I just landed my first job as a reporting analyst at a small healthcare company. I currently drive a Honda, and it is the same model that my manager drives (however he has a family, it is the 4 door family sedan, whereas I am single and want something sporty). I was thinking about getting a new vehicle, possibly a Volkswagen Jetta/GTI or Volvo S40, priced around the mid 20's. My Honda got me through college, and has some visual blemishes and smells of smoke, but now that I quit smoking I want something tasteful and respectable but not flashy. Should I be worried about sending the wrong message when I show up to work driving a car that is worth 5x more than my boss's? What other issues deserve consideration before purchasing your first car (as it relates to how it will affect the way you are perceived at work)?
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Straight out of college, what to consider before buying a car 1
- Thread starter bkrav
- Start date
bkrav said:
Call me old-fashioned, but I can't, for the life of me, see what one's choice of car has to do with one's career path. One of the hardest workers we have drives a beat up 10-year-old Civic.
Once you start out on your own, and you have mortgage, utilities, and food costs to deal with, the cheaper cars start looking better and better. Plus, you are not a cop magnet, and your insurance will be lower.
It doesn't have to be a Rolls-Royce, as long as it rolls.
Feles mala! Cur cista non uteris? Stramentum novum in ea posui!
sbudzynski
Technical User
Yeah unless you'll be driving customers around your vehicle should not effect your career path.
Just don't put a fart can or airplane grade wing on the back of it!
That might have an adverse effect on your love life path
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Steve Budzynski
"So, pass another round around for the kids. Who have nothing left to lose and for those souls old and sold out by the soles of my shoes"
Just don't put a fart can or airplane grade wing on the back of it!
That might have an adverse effect on your love life path
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Steve Budzynski
"So, pass another round around for the kids. Who have nothing left to lose and for those souls old and sold out by the soles of my shoes"
The "airplane grade wing on the back" strikes a chord with me.
When I see one of these vanilla pedestrian-mobiles (aka not intended to be "sporty") with a wing attached to the trunk lid (with VISIBLE sheetmetal screws) they remind me of shopping carts. They look like the little cars that you see parents pushing through the local supermarket with their children "driving".
Utterly ridiculous .... and the phart-can mufflers make them sound like weed-wackers on steroids.
When I see one of these vanilla pedestrian-mobiles (aka not intended to be "sporty") with a wing attached to the trunk lid (with VISIBLE sheetmetal screws) they remind me of shopping carts. They look like the little cars that you see parents pushing through the local supermarket with their children "driving".
Utterly ridiculous .... and the phart-can mufflers make them sound like weed-wackers on steroids.
bkrav,
My only input on this (as I'm not qualified to provide input on 'style' the only cars I ever owned were both purchased at a repo auction) is to be very, very careful about your payments.
You don't have lot of living expenses now, but if you are worried about your image I doubt you will be living with your parents in 3 years. And then you will have expenses such as rent, utlities, groceries, etc.
May sure the payments won't be burdensome then as well. It would be a shame if I ended up with your car in 3 years ;p
My only input on this (as I'm not qualified to provide input on 'style' the only cars I ever owned were both purchased at a repo auction) is to be very, very careful about your payments.
You don't have lot of living expenses now, but if you are worried about your image I doubt you will be living with your parents in 3 years. And then you will have expenses such as rent, utlities, groceries, etc.
May sure the payments won't be burdensome then as well. It would be a shame if I ended up with your car in 3 years ;p
AnotherHiggins
Technical User
bkrav,
It sounds like you have made your decision - and I'm sure you'll be happy with it. I would second Lunatic's point - just because you can easily make the payment now, while living with your parents, doesn't mean they'll be so easy when you're living on your own.
I would also urge you to have a look at the Consumer Reports auto edition. I know several people with VW's. All love their cars, but some have had some repair bills earlier than they would have liked. A not-so-great repair rate is confirmed by CR's reporting. If you are going with a VW, I'd seriously look at the Turbo Diesels. Plenty of power and great mileage.
If you can be swayed away from VW, I'd strongly suggest you look at Toyotas and/or Hondas.
[offtopic]
along the lines of the "fart can or airplane grade wing"....
A couple of weeks ago I went to lunch and an old (probably late eighties), white (I think - this car was really dirty) Volvo station wagon pulled up next to me. It had spinners on it. Yes, that's right - spinners on an old, dirty, beat-up Volvo wagon.
Then a 50-something overweight white dude got out and walked into the restaurant. I assume it was his kid's car.
[/offtopic]
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[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]
Help us help you. Please read FAQ181-2886 before posting.
