First Car

[FingeringAm]

well im getting my license in a few months and i need a car
ive been cutting back on buying gear and have $2000 saved up - my dad has offered to match whatever i pay and my mom will make up the difference if any
i know gas is gonna be a b!tch but i really like 70's muscle cars
what do u suggest - u can include your first car and advantages/disadvantages


thanks

[ric1312]

Originally Posted by FingeringAm

well im getting my license in a few months and i need a car
ive been cutting back on buying gear and have $2000 saved up - my dad has offered to match whatever i pay and my mom will make up the difference if any
i know gas is gonna be a b!tch but i really like 70's muscle cars
what do u suggest - u can include your first car and advantages/disadvantages


thanks

Unless you are the type of guy that can work on his own car I would go for something dependable. Muscle cars are great, but anthing you can afford for 4k is going to be pilo O crap that is going to be a money pit and use a lot of gas.

Try to get something that isn't going to have you in and out of the mechanics shop, otherwise you could likely spend over 4k for repairs over the life of the car.

Toyotas and scions are known to run forever without much engine work. Good on gas usually too.

My first car was $300 beater that my dad bought for me. Would have lasted a long time if I hadn't crashed it three times driving like I was in nascar.

P.S. drive like a grandma and you won't crash your car, and then be driving a pile busted up crap. Most kids think they are good drivers and drive too fast and don't realize it takes time to build up driving skills.

[FingeringAm]

Originally Posted by ric1312

Unless you are the type of guy that can work on his own car I would go for something dependable. Muscle cars are great, but anthing you can afford for 4k is going to be pilo O crap that is going to be a money pit and use a lot of gas.

Try to get something that isn't going to have you in and out of the mechanics shop, otherwise you could likely spend over 4k for repairs over the life of the car.

Toyotas and scions are known to run forever without much engine work. Good on gas usually too.

My first car was $300 beater that my dad bought for me. Would have lasted a long time if I hadn't crashed it three times driving like I was in nascar.

P.S. drive like a grandma and you won't crash your car, and then be driving a pile busted up crap. Most kids think they are good drivers and drive too fast and don't realize it takes time to build up driving skills.

yea i kinda got that feeling by looking at my local CL/ebay - pretty much eerything at this price is a price of poop

[Fontaine]

Originally Posted by ric1312

P.S. drive like a grandma and you won't crash your car, and then be driving a pile busted up crap. Most kids think they are good drivers and drive too fast and don't realize it takes time to build up driving skills.

Time my ***, I've got a good 4-5 years of GTA skills backing me up

[Pilgrim]

I have driven and love muscle cars too, but the gas is expensive and the insurance is freakin' horrendous!!!!!!!!!! You can't afford one, and the money you have would only buy a dangerous rusted-out muscle car hulk.

I suggest looking for a high mileage Honda, Toyota, Nissan, VW or similar vehicle. Then you have a shot at getting decent service over some period of time.

For the price you want, I suggest that if you or your parents know a decent new or used car place (and yes, they do exist) tell them what you're looking for and the price range - let them see what they can find. They see a lot of cars every day, and one they won't put on the lot because of high mileage (150,000+) might still be clean, sound, and just right for you.

Don't forget Craigslist, either...but have ANYTHING you buy checked by a local mechanic before you hand over $$.

[steve21]

Get something you can learn to drive on, isn't too expensive, gets okay gas, and will still drive fine whenever you **** up. Believe me, I'm 18 so I'm basically one of your own telling you this... don't blow it all on your first car. Get something dependable, yes, but get something that whenever you **** up and hit it won't ruin your month, yanno? You're young, you'll **** up plenty of times behind the wheel, and your first car will show that. So save the "dream" car for later.

[hartke20g]

well there's always the classic Stingray.
muscle car geeks will get that pretty quick.

not to mention the amount of GAS that usually goes with one of those.





please don't hate me.


now for the REAL post. unless you have the skills/tools and enjoy working on cars, i'd go along with what everyone else has said, like a toyota or honda. they're notorious for not dying after quite a few decades.

[peaveyuser]

Originally Posted by ric1312

My first car was $300 beater that my dad bought for me. Would have lasted a long time if I hadn't crashed it three times driving like I was in nascar.

You crashed only taking left turns? did you not have your signal on

[Joe Gress]

My first car was free! I still drive it too.


Oh yeah!

[Chunk-O-Funk]

Originally Posted by hartke20g

well there's always the classic Stingray.
muscle car geeks will get that pretty quick.

not to mention the amount of GAS that usually goes with one of those.





please don't hate me.

Groan.









+1 to no muscle car.

Sounds like you already figured that one out. Unfourtunatly, a great muscle car simply isn't much of a daily driver even for the people who can afford to put one on the road. For the most part they are for people like me going through a mid life crisis and need something to do on the weekends.



4 g's should get you a decent ride, though. Just start checking out all the online used car listing and your local papers. My first car was a 1971 $200.00 POS, Dodge Dart. Body rot, bad brakes, power nothing ugly POS, that just wouldn't die. Got me from A to B for the year or so I had it. Then I turned around and sold it for $200.00. That POS even got me some action. She just didn't have a POS of her own.

