don't you think an older accord or corolla stick would be better for him to learn on?
The problem with learning on older cars is the clutch gets worn down and "loose".
A decade ago (almost to the day) my dad and I went to a VW dealer while car shopping. I really wanted a Jetta, and they were blowing out '96s and had 3 Treks (a tarted up Jetta GL) in stock. The free Trek bike was icing on the cake, and these were the 3:
1. Lipstick red (auto) 2. White (auto) 3. Black (stick)
The lipstick red was clearly a "female" color, so I passed. I really wanted the black one but didn't know how to drive a manual, so the old man winked and said, "well, it's about time you learned". He took the car to a parking lot(sans salesman), and after about half an hour of grinding gears and tire/brake smoke heavy in the air, I mostly had it down.
I bought the white one. In a twist of karma, the car turned out to be the electrical nightmare from hell. Whether the black one would have been any better is up for debate, but considering the commute I'd have when I graduated college later that year, it was certainly a wise choice in the end. To add insult to injury, I never rode the bike since I would end up moving to the middle of the city. I ended up giving it away to my brother, who lives in the middle of nowhere and still rides it all the time.
more fun for me actually. Plus, if it was a lease, I wouldn't mind teaching him to drive on it. I have no desire to start him out on my new Accord!
So, that leaves an older car, but then I have to have 3 cars (and the insurance cost to go with it). Good thing my monther is saving her '95 Saturn for him!
I seriously considered a lease with my last purchase (last December), only because the lease period would coincide with the teaching process.
if you made your brother happy, you perhaps made the right choice.
I'm telling ya, Trek makes a really good bike. He has abused the tar out of that thing, and it still rides like new after almost 10 years now! If I ever get back into riding a bike, I won't even consider any other brand.
It might be easier to learn on a worn clutch. I taught my wife on a Datsun 210 with a slipping clutch, made it easier for her to learn. Sold it before it was totally gone.
i hear ya. i have an 18speed Trek 420 which is almost 22 years old and is an excellent bike. if i sell it, i'm getting another Trek.
i miss my Jetta GLI though. Black, but silly me... I purposefully asked for it with sunroof but no A/C.
only problems I had with it: needed heater core replaced, needed a new fuel pump, the roof fabric was falling down, and was constantly being broken into (not to steal the radio, which I would remove, or to rip off the car, but evidently, to have a comfortable place to sleep at night when it got cold).
I am a first time buyer without a co signer and with out much credit to back me up. I need a car asap! What do I do? I make enough money but I need a car to make the money. What do I do? What are my options or are their any? Thanks
Stacy, how much money do you have? If it's enough to buy a respectable used car, do that. It seems like the minimum for a solid car these dars is about $2,500 or 3 grand.
I'm confused by your post. You indicate that you make enough money but that you need a car to make money. How are you making enough money now if you don't have a car.
As a last resort, practically anyone can get financed for a car unless you claimed bankruptcy last week. Of course, you'll pay for it in the form of higher rates. If you go that route, don't finance too much for too long. Stick to a used car for a loan no longer than three years.
Do you have a downpayment? We need a little more info in order to help you.
As gsemike mentioned, almost anyone can be financed, it's just that the rate may be a lot higher, so you don't want to get into a long-term financing situation on a car that depreciates quickly.
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I just bought an Audi in Phoenix. However, I feel that I was misinformed about the manufacturer's warranty coverage by the sales associate when I bought my car. Neither did he tell me about the limitations of the extended warranty in terms of it not carrying over whenever I sell the car. Do I have any sort of a recourse. Secondly, although they were supposed to pay off what I owed on my traded-in car, but I was still charged this months instalment by my original lender.
Does this allow me the possibility to have the deal cancelled somehow. This would suit me ideally since a turn of circumstances don't need me to have the car that I just bought.
Having the deal cancelled sounds like a tall order. You should check with the lender on the first car to see if they've gotten payment. If not, go to the dealer immediately and extract a clear promise to pay.. the day, the amount, the address.
