A “Basic” Car Brand selling for $9,999
Posted by cartoonybear@reddit | CrazyIdeas | View on Reddit | 82 comments
Totally stripped-down (as far as current law allows)
Manual transmission, hatchback, no radio or sound system, basic sensors etc.
Like, a 1985 Toyota Tercel.
Call the brand “GO” and sell for under 10k.
174wrestler@reddit
Problem is laws make the minimum car expensive.
As of this year, a tiny car, like a Tercel, has to have 61 MPG. That is higher than any Prius ever made, and is higher than many motorcycles. Basically a non-truck has to be a hybrid.
California emissions laws basically have led to the end of the manual, since autos shift with less disruption to the engine.
Other thing is, IIHS is going to do a small overlap crash test on the car, it's going to disintegrate, it's going to get a poor rating, the video will be shared all over social media and nobody will buy it. Their crash tests have required cars to add 300 lbs of metal reinforcement. That hits fuel mileage. And also side airbags, more $$.
Other things that are being required: backup camera, forward anti-collision system, very soon, drunk driving detection.
NativeMasshole@reddit
Drunk driving detection? Like a breathalyzer?
galaxyapp@reddit
No one knows what system it would be. It would likely need to be something more passive. Perhaps camera based, or a sniffer.
Reality is there's no workable solution in hand yet and it will probably get rolled back.
174wrestler@reddit
Result of the infrastructure law passed in 2021. Basic systems are going to use the lane alert system and look for swerving. Many cars have something similar under drowsy/distracted driver detection. Interior cameras may be used too, similar sensors in those hands-off cruise systems.
popeofdiscord@reddit
Source?
Adventurous-Depth984@reddit
Did you just ask for a source on someone’s personal experience?
seven_grams@reddit
No, they did not. Check again
Adventurous-Depth984@reddit
Lol. The comment is literally gone. Good times
seven_grams@reddit
What are you talking about? You can clearly see the comment chain. You can see the comment they replied to.
Adventurous-Depth984@reddit
Sigh
174wrestler@reddit
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/01/05/2023-27665/advanced-impaired-driving-prevention-technology
It didn't make '24, but with that rulemaking, when NHTSA decides to, it will become a regulation.
Sometimes_Stutters@reddit
I rented a car that had this. Tried using the lane departure feature as “self driving” and it threatened to disable the car
ballisticburro@reddit
Backup cameras and anti-collision are going to be required now? That’s crazy
174wrestler@reddit
Those already have been required in the US. Back-up cameras became required in 2018, automatic emergency braking phased in to 100% for model year 2023.
Rhyshalcon@reddit
Most of this is avoidable if you can get your "car" classified as a motorcycle. That comes with other tradeoffs, but it's the strategy that most new vehicle startups are pursuing these days, both to minimize upfront R&D costs and allow for a vehicle that's cheap enough to convince people to roll the dice on an unknown manufacturer with uncertain parts availability.
pm_me_friendfiction@reddit
didn't Honda make a car in the 1980's that got like 70 mpg? whatever happened to that
Uranium-Sandwich657@reddit
VW made a car that got 261 might (desiel)
Sad-Celebration-7542@reddit
EPA ratings were softer before.
NotSoCoolWhip@reddit
Honda insight, early 2000s. Owned one, good car. Not many sold. Americans don't buy small cars, unfortunately.
174wrestler@reddit
That was the 2000 Insight. The original rating was 65 (61 city/70 highway). The thing is EPA changed the fuel economy drive cycle to account for people driving faster (peak of 65 instead of 60), so the rating under the current system is only 53 (49 city/61 highway).
That and stricter crash standards and IIHS's small overlap came, so it would be even worse if you had to sell it today.
rando_mness@reddit
I've got an incredible hack for this.
DystopianAdvocate@reddit
Man, the Toyota Tercel 5-speed was my all time fav car. I put so many miles on that thing and had it forever, but then I got rear ended and had to write it off. I miss that car.
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speedbomb@reddit
Take away the tariffs and it'll happen tomorrow.
Excellent-Stretch-81@reddit
Adjusted for inflation, a 1985 Toyota Tercel would cost a lot more than $10,000 today. When my parents bought a new Nissan Sentra in 1983, they paid $5,000. That's $17,000 in 2026 dollars for a two-door car with a 5-speed manual transmission, hand-crank windows, manual locks, and no radio. Safety equipment consisted of seat belts and that's it. The car was built like a tin can. Making a car like that meet modern safety standards would add even more to the cost. Believe it or not, the manual features would probably add to the cost because now there are tooling costs to build parts that aren't in common use anymore and need mechanical linkages. Power windows can just use a motorized lead screw to move the window and then just use wires to connect that motor to the control switches. Mechanical windows need a physical linkage from the crank all the way to the window regulator, making for a rather large assembly that has to be designed with a specific door in mind.
