OK.. So as you guys know I am going to be taking my DMV test pretty soon.. probably tomorrow actually. Now I'm at the point where I need to start thinking about what car I am going to be getting and what insurance provider I will be using. Now I know many of you will say "6 months with a permit don't need a car etc" but I will need to begin saving up, and I am trying to work out a goal to save for.
In terms of a vehicle, my main criteria for a car would be gas mileage and safety. I was thinking maybe an old Honda, or an old Volvo.. But I don't know too much about cars in general :x. Just looking to get from a to b without spending too much or god-forbid dying.
My second concern being insurance.. What am I looking to spend here? I heard that a male first time driver is looking at a worse rate than a female, but what exactly does anyone in the Northeast pay, gender aside? I won't be able to afford any good coverage I'm sure.. Just going to stick with liability.
Any feedback on a car or insurance would be greatly appreciated. :)
If you're looking to buy a used car, which I imagine you are, a neat little "Life hack" of sorts is to buy a car with a diesel engine (I.E. VW Jetta TDI, Golf TDI, etc). Diesel engines tend to run to about 300,000 miles before needing major repairs. You may be thinking "But gas is so pricey now adays?" yes, but Diesel engines get a lot of mileage. The Golf TDI itself gets 48 MPG, it kind of balances out.
ReplyDeleteThese cars however tend to not be as fast and sporty as a new driver may want, personally my first car was a 2000 Pontiac Bonneville, which drove, handled, and took beatings (4 wrecks) like a dream. It's still trucking, though I'm about to sell it to get a diesel myself
If you want a sportier car for cheap, save up and invest in a Mazda RX8. Mustangs are for chumps who want looks. The mazda has a wankel rotary engine that will get you to speeds up to 170 mph, in no time (It even has a damn LIMITER button on it.)
It's cheaper, however it takes some pretty precise amounts of care, for example the rotary engine has been said to lock up when using synthetic oil, meaning you have to get natural oil for it to work right. Synthetic oils tend to not burn off quick enough and cause carbon buildup in the engine, which will eventually lock it up, and there goes your sporty car.
So there you have it
an economical car, that will last you years
a safe car,
and a sporty car.
If you have any more questions let me know, I know about most of the cars out there
Wish I had some advice to give to you. But I don't even have a car myself!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the test!
@Caleb Mooney
ReplyDeleteWow man what a great response. Thank you!
I am definitely going to look into diesels.. No need for anything flashy. I'll definitely figure out some questions.. You rock man thanks.
Nice comment Caleb, it actually helps me too.
ReplyDeleteWish i could help you out but the insurance in england is so expensive i cant afford to have a car £12k per year is a little out of range from my student budget :)
ReplyDeleteI'm taking my DMV test in a week! Best of luck, mate!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I could help, the average engine survives usually around up to 100-150k miles before needing major repairs. A diesel engine is just so much a better choice for those who are on a budget. Dont be scared to buy a diesel with around 150k miles on it, (Much cheaper) you still have 250k miles to boot. That's a LOT, you will not use those miles up quickly. Of course make sure to maintain your car properly. The average person would use up 250k miles in a matter of a few years.
ReplyDeleteOh god, I hate the DMV... HATE THEM!
ReplyDeleteWhen taking the DMV test be sure to be very alert, and look around alot (scan road, look in mirrors) a few of my friends didn't pass because of this. Mercury and Geico are resonable if you are consistently a good driver. And like Caleb said, a diesel is a great idea. I invested in a company that modded a diesel Jetta and got about 120 mpg. Diesel is looking promising in America, it has been popular in Europe for some time now. The way they make modern diesel engines, it pollutes less as well.
ReplyDeletehmm yeah i need a car soon as well
ReplyDeleteVery insightful post, I am getting my car insurance soon as well -_-
ReplyDeletewell if its your first car, i wouldnt suggest buying a new car. look on craigslist, they have alot of used cars.
ReplyDeleteWell, I had a very classy 95 green station wagon, and got decent mileage with it. It's been a while since I last checked but close to 30 mpg? Something like that, plus the car's a cheap starter before you get your dream car.
ReplyDeleteNot really my area of expertise seeing as how I live in NYC, and I don't have a car or a license. Kinda glad about it now.
ReplyDeletewho needs insurance? as long as the other person is insured, whats to worry about? actually dont listen to that advice...
ReplyDeletei don't have a car too, but good luck
ReplyDeletei agree with the first poster. my friends TDI jetta makes 1200kilomiters on the highway with 1 tank of gas.
ReplyDeletei'm going to disagree with something said above. DON'T GET A ROTARY FOR A FIRST CAR. i personally love the rotary engine and the mazda rx-7 is my all time favorite car, but rotary engines can take a lot to maintain properly and if you don't know what you're doing you'll have a bunch of problems.
ReplyDeleteget any cheap, used, running, beater car on craigslist, and get the minimum level of insurance your state requires. get some experience driving and taking care of a car and then decide what you want. you can resell your cheap car later when you decide what you really want.
As far as insurance is concerned I've tried them all and the best one out their in my opinion is Allstate. Though sometimes their customer service can be a bit dimwitted the get the job done. Worst one though is NationWide and Geico. I hit a deer on my motorcycle and NationWide didn't want to cover it saying it was like me hitting a tree. There is super long rant in their but I'll spare ya (deers are not trees in the middle of the road >.>)
ReplyDeleteGeico jacked up my rates like crazy after one simple moving violation (not making a complete stop at a stop sign BS) Good luck on your test, hope this helps.
-Supported by, Maniacal
My recommendation is to get something older than 1992. They will be a ton easier to work on and liability insurance will be a good bit cheaper.
ReplyDelete