On the warranty, maybe if you go through corporate and make enough stink, you may get a freebie on an extended warranty.
In both cases, getting a little relief should be not too difficult. Getting a major freebie or cancelling the deal sounds unlikely.
Buying an expensive car like an Audi is a long term proposition. Where is your long term planning?
"I just bought an Audi in Phoenix. However, I feel that I was misinformed about the manufacturer's warranty coverage by the sales associate when I bought my car."
Why are you worrying about warranty when you sell a car? I doubt very much this will be a real issue to anyone when you sell the car in the future.
I just graduated college last month, and am about to move to Maryland in the next few weeks to start working full-time. They are providing me with a rental car for the first week, however I need to buy a car when I get there.
At this point, I still know very little about cars or car buying and have very little road experience (I just got my license a few months ago). I will be earning a nice salary when I start working in a few weeks, however I do not know what my monthly budget is going to be. I am also applying for graduate schools for the Fall, so I'm further unsure what will be happening at that point, depending on where I am accepted.
I need to buy a car now (when I get to Maryland/DC), and basically be able to either fully pay for the car by the end of August (or at least have the remaining money to cover payments in savings by then), or be able to sell the car at that point without having any remaining debt if I need to (which I won't know for a few more months when I hear back from schools). I have up to about $3000 saved that, if I stretch my budget, can all be used towards buying a car now. (My parents aren't able to help me out in purchasing the car, except as far as co-signing a loan if necessary). The car should have automatic transmission and ABS brakes.
You say that you have only had your license for a few months. Being a new driver will likely mean higher insurance rates. I'm not sure if you will be payuing the same high rates that a newly licensed 16 year old would, but if you can narrow your car search down to a hand full of models, it would be worth contacting your current/prospectice insurance agent to see if one model may be less to insure than another.
I only bring this up because you emphasized your budget constraints.
i have no idea of the parameters of your position and living location w.r.t. work - if you'd be expected to drive places, if you have access to mass transit.
do you even know what traffic is like in the DC area?
if it were me, i'd concentrate on a place to live, rather than picking up a vehicle. if possible, if i had never owned my own car before, i'd see if it was practical to do without.
if that were possible, and i was comfortably in my position for a while, had a good handle on expenses, then i'd shop around some, probably for a good condition used vehicle.
depending on where you work, and who you work with, you may get points for driving a lesser vehicle than you can afford.
specially if i had just learned to drive, no - i think personally i'd skip the brand-spanking-new vehicle smell. get some practice under you dealing with other crazys on the road, snow plows, door dings and scratches, all that salt and sand.
you don't miss what you never had as they say.
but seriously, i'd step into the situation a bit at a time.
you probably have some decent college debt right?
i'd be paying down the high interest stuff PDQ if i were you, finding out what sort of margin i had; you know your true disposable income.
hey, you probably don't even have a table and a chair to sit on. am i right?
don't do what so many young people do, jump from debt into even more debt (on a depreciating asset no less). and just because they look at it as intitlement because it's part of the american DNA to drive everywhere.
how do your brethern in NYC survive?
then, after owning something "beneath you" (ha ha) for a number of years, then leverage that great credit score and job with all that savings and low debt level on a house and skip paying rent! :surprise:
with that money saved, then go for the fancy wheels.
Given that you may only own the vehicle until August and have just started driving, the best (and perhaps only sane) course is to buy something cheap that you can easily turn over if need be.
Look for something from Toyota, Honda, or Nissan from the early to mid-90s. Don't worry about body condition (except as it relates to safety). Try for something with less than 150,000 miles on it although you might have go higher. Unfortunately, finding something meeting this criteria with ABS is not real likely as they were not yet in widespread use then (the Accord EX being an exception).
