Need a new car

[Nikki-Liz]

So I've been putting this off but mine is just really on it's last legs. I'm going to have to start looking into a new car.

My dad and my S/O really know cars so they've had ALOT to say on the subject of what I should be looking at. But seriously as much as I love them both and I know they want to help Im sick of hearing them. My boyfriend forgets that I make 1/3 of the money he does so I just can't go buy a high end brand new car with every option like he did. and my dad forgets that while I do need reliability and good gas millage, I really want something attractive, I've had 3 cars in my life 2 of which were great reliable cars but nothing special, and one mustang from the early 80's that should have been put out of its misery. I know it sounds shallow :0 but I REALLY want a "Nice Car"

So I guess what Im looking for is a little advice from people a little closer to my situation... Young, and broke....

The way I see it I can either:
A) Buy cheap brand new, reliable but not at all a car Id feel special about, and live hand to mouth to make car payments
B) Buy Late model, a little more eye friendly but still fairly cheap, and live hand to mouth making car payments
C) Buy very used, cheap, and live hand to mouth making repair payments...
D) Dump a little more money into my car and pray it holds out for another year until I finish my B.A. and can get a real job.

If there's an option I missed, Id love to hear that too Please and Thank You:)

[vinsanity]

I've done B, C, and D.

I'd have to know more about your particular situation before I would recommend 'D', but it turned out to be worthwhile for me, since I was able to wait to get a decent paying job until I got a newer car.

Not sure I would recommend 'C'; it's nice to not have a car payment and lower insurance and registration costs, but it's very annoying when something needs repair, and generally, newer cars are much safer than your average 1990's car.

I've considered option 'A' the most recent time I went car shopping, but ultimately ended up with option 'B' because you can get a lot more car for your money when you buy slightly used. A lot of late model used cars still have a good amount of factory warranty on them, and some have extended warranties. You also avoid first-year depreciation, which is almost as annoying as repair bills.

Option 'E' would be a mix between options A and B: buy a slightly used model of option 'A' that still has some warranty left on it, but has already taken a depreciation hit. Not only would payments be cheaper than A and B, but insurance should be cheaper, too.

[Bocheezu]

I can sum up the board's responses --

"buy a Honda, Toyota, etc, anything but a domestic car."

[spokes]

given what you said i think D is the bst option for you for now - you can always get something nicer when you have a f/t job.

buying a new car is cool, but the reality is it loses so much value once you get it off the lot, and why live hand to mouth to make payments on a depreciating assest........
i recetnly dropped two grand into my truck - after some flipping and flopping i decided that i did not want car payments, and my truck is in good shape.

for the record i am a ford guy - i doubt i'd every buy anything but.

[Nikki-Liz]

Honda, Nissan and Toyota are deffinitely the top in the running. Im in LOVE with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions (someone's seen 2 Fast 2 Furious 2many times... but I LOVE LOVE LOVE that car) Mazda 3 and the Jeep Patriot. All New or late model possibilities.

[vinsanity]

Honda, Nissan and Toyota are deffinitely the top in the running. Im in LOVE with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions (someone's seen 2 Fast 2 Furious 2many times... but I LOVE LOVE LOVE that car) Mazda 3 and the Jeep Patriot. All New or late model possibilities.

Mitsu Evo's are AWESOME :exclaim:

I fell in love with an Evo 9 that I test drove last year; it's pretty much a rally-engineered sports car trapped in the body of a sensible compact sedan. And a huge wing. Alas, I decided that the insurance would be more than I'd like to spend :cry: I haven't driven the brand new Evo X's yet, and while it's supposed to be even more fun than the 9, they also cost a lot more (they're in the mid-$30k range now).

The Mazda 3 is a great lower-cost, yet sporty, alternative. You get a lot of bang for the buck with that car (it's been called the latest poor-man's BMW), but it's too easy to get hooked on the Evo's turbo engine :evil:

The Jeep Patriot also seems to give you a lot for your money. And you actually get a lifetime warranty on the engine and transmission. Haven't driven one yet, though.

Having said all that, what exactly is wrong with your current car? How many miles are on it?

[Nikki-Liz]

It's a 95 Toyota Carolla... 118000 miles, I just put a new timing belt, water pump, breaks, and tires in it... did the tune up and oil change... and the other day out of nowhere my check engine light came on. It's running superloud, and if I get up over 70 super loud becomes UBER loud... i know the speed limit is 55 but :p I also have a friend about 8 hours away and Im affraid that if I attempt to make the trip I may get stuck in the middle of the mountainy area with no cell service, and be stranded. I do ALOT of driving my school is almost an hour from me. add the 20 minutes to and from work, my boyfriend is about a half hour away and while he does the driving most of the time once a week I'll drive to him. plus my biggest relaxation is driving, so i really need a car that's going to stand up to some serious driving.

[vinsanity]

I can't tell from that what's wrong with the car, but my personal rule of thumb is that if it costs more than $1,000 to make a single repair on a car, I'll start looking at getting a new one, depending on how much more life the repair adds to the car, and what other repairs need to take place soon.

