Buying a car for the first time - Page 2

[jbennet]

To be frank though, it doesnt matter if your first car is crap. 62% of male drivers crash within thier first 2 years.

[Nick Evan]

62% of male drivers crash within thier first 2 years.

Global or in the UK?

[jonsca]

That must be a percentage measured in metric. Just kidding. :)

[jbennet]

That must be a percentage measured in metri

You dont use metric for road-related stuff apart from petrol..

Thats what it said on a thing i got from the insurance company. Compared to 30 odd percent of females. Explains why mine is nearly 2000 and theres is about £400 lol.

[jonsca]

You dont use metric for road-related stuff apart from petrol..

I know percents are unitless, I was just having fun. That number does seem a little high but I'll take your word for it.

[Nick Evan]

I know that insurance-rates in the UK are outrageously high, so perhaps that has something to do with this percentage?
Personally I don't know anyone who crashed their car in the first two years. So perhaps we are just better drivers? Where I live, you're required to take no less then 20 1-hour car-driving-lessons along with 3 exams (1 theoretical- and 2 practice-exams )

[jbennet]

Same. Over half of my friends have crashed. Maybe its just here.

[zortec]

The replies have been helpful. I have a general idea of what to buy. What major factors do you need to look at when buying a car? I know that cost and mileage should be taken into consideration.

Is Honda and Toyota very reliable? I have talked to a few people who suggested that I get a Honda Accord/Civic, Toyota Corolla or Camry about a '94 or '95. I thought that you want to have a car made within the last 5 years for the reason it is easy to get parts.

I'm wondering if $500 or $600 is too unrealistic of a budget. It would be possible to get a car for that amount, but would want it to run longer than a week. I was advised by the DMV not to buy a car through craigslist, instead to go through a used car dealership. Has anyone ever bought a car off cl?

[MosaicFuneral]

Get a Ford pickup from the '70s and you'll always have parts, and a decent one might only run you a couple hundred. They do require maintenance and seeing how you're asking an IT community about this - it might not be the road for you.

When it comes to CL you need to have someone who knows cars with you. Try to find evidence that suggest that the individual actually owned the car the, such as enticing them into a conversation about the car in question. Nothing like buying a hot car and facing jail time.

[jwenting]

The replies have been helpful. I have a general idea of what to buy. What major factors do you need to look at when buying a car? I know that cost and mileage should be taken into consideration.

- service history. If it's been regularly maintained by a dealership (or other qualified garage) it should be relatively trouble free as they won't sign off on it otherwise
- rust. Search the internet for information what to look for. Most makes and models have specific places where rust forms more easily on them than others
- tyres. Are they worn down evenly or not? If not it could be a sign that the car is out of balance, maybe even crooked because of an earlier crash.
- accident history. DMV may have that information as well as knowing if it's "hot" for being used in crime

Is Honda and Toyota very reliable? I have talked to a few people who suggested that I get a Honda Accord/Civic, Toyota Corolla or Camry about a '94 or '95. I thought that you want to have a car made within the last 5 years for the reason it is easy to get parts.

Generally reliable. Of course all brands have some bad apples at times.

I'm wondering if $500 or $600 is too unrealistic of a budget. It would be possible to get a car for that amount, but would want it to run longer than a week. I was advised by the DMV not to buy a car through craigslist, instead to go through a used car dealership. Has anyone ever bought a car off cl?

Any car bought off a private person is a bigger risk than one bought off a dealership (especially a reputable one, there are professional organisations for car dealerships here that have strict standards for their members, I'm pretty certain those exist in the US as well, those won't generally try to defraud you and have to give warranty and full documentation or they get kicked out, plus the organisation has a complaints procedure if you do have problems with their members).
Unless you know a lot about the car you're buying and can detect problems with it from a short test drive and looking around it, don't buy from an individual or some shady car salesman in a back alley.

[bigsexy]

toyota is best all round you cant beat reliability.

[dexter737]

You should buy a Ford Focus those cars looks great or you can buy a Holden or Falcon.