Good first car?

[Ihaveaneedforspeed 3]

The time has come for me to get a good car, and I'm wondering, what should I get based on this list of what I want?

A: fun to drive (communicative steering, soulful drive)

B:If possible, performance (speed, ripe handling)

C:Woodgrain interior (can be fake)

D:Beige interior (I like that int color, preferrably leather)

E:Safetey (every parents a sucker for it)

I'm on a budget of about 1100 USD, any ideas?

Thanks

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Why not just start with a motor cycle?

What is your driving record like? How long have you had your licence? Any demerits?

For the kind of bucks you are talking, you won't get anything but someone else's troubles.

Getting a motorcycle license is an exercise in really knowing the rules and how to be safe. In Ontario, our graduated license system would keep you off the major expressways for about a year until you passed your final 'M' qualification.

[Barbarossa 51]

.

  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[Ihaveaneedforspeed 3]

If your simply looking for a first car, then forget about the fluff. Go for something disposable, with dependability. It will not be a car you are going to keep for more than a few years, maximum. You will want something better later.

Barbarossa

Interesting..this seems like a good tactic...

[Ihaveaneedforspeed 3]

If your simply looking for a first car, then forget about the fluff. Go for something disposable, with dependability. It will not be a car you are going to keep for more than a few years, maximum. You will want something better later.

Barbarossa

Interesting..this seems like a good tactic...

So what manufacture do you suggest. (Honda, ford, Toyota, etc)

[Ocram's Razr 963]

Any cheap, used, Asian car will do for a first if you cannot inherent any.

[Easy Bakes 253]

ANY car is a good 1st car.

just get some beater car that runs and drive the heck out of it.

You will thank yourself later when you get angry about those scrapes and dings new drivers

ALWAYS get,then remember "oh yea" i paid hardly anything for this car.

  Edited June 18, 2011 by Easy Bakes  

[EyeofMobius 27]

Any cheap, used, Asian car will do for a first if you cannot inherent any.

Be careful with imports and anything non-standard market variety. Look around your area and see if there are cars in your budget range being driven than others. Where I am there are lots of Civics, Corollas, Jettas and Rangers being driven. If there are lots of these lower cost cars being driven about then you are more lkely to find some of the parts in a local auto wrecker when you need them and they will also more likely be in stock if you need to take it to a shop.

I have a chuckle about the wood interior since you may have to rummage through the 80s and maybe even 70s to find that kind of interior in your budget range perhaps an old fullsized van that has been camperized...lol...but that would almost eliminate everything else on your ideal specs list.

Oh one other thing is to check out auction houses and Bank Repo stores. At the Auctions you can sometimes get a car for 20% of what it would sell for by any other means and if the auction house is good they also may show the cars before the sale so you can look under the hood and maybe even listen to the engine with a mechanically savvy freind.

Bank Repo stores can be tricky to find but you may find something mind-blowing for almost nothing. One I know of here where I live reposses items and only sells them for the money owing on the loans to the banks; the result of this is that you see vehicles that are sometimes sold for a few thousand dollars but are still new and sometimes under factory warranty still. The insurance on some of these flashy new rides may be to much to swallow for a first vehicle though.

Some other general tips when you get something like this new to you:

Get an inspection done on the vehicle to see what is likely to be wrong with it soon; the insurance company may ask for it anyways but do it even if they don't then you will have an idea of what maintainence you should be setting money aside for.

Get a mechanical manual for the vehicle. Not an owners manual but an aftermarket manual made from a complete mechanical rebuild of your vehicle. Hanyes is a publisher of these that I commonly buy and help me save plenty of cash on silly little troubleshooting issues.

Make sure you have a basic kit in your car to solve common breakdown issues. Spare drive belt, oil, washer fluid, snow brush, JUMPER CABLES.

Also make sure you can change the tire with the tools provided by the car and that the spare is in working order. I ended up on the freeway outside of Detroit last summer with a flat tire and the factory jack for my vehicle was not big enough to lift my vehicle. I went out the next day and bought a 2 ton floor jack kit for $45 the next day.