If you must have ABS, suggest a 90s full or mid-size GM car (Olds 88/98, Buick Park Avenue, LeSabre or Regal, or Pontiac Bonneville with the 3.8 litre engine. You should be able find a relatively good one with less than 150K on it for $3000 or under. One of these won't be as easy to sell as one of the Japanese makes.
David: get a beater. Here in MD we treat snowy and icy roads with salt, and the roads can get bumpy at times. Traffic is pretty dense if you're near DC, plus insurance will KILL you if you get something sporty.
So get a beater of some sort, good mechanically with perhaps an imperfect body. Sounds boring I know but wait 'til you are 25 to get a sporty/new car.
Agree that you should consider not buying a car, particularly if your situation might change in a few months.
If your workplace is metro accessible, consider taking metro to / from work and joining Zipcar to have some wheels a couple times a month. Traffic in the DC Metro area can be a PITA (not breaking foru rules here, I hope!!!)
If you need a rental car on an occasional basis, you are generally better off using one of the national car rental firms with LOCAL (off-airport) offices rather than joining an I-GO or a Zipcar. Those services generally charge a monthly fee AND an hourly charge.
The rental car agencies generally will rent for the whole weekend or a single day.
In the Chicago suburbs, I can generally get a car for $6-10 per day with the promotions that are offered plus the Spirit Airlines discounts (I am not an employee of Spirit.)
Think about the sales tax hit you'll take if you buy an expensive car and only keep it for a short while. If you buy a $10,000 car, the sales tax will be hundreds of dollars. In NY, it would be around $850.
If you sell the car quickly, you're eating that. Buy whatever is cheap and in decent shape. ABS isn't the most important thing in the world.
Hi all, I'm new to this messageboard, so I'm not entirely sure that I'm posting this in the right location!
My 97 Honda Accord was recently stolen for the second time and totalled, so now I'm in the market for a new car. I'm looking for something compact, safe, reliable, fun to drive, and under $20,000.
I'm trying to decide between the 2007 VW Rabbit, the 2007 Honda Civic, the 2007 Subaru Impreza (sport wagon) or the 2007 Toyota Corolla.
I'm really leaning toward the Rabbit, as I enjoyed driving it and felt most comfortable in it, but its mileage leaves a little to be desired.
I liked the ride of the Civic a lot, but felt that the visibility was quite limited...
It wouldn't be my choice, but if you like that car the most that's what you should get.
VW has had reliability issues in the past and the new ones seem to have all sorts of issues with the radios (or so I've heard). I would wait a while to see how well the new 2.5l engine holds up.
I would be hesitant about the VW unless you don't plan on keeping it past the warranty period. It likely will have a relatively poorer resale than the others.
The Corolla is a fine car that is, I believe, about at the end of its current style run.
I rode in an '07 Civic last week and was amazed at how well it rode. However, visibility being a safety issue, it appears that you've ruled it out.
Don't know much about the Impreza but you might look at moving up a class. I think you could buy an Accord, Camry, or Legacy for under 20K. The '08 Accord will have a new body.
Why, indeed! I was certainly shocked. It was parked on the street, but in a very nice part of Denver. It's not suburbia, though, so I guess thefts are higher in the city. Couldn't tell you, but I'm definitely afraid to get a Honda again, despite the standard engine immobilizer.
I haven't really looked at the Accord or Camry, et al; they are slightly too big for my needs (I don't have a family and drive by myself almost 100% of the time. I'm still a college student, parking on the street, so smaller is better.)
Older Accords are prime theft targets because their resale value is high - a demand for parts exists. If somebody wrecks a '96 Taurus, it will not get repaired because it's not worth anything. However, a wreck of a similiar nature in a same year Accord may well be a different matter.
Thanks for the advise. I'm still trying to read up around here to learn more.
I'll be working in Maryland, not far from DC, but also not near any public transportation that can get me to where I need to. I'll hopefully be able to find a place near a Metro station, but that's only for weekend excursions, I will need to be driving to get to where I'm working in Laurel, Maryland. The traffic from what I remember in that area (I was a summer intern there last year) is relatively light in the areas I would be driving.
