• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Buying a new car

P

PCTweaker5

Banned
Im looking to buy a new car pretty soon and will have my uncle co-sign for me and was lookin at a few cars. Pontiac GTO, Chevrolet Cobalt, and the Chevrolet Colorado. Not sure if I can get the GTO but if I did I think I would get it in automatic because although I know how to change gears and stuff Ive never attempted it and would be kind of scared to try it on the GTO. If it was another car less important then I wouldnt mind getting it in manual but what I want to know is how long it would take to get used to driving manual and will I be more likely to get into an accident with that tranny? Also, if my uncle co-signs for me what are the requirements for me based on type of job, income, and age and does he have to be there for the actual co-signing because I heard that he doesnt? Thanks!
 
It takes about an hour of practice to get use to driving manual. I learned on an old beater truck we use to have, have someone take me down to an empty parking lot and kept trying until I got the hang of it
 
Zero credit, 18 years old thats why I want him to co-sign for me so I can get a new car because all we have is my moms van and that thing is hideous and of course my dad is in somewhat serious debt. I'll be living with my parents for a while so payments wont be a problem at all even though the GTO is like $585 a month.
 
Well, I will cover the manual tranny question.

If you have never actually tried to change gears, it could take a couple of days just to get the most simple of basics down.

It takes at least a couple of months of constant driving (at least an hour or two a day) to get really proficient.

And can take up to years to become really good at it. And I am not even talking about racing with it here.

This of course is mitigated by your actual talent. This is something we can not know over the internet.

But these are conservative estimates, assuming you have decent talent.
 
Originally posted by: PCTweaker5
Zero credit, 18 years old thats why I want him to co-sign for me so I can get a new car because all we have is my moms van and that thing is hideous and of course my dad is in somewhat serious debt.
Click to expand...
You might want to put off getting a new car until you can get some credit, you're going to be RAPED with interest charges. Also, don't get the GTO, you'll likely either kill yourself or ruin a nice car - neither of which I want to see. Where do you work and how much money do you make a year?
 
I was actually told a long time ago that you are LESS likely to get into an accident while driving a stick than an automatic. I was told people that drive sticks must pay more attention to the flow of traffic and what is going on that someone with an automatic. I'll have to do some looking up on google to see if this is fact or fiction. 😉
 
Originally posted by: rbloedow
Originally posted by: PCTweaker5
Zero credit, 18 years old thats why I want him to co-sign for me so I can get a new car because all we have is my moms van and that thing is hideous and of course my dad is in somewhat serious debt.
Click to expand...
You might want to put off getting a new car until you can get some credit, you're going to be RAPED with interest charges. Also, don't get the GTO, you'll likely either kill yourself or ruin a nice car - neither of which I want to see. Where do you work and how much money do you make a year?
Click to expand...

Lol, well I told my uncle in about 6 months because I just moved here and am looking for a job this week but I plan on hopefully getting a job at Best Buy as one of their computer guys but we'll see. Ya the GTO kinda seems out of the question but Im really interested in the Colorado.
 
Originally posted by: Whade
I was actually told a long time ago that you are LESS likely to get into an accident while driving a stick than an automatic. I was told people that drive sticks must pay more attention to the flow of traffic and what is going on that someone with an automatic. I'll have to do some looking up on google to see if this is fact or fiction. 😉
Click to expand...

That makes a whole lot of sense. I believe you are right, plus better mileage.
 
Originally posted by: PCTweaker5
Originally posted by: Whade
I was actually told a long time ago that you are LESS likely to get into an accident while driving a stick than an automatic. I was told people that drive sticks must pay more attention to the flow of traffic and what is going on that someone with an automatic. I'll have to do some looking up on google to see if this is fact or fiction. 😉
Click to expand...

That makes a whole lot of sense. I believe you are right, plus better mileage.
Click to expand...

When I was in Shanghi couple of years ago where most cars are manual, I was amazed at how few accidents there where, considering how crazy the drivers are. I don't think they understand the concept of lanes, signalling, or right of way, and the layout of streets make no sense what so ever.

Not sure of the improved milage though. Most new cars have some pretty sophisticated computer management of fuel and transmission.
 
ok if you are 18 and going to be working at best buy, get a cheap car. Trust me. It sounds like this will be your first car. do not waste a lot of money on it. save your money to do fun things, like go out and party and what not.
Buy a used car for a few grand and rag the hell out of it and have fun. If you want something quick, get a used trans am, camaro or mustang, and spend money to upgrade it.

You may think you can afford $585 a month in car payments, but figure your insurance will be $200, plus gas, plus routine maint, and eventually tires. It will add up and add up quick.
And do you plan on living with your parents for the next 5-6 years?

And how much are you planning on putting down? A quick estimate for that car would need $6000 down at 4.39% will get you $560 range.
 
Well I did do an estimate on the Pontiac website and it said like $1600 down payment with about 8% for $585 or something. As for how long I'll be living with my parents, well it depends on if I meet a girl and how things go but I figure until Im like 22 or something. I think I'll just get that Chevy Colorado or the Cobalt, the GTO was just something I would love to have but Im staying away from used cars for a while.
 
Paying all of my expenses except tuition (scholarship) and working full time, living on campus year round in the dorms.... I can tell you that there is nothing greater than paying all bills in full, from maxed out CC's to car payments to insurance in the first 4 days you work every month. Get a used car. a 35k riced out family car is a boat anchor you dont need on your life, especially working the dead end type job that is a BB position. you'll just get locked in there, working to drive... good luck man... sounds like you really havent thought this out too well. Gone to college yet? You arent going anywhere making those kinds of payments with best buy's eratic work scheduling....
 
