Woman Shares Advice on Buying a Car for Under $10K. Then She Says You Should Call Your Insurance Company. Why?

“Gen Z Lesson 23: Buying a Car, Less than 10K.”

Woman Shares Advice on Buying a Car for Under $10K.

Photo by: daisyunicorn1111 & David

Madeleine Wagner

By: Madeleine Wagner

Oct 14, 2025 at 6:00pm ET

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A self-described elder millennial is offering some words of wisdom on car buying for the next generation. She breaks down her car-buying strategy the way a true crime podcaster breaks down murder methodology: Step-by-step.

Over the caption, “dealerships hate me and for good reason, I don’t play,” @daisyunicorn1111 details her entire car buying process in her TikTok video, “Gen Z Lesson 23: Buying a Car, Less than 10K.” In the video, which has been watched 767,300 times, she covers what to do before even setting foot on a lot, during and after the test drive, and before finalizing paperwork.

But the thing this mom is most emphatic about? That you can get a reliable, affordable vehicle for under $10,000. It will not be a forever car, but that’s okay—sometimes you just need to get around.

Say it Loud and Proud: Mid-Sized Sedan

The key to reliability with affordability is an American-made mid-sized sedan, she says.

“You want practical. You want a car that you don’t have to think about, worry about, spend all the money if it breaks. Practical. Mid-sized sedan or smaller,” the military veteran asserts.

Think the Chevy Malibu or Ford Fusion, among others.

But before you begin to narrow down your list of coolest sedans, @daisyunicorn1111 says, “Call your insurance company and ask them what are the top five cheapest cars to insure in your area.”

Gallery: 2020 Ford Fusion

2020 Ford Fusion

Gen Z Is Paying Attention

This TikTok is a part of a series @daisyunicorn1111 has devised to help Gen Z. In an earlier video she says, “Us older generations gotta do better by Gen Z… We need to teach them instead of just criticize them.” And she doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff, “I’m gonna teach them some hard lessons, but sometimes you need firmness with kindness.”

People in the comments are taking note. More than half a dozen variants of “Thanks online mom,” are posted.

Others, like @narkynarkxx, totally trust her method: “I’ll just pay you to buy the car for me at this point,” they say.

The Wzrd (@treythestoner) said, “I live in New York and have never driven or bought a car but did I stay and watch this whole video? Yes ma’am I did.”

American cars seem to be the sticking point for quite a few viewers: “Suggesting American-made is insane,” said @PizzaNoodles.

While @tristin’sgf wrote, “You couldn’t pay me to ever buy an American car ever again.”

“It’s me and my 2010 Chevy Impala against the world,” another countered.

A Few More Tips & Tricks

Several more things to consider if you’re looking to save money and get reliable transportation, according to @daisyunicorn1111: Stay away from luxury and foreign and yes, this includes Honda and Toyota, even though she says they run forever. She says maintenance can be more expensive.

Start by looking at private marketplace sellers to get a feel for pricing, what’s out there and what you might like: just browse. Once you’ve found a car with under 100,000 miles, and under $10,000 it’s time to see it in person. Go to a major dealership; they’ll have more resources.

During the test drive, touch all the buttons, turn on all the things, pop the hood, open everything you can, and inspect the tires. Then, once you’re in the driver’s seat, roll down the window and listen to how the car starts, and while driving, listen to how the engine responds. If there are no weird noises and you still like it, get a new CarFax report and a vehicle inspection from the dealership. The sale is contingent upon the inspection.

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Then take a break and double-check your market research. When you go back to finalize the purchase, you should not be walking out the door for any more than the price they’ve got the car listed, “especially when you are paying cash,” she emphasizes.

Motor1 reached out to @daisyunicorn1111, we’ll update this article if we hear back.