The only way I see a <$10,000 car being possible is to make that car using virtual slave labor in the poorest countries capable of building vehicles, and even then it will probably be cautionary tale about getting what you pay for.
Mediocre_Daikon6935@reddit
So….
China.
Riptide360@reddit
Brand new Chinese EVs run under $10k
Mediocre_Daikon6935@reddit
And have the safety features of a golf cart.
Poverty_Shoes@reddit
I think OP is American. You can’t title a Chinese vehicle here, because if you could nobody would buy US brand vehicles.
Tongue4aBidet@reddit
They tried this in India like 20 years ago and it didn't even work then.
Quirky_Judge_6932@reddit
There are scooters that are 1500 to 3k, and get 100 mpg.
dallassoxfan@reddit
Does it get to use 1985 regulations? If so, doable. If you add on the 40 years of ratcheting government regulations we have added, impossible.
Auto makers don’t want to put backup cameras and screens for them in every car. The consumers aren’t even necessarily demanding them either. But they have to do it because government.
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OkRickySpinach@reddit
GO = GEO?
cartoonybear@reddit (OP)
Oh fuck o forgot that
unfinishedtoast3@reddit
Current NTSB safety laws make this impossible.
Muti point airbag systems, required backup cameras, EPA fuel saving systems to turn your engine off while idling, etc
Modern cars need around $13k in safety features to even be sold in the US. It's half the reason you can't buy those cheap Chinese cars here in the us.
(Other half is the big American automakers don't want competition)
Dependent-Hippo-1626@reddit
There is a lot of bloat that could be removed, though. No power windows, mirrors, locks, seats. Only one lockset on driver door. No AC. No rear wiper, no washer fluid, no center console. Seats are just two slab benches, only forward/back. No carpet or floor mats, just a hard rubber floor. No radio/infotainment. Make it a three-door, no driver’s side rear. Rear seat is optional. Lose the heater core and have the vent either blow in outside air or air from the engine compartment. Cabin vent is only single wide defrost vent.
That’s a lot of motors, circuitry, ducting, that you can save. Makes your alternator/battery load tiny.
Make it light enough and you can even drop power steering.
This car would suck, but I bet it could be built and sold for under $15,000.
csimonson@reddit
AC and heater core are actually mandated. You need to be able to defog the window. Can’t do that without a heater core and ac.
Been that way for awhile.
Dependent-Hippo-1626@reddit
I did not know that. Quick googling suggests that’s wrong…
I’ll take your word for it but I’m skeptical.
HobsHere@reddit
The start/stop thing has been removed from the regulations, so there's that.
Walfy07@reddit
electric, model 3 but even more steipped down
MeltingEarbuds@reddit
It would be electric. Electric motors (the ones that don't strive for 1000+HP) are actually super cheap to mass produce relative to an ICE and last forever under the gnarliest conditions with little to no maintenance.
Plus you wouldn't even need a transmission. Could have public battery stations like they have in China where they charge a shit tonne of them and a machine swaps your battery in a minute, epa won't give a shit about emissions until the public becomes fully aware of the level of bs and literal slavery that goes into making EVs... But at least you'd hit your <10k price point :)
froction@reddit
Nobody actually wants that.
You say you do, you might even think you do, but you won't buy one.
Nate_Christ@reddit
Some do, but also below the modern legal requirements. That's what I was shopping for back when I was driving, $2-5k vehicle that runs well and windows that go up and down, all else was negotiable
Sad-Celebration-7542@reddit
Yup. We’ve seen this movie before: European, Korean, Japanese, American, whatever - subcompact comes here. It’s got 100 HP. It’s small and slow and sells 50k units a year then gets the ax
FlatFurffKnocker@reddit
Honestly you wouldn't have to have it even half that stripped down to get to that price point. You would just have to limit the PROFIT margins of all manufacturers to 4%
Poverty_Shoes@reddit
They did this before. The Kia Rio was $10,000 20 years ago. Adjusted for inflation, not happening now. Especially considering the stricter safety requirements for new vehicles.