Thing is I cant stand seeing all these damned rich kids driving Imprezas and whatnot and I just wanna feel a little happy with a nice new car. I dont need that GTO that is pretty much out of the question but that Cobalt looks really nice and a Chevy Colorado would be a kick ass ride for me. I dont plan on going to school because Ive already planned on joining the police force somewhere here in Virginia and possibly start a computer business later on in life so Im not going to have all those tuition exspenses to keep me down.
 
Well I used to have a 1999 Grand Am in my first days of driving which was my Sophomore year in HS but that thing got totaled and I have really matured since then so there wont be much n00bie wear and tear goin on. Ive also driven my bro's 2003 Sunfire quite a bit when I used to live with him so I got a lot of my racing urge out on that car.
 
What are the requirements for someone to co-sign for me? What kind of credit do I need and how long to I have to be at a job for?
 
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
ok if you are 18 and going to be working at best buy, get a cheap car. Trust me. It sounds like this will be your first car. do not waste a lot of money on it. save your money to do fun things, like go out and party and what not.
Buy a used car for a few grand and rag the hell out of it and have fun. If you want something quick, get a used trans am, camaro or mustang, and spend money to upgrade it.

You may think you can afford $585 a month in car payments, but figure your insurance will be $200, plus gas, plus routine maint, and eventually tires. It will add up and add up quick.
And do you plan on living with your parents for the next 5-6 years?

And how much are you planning on putting down? A quick estimate for that car would need $6000 down at 4.39% will get you $560 range.
Click to expand...

He's right. I've been there, done that. If you think you'll be able to pay $500+ per month (plus insurance at noob male driver rates, which go up exponentially with any ticket or at-fault accident), why don't you try it with a decent 2-3 year old car for about $10,000. You'll own it free and clear very soon that way. (Suggestion: I love my '01 Mazda Protege, and they're CHEAP to buy used.) You don't need to pay what the payment book says to pay. You can pay as much as you want. For example, on my current car loan, my minimum payment is $160, but I pay $320 or more every month.

See? If I wanted to, I could afford a lot more car than I currently drive, but a lesson I learned when I was 19 (from buying a relatively expensive car) taught me a little thing about priorities. (It taught me that I don't need a nice car, because a rusty-but-trusty heap does the point A to B thing just the same. It did not make my life any better.) I also learned about bruised personal credit ratings as a result of not being able to come up with all the money a few different months.

Luckily, I bought that car used for an OK price, so I was able to sell it within a year for the same amount as I owed. Lord knows if I was upside-down on the loan (if I owed more than the car was worth), I wouldn't have been able to sell it for a long time, because there was no way at that point in my life that I could come up with the difference to pay that loan off.
 
Glad to see you're following in your dad's footsteps. 🙂 If you're 18 you're not an excellent driver, you're an inexperienced (and it sounds like somewhat immature) driver. Don't get the GTO or anything else over $20,000. Start of on a good foot financially and SAVE money.

And the monthly payment you got on Pontiac's website was based on 72 months, do you really want to be paying the car off in 2010? Probably not, you'll get tired of it and roll the balance into your next car loan, then you'll do it again with that one, and before you know it you'll owe $40,000 on a Honda Civic. (not that any lender would actually LET you do that)
 
dude. you can have a used... 00-02 (30k miles, off lease) mustang v6, 190HP, manual transmission, cd player, etc all for 11k. If youre that worried about problems, get a good warranty, but youre gunna kill yourself over a new car thats comprable!
 
Just because you suck at driving doesnt mean I do. 1 car totalled but it wasnt my fault damn drunk drivers! Im not excellent but for driving almost 3 years I havent had even a minor accident being my fault and I was stoned most of the time. Anyways I think I'll be going for that Colorado because the design of the GTO has been around for quite a while and I really think I would get bored of it. I see many uses and fun times with the Colorado and after a few years I'll be willing to upgrade it and turn it into more fun, its like a computer when you get bored of it upgrade it right? Thanks for the heads up and the useful responses!
 
Originally posted by: acemcmac
dude. you can have a used... 00-02 (30k miles, off lease) mustang v6, 190HP, manual transmission, cd player, etc all for 11k. If youre that worried about problems, get a good warranty, but youre gunna kill yourself over a new car thats comprable!
Click to expand...

I dont like Ford!
 
yeah, well you arent gunna like being poor either, its the only surviving pony car... so either crucify yourself over a GTO, get a mustang or get a rice bucket- there is no other alternative.... or you can just drive a totally useless SUV/Pickup that gets 8 miles to the gallon on premium fuel.... oh wait you want to work at best buy. Are you even employed right now?

btw, how will your uncle feel when you get fired from best buy for being late for the first time, you cant make payments, you have no college education and they destroy his credit rating over it?
 
I seriously doubt Id get fired for being late my first time unless it was very late and as I have stated before Mr. Good Reader I am pretty set on being a cop so I have zero plans for school. You think everyone here is the same by going to some tech school and working for a big computer company? No its not so, I dont fall into the geek stereotype one bit besides loving computers. I dropped out of high school 2 years ago and already have my GED I just need to get a decent job for a few years and then take a few law enforcement training programs and Im set. Ive got stuff somewhat planned out and dont have to worry about buying books and all that crap so I believe I can afford a new car in the 20k-30k range. I dont plan on moving out for a while so I wont have any rent or utilities to pay and my parents are perfectly cool about that. I have learned from my dads experiences of what and what not to do. I probably wont be getting a credit card for a long time and the only thing that can bring me down is a girlfriend.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top