Roadside assistant like CAA or AMA membership; I manage to lock my keys in my car once or twice a year it seems and having roadside assistance has served me well. Also saved me from a huge fee when I couldn't change my tire with an inadequate jack.

[Easy Bakes 253]

^^^ What he said definalty get jumpers cables,a hydrolic jack and a 4 way lug wrench.

[Zelgadis 638]

At $1100, I'm sorry to say that your expectations are very unrealistic. Woodgrain interior? Leather? Fun to drive? Honestly, at that price, your one and only priority should be finding something that isn't going to break down constantly. And at that price, just finding something that suits that requirement is going to be very, very difficult.

That said, an old Toyota Corolla is probably going to be your best bet. At that price, it's probably going to look like rust particles holding hands, but they have good, strong engines and with some luck, it will treat you well.

However, if you decide to insist on the features you mentioned above, either prepare to spend more or prepare to be on a first-name basis with your local tow truck driver.

ISF

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Ignore everyone and buy a 15 year old Subaru Outback. It's not superfast, but the boxer engine lowers the car's center of gravity making it reasonably entertaining to drive for a tall-ish station wagon, and its slightly raised ground clearance means it can go places sports cars can't. No other car on the planet is as capable, comfortable, or efficient (especially for the money) as the Outback. I had an 18 year old Impreza that ran great, and just parted ways (*snf snf* still haven't gotten over it) with my '02 Outback. They are great cars. I know for a fact that you get woodgrain interiors on the second generation models (like my old one) but I am not too sure about the first gen. Things to watch out for: head gasket seals. Always have a mechanic you trust go through the car before you buy it to make sure it's worth whatever amount of money you decide to put on it. Actually, that part is so important I'm going to re-state it in caps: ALWAYS HAVE A MECHANIC YOU TRUST GO THROUGH THE CAR BEFORE YOU BUY IT TO MAKE SURE IT'S WORTH WHATEVER AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU DECIDE TO PUT ON IT. This is especially ESPECIALLY important with older vehicles, just like EyeofMobius up there said. But it's so important it needs to be said and said again.

Oh yeah, All Wheel Drive. It's beautiful. Subaru, baby! SUBARU!

[Ocram's Razr 963]

Your preferences match up with a $20,000 used junker car, a $30,000 used car in OK shape, or $50,000+ new car. I ignored your preferences for my first post because I wanted to give you a reasonable suggestion without offending you.

Wood would be rotten if the car had a price tag of $11,000 or less, leather would be split and peeling unless it was actually vinyl, how fun a car is depends on how much fun you get from driving in general.

Maybe you are better off saving your money to buy your dream car and go without your own car for a while. I am 19 and I don't drive.

[PontiacFiero84 109]

Check out an 95 and below Six cylinder Trans-Ams/Firebirds ,An Older Ford Taurus SHO ( What I have at the moment) , Mercury Sable , late 80's early 90's Dodge Daytona ( Non Turbo) , Anykind of Toyota Celica , Any year Mercury Cougar , Anykind of Z car ( Nissan or Datsun ) , I can go on and on for the cars but YOU have to the research and look and look until you found the right one and if you check out a car bring a buddy with you to check every detail and find problems , when you do then the negotiating starts. Good luck with your future purchase.

[nathanthemayor 1,261]

My first car will probably be my mom's current car, which is a 2000 Saturn Sedan and it gets up to 37 mpg.

[Larks2242 251]

Well of you could get a firebird its got good speed but its really old now (2002) so it dosen't have features like new cars have. Not many cars you can get for that price that are any good ...:\

[hym 358]

Realistically, what you want in a first car is something you can depend on. While we don't know that what your specific life situation is (and we don't really need to know that), your budget suggests that you can't afford for the car to be unreliable. I've seen college students nearly have their world turned upside down because their vehicle's transmission broke and they couldn't afford to fix it. To look at it another way, for the work I am doing this summer, I am earning more per week than about 50% of the US, and I will have nowhere near the money to handle something major like engine or transmission problems.

Moral of the story: You shouldn't be worried about whether it has a nice drive or good performance or whether the interior looks like someone let a rabid raccoon loose in it. You need to be concerned that it will perform dependably and be safe to drive.

