First car, help?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I decided to ask this in the parents forum because I would like the advice of parents :-)</p>

<p>I am a college student searching for my first car. If it matters at all, I commute to school. I am deciding between getting a used older luxury car (~2000 BMW, Mercedes, etc) or a more recent, but used, economy car (~2006+ Toyota, Honda, etc). </p>

<p>My main concern is about safety and reliability (quality) as I do not want to consistently have to send the car to a mechanic for repairs… can anybody attest to the reliability of a year ~2000 luxury car vs. a year ~2006 economy car? </p>

<p>Also, I keep hearing advice along the lines of “Don’t buy cars with more than xxxxxx miles.” Does this really matter, especially with luxury vehicles?</p>

<p>I would like to factor in cost. I’m concerned about the hidden costs of maintaining the car, as I assume luxury vehicles, no matter how old, require much more money to maintain than an economy one. What are your thoughts on this? </p>

<p>What about the insurance? How does one pay for those? Are you buying insurance for your car or for someone else’s car (in case you are responsible for the damage)? Does the type of car you drive factor into the cost of premiums, or is it more dependent on your age/gender?</p>

<p>Lastly, after I have paid for the vehicle, what papers should I expect to be passed to me? Would I then go to the DMV to register the car under me?</p>

<p>Any other tangentially related advice would also be appreciated. This is an exciting experience so thank you for your input!</p>

2

<p>Yes, the luxury car will tend to be more expensive - when things break, you will generally find that the replacement parts cost more. (Part of the equation is not “luxury” vs. “economy”, but foreign v. domestic – Toyota and Honda parts can also be pricey, but probably not as much as Mercedes parts). You will probably have less repairs overall with the more recent, economy car, but it depends somewhat on mileage and the car’s history of use. But generally, the newer it is, the farther out expensive repairs will be. </p>

<p>The primary purpose of insurance is to be able to pay for damage to others - not just fixing their cars, but also compensating them for injuries they sustain in an accident. You will also generally want to get uninsured motorist coverage – which protects you in case you are injured in an accident which is caused by someone without insurance; comprehensive coverage, which generally has a small deductible but will pay for damage to your car that happens when it is parked (usually due to theft or vandalism); and collision, with a somewhat larger deductible, which pays to repair or replace your car in the even of an accident while driving. Collision coverage can be pricey, so it is something you can waive if you feel your car isn’t worth all that much. It’s also nice to get emergency road service - which is quite inexpensive, but will pay for getting your car towed or jump started if you run into problems. (The main advantage isn’t the money, but usually the insurance company will give you an 800 number that you can call for help – I guarantee that as a new driver of a used car you will use it).</p>

<p>Insurance costs are based on multiple factors, but the type of car can be a factor. You may be able to find some information on line based on the care model you are considering. </p>

<p>If you buy the car from a dealer, they usually will take care of the registration paperwork for you. As a first time car buyer, I recommend that you go to a reputable dealer, even though you will pay more for the car that way. But too much can go wrong with buying from a private party --they may not be truthful about various issues, and you will have no recourse if you find out that that the car has serious problems.</p>

3

<p>Adding my 2 cents. When you buy a used car, you want to see the Carfax which is supposed to tell you whether the car has been in an accident and may have info about all the maintenance that was done on the car. [CARFAX®</a> - Official Site - Vehicle History Reports on Used Cars for Sale](<a href=“CARFAX™ - Shop, Buy, Own, & Sell Used Cars”>CARFAX™ - Shop, Buy, Own, & Sell Used Cars)</p>

<p>That being said, we did buy my son a used car from the dealership and trusted that they would be the most honest. The car we bought was a great deal but we did find out that it must have had a fender bender that was not reported on the car fax that we found out about when it started to have more front end vibration. </p>

<p>Apparently, repairs had been done but certain mounts had not been changed and it cost several hundreds of dollars to replace those parts later. Now the car runs amazingly smoothly so it was still a good deal but it is important to know that the car fax may not have all the facts.</p>

4

<p>I have had my share of aging luxury models and they get very expensive to maintain. The engine on a bmw might be solid for 200000 miles but a lot of other stuff will break and the parts are very expensive, not to mention labor is expensive because you may need to go to a shop that specializes in them, and even if it is not a dealership, they will still cost more. In fact, I usually get rid of them around the 13 year old mark due to repair cost and frequency.</p>

