Member
Posted 16 February 2016 - 09:03 AM
My daughter is finishing her first year at college, which means she'll be able to have a car next semester. She'll be home for the summer in May, so I'm starting to shop now.
My budget is $4000. What would you be looking for? What makes/models? How many miles is the most you would consider?
I have my own preconceived notions on the topic, but was wondering what everyone else thinks.
HOF
Posted 16 February 2016 - 09:19 AM
My daughter is finishing her first year at college, which means she'll be able to have a car next semester. She'll be home for the summer in May, so I'm starting to shop now.
My budget is $4000. What would you be looking for? What makes/models? How many miles is the most you would consider?
I have my own preconceived notions on the topic, but was wondering what everyone else thinks.
Just because she can have a car next semester does she really need one? If she's staying on campus what would she use it for work/internship ? Or is she staying off campus and needs to commute? If she doesn't need it hold off on the car and use the money to buy some more O's tickets.
Member
Posted 16 February 2016 - 09:27 AM
Just because she can have a car next semester does she really need one? If she's staying on campus what would she use it for work/internship ? Or is she staying off campus and needs to commute? If she doesn't need it hold off on the car and use the money to buy some more O's tickets.
We weighed the pro's and con's a bit. Since she'll be able to have a car as a sophomore, it will allow her to get cheaper housing that is a bit further off-campus. Plus she'll be able to come home more often instead of us having to drive through two hours of nothingness in each direction every time.
I am nervous about her being two hours away with a cheap car. I'm pretty handy with a wrench, but I certainly don't want to be driving up to fix it often.
HOF
Posted 16 February 2016 - 09:35 AM
We weighed the pro's and con's a bit. Since she'll be able to have a car as a sophomore, it will allow her to get cheaper housing that is a bit further off-campus. Plus she'll be able to come home more often instead of us having to drive through two hours of nothingness in each direction every time.
I am nervous about her being two hours away with a cheap car. I'm pretty handy with a wrench, but I certainly don't want to be driving up to fix it often.
Does she have a PT job in the Summer, get her to chip in a few bucks for something a little more reliable.
MVP
Posted 16 February 2016 - 09:35 AM
Check out cars.com. Excellent way to find a used car.
John Keegan, a renowned British military historian, has called World War II the greatest single event in the history of mankind. - Tom Brokaw, NBC special correspondent and author of "The Greatest Generation"
HOF
Posted 16 February 2016 - 09:36 AM
I'd go with a Subaru or a Honda. They last forever, mostly and Subarus have AWD so that would help her get around in the snow if she needed to.
My friend just got their daughter a 2004 CRV with 150K for $5000 even, so you could get something in that range.
Maybe ask around for an older couple looking to move into a retirement home and sell their car. Old people usually don't drive their car often and keep them in good condition. It'll be a ten or so year old car with like 50K miles.
HOF
Posted 16 February 2016 - 09:38 AM
I'd go with a Subaru or a Honda. They last forever, mostly and Subarus have AWD so that would help her get around in the snow if she needed to.
My friend just got their daughter a 2004 CRV with 150K for $5000 even, so you could get something in that range.
Maybe ask around for an older couple looking to move into a retirement home and sell their car. Old people usually don't drive their car often and keep them in good condition. It'll be a ten or so year old car with like 50K miles.
HOF
Posted 16 February 2016 - 12:11 PM
I'd go with a Subaru or a Honda. They last forever, mostly and Subarus have AWD so that would help her get around in the snow if she needed to.
My friend just got their daughter a 2004 CRV with 150K for $5000 even, so you could get something in that range.
Maybe ask around for an older couple looking to move into a retirement home and sell their car. Old people usually don't drive their car often and keep them in good condition. It'll be a ten or so year old car with like 50K miles.
Yea, I was going to say buy Japanese. On that budget, it will be an older car and they will hold up the best.
My first thought was an accord or Civic. A nissan wouldn't be terrible either.