It sounds like you have made your decision - and I'm sure you'll be happy with it. I would second Lunatic's point - just because you can easily make the payment now, while living with your parents, doesn't mean they'll be so easy when you're living on your own.
I would also urge you to have a look at the Consumer Reports auto edition. I know several people with VW's. All love their cars, but some have had some repair bills earlier than they would have liked. A not-so-great repair rate is confirmed by CR's reporting. If you are going with a VW, I'd seriously look at the Turbo Diesels. Plenty of power and great mileage.
If you can be swayed away from VW, I'd strongly suggest you look at Toyotas and/or Hondas.
[offtopic]
along the lines of the "fart can or airplane grade wing"....
A couple of weeks ago I went to lunch and an old (probably late eighties), white (I think - this car was really dirty) Volvo station wagon pulled up next to me. It had spinners on it. Yes, that's right - spinners on an old, dirty, beat-up Volvo wagon.
Then a 50-something overweight white dude got out and walked into the restaurant. I assume it was his kid's car.
[/offtopic]
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[blue]-John[/blue][/tt]
[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]
Help us help you. Please read FAQ181-2886 before posting.
Stella740pl
Programmer
Lunatic said:
Hm. Got to agree with that. A young man with a degree and a normal job that lives with his parents 3 years after college, but drives a more-or-less expensive car - what message do you think it sends? Not only to your boss and coworkers, but also to potential dates?
I don't know much about models of cars, but I should know about models of men. I, personally, would always prefer (and did) an independent one.
So I like the advice to live some room for living expenses and not dump all your money into the car. A reasonably good, possibly 2-5 years old pre-owned, clean and in good condition will do, I would guess. But it's your call, of course.
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1
- #27
RegistrationMark
Technical User
Do not buy a brand new car. It is the single worst pissing away of money since the lottery. Not to mention insurance and financing of the thing. I might suggest buying a leased car that's been traded in. A great chunk of the depreciation is gone, and you should be able to get financing for 36 months at a good rate, so you'll save some dough there too.
good lord i sound like my old man
Mark
good lord i sound like my old man
Mark
For the most part, the car I drive isn't even noticed by my bosses or coworkers. I've driven both mundane transportation and much sportier cars. The only exception is when my boss is a car nut like me. Right now, my boss' boss is a car guy and we had an instant raport. He's even told me about track days at local race tracks and has invited me to join him. I guess that's the same as people who golf.
As far as something inexpensive that can still impress, my last car was a used (2 or 3 year old) BMW 325i. I got it in the low $20k's and it was BMW certified with a 100,000 mile warrantee that covered just about everything (oil changes, brake job, etc). It had just over 17k miles on it because it was a lease vehicle that had been returned. Right now you can still find a fairly low mileage, two or three year old 325i for $20k or less. They're easy to insure and fun to drive.
But, you're young and can get away with being irresponsible. I say go for the GTI. Just follow your heart more than your head. Be good at what you do at work and that will mean more to carreer success than what you drive. But I say get a car that is a blast to drive and scares your parents. That will give you something to remember fondly later in life when you're driving a minivan or an SUV with a bunch of kids in the back.
As far as something inexpensive that can still impress, my last car was a used (2 or 3 year old) BMW 325i. I got it in the low $20k's and it was BMW certified with a 100,000 mile warrantee that covered just about everything (oil changes, brake job, etc). It had just over 17k miles on it because it was a lease vehicle that had been returned. Right now you can still find a fairly low mileage, two or three year old 325i for $20k or less. They're easy to insure and fun to drive.
But, you're young and can get away with being irresponsible. I say go for the GTI. Just follow your heart more than your head. Be good at what you do at work and that will mean more to carreer success than what you drive. But I say get a car that is a blast to drive and scares your parents. That will give you something to remember fondly later in life when you're driving a minivan or an SUV with a bunch of kids in the back.
I have to second what Mark says, unless you have severe OCD there is really no reason to buy a brand new car. You will never lose money faster (except when buying your first house) than you will in that second your front tires leave the dealer lot. I have a used car dealership near me that specializes in off-lease and other low mileage vehicles, and they can't be beat.
Enjoy the new wheels!
Alex
It's a magical time of year in Philadelphia. Eagles training camp marks the end of another brutal season of complaining about the Phillies.
Enjoy the new wheels!
Alex
It's a magical time of year in Philadelphia. Eagles training camp marks the end of another brutal season of complaining about the Phillies.
View from the UK again..
If you are in the UK then DO buy a new car if you possible can.
A new car here losses about 1/3rd of its value after one year, etc, so after 3 years its worth about 1/2 what you paid for it. So you have plenty of deposit to put down on the next new one.
Why 3 years?. Well when a car gets to 3 years old in the UK it starts to have the dreaded annual MOT test.
