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CAR
I'm 16/f, I'll be getting my license in 3 months, I really need my own car, I have 1500 dollars saved in the bank from me working my butt off for a year. I work at coldstone creamery making 6bucks/hour, my parents won't help me buy a car because of their financial problems. My dad said theres no way in hell I can get a reliable, safe, dependable car for 1500, he said I need at least like, 4500, and im like, really discouraged. I just want to know from anyone who was in my situation, how much money should I save up to get a decent car, cause my dad wont let me get a crappy one. Or can I get a nice one for the amount I have? hmm...
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I think somebody mentioned this car already... but i would go with an early model datsun. the 510's are hard to find with a clean body but they run forever. your probably better off running a 280zx. Solid car. inexpensive and repairs are cheap. plus its a good learning platform because of its simple inline six. this is no grandma car either. i would stay away from honda's they're cheap for a reason. you could probably never lift the hood on a honda and it would still run but a new honda runs the same as an old honda, crappy. Hope this helps
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I thoroughly disagree with your father. My car cost me $2500 and I've had it for 4 years, drove it from Florida to Pennsylvania 3 times (round trip) and it runs like a charm. What I will tell you is that you MUST do your research and not be hasty. It took about 6 months for me to find my car (which is a 1994 Ford Probe by the way). However some general rules are:
1) Try cars that are Japanese or have Japanese engines/drivetrains. Especially if the car is from the 90s. Newer cars, doesn't matter so much foreign and domestic are made pretty well. But the Japanese engines tend to run better with higher mileage on them.
2) Test drive with a mechanic or someone knowledgable about cars. Don't go by looks! The most unreliable cars can be made to look good with some Turtle Wax, Armor-All and air freshner. While test driving turn the radio off and listen to what's going on. Also be on the lookout for funny smells and rust/corrosion on anything under the hood.
3) Negotiate the price. It is possible to talk a $3500 car down to $2500; I've seen it done before.
4) Get AAA. (If you get the car)
5) Tag along on your parents insurance. It will save you a ton!
Good luck!
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Actually, you can go to an auto auction and get a pretty good car for $1500. I got a nice 2003 Jeep for $700 at an auction. All they do is auction off cars that have been re-possessed or that used to belong to drug dealers who went to jail and stuff. You can google it to find one near you..
hope i helped
x3
kali
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your dad is lying. for $1500 you can get a damn good car and a crashcourse education on auto mechanics. my first car was a 1975 chevrolet el camino with more rust than actual paint. but i restored that 350 V8 over the course of a month and got her running as good as ever. she only lasted a year and then the engine mounts, and the old 350 turbo transmission were giving out on me and so i tossed her to the side and got my lincoln. i paid $400 for that car and i got her to last me longer than any car that cheap ever should. $1500 is a pefect amount of money to get a decent older car and since you have a job you can use that as a down payment to an independent seller and pay them a certain set amount every month until you pay them off.
the fact is there are several great cars that can be had for a low cost. but most people are prone to the mindset that says: if it's used, or more than 10 years old it's no good. that's a lie. my suggestion to you is something simple. a 1984 datsun 280ZX or a 1985 toyota cressida. the cressida's 1JZ engine was touted as the number 4 most reliable engine of all time and it's an easy engine to work on, and there's plenty of room in the block to fit your hands and figure out any problems.
the 1984 datsun 280ZX and the 1985 nissan 300ZX are essentially the same car. small, sporty, and incredibly reliable. they do not die. i've seen these cars run up to 500,000 miles and still run strong. you are not going to get a car you wont have to put some work into for $1500 but you know what doing that work is the most rewarding part. i'll tell you this much. that datsun would easily last you 20 years or more. the engine is simple, the repairs are even easier. and the transmission (granted it's a manual) is one of the heartiest trannies i've ever dealt with. the old Z's were the first street legal rally cars and it shows. they were tough, and they were damn near bulletproof. i've never had a problem with a Z that i can't fix shy of not having the tools or parts on hand.
the 1980's ford crown victoria/mercury grand marquis/lincoln town car. they had the ford 302 V8 which is one of the most reliable and tough engines i've ever laid my hands on. a 5.0 liter engine that can keep cranking on past 300,000 miles. they would sooner rust in half then stop running. i can get you one for a good price and the car would last damn near the rest of your life if not outlast you. they might have some minor problems like dirty fuel lines or maybe you'd have to change the fuel filter here and there but that don't mean shit the cars are built to last
the 1970's international scout II. this car has a solid iron cast engine block. and a radiator taken out of a dump truck. those things were the cars used in the jungles of vietnam by the US intel officers. they were tough, they were rough, and they were bricks with wheels. they can be totally rusted, totally ghetto, and totally trashed but i will stake my reputation as a mechanic and as a car guy on the fact that they will always always start up without much more than maybe some low oil. they are the most intense cars i have ever seen, and very very tough. they had a 345 cubic inch V8 that was actually heavier than chevrolets 350 V8 and much more reliable than the 350. the scout was made by international harvester corpoation which is now known as international truck company and they now make semi trucks. but the scout was their last road vehicle for civilian use. the scout is a beast. any car that when the carburetor goes out can run with a piece of pummice (volcanic rock that's full of holes) as a device to mix the fuel and air for the next 50 miles and keep chugging. the scout is a beast. and a car i reccomend to anyone needing a cool, cheap, and reliable car, that can be a classic.
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You probably will not be able to get a decent car for $1500. In addition to the price of the car, don't forget about those pesky tax, tag, and title. Because of those charges, the actual price of the car would be more like between $750 - $1000. And remember the insurance premium, if you're parents are going to have you pay that as well.
I wouldn't even consider buying a car without at least $5000 in the bank. It couldn't hurt to start looking now, but remember to take everything you look at in your current price range with a big grain of salt.
From personal experience, the cheapest car that I ever bought that has been safe, reliable, and dependable and that has only been to the shop 3 times in 4 years, I paid $6100 for.
Feel free to contact me if you would like any more help.
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This shows all from 0-$1,500. If you put your zip code in on the left side, you can find one near you.
!!!NOTE!!!
You don't actually have to buy an eBay car on eBay. All you have to do is go up to the dealership and buy the one they have advertized on eBay.
Good luck.
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hey um your dad is right thats like not alot of money and you will not be able to get a decent car. the minium amount would probably be 4500 like your dad said. but the best amount would be like 6500 or 7500 to get an okay car. cait ♥
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