Dagger's New First Car Thread.

[GranTurismo916]

That looks interesting. Never been a huge fan of wagons, however. But, hard to argue with that kind of gas mileage and space. Maybe, when it is time for me to buy a car, I'll look at these.

Do it.

 

[Parker]

Do it.

Seriously though, I'm definitely happy I didn't go with a sedan. There have been plenty of times where I've folded all the seats down in my Subaru and had the back stuffed full of parts and various other things that would never fit in a sedan. Why put an engine block in the back of my truck when I can just take my Subaru?

 

[McLaren]

Forgot the 3k budget, you won't get anything worth driving for 3k. Save up until you can spend about 5k, then buy a 90's Mercedes. Fits the criteria, looks good, and is interesting.

Since when is a Mercedes cheap to maintain or insure for a new driver? Under $3000, reliability is a massive concern.

E's and S's are large but not massive. A C-Class is a good midsize sedan, and will probably be the cheapest as well. You might find one for around 4K, but if you do don't let the milage scare you off. 200,000 miles in a Mercedes is about 100,000 in a Toyota.

A Toyota at 100,000 is still long in life. A 200,000 Mercedes is not.

Just for interest, I checked Autotrader to see what Mercedes under $3,000 were around me in a 500 mile range. Most of them have zero description or no/near any pictures. The rest that are worth looking at all need work whether clearly stated or in the most subtle & uninformative form of "Minor TLC" which really means buy at your own risk.

A C-Class is pushing it for a first car. I wouldn't consider an E-Class, let alone a S-Class once they need parts.

But something like a Corvette that mainly only older people can buy is actually relatively cheap to insure because it doesn't get crashed often.

It was 50 bucks cheaper a month to insure a Miata over my Focus.

Define relatively cheap though, once your age & driving record is accounted for? Those are the biggest things that will ultimately decide whether your insurance is going to stick it to you or not b/c the general crowd of Corvette folks have well established records.

A Corvette would run me the same as 5.0, but in the end, it's another $100/month on top of my Acura.

 

[Slash]

A lot of that comes from the tires, sounds like you may have a set thay doesn't like to cooperate with that chassis.

All seasons :/

 

[Bopop4]

All seasons :/

No, I mean the brand and model.

 

[Slash]

No, I mean the brand and model.

Oh...not sure off the top of my head. Pretty sure they are some generic brand.

 

[JMoney]

Since when is a Mercedes cheap to maintain or insure for a new driver? Under $3000, reliability is a massive concern.

A Toyota at 100,000 is still long in life. A 200,000 Mercedes is not.

Just for interest, I checked Autotrader to see what Mercedes under $3,000 were around me in a 500 mile range. Most of them have zero description or no/near any pictures. The rest that are worth looking at all need work whether clearly stated or in the most subtle & uninformative form of "Minor TLC" which really means buy at your own risk.

A C-Class is pushing it for a first car. I wouldn't consider an E-Class, let alone a S-Class once they need parts.

What are you going on about? I said he should get a $5,000 Mercedes, not a $3,000 Mercedes. Of course a $3,000 Mercedes is a bad idea, as it will surely need a lot of work done to it.

 

[McLaren]

What are you going on about? I said he should get a $5,000 Mercedes, not a $3,000 Mercedes. Of course a $3,000 Mercedes is a bad idea, as it will surely need a lot of work done to it.

$2,000 isn't going to make a spit of difference. You're still ignoring the fact a new driver isn't going to find it easy to maintain a Mercedes whether he's got $3,000 or $5,000.

A rule I learned long ago with Germans; save up to buy the car & then save up again to afford the costs of fixing it.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Any Mercedes from W202 and on is going to be a reliability nightmare. They just were not producing quality cars in the 90s...

 

[Crash]

What are you going on about? I said he should get a $5,000 Mercedes, not a $3,000 Mercedes. Of course a $3,000 Mercedes is a bad idea, as it will surely need a lot of work done to it.

After the early 90s, Mercedes's reputation for reliability suffered. All the "bullet-proof" Mercedes are the 70s and 80s ones.

Also, remember that even if prices may have depreciated to affordable levels, the maintenance cost on these cars don't depreciate, and paying the maintenance cost of a $45k car generally is not a good idea for a teenager.

--

@Dagger311 Glad to hear that you're being reasonable about your first car. If you can use the Rogue for free, I think that's going to be your best bet, and would save you money in the long run.

 

[JMoney]

I'm stubbornly sticking to my recommendation. Mercs are great. Toyotas are not.

