Ideas for first car. +K For Bump

compared to asian cars, which is probably what OP should be looking at if he has 12k to spend for a first car. parts availability and economics should probably be considered once a suitable car to fit his needs is chosen. it costs a hell of a lot less to replace something on a civic than it does to replace the same part on an e46. (raw cost of parts)

I'll agree with you on your 'unreliable' categories though..

it's not that german cars are any less reliable than others (they're far better built as far as I'm concerned), but for that pricepoint most of them will be >8 years old and probably will be in maintenance debt...where things get expensive.

 
Wrongfully if I may say so:

Supermini: Fiat 1 & 4

ADAC-Pannenstatistik-2010.jpg

 
i really dont consider that impressive... The entire male section of my family is, or was, working as a mechanic. With that being said proper maintenance is a guarantee and we haven't had a car that doesn't see 200,000. Shit my grandpa has a truck thats at 250,000.... but im not gonna lie he has done a lot of work on her...

OP look at a car that has a low base msrp... like the chevy sonic for example. It starts at 15 and you have 12, possibly consider going for a new sonic? just an idea
 
OP said 4wd not fwd. and a chevy sonic would be the last car I would want to be in when driving in snow. I guess OP can just pull another 3 grand out of his 15 year old asshole too
 
this, i had a 97 altima, 5 speed, threw some snow tires on there, NEVER got stuck, you don't need all wheel drive necessarily, just can't be an idiot
 
You can find used mommy wagon allroads and XC70s with low mileage well below the high price he stated.

Both great cars.
 
just buy an old piece of shit pickup or something that aint to rough on gas then you have a whole bunch of extra money to do whatever the fuck you want with
 
Have you considered a wrx? They're super reliable and will easily run 200,000 + miles. Plus they can haul ass. My friends is stage 6 and it goes 0-60 in sub 3 seconds. Also, they're way better off road than any toyota or jeep and they are top notch for rock crawling. Thy can handle giant boulders like nothing. Trust me, you'll be disappointed with anything else
 
Listen to me cause everyone else is stupid. But srsly, you csn most definitely find a good reliable audi/bmw for under 12. You just have to look for the right model.

You can find an amazing condition c4 s4 or s6 (avant is smexy) with low mileage, that will last for a long ass time without needing anything. Those things tanks if you find one that hasnt been neglected.

And i know its old, but check out an e30 325ix,you can find a perfect one with super low mileage for lik 8000 that is pretty much guaranteed to lsst to 25000-30000 miles before needing anything major. I have not driven a better all around car, nomatter whst price. Offroads better than most crossovers, better in snow than any Subaru. (Noy quite as much grip in snow as an audi, quattro is by far the best) but better balanced in snow than any Subaru/audi ive driven. And its damn quick with simple mods.

Plus despite their high ride height they handle very very well.

If i wanted the best possible car for everything the e30 325ix wins hands down.
 
I like how you preface your post with this statement, then go on to write one of the most idiotic things I've read in this thread.
 
make sure you factor in insurance(not sure about where you live but for me its much cheaper to pay for yearly than monthly so its nice to have that money put aside) and its first mechanic visit, which depending on the mileage and how complete the previous records can be quite expensive. as an example I paid 2500 for my first car(miata if anyone cares) then 2000 on insurance and taxes and then around 2500 at the mechanics(i think you should take a new used car to a mechanic right away and replace anything that might need to be changed, and unless you have the receipt it never has been changed before) . the prices can quickly add up so be care full not to over extend yourself

sparks notes the price of a car quickly goes up when adding in insurance and mechanics vists
 
On a more cereal note, don't get an audi whatever you do. My friend had a 4runner real nice worth around 12 traded it in for an audi a4 and within the first week something went wrong and it was in the shop for over a month. I would recommend a Chevy Blazer or Ford explorer. I've had both as winter beaters and they were great i loved both of them. Although the gas mileage isn't so great, so i would recommend a WRX look around try to find one adult owned with decently low mileage. Also the Jetta although it isn't AWD its still a great starter car. If i were you i would buy a car around 5-6k and keep the rest stashed away for insurance, crashes (knock on wood), Repairs which are likely, and obviously skiing.
 
I agree with ar6rider.

What you said was retarded. The kid has 12k to spend you seriously recommend an e30? Don't get me wrong, e30s are amazing and they old a special place in my heart but come on dude.
 
what AWD cars can you get for 12k? a b5 s4/slightly newer a4? thats out of the question because it will explode in 15 minutes. you can get a decent subaru, a wrx, outback xt, legacy gt, are all pretty good options, but ive driven all of them, worked on all of them, and have not been impressed, an old audi or 325ix will rape a wrx in the snow, the audi in terms of all out grip, and ix in balance. depending on your elevation, the wrx has a shitty ass powerband, id much rather have 50 less hp than only like 2k in useable rev's. honestly, an e30 feels as fast or faster for 75% of the driving you will do, if your just dragging between stop lights, sure a wrx will be a bit faster. the ix beats the wrx, xt, and gt in build quality, reliability, and especially in how it drives, even more so how it feels. the interior is nicer than a wrx. i just dont see what you would be missing, especially if you could get an amazing condition one for 7-10 grand. you have a car that drives much better, is more reliable, performs better in snow, looks better. all your missing out on is an extra 50hp for a small fraction of the rev range. and if powers your concern, with the money you'd be saving, you can easily get another 30hp out of it without doing anything drastic. plus all the wrx's out there have been beat on and neglected like crazy.

and for anyone looking for a first car, its a very very good idea to get something a couple grand cheaper than what you have, because that money WILL be needed later on.

ive seen so many kids make the mistake of setting their standards way too high, they think "ive got 6 grand, whats the fastest, nicest car i can get for that?" and they end up getting some would be nice car that would normally go for over 10, but they bought a neglected POS that will last a month because they had to have the BEST.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top