I've gotten quotes, out of curiosity, on some newer cars and was given a rate of approximately 1500 for 6 months from Geico, which isn't bad, I don't know what it would be for older cars. I also think that I can possibly qualify for a relatively low-interest rate car loan, if needed, through the credit union associated with the place I'll be working at.
I currently have a clean slate as far as credit/debt is concerned. Financial aid and such covered most of my college expenses, so the only debt I might have to be concerned with is that associated with purchasing a car (and possibly graduate school in the future).
My concern with going for an older car is primarily reliability and making sure I don't get stuck with something that will break down quickly. My father is pushing me that I should have the ABS breaks and preferably a V6 engine which he feels is safer, which may not necessarily be entirely true.
I don't mind getting a used car, I'm just worried that I don't know much about checking such a car out to ensure it's in good condition. I know in the short term I could afford the payments on a newer car, but I'm not so sure about the long-term.
Hey all, just wanted to follow up on my previous post to let you know that I decided to go with the 2007 VW Rabbit, 4-door, automatic. I'm waiting to find one with the specs I want, but should have it this week, so I'll be sure to post a review! Thanks for your help!
Great!! Be sure to join other owners (and shoppers) in our VW Rabbit Group. There are tons of discussions about the vehicle that's soon to be yours.
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A reporter is looking to interview consumers who are annoyed, confused, overwhelmed, frustrated, etc. about all the automotive choices they have/had to consider before making a new car purchase.
Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than January 31, 2007 with your daytime contact information and a few words about your experience.
In the next month or so I will be looking to finance a used vehicle (about $10,000) with my aunt as co-signer. I had a vehicle before (97 plymouth breeze) that my mother had given me, but it was paid off and I've never dealt with car dealerships before. I'm not too sure how some things work and I would really appreciate it if someone could answer a few questions for me.
1 - I want to finance through my bank/credit union. When this happens do you just get approved up to a certain amount since you won't know exactly how much you will end up needing? I know it is good to go to a dealership with financing already in place. 2 - How does getting insurance on a vehicle work? I know that you need insurance before you can drive it off the lot. Although, in order to get insurance you need to know everything about the vehicle. 3 - Since it is a used vehicle and might not be certified I want to get it checked out by a mechanic first. My friend works at an auto place and said he would put it up and check it out for free. How do I go about setting that up? Would the dealership allow me to take the car there on my own?
Also, If I go to an insurance company will they be able to tell me which vehicle will cost more to insure just based on vehicle year, make and model? I am looking at the Jeep Liberty (2002 or 2003) and the Mitsubishi Outlander (2003 or 2004). I'm wondering if one will cost more to insure than the other.
Given what you are interested in, by all means do not limit your search to dealerships. You should easily be able to get a better price privately.
1) Given the speed with which auto loans are approved by most lenders, I think the value of this pre-approval concept is overblown. However, if that's what you want to do, call you lender and find out how it's handled.
2) Shop for insurance now. Narrow your choices to two or three companies. When you pick a car, get an exact quote and buy a policy.
3) This is simple. Any seller that won't let you have a car inspected is someone you shouldn't buy from. When you find a car that you like, have it inspected.
Hi all, I love the forums and how active everyone is here - I am buying my first car this week and have been tossing around a budget of 7-8k with a goal of getting a low mileage used car. Now I dont mind stick, but I am worried about it being a hassle in houston city traffic. I have narrowed it down to Nissan Sentra 2001 from a private 1st owner with stick shift and the 2.0l engine which is for 5600 and needs 500-1000$ ac fixing. VW Jetta 2002 with 110k miles with leather seats and all the goodies automatic for 7500 or so VW Jetta 2002 with 60k miles certified from a dealer who has it quoted at 10500 - I might try and negotiate to a lower value, but no way will i get it for 8k -- is the extra 1-2k worth it for the certified warranty? Finally, what is all your knowledgable opinions on Audi/acura which are slightly older. Do all dealers guarantee non-flood/salvage or is it a hit or miss? Sorry for the gammut of questions - This car search is not fun when you dont have a car already since all you can do is internet shop and occasionally test cars. Personal suggestions can be given at shrmp3 AT gmail.com Thanks a ton! :P :confuse:
true, it can be a major hassle without a car shopping for a car.
