A/C

Boombaye · 12-22-2008, 02:52 PM

Is this car good for a college student?
I'm kinda short on cash but am looking for a new car to get rid of my 23 year old p.o.s..

Does this car come with A/C or do I have to buy the $600 option, plus does it come with a radio or do I have to buy that option too.

Thanks,

Boombaye

blackbeagle · 12-22-2008, 03:10 PM

As much as I love this car, I would NOT recommend it to a college student. You said it yourself...."I'm kinda short on cash". Well if that's the case, I would consider a used Tercel, Civic, or something like that. When I was in college, I drove a hand-me-down Dodge Colt. There was no way I was able to afford a new car.

jediknight36 · 12-22-2008, 07:52 PM

On the other hand, if you can afford the payments, this is a cheap car to operate. If you are truly short, then a second hand econo box is better. But if you are short on cash but can pay for a new car this is a great car.

gstreetcomic · 12-22-2008, 08:50 PM

I have the Smart Pure and i am a part time college student, and know of another in my neck of the woods. I as well was able to have air , radio, and metallic paint for well about 13.550 with the monthly installments about 260.00 a month. I was able to out up cash DP and a trade in order to get the little guy.
If you decide to get a Smart, do put up the extra 600.00 at least for AC only because it will give you a greater resale value, and serioulsy a car without AC is like a day without sunshine. I don't know where you reside, but I am in an area where the summers are really nasty, so AC is a must ( Especailly on a trip to church in your sunday finest). As far as a good ride for a college student, id recommend it highly.

RVGRINGO · 12-23-2008, 11:28 AM

Sure, keep up that 'living in debt' and 'making payments' lifestyle. Its what got the USA into the hole it is in now. Sadly, it won't be the same country if it ever climbs out of the hole; and it may not be able to climb out.
My advice to the young: Never buy anything that you can't pay for with cash. I used to make an exception for a house, but now I suggest that you save for that as well. The 'American Dream' has died.

smark · 12-23-2008, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boombaye

Is this car good for a college student?
I'm kinda short on cash but am looking for a new car to get rid of my 23 year old p.o.s..

Does this car come with A/C or do I have to buy the $600 option, plus does it come with a radio or do I have to buy that option too.

Thanks,

Boombaye

I have a daughter going to KU. Used Accord, it hauls more. She wanted a Element. I feel she safer, her in the Accord. Its just going to get beat up at school. She can buy a new car, out of school

jediknight36 · 12-23-2008, 12:20 PM

RVNGO, nice optimism. The AC is nice and it won't make a huge dent in your payment.

grwhitaker · 12-23-2008, 12:38 PM

Based on housing costs, very few would be able to save up to pay cash for a home. The problem is not having credit as much as not using it properly. The only things that should be bought on credit should be homes (keeping your total payment under 25% of your gross monthly income) and cars that do not have a full price that represents more than 50% of your gross annual income.

As long as the Fed and State Govts. give you a tax deduction for home mortgage and property tax income, it is still in the average W2 employee's best interest to buy an affordable house, make the payments and pay the property tax and take the deduction from your income taxes. He/she do not get that benefit from renting. Visualize your rent as in $1.00 bills stacked in piles on your front porch and then set it on fire. This is renting. If you do not currently own a house or condo, this is a great time to get a mortgage on a home you can afford. Prices will not stay down forever, and the government will allow you to deduct the interest and property tax in the meantime.

This is not 1960-home prices will not be $5-10K total or even the equivalent in 2008 $. Paying cash is not an option for most folks and never will be. The key words remain, affordable housing, and use your credit properly.

back to the OP-you would be better off at this point to find a reasonably priced used (certified used with a 12month warranty, better) car than paying out $250 per month for the next 60 to 72 months for a $13-19K car.

All, of course, just my $.02 .

blackbeagle · 12-23-2008, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

Sure, keep up that 'living in debt' and 'making payments' lifestyle. Its what got the USA into the hole it is in now. Sadly, it won't be the same country if it ever climbs out of the hole; and it may not be able to climb out.
My advice to the young: Never buy anything that you can't pay for with cash. I used to make an exception for a house, but now I suggest that you save for that as well. The 'American Dream' has died.

RVGringo is absolutely 100% right on this one. I don't want to be political here but we've been staring at a false economy for the last decade. We borrow (from the Chinese and Japanese) and spend money like it's out of style. Then if we're short, we turn to the Federal Reserve to print more money. Our government does it. We, the people do it. Nobody saves. When we get our stimulus checks, we are told to spend to kick the economy into gear. Now they want us to buy American cars to help the auto industry.

NO NO NO. What we need to do is SAVE SAVE SAVE. No Plasma TVs. No new cars. NO new clothes. NO vacations. If you want something, save for it and pay cash with it. NO credit card.

My biggest mistake as a college student was getting that first Visa card with my name on it.

RVGringo, you hit this one on the head. If you can't pay cash for it, you can't afford it.

You look around you with all the problems we see today. You can attribute it to two main things: bad economic policies and bad foreign policies.

Both involves spending more than we have.

jediknight36 · 12-23-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackbeagle

RVGringo is absolutely 100% right on this one. I don't want to be political here but we've been staring at a false economy for the last decade. We borrow (from the Chinese and Japanese) and spend money like it's out of style. Then if we're short, we turn to the Federal Reserve to print more money. Our government does it. We, the people do it. Nobody saves. When we get our stimulus checks, we are told to spend to kick the economy into gear. Now they want us to buy American cars to help the auto industry.

NO NO NO. What we need to do is SAVE SAVE SAVE. No Plasma TVs. No new cars. NO new clothes. NO vacations. If you want something, save for it and pay cash with it. NO credit card.

My biggest mistake as a college student was getting that first Visa card with my name on it.

RVGringo, you hit this one on the head. If you can't pay cash for it, you can't afford it.

You look around you with all the problems we see today. You can attribute it to two main things: bad economic policies and bad foreign policies.

Both involves spending more than we have.

Im not saying that lifestyle is all bad, but in todays world, you need credit. You need credit to get insurance, you need credit to get a checking account, you need it to do just about anything. 30 years ago, you could buy everything with cash because a) things cost lest then and b) because we made more, adjusted for inflation. If income/debt were adjusted for inflation, then it would not be so hard to get cars and houses. YOU NEED CREDIT!
(sorry, it posted w/o my consent)

The thing you need to understand is you need to use credit as a tool and wisely. Get a credit card, by 10-15% of the card's max and pay it out. After 6mo-year of keeping a balance on it, you look like a good credit risk and your score will raise and you can be lent more. Thats something else they didnt have then was a scoring system designed to keep your score low and lenders richer. A loan or account was based on a good handshake and a good night's sleep on the part of the lender.

We got into this mess because of predatory lending techniques, and the "Ill just charge it" (BTW, the new bankruptcy laws FAVOR the credit card industry and hurt the housing market because now, you must pay the cards off before the mortgage... hmm wonder what that will lead to.

Point is: if you can afford the smart payment, and then some, then go for it. But try to stay a month ahead. Honestly, I didnt like paying my 1st car payment because I wasnt used to it. The repo man fixed that and now Im terrified of my car being repoed. If your not used to a payment, you might want to get a smaller one to get used to. But Im not going to sit here and tell you no. You only live once, and if worst comes to worst, seven years fly by fast and you will have learned a valuable lesson.

Good luck, and for more credit info google Credit Secrets Bible.