Sad-Celebration-7542@reddit
In the U.S.? I don’t think people want this (IRL). Cheap cars don’t sell well. Stripped down cars don’t sell well. Small cars don’t sell well. People are choosing with their wallets here
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HailingCasuals@reddit
You’re basically describing the Mitsubishi Mirage. Look it up, it was extremely barebones. Problem is, even that car started at $18,250 in 2024 before it was discontinued. I think the only way to make something cheaper than that is to skirt safety regulations by making something that legally counts as an enclosed motorcycle, but idk if you want that.
Constant-Roll706@reddit
Polaris slingshot is exactly this. Technically a motorcycle for lincesing, but essentially a car. Looks like base model is $25k new, but I'm sure someone could cut a big chunk off that price
Aniso3d@reddit
i don't think this is a crazy idea, this is something done now. just not branded "go"
cartoonybear@reddit (OP)
You cannot buy a new car for under $15k in the US period.
DFLDrew@reddit
What is the cheapest one? If it was viable, why wouldn’t someone make one for even cheaper?
xrelaht@reddit
Nissan Versa, for about $17k. I actually like them a lot, but they sold so poorly that Nissan isn’t importing them anymore: what you get now is new old stock (2025MY at best).
DFLDrew@reddit
Sounds like even the cheapest car isn’t commercially viable and will be off market soon.
Kind-Stomach6275@reddit
but the slate truck comes close at under 20k with federal benefits
xrelaht@reddit
There aren’t any Federal credits anymore. That’s also twice the price OP said.
Kind-Stomach6275@reddit
I HATE THE FEDS NOW
Aniso3d@reddit
in the US yes you're correct.
do you know why you can't buy anything like that in the US?
solve that, and you'll have your cheap car.
hamburgernet@reddit
Slate is doing this with an EV truck
crazybutthole@reddit
Check out the slate truck.
Not quite that cheap but it's definitely a stripped down version
No-Suggestion-9459@reddit
China has cars that would come close. And they're actually decent cars. They do a good job of masking the spartness with fun, interesting designs.
PrimeIntellect@reddit
The problem is you compete with a fuckton of used cars that have way better features for that price
cartoonybear@reddit (OP)
I have that exact budget and can’t find a single car with less than 120k miles.
xrelaht@reddit
There are 37 cars listed on Autotrader within 25 miles of me for under $10k with under 100k miles and a clean title. If I went on Marketplace, I’m sure I’d find more. I see everything from subcompact hatchbacks to trucks to convertibles to minivans. There’s even an EV in here! Eight of them are single owner (and f*** you because I actually really want one of them and didn’t need to see this).
Depending on the make and model (and history) I would not let high mileage scare you off. I bought a vehicle with almost 200k on it and that didn’t scare me at all because it was a two owner Toyota. A careless driver killed it long before it had any issues related to the mileage.
SuddenSeasons@reddit
If someone just kept cranking out 2015 rav4s or CRVs they'd sell millions of them.
ea_nasir_official_@reddit
even like 2015 corollas are well over 10k atp in most of the us
StupidDogYuMkMeLkBd@reddit
Slate is exactly this. Although like others said minimum law requirements push the vehicle price up
toofshucker@reddit
Ah yes. The tech company desperately trying to be bought before they actually have to do anything…
scarr3g@reddit
Except it is 25k, not 10k.
erisod@reddit
In what country? This is easy to do but selling a very basic car won't be allowed in first world countries due to safety and feature requirements. For example backup cameras are required, airbags, crash testing, etc.
Consider the Maruti Suzuki Alto k10, sold new in India for like $5k.
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kabekew@reddit
India has cars well under $10K us
Helpful-nothelpful@reddit
Yugo. No you go for the test drive.
gridsandorchids@reddit
Youd be better off selling aftermarket enclosures or sidecar for electric bikes / motorcycles. The American Tuk Tuk!
It would be pretty baller to have a little sidecar on an ebike. Im assuming they have the power to carry one. Or little trailers for carrying food and stuff. I know there are cargo bikes but I mean like a little trailer cargo pod you pull along. I bet delivery workers would be all over it.
Anybody know if that would work?
PlayPretend-8675309@reddit
Look ulp 'Slate' Truck.
xRVAx@reddit
What about those [street legal golf carts](https://www.gemcar.com
HardLithobrake@reddit
Been tried many times
Regulatory requirements impose a relatively high price floor on price
Remaining per sale profit is so low that the end product is miserable
Existing platform reuse and lowering costs only works to a point where the platform and retooling production itself exceeds price floor
Development and regulatory submissions/licensing cost is astronomical for a new platform
Result is poor sales for high investment on a product beaten by the used market that'll have its drivers derided as poor
See the tata nano or the western release of the yugo