[Zelgadis 638]

A muscle car of any kind, Firebird, Trans Am, Camaro, Mustang, is going to be absolute murder on your insurance and gas bills.

Not to mention the fact that most of them have been thoroughly abused. You're not likely to find any in good shape for that price.

ISF

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

A general rule in this matter is to buy what you can insure. Get hold of your parents insurance agent and find out what your premiums will be. If you are under 25 and have a green license (less than three years standing) your 1100 will probably pay the first month's premium.

You also need to budget for gas and oil, and at least a quarterly check over unless you are an auto mechanic. Tires have to be replaced, sometimes, and four new tires can be around $300 or more.

Make sure your brake fluid is always topped up, and check your coolant, not only for volume, but effectiveness.

Talk to an experienced car owner about the romance of the road, including all the ancillary costs.

Having a car may have a lot of glitz, but you might be happier with a more modest form of transportation. My son graduated from bicycle to motorcycle when he got his first serious part-time job and we lived in the country. Motorcycles in my part of the world generally spend the winter in the garage, though.

  Edited June 19, 2011 by A Nonny Moose  

[airman15 4,111]

I am also trying to find a good first car. I have discussed which car to get and they suggested I get a 90's v6 Taurus or a Thunderbird, both of which are Fords. Both of these models were in my family and they are both fun and relatively easy to drive. The Taurus was a front wheel drive, a v6. the 1st one my family had was a dark gray '93 wagon with a light gray interior and the second one is a regular car model, also a '93 which is white with a blue interior. The t-bird on the other hand was a v8 and had more power. Both handle about the same but I would go with the Taurus as a first car because most new driver fatalities occur because they picked a car that was too much for them to handle.

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

How not to buy a first car...

Two of my nephews and a friend turned up unexpectedly on Friday evening... looking for somewhere to sleep... (they live in a provincial town 4 hours away)

... they had just bought a first car for my 15 yr old nephew...

1988 Honda City

$850.00

No registration...

No warrant of fitness (safety certificate)...

No insurance...

My younger nephew only has a learners licence, so he needs a fully lisenced driver to be with him anyway...

The 'plan' was to take it to the testing station and get a WOF and Registration on Saturday morning...

Of course it failed... needs rust fixing in a structural area of the wheel arch... will need cutting out and new steel welding in... they complained bitterly that the testing station was being too picky... "they shone their torch everywhere..."

(Turn up in a car that has no registration or current WOF and expect them to go easy? Well duh... )

So what did they do? They just drove it back home (4 hours drive)... without registration or WOF anyway.

Oh and it is bright orange! Just the right colour, and age to be noticed by every police car on the way home... I think they made it back without getting caught... haven't heard!

Was just talking to a colleague at work... her 18 yr old nephew in the UK has just bought his first car... it cost 2000 pounds just for the insurance... and that is only third party!

[refriedbussy 7]

If you want something that's no more than $1200 and dependable, than you'll have to be thinking about getting an economic car from the 1990s or earlier. Here are some cars I suggest:

Chevrolet/Geo Metro: Gets about 49-50 MPG on the highway, very dependable (came out in 1989, and many people still drive them on the roads). However, they are very utilitarian, don't be expecting anything sporty or soulful, unless if you want the convertible that they made in the early nineties, or find a stick. I'm not sure how big you are on safety, but you more than likely won't be very protected. (1989-1994 Gen) (1995-1998 Gen) (1998-2001 Gen [as Chevrolet])

Honda Civic: This car doesn't need much explaining. They're very dependable and because they still make them, it's very easy to find parts. You probably would want one from the mid-to-late 1990s. My cousin bought one, brand new in 1998, and she still drives it. It would be fun to drive in a coupe with a sunroof, but don't count on woodgrain (you could probably find a beige interior one). Also note that the engine is louder than other manufacturers (I'm sure Honda has improved that with newer models).

Toyota Corolla: Does not need much explaining either. They're good gas savers, hauling people around, and they are safe as well. If you want one that's in your budget, you will need to get one from the nineties. However, (this isn't really an issue on the car) you see so many of them on the road, they aren't very attractive (in my opinion).

