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08-20-2008, 07:26 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA | | | Car forum?
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I just turned 16, in the middle of getting my license, and have $1400 left from my summer job. Guess what I want.
I don't really know the first thing about cars, what models and brands to pick, how to fix them up, and only a basic understanding of how they work. But I still want one.
So I have a plethora of questions and I want a good car forum to ask them in. Anyone use any regularly?
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08-20-2008, 07:32 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: New England | | | Google is your friend....
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08-20-2008, 07:44 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, NJ | | | All the forums I'm part of are car-specific.
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- Timothy P. Lyons
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08-20-2008, 07:52 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Arlington Texas | | http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/index.php is a decent one stop shop. Has a section for nearly any car imaginable as well as other misc sections for misc topics of interest. |
08-20-2008, 07:54 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA | | | Ah I saw that one on google but I wasn't sure if it was legit. Looking around some more I see it's huge. Thanks.
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Ibanez ATK300 / SX PJ / Yamaha BB415 / SX ABG --> Peavey Combo 300
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08-20-2008, 08:05 PM
|  | Funkify your Life | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Bucket, RI. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by tplyons  All the forums I'm part of are car-specific. | +1
They're are plenty of general mechanics sites out there if you google it, but if you want specific information the best info comes from the "model specific" enthusiast forums.
To start off you can always visit places like Car and Driver or Edmunds. They can help you narrow down what kind of car may interest you, plus those sites have all kinds of advise and tips, plus forums of their own that will dive into the mechanical end of things. |
08-20-2008, 08:05 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: South Side Chicago | | | Cardomain.com has a lot of info on it, check that place out, it may help you out. |
08-20-2008, 08:06 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, NJ | | | Plenty of guys here know plenty about cars. What are you looking for? What do you like and dislike?
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- Timothy P. Lyons
Your Neighborhood Friendly Candyman
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08-20-2008, 08:19 PM
| | Funkify your Life | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Bucket, RI. | | Oh yeah. Be sure to visit youtube and check out Top Gear.  |
08-20-2008, 08:19 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA | | Things I look for in a car:
1) It runs
2) It's cheap
Are the only necessary factors, but beyond that
3) Decent gas mileage
4) At least 4 seats, probably looking for a sedan or coupe
5) Looks cool
6) Will KEEP running without me having to fix it too often
As you can see I'm not really looking for anything specifically.
In terms of style, I was looking at craigslist and found that, for my money, 80s Volvos and Mercedes are the best looking cars I can afford.  
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Ibanez ATK300 / SX PJ / Yamaha BB415 / SX ABG --> Peavey Combo 300
_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_
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08-20-2008, 08:26 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, NJ | | Quote:
Originally Posted by dinghy Things I look for in a car:
1) It runs
2) It's cheap
Are the only necessary factors, but beyond that
3) Decent gas mileage
4) At least 4 seats, probably looking for a sedan or coupe
5) Looks cool
6) Will KEEP running without me having to fix it too often | What do you consider decent gas mileage? What do you consider cheap? And what do you consider cool looking?
I love El Camino's, others hate them. I consider my 20 mpg good for a full sized car, and others consider it poor. See what I mean? A lot of what you said is subjective.
Keep running without having to fix too often? Be prepared when buying an older used car, that things WILL wear out and wear out when you least suspect it. Make sure you have money in the bank account for emergency repairs.
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08-20-2008, 08:29 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, NJ | | | Are you opposed to manual transmissions? Would you be happy with manual windows and mirrors? Do you require anything extra like leather?
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- Timothy P. Lyons
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08-20-2008, 08:46 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA | | | I also love El Caminos, but I don't need a whole bed. Don't have that much crap to lug around. Also it gets low MPG and not enough cab room.
GOOD gas mileage would be 30+ to me. I doubt the cars I had in mind would be able to pull that off, but if my parents don't pay for gas (they might because I would drive myself and my sisters to school) I would need at least 25 I think.
Manual transmission cars kind of intimidate me because it just seems like so much more work to have to change gear all the time. I would prefer automatic, but if I find a really good deal on a manual transmission car I would learn to use it. I'm fine with manual windows and mirrors, that has never bothered me. I actually prefer non leather seats, those get hot and sicky in hot weather, and are icy in cold weather.
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Ibanez ATK300 / SX PJ / Yamaha BB415 / SX ABG --> Peavey Combo 300
_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_
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08-20-2008, 09:07 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, NJ | | Quote:
Originally Posted by dinghy I also love El Caminos, but I don't need a whole bed. Don't have that much crap to lug around. Also it gets low MPG and not enough cab room.
