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Thinking about buying a new car....

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Originally posted by: ZeroIQ
If you need a new car and the one you have is working, make the 200 car payments to yourself in a savings account and buy a used car with cash. A college kid does not need a car payment and you don't need to finance it either. You'll be upside down in a car and a payment you really cannot afford. Your 800 per month salary should be hitting a savings account to pay for your college so you aren't nose deep in student loans.

FINANCING A CAR IN YOUR POSITION IS ONE OF THE DUMBEST THINGS YOU CAN DO.
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This is some very smart advice, it works. I dont have any savings at all, i did have some that got stolen. 200+100 insurance+100 = $400, 50% of my income..

I have a decision...accord is gonna be my buddy FTW !

Before this car had stuff messed up with this, i loved the hell out of my car, its been
the greatest thing ive had, it has room, style, and power, especially for a car 15 years old !
 
Originally posted by: compguy786
I have a decision...accord is gonna be my buddy FTW !

Before this car had stuff messed up with this, i loved the hell out of my car, its been
the greatest thing ive had, it has room, style, and power, especially for a car 15 years old !
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If this didn't start until after the wreck, I'd suspect a vacuum leak somewhere myself.
But you'll probably get even better advice on finding the problem if this gets moved to The Garage or if you start a new topic there about finding the MPG culprit.
 
i go to community college currently, work in their IT department as well, I do live at home also.
i usually pay for insurance ($100) and gas as well ($100)
 
That sounds too cheap. Salvaged title? Don't forget your interest rate when you calculate that out, plus licensing, and tax.
 
Originally posted by: compguy786
BTW this TL is a 2004 with around 70k on it, for like 10800.
not a bad deal 200 x 48 = 9600
sell car = $3000 ?
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1993 Honda Accord EX with 200k that's been in an accident, and you think you'll get $3k? I think that's a tad optimistic. Especially if you're honest about the mileage.
 
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: compguy786
BTW this TL is a 2004 with around 70k on it, for like 10800.
not a bad deal 200 x 48 = 9600
sell car = $3000 ?
Click to expand...

1993 Honda Accord EX with 200k that's been in an accident, and you think you'll get $3k? I think that's a tad optimistic. Especially if you're honest about the mileage.
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Exactly my thoughts.. More like Sell car = $300
 
a tl's gas mileage is not that good... i know...

mixed city and hwy i only get around 18-20mpg. If just purely hwy i'll get around 25mpg...

Honda's v6's are not good on gas (compared to their 4 cyclinder models)
 
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: compguy786
BTW this TL is a 2004 with around 70k on it, for like 10800.
not a bad deal 200 x 48 = 9600
sell car = $3000 ?
Click to expand...

1993 Honda Accord EX with 200k that's been in an accident, and you think you'll get $3k? I think that's a tad optimistic. Especially if you're honest about the mileage.
Click to expand...

trust me...in charlotte, accords go in a flash.
ive had like four offers come up on the car so far.
 
Originally posted by: Cdubneeddeal
That sounds too cheap. Salvaged title? Don't forget your interest rate when you calculate that out, plus licensing, and tax.
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Nope, My dads friend sells cars, and he always gets clean title cars. The TL was a 04 with nav. and 76k miles on it. it sounds cheap, thats why i want to get it.

or other than that, i have no aspiration to get a new car = payments.
 
You say it was in an accident ... What was hit ? ? It is possible maybe the tranny got messed up or more likely either a broken sensor or wire to a sensor someplace. Also have a shop run a compression test, as on that mileage, it may be time for a new timing belt or chain. If they are bad, car will not run good and get bad mileage. Also clean the fuel injectors and check the fuel pressure as they can also cause mileage to go bad. Same for a plugged up cat converter.
 
Originally posted by: compguy786
BTW this TL is a 2004 with around 70k on it, for like 10800.
not a bad deal 200 x 48 = 9600
sell car = $3000 ?
Click to expand...

At $10,800 your payments are going to end up much closer to $300/mo after taxes, finance charge and interest, assuming you want a 4 year loan.

You'd have to get your parents to co-sign too. There's no way anyone would lend to someone with $800/mo income.
 
Originally posted by: bruceb
You say it was in an accident ... What was hit ? ? It is possible maybe the tranny got messed up or more likely either a broken sensor or wire to a sensor someplace. Also have a shop run a compression test, as on that mileage, it may be time for a new timing belt or chain. If they are bad, car will not run good and get bad mileage. Also clean the fuel injectors and check the fuel pressure as they can also cause mileage to go bad. Same for a plugged up cat converter.
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yeah, it was hit in the front, but the only thing that did get damaged majorily was the AC condenser and radiator.

I got the timing belt, plug wires, dist cap, rotor button, ton of internal seals, valve cover gasket, the water pump etc etc changed exactly a year ago. I got a compression test run on it, and 3 of the 4 were perfect, 4 was slightly lower, but nothing major. I think the cat could be clogged, and thats the next im going to look at.

The car feels like its forcing on something, it runs hard, its like the jet stream against you. You really got to pump it to hit 60. before all this, car was powerful and smooth, and accleration was awesome !
 
Originally posted by: compguy786
yeah, it was hit in the front, but the only thing that did get damaged majorily was the AC condenser and radiator.

I got the timing belt, plug wires, dist cap, rotor button, ton of internal seals, valve cover gasket, the water pump etc etc changed exactly a year ago. I got a compression test run on it, and 3 of the 4 were perfect, 4 was slightly lower, but nothing major. I think the cat could be clogged, and thats the next im going to look at.

The car feels like its forcing on something, it runs hard, its like the jet stream against you. You really got to pump it to hit 60. before all this, car was powerful and smooth, and accleration was awesome !
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I see you mentioned plug wires, did you check your spark plugs as well? How about fuel injectors? air filter?

there is still a bunch of things you can check to cover a "tune up"

a leak down test is another good idea also (compression test does not tell you everything)
 
I miss driving my old nissan. not because I liked it, but because I miss treating my car like a pos.....I kind of wish I kept it and just drove it into the ground.
 
Originally posted by: ggnl
Originally posted by: compguy786
BTW this TL is a 2004 with around 70k on it, for like 10800.
not a bad deal 200 x 48 = 9600
sell car = $3000 ?
Click to expand...

At $10,800 your payments are going to end up much closer to $300/mo after taxes, finance charge and interest, assuming you want a 4 year loan.

You'd have to get your parents to co-sign too. There's no way anyone would lend to someone with $800/mo income.
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yeah...for 300/month, you better be driving a new car.
 
Does your state use winter blend gas? Because that will knock 5 MPG off your performance right there. They do that in CA, and I hate it. I go from 33 MPG to struggling to hit 28 MPG when they switch over in fall.

But either way you should really wait until you graduate and have been at your job a few months and feel it is secure.
 
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