How to afford a car?

[Pathogen03]

Ive got a 1996 Grand Marquis that is just spawning problems left and right, its time I need a new car.. I currently am off for the summer, working at Circuit City (seasonal) for $8.25 an hour, they wont give me more than 25 hours a week, ive talked to the store director about it numerous times..


That leaves my income at $824 a month.


I currently have about $1,000 saved up..


These two factors severely limit my options. Conceivably I could take a small loan out and get a 1996 or so civic with 100,000 miles, but im exploring alternative routes.


Ive heard there are police auctions, seen many websites touting cheap cars through them.. Does this work? I understand im not going to get a brand new BMW for tree-fiddy, I just mean are the cars there significantly cheaper? Is it worth signing up at one of those sites?


Also a month or two ago I was rolling around in my head thinking about the companies that pay to advertise on your car, and I came across this, http://freeluxurycars.com/index.php , today. I do not want the fancy luxury cars they mention, what I would want though is to find a 3-4 year contract in which they pay to advertise on my car, and use those funds to pay for a car that I would own personally. That website has a 100% guarantee that you not only get a car, but the one you want, so I figure I can at least get back what I invest. This site doesnt look that legit to be honest, no info at the bottom of the pages, an underdeveloped public site.. Im more asking if the theory behind what I am asking about holds true, is it possible to do something like this.


Thanks for the help!


-- Aaron

 

[Ryan]

Wow - that website looks awesomely professional.

 

[rmrf]

afaik, you have to drive a certain amount of miles per week or month to get them to pay for advertising. most college kids I know basically park their car until the weekends, and use them then.

I would just find a decent used car. Don't keep sticking money in a car that is trying to die.

 

[jinduy]

you'd definitely get laid if you got a car from that site

 

[CraKaJaX]

parents?

 

[Pathogen03]

Originally posted by: jinduy
you'd definitely get laid if you got a car from that site

but the catch is it would need to be a car I can afford to insure, which parents cover thankfully, but less = better.



And no my parents have no money to help me

 

[Pathogen03]

Originally posted by: rmrf
afaik, you have to drive a certain amount of miles per week or month to get them to pay for advertising. most college kids I know basically park their car until the weekends, and use them then.

I would just find a decent used car. Don't keep sticking money in a car that is trying to die.

Yeah, the site mentions that the usual is 5-35 miles per day average.. I drive to connecticut once every two months or so, so thats no problem. also drive to work 4/7 days a week.

 

[enyce2k9]

wtf that looks like a scam, if its not once u get the car pm me

 

[Pathogen03]

Originally posted by: enyce2k9
wtf that looks like a scam, if its not once u get the car pm me

Its also a question of if my dignity will allow me to drive a car with ads on it.

Im just trying to ask if anyone knows if sites like this do work.. I KNOW people do get free cars paid for by the ads on them, ive seen them around and heard, but my question is, how do they find an 'investor'?

 

[archcommus]

The site's a scam, they just want your membership fee, please, you're a college student with limited time and money, don't waste both!

Just get the cheapest thing you can find that looks to be working okay. If you know a mechanic have him look over it before buying it. Get LIABILITY ONLY on your insurance and scrape up what you can.

 

[Pathogen03]

Originally posted by: archcommus
The site's a scam, they just want your membership fee, please, you're a college student with limited time and money, don't waste both!

Just get the cheapest thing you can find that looks to be working okay. If you know a mechanic have him look over it before buying it. Get LIABILITY ONLY on your insurance and scrape up what you can.

I dont know a mechanic. Problem is I dont want to buy some car with 100,000 miles on it (all I can really afford) that I have to sink more money in to...

Do you have confirmation that its a scam? I dont want someone to say it authoritatively than have everyone else in the thread agree just because it sthe trendy thing to do.

 

[kitkat22]

Get a bike, unless you really have to go far; ie to work. Otherwise save your pennies. You'll have way more stress than you want or need if you get a car and have payments. Most students get their cars from parents who either buy it for them or pay it for them and they have to pay insurance.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: Pathogen03

Originally posted by: archcommus
The site's a scam, they just want your membership fee, please, you're a college student with limited time and money, don't waste both!

Just get the cheapest thing you can find that looks to be working okay. If you know a mechanic have him look over it before buying it. Get LIABILITY ONLY on your insurance and scrape up what you can.

I dont know a mechanic. Problem is I dont want to buy some car with 100,000 miles on it (all I can really afford) that I have to sink more money in to...

Do you have confirmation that its a scam? I dont want someone to say it authoritatively than have everyone else in the thread agree just because it sthe trendy thing to do.

Yes I know, that's why you need to just go Honda or Toyota and find SOMEONE to look the thing over for you.

I know it's a scam. I have no link or anything for proof but trust me, I fell into the same traps when I was younger and learned myself what's fishy and what isn't, that definitely is!

