POLL: Help me pick my first car ATOT!

[RU482]

The oldsmobile is a super safe car(really), ultra reliable(really), and ultra boring(uh, yeah, duh)

the jeep...not sure but I assume it's pretty safe, very unreliable according to the 5 people I've know that have owned them, but with the option list you name, fairly unboring

 

[Willoughbyva]

I would take the free car and be very happy.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

WTF man ... free car.

/had a free 89 Celica GT-S until a family member decided that 5K+ with no oil was acceptable ... :|

- M4H

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: Eli
If you insist on spending 7.5k on a car, you can do a LOT better than the Jeep.

Very true. Why is the Jeep your only option besides the cutlass?

I let my dad read thru this thread and now he's thinking about giving me the car to drive to school and work tuesday (day i get my license) and thursday on my day off going to look at some cars at a few dealerships in terre haute or bloomington. We'll look and see if we could find something for me for cheaper than $7500, or I might stay with the cutlass and him buying a new car since we're going to need one soon anyway (right now our two cars are the cutlass and a 94 dodge caravan with 195k miles on it :Q). He said if I wanted the cutlass Tuesday I can have it, so thats what I will probably do. I'd still like everyone's opinions though, or suggestions for a different car for $5000 or so or less.

 

[notfred]

This is easy on a $280/month budget: 1986 Ford Fiesta or Geo Metro or similar.

 

[Eli]

If you want clean, reliable A to B transportation, you really can't go wrong with a Toyota, Honda, Nissan, or Subaru in the 5000$ price range...

Well, that's not true. You can. Be sure and shop around. Don't pick the first car you come across.

Stive hard to find a 1 owner "grannymobile", or at least someone(read: not a teenager) who has taken care of the car and has all service receipts.

I take it payments are your only option? Your best bet may be staking out the Classified ads in your area.

Maybe your Dad will be willing to let you make payments to him, or something. Look at all your options. Rushing into a dealership and buying a car is exactly what they want you to do. You'll get a lot more bang for your buck, and potentially a lot less trouble with the car, if you're well informed and decisive.

 

[amdskip]

freebie!

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

Originally posted by: Eli
If you want clean, reliable A to B transportation, you really can't go wrong with a Toyota, Honda, Nissan, or Subaru in the 5000$ price range...

Well, that's not true. You can. Be sure and shop around. Don't pick the first car you come across.

Stive hard to find a 1 owner "grannymobile", or at least someone(read: not a teenager) who has taken care of the car and has all service receipts.

I take it payments are your only option? Your best bet may be staking out the Classified ads in your area.

Maybe your Dad will be willing to let you make payments to him, or something. Look at all your options. Rushing into a dealership and buying a car is exactly what they want you to do. You'll get a lot more bang for your buck, and potentially a lot less trouble with the car, if you're well informed and decisive.

If I was to get another car then yes, payments are my only option. I think the best decision right now for me is to get the car and not have to worry about money any more than i do now (which isn't hardly at all since i have few expenses: computer games (rarely), dvds, misc mcd's and taco bell food every once in a while). Plus my parents are wanting a new car anyway and this may be the best solution.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: OREOSpeedwagon

Originally posted by: Eli
If you want clean, reliable A to B transportation, you really can't go wrong with a Toyota, Honda, Nissan, or Subaru in the 5000$ price range...

Well, that's not true. You can. Be sure and shop around. Don't pick the first car you come across.

Stive hard to find a 1 owner "grannymobile", or at least someone(read: not a teenager) who has taken care of the car and has all service receipts.

I take it payments are your only option? Your best bet may be staking out the Classified ads in your area.

Maybe your Dad will be willing to let you make payments to him, or something. Look at all your options. Rushing into a dealership and buying a car is exactly what they want you to do. You'll get a lot more bang for your buck, and potentially a lot less trouble with the car, if you're well informed and decisive.

If I was to get another car then yes, payments are my only option. I think the best decision right now for me is to get the car and not have to worry about money any more than i do now (which isn't hardly at all since i have few expenses: computer games (rarely), dvds, misc mcd's and taco bell food every once in a while). Plus my parents are wanting a new car anyway and this may be the best solution.

I agree. Take the free car, enjoy the extra spending money. It probably isn't going to require any serious maintenance anytime soon.

 

[TheToOTaLL]

I voted for the Jeep only because I am a fellow Jeep owner (92 Cherokee Limited; 145k+ and still runs like a top!), but given the circumstances, definate go with teh free car. Save up money, then sell the free car for something nicer down the road, say, when you turn 20?

 

[bunker]

Ignore the poll and go with what everyone is saying. Probably 90% of those Jeep votes are people that pop in any thread they see "Poll" in and vote without reading anything.

 

[LAUST]

93 Civic

 

[Emrys]

The oldsmobile with out question. If this is your first car, I am assuming you are still in High school. Your insurance will likely be more than $100 by more than a little (suv, teenage guy?) and car payments on top of that. Only making $280 a month you are going to be at that or over I would think. Take the oldsmobile, save your money for college, activities, or a car for when your oldsmoblie dies. It's a good starter car(FREE).

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

The oldsmobile with out question.

I only had to pay insurance on my first car, it was $120/mo and that sucked enough. Definitely go for the free car.

 

[StageLeft]

Cutlass, since it's free obviously. With $280/month and $100/month payments plus insurance and gas you'll have no money left.

I would have to save everything else I make because if something on it needed repaired I have to pay for it.

Something will go wrong. They are used vehicles, and WHEN something goes wrong how will you pay for it? You can't afford the jeep, quite plainly.

BTW jeep is winning because a lot of people are obviously voting without reading, and shame on you people who read his post and still voted Jeep. He simply cannot afford it.

 

[aircooled]

take the free one.

 

[Thegonagle]

You earn $280 per month and you're asking whether you should buy a 9 year old Jeep for $8000 (too much) or take the free car?

It's way too easy.

Monthly Jeep expenses, your optimistic numbers: Payment + Insurance + Gas = $280. That leaves you with $0 for M&R, and $0 for yourself. And a 9 year old Jeep is not likely to be trouble-free.

Monthly expenses on the free wheels: Gas = $40, leaving you with $250 per month for M&R and what ever the heck else. A 9 year old Cutlass Ciera isn't likely to be trouble free either, but the difference is that you will be able to afford to take care of the Cutlass.

Come on, you don't really need us to tell you which choice is going to work out and which one isn't, do you?

 

[Thoreau]

Get a better job =)

 

[teddymines]

Take the free car. You can still make payments into a "pretend" car loan while you drive the Olds. Then when it dies or you want to sell, use this money toward a new car.

This is an absolute no-brainer.

 

[dnuggett]

I would much rather have the Grand Cherokee but I also have to consider I will be paying $100 + insurance on it until I'm 20 (16 now).

You won't drive that car for that long...