Looking to buy my first vehicle

2012-03-07 22:55:40

#1

-Sh1fty-: plundering yee booty; +510|5663|Ventura, California

Let me start by saying I only know how to drive and maintain a car. I don't know which brands are better, or anything about engines. I have $3500 to spend on a car, that is my entire bank account. I don't know what I need to do with the DMV besides register a new vehicle, and I also heard I'll have to pay some kind of tax.

I'm a straight-A student with 0 driving violations or accidents in 1 year. So I hear that will help with insurance. I'm 19.

So for those of you know know anything about cars. Please suggest models and whatnot, and insurance plans. I'm clueless.

I need a car to get me from point A to point B with at least 4 people inside. I also will need to be able to transport things often so a pickup or a vehicle with a big trunk is a must. I won't be driving it every day, probably every other day or less. I'd like to get a decent car that will last me a while though. Here are some cars I've found on craigslist that interest me.

This one is really appealing to me.
2003 Ford Focus ZX5

This one would chug gas like crazy but since I wouldn't use it too much it shouldn't be a problem.
1994 Ford F150

This is a truck I've been aiming for. They have low MPG and still fit 4 people, although not too confortably. This one has 350k miles on it though.
1994 Ford Ranger

This ranger has less miles but has more exterior and interior wear-and-tear.
2001 Ford Ranger

This Ranger is probably my favorite
1997 Ford Ranger

Not sure what else to say.

TLDR: Looking for car, got $3500. Needs to get me from point A to B without using too much gas, and needs trunk space or bed, must seat 4.

And above your tomb, the stars will belong to us.

2012-03-07 23:02:10

#2

Laura: your girlfriend a freak like cirque du soleil; +149|6020|u fucking wot m8

any, as long as you let me carpool

2012-03-07 23:12:13

#3

Sisco: grandmaster league revivalist; +493|6533

How about not being a retarded stereotype american and get a car that serves your needs and is economical, instead of one that has the biggest engine crammd into the nastiest chassis ever? Hm?

The Focus is a bit heavy on the miles.

The others are only reinforcing your government to further listen to the oil lobby.

https://www.abload.de/img/bf3-bf2ssig0250wvn.jpg

2012-03-07 23:16:46

#4

-Sh1fty-: plundering yee booty; +510|5663|Ventura, California

So what do you suggest. I like toyotas but that's a bit out of my price range. A honda civic, toyota corolla, or maybe a ford taurus would be nice but the truck bed would really be useful on a little ranger. The 4 cylinder ones get 28 mpg on highways, I think that's great.

Anytime Laura

And above your tomb, the stars will belong to us.

2012-03-07 23:22:03

#5

Laura: your girlfriend a freak like cirque du soleil; +149|6020|u fucking wot m8

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Toyota-Corolla-hatchback.jpg

imo

2012-03-07 23:27:05

#6

Ultrafunkula: Hector: Ding, ding, ding, ding...; +1,975|6663|6 6 4 oh, I forget

Put some local dealer links where you might go buy the car and we shall investigate.

2012-03-07 23:36:52

#7

Miggle: FUCK UBISOFT; +1,411|6932|FUCK UBISOFT

get a civic I hear they're pretty cool

make sure it's a black coupe. and manual transmission. 2006 or newer.

Last edited by Miggle (2012-03-07 23:37:37)

2012-03-07 23:50:26

#8

-Sh1fty-: plundering yee booty; +510|5663|Ventura, California

Ultrafunkula wrote:
Put some local dealer links where you might go buy the car and we shall investigate.

Why dealer and not owner? I can afford any of those vehicles listed above. Dealers are usually more expensive.

What's a good insurance by the way?

And above your tomb, the stars will belong to us.

2012-03-08 00:05:52

#9

Ultrafunkula: Hector: Ding, ding, ding, ding...; +1,975|6663|6 6 4 oh, I forget

You get atleast some sort of guarantee from a dealer from a used car. Atleast over here.