This is where unscrupulous Repair shops (we call them garages) get to charge you an arm and a leg to put right all the stuff that they have failed it on.
[e.g. the licence plate has a crack in it, the brake pipes have a speck of rust on them, the pads are worn, the half shaft gators have a small crack in them, the head lamps are out of alignment, the wiper blades are worn, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc]
By the time your car gets to 5 years old these bills will be about the same as the car is worth.
All Brits are envious of New car owners for this very reason.
Steve: Delphi a feersum engin indeed.
If you are in the UK then DO buy a new car if you possible can.
A new car here losses about 1/3rd of its value after one year, etc, so after 3 years its worth about 1/2 what you paid for it. So you have plenty of deposit to put down on the next new one.
Why 3 years?. Well when a car gets to 3 years old in the UK it starts to have the dreaded annual MOT test.
This is where unscrupulous Repair shops (we call them garages) get to charge you an arm and a leg to put right all the stuff that they have failed it on.
[e.g. the licence plate has a crack in it, the brake pipes have a speck of rust on them, the pads are worn, the half shaft gators have a small crack in them, the head lamps are out of alignment, the wiper blades are worn, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc]
By the time your car gets to 5 years old these bills will be about the same as the car is worth.
All Brits are envious of New car owners for this very reason.
Steve: Delphi a feersum engin indeed.
I think that's a little unfair, it's going to depend a lot on who does your MOT. My corolla is picked up and dropped back once a year, and that only costs £39 including the MOT itself!
It's never had anything wrong with it aside from new pads/discs (which you can do yourself), and it's 8 years old.
Carlsberg don't run I.T departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.
It's never had anything wrong with it aside from new pads/discs (which you can do yourself), and it's 8 years old.
Carlsberg don't run I.T departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.
In PA at least, we need to get vehicles inspected every year, even if it is a new car. Don't tell your unscrupulous repari shops, we have enough as it is!
Alex
It's a magical time of year in Philadelphia. Eagles training camp marks the end of another brutal season of complaining about the Phillies.
Alex
It's a magical time of year in Philadelphia. Eagles training camp marks the end of another brutal season of complaining about the Phillies.
CajunCenturion
Programmer
In Louisiana, cars must pass an annual inspection as well, and from someone who has been licensed by the state.
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- Moderator
- #35
It's kinda sad... My Jeep is the first vehicle I've bought that had less than 100,000 miles on it (it had 72,000). Then, I went to work for a year and a half with a telephone company, and put 75,000 more miles on it. 
I agree with a new car depreciating as soon as it leaves the lot... you could walk into a lot, buy a brand new $20,000 car, drive it around the block, pull back in and say "I don't like this one", and they'll say "We'll give you $12,000 for it." Sad, really....
HOWEVER..... as soon as I finish paying off my Jeep, I'm going to buy a brand new vehicle. (Probably like a Dodge Dakota 4-wheel drive pickup truck).
Why?
BECAUSE, DAMMIT, I DESERVE IT. Besides, I know that I'll put 200,000+ miles on it anyway, so I don't care what the trade-in value is going to be... but for ONCE in my life, I'm going to have that new-car smell, put the scratches on it MYSELF (instead of inheriting them), etc.
I come from a poor family. I have more now than my parents EVER did (both of which died penniless, and I got stuck with the funeral costs). Neither had insurance, real estate, or decent vehicles (I finally sold my mom's car for $500... an 1980's lincoln). I never got a car for graduation or anything. I've seen cars in demolition derbies that looked better than some cars that I depended on to get me to work... but now, as I turn 40 years old, I've built up a line of credit (after my first wife destroyed it), bought two houses now, and I'm actually making ends meet, I'm going to buy a new vehicle. Something my parents were *never* able to do.
(Of course, the jeep won't be paid off for another year yet... then I'll probably drive it another year before trading it in... might as well get all the use I can out of it.
Just my 2¢
"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg
I agree with a new car depreciating as soon as it leaves the lot... you could walk into a lot, buy a brand new $20,000 car, drive it around the block, pull back in and say "I don't like this one", and they'll say "We'll give you $12,000 for it." Sad, really....
HOWEVER..... as soon as I finish paying off my Jeep, I'm going to buy a brand new vehicle. (Probably like a Dodge Dakota 4-wheel drive pickup truck).
Why?
BECAUSE, DAMMIT, I DESERVE IT. Besides, I know that I'll put 200,000+ miles on it anyway, so I don't care what the trade-in value is going to be... but for ONCE in my life, I'm going to have that new-car smell, put the scratches on it MYSELF (instead of inheriting them), etc.