Fair-weather ex-diehard
Posted 16 February 2016 - 12:20 PM
10 yr old Japanese anything, less than 150K
"The only change is that baseball has turned Paige from a second-class citizen to a second-class immortal." - Satchel Paige
Fair-weather ex-diehard
Posted 16 February 2016 - 12:21 PM
A nissan wouldn't be terrible either.
You can't kill them... the body will rust off and fall in the road, but it'll keep running...
"The only change is that baseball has turned Paige from a second-class citizen to a second-class immortal." - Satchel Paige
Member
Posted 16 February 2016 - 12:56 PM
I'm also looking at Scion. Toyota engineering, but maybe not as quick to sell because people forget to search Craigslist for them...
Fair-weather ex-diehard
Posted 16 February 2016 - 01:19 PM
I'm also looking at Scion. Toyota engineering, but maybe not as quick to sell because people forget to search Craigslist for them...
Excellent idea... most people have no idea what they are... to the point where Toyota is cancelling the brand and rolling the cars into the Toyota lineup...
"The only change is that baseball has turned Paige from a second-class citizen to a second-class immortal." - Satchel Paige
HOF
Posted 16 February 2016 - 01:53 PM
HOF
Posted 16 February 2016 - 02:09 PM
You can't kill them... the body will rust off and fall in the road, but it'll keep running...
I had some trouble acquiring parts for my 2005 Sentra after I was in an accident, but otherwise, between it, a '95 Subaru Impreza and a '93 Dodge Shadow, it's far and away the most reliable car I've had (though the Subaru was great, too).
HOF
Posted 16 February 2016 - 02:39 PM
I had some trouble acquiring parts for my 2005 Sentra after I was in an accident, but otherwise, between it, a '95 Subaru Impreza and a '93 Dodge Shadow, it's far and away the most reliable car I've had (though the Subaru was great, too).
Once your car is 10 years old, hit up Crazy Ray's for parts.
I Miss McNulty
Posted 16 February 2016 - 03:15 PM
Just for the record, I've owned two Nissans (one was an Infiniti) and both had consistent, major issues with the transmission and starter. So, yea, caveat emptor.
Knocking on serious wood here, but my 2011 Grand Cherokee that I bought in 2013 has had zero major issues.
There is baseball, and occasionally there are other things of note
"Now OPS sucks. Got it."
"Making his own olive brine is peak Mackus."
"I'm too hungover to watch a loss." - McNulty
@bopper33
Fair-weather ex-diehard
Posted 16 February 2016 - 06:46 PM
Just for the record, I've owned two Nissans (one was an Infiniti) and both had consistent, major issues with the transmission and starter. So, yea, caveat emptor.
Knocking on serious wood here, but my 2011 Grand Cherokee that I bought in 2013 has had zero major issues.
You may be the only person on Earth who's found a Chrysler-era Jeep to be more trouble free than a Nissan... let alone *2* Nissan's
Maybe by the time you got the Jeep you'd finally learned how to start a car and shift gears? 
"The only change is that baseball has turned Paige from a second-class citizen to a second-class immortal." - Satchel Paige
I Miss McNulty
Posted 16 February 2016 - 06:52 PM
There is baseball, and occasionally there are other things of note
"Now OPS sucks. Got it."
"Making his own olive brine is peak Mackus."
"I'm too hungover to watch a loss." - McNulty
@bopper33
HOF
Posted 16 February 2016 - 07:25 PM
Just for the record, I've owned two Nissans (one was an Infiniti) and both had consistent, major issues with the transmission and starter. So, yea, caveat emptor.
Knocking on serious wood here, but my 2011 Grand Cherokee that I bought in 2013 has had zero major issues.
Advanced Member
Posted 16 February 2016 - 07:58 PM
The Toyota Yaris is very affordable and well made. I bought it as a college sophomore and thought it was an adorable and reliable little car. Its easy to park too.
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