Top 10 Cars for First Time Buyers in 2009

You are always going to remember your first car. For a lot of us, our first car was a or a hand-me-down borrowed from a relative. However, if you are in the market for a brand new car to be your very frist set of wheels, then you are in for an exciting time. First time car buyers tend to keep their first car longer than subsequent vehicles. First time car buyers also tend to take better care of their first car, especially if it is brand new off the showroom floor. Have you seen a brand new Hyundai Accent for Ford Focus parked across two spaces? Chances are that car is the owner's first.

As exciting as the new car buying process can be, it is very important not to get carried away and make a snap decision only to end up with the wrong car, or worse, a car you cannot afford. The perfect car for the first time car owner must not only be a good value, but must also have a reasonable cost-of-ownership. In all, this means your first car should be reliable, get decent gas mileage, have a good warranty and most of, should fit your lifestyle and needs.

Like all Autotropolis Top 10s, we factored in an array of peramaters to develop our top 10 cars for first time buyers list. Vehicles were chosen and ranked primarily by , , , and . According to our research, cost-of-ownership and warranty coverage are of utmost important to first time car buyers. Calling your first tow truck shortly after buying your first car takes some of the shine off the car buying experience, so the car should be reliable. Good warranty coverage is also essential. First time car buyers also tend to be younger and more sensitive to cost-of-ownership issues than people who have purchase several vehicles in the past. Therefore, not only the purchase price was figured into the mix, but also the overall cost of owning the vehicle for a five-year period -- the life of a typical new car loan