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New Cars
Mai-Kero
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, I want to buy my first car before I start college, but I'm not really sure I want to get a used one, since all of my friend's cars seem to break all the time.
I'm looking for the cheapest, reliable car that I can get. Any suggestions? What should I expect to pay?
I'm looking for the cheapest, reliable car that I can get. Any suggestions? What should I expect to pay?
Mai-Kero on
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They're also loaded with standard safety features, which lack in all other brands.
That would be, frankly, an awesome first car/college car.
Your friends seem to be buying notoriously unreliable cars.
Personally I'd stay away from Hyundai the build quality really isn't up to snuff.
I've had a second hand 1992 corrolla for around 6 years the only times it has broken down on me is when the brushes on the alternator shat itself.
You need to give more information though, do you want a big car for hauling people/things or small tiny thing that will save you money on petrol. Also how much is your budget.
Satans..... hints.....
Well I was planning on finding something I wanted first, and then saving for it, but right now I kind of only have a part-time job with very few hours(10 a week), so honestly not that much, besides what I've got in the bank set away for a car(about a thousand.)
How do I go about checking for how good used cars are? I'm not a mechanic so I don't really know.
I don't want a big car, but I am kinda tall(6'4'') so I'm not sure how that would factor in.
http://kia.com/rio5/index.php
I love how that looks. Although I might not be ready for a $14k car just yet. I think there's a used kia dealer near me though so I might start looking into it.
I think this would be -awesome- for a college student...
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970666737/
I would never trust KIA or Hyndai.
I've had no problems with my 05 Corolla. Well, aside from when some girl crashed into me after owning it for two weeks, requireing a new windshield, rear bumper, tail lights, and side panel.
You could always get a Saturn.
Don't let your friends' bad experiences put you off of buying used, since they probably didn't follow any of those kind of steps to make sure they were getting their money's worth.
A friend of mine put it best when he said he would never trust a car that said "killed in action"
Since you're fairly tall, how about that new Nissan Versa? Everything I hear and read about it says it boasts a spacious cabin for taller people, and it gets over 30mpg.
Seriously though I've had a 1992 Nissan Sentra that got good mileage and cost me maybe $1000 (cdn) over the four years I had it in non-standard maintenance, of which $250 was my own damn fault.
My current vehicle is a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder, which is probably too much vehicle for a student (would cost too much in gas, and the regular maintenance is a bit higher too).
My sister is driving my dad's old (1997) Toyota Tercel, which has nearly 400,000 kilometers on it, and when I drove it a month or two ago felt exactly the same as when I used to drive it during highschool (2001-2002).
My dad is currently driving an '03 Corolla which has cost him next to nothing in maintenance.
Keep in mind, though, that if you buy used you have to pay extra to transfer the 10yr/100k warranty over, but the 5yr/60k will always come with the vehicle (if it's within the limits, of course).
Mechanically, sure - they're not absolutely amazing performance machines with teflon coated cylinder walls, magic forced induction devices, etc. But they're solid, simple, and well built. They have more airbags and more standard safety features than Honda or Toyota (don't get me fucking started on the safety farce of Honda and Toyota) and standard ABS and traction/stability control on a lot of the newer cars.
Even on the older ones, Kia and Hyundai differentiated themselves with many, many standard safety features.
And again, as with any car - replace the oil, air filter, spark plugs, and check the belts. You should be A-Okay.
Top used cars (Up to US$10k):
98-00 Prizm
99-01 Escort
98 Civic
03,04 Accent
99,02 Saturn SL
98-99,00-01,02 Corollla
etc. Gennerally Toyota and Honda have the most cars considred reliable, but Hyundai has a few. Not so much for Kia.
Of course, as with everything, perception is everything. Someone who owns a Toyota may put up with more, or minimize it in their minds, where a Kia owner will be more likely to take it in for repairs, since the gov't is paying for their housing and food already :P
'07 Volkswagen Rabbit
" " Jetta
:P
And back on topic- Hyundai and Kia have gotten much, much better over the last years. They're really excellent cars for the price tag, and people are finally starting to drop the old reputation they once had. It takes time for people to change their minds, but Hyundai and Kia have drastically changed their cars.
The thing about leases is naturally the longer you take the car the cheaper it is for you, from the looks of the site that Rio5 (base model, 07) with your $1000 as a downpayment would be yours at $555 per month if you only want it for 24 months, or drops as low as $185 per month if you want it for 72. If you were to drop to a regular Rio you're talking $143 per month at 72 months.
To be honest with you, on your budget you're either looking for a used or to lease.
I urged my friend (6'7", ~275 lbs) to purchase one. He fits in it quite nicely, and even with the seat all the way back the rear passengers still have legroom.