<p>Definitely take the car you settle on to a trusted mechanic for a pre-purchase check over before you sign the purchase agreement. It might cost you a hundred bucks, but it is worth it.</p>

<p>(I am currently driving a 2007 Audi A4 and it is going strong and is in great shape.)</p>

<p>P.S. I am a girl, well, a mom, and I love cars and usually buy (used) and maintain them without my husband’s help. :)</p>

5

<p>You’ve already gotten some very good advice, so I won’t repeat what’s already there.</p>

<p>I suggest obtaining the Consumer Reports guide to car buying. There’s lots of information, but the most important is that it has repair records for all the used cars you are considering. So you can see which of the used cars that appeal to you actually has the least problems by model and year. </p>

<p>The Consumer Reports guide will also have advice on buying a used car, but you should expect to have the title signed over to you and a sales receipt with the exact price you are paying. However, what else you need varies by state so you’ll want to research the specifics on the DMV website for your state. If you buy through a dealer you won’t have to deal with all of this – the dealer will do it for you! </p>

<p>My son has a Mazda 3, and we’ve been very happy with that car. Very economical with great gas mileage (ours has the Skyactiv engine which may not be available in the older models). I’ve driven it, and it is very sporty in terms of its handling. I am driving a 2007 Hyundai - - engine and powertrain wise, I’ve been very happy with how it is holding up. Have had smaller repairs, but the overall cost of ownership has been very inexpensive. My husband has an Infiniti G, also 2007, and it has also been quite reliable, but definitely more expensive to service than the other two cars.</p>

<p>Insurance is a huge expense if you are a young male (which I’m not sure you are, lol). I would connect with an insurance agent and find out the costs ahead of time and how the model you purchase will impact the price you will pay. For a car of the age you are describing, I seriously doubt you will want collision insurance, but you do want to make sure you are well covered on liability insurance in case you get in an accident that is your fault and inadvertently injures other parties.</p>

<p>I personally would not recommend a used, older luxury car for a young person - - primarily because of the much more expensive repairs. Also luxury cars are no better and can often be worse in terms of reliability. Finally, the newer cars often have safety upgrades (the newer, the better), and those are great to have when you are a younger, newer driver. Actually they are great to have no matter what kind of driver you are. That’s why we opted to buy a 2012 car for our son - - the fuel economy and the safety features were notably better.</p>

<p>Good luck with what should be a very fun and exciting purchase!!!</p>

6

<p>dealerships will start by asking you what you want to pay each month. Don’t fall for that— you want to decide what your top total price is, and stick with that. Otherwise, the financing just becomes another trick to overspend. They will lengthen the loan time, or lower interest rate, etc…to finagle you into comfort with a higher sticker price. You really dont want to pay for a beater for more than 3 years, if that’s possible. Ask around, and find a reputable dealer with a good service reputation. Use Consumer reports to make a short list of good fit models, and then tell the dealer what you are looking for, and sometimes they can find one.</p>

<p>Don’t return to dealers that are not interested in helping you, waste your time, or are overly aggressive. You have all the power, so use it! I drive a fairly old Honda CRV and it has been great. Low mileage ---- under 60K is our rule ( we’ve never bought a new car in 30 years of marriage) —gives you time to pay the car off and still have it in useable condition for several years. S1 drives a chevy cobalt, which is not a fancy car but it was cheap and reliable. We also have a wonderful Ford Focus that gets WOW gas mileage. There are lots of good choices, so once you factor in miles, cost, upkeep, it’s okay to fall in love with stuff like interiors and extras. But in the end, you just need it to get you places safely.Expect to spend a month finding the right car, and you’ll do fine. If you are in a rush, salesmen have you at their mercy, so be willing to walk away and wait.</p>

7

<p>I’ll chime in with the rest suggesting a newer, less expensive model. There are many sources out there that will tell you the most reliable used cars to buy. They are often the most popular cars so replacement parts and repair are easier because things are easier to find (for example, for my FIL’s older Infinity it cost $1200 to replace the bumper but for my 2008 Toyota Camry it would be $400).</p>

