I Finally Got my Car!

[mb]

In Pennsylvania:
Passenger Vehicle Registration $36.00
Original Title Issuance $22.50
Tax: 6%?

Which means the car was priced at roughly $5,487 if my calculations are correct.

According to KBB.com (fwiw), the "suggested retail value" is $5,450. However, you can usually get used cars like this for under kbb price...

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

Originally posted by: Malak

Originally posted by: MBrown
I wouldve gotten a standard instead of automatic, but thats just me. congrats.

Automatic is standard. Nobody drives manual anymore. Even sports cars come in automatic these days. I've never seen the fascination with manual cars anyway. I can drive faster in an auto.

Where the hell are you from, Venus?

Everyone I know of, besides women and families, drive standard which is in fact stickshift. I feel like I have better control of the vehicle's speed. In addition, I like standard/manual because i'm figity anyway so it keeps me from going crazy

BTW OP, yes you could have purchased something better but don't feel bad. It's your first car, it's reliable, and i'm sure parts are cheap since Cavaliers were heavily produced. :thumbsup:

 

[Twista]

Originally posted by: Malak

Originally posted by: MBrown
I wouldve gotten a standard instead of automatic, but thats just me. congrats.

Automatic is standard. Nobody drives manual anymore. Even sports cars come in automatic these days. I've never seen the fascination with manual cars anyway. I can drive faster in an auto.

woah, woah, woah! Automatics are #1 in america because most ppl dont want to learn how to drive it plus it supposly takes away the eatting factor or talking on cell while driving. Yes, sport cars come with automatics and the owners who buy them wasnt thinking straight when he/she brought it =) Sports+umm fun= stick shift.. not a damn automatic if you want a sports car. Theres no fascination till you drive one for +1 more month because the 1st couple weeks is mostly hell and your thinking, "why the hell did i get a manual".
=) Manuals are the win!

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Malak
I think people are forgetting that the price included taxes and tags, so I say good luck with the car. Enjoy it. Save up now for a new car, one worth keeping for a long time. Don't buy what you want now, buy what you want always.

Without taxes and tags it should have been a $4,000 car, especially considering that it has body repair on its record now. Even if the sales tax is 10%, with tax and tags he shouldn't have walked out of the dealership for more than $4,500 for that car.

I'm not saying that the car is bad, it's not. He bought a practical car (which is more than I can say for my own car-buying habits), but he over-paid by about 30%.

I know that I'm not the most obvious person to give this advice considering what I just purchased, but bear in mind that I paid less for the '06 than KBB for an '05 with 10,000 miles.

ZV

 

[psteng19]

Originally posted by: heelside23

Originally posted by: Malak

Originally posted by: MBrown
I wouldve gotten a standard instead of automatic, but thats just me. congrats.

Automatic is standard. Nobody drives manual anymore. Even sports cars come in automatic these days. I've never seen the fascination with manual cars anyway. I can drive faster in an auto.

And to build on what you said- if you're looking for more speed with a manual, look for a different car all together. With 4 cylinders, you're better off with an automatic, unless you just get a kick out of shifting gears. As some of my friends would say, a manual is a man's car.

Sorry, you couldn't be more wrong.
With a small 4 cylinder engine, you're much better off with a manual to make the most out of that engine.
A torque converter and a crappy transmission will suck the life out of that car.
I know because I've driven 4 speed autos and 5 speed manuals of the same car with the same engine.

I don't care whether a manual is faster or slower than an auto.
I just like to have more control of the car, when to hold a gear longer, when to downshift/upshift, etc.
And don't tell me your tiptronic does that too because I've driven those and they are absolutely horrible.


Oh, and to the OP, you overpaid by a tad

 

[MaxFusion16]

I'm sorry, but that's a rubbish car, could've gotten a mid 90s integra, celica, 240sx, impreza...etc.

next time ask before hand

 

[xanis]

Originally posted by: MaxFusion16
I'm sorry, but that's a rubbish car, could've gotten a mid 90s integra, celica, 240sx, impreza...etc.

next time ask before hand

Instead of bashing my choice of car and saying that it sucks, how about giving some actually reasons why its "complete rubbish"? Oh and next time I'll gaze into my crystal ball and learn that you're going to say my car sucks, so I'll ask you before hand. I've also posted numerous threads about my car shopping dilemmas, I'm wondering why you didn't place your imput in one of the 3 or so car threads I made?

 

[Looney]

Enjoy it, it's your first car (mine was MUCH sh1ttier). But personally, i think you should have asked us this before you purchased it.

 

[narutofan36]

congrats.... careful on the raod now

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Xanis
The car has a minor cack in the rear fender

So what do you guys think?

A cack in the rear fender? Remove it before you catch teh gh3y!

 

[BHeemsoth]

You fvckers are unbelievable.

Let the kid enjoy his first car for crying out loud. Stop trying to put him down because your life is so sad and pathetic that you must derive happiness from others pain.

 

[j00fek]

Originally posted by: rpbri2886
You fvckers are unbelievable.

