<prompt> Human: I see debate all the time on here about buying a cheap car. Heck, I give that advice to people on here.Im actually sharing a car with my girlfriend right right now, but in the next year or so Ill have to get one of my own.I care almost nothing about style. If it is safe and affordable then its for me.So what is the most cost effective used car taking into account MPG, potential repairs, how long it lasts, and of course purchase price?Also, Im assuming stay away from dealers? Or can they beat Craigslist sellers, on average?  <response>: Used gen 2 Toyota Prius is very good if you have a long commute and can get a good deal. If you dont drive much, the hybrid MPG boost wont mean as much, so maybe a used Civic. We got an 07 Prius for 7600 recently. If you go the hybrid route, understand that youll probably need to change the HV battery around 200k miles, and the cost is 1-2k. Still a pretty good value since it could run another 200k in theory. Go through a mechanic, not a dealer. This applies to, well, just about everything.Id spreadsheet it out so you can see your price of gas per year for a given vehicle, and then use that and the purchase price as a metric to determine the most cost effective car. Which is what we recently did. The best car for you depends on your situation, so you need to run the numbers.Private sales are great if you have a mechanic examine the vehicle and can pay in cash. You are paying in cash, right? If not, save up so you can. 