 

[Pathogen03]

Originally posted by: cscpianoman
Get a bike, unless you really have to go far; ie to work. Otherwise save your pennies. You'll have way more stress than you want or need if you get a car and have payments. Most students get their cars from parents who either buy it for them or pay it for them and they have to pay insurance.

yeah, work is about a 15 minute drive, and I work morning shifts, I allready have to get up at 6:30am. not to mention I am NOT biking to connecticut from maryland every 2 months or so

My parents deal is: I procur car, they cover insurance, but financially we aren't the best off, so less insurance is important. Taking a loan out is a possibility, but even with a 4k loan that leaves me with maybe 6k cash to buy a car, which leaves me with a beater basically. Im not asking what I can get with 6k, im asking are there any places where I can make that 6k mean more.. IE a police auction or something

 

[rmrf]

You can contact places directly, instead of going through an agency. there was a lady that lived around me that had a VW bug with subway ads plastered all over it.

normally places will want a car that stands out, so you can't just go buy a kia and stick ads on it. nobody cares about kias.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

bus pass?

If not, just grab a used civic or something!

 

[Pathogen03]

Originally posted by: rmrf
You can contact places directly, instead of going through an agency. there was a lady that lived around me that had a VW bug with subway ads plastered all over it.

normally places will want a car that stands out, so you can't just go buy a kia and stick ads on it. nobody cares about kias.

How do you find a list of places? heh.. what im trying to find is a confirmed reputable agency... I cant just "call Subway" ... even then I would assume I would need to try MANY MANY MANY places, and I just dont know that many, heh.. and preferably it would be on a 2006 Eclipse

 

[rmrf]

Originally posted by: Pathogen03

Originally posted by: rmrf
You can contact places directly, instead of going through an agency. there was a lady that lived around me that had a VW bug with subway ads plastered all over it.

normally places will want a car that stands out, so you can't just go buy a kia and stick ads on it. nobody cares about kias.

How do you find a list of places? heh.. what im trying to find is a confirmed reputable agency... I cant just "call Subway" ... even then I would assume I would need to try MANY MANY MANY places, and I just dont know that many, heh.. and preferably it would be on a 2006 Eclipse

there are already too many ricers advertising for free. good luck.

 

[Indolent]

Is there any reason you can't just get a second job?

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: Indolent
Is there any reason you can't just get a second job?

Well for the summer, definitely. You need to be working full time in the summer.

But during school, obviously not.

 

[Pathogen03]

Originally posted by: rmrf

Originally posted by: Pathogen03

Originally posted by: rmrf
You can contact places directly, instead of going through an agency. there was a lady that lived around me that had a VW bug with subway ads plastered all over it.

normally places will want a car that stands out, so you can't just go buy a kia and stick ads on it. nobody cares about kias.

How do you find a list of places? heh.. what im trying to find is a confirmed reputable agency... I cant just "call Subway" ... even then I would assume I would need to try MANY MANY MANY places, and I just dont know that many, heh.. and preferably it would be on a 2006 Eclipse

there are already too many ricers advertising for free. good luck.

I would not rice it at all thank you very much I think it looks retarded when people plaster those stickers all over their car.. at leas this way im paid for it the Eclipse isnt a true ricer car, thank god.

Originally posted by: Indolent
Is there any reason you can't just get a second job?

Class? and im allready applying for a second job anyway, that would up me to about 950 a month, though working it concurrently with circuit city and class would probably prove impossible.

Yes ive allready researching buying items through circuit city accomodations programs and reselling them, but ebay is allready saturated.

40% off ATi cards, 50% off logitech stuff, and I cant even take advantage of it!

 

[Pathogen03]

Originally posted by: archcommus

Originally posted by: Indolent
Is there any reason you can't just get a second job?

Well for the summer, definitely. You need to be working full time in the summer.

But during school, obviously not.

I even applied for circuit city full time, as this past semester I only had classes tuesday/thursday, but they only will give me 25 hours a week, which is why im looking elsewhere.

 

[Fenixgoon]

motorcycle? very cheap, almost nothing for insurance

 

[duragezic]

$6k is quite a bit. I'd find an old Honda or Toyota for under $1000 and drive it into the ground. My car was only $2500 quite a few years ago and runs great to this day (1993 Mazda 626). You might be able to get school loans to help cover the cost of the car.

edit: See the Pics link in my sig for a few. Just about all of my friends are surprised to hear its as old as a 1993. Find a car that has been taken care of and it will last a long time. I think even $2k would get you a reliable car (in general, no way to tell for sure).

 

[Pathogen03]

Not in my area sadly.


and the 6k was including 4k in loans.

Ive only seen remotely reliable cars (under 100k mile civics) starting at around 4k in my area..