 

[Parker]

I'm stubbornly sticking to my recommendation. Mercs are great. Toyotas are not.

What experience do you have with maintaining and running a $5K Mercedes? How about a Toyota? Being stubborn and ignorant are two entirely different things.

 

[JMoney]

*peobryant gets 5 likes for calling me ignorant*

Next person to call me ignorant gets reported. I'm sick and tired of it. It's a half-assed insult implying that I'm stupid.

 

[Parker]

@JMoney689 It'd be easier if you'd actually answered the question. If you've never had experience with running and maintaining a $5K Mercedes or Toyota then you are, by definition, ignorant.

ig·no·rant
ˈignərənt/
adjective

1. lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated or unsophisticated.

Being ignorant isn't necessarily a bad thing, everyone is ignorant about something. Refusing to listen to people with actual knowledge and experience when you yourself don't have any knowledge or experience on the subject at hand is pretty ridiculous though.

I'll ask again. Do you have any experience with running and maintaining a $5K Mercedes or Toyota?

 

[Dagger311]

The next person to continue this argument gets reported. I'm sick of them showing up in threads that in no way warrant, condone, or endorse arguments.

@Dagger311 Glad to hear that you're being reasonable about your first car. If you can use the Rogue for free, I think that's going to be your best bet, and would save you money in the long run.

Thanks. To be honest, a classic muscle car as a first car was just a dream I was too stubborn to wake up from. There's a reason why everyone reccomends *Family sedan here* and not a Camaro. The *Family sedan here* is a perfect first car, because, since it was designed for a family, it's inexpensive, which means good for a budget.

And I've decided. I'm not getting a job this young (this could be my last 1.5 years of irresponsibility), I'll be using the Rogue, and the oddjobs I currently do will pay for gas.

Thanks for the reccomendations everyone, and I'll definitely look through them when it's time for me to stop being a kid.

 

[ildd]

Forgot the 3k budget, you won't get anything worth driving for 3k. Save up until you can spend about 5k, then buy a 90's Mercedes. Fits the criteria, looks good, and is interesting.

You can get a W124/w202 for $3k. It'll be pretty high mileage... but those things last a million so what difference does it make? And maintenance really isn't that high.

Any Mercedes from W202 and on is going to be a reliability nightmare. They just were not producing quality cars in the 90s...

Not true the 2.6L/5 speed auto is one of the best reliability pairings for Mercedes since the 90's. A c240 will run for 300k miles with minor, if any, problems. Only things that really need to be changed are the timing belt and obviously changing the fluids/plugs.

 

[Leggy1]

Not true the 2.6L/5 speed auto is one of the best reliability pairings for Mercedes since the 90's. A c240 will run for 300k miles with minor, if any, problems. Only things that really need to be changed are the timing belt and obviously changing the fluids/plugs.

My dad's 1991 190E was built like a tank, no problems and only with normal servicing and maintenance. Quality car but it was actually pre-W202 despite being a 90s car (it was W201).

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

W201: Battle axe

 

[Dagger311]

Okay, I'll be going for the permit test saturday of next week. As soon as my ID gets here, I can start job hunting whenever I want. Still not entirely sure if I want a job (which will make me no longer a dependant on taxes) this early, or if I'd wait.

But, say I do get a job, and start saving for a cruiser to maybe turn into a fun yet reliable daily driver, or maybe just keep it a toy, which should I get...? I still have my eyes set on a second or third gen Camaro, or maybe an early 2000's Mustang GT. I want that V8 powah.

 

[Joey D]

Get a reliable daily driver, get some experience, and then buy a toy/faster car. Getting your license and then getting a high performance car probably isn't a good idea, mainly because you have no idea what you're doing behind the wheel yet.

 

[Dagger311]

Get a reliable daily driver, get some experience, and then buy a toy/faster car. Getting your license and then getting a high performance car probably isn't a good idea, mainly because you have no idea what you're doing behind the wheel yet.

I would have experience, seeing as I'd have to wait until I'm 21 at the very least, because insurance.

I don't intend to go straight from "Just got my Learner's Permit" to "Hooning like a madman in a sports car." That's asking to die or seriously injure yourself.

 

[Legro]

I said this once and I'm going to say it again, if you can get a relatively new car to use for free, take it (talking about the Rogue).

One thing is certain. Don't do what I do and have a fun track car yet. Buy something sensible or use the Rogue first and consider fun car after that.

I still have my eyes set on a second or third gen Camaro, or maybe an early 2000's Mustang GT.

