Actually, Necros, Im splitting the car 50-50 with my parents. 6k out of my piggy bank won’t leave too much of a dent, since most of my money isnt stored in a savings account, and is out of my reach until I graduate.
Even Sven, if it was up to me, I would by a cheap, older fixer-upper car, then spend the summer working on it. In my parents perfect world, I would buy a 10k car with under 30k miles, 2004 or above, and with a great repair record. Needless to say, that isn’t happening. So we’ve come to a happy medium.
Also, my parents wouldn’t let me dip so low financially that I am barely living off food stamps. The only way they would really abandon me is if I was 25, had six kids, a deadbeat husband, and refused to work myself. Oh, and killed my sister and grandparents, and am on the run from the law.
chaparralv8, having a honda on campus is only a problem if you park in the far-out lots. I park in the Quad parking lot, with a police officer dedicated to that area of campus only. Brightly lit, eight+ cameras, and a little tiny entrance at the end of a street. Stealing a car from there would be quite the ordeal. Plus, they would probably go after one of the three Honda S2000 before attacking my Civic.
It gets a lot easier if you can buy a Honda… These move up to parity with the Miata and MR2.
First choice would be a last-generation Prelude.
Second choice would be the next best thing to an Integra Type R - an Integra GSR.
Third choice would be a Civic or CRX with a B16 or B18 engine. Make sure it was installed by someone who’s good at this stuff, and using a HaSport or Place Racing kit. Accept no imitations.
Fourth best would be an STS-prepped '89 Civic or a CSP-prepped CRX.
I got a real left field suggestion.
but before I get to it, let mention a few things that are being overlooked in some of the choices listed
You will have to buy parts for said car. A BMW? OMG, every time the duetchmark goes up, so do parts prices. When the DM goes down, the parts prices don’t. :eek: Buy a grey market car not sold in the US? So what are you going to do for parts when the bypass hose to the Metzler valve goes bad on a Saturday morning? You are not going to get one of those down the street at the local parts house.
You are going to have to buy insurance. Several of the cars that have been mentioned would cost a king’s ransom to insure on a 19 year old driver. Sorry to break it to you, but that is life. I strongly suggest you check rates very carefully, before you find out that the insurance on that vette that you talked your parents into is going to cost as much as the car.
A modded car? If you can’t fix it yourself, you will have to have a mechanic that is familar with the mods in question. Otherwise you may wind up paying him to learn on your car.
OK, now that I have rained on your parade here is a way way out from left field suggestion.
This car is NOT a theft magnet
This car is faster than most if not all of the car currently on the list
This car will haul all of your stuff.
Think sleeper
Think a 95-97 Volvo 850 Turbo (wagon)
About 250 HP, probably will have leather seats, sunroof, ABS and you will probably get change back from your $12K.
A hot control unit will boost the HP to about 275. With the control unit and a turbo tweek I have seen 300 HP at the front wheels on a dyno.
FTR I found a 94 non turbo wagon for my son’s GF a couple of months ago for $5K. One owner, 125,000 miles. All service records since day one.
Back when I used to drive 850 Turbos I would go out and look for ricers to beat up on.
If you do decide to go this route, drop me an e mail and I will give you some tips on finding a good one.
I spent a lot of time on the auto web sites, and the consensus seems to be wide that the Matrix is the lowest cost-of-ownership in compact wagons. I’ll be getting one when my job situation is firmer.
Parts for old Volvos are a lot more expensive than parts for old Bimmers. They’re almost an order of magnitude higher than Honda or Mazda parts prices.
Insurance is a bit funny. Sportscars generally don’t cost much more than a more normal car. The differences between drivers are bigger than the ones between cars. I pay roughly $2000 per year to insure a CRX (liability plus theft, fire, and broken glass). If I somehow bought a Corvette Z06, my rates would drop. There’s little rhyme but probably plenty of reason behind the way insurance rates are calculated. The only way to know what you’re getting into is to get quotes. Progressive Direct is the easiest way to do this.
Having bought plenty of parts for BMWs and Nissans for working on friends cars I would scream cite. I used to be amazed at just how much coin I had to lay out (at wholesale no less) for the same part at those dealers.
One example I needed a rear brake caliper for a 300ZX. My cost was $565. :eek: The parts guy asked if that was expensive when he saw the :eek: on my face. My response was that I could buy all four calipers for a Volvo and the fluid to fill them, and still have change back from $565. (At the time our calipers were about $125 each
Or the timming belt for a 325I $75 + the price of the "belt replaced at ____ " sticker. Belt for a Volvo at the time? $15. And we threw the sticker in the box.
I think you will find that normal parts prices for the everyday stuff is pretty competive for Volvos. Now if you buy trim or interior pieces, body pieces the prices may be higher than a similar part from a different car maker. Or then again the price may not be higher. Prices for the parts of a car (any car) that you cannot buy down the street at NAPA are gong to be the very meaning of the term YMMV.
As far as your insurance comments go, first off you are not a 19 year old. buying insurance for a 19 year old can be a real experience. An experience in having your wallet lightened. Ask me how I know this.
About insuring Vettes. Every insurance company I have ever looked at got a 50% (minimum) surcharge on physical damage premiums due to the difficulty in repairing fiberglass. many companies flat won’t write Vettes, and I would bet there are a whole bunch that would not write a Vette on a 19 year old.
In any event it would not hurt for the OP to lay a dime on her insurance agent and get a few quotes, before she buys a car that might be very expensive to insure. Buying the car is a single expense, insurance is ongoing.