<p>Also, buy from a reputable dealer. Just do a google search an see what reviews are out there, and make sure you’re looking at the reviews for the sales department, which are often different than the reviews of the service department. We eliminated several cars we were considering after seeing scathing reviews online. </p>

<p>Insurance costs vary greatly by state. Do you have any choice where you can register the car? Sometimes you can pick your home address state rather than your college address state. </p>

<p>Rates will also vary depending on the tendency of drivers of that particular car getting in accidents, how often that particular car is stolen, and of course, your personal record.<br>
Here’s one take on it:</p>

<p>[Car</a> Insurance Price - What Affects Your Car Insurance Premiums?](<a href=“Car Insurance Prices | State Farm®”>Car Insurance Prices | State Farm®)</p>

<p>Don’t forget to ask for a good student discount! We had to fax a dean’s list letter to our insurance company and it reduced our daughters’ rates.</p>

8

<p>Old expensive cars tend to have expensive maintenance and repair even if the car is no longer expensive.</p>

<p>Carfax and Autocheck may find some items that would cause additional suspicion, but it is possible for bad things to occur without showing up there (bad maintenance, unreported crashes, etc.). Basically, if they find something, use extra caution, but if the records are “clean”, still have the normal level of suspicion.</p>

<p>Odometer mileage is less important than the actual condition and maintenance history of the car.</p>

9

<p>In general, you just do not buy used European cars, stick with the basic Toyota or Honda or American cars where you can get service everywhere. As suggested above, some times Lexus or Infinity could cost more and forget about the convertibles. The more flashing, the more cost to maintain. Sorry to burst your bubbles, Luxury cars = High cost, whether it is old or new.</p>

<p>My neighbor has an 10 year old Mercedes, it worth probably 12K, but to repair/replace those 4 hydrolic struts costs around 12K, without them, the car will floor when hit a bump.</p>

10

<p>I agree with the above. You want a newer car. The older cars are very expensive to maintain and may be more likely to break.</p>

11

<p>Check out and compare prices with those car rental places nearby. The rental places turns over late model high mileage cars all the time. You will not get a great bargain, but you will get a properly maintained car that should last.</p>

12

<p>There is a rental place nearby that has absolute steals on low miles used cars. They also buy repossessed cars at auctions and sell them dirt cheap. I bought a two year old car with 12k miles on it for 8k while in college.</p>

<p>Not sure if there are other places like this but I’d assume so</p>

13

<p>The 2000 BMW/Merc will almost certainly cost you more to maintain than a 2006 Toyota/Honda/etc. It probably would cost ‘much’ more. If you compare the cost for a ‘like’ maintenance item, like replacing the brakes, a headlight, etc. between the BMW/Merc and a standard Toyota/Honda/Ford/Chevy/Dodge, you’ll likely see a big difference in cost.</p>

<p>The ‘quality’ of a car isn’t directly related to the cost of the car. On the contrary, some of the least expensive cars can be the most reliable since they’re less complicated (fewer little electric motors to fail, etc.) and they tend to be manufactured in higher numbers which means the engineering and the manufacturing processes are fairly mature. </p>

<p>Likewise, the ‘safety’ of a car isn’t directly related to the cost. Safety is determined by things like safety features, size, handling, etc. Generally, newer cars have more and better safety features than older cars since safety is an area of almost constant improvement in all cars.</p>

<p>Cars with lower miles on it will tend to be more reliable than cars with higher miles on it. This is simply a matter of wear and tear. A car is a mechanical beast subjected to a lot of mechanical wear under relatively severe conditions. It’s amazing they’re as reliable as they are. Things like the water pump, rubber belts/hoses, brakes/rotors, the drive train, the rubber bushings on the steering/suspension, power steering pump, etc. all wear and they’re directly related to the miles and the age. However, a properly maintained car with 100,000 miles can be more reliable than an improperly maintained car with 60,000 miles if that’s what you’re getting at and if you’re talking the difference between a car with 40,000 miles vs one of a similar age with 55,000 miles, the difference isn’t significant although you could think of the one with 55,000 mikes as having about one more year’s worth of wear on it due to the mileage (but it s/b fairly reliable for several more years).</p>

