Advice on a first car.

[wafflesomd]

Hey guys, I can't get a job unless I have a motive of transportation...

I live close to nothing, out in the middle of nowhere.

[laxx]

I'm in somewhat the same situation, but not about cars, lol.

My parents bought me a car back in 2003. I bugged them for a good 4 years, though I was never upset when they said no. I just really wanted a car, but not bad enough to work for it myself. That's what bugged my parents. After they bought it for me, they told me if I was just willing to get a part time job to save up for the car, they would have bought it for me years earlier. It's just my motivation and diligence is lacking and they punished me for it. =T

Fastforward 4 years. My sister got married and they gave her a house! Now they bug me about when I'll move out. =T I told them when I get married and they give me a house and they told me, too bad, you chose a car back in 2003. =[ My parents just bought my sister a car a few months back, so now I have some ammunition, lol.

In all seriousness, I don't expect a house from my parents, though it would be nice. When you're carless and want a part time job, the easiest is to work around a friend's schedule and hop a ride with him.

My question for you is, how did you get back from school before? Is it just a 1 or 2 mile walk? Get a bicycle.

[uraflit]

Originally Posted by wafflesomd

So I guess it's safe to say I'm not getting anything but a really nice bike...

This is the most irritating thing. I have two sets of parents (divorced and remarried), and I had to beg them both to even consider the thought of helping me get around.

Let's not forget the fact that they bought my brother an $11k truck...

My dad did buy a 93' escort, but he decided to drive that for a year before I got my license, and well, it will cost roughly $400 to fix. He wants me to pay for the repairs, even though he's the one who drove it.

This whole ordeal is pissing me off to no end. First, my parents will yell at me at how I'm lazy, and don't have a job. I'm so sick of waiting at school, hoping that someone will give me a ride home. I've even offered my freinds gas money, but for some reason, they'd rather take money...

Look's I'm just getting the shaft big time.

that stinks, but ya, try getting a job if you arent too busy with school and the like... i don't wanna sound like your parents, but i think it will be necessary if you really want a car

[PYROphonez]

Check up occasionally on the craigslist site for your local area. You might come across a good deal.

[Gurra1980]

Originally Posted by Rock&Roll Ninja

OK you have $1000 down. How much can you afford per month?

*a new car will cost so many hundreds a month.
*a $1000 used car will cost even more in repairs a month

A cheap car doesn't at all ned to be repaired often, just try to buy the right one. I would recommend a small 80s japanese, because they are just more reliable compaired to others, don't need much gas. try to look for a Toyota starlet, Nissan micra or somthing. Not so exciting, but hey the money you save you can spend on headphones .
I had a starlet that I bought for 700 USD I had it for about 1.5 years not a single repair.

[Geoff Rymer]

Originally Posted by Gurra1980

A cheap car doesn't at all ned to be repaired often, just try to buy the right one. I would recommend a small 80s japanese, because they are just more reliable compaired to others, don't need much gas. try to look for a Toyota starlet, Nissan micra or somthing. Not so exciting, but hey the money you save you can spend on headphones .
I had a starlet that I bought for 700 USD I had it for about 1.5 years not a single repair.

I second this option if you decide to go against the Escort. I was about to make this suggestion myself after all... I'd add Mazda 323s and Honda Civics to the mix as well. I had an 88 323 that just kept going and going and going. Not cool, but cheap, reasonably sized (a lot better than a Micra, for instance) and reliable. When I emigrated, I bought a 96 Laser, which is essentially a 96 323, and once again, I pile on the mileage and get no complaints back from it at all.

[RedLeader]

Seriously, go for the escort. I've got a 94 that I bought for $1900 awhile back, and the only thing I've had to pay for repairs on is some strapping in the rear left wheel well. Thats most likely because I live in Canada and get pelted with salt ever year, but the engine is at 185 and is still going strong.

[XxATOLxX]

Originally Posted by Ampl1tude

Hey is that your Mark1 VW? looks pretty nice. are you a vw dubber? great condition

Hehe, I wish it was mine.

Unfortunately I'm on the slower mkiv end of the vw line.

[wafflesomd]

Don't get me wrong, I like the escort, it's in great condition.

I had to persuade my parents here to give me money to fix the car, instead of buying a new one. They seem to detest any amount of money that goes to my other set of parents, its stupid.

