Most Popular First Car Purchase in New Jersey

We all remember our first car. We can recall where we got it, who we got it from, and all the great (and not-so-great) memories we have with it.

Some of us may have negative memories if it wasn’t a reliable first car. However, all the stories that I’ve heard about first car experiences are usually pretty interesting and positive. My first vehicle memories are mostly good, but I also remember a costly repair that kicked me hard in my wallet.

As a teenager, I used my parents’ car to get around. My dad had a Chevrolet Malibu that he bought brand new. Throughout high school, that was the only one I was allowed to drive. I don’t consider that my first because I didn’t own it, but I do have some amazing memories of that rusty orange colored classic.

My first car was a used 1985 Chevrolet Celebrity that I bought at a small family dealership in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. It wasn’t a bad-looking car at the time, but when I see one now, it makes me laugh. I drove that thing for a few years without an issue. Then I was driving along, and something snapped. I’d step on the gas, and it wouldn’t move. I later learned that it was the transmission. Thousands of dollars later, it was back on the road. I later gave it to my parents after buying my first new vehicle, my first truck, a Ford Ranger.

My first vehicle or first couple of cars experience supports the findings of a recent study that reveals the most common first automobile brand in each state.

According to fastcompany.com, the most popular first car brand in New Jersey is Chevrolet. In fact, Chevy is the most popular brand across seventeen states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.

The study also found that for over fifty percent of car buyers, a sedan is their most popular first car. Nearly eighty-eight percent of us bought our first car used, and the average price tag was about seven thousand bucks.

Check out the full study, including what we pay based on gender and age.