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Moving to Austin, Texas, need a small car. Any help/suggestions?

Hi there, My partner and I will be moving to Austin, TX in about a month, from Australia. I've been looking on Craigslist for smaller cars (I believe Americans call them 'compacts'? I'm talking about what Australians call a hatchback) - I've been finding it really difficult to find something like a 1.3L 4 cylinder smaller car, just to run about town and go shopping. My question is, because all the makes and models are so different from home, can anyone suggest a make and model of car that I could get second hand for under $6000 that is not too big and has around a 1.3-1.6L engine? Secondly, my boyfriend says its not safe for me to drive a smaller car in TX as everyone drives huge trucks like F250s and bigger. What are your opinions? Thanks.

Public Comments

1. In Austin, anyway, you're apt to encounter more bicyclists than Super Duty trucks, at least in the central part of town. However, automakers foreign and domestic seldom bother to sell anything here as small as a 1.6. I'd look for something like a 2004 Hyundai Elantra, which will probably run you about $6000 here, and which is capable of dealing with Austin's steep hills.
2. I have a small Toyota and it's great. Yes, there are a LOT of big pickup trucks here (as well as big rig transport trucks - the main north/south highway that goes from Canada to Mexico runs right through town!) but that doesn't mean you're going to get mooshed. Be mindful of the fact that there are a lot of terrible drivers here, take the whole "defensive driving" thing seriously, and you'll be fine. For the best selection, I would actually start with ebay.com. Put in 78701 for the location zip code, select "used" and "certified pre-owned" under the "condition" tab, and you will see a huge range of possibilities at very affordable prices. Dealers post their inventory here, as well as private sellers. Good luck!