My First Car!!!

I agree that $1300 is a bit high. However, Toyotas are known for reliability. Also, remember this is California. Prices varies over regions. I hope that the car lasts you long time. After all, it's a Toyota.


As for me, my first car was a cream 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis sedan that my Grandma gave me. I traded it in shortly afterwards for a black 1989 Mercury Cougar. That was back in 1994.
 
congrats, Lady!...My first car was a '64 MG convertible, 2-seater, white with spool wheels, 5 speed I believe....at age 17. And I bought it myself (which made it all the sweeter).....Had a blast in it....Of all the cars I've had, and there have been so many...this car stands out the most.
 
rockin'robin said:
congrats, Lady!...My first car was a '64 MG convertible, 2-seater, white with spool wheels, 5 speed I believe....at age 17. And I bought it myself (which made it all the sweeter).....Had a blast in it....Of all the cars I've had, and there have been so many...this car stands out the most.
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You are just the opposite of me. My dad sold cars and we had a new demonstrator every year that we got to use like the family car. Some years there were two and even a few that there were three because people wanted to buy the car Dad was driving. Thus, I feel I have had that thrill and just want a dependable car with the features that I value.
 
ladysolitary85 said:
So I am excited to have my very first car (bit of a late bloomer on driving because either A. I didn't have a car or B. no one to teach me and no money to at the time) It's a 91 Toyota Camry auto, 213k, shes not turbo but she runs smoothly and have great breaks! Only thing that was bad about her was she had a small tear on the front side bumper and she was savaged. The owners wanted $1500 originally we settled for $1300 and it was such a relief! She really has some potential though! Might not be a new car, might not be completely perfect but she is to me, shes my POS :-D

Anyways clearly you can see I'm happy but I wanted to hear you guy's first car stories! :D
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by the way CONGRATS!!
 
ladysolitary85 said:
So I am excited to have my very first car (bit of a late bloomer on driving because either A. I didn't have a car or B. no one to teach me and no money to at the time) It's a 91 Toyota Camry auto, 213k, shes not turbo but she runs smoothly and have great breaks! Only thing that was bad about her was she had a small tear on the front side bumper and she was savaged. The owners wanted $1500 originally we settled for $1300 and it was such a relief! She really has some potential though! Might not be a new car, might not be completely perfect but she is to me, shes my POS :-D

Anyways clearly you can see I'm happy but I wanted to hear you guy's first car stories! :D
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Does she pass smog inspection?
 
VacationGuy234 said:
My first car was an Olds 98 which a friend sold to me because he thought the transmission was going on it(found that out years later). I blew the timing chain after maxing out the car out few times so it only lasted six months. I had bought it four months before I got my license(I was 16 at the time) and my parents gave me a hard time about it me for months.

It wasn't my best car, but it was my first.
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What year? 350 or 455 cid?
 
LoveBlue said:
'68 Camaro convertible - yellow with black top/interior.
Sister bought it new, dad bought it from sister, I drove it to H.S. & college and eventually bought it from my dad. Kept it even after buying my 2nd car, new Escort Wagon (small family car in anticipation). Had to sell her :( when we went through bankruptcy/foreclosure because we were moving to an apartment and didn't want to keep her in the apt complex parking lot.
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Expensive vintage Camero convertiable. I'm jealous....
 
I was 16 with My first vehicle was a 79 Yamaha Enduro 100cc dirtbike I bought for $50, second was a 78 Honda CB350, then a 87 Yamaha Virago 500cc, My first car I was 21 and got an 85 Ford LTD POS...will never own another ford in my life and hasn't til this day. Then I had an 87 Suzuki Samuri and various cars over the years.
 
jonnyghost said:
Why cause it's high miles? I've seen these cars go over 300k
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My point was that because the car was 22 years old with 213k miles the chances that it was smoking were very very high. That car is really worth no more than $500 at best. People buying a car with no help or experience with cars can decide on the car price or their needs. Having had to buy used long ago I have experience.
 
