How much was your first car?

[dave1701]

I am looking for a car, as I am almost 17. I am also looking for a job, but without luck. How much does a typical car fit for a kid like me cost? It needs to work. How much do I need to get a decent used first car?

 

[kendelrk]

around 8 thousand and you could get a typical small car or truck here in westland

 

[newrider3]

around 8 thousand

Holy fvck. I don't know where you got the definition for 'basic', but it sure isn't from my dictionary.

Around here, you can get a decent car/truck for under $1500. A good first car with some issues for less than a grand. If you're willing to fix a few things before driving it, down below $750.

Don't pay a lot for something you're likely to wreck in your first year or so of driving.

 

[dave1701]

Holy fvck. I don't know where you got the definition for 'basic', but it sure isn't from my dictionary.

Around here, you can get a decent car/truck for under $1500. A good first car with some issues for less than a grand. If you're willing to fix a few things before driving it, down below $750.

Don't pay a lot for something you're likely to wreck in your first year or so of driving.

God, I hope that doesn't happen. My parents would kill me. Literally. That's not bad. I could produce that much. I would help alot if I had a job though!!!

 

[HellSpawn]

The datsun I bought awhile ago would be a perfect first vehicle for a kid like yourself. $350 for a good runner, 122k miles.

Also a good project vehicle for me

 

[Badot]

Don't pay a lot for something you're likely to wreck in your first year or so of driving.

I hate to say it, but pretty much everyone I know around my age (19) who has wrecked their car was severely impaired (completely wasted, high, etc) when they did it... or they just wanted mommy and daddy to buy them a different car. The only one I would call a semi-legitimate wreck would be a friend of my girlfriend who swerved from a deer and hit a tree.

Speaking of which, hitting deer is covered under most insurance's comprehensive section (meaning your rates won't go up). Swerving off the road and hitting a tree is not (I believe). Don't swerve, just slow down as much as possible and hit it.


NOW... as far as price goes... around here, one my parents would deem 'acceptable' would be 8 grand or more. One I would be fine with? Probably closer to $1000 on craigslist. Sometimes you can find decent cars that aren't worth much just because they're old. Just don't get too anxious to buy a car, wait to find a good deal on a good car rather than saying something like "I need a car and have $x, let's find the best one on the market for that and jump on it"

 

[dave1701]

I hate to say it, but pretty much everyone I know around my age (19) who has wrecked their car was severely impaired (completely wasted, high, etc) when they did it... or they just wanted mommy and daddy to buy them a different car. The only one I would call a semi-legitimate wreck would be a friend of my girlfriend who swerved from a deer and hit a tree.

Speaking of which, hitting deer is covered under most insurance's comprehensive section (meaning your rates won't go up). Swerving off the road and hitting a tree is not (I believe). Don't swerve, just slow down as much as possible and hit it.


NOW... as far as price goes... around here, one my parents would deem 'acceptable' would be 8 grand or more. One I would be fine with? Probably closer to $1000 on craigslist. Sometimes you can find decent cars that aren't worth much just because they're old. Just don't get too anxious to buy a car, wait to find a good deal on a good car rather than saying something like "I need a car and have $x, let's find the best one on the market for that and jump on it"

Crap, those were my thoughts exactly...

I'm starting to gather that I need a job!

 

[devino246]

My truck was $1800. Three months later and Ive got an extra $1200 into it. It is a classic though.

My aunt and uncle recently bought my cousin a early 2000's Nissan with less than 125k miles for $1000. It runs perfect too.

Don't pay a lot for something you're likely to wreck in your first year or so of driving.

This just may be the dumbest statement Ive seen you post.

 

[Blazkowiez]

I paid 6 grand for my first vehicle.

 

[sexyvicta]

This just may be the dumbest statement Ive seen you post.

why? he's 100% correct. You're bound to scratch/dent your first car a couple of times when you're still learning to drive. Get something cheap that somebody else has already dinged up.

Buy something nice/what you realy want, once you have a few miles under your belt.

Im speaking from experiece lol. My first motorcycle was in mint showroom condition when i got it and i paid a premium for the nice paint. Should of got a bike which had already been dropped because i did drop it and lost 50% of its value when i did. If i'd spent half as much and got a bike which had already been dropped i would of lost much less $$

edit: of yeh and i got my first car for free

 

[Badot]

I'm not sure what kind of car you would want, but here are some of my thoughts...

- I love manual transmissions... to me, they're more fun to drive, and acceleration doesn't feel 'squishy' like with an automatic. Not to mention engine braking, bump starting the engine, and the obvious boost to fuel economy. I learned on an auto though, and I do feel that was a good thing. Obvious downsides though... it's hard to drive without 2 hands and 2 feet, and it's more to think about, however it becomes natural rather quickly.

- I like the economy engines over the high power engines... Most of my driving would be transportation, and I don't need much power to do that. If I want something fast to screw around with, I'll build a gokart

- I like smaller cars in general. When I had the Caravan it felt like it would just roll if I tried to turn hard, my Corolla just goes where I point it, no worries. Less wobbling around everywhere with the lower ride and stiffer shocks too, and the turning radius is much smaller... very nice in parking lots, and with making u-turns. Only thing I miss about the Caravan is the cargo space, but I still vastly prefer the Corolla.