<p>The cost of insurance can vary greatly with the type of car. There are several factors for this - cost to repair the car (it’ll be higher with the BMW/Merc), inherent safety features of the car which is related to the cost of the accident, and the type of car (a Corvette will cost more than a plain Jane economy car since one is more likely to drive the Corvette at speed). You should check on the cost of insurance ‘before’ buying the car. You can easily do this by just contacting an insurance company and asking for a quote for 2 or 3 different vehicles.</p>

<p>If you but a used car and given that your knowledge of cars appears to be very low, I suggest you buy one with a warranty, like a manufacturer certified used car where it’s (usually) already been checked out mechanically by the dealer and the warranty extended and you can take it to any dealer for that make. A 30 day warranty from a corner used car lot isn’t very valuable so don’t expect that to be very helpful. Ideally, get a car that’s new enough to still have some factory warranty time left on it if it’s in your budget - i.e. if a car has a 4 year factory warranty look for one that’s 2-3 years old so you can still have anything fixed at no cost to you for a year or so. Of course, a 3 y/o car will cost more than a 5 y/o of the same model.</p>

<p>When you buy the car it’ll need to be registered. If you buy it from a dealer they’ll likely submit the paperwork for this and you won’t need to go to a DMV. If you buy the car from an individual they’ll sign over the ‘pink slip’, i.e. owner certificate, of the car to you and then you’ll need to register it. If you get a loan for the car then the lender will end up getting the pink slip and keep it until you pay the car off at which point they’ll send it to you. When you get a loan for a car it’s really the lender who has ownership rights to the car until it’s paid off - not you.</p>

<p>When buying a car consider the cost of insurance, maintenance, fuel in addition to the cost of the car.</p>

14

<p>Thank you all for your invaluable insight and tips. I will surely follow them while looking! Are car salesmen really as deceiving, and pushy and aggressive as the stereotype goes?</p>

15

<p>They can run the gamut. I’ve had very good experiences from dealers who I checked out reviews of before visiting. I’ve left other dealerships because I asked for a certain price range and they tried to steer me away from it, or even laughed at me. Don’t hesitate to leave if you feel even a little uncomfortable. Unless you are in the middle of nowhere, you’ll have lots of choices. </p>

<p>I don’t think car salesmen are as bad as they used to be.</p>

16

<p>

Very often - yes. In addition, they usually aren’t that knowledgeable about the actual cars.</p>

<p>Just realize that you really can leave the lot without buying a car at that moment and that there’s nothing magical about the timing of when you happened to walk onto the lot. The salesperson will often try to convince you to close a particular deal on a particular car ‘right then’ as if you couldn’t do the same thing the next day or next week. The first commandment for most salespeople is to not let you off the lot without buying the car since they know that if you do there’s a good chance you won’t come back.</p>

<p>They also use a technique to wear you down by doing lots of talking and then having the front line customer wrangler hand off to the supposed ‘sales manager’. They figure after hours there you’ll just want to buy something and get out of there. They also use the wrangler to wear you down and see to some extent where your price point is and whether you need to finance it all, etc. and then bring in the sales manager to try to make you feel important.</p>

<p>Also, they try to talk in terms of ‘monthly payment’ and avoid the actual cost to try to upsell you (for only $50 or $100 more per month you could get ‘this’ instead of ‘that’).</p>

<p>Remember that the salespeople really aren’t your friends. They’ll try to be friendly but it’s mostly to just try to get the deal.</p>

<p>It’s best for you to not be by yourself when doing the deal since 2 heads are better than one on this, especially if the other person has some experience and good sense.</p>

<p>Note that the above is ‘typical’ but not necessarily what’s done everywhere.</p>

17

<p>I don’t know greenwitch, I’ve had a few follow out the door to my own car to “check” on when would I need that new car by.</p>

<p>And I agree with GladGradDad. Have another person along.</p>

18

<p>As a longtime European car owner, I would definitely discourage you from getting one if you are buying used and without an extended warranty. I’d go with the best Japanese car you can afford (as new/low miles as possible). My daughter recently bought a used Mitsubishi Galant and it is fantastic. Nothing flashy, but safe and dependable with high ratings from other owners.</p>