GOOD gas mileage would be 30+ to me. I doubt the cars I had in mind would be able to pull that off, but if my parents don't pay for gas (they might because I would drive myself and my sisters to school) I would need at least 25 I think.
Manual transmission cars kind of intimidate me because it just seems like so much more work to have to change gear all the time. I would prefer automatic, but if I find a really good deal on a manual transmission car I would learn to use it. I'm fine with manual windows and mirrors, that has never bothered me. I actually prefer non leather seats, those get hot and sicky in hot weather, and are icy in cold weather. | Well, if you can get over the looks, I'd certainly consider a mid-nineties four-door compact like a Saturn SL, who routinely gets between 35-40 mpg highway or 25-30 city if you drive like an old lady.
The girlfriend has one, it's not luxurious by any means, but it gets her from A to B cheap, safely, and the radio isn't too bad 
Repair cost isn't prohibitive either... they're fairly bulletproof if you maintain them properly.
Considering your price range, you're probably looking at high mileage vehicles... 80,000 plus, I'm sure. I'll tell you what, if you know how to maintain a vehicle, they'll keep going for what seems like forever. I'm at 175,000 and counting.
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08-20-2008, 09:58 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by tplyons Well, if you can get over the looks, I'd certainly consider a mid-nineties four-door compact like a Saturn SL, who routinely gets between 35-40 mpg highway or 25-30 city if you drive like an old lady.
The girlfriend has one, it's not luxurious by any means, but it gets her from A to B cheap, safely, and the radio isn't too bad
Repair cost isn't prohibitive either... they're fairly bulletproof if you maintain them properly.
Considering your price range, you're probably looking at high mileage vehicles... 80,000 plus, I'm sure. I'll tell you what, if you know how to maintain a vehicle, they'll keep going for what seems like forever. I'm at 175,000 and counting. | Haha, Saturn... plastic... bulletproof... hilarious. BUT I will look into these. You're right, they're not the best lookers, but I can give them a shot. You mean something like this right? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/805702280.html
But 80,000 miles? Wow... I don't think any of the cars I've been looking at on CL have been less than 120,000. If I found a car with 80k on it for less than 1400 I would be ecstatic.
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Ibanez ATK300 / SX PJ / Yamaha BB415 / SX ABG --> Peavey Combo 300
_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_
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08-20-2008, 10:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, NJ | | Quote:
Originally Posted by dinghy Haha, Saturn... plastic... bulletproof... hilarious. BUT I will look into these. You're right, they're not the best lookers, but I can give them a shot. You mean something like this right? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/805702280.html
But 80,000 miles? Wow... I don't think any of the cars I've been looking at on CL have been less than 120,000. If I found a car with 80k on it for less than 1400 I would be ecstatic. | Word of advice, save a bit longer. The only thing you're going to get for $1400 is going to require that you put more into it.
I wouldn't spend less than $3500 on something that I want to last a while.
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Your Neighborhood Friendly Candyman
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08-20-2008, 10:09 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg, Canada | | | Automotiveforums.com is definitely the place to go. Love it.
Dude, honestly, your guys' gas isn't so bad. I'm poor and looking for a diesel truck and 20 mpg is fine by me. Post up what you like, but be wary of European cars. Sexy and cheap sometimes, but unless you're buying a BMW they aren't always reliable and they're never cheap to fix.
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Originally Posted by SuperDuck Give a man a mirror, and it will warm him once. Teach a man to chop down his own mirrors, and they'll warm him twice. | |
08-20-2008, 10:17 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan | | | I wouldn't get any car that is older than 2000, but I always hear that Toyota's stuff is reliable.
I also agree with tplyons about saving more money. A $1400 car will probably crap out in a month. |
08-20-2008, 10:18 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by tplyons Word of advice, save a bit longer. The only thing you're going to get for $1400 is going to require that you put more into it.
I wouldn't spend less than $3500 on something that I want to last a while. | Crap, 3500? That's another 2 summer jobs really... I guess by then I won't have to take behind the wheel training because I'll be 18 at least.
But... 3500... I wouldn't mind researching on how to fix up my car if that's all it took to keep a 1400 car reliable.
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Ibanez ATK300 / SX PJ / Yamaha BB415 / SX ABG --> Peavey Combo 300
_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_,.~-*'`'*-~.,_
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08-20-2008, 10:23 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg, Canada | | | Hey Top Gear managed to get 3 cars for 1000 dollars and go on a road trip with them. It CAN be done.
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Originally Posted by SuperDuck Give a man a mirror, and it will warm him once. Teach a man to chop down his own mirrors, and they'll warm him twice. | | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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