Buying a Car. It's Frustrating

iflynething · Sep 24, 2008

I hate it. It's so frustrating. I have a Dodge Dakota that I have been driving now which gets a wonderful 18 mpg city/highway combined.

I've been searching for a Honda, Acura, Toyota....something that we all know works great and gets good gas mileage and when I sell it, the depreciation won't be so much.

I feel like such a car whore.

I have brought home a new car almost every couple nights and I just give them back to the dealership because something is wrong. Well, I finally found a nice car. White, 2002 Honda Accord with 125,000 miles on it. Kinda high. Anyways, I'm frustrated because:

Insurace is going to be too high for me since I'm 19 and I can't get a loan on my own because I don't have any credit (yet.) I was trying to go through my grandmaw and have everything through her. Her and my mom live in South Carolina, I live in North Carolina. I couldn't have the car in my name, NC tags and the loan through someone in SC. Well my maw maw backed out and now I'm down to talking with my mom. Well, she is really hesitant (sp?) to have this car in her name, the loan through her and then just add me as a driver on her insurance and be driving in NC. She thinks something would happen to her insurace or something. I dont' know what the issue it.

My stepmom had a car that was registerd in her parents name in Tennessee and even had Tennessee tags. She had plenty of license checks and stops and she didnt' get into trouble. I'm trying to explain to my mom that everything being in her name and me driving in NC won't matter. It would be like a college kid getting a car for college and driving in another state and that car being on the parents insurance and the parents name.

Is there anything wrong with all this. What COULD happen. Just thought I would vent.

Thanks for reading

~Michael~

Phranquey · Sep 24, 2008

What COULD happen.

You make a decent point about college students driving out-of-state cars at school.

BUT...as the parent of an 18 year old son, the "what COULD happen" raises all kinds of issues. Namely, liability.

I don't know you personally, so don't take this as an accusation. If you go out partying, drive home drunk in your mom's car and crash, not only are you liable for your actions, but she could be liable for damages above and beyond what insurance would cover because she is the owner. It's hard to realize at your age, but these hesitations enter into a parents mind when considering things like this.

usayit · Sep 24, 2008

iflynething said:
I've been searching for a Honda, Acura, Toyota....something that we all know works great and gets good gas mileage and when I sell it, the depreciation won't be so much.

Never bank of depreciation (lack of). Cars are never a good investment (excluding collectables) Just accept it and focus on other characteristics such as reliability.... the longer you drive the car the more you save.

Ok... I'm going to sound like a grouchy old fellow (i'm not) but my first car was a 1974 plymouth duster that I had towed to my house for a grand total of $100. I worked on it and drove it until it died.... 3 years later. It got me A to B.. that's all I cared.

Insurance is expensive... because teens crash cars.
Loans are difficult to get... because banks don't think teens will pay loans.

The idea is don't pull a loan and get liability only insurance. If there is a loan against your car, the bank will require you to get full insurance (read expensive) to protect their "investment".

Your mother backed out simply because she is right.... it is a risky proposition on her part.

Let me put it this way... what happens if insurance decides ~not~ to pay out when an expensive accident occurs because you were essentially garaging the car outside the state? The one with the bigger more expensive lawyers will win. You can always play your chances but the only valid answer would come directly from the insurance company.

The idea of insurance is not to bend and get in cheap so you can get the paper to show the cop and DMV. The idea of insurance is protection from liability.... that is the part you don't realize.

iflynething · Sep 24, 2008

Phranquey said:
You make a decent point about college students driving out-of-state cars at school.

I don't know you personally, so don't take this as an accusation. If you go out partying, drive home drunk

Well, it's alright. I do not drink. I never have and never will. I don't party either. I'm right at home taking pictures, editing them or just on the computer or making myself busy. She know I'm not like that. If I were to get into a wreck, it would be an accident, but from driving drunk or anything.

Anyways, legally the car will be my moms, but I will be paying the insurance payments and every car payment. That's the thing about the loan is getting it first.

Also, the car will definately have full coverage on it. I had liability on my truck, simply because it's a 1992, but this 02 Honda will have full coverage. I guess legally what could happen.