[tplyons]

As much as I love muscle cars too, and I bought one for my first (well, you may not consider a 1987 El Camino to be muscle, but it's close enough for arguments sake)

In the five years I've had it... horrible amounts of rust, 50,000 miles of poor gas mileage, and God forbid, there were an accident, I probably would be badly injured.

Don't get me wrong, there's a time and a place for muscle cars, but unfortunately, that time isn't now, and that place is with someone who understands how to work on them and maintain them. Modern cars are so much more reliable, efficient, etc. Even if they're not as loud.

My next car? Probably a 5-8 year old Cavalier. Yes, as much as I hate economy cars, that's what the economy is forcing me into.

[Mike N]

Originally Posted by tplyons

As much as I love muscle cars too, and I bought one for my first (well, you may not consider a 1987 El Camino to be muscle, but it's close enough for arguments sake)

In the five years I've had it... horrible amounts of rust, 50,000 miles of poor gas mileage, and God forbid, there were an accident, I probably would be badly injured.

Don't get me wrong, there's a time and a place for muscle cars, but unfortunately, that time isn't now, and that place is with someone who understands how to work on them and maintain them. Modern cars are so much more reliable, efficient, etc. Even if they're not as loud.

My next car? Probably a 5-8 year old Cavalier. Yes, as much as I hate economy cars, that's what the economy is forcing me into.

Nothing wrong with a Cavalier, Tim. I've owned 6 of them, and Wifey is driving one now while the truck is parked.

To the OP- My first car was a $200 69 Olds Cutlass.

My current driver is a $200 94 Plymouth Colt. Not the coolest thing on the road, but I'm not going to argue with 42 mpg.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by Mike N

Nothing wrong with a Cavalier, Tim. I've owned 6 of them, and Wifey is driving one now while the truck is parked.

Well it won't be too bad now that I won't be stuffing my car full of bass gear anymore. I might actually be looking forward to driving something so small.

[Thunderscreech]

Originally Posted by ric1312

Unless you are the type of guy that can work on his own car I would go for something dependable. Muscle cars are great, but anthing you can afford for 4k is going to be pilo O crap that is going to be a money pit and use a lot of gas.

Try to get something that isn't going to have you in and out of the mechanics shop, otherwise you could likely spend over 4k for repairs over the life of the car.

Toyotas and scions are known to run forever without much engine work. Good on gas usually too.

My first car was $300 beater that my dad bought for me. Would have lasted a long time if I hadn't crashed it three times driving like I was in nascar.

P.S. drive like a grandma and you won't crash your car, and then be driving a pile busted up crap. Most kids think they are good drivers and drive too fast and don't realize it takes time to build up driving skills.

Like the man said, something with good fuel economy and reliability. I have a '90 Toyota Camry that gets 30 (give or take) MPG, and has been know to get 47. I'm also 19, and the car was mine by default...so i didn't really have a choice.
KIA has some good cars, which are less expensive than toyota and come with a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty. If it breaks, go to dealer and get a new one. You can't loose, and with the money you save you can put it in an interest bearing account and then get yourself something that rules.

[KeithBMI]

My 1st truck was a hand-me-down '95 Ford Ranger that was deemed "unsafe to drive" by Tuffy.

My 2nd (1st that I paid for) is a 2000 Dodge Dakota.

The high price of gas seems to be driving down truck prices a lot. You might want to look at a modern v6. The mpg will be acceptable and you'll sit up a little higher in case of an accident.

[FingeringAm]

Originally Posted by Mike N

Nothing wrong with a Cavalier, Tim. I've owned 6 of them, and Wifey is driving one now while the truck is parked.

To the OP- My first car was a $200 69 Olds Cutlass.

My current driver is a $200 94 Plymouth Colt. Not the coolest thing on the road, but I'm not going to argue with 42 mpg.

u still got that?
ok so i get that old muscle cars arnt the way to go - but is there anything in this price range that i wont look like a douche driving around but can still lug gear to and from gigs?

is a cheap 80's-90's pickup truck a good idea?

thanks for all the help

[KeithBMI]

Originally Posted by FingeringAm

u still got that?
ok so i get that old muscle cars arnt the way to go - but is there anything in this price range that i wont look like a douche driving around but can still lug gear to and from gigs?

is a cheap 80's-90's pickup truck a good idea?

thanks for all the help

My '00 was about $4800 so you should look for a late '90s model.

I don't think I look like a douche.

[gold_member_321]

My first car was a blue 1972 Chevelle SS with a 454 that my father restored and gave to me the day after I got my license.

It was expensive on gas THEN, that's why its sitting in my garage collecting dust.

Go with something that will be good on gas, and wont crap out on you.

[FingeringAm]

Originally Posted by KeithBMI

My '00 was about $4800 so you should look for a late '90s model.

I don't think I look like a douche.

well atleast u can haul gear
hmm thanks ill go hit up CL and the bay

[Jiggybass]

A mid 90's vw in good condition could very well last you a long while, great on gas, can carry a pretty good amount of gear and are pretty reliable.