My first car (own first one) was 1977 Toyota Corolla. I bought it for $600 back in 80's and it had 112k miles on it. It was pretty reliable but many Corollas that year had bad starter. I had to push and let it roll and pop a gear to start the car. I managed to get starter fixed by using copper pipe, hacksaw and drill (That's my MacGyver thing when I was poor and receives SSI during college year) This car had best gas mileage and I got 625 miles on one tank from Olathe, KS to Cleveland Ohio. then Cleveland to Rochester NY all two tankful!! Back then gas was .79 cent a gallon and cost me $6 to top off gas.

I sold Corolla for $50 because after 4 years of usage, it was rusted up and back seat was gone because I had oily car parts sitting in back of seat and had to throw it away. Corolla engine ran just fine and had its 2nd tranny. My friend's brother bought it from me but he didn't get to drive because he broke his 1st probation (he had DUI). Then I had nice new 1989 Mazda 323 hatchback (Similiar to GLC but front headlight is different, more sexier) I love that car! It drives like Go-Cart and it's a fast peppy car that can beat red light every time. I had it for 13 years and I had to let it go even I wanted to keep it. It had some rusts and all struts and many parts were worn out but engine still have lot of peps regardless. I put 225k miles from new to rust..

Catty
 
deafbirk said:
My point was that because the car was 22 years old with 213k miles the chances that it was smoking were very very high. That car is really worth no more than $500 at best. People buying a car with no help or experience with cars can decide on the car price or their needs. Having had to buy used long ago I have experience.
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Agreed!!

Today, People are getting greedy and wanted to squeeze $$'s out of crappy car. If I own the car that is over 150k or more miles on it. I rather be honest just sell it for $500 or less.

CAtty
 
Other problems with older cars is that sometimes parts that needs to be replaced is next to impossible to find, and had to do machine which can easily cost $$$

Friend of mine bought 93 Subaru Justy last spring, guess what? He decided to sell it now! Reason? Some parts he needs, he can't find them.

Only very few makes and model where you could find parts anywhere easily regardless its age. That is most of American trucks (Full size), Jeep (Wrangler/CJ and Cherokee/wagoneer), Corvette, Mustang, and Im not sure what other makes/model.
 
LS, don't worry since it is your first car. Everybody learns their mistakes to begin with. At least congrats on getting car. Based on my experiences, where I made bunch of mistakes. What I learn is that it is best and cheapest to buy cars no more than 5 years old. 5 years old is bit too old, but 2 to 4 years old you get bang out most of your buck. EVEN if you have to take car loan. New car, you are gonna eat the losses. Once new car sold to first buyer regardless its a customer or dealer, they depreciates real fast!

Always talk with others about cars you may want to buy, so you can get feedbacks.
 
deafbirk said:
My point was that because the car was 22 years old with 213k miles the chances that it was smoking were very very high. That car is really worth no more than $500 at best. People buying a car with no help or experience with cars can decide on the car price or their needs. Having had to buy used long ago I have experience.
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My car has 202k, my wifes car has 220k i believe and my dads truck has over 300k and none of them smoke. And they are all worth more than $500. Values change by location but anything where i live that will pass inspenction is worth at least $1k and probably more. If you want to talk about experience i when to school to work on cars. In 18 years of car ownership i've never had my car worked on by anyone but myself (and i own old high miles cars) and i've rebuilt any car part you can name. So i have a little experience too. What you said just sounds mean to me. They are excited about their first car and all you have to say is "what color is the smoke" thats just rude. And now you're telling them their car is only worth $500 and you've never even seen it!
 
I have to agree with you :)

I wouldn't feel offend if one asked what color smoke my truck emits? Its black sometimes! And it is normal for older Diesel trucks but I wouldn't like somebody asking me what color of smoke my Cherokee emits (Really nothing at this time).

jonnyghost said:
They are excited about their first car and all you have to say is "what color is the smoke" thats just rude. And now you're telling them their car is only worth $500 and you've never even seen it!
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I would imagine that Camry parts are always handy to find. I recall that Toyota made a very high # of cars. Therefore original and aftermarket parts should be very easy to obtain today and a decade from now. In a decade, parts for 1991 Camry will be harder and harder to come by. I don't think many people buy a 1991 Camry with plans to keep forever. They're not exactly collectible and eventually it'll become cheaper to just replace the car instead of fixing it.
 
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