They're inexpensive. A fully loaded 1.8SL with CVT tranny is going to be less than 20k. Thats fully loaded. Bluetooth, RFID intelligent key, all the amenities you won't ever find on another car in its class. A base model with the 6-spd manual and the "1.8S power package" (keyless entry, pw, pdl, etc) is under $14,000. It's very peppy for a 1.8L and gets excellent gas mileage. Check the Versa out.
I'm also a student, but I have a great co-op engineering position and still would never consider buying new. I just don't have the cash for it whatsoever. You can find a reliable used car if you know what you're looking for. I drive a $1500 pickup truck with 300,000 miles on it that drives great and has never given me major mechanical issues.
So if you can, go to one of those police auctions if you can get an invite.
Well, considering I can afford to drive a brand new Ford Fusion SE (at least, I could without insurance (my parents actually own the fusion/pay it's insurance, but I've seen the price they pay and it is within my abilities for the actual vehicle)), where I put 0down, and I'm a student, and work 10hours a week (on student wage, which is like $7.50 CAD) I'm assuming that if he has $1000 to put down on it that would drop the price quite significantly and make it easier for him, though I definately wouldn't recommend it either. He also seems to be looking at vehicles much cheaper than the fusion, and therefore again I'd expect a lease to be cheaper on those.
The only reason I said lease is because he seemed set on a new car, and leasing is generally the cheapest way to do it.
EDIT: Also, I just had another thought that'd bring the price down, if you go to dealerships now, as it's early in the year, they'll likely have any leftovers from last years models on the cheap.
What makes a Toyota worth it? What about VW?
I just don't understand the whole "Import is better than domestic" generalization. Toyota and VW make good products, don't get me wrong. Replacement parts however can be horrendously high priced. Domestic vehicles have the ability to last just as long as an import, as long as regular maintenance is done.
I've owned many vehicles of both domestic and import origin. I drive my cars 'spirited' and perform regular maintenance and upkeep. Out of the 30 or so cars I've had, the best were: 1987 Cavalier - died from a large concrete block at 271,000 miles. 2000 Focus - Still running strong on all original drivetrain (sans waterpump) at 211,385 (read this morning). 1987 Toyota turbo pickup - killed before its time by a Mercury, 171,000 miles. 2001 Impala - 131,000 miles and haven't replaced a goddamn thing. Seriously.
My worst: 1997 VW Jetta - ran strong until 120k, started falling apart at the seams. Parts way too expensive, hard to find, and tough to replace. 1994 Honda Accord EX - POS from day one. Never went more than 6 months without being in the shop; sold for nothing at 58,000 miles. 1992 Toyota 4Runner - After 85k the engine siezed (among a plethora of other drivetrain issues.)
tl;dr: Don't buy an import because "it's an import." Do your own research on vehicles you're interested in. Some of the longest lasting cars on the roads are Cavaliers and Escorts.
Also, buy American, buy Toyota.
Every Ford owner I've known has had terrible troubles with their Ford and Chrysler isn't too bad if you don't mind the horrendous electrical problems and the fact that they might be going under in the near future. Better luck getting parts for a Toyota than for a bankrupt Chrysler. I'm a GM fan, myself. Had some troubles with oil leaks and the like but never anything terrible.
Buying Toyota doesn't necessarily mean buying American. Yes, Toyota, Nissan and Honda have plants in America. Some models from these brands are built here by Americans. The parts used are still mainly imported, and only a small fraction of the profit each company makes actually makes it to the American economy. The majority of the profit from these American built products is still going overseas.
I have very little to add to your final statement. Out of all the Fords I've owned, only two have been worth keeping (2000 Focus and 1987 Bronco). I have a general distaste (justified, mind you) for Chrysler products. But Chrysler as a company is doing better than Ford what with being part of DaimlerBenz and all. [Ford's stock is 7.92 where DaimlerChrysler is 68.99]
I would check locals ads and such, I try to avoid dealers due to state tax and the general shady nature of them, plus you can haggle more and sometimes you get little perks like aftermarket cd players and extra parts if it's a tuner car.
1) An important consideration (albiet one you didn't mention), is the cost to insure a vehicle. Although most of the vehicles you'll be looking at shouldn't have an issue, run a potential purchase by a insurance agent just so you know what you'll be getting into. Rates for vehicles can vary greatly, for no discernable reason.
2) If you're going to buy any used vehicle, set aside a few extra hundred dollars automatically (on top of the "repair" fund you should have set aside at all times once you own the car). Use this money to replace the tires, battery, filters and oil as soon as you take possession. Tires you might be able to keep if you know what to look for, but the others are pretty essential. Sometimes people will through a new battery in the car as a selling point, but ensure it's actually a decent battery before taking that as a good thing. A $30 battery they picked up at a flea market, new or not, is worthless (this is particularily true for anyone driving where it gets cold and/or snows). Filters and oil are inexpensive to replace, and can be a great tool for determining if the previous owner actually took care of the vehicle or not.