24-02-2003 22:07									#1
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yes..it has come time that i buy my first car....*is dreading it*
i'm getting it this summer and am now in the process of saving every penny i can gather. I'm obviously looking for something cheap but insanely reliable and won't break down often. (does such a car exist?)
i need it to have room enough for me to carry my stuff with me when i drive to grad school (wherever that is) but not be a gas gussler.
my mother said go new because they are more reliable and when you buy used, you're buying other people's problems. this true? i have a few months before i do it, but i want to start doing my homework now since i'm new and inexperienced in this field.

	24-02-2003 22:11									#2
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Mini Coupe

Jon Miller

	24-02-2003 22:41									#3
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quote: I'm obviously looking for something cheap but insanely reliable and won't break down often. (does such a car exist?)

Buy a Honda. The american car companies don't even make a decent compact or mid-sized sedan anymore.

The civic and accord, used and new, are extremely reliable cars. I know a master mechanic at a nearby honda dealership that has an 86 civic with 200K+ miles.

If new is out of your budget, try late model used for one of these models- they're just as good.

	24-02-2003 22:53									#4
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Yeah, I have just offloaded my car and it does have some issues, but my car is considerably older. Usually a lot of people trade in their cars after 3 years quite routinely so you can get a lot of nearly new cars that actually have nothing wrong with them.

If they offer you a blue R-reg Peugeot 106 Independence XN with 80k on the clock, run

	24-02-2003 23:11									#5
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I second what Dave said.

-Arrian

	24-02-2003 23:56									#6
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Yeah, Dave is right, Japanese cars are very good and reliable (Nissan, Honda, Toyota). And German cars (Volkswagen). However, in my personal experience, don't go French

	25-02-2003 00:06									#7
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we don't really have many french cars in america, provost, let alone in texas...
The most common foreign cars are, in my experience, either japanese or from the germany/sweden giants.

	25-02-2003 00:07									#8
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I agree, Hondas rock.

	25-02-2003 00:08									#9
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Honda

	25-02-2003 00:58									#10
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devilmunchkin

i'd recommend a late model used chevy cav, simply because you can find one them much cheaper than a honda and mine has been quite reliable, ford escorts also aren't that bad of a choice

	25-02-2003 01:13									#11
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Toyota and Honda, used is fine. Just take a good look at the owner - female, preferably older. You know the saying, a little old lady from Pasadena. If you are thinking of a used car, it's worth it to spend $75-100 to have a mechanic look at it. Used is much better route since a brand new car loses something like %30 - 40 of it's value once you drive it off the lot. I have a toyota pick up from '81 with 150,000 + miles and only had to replace the front engine seal (cost me about $20 to replace but I did it myself) and we have a Camry with 130,000 and going quite strong. But if you do go with a toyota or honda, try to avoid front wheel drive. I can't speak much about Honda, but the toyota front wheel drives, while nice if you have much snow, do have axles go out and they are expensive - ~$500 -to replace.

	25-02-2003 01:47									#12
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Honda civic is a great little car. We are in our 4th year with no problems and plan to keep the thing for years.

	25-02-2003 02:00									#13
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I don't know if you get them over there, but my fav. cars are Skoda.
Inside they have the same motor as Volkswagen, they look cool, but you pay less than for a VW.

Contrary to what PH says, Peugot has some good types - but don't EVER buy a Citroen or Talbot

	25-02-2003 02:08									#14
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Honda's are great. I have a Mazda, which has given me no problems, either.

	25-02-2003 02:10									#15
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You got some good advice.

My wife has a pontiac Grand Prix. Not exactly cheap cheap (we got it for $24,000), but was a good deal for an american V6. I just can't buy "foreign".

I would go for the Honda Maxima these days, they are looking better, and have great warrenties, and I know ppl who have ones with over 400,000 miles on it, and no major issues. Thus, they have a good track record.

I wouldn't go used, or even resold by the dealer. You are bound to get a Lemon if they are being sold. It's your first car, get a good new one.

	25-02-2003 02:38									#16
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quote: Originally posted by Wernazuma III I don't know if you get them over there, but my fav. cars are Skoda. Inside they have the same motor as Volkswagen, they look cool, but you pay less than for a VW. Contrary to what PH says, Peugot has some good types - but don't EVER buy a Citroen or Talbot

I have had a really bad experience with a Peugeot and that will probably affect my choice of cars for the rest of my life, whether it is fairly owned or not, I have to use my experience. My mother has had god knows how many Nissans, and at fair old ages too (over 10 years old except her present one which is a 2000 Almera). I just have trust in the things from my (via my mother's) long experience.

Yeah, I'd definitely look at Skoda too, they are a classy car. I never saw any within the right price range when I was looking for a car, but it would certainly have been one of my top choices. However I don't know whether you get them in the US...

	25-02-2003 02:41									#17
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Japher, nice suggestion but you are in cloud cuckoo land a bit. New cars are incredibly expensive and suffer one hell of a lot of depreciation of value. There are few cars where it works effectively in the long run (VWs do). But it is affording that outlay...

	25-02-2003 05:32									#18
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how hard is it to get a loan for a car? or do you pay car payments to the dealership?

	25-02-2003 05:36									#19
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My brother has two Saturns, I don't think he would buy anything else, now. I drive a Dodge Dakota, 1998, 79K miles, only had to replace the battery.

	25-02-2003 05:38									#20
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Car loans aren't difficult to get, if you can find a co-signer. If you can't...well, how's your credit rating?

	25-02-2003 05:41									#21
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good question. if i've been taking out student loans for the past three years, does that help? and does using a visa check card help or only credit cards? ...
i haven't been making any huge purchases like this since i've been out on my own...so i guess..maybe no credit? i dunno.

	25-02-2003 05:43									#22
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You can't go wrong with a Honda new or used. I bought a used one with 74,000 miles on it and the banker said he'd rather I'd gotten that one because he knew it would still run for another 100,000 without problems.

I have a Nissan Altima. In itself a good car but the Nissan's are plagued by electrical problems so do your research of you consider this brand. I had to have a new alturnator put it on a new car at 32,000 miles. So I would advise against. Honda is really the way to go if you want a good car and good gas milage and one that will last.

	25-02-2003 05:51									#23
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DM

i was checking some car prices and the toyota echo and hyundai accent are both aggressively priced for first time car buyers so you may want to check those out as well

as for a car loan the dealership usually works with the car company's credit division, so if you bought a pontiac you'd go through gmac, or if you bought a ford you'd go through ford credit etc

	25-02-2003 05:51									#24
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Student loans are good, if you've kept up on the payments. I don't know about check cards.

	25-02-2003 05:53									#25
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check cards don't help your credit afaik just credit cards

	25-02-2003 07:09									#26
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quote: Originally posted by devilmunchkin good question. if i've been taking out student loans for the past three years, does that help? and does using a visa check card help or only credit cards? ... i haven't been making any huge purchases like this since i've been out on my own...so i guess..maybe no credit? i dunno.

Do you have a student credit union? That's one of the first places to look.

Also, a lot of dealers are providing their own loans at ridiculously low rates. I'm paying only 1.5%.

	25-02-2003 10:24									#27
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that will prolly be something to look into as i'm also fixing to move (where, i dunno.) and i'd like to go there with my nest egg still in tact...
and i don't have to pay my student loans till i stop attending school full time...so...a few more years...which is good cause i want to get a my feet under me