Student Car

[83glt]

Originally Posted by Steve B.

Why would anyone change their own oil?

You save MAYBE $15.00, and the opportunity cost of the time you waste on it more than negates that $15.00.

Plus to be safe about it, you need to factor in the cost of an acceptable ramp.
But learning how to change your own oil and fix minor repairs is a great way to save a lot of money over the long term. Especially if you invest in a set of tools, they'll pay for themselves over time. Besides, it's not just about saving money, it's also about simply learning how to do different things and becoming more knowledgable. An oil change has to be the easiest maintenance job and everyone should know how to do it. As for what car to buy, get a '91/92 Volvo 240 with under 175k with no rust and in good condition. If you take care of it, it will last you 35 years.

 

[billiebob]

It takes me 20 minutes to change my oil with Mobil 1 and it's definitely cheaper than anywhere else. It's also one less opportunity for a mechanic to screw up the car. And besides, I don't want to wait an hour for an oil change either.

 

[bearlydavid]

Originally Posted by bluemagic

Was it your first car? How did you get it? That would be a great price for me.
Its harder and harder to find a decent deal on them, but with the downturn of gas prices they might get a bit cheaper. I purchased it through a friend of my mom's. You really can't expect to find a decent deal though a used car dealership.

Originally Posted by billiebob

It takes me 20 minutes to change my oil with Mobil 1 and it's definitely cheaper than anywhere else. It's also one less opportunity for a mechanic to screw up the car. And besides, I don't want to wait an hour for an oil change either.
Takes me about the same time. And as I put synthetic now in my car, it is about 30-40 dollars cheaper than getting it does at an oil change place. As well as I don't have to worry about a mechanic not putting oil into the car after he drains it.

 

[merkur]

..

 

[Young Scrappy]

I'd go with a early 2000 Sentra, Civic or Corolla. If you care to venture, try a 2004 - 2006 Hyundia. They've stepped up their game a little.

If you can a friend selling a car, try a retired person. They are very good with their cars.

 

[PolePosition]

To recap, the your requirements are inexpensive and reliable to get you through college correct?

Here's some advice from a person that went to college, graduated and worked, and is now back in college living off of loans. In that meantime I've owned multiple vehicles, including new and used, bought in cash, loaned, and leased....and now being that I am 100% dependent on student loans, I know exactly the type of car you are needing.

I bought a used 1994 Honda Civic for about $4500 with 140k miles to drive my broke loan-surviving behind. Only thing I've had to do with it so far is change oil, put new tires on when I got it, got an alignment, changed an oxygen sensor, and replaced a belt. I do my own maintenance and all labor with the exception of installing tires and alignment. I also get 33-35 mpg on regular unleaded driving mixed city and highway.

The Civic is the most economical car that I have owned and it is INCREDIBLY easy to work on. The gas mileage is wonderful. And the motor out of my car is actually out of an Acura Integra (part of the reason it cost 4500 instead of 2500), but its a manual and I know how to properly drive to get the most gas mileage out of it. I expect this car to last me a LONG time and I spend minimal money on it for upkeep. Its an old car but these things are built well and built for the long haul. Additionally, any parts you will need to buy for it are relatively inexpensive and if you are mechanically inclined, easy to work on. Otherwise, just about any mechanic can service this vehicle. Many Honda motors expire well after 250k miles.

Used Civics from the mid 90's are always on sale. Many are well maintained, some are not. Try asking a mechanic to help you inspect. And many dealerships will do a "pre-purchase inspection" for like $75. You will have to buy these on the secondary market from Autotrader, newspaper classifieds, word of mouth, Craigslist, etc., but if the buyer is legit he will let you take the car to get inspected and if it comes back with no problems, it will be a good purchase.

Pros: Low initial cost. Low total cost of ownership. One of the most fuel efficient vehicles ever made. Low insurance cost. Easy to maintain. Very reliable.

Cons: It is an economy car, not a luxury car, so many amenities are not present. It is not the most aesthetically pleasing vehicle.

Hope that helps.

 

[83glt]

Originally Posted by merkur

Ermmmm, are you sure about that (especially the last sentence)?

Did I say 35 years? Sorry, I meant 350 years.... Seriously though, these are great cars. They're not called bricks or tanks for nothing. They'll last a very long time if well maintained. It's not uncommon to reach well over 400k miles or more. They aren't flashy or speedy, but they're safe, and they do come with many bells and whistles that you won't get in a Japanese economy car. The best part is that fine examples can easily be found for under 2k. You will pay more over time for gas, but you'll also walk away alive should you ever get into a serious accident - these things are built ******* tough. Also, it's easier to find good examples because typically being a family car, it's usually older people who are selling them now, and chances are better that they've been meticulously maintained. They're also very easy to work on, so having one is a good way to learn about cars. Bottom line, the OP is looking for a solid student car, and a Volvo 240 is just that and more. BTW, Volvo crash vs. Honda crash: (notice how the Volvo's passenger compartment is untouched) http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...icial%26sa%3DG

 

[Shakermaker]

My first car as a student was a new 1999 Hyundai Elantra. It was not the coolest car, but it was around 10 grand with a great warranty. I drove it for 180,000 miles, got hit by a bus at one point, and besides getting the passenger side of my car re-done, it never had any mechanical problems. I think practicallity trumps looks or the cool factor when you are a student looking for a car.

 

[nairb49]

Can't go wrong with a civic.

That being said, I bought a mazda3 sport. The hatchback for me was great for my golf clubs/skis etc.

I first considered buying one off lease or a year or two used from the dealership, but when I went in to inquire, they were offering 0% financing, making it almost identical in end-cost to buying one a year old.

 

[emptym]

In 96 I bought a 91 Volkswagon Fox at an auto auction for $1,300. It needed an immediate $300 in repairs. Over the next year it needed another $250 in repairs. At the end of the year I drove it across country and sold it for its bluebook price of $4,500.

I heartily recommend auto auctions.