I am a 17 year old guy who will get his license soon. I need to go 7-20 miles frequently and it's impractical/way too much time to take public transportation all the time. I really need a car but my budget is pretty low (under $3000 before insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.) and can't get a Civic with low miles or not too old. A Cavalier is the cheapest decent car I can get. I know the build quality and reliability is not as good as the Civic, but are there any other problems I might face if I get this car?

Cavaliers are great first cars. As you know, $3000.00 does not get you much in a car, however it will get you pretty decent Cavalier if you do a good job checking it out. Anytime I am selling a vehicle in that price range, I always encourage my customers to take it to their own mechanic to get it checked out. Obviously, a $3000.00 car is not going to have a warranty. So, better have someone look at it that knows how to spot trouble before you buy it.

Good Luck!

Dave