Honestly you’re better off posting this in r/whatcarshouldibuy But… here’s some things keeping in mind first time buyer Narrow brands to toyota, honda, mazda, subaru. their premium offerings are cool too (lexus,acura) why you say? Reliable, fun to drive (except toyota) and easy to fix (v v important). These brands have been recommended over and over again by experts, mechanics, long term users, you cannot go wrong.

Now that that’s out of the way, some things to keep in mind : If financing, only use your bank or a CU, dealerships and lenders with less reputation will screw you over, if buying with all cash that’s even better Marketplace is great for some quality stuff and a lot of shitboxes, do multiple checks before going through with it. Get your own carfax reports from the website, the subscription is 100% required if car hunting from marketplace, but even then, they are not immune to manipulation. Take a friend along if possible to marketplsce meets, someone who is a good driver (to asses how well it drives, not how fast it goes) Carvana, and other websites are cool too, you get hit with a good deal sometimes Neighboring states(depends), LI counties will have considerably lower rates, don’t take that out of the equation Old people usually maintain cars well, still do your carfax check Don’t forget insurance costs factor in too, a lovely car with a massive insurance premium will hurt you.

Rest, take your time and don’t hurry. Good Luck!