personally, i'd consider a late '90s-2000 accord or civic, or camry or corolla from a private owner. i guess you've got to have a friend that will either drive you around or will let you borrow their car.
another possibility is from a dealer, but you'd probably end up paying more. what ever you buy, do your research on edmunds and kelly blue book and yellow NADA book and know ballpark what it is worth private sale, and retail given condition, mileage and trim.
look at what is the ASKING price of these cars on Edmunds in your ZIP code via AutoTrader.com
i'd see to it that you can have a garage of your choice check it out before purchase, and pay the garage (specializing in the vehicle you'd be buying) to do a thorough inspection, then use the results for buy/no-buy decision support and also negotiating repairs of issues found that are gonna cost $$$. i'd pay to run a carfax on it against the VIN.
if it didn't have the timing belt / water pump done at or near 90K, assuming it has about 90-110K on it, i'd factor in the cost of that.
i'd check all the doors, hood, trunk etc for the original matching VIN sticker if a honda accord or civic because they should all match unless something was replaced.
Keep in mind the outgoing Sentra has huge incentives on it, you can get a new one for something like 10-11 grand. 8k is too close for a used one of that age. It would make more sense to stretch the budget a tad and maybe get less equipment, knowing you'd have a warranty to cover you.
wow that is indeed shocking and I will go with a civic i found instead - 2000 civic with 30k miles for about 6.5k? what do you guys think of that? its the hatchback thanks bye
i drove it and brakes are good, ac works, stereo works, even anti-theft.. its a shocker. Going to go get it checked with a mechanic for odo-tampering. thanks
Comments
The problem with learning on older cars is the clutch gets worn down and "loose".
A decade ago (almost to the day) my dad and I went to a VW dealer while car shopping. I really wanted a Jetta, and they were blowing out '96s and had 3 Treks (a tarted up Jetta GL) in stock. The free Trek bike was icing on the cake, and these were the 3:
1. Lipstick red (auto)
2. White (auto)
3. Black (stick)
The lipstick red was clearly a "female" color, so I passed. I really wanted the black one but didn't know how to drive a manual, so the old man winked and said, "well, it's about time you learned". He took the car to a parking lot(sans salesman), and after about half an hour of grinding gears and tire/brake smoke heavy in the air, I mostly had it down.
I bought the white one. In a twist of karma, the car turned out to be the electrical nightmare from hell. Whether the black one would have been any better is up for debate, but considering the commute I'd have when I graduated college later that year, it was certainly a wise choice in the end. To add insult to injury, I never rode the bike since I would end up moving to the middle of the city. I ended up giving it away to my brother, who lives in the middle of nowhere and still rides it all the time.
an older model reliable vehicle that has a good engine, good brakes, plenty of tire wear remaining, is a worthy purchase.
you can adjust a clutch, and if necessary to replace, get it done for not too much.
yeah, everyone should learn to drive with a manual transmission.
So, that leaves an older car, but then I have to have 3 cars (and the insurance cost to go with it). Good thing my monther is saving her '95 Saturn for him!
I seriously considered a lease with my last purchase (last December), only because the lease period would coincide with the teaching process.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I'm telling ya, Trek makes a really good bike. He has abused the tar out of that thing, and it still rides like new after almost 10 years now! If I ever get back into riding a bike, I won't even consider any other brand.
-juice
-Jason
i miss my Jetta GLI though. Black, but silly me... I purposefully asked for it with sunroof but no A/C.
only problems I had with it: needed heater core replaced, needed a new fuel pump, the roof fabric was falling down, and was constantly being broken into (not to steal the radio, which I would remove, or to rip off the car, but evidently, to have a comfortable place to sleep at night when it got cold).