Thanks for your replies though

~Michael~

usayit · Sep 25, 2008

iflynething said:
I guess legally what could happen.

Legally the insurance company could deny any payout to cover your liability in any accident.

One of the questions that is asked is the location(s) where the car is garaged and used. (In my case, the address of my home(garage) and my work address). If they determine that you intentionally mislead them by not disclosing that the car is mostly used in another state, you could be in dire trouble.

ferny · Sep 25, 2008

Phone, talk, ask questions. That's the only way to know what you will and won't be covered for as each company will be slightly different.

iflynething · Sep 26, 2008

Well I bought the car. Ended up on a White 02 Honda Accord. I'm looking forward to the 28 hwy miles per gallon verses the 18 was getting with my truck

~Michael~

ferny · Sep 27, 2008

Only 28?!?!?!?!

Mine does better than that and it's technology from the 40-50's which gets soundly thrashed!

usayit · Sep 27, 2008

yes.... ferny... the difference is that the Accord is here in the U.S. Regulations err on the side of the bigger (more gas guzzling) vehicles and so does the market. The manufacturers/retailers of vehicles are just following suite. The consumers are used to it and 28mpg is relatively good. As in iflynething's case, he/she is used to 18mpg in a truck. The differences in the market are obvious if you look compare the vehicle lineups of Europe and America from the same manufacturer. Differences in the market are also driven by fuel prices as well.

My father's old Honda CRX of the 80s got better gas mileage than 90% of the cars made in the U.S. today. Many old cars got better gas mileage in past. Unfortunately, that is just the way it is right now.

what car do you drive?

@iflynething, congrats on your purchase.

Hawaii Five-O · Sep 27, 2008

he drives an old honda civic, but won't admit it!!:lmao: He calls it a Triumph hehe

iflynething · Sep 27, 2008

usayit said:
@iflynething, congrats on your purchase.

Well thank you. I'm going to wait to post pictures of it after they detail it again this coming week. The 28 might not be alot, but it will be alot better than the truck I had, like I said

~Michael~

Hawaii Five-O · Sep 27, 2008

28 is not bad, I drive a 94 nissan 4 cylinder truck that only gets 18 or so.

its supposed to get 21/25

iflynething · Sep 27, 2008

Just went through all my bank statement from July 2007 till now, and I have spent $3,165.81 on gas since then. That breaks down to about $200 a month.

I was just a little bit bored and was really curious as to what I spend a month and it was that. I hope it will be alot less. I'm really easy on the gas as far as starting out smoothly from a stoplight and coasting. I thik I could get 30 if I pushed it

~Michael~

mrodgers · Sep 27, 2008

Fuel mileage is a messed up concept. I have a 96 Nissan Altima 4 cyl. that should get 30+ mpg (use to) and only gets 20-22 right now.

My other vehicle is a Mazda Tribute (same as a Ford Escape) with a 3.0L V6 and it gets 22-24 mpg. It is rated at 19-21 I think and EVERYONE I talk to who has it (Ford Escape forum), about 90% of them get 14-16.

I love V6 motors. They do much better than 4 cyl. where I live, in the hills of western PA. I drive my V6 Tribute small SUV and I am barely touching the throttle. I drive my Altima 4 cyl, and I am pushing at least half throttle to keep it up to speed with all the hills.

Put a V6 and a 4 cylinder in the same car and the V6 will be better in fuel mileage every time where I live.

kundalini · Sep 27, 2008

I just bought a 2002 Honda Civic Si Hatchback (fast and fun to drive) and insurance cost is about $265 every 6 months for high end liability. Meaning that I went with top end figures of coverage and deductable. I paid cash for the car and don't need to have comprehensive coverage. At your age, you should suck it up and get the coverage without relying on others, especially if they are reluctant. Get a part-time job if necessary to pay for it, but FFS, do not drive without insurance.

BTW, I'm getting about 26MPG with spirited driving (first two tank fulls). My '97 GMC P/U gets around 10MPG....... no wonder I have switched.