If you do decide on getting a new car, my suggestion is a slightly used Mazda 3. They're fun little cars, and get pretty good gas mileage. Buying used will save you a good amount of money, too, which would be my top priority for an undergrad. But I won't blame you at all if you get an Evo...in fact, I'd probably be jealous :p

[HDC80]

Have you thought about leasing?

Due to my accident I HAD To get a new car, otherwise I would have been stuck with no car or just the rental...neither were good options.

I got a top of the line Nissan Altima and pay $200 a month. At the end of the 36 month lease, I can buy out the residual owed on the car outright or by payments, turn the car in and lease another, or lease this car again. Many more options.

Just a thought since its not one of the options you listed.

[vinsanity]

I forgot about leasing, but it sounds like she drives too many miles for it to be a cost-effective option without running into the mileage overage penalty. (usually leases allow 15,000 mi/yr at the most)

[SmilesSoSweet]

It's a 95 Toyota Carolla... 118000 miles, I just put a new timing belt, water pump, breaks, and tires in it... did the tune up and oil change... and the other day out of nowhere my check engine light came on. It's running superloud, and if I get up over 70 super loud becomes UBER loud... i know the speed limit is 55 but :p I also have a friend about 8 hours away and Im affraid that if I attempt to make the trip I may get stuck in the middle of the mountainy area with no cell service, and be stranded. I do ALOT of driving my school is almost an hour from me. add the 20 minutes to and from work, my boyfriend is about a half hour away and while he does the driving most of the time once a week I'll drive to him. plus my biggest relaxation is driving, so i really need a car that's going to stand up to some serious driving.

I have a 1993 Toyota Corolla with 156,500 miles. I've had it since 1997. My sister was the original owner. I do not plan on buying a new car any time soon (especially now that I've been recently laid off). I plan to keep it at least for another two years. I don't want to have a car payment. I keep my car maintained. And I take care of it. If I know I'll be going on a far trip, I rent a car or my BF drives his car.

I'd probably go with option D. Keep the car until it absolutely can't run anymore. If you still have to pay for school and such, you don't really want to have a car payment at the same time. The car I have is the same one I had throughout college. I just didn't see the need to buying a new car after college. To me, I looked at it as what's the point in paying $300-400/month for a car that will sit in a parking lot 40 hours a week so that I can use it to drive to work (that was only 10 miles away at the time)? It didn't make any sense.

Now that I've been laid off, I'm happy that I don't have a car note to worry about. So I say stick it out a little longer. Toyotas will run forever, as long as you maintain it well. I wouldn't drive more than 70-75 mph with an older car either.

[HDC80]

Yes most lease contracts allow for 15K miles per year, but you can work that out at the end of the lease term easily if you plan to release, buy out. If you plan to return the car its then an issue.

Because she wants a car to be hers, this is an option to pay less monthly and then just extend at the end, making the mileage pretty much a non issue.

Ive had my car just under a month and it already has 1500 miles on it. ;)

[AsianGeek]

I'd run that car to the ground if you want the most cost effective option. Even if you spend 2k to fix your car. If it adds another year to your car life, it still saves you money compared to 300 bucks a month in payments. The japanese cars can last very long as long as you maintain them. My 98 lexus is at 142000 miles and it still drives better than a lot of new cars out there.

[Nikki-Liz]

I can't tell from that what's wrong with the car
Neither can I wich is what's driving me NUTS I can usually tell right away what's wrong I was thinking my Oxygen sensor but that wouldnt make the check engine light come on.


If you do decide on getting a new car, my suggestion is a slightly used Mazda 3. They're fun little cars, and get pretty good gas mileage. Buying used will save you a good amount of money, too, which would be my top priority for an undergrad. But I won't blame you at all if you get an Evo...in fact, I'd probably be jealous :p

If I do sell an organ (which is what I would have to do to get an Evo...) I promise I'll send lots of drivers perspective pictures so you can pretend you're in it whenever you want LOL ;): I'm also obsessed with the idea of paddle shifters on the wheel.

[QUOTE=HDC80]Have you thought about leasing?[QUOTE]
As far as leasing, I did consider it, actually very strongly but my mother's an accountant, and the idea of leasing with out a real need to do so like your situation would be a sin. "You don't spend that much money with out having something tangable to show for it at the end, with out good reason" Was the exact words I got.

[HDC80]

I hear what your mothers accountant is saying, but that only holds true if at the end of the lease you trade in the car for another.

If you lease again to pay off more of the principle, or decide to buy out the car and work a deal for X amount of months at X amount of dollars, you wind up with the car in the long run.

If I had bought my car over a 36 month payment plan, it would have been over $400 per month. Leasing cut that in half, and at the end I plan to re-lease or buyout so I have something tangible as your moms accountant points out.

Its all in how you tweak and look at it.

[vinsanity]

Neither can I wich is what's driving me NUTS I can usually tell right away what's wrong I was thinking my Oxygen sensor but that wouldnt make the check engine light come on.