Stacey
I'm confused by your post. You indicate that you make enough money but that you need a car to make money. How are you making enough money now if you don't have a car.
As a last resort, practically anyone can get financed for a car unless you claimed bankruptcy last week. Of course, you'll pay for it in the form of higher rates. If you go that route, don't finance too much for too long. Stick to a used car for a loan no longer than three years.
As gsemike mentioned, almost anyone can be financed, it's just that the rate may be a lot higher, so you don't want to get into a long-term financing situation on a car that depreciates quickly.
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Does this allow me the possibility to have the deal cancelled somehow. This would suit me ideally since a turn of circumstances don't need me to have the car that I just bought.
On the warranty, maybe if you go through corporate and make enough stink, you may get a freebie on an extended warranty.
In both cases, getting a little relief should be not too difficult. Getting a major freebie or cancelling the deal sounds unlikely.
Buying an expensive car like an Audi is a long term proposition. Where is your long term planning?
Why are you worrying about warranty when you sell a car? I doubt very much this will be a real issue to anyone when you sell the car in the future.
Tidester directed me to this post.
I just graduated college last month, and am about to move to Maryland in the next few weeks to start working full-time. They are providing me with a rental car for the first week, however I need to buy a car when I get there.
At this point, I still know very little about cars or car buying and have very little road experience (I just got my license a few months ago). I will be earning a nice salary when I start working in a few weeks, however I do not know what my monthly budget is going to be. I am also applying for graduate schools for the Fall, so I'm further unsure what will be happening at that point, depending on where I am accepted.
I need to buy a car now (when I get to Maryland/DC), and basically be able to either fully pay for the car by the end of August (or at least have the remaining money to cover payments in savings by then), or be able to sell the car at that point without having any remaining debt if I need to (which I won't know for a few more months when I hear back from schools). I have up to about $3000 saved that, if I stretch my budget, can all be used towards buying a car now. (My parents aren't able to help me out in purchasing the car, except as far as co-signing a loan if necessary). The car should have automatic transmission and ABS brakes.
Thanks,
- David
I'll say to you what I say to a lot of people: Buy a used Toyota Corolla.
I only bring this up because you emphasized your budget constraints.
do you even know what traffic is like in the DC area?
if it were me, i'd concentrate on a place to live, rather than picking up a vehicle. if possible, if i had never owned my own car before, i'd see if it was practical to do without.
if that were possible, and i was comfortably in my position for a while, had a good handle on expenses, then i'd shop around some, probably for a good condition used vehicle.
depending on where you work, and who you work with, you may get points for driving a lesser vehicle than you can afford.
specially if i had just learned to drive, no - i think personally i'd skip the brand-spanking-new vehicle smell. get some practice under you dealing with other crazys on the road, snow plows, door dings and scratches, all that salt and sand.
you don't miss what you never had as they say.
but seriously, i'd step into the situation a bit at a time.
you probably have some decent college debt right?
i'd be paying down the high interest stuff PDQ if i were you, finding out what sort of margin i had; you know your true disposable income.
hey, you probably don't even have a table and a chair to sit on. am i right?
don't do what so many young people do, jump from debt into even more debt (on a depreciating asset no less). and just because they look at it as intitlement because it's part of the american DNA to drive everywhere.
how do your brethern in NYC survive?
then, after owning something "beneath you" (ha ha) for a number of years, then leverage that great credit score and job with all that savings and low debt level on a house and skip paying rent! :surprise:
with that money saved, then go for the fancy wheels.
ah heck, do what you want.
Why not get a place to stay that is near a metro stop? Then you won't need a car.
Look for something from Toyota, Honda, or Nissan from the early to mid-90s. Don't worry about body condition (except as it relates to safety). Try for something with less than 150,000 miles on it although you might have go higher. Unfortunately, finding something meeting this criteria with ABS is not real likely as they were not yet in widespread use then (the Accord EX being an exception).