2012-03-08 00:12:42

#10

Cybargs: Moderated; +2,285|6906

Ultrafunkula wrote:
You get atleast some sort of guarantee from a dealer from a used car. Atleast over here.

and you know they won't thrash the shit out of the car

https://cache.www.gametracker.com/server_info/203.46.105.23:21300/b_350_20_692108_381007_FFFFFF_000000.png

2012-03-08 00:19:02

#11

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,813|6296|eXtreme to the maX

Erm, dealers just trade in used cars, you're still at the mercy of the previous owner.

Get something simple, which preferably is unlikely to have been thrashed.
A Ford Ranger probably isn't too terrible, pretty hard to thrash them.

Fuck Israel

2012-03-08 00:23:00

#12

-Sh1fty-: plundering yee booty; +510|5663|Ventura, California

I can't find any cars under 3500 from a dealer like the ones i've posted above. I have plenty of friends who know a lot about cars that can look at the engine and whatnot and tell me if it's a good deal or not, but first I have to select a vehicle and then show them.

And above your tomb, the stars will belong to us.

2012-03-08 00:26:19

#13

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,813|6296|eXtreme to the maX

You'll be less disappointed if you assume any car you buy is most probably going to have something wrong with it, people don't generally sell good cars unless you're very very lucky.

But at $3500 its going to be >50% worn out at best so there you go.

Watch out for worn towbars on pickups too.

Fuck Israel

2012-03-08 00:29:28

#14

Ultrafunkula: Hector: Ding, ding, ding, ding...; +1,975|6663|6 6 4 oh, I forget

Dilbert_X wrote:
Erm, dealers just trade in used cars, you're still at the mercy of the previous owner.

Sherlock. That's why the guarantee. Buy the car from a private dude and you'll get that famous rear light guarantee instead of a month or two guarantee on engine gearbox etc.

2012-03-08 00:29:55

#15

-Sh1fty-: plundering yee booty; +510|5663|Ventura, California

So I should save up some more before getting a vehicle? How much more would get me something to last maybe 5 years until I can afford a good ca?

And above your tomb, the stars will belong to us.

2012-03-08 00:42:58

#16

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,813|6296|eXtreme to the maX

Ultrafunkula wrote:
Dilbert_X wrote:
Erm, dealers just trade in used cars, you're still at the mercy of the previous owner.
Sherlock. That's why the guarantee. Buy the car from a private dude and you'll get that famous rear light guarantee instead of a month or two guarantee on engine gearbox etc.

My comment was aimed at Cybargs.

Depends on the law in Sh1ftyville, most countries there basically is no guarantee from a dealer, you're dependent on how much shit you can throw at him before he gives in.

Sh1fty wrote:
So I should save up some more before getting a vehicle? How much more would get me something to last maybe 5 years until I can afford a good car?

Dunno really, a one year old $30k car thats been thrashed can be just as dead as a ten year old $3k car thats been thrashed. The $3k car you can throw away or use scrapyard parts to keep it limping along, the $30k car you have to pay new part prices to repair it just to sell it - you'll still lose a ton of money on it.

You need to look at the depreciation curve and the running cost curve and the maintenance cost curve and pick the point where the value is for you.

For me it was near the bottom end as I did all my own repairs and servicing. To pay main dealer prices to keep a 15 year old Volvo going would have made no sense - to pay $1000 for a solid reliable car like a Volvo and have no servicing costs was great - and my annual fuel bill was less than most people's annual depreciation on their brand new shitbox.

For you you probably need something cheap to run and insure, low upfront cost and simple or cheap maintenance, you need to look at the probable total cost of ownership for however long you plan to keep it.

Last edited by Dilbert_X (2012-03-08 01:05:24)

Fuck Israel

2012-03-08 00:57:42

#17

Ultrafunkula: Hector: Ding, ding, ding, ding...; +1,975|6663|6 6 4 oh, I forget

I forgive you Dil

I'd go with a 1.3 / 1.6 litre engine. Corolla is a decent buy. Chep parts if something breaks and they're economical and cheap on the insurance, plus they're quite reliable. All the things Dilbert said. It's probably not going to be a long term car anyways for you.

2012-03-08 01:01:21