Honestly, I'd advise against a new car. At 18, and starting college, you're going to be put in situations where the car is going to get damaged, etc. During college it's much better to have something you don't care about as much. Also, even though community college may be cheap, if you focus on your education, you're not likely to have a lot of disposable income. Being tied to a car payment and higher insurance is not something ideal.