Saturn S-Series: Made from 1991-2002, this series comes in a sedan, coupe, and wagon. They updated the design in 1997. Nowadays, they are dirt cheap. I saw in the Saturday newspaper that a sedan version from the 2000 model year ran for about $350 USD. (I would not buy that car if it was that cheap FYI because there's probably some problems)

(1991-1996 Gen [W/S] [C]) (1997-2002 Gen [W/S] [C])

Those are the base cars that I can really describe. There are other economy cars (or what would be considered economic and small today) like the Dodge/Plymouth Neon, the Ford Escort (ZX2), Toyota Echo, Chevrolet Cavalier, Eagle Summit, and many others.

Here are some that are more than likely cheap and sporty, but note that these cars are more than likely 10+ years old:

Eagle Talon (1990-1994 Gen) (1995-1998 Gen)

Pontiac Sunbird [basically a Cavalier, but sportier] (1990-1994 Article) (Coupe) (Convertible) (Sedan)

Plymouth Laser [rebadged Talon and Mitsubishi Eclipse of that era] (1990-1994)

That's all I can think of for now, I hope that this helps. Be sure to look for cars in the classifieds, Craigslist, eBay, etc. Good luck!

Forgot: Look at the different Geo models here, they're really quirky and cute, and gas savers as well...

  Edited June 21, 2011 by mimolay  

[Ihaveaneedforspeed 3]

Ok, wait, wait, calm down. what would be a reasonable amount of money to start with. Oh, and ex the woodgrain trim, and it can be leatherrete. i just wanna know if im not over restricting myaelf on budget.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I believe I mentioned earlier that you need to see what you can afford to insure. Forget the candy, you only want wheels.

[hym 358]

Ok, wait, wait, calm down. what would be a reasonable amount of money to start with. Oh, and ex the woodgrain trim, and it can be leatherrete. i just wanna know if im not over restricting myaelf on budget.

Back when I was hunting for a used car, I thought that $5,000 was a decent chunk of money to pick up a halfway reasonable used vehicle. In my neck of the woods, $5,000 will get you a car with over 150,000 miles, roughly 8-10 years old, all wrapped in a vehicle that was bottom of the line when it was new.

[BlondeTwiggy 43]

prolly depends on where you are, idk, my car was $2600, 170,000 miles...I dont know a lot about cars but $1100 is a very tight budget. i think you will NOT get a good car for that much. my budget was 2-3k. i got a sportscar, which has higher insurance, so just get a reliable car like a Honda. i 2nd the guy who said Subaru, my bf has a Legacy(not Outback) and he loves it. Definitely not the coolest car in the world, but they are well made and the cargo room is awesome. if you want fun to drive, get a stick shift! they tend to get good gas mileage too i believe..

[Ihaveaneedforspeed 3]

GUESS WHAT? I FOUND OUT YOU COULD GET MAZDA MIATAS [the best cabrios on the planet] FOR 2500k! WOOPEE!

[guns_of_fire 3]

GUESS WHAT? I FOUND OUT YOU COULD GET MAZDA MIATAS [the best cabrios on the planet] FOR 2500k! WOOPEE!

Where at and how old? I happen to be looking for a car myself, and this will fall well below my price range.

[Zelgadis 638]

GUESS WHAT? I FOUND OUT YOU COULD GET MAZDA MIATAS [the best cabrios on the planet] FOR 2500k! WOOPEE!

Sure can. Now check insurance rates. There's a very good chance that the insurance for you on a car like that will wind up costing more than the car itself in two or three years.

ISF

[Meg 368]

Before you buy anything, I highly recommend checking what the insurance premiums will be.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Before you buy anything, I highly recommend checking what the insurance premiums will be.

Meg and I are in agreement. My son's first vehicle as he entered university was a second hand motorcycle. He rode it through two winters in London Ontario. Eventually we bought him a good used Ford and it cost us $6,000 because we took pity on him. He drove it until he got a job after graduating then traded it for something better using his earnings.

$1.100 around here would get you a junker, and $2.500 not much better. A Miata is a sports car in insurance parlance. If you are under 25 with no driving record your insurance premiums will be more than your income.