Let the kid enjoy his first car for crying out loud. Stop trying to put him down because your life is so sad and pathetic that you must derive happiness from others pain.

lawlz :thumbsup:

 

[boredhokie]

Should've gotten an M3.

 

[hans007]

i am not sure if thats a good price or not, b ut my friend had a 4 door cavalier , 2000 model.

i mean it was a decent car i guess. but the safety rating by the time that style of it stopped in 2004 was lik e1 star.

and it was well not exactlythe most refined car in the world. my friend got in an accident with an suv at 15mph and well the cavalier's airbags BOTH went off with only 1 person and the car was totalled and he bought a corolla.

 

[Theguynextdoor]

If you really like the car. Ignore some of the comments.

My first car is my dream car, a 2000 Corvette Coupe. Bought it when I was 18. Pouring 1/3 of my paychecks into the monthly bill. No regrets.

 

[xaeniac]

Good job on the first car purchase. People on this forum will bash you no matter what especially if you buy an domestic car. I say good job and just keep routine maintenance on it.

 

[Theguynextdoor]

Originally posted by: xaeniac
Good job on the first car purchase. People on this forum will bash you no matter what especially if you buy an domestic car. I say good job and just keep routine maintenance on it.

Totally agree here. My friend won a cavi just like yours when she was a senior last year. Had 97ki mi. But was in perfect condition. Hit 110k last month.

 

[electricJ]

Originally posted by: Malak

Originally posted by: MBrown
I wouldve gotten a standard instead of automatic, but thats just me. congrats.

Automatic is standard. Nobody drives manual anymore. Even sports cars come in automatic these days. I've never seen the fascination with manual cars anyway. I can drive faster in an auto.

I know many people who ONLY buy manual transmission cars.

 

[sniperruff]

it is not worth that much.... by a couple of thousand.

but as long as you like it, that's all that matters.

 

[wasssup]

That's still a good price man.

If you want to bash anyone for overpaying, leave the OP alone and look this way. Paid $7800 OTD for a '99 Civic EX Coupe, 5-speed, 81k miles (100k now) exactly one year ago. Paid a good $1000 on maintainence so far, if not more.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
HOLY CRAP. You paid 6k for a Calvalier with 67,000 miles?

I wouldn't pay that for a new Cavalier.

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: wasssup
That's still a good price man.

If you want to bash anyone for overpaying, leave the OP alone and look this way. Paid $7800 OTD for a '99 Civic EX Coupe, 5-speed, 81k miles (100k now) exactly one year ago. Paid a good $1000 on maintainence so far, if not more.

i'd agree your purchase is even worse than OP's, but both are pretty bad. a new 02' cavalier went for $10k msrp in 2003... maybe no ABS, but you get the idea how much a cavalier is worth.

 

[sindows]

Well here are some reasons why people think you've overpaid:
The following is based off a rental I drove

1. interior-its ugly and made with cheap materials(sturdy but cheap-think fisherprice toys)
2. engine refinement-there isn't any, the engine is rough and "buzzy" near the top end, feels like it'll fall apart
3. steering-feels very disconnected from the road-you have no ideas what the tires are doing underneath you
4. brakes-adequate but again, lacking in feel
5. fuel economy- good compared to what I drive but bad compared to others in its segment
6. cool factor- not much, you've just bought one of the most basic cars moneycan buy


but enjoy your car, you paid for yours and thats more than I can say about my own
Take good care of it, change oil according to the manual(not when you have "time"), wash it frequently and show it some love

 

[Phlargo]

Originally posted by: Malak

Originally posted by: MBrown
I wouldve gotten a standard instead of automatic, but thats just me. congrats.

Automatic is standard. Nobody drives manual anymore. Even sports cars come in automatic these days. I've never seen the fascination with manual cars anyway. I can drive faster in an auto.

I'm suprised there are so few manual zealots out there! This guy is totally off. To the best of my knowledge, most of the world drives manuals and the only reason automatics are so common here is that we live in the land of laziness.

As for it being faster..sorry Malak. It's just not true. As far as I know, there are only a very select few automatics which are as fast or faster than a manual: the new Audi one and then I think Ferrari has some. And then the F1 stuff. And while I'm very impressed with that new Audi transmission.. I don't even know if I'd buy an auto if I were getting that car - where all the reviewers say that it is the first time they've driven a 'manu-matic' which gives all the benefits and pleasure of driving a manual. I'd still have to do a very careful driving of it first to see if it was as much fun as the manual.

But let's consider some more realistic reasons: a small engine, a road that isn't straight, or any of most automatics which don't handle a car's torque curve very well.

The manual is the only way to go for performance and driving enjoyment (for driving's sake - you wanna sit in your car and talk on your cell phone and eat your cheeseburger - buy your chrysler lebaron).

 

[Phlargo]

Btw.. OP - congrats on your car purchase - it's an exciting time it's great that you were able to put that money together at 17. I can still remember the first car I bought with my own money - a 1997 240SX. What a fun car. Oh, and of course it was a manual ;-)