 

[redsox985]

Nothing...directly. I inherited the family '03 CR-V with ~90k miles on it. But I only got it once mom paid off her car. So $7000 was taken from my savings, used to pay off mom's car, and then I got mine and dad got a new one. They didn't want 2 car payments at the same time. But all in all, I paid $1000-2000 less for this than it would go for on a lot. I say I didn't directly pay since I had been saving up for YEARS and the money was never really tangible. It was destined for a car and I didn't get what I wanted (Wrangler or Tiburon, I was torn) but I would've had to get a pre-2000 Wrangler for $6-7k and mom was not too keen on a Tiburon.

 

[devino246]

why? he's 100% correct. You're bound to scratch/dent your first car a couple of times when you're still learning to drive. Get something cheap that somebody else has already dinged up.

Buy something nice/what you realy want, once you have a few miles under your belt.

Im speaking from experiece lol. My first motorcycle was in mint showroom condition when i got it and i paid a premium for the nice paint. Should of got a bike which had already been dropped because i did drop it and lost 50% of its value when i did. If i'd spent half as much and got a bike which had already been dropped i would of lost much less $$

edit: of yeh and i got my first car for free

Bikes and cars are 2 different things. So are wrecks and scratches.

 

[machinist@large]

First Car

1964 Ford F-250. Price $1.00

Parts to replace clutch $200.00(ish)(mid 1980s).

Doing the work yourself on the side of a hill out in the weather

Getting it back together only to find its still not right.

Finding out that the real problem was the body mounts having rusted out and that the cab had settled down on the clutch linkage( the older folks probably remember how older cars use to rust out so badly, and had a linkage system for the clutch).

It got me thru 2 years of high school (barely) and taught me a lot of things; #1 is you don't get what you didn't pay for.

Don't get to bothered about looks; what you need is a reliable runner.

 

[devino246]

Finding out that the real problem was the body mounts having rusted out and that the cab had settled down on the clutch linkage( the older folks probably remember how older cars use to rust out so badly, and had a linkage system for the clutch).

You calling me old?!?!(see car in my avatar)

 

[Gillgamesh64]

First car $400, 1979 Ford escort two door Had a ball in that little thing!!!! You Do not need a ****load of cash to buy a decent car, I am driving an old mitsubitshi Pajero (Montero) I bought for $1000.... It is not that pretty but i could take a new one out for 12 months and it will look similar.....

 

[sideways]

My car History before I got my licence.

1976 Mini S, had been rolled, didn't run, free.

1984 Toyota Corona wagon, ran and drove fine, still had rego but had a very rough body. Free.

1985 Peugeot 505 GTi S2, previous owners just wanted it gone so I got it for $1000 (worth several times that though). Brilliant first car, probably one of the best handling sedans of its time and will hold its own in a drag with similar era 253 V8 commies.

1985 Peugeot 505 SRi, was extensively modified, previous owner thought it had a blown fuel pump and was quoted $1200 for a new one, I cleaned up the earths and fixed the leaks in the fuel system and it all worked, $450.

1957 Peugeot 403, $1500(again, worth several times that figure) and came with enough parts to build 2 more, also had about $12k in receipts from the last 14 or so years.

The 505 GTi and the 403 are my road cars now. The Corona is a paddock basher, the Mini is a Garden ornament and the 505 SRi is a rally car project.

Thanks

Hayden

 

[Garified]

My very first car - a 1992 Dodge Stealth. I used it to learn how to drive a stick driving up and down the yard and street. We got it for $1500, and ended up selling it before I got my license.

My first official car - a 1990 Daihatsu Charade, cost me $300. It had 177,000 miles when I bought it. When I sold it, the odometer was reading 230,000+ miles. It was an amazing first car.

My current vehicle - a 1995 Jeep Cherokee 4x4. I paid $1000 for it. It had 170,000 miles when I bought it and it has 197,000 right now.

All three of those vehicles were 5 speeds. I've never personally owned an automatic, and wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[KartRacer695]

bought my first truck when I was 14, (currently 15)

1985 Chevy C20 Custom Deluxe
long box single cab
305 4 Barrel Carb
4 on the floor
straight piped

runs awesome, the previous owner passed away, so they let it go for cheap. 700$.

2nd truck

1969 Ford F100
3 on the Tree
360 2 Barrel
Long box single cab

3rd truck

1980 Dodge w150 4x4
RARE SUNROOF!
RARE SHORT BOX
360, eldelbrock 4 barrel
automatic

still have the three trucks and plan on keeping em.

 

[fowler]

free toyota land cruiser 79 series 2002 model

my dad brought a new one and i got the old one

not very fast and hard to park but runs good and has never let me down

even when i locked my keys in it it gave them back (i broke in in 5 mins useing only a peice of wire probs not the most secure vehical