[Gurra1980]

Originally Posted by RedLeader

Seriously, go for the escort. I've got a 94 that I bought for $1900 awhile back, and the only thing I've had to pay for repairs on is some strapping in the rear left wheel well. Thats most likely because I live in Canada and get pelted with salt ever year, but the engine is at 185 and is still going strong.

I shouldn't recommend an escort, maybe you were lucky, but they are NOT known to be reliable.

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Can't buy a car without a job.
Can't get a job without a car.
The paradox of youth. (I didn't buy a car till I joined the ARMY.)

I'd also check on an insurance quote for that escort. I'm not sure where you live but if you're a 16 year old then that "$400 car" may cost you $2500-3000 per year in insurance alone.

Other car costs nobody wants to hear about:
*Tires $250. ($400 for snowtires)
*Brakes $400-750 depending on if you need new rotars
*Transmission $1250 (a transmission rebuild is a 'when' not an 'if' scenario)
*Valve job & Tune-up $500 (give or take w/ labour. Most used cars need one at the 100k)
*Alignment (every 40k with Fords) $300
*Gas $40-50/week (somehow your mileage will always be worse than everyone else). If you have a big van/pick-up you can pay $80/tank! (Assume you'll need to buy a tank of gas every 250 miles)
*Oil $40/month. An oil burner can add another $50-100/month

And don't think a motorbike will be any cheaper. Sure the payments are lower than a car, but your insurance is higher, and they require 3x the maintenence a car does. Plus tires cost 2x what a car tire does and you need new ones every 10,000 miles (some sportbike riders have been known to need new tires every 1000 miles). And riding in rain & snow sucks.

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

PS: yes, life sucks now. But when your 25 you can start leasing cars. Never having to drive an "old" car or pay for a repair is one of life's greatest joys.

And really is you finance a car for 5 years and drive it another five, in those 10 years you'll have averaged so much in repairs and mainteneence that you're really not much better off than just leasing a new car every 36 months.

[plainsong]

Originally Posted by uraflit

that stinks, but ya, try getting a job if you arent too busy with school and the like... i don't wanna sound like your parents, but i think it will be necessary if you really want a car

As a kid who also lived in the middle of BFE, HOW THE FARK DO YOU GET TO THE JOB - EVEN GET TO INTERVIEWS WITHOUT THE FARKING CAR??

Sorry for shouting, but apparently folks don't read too well.

He needs the car to get the job. Be reasonable, he nor his parents certainly aren't. I'd call the dad's bluff and get estimates on the car repair. You know what needs to happen - that your parents need to quit using you as a pawn in their little schoolyard battle, grow up, act like they give a fark about your safety or well-being, and help you get that car so that you can get that job.

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Originally Posted by plainsong

Sorry for shouting, but apparently folks don't read too well.

He needs the car to get the job. Be reasonable, he nor his parents certainly aren't.

As I was saying, the whole "suburbia" idea sucks donkey balls for finding a job. Clearly his family isn't wealthy and since ma & pa aren't gonna (or more likely can't afford to) give him a free ride (harharhar) then realistically his options dwindle to

A: Move to a city, get a job he can walk to
B: Join the military. Kinda harsh, but realistically no 'regular' job is gonna give a 17 year old 40 guaranteed hours/week + benefits + free room & board (which will afford him a car).
C: Forget the car and beg your parents to pay $30,000 a year to send you to a University for 4 years. You won't need a car on campus.

In America the popular choices tend to be C, then A, lastly B.

[pne]

Originally Posted by plainsong

As a kid who also lived in the middle of BFE, HOW THE FARK DO YOU GET TO THE JOB - EVEN GET TO INTERVIEWS WITHOUT THE FARKING CAR??

Sorry for shouting, but apparently folks don't read too well.

He needs the car to get the job. Be reasonable, he nor his parents certainly aren't. I'd call the dad's bluff and get estimates on the car repair. You know what needs to happen - that your parents need to quit using you as a pawn in their little schoolyard battle, grow up, act like they give a fark about your safety or well-being, and help you get that car so that you can get that job.

of course, we don't know the all the details. There may be some options the OP just hasn't considered. Public transport, arranging carpooling with neighbours, biking, asking his parents for a ride etc. He can get to school without a car, and that's a start. I'm betting he can find a job at a place close by the school and use the transportation he's already using right now?

It seems kind of ridiculous that your parents won't even drive you to work, and won't help you buy a car either. It's not like they're driving you to the bar each night, you're trying to earn some money for christ sakes! A lot of parents drive their kids to karate or soccer a couple times a week, and yours won't even give you a lift to work?