If you must have ABS, suggest a 90s full or mid-size GM car (Olds 88/98, Buick Park Avenue, LeSabre or Regal, or Pontiac Bonneville with the 3.8 litre engine. You should be able find a relatively good one with less than 150K on it for $3000 or under. One of these won't be as easy to sell as one of the Japanese makes.
Good luck with DC traffic!
So get a beater of some sort, good mechanically with perhaps an imperfect body. Sounds boring I know but wait 'til you are 25 to get a sporty/new car.
-juice
If your workplace is metro accessible, consider taking metro to / from work and joining Zipcar to have some wheels a couple times a month. Traffic in the DC Metro area can be a PITA (not breaking foru rules here, I hope!!!)
The rental car agencies generally will rent for the whole weekend or a single day.
In the Chicago suburbs, I can generally get a car for $6-10 per day with the promotions that are offered plus the Spirit Airlines discounts (I am not an employee of Spirit.)
If you sell the car quickly, you're eating that. Buy whatever is cheap and in decent shape. ABS isn't the most important thing in the world.
My 97 Honda Accord was recently stolen for the second time and totalled, so now I'm in the market for a new car. I'm looking for something compact, safe, reliable, fun to drive, and under $20,000.
I'm trying to decide between the 2007 VW Rabbit, the 2007 Honda Civic, the 2007 Subaru Impreza (sport wagon) or the 2007 Toyota Corolla.
I'm really leaning toward the Rabbit, as I enjoyed driving it and felt most comfortable in it, but its mileage leaves a little to be desired.
I liked the ride of the Civic a lot, but felt that the visibility was quite limited...
Any suggestions?
Please help me decide between ...
Really, the 2 threads are pretty darned similar, this one just being for "my first car," for some reason.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
VW has had reliability issues in the past and the new ones seem to have all sorts of issues with the radios (or so I've heard). I would wait a while to see how well the new 2.5l engine holds up.
Good luck and happy shopping.
-juice
The Corolla is a fine car that is, I believe, about at the end of its current style run.
I rode in an '07 Civic last week and was amazed at how well it rode. However, visibility being a safety issue, it appears that you've ruled it out.
Don't know much about the Impreza but you might look at moving up a class. I think you could buy an Accord, Camry, or Legacy for under 20K. The '08 Accord will have a new body.
The existing model has been around since 2002. Personally I'd lean towards a Forester for the extra room.
-juice
ok, why was your accord stolen twice?
I haven't really looked at the Accord or Camry, et al; they are slightly too big for my needs (I don't have a family and drive by myself almost 100% of the time. I'm still a college student, parking on the street, so smaller is better.)
yeah i remember having a VW jetta stolen and having the cops tell me there was a gang where initiation was to steal that car.
i just meant, you stated a value and you can get a much better vehicle for that money. but why bother?
why not pick up an older corolla or sentra and save yourself some $$$?
GM cars used to be easier but they have engineered them to be more difficult to break into.
I'll be working in Maryland, not far from DC, but also not near any public transportation that can get me to where I need to. I'll hopefully be able to find a place near a Metro station, but that's only for weekend excursions, I will need to be driving to get to where I'm working in Laurel, Maryland. The traffic from what I remember in that area (I was a summer intern there last year) is relatively light in the areas I would be driving.
I've gotten quotes, out of curiosity, on some newer cars and was given a rate of approximately 1500 for 6 months from Geico, which isn't bad, I don't know what it would be for older cars. I also think that I can possibly qualify for a relatively low-interest rate car loan, if needed, through the credit union associated with the place I'll be working at.
I currently have a clean slate as far as credit/debt is concerned. Financial aid and such covered most of my college expenses, so the only debt I might have to be concerned with is that associated with purchasing a car (and possibly graduate school in the future).