Actually, I think the o2 sensor does trigger the engine light; IIRC, that's what kept the engine light in my old car lit semi-permanently. My new car's even worse; the engine light will come on when I drive through heavy rain, and when the engine doesn't like the gas I'm putting in. It's a very finnicky car :rolleyes: The light shuts off after a couple of days, though.

The o2 sensor shouldn't be too expensive of a fix, but I'm not sure it would cause the engine to run loud.

[sondra_finchley]

I bought a slightly used Mazda3 hatchback last year when I had to go buy my very very very first car in like a weeks worth of time. Mine only had 15K miles on it and was maybe 9 months old. Its been a great car to drive- I can easily get my bike in and out of the back, seats five in a pinch, but four real good, and its been a dream to drive. Gets pretty good gas mileage ( highway at least). Making car payments sucks but I figured I could afford it (and can) and its a reliable vehicle for a number of years to come. One thing- if you do look at a used Mazda3- ask about the tire wear. The tires are low profile and the ones they put on at the factory are more for racing ( so I was told) so I had to replace the tires at 25K miles. I put on some better all-weathers that are much quieter and have been a godsend this winter. Just be aware you may have to buy tires if you buy used.

I wanted to get a Honda or Toyota but could only find really used ( like your car) or new in what I wanted that would fit my needs that was in my price range. So this was a good compromise.

[Rage]

I hear what your mothers accountant is saying, but that only holds true if at the end of the lease you trade in the car for another.

If you lease again to pay off more of the principle, or decide to buy out the car and work a deal for X amount of months at X amount of dollars, you wind up with the car in the long run.

If I had bought my car over a 36 month payment plan, it would have been over $400 per month. Leasing cut that in half, and at the end I plan to re-lease or buyout so I have something tangible as your moms accountant points out.

Its all in how you tweak and look at it.

The trouble with rel-easing is you have to put money down again each time you re-lease. A buddy of mine swears by leasing because he likes driving new and not worrying about his car, but every 36 months, he's plopping down another 1500 bucks or more to get into a new contract. Very rarely is he under the mileage limit, and he ends up basically upside down on value. Leasing is made to make the dealer money, not look out for you, by taking advantage of the buyer's desire to drive new. The contracts ensure that one way or another, the dealer is making money off you. That being said, financing a car every few years is not economically sound either. The only real way to get value out of your car is to drive it at least 2 years after it's paid off - I plan to drive mine into the ground.

I bought a slightly used Mazda3 hatchback last year when I had to go buy my very very very first car in like a weeks worth of time. Mine only had 15K miles on it and was maybe 9 months old. Its been a great car to drive- I can easily get my bike in and out of the back, seats five in a pinch, but four real good, and its been a dream to drive. Gets pretty good gas mileage ( highway at least). Making car payments sucks but I figured I could afford it (and can) and its a reliable vehicle for a number of years to come. One thing- if you do look at a used Mazda3- ask about the tire wear. The tires are low profile and the ones they put on at the factory are more for racing ( so I was told) so I had to replace the tires at 25K miles. I put on some better all-weathers that are much quieter and have been a godsend this winter. Just be aware you may have to buy tires if you buy used.

I wanted to get a Honda or Toyota but could only find really used ( like your car) or new in what I wanted that would fit my needs that was in my price range. So this was a good compromise.

I also have a used Mazda3. I bought my hatchback with 30K on it and have loved every minute. I have found pretty nice deals by looking on the internet, then bringing my internet search to the dealers when I go browsing. They get pretty serious knowing you have other places to look. Sometimes you can find used cars with virtually no miles on them for a fraction of the new car price. I have a hard time justifying buying brand new again after we did so with my wife's car. You just have to shop around. My wife has a Honda and will pretty much only drive Hondas. They are reliable cars, but you pay for it too. In the long run, they cost less to own than some of their competitors though. The Mazda3 Hatchback gave me a ton of options and allows me to put my dog in the back, while still enjoying decent gas mileage and that low-to-the road feeling I missed when driving a jeep.

It sounds like you need to figure out how much money you can actually afford to pay each month. That will help you understand what sort of car you should be looking for. Be careful about taking out a 5 yr loan though on a car with too many miles. You need to make sure you're not upside down on a loan, and that the car will still be driveable once it's paid off.

[Nikki-Liz]

Thanks so much everyone for your help. You've given me alot more to consider :)

[vinsanity]

glad to help :)

Also, consider this: Tokyo Drift pwns 2 Fast 2 Furious. Sorry, but after seeing Tokyo Drift, it's like 2F2F should have never been made. 2F2F is a silly silly movie. Just IMO. :evil: ;)

[Nikki-Liz]

glad to help :)

Also, consider this: Tokyo Drift pwns 2 Fast 2 Furious. Sorry, but after seeing Tokyo Drift, it's like 2F2F should have never been made. 2F2F is a silly silly movie. Just IMO. :evil: ;)

Oh Tokyo Drift was awsome...Def. Better than 2F2F That's just how I fell in love with the evo.

[vinsanity]

ah yes...spinning the car around 180' and driving backwards at 70 mph did look quite fun :cool:


I fell in love with the Evo when I literally made it fly off jumps in Gran Turismo on the Playstation.