Advice on a first car.

Mar 13, 2007 at 11:46 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 70
wafflesomd

wafflesomd

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Hey, I'm going to be on the prowl for a car, my parents infally agreed to help me out.

Now, what cars are generally good for a first car, I just need something to get me from point A to B, and will fit my tuba.

I can spend about $1000.
 
Mar 13, 2007 at 11:52 PM Post #2 of 70
Quote:

Originally Posted by wafflesomd /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Hey, I'm going to be on the prowl for a car, my parents infally agreed to help me out.

Now, what cars are generally good for a first car, I just need something to get me from point A to B, and will fit my tuba.

I can spend about $1000.


Anyway to get them to help you out a bit more? 1000 doesn't go so far. There's a Top Gear episode about just such a budget in the US, and unless you want a Camero with a shady past, get the 'rents to consider your safety just a little teensy tiny bit. You can't even get a decent tuba for that much.
 
Mar 14, 2007 at 12:00 AM Post #4 of 70
Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Anyway to get them to help you out a bit more? 1000 doesn't go so far. There's a Top Gear episode about just such a budget in the US, and unless you want a Camero with a shady past, get the 'rents to consider your safety just a little teensy tiny bit. You can't even get a decent tuba for that much.


agreed..thats not much to spend. Is that including what your parents are helping you out with? Remember there is also the cost of insurance and gas, which will be more expensive than your car..
 
Mar 14, 2007 at 12:01 AM Post #5 of 70
Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Anyway to get them to help you out a bit more? 1000 doesn't go so far. There's a Top Gear episode about just such a budget in the US, and unless you want a Camero with a shady past, get the 'rents to consider your safety just a little teensy tiny bit. You can't even get a decent tuba for that much.


Heh, yah, that wont work, it was hard enough convincing them that I can't get home from school each day...
 
Mar 14, 2007 at 12:13 AM Post #6 of 70
$1000 won't get you much. My first car was sold for $1000 after I was done with it - 1998 Chysler Cirrus in hideous purple, 138,000 miles on it, torn vinyl seats, worn out tires, a broken muffler, and broken AC, and a badly scratched paint job (badly badly badly scratched).

I'd almost rather walk.

Thankfully now I'm on my second car; a 2006 Ford Escape Limited with the stereo in my sig. Quite an upgrade.
 
Mar 14, 2007 at 12:25 AM Post #7 of 70
Geo Prizm... Shares teh same design as the toyota corolla at half the price. So you get a reliable and efficient toyota design with an american badge.
 
Mar 14, 2007 at 1:07 AM Post #8 of 70
Quote:

Originally Posted by pne /img/forum/go_quote.gif
agreed..thats not much to spend. Is that including what your parents are helping you out with? Remember there is also the cost of insurance and gas, which will be more expensive than your car..


Jeez, that's really irresponsible of them, that they would sooner have you in a Fred Flinstone death trap rather than something that might just pass an inspection. I don't mean they should be made of money, but if you saved up 1000, you could save up 2...

What yall should do is keep your ear to the floor about any little old lady only used to drive to church cars. Sometimes you can get those for cheap and they'll have less than 10k miles on them.
 
Mar 14, 2007 at 1:10 AM Post #10 of 70
The Probe is actually a re-styled Mazda MX-6. I believe that car is more Ford than Mazda though, so that may not be the best of ideas.

My suggestion is a Crown Victoria. Not sexy at all, but it will fit your tuba, and be extremely cheap to run. It's the top choice of police and taxi fleets for precisely that reason. Look for police and repossession auctions too, that will help you get the car you need at a better price.
 
Mar 14, 2007 at 1:17 AM Post #11 of 70
Quote:

Originally Posted by 450 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Plainsong, I don't think the stuff of TG applies here, I mean they didn't have much time to look around.

http://autos.yahoo.com/usedcars/deta...RvcyZtaz0mbW89

1275 for a pretty nice Probe in Ohio. Probe = Mazda MX3 right? So reliability should be good.


Well I know that, and they didn't search the want ads or anything like that, it's just that 1000 bucks firm doesn't go far. 1275 is more than 1000, and that's assuming that it's in tip top shape with no servicing to take into account. It's a used car, so the chances of that happening are slim.
 
Mar 14, 2007 at 1:19 AM Post #12 of 70
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
 
Mar 14, 2007 at 1:39 AM Post #14 of 70
my 94 ford explorer with 140k miles is a salvage, beaten to hell, and is worth a grand or two. but not the right thing for you

i'd tell you to look for the same car i had as my first: a TOYOTA TERCEL; doesn't get much more "economy". fuel efficient, reliable, VERY stripped down. i bet you could swing one under 200k miles for a grand or grand and a half if you're careful


i don't know of a better choice. but really, at that price, your options are limited anyway, so i'd say: forget about looking for a SPECIFIC CAR, and just do a lot of prowling: autotrader.com, local papers and traders, and best of all: folks with signs in their car windows.


what you might want is like an old ford taurus or something, driven by a grandma


here's the real trick: whatever you do, MAKE SURE YOU TAKE THAT CAR TO A MECHANIC you trust. if they won't allow it, walk away. i've done this with the cars i've bought, and though it'll probably cost you $50 or more for a good check-out (make sure they pressure-test your engine ), it wil be worth it, either to know when to walk away, or to be able to talk the person down. have them list ever problem and use it as a bargaining point. BTW: if i were you i'd search for cars $2k and lower, you will have to do some negotiating to get a good deal


also: check for rust everywhere, get under the car, look all over, crawl under, don't be shy
 
Mar 14, 2007 at 1:40 AM Post #15 of 70
Quote:

Originally Posted by SayNoToPistons /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Geo Prizm... Shares teh same design as the toyota corolla at half the price. So you get a reliable and efficient toyota design with an american badge.


that's right, but only for a year or two; in fact i nearly bought one; i think 93 or 94 might be the magic year
 
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