I come from a poor family. I have more now than my parents EVER did (both of which died penniless, and I got stuck with the funeral costs). Neither had insurance, real estate, or decent vehicles (I finally sold my mom's car for $500... an 1980's lincoln). I never got a car for graduation or anything. I've seen cars in demolition derbies that looked better than some cars that I depended on to get me to work... but now, as I turn 40 years old, I've built up a line of credit (after my first wife destroyed it), bought two houses now, and I'm actually making ends meet, I'm going to buy a new vehicle. Something my parents were *never* able to do.
(Of course, the jeep won't be paid off for another year yet... then I'll probably drive it another year before trading it in... might as well get all the use I can out of it.
Just my 2¢
"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg
[offtopic]
I saw a late-80's civic a couple of weeks ago, it had a complete aero-kit and rear wing made out of OSB (chip-board). It was grandma-blue, and the funniest thing I ever saw. No spinners, or fartin'-in-the-bathtub coffee-can muffler, though...maybe they're savin' up.
[/offtopic]
I beg to differ on the new car wariness. It all depends. If you intend to keep the car for a long time, you may be better off with a new car. The difference in interest rates (especially if you don't have much credit) can be huge, and when you factor that out over a number of years, the new car can actually be cheaper than the old.
I did this when I bought my Jeep. I thought I couldn't 'afford' a new car. So I got a Jeep Wrangler with 60,092 miles on it--must've been the day their warranty ran out. Where I got screwed was that my interest rate, (without significant credit history) was 13.5%! I could have done WAY better with a new car, plus had the new car warranty, new car smell, a soft-top with decent zippers, a 'third-gear' on the heater blower motor, etc. etc.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Jeep, but I could have and should have bought a new one. I've put over a hundred thousand miles on it, and I've been upside-down on the payments nearly the entire time that I've owned it. (despite refinancing at a greatly-reduced interest rate) The Jeep is a car, it's a truck, it's a convertible, it has huge amounts of torque (which I prefer to horsepower), it has a great power-to-weight ratio, is reasonably safe (**** for offset-crash), stylish, makes a statement that I like to make, is a 4wd, guzzles gas...dang there has to be a drawback, right? Actually the gas ain't that bad. Oh, and most importantly for the young, single guy, CHICKS DIG IT.
--Gooser
- Moderator
- #37
Oh, don't get me wrong. I *love* my Jeep. I've got a 98 Grand Cherokee Laredo, the last year of that particular body style.
It has lots of torque, and runs well... but even on a GOOD day, on the open highway, with a tailwind, I still only get 21 MPG.
Darn it... it's a straight-6 4 liter engine with fuel injection... tell me *WHY* it gets such crappy mileage... (and no, it's not just my jeep... someone here at work has a BRAND NEW Jeep Liberty with the same size engine, and they get exactly the same mileage.)
Just my 2¢
"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg
It has lots of torque, and runs well... but even on a GOOD day, on the open highway, with a tailwind, I still only get 21 MPG.
Darn it... it's a straight-6 4 liter engine with fuel injection... tell me *WHY* it gets such crappy mileage... (and no, it's not just my jeep... someone here at work has a BRAND NEW Jeep Liberty with the same size engine, and they get exactly the same mileage.)
Just my 2¢
"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg
I would suspect overall weight, (the lack of) aerodynamics and/or real axle ratio might be the culprit behind the thirsty 6.
Actually, I think that 21mpg is quite respectable for a vehicle that size because many similar-size GM's & Ford's only deliver mid-teens.
Actually, I think that 21mpg is quite respectable for a vehicle that size because many similar-size GM's & Ford's only deliver mid-teens.
SilentAiche
Technical User
Buy used!!!
Just don't "Cry Slur" or folks might think you're having your Daimler hose yanked.
BTW - the entire vehicle market is controlled by the three nephews of Alexander Graham Bell - thus the term "cartel" rings true.
Tim
[blue]_______________________________________________________
"Although many figures are strange, prime numbers are truly odd."[/blue]
I have an MX-5 (a Miata to you I think).
For me it always went with the advice I had from my Dad.
He said
I've mostly tried to follow this, and have ended up higher up the ladder than I would have expected for my qualifications and age.
What ever you buy - have fun! When you have other commitments then you may not be able to buy the car you want, so I'd say have it whilst you can if its possible.
Fee
The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
For me it always went with the advice I had from my Dad.
He said
Dad said:
I've mostly tried to follow this, and have ended up higher up the ladder than I would have expected for my qualifications and age.
What ever you buy - have fun! When you have other commitments then you may not be able to buy the car you want, so I'd say have it whilst you can if its possible.
Fee
The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
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