the Toyota emblem. Try to get one for under 5,000 dollars, with less than 100,000 miles, from 2002 or newer. My preference is for manual transmission, believing that they have lower maintance over the long term, but that might not be yours. Do not expect to sell the car at a profit at the end of the summer or any other time. The value will decline. Depending on the nature of the car and friend you are dealing with now, consider simply buying that car. If you like the car, and your friend is going to be gone a while, ask them if you can just buy that car from them, and they can get a new car when they get back.