My concern with going for an older car is primarily reliability and making sure I don't get stuck with something that will break down quickly. My father is pushing me that I should have the ABS breaks and preferably a V6 engine which he feels is safer, which may not necessarily be entirely true.
I don't mind getting a used car, I'm just worried that I don't know much about checking such a car out to ensure it's in good condition. I know in the short term I could afford the payments on a newer car, but I'm not so sure about the long-term.
Thanks again for your input.
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Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than January 31, 2007 with your daytime contact information and a few words about your experience.
1 - I want to finance through my bank/credit union. When this happens do you just get approved up to a certain amount since you won't know exactly how much you will end up needing? I know it is good to go to a dealership with financing already in place.
2 - How does getting insurance on a vehicle work? I know that you need insurance before you can drive it off the lot. Although, in order to get insurance you need to know everything about the vehicle.
3 - Since it is a used vehicle and might not be certified I want to get it checked out by a mechanic first. My friend works at an auto place and said he would put it up and check it out for free. How do I go about setting that up? Would the dealership allow me to take the car there on my own?
:confuse:
If I go to an insurance company will they be able to tell me which vehicle will cost more to insure just based on vehicle year, make and model? I am looking at the Jeep Liberty (2002 or 2003) and the Mitsubishi Outlander (2003 or 2004). I'm wondering if one will cost more to insure than the other.
1) Given the speed with which auto loans are approved by most lenders, I think the value of this pre-approval concept is overblown. However, if that's what you want to do, call you lender and find out how it's handled.
2) Shop for insurance now. Narrow your choices to two or three companies. When you pick a car, get an exact quote and buy a policy.
3) This is simple. Any seller that won't let you have a car inspected is someone you shouldn't buy from. When you find a car that you like, have it inspected.
Call you credit union and just ask them he financing pre-approval works.
I love the forums and how active everyone is here -
I am buying my first car this week and have been tossing around a budget of 7-8k with a goal of getting a low mileage used car. Now I dont mind stick, but I am worried about it being a hassle in houston city traffic.
I have narrowed it down to
Nissan Sentra 2001 from a private 1st owner with stick shift and the 2.0l engine which is for 5600 and needs 500-1000$ ac fixing.
VW Jetta 2002 with 110k miles with leather seats and all the goodies automatic for 7500 or so
VW Jetta 2002 with 60k miles certified from a dealer who has it quoted at 10500 - I might try and negotiate to a lower value, but no way will i get it for 8k -- is the extra 1-2k worth it for the certified warranty?
Finally, what is all your knowledgable opinions on Audi/acura which are slightly older.
Do all dealers guarantee non-flood/salvage or is it a hit or miss?
Sorry for the gammut of questions - This car search is not fun when you dont have a car already since all you can do is internet shop and occasionally test cars.
Personal suggestions can be given at shrmp3 AT gmail.com
Thanks a ton!
personally, i'd consider a late '90s-2000 accord or civic, or camry or corolla from a private owner. i guess you've got to have a friend that will either drive you around or will let you borrow their car.
another possibility is from a dealer, but you'd probably end up paying more. what ever you buy, do your research on edmunds and kelly blue book and yellow NADA book and know ballpark what it is worth private sale, and retail given condition, mileage and trim.
look at what is the ASKING price of these cars on Edmunds in your ZIP code via AutoTrader.com
i'd see to it that you can have a garage of your choice check it out before purchase, and pay the garage (specializing in the vehicle you'd be buying) to do a thorough inspection, then use the results for buy/no-buy decision support and also negotiating repairs of issues found that are gonna cost $$$. i'd pay to run a carfax on it against the VIN.
if it didn't have the timing belt / water pump done at or near 90K, assuming it has about 90-110K on it, i'd factor in the cost of that.
i'd check all the doors, hood, trunk etc for the original matching VIN sticker if a honda accord or civic because they should all match unless something was replaced.
-juice
what do you guys think of that? its the hatchback
thanks
bye
-juice
thanks
-juice