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Smart Shopper Best Car for a new teenage driver
554 messages, Last post on Nov 08, 2009 at 7:33 PM
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A few things, I'm 21 and I've had my license since I turned 16 after paying for my own driver's ED. I pay my own insurance and have never been in an accident, not counting a hit and run in a parking lot, which my car was the victim while I was shopping. My first car had 180,000 ABS, that didn't work 4wd that worked when it felt like it and a high center of gravity. I had to learn to control it and am a safer driver for it. A 16 year doesn't need a new car and definitely doesn't need all the goodies. I currently drive an 03 Accord LX with ABS and front airbags only, no stability or traction control, and I drive in MN during the winter when the roads can get pretty slippery and I'm still alive and the car is in one piece. I drive slow during the winter because I hate having the ABS go off (not the incentive they had in mind when designing the car, but it works) and I don't care to be the next statistic. Bottom line, if your kids are responsible and you trust them to make the right decisions you can get them a cheap relatively slow car without all the gimmicks. Also, I wouldn't let them pick what they get either since they'll go for looks over substance, while you being older and more experienced will pick substance over looks I would guess. As an aside, and this is just my opinion, but I wouldn't buy a 16 year old a new car, it just sends the wrong signal. That's my opinion. This is just the perspective of a freshly out of my teenage years person.
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Had the car appraised today. Apparently the car was in a serious accident, at least according to the CarMax appraiser, even though my mom said it was minor. The CarMax guy said that both right doors are not original, and there was some frame damage. They offered $6500 for it. The accident is listed in the Carfax. However the Toyota store offered $9300. That’s a lot of money for a four year old compact, even with 12K on the clock. Yes, I did disclose the accident.
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Replying to: exb0 (Nov 02, 2009 5:35 pm) Just found the repair estimate, not sure what all of this means: Repl Qual Repl Parts CAPA RT Fender Repl RT Fender liner Front door Repl Qual Recy Parts RT door assy +25% $625 Repl Qual Recy Parts RT door assy +25% $468.75 (yes, it is listed twice) Alng floor set up for minor pull -- 1 hour Alng pull rh qtr rough -- 1.5 h F Rpr weld tab for pull -- 0.5 h Ppr RT quarter panel. Overlap Makor Adj. Panel -- 5 h Can anyone interpret this? Does this sound like a big deal? Total repair bill is $4K. Alignment seems to be fine. Police report states: "Veh1 (the other driver) was backing out of a parking space. Veh 2 (my mother) was driving past V3h1 as it backed up. Veh 1 struck Vec 2 as it past by." Weird. That's a lot of damage for a parking lot accident.
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Replying to: exb0 (Nov 02, 2009 6:15 pm) Now, what I'm not totally sure on is where the doors came from. I'm wondering if "Recy" means recycled, as in junkyard. I would take that $9300 from the dealer and run like I just sole something ... because you just did!  That car is worth all of about $9k on a trade WITHOUT the accident.
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Replying to: qbrozen (Nov 03, 2009 6:25 am) The car came from Rochester NY. If the parts are from a junk yard, they might have some hidden rust that will expose itself in the future. I just don't know.
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Replying to: exb0 (Nov 04, 2009 6:20 am) And, keep in mind, if you do just spend $4650, it cost you NOTHING. Otherwise, if you keep the car, you have to pony up $4650 of your own cash to pay off your sister, correct? SOOO... you could buy, say, a $6k car and you've only paid $1400 out of pocket. Fact of the matter is, you will never see that kind of money for that car again. IMHO, they are giving you OVER private retail for it. There is no way I could turn that down, personally.
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Replying to: exb0 (Nov 02, 2009 6:15 pm) Not necessarily anything wrong with recycled parts but still something to consider. They had to do two separate pulls on the frame machine to get the rear quarter straight and then had to do a couple of rewelds to make it all work. I wonder how fast the other person was backing up. Maybe when your mother was hit by them the Corolla was pushed into something else. They did replace both rear doors for some reason. |
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Replying to: british_rover (Nov 04, 2009 8:57 am)
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Replying to: qbrozen (Nov 04, 2009 9:30 am) How big was the other car I wonder? Was it a bigger truck so that the back bumper just took out the whole B-Pillar? |
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Replying to: tankbeans (Nov 02, 2009 4:56 pm) |
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Smart Shopper Best Car for a new teenage driver
