Comments on: Best Car for Students: A Beater

By: Damon Day

Damon Day — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:47:54 +0000

I was fortunate enough to have my father buy me an almost new chevy truck in high school. I did however have to work to pay for part of it. About 8 years ago I was commuting long distance in traffic to the office that I worked in and I parked my 11 mpg chevy 454 gas guzzler and purchased a used but good condition, high mile Toyota Tercel for 1400 cash. I put knew tires on it and drove that thing all over the place. It was a great little car, never mind the feeling that I was going to be killed at any moment if I was hit by a truck. I never had a problem with the car though. Did everything I needed it to do.

By: daemondust

daemondust — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:29:31 +0000

A beater can be a good choice, but with it often comes years of little to no maintenance just waiting to surprise you with a hefty bill you probably can’t afford.

By: brad

brad — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:45:14 +0000

We gave each of our kids a decade-old Toyota when they graduated high school. Beaters, but reliable beaters. So far, so good. My 29-year old daughter wishes she had that ’85 pickup back now (she sold it after college).

By: Financial Samurai

Financial Samurai — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:28:19 +0000

I use the 1/10th rule we coined. Essentially, the car you buy should cost no more than 1/10th your gross income. I’ve used this rule to a T, and it works well.

I drive a $6,500 car, and I love it. I’ve also had 8 cars in 10 years, which is kinda of ridiculous. But, when you’re only spending 1/50th-1/100th of your gross income on cars, it’s pretty cheap and fun to do. That said, I do believe I have a problem!

By: eric

eric — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:10:34 +0000

lol I’ve never had a car that expensive either. I bought my car used for $8000.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:46:50 +0000

I agree completely. There is no reason to buy a student an expensive car. At the same time, it’s import to give them a car that is reliable and gets good gas mileage.

By: Miel @ DINKs Finance

Miel @ DINKs Finance — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:14:35 +0000

I couldn’t agree more with the beater rule for kids.

My twin sister and I bought our first car together for a grand total of $600. It was a 1984 Ford Escort and this was in 1994, powder blue and lovely.

We had a garage sale to earn the money to ensure it for a year, this cost $150.

My dad is also a mechanic, so his rule was that he would help to fix it, under certain conditions.

A) I paid for any parts, and

B) I was present and helped, and listened to the step by step instructions throughout all repairs and maintenance.

Might not have cost me money, but I certainly earned my keep. I recall fixing it once when I was at college, about 4 hour drive from home. Back before cell phones I had to call from the dorm, get instructions, go back in and call, repeat. I eventually took the bus to the store, bought a battery, hauled it back, and voila, it worked!

Those are lessons you aren’t going to learn if someone buys you a brand new car.

Cheers,

Miel

By: Sarah in Alaska

Sarah in Alaska — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:08:15 +0000

Wahoo! Yes, this. My husband and I both got through school without a car. My parents gave us a 20 y/o vehicle when we got married (which we kept another 4 years).

In college I always had roommates or neighbors with cars who were more than willing to take me places in exchange for a few $$ or a homebaked dinner.

By: Kevin@OutOfYourRut

Kevin@OutOfYourRut — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:10:55 +0000

Comedian Jeff Dunham said in a skit, “I don’t know why anyone would buy a new car for a teenager. They’re just going to use it as a bumper car anyway!”

I fully agree. My son will be of age next year and in need of a car. It will be a beater. There’s no agony or debate attached to that decision in our house!

By: Corporate Barbarian

Corporate Barbarian — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:55:02 +0000

My first car was a ’73 Nova. I paid $500 for it, and it had 85,000 miles on it. It had no air conditioning, or power anything, but it served me well through college. My son’s car is a ’94 Buick Regal with 130,000 miles on it. He paid $1,900 for it. It’s loaded, though, with a leather interior, power seat, power windows, cruise control, and stereo controls on the steering wheel. It’s dependable, and he’s content. He’ll appreciate a new car even more after driving this one for a while.

By: Erin

Erin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:19:40 +0000

I definitely think that students should not have a new car (especially if it is paid for by mom and dad…beggars can’t be choosers!). My junior year of high school (2000) I got a 1988 dodge dakota from my parents and I LOVED it. When I graduated from high school (2002) my dad sold the old dakota, and handed me down his newer 1996 dodge dakota with an extended cab. I was living the high life. My husband and I are still driving that truck today and love it b/c it is very reliable, has only liability insturance, and has no payment!

By: Carla

Carla — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:06:41 +0000

I got my first car when I was 20 (1999) and it was a $1200 1982 Volvo – paid for by yours truly of course. It lasted until it was stolen a few years later. The next car was a 1988 Volvo that lasted until it died completely last year. I only put $300 in actual repairs all the years I had it. Of course, that doesn’t include oil changes, tires, breaks, etc.

Safety is #1, reliability is next in line. I’ve known too many people who took the ‘beater” concept to heart and gotten pieces of crap that was more of a money drain than spending a few more dollars on something that would last.

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:56:22 +0000

I agree with the “beater” concept. I have raised three sons, the youngest is now 19 and in college. All three had inexpensive cars in high school with liability insurance only and all three wrecked (totaled) by the time they were 17 or 18. I’m now 52, had 2 accidents before going to college, none since. I told my sons they were a statistic waiting to happen. I told them that they most likely will be involved in a wreck before graduating from high school. The insurance companies say the same thing. Their friends were having accidents in much more expensive vehicles.
From the day I bought that first beater for each one in high school, I told them I would save $1 a day until they had their first wreck. Whatever I saved is what they got from me to purchase their second car. If they did not wreck, they could decide when to cash in the savings to buy a better car, as long as it was after graduation.
I agree with the concept of having the child work and save to buy their own vehicle. Since my three sons were heavily involved in sports beginning at the age of 6, and did not have time to work too, I told them that I considered their sport as a job. It is harder work with greater discipline.
They thought they were above having an accident. They were wrong, all three. Sometimes a small child has to get burned to learn what “do not touch, it’s hot” means. The same holds true for teenage driving. Let them learn in a beater, or clunker, something safe and reliable.

By: Mark Wolfinger

Mark Wolfinger — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:46:33 +0000

I’d never buy a new car.
Beater? Well, it doesn’t have to be that old.

But it must be affordable. That means pay cash or very small payments. Don’t begin economic life by going into debt.

By: zapeta

zapeta — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:11:32 +0000

I think a beater is the way to go as long as its not a complete death trap. Several people I know got brand new cars as soon as they turned 16 and several of them had totaled the car by the time they were 17.

I’ve got an old beater of a Buick thats about 15 years old that I drove in college and still drive now….I plan on driving it until the wheels fall off and then we’ll see what happens.