Why not Firebird.

 

[Dagger311]

I said this once and I'm going to say it again, if you can get a relatively new car to use for free, take it (talking about the Rogue).

That's still very much the plan. I'm talking about a few years down the road, when I have a full license, as well as the skills required to drive a sports car safely.

Why not Firebird.

Because they're a little more expensive, and also because they don't have a Chevy badge .

 

[Crash]

Okay, I'll be going for the permit test saturday of next week. As soon as my ID gets here, I can start job hunting whenever I want. Still not entirely sure if I want a job (which will make me no longer a dependant on taxes) this early, or if I'd wait.

You should still have a job, then have your own money to do as you wish with. It's not an all or nothing, right; sounds like in your case, you just want a little bit of income so you have some spending money, but not work so hard that you don't get the chance to enjoy school and friends and the last couple of years before having to be a responsible adult.

With that said, being a dependent or not on your taxes is not determined by income. It is determined by expenditures (as well as by age, marriage status, emancipation status, occupation, as well as any sort of disabilities). Really, if you're still in school, unmarried, unemancipated and under 26 years old (if going to college, 19 if not going to college) without debilitating disabilities, you are a dependent unless you primarily support yourself (that means you pay for a majority of all your living expenses like food, shelter, clothing, transportation, utilities and bills, etc.).

 

[Dagger311]

You should still have a job, then have your own money to do as you wish with. It's not an all or nothing, right; sounds like in your case, you just want a little bit of income so you have some spending money, but not work so hard that you don't get the chance to enjoy school and friends and the last couple of years before having to be a responsible adult.

I want money to buy things I want. Some of those things include:

Entertainment stuff (electronics and stuff).
Model cars (Which I collect. Currently have about 75$ in them).
Eventually, a car that'll be really fun to drive (Camaro probably, but I was actually just debating whether it should be a luxury car, or a performance car).
With some money left over, to do stuff like eat out with.

I added it up, with a 20 hour work week, if I get paid for 52 weeks at $7.25 (minimum wage here), before taxes come into play, I'll male close to $7,500 a year. Plenty, considering I have five years to save for the weekend car. Say taxes take a grand, that's still good enough to do everything I want.

With that said, being a dependent or not on your taxes is not determined by income. It is determined by expenditures (as well as by age, marriage status, emancipation status, occupation, as well as any sort of disabilities). Really, if you're still in school, unmarried, unemancipated and under 26 years old (if going to college, 19 if not going to college) without debilitating disabilities, you are a dependent unless you primarily support yourself (that means you pay for a majority of all your living expenses like food, shelter, clothing, transportation, utilities and bills, etc.).

Really? All I know is dad told me, if I can file taxes, he can't list me as a dependant on his anymore. I'm not on his taxes anyway though, I'm on Mom's .

 

[Crash]

20 hours/week is quite a bit...

--

There's a handy little instruction on the federal form that says "If someone can claim you as a dependent, do not check..."

Come tax time, you should get help from a licensed professional if you're not familiar with the basic ins-and-outs. Here in the US, you want to make sure that you're doing it right, because no matter who actually did it for you or advised you, in the end, you are the one that's still responsible and on the hook for any issues with a tax return.

Anyways, I was going to refer further discussion to a tax discussion thread, but there appears to only be one discussing the merits and opinions of taxes, as well as a thread specific to 2008 year.

--

Enjoy the Rogue, keep your goal in mind and good luck saving up money. 👍

 

[Dagger311]

*Revival.*

Yes, that restriction is glasses. It took me a month. First time, failed the eye exam. Got the glasses, came back the next weekend, they were closed. Today I got it, but the systems were down, so I had to wait even longer.

As for the car thing. I've went back and forth. Everything from an e30 3 series, to a Camry, to an Altima, to a 90's Wrangler. I guess I'll find a job somewhere, save some money up, then start visiting used car dealerships.

 

[titleguy1]

I'm surprised, you look younger than me, yet you're 3 years older o-o.
As for a first car...
Porsche 924?

 

[ildd]

Ildd reccomends 2003 Camry, Civic or Accord or older Wrangler

 

[Dagger311]

I'm surprised, you look younger than me, yet you're 3 years older o-o.
As for a first car...
Porsche 924?

I look way too young for 16.

I doubt I could afford a 924's upkeep costs.

Ildd reccomends 2003 Camry, Civic or Accord or older Wrangler

👍

Still have no job. Hopefully I can go get some applications today.