Car Buying Tips... Help Please

[Spacescifi]

So a little about me first:

 

Spoiler

I live in my car and work full time in California. I can make $2000 easily if I work fulltime without leaving work early or taking any sick time off for each month.

 

My credit rating is is bad since I do not use credit cards and I filed for bankruptcy in 2019 since I was between jobs and could not pay off a car I owed on.

My current car I want to get rid of since I had an accident and the repairs would cost more than it's worth.

What do you recommend for a good vehicle to live in?

I can and am willing to pay no more than $400 per month for my car bill, not counting insurance which I pay for annually.

Is new or used better?

I am leaning on buying new, simply because I do not want the hassle of car repairs (current vehicle is nearly 300,000 miles) and a warranty would be nice.

 

Thoughts and any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

Any vehicles you recommend? I know Toyota is good, but they are also more expensive.

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by Spacescifi

[Nuke]

i too was thinking about getting wheels. neighbors 2 doors down are moving and want to sell their minivan for five presidents, and i have the funds. its stirred up kind of an existential crisis. i can get it, but i dont really know if im up for this kind of big change. id talk to my shrink about it but the car might be sold before then.

[Spacescifi]

35 minutes ago, Nuke said:

i too was thinking about getting wheels. neighbors 2 doors down are moving and want to sell their minivan for five presidents, and i have the funds. its stirred up kind of an existential crisis. i can get it, but i dont really know if im up for this kind of big change. id talk to my shrink about it but the car might be sold before then.

I meant to say new instead of used. Fixed it.

[Nuke]

its just disturbing how little i know about cars. you think learning to drive would be a right of passage. but how the hell can i be 42 and have the possibility of vehicle ownership turn into an existential crisis. im gonna have to talk to my shrink about that. 

[magnemoe]

On 8/23/2023 at 3:12 AM, Spacescifi said:

So a little about me first:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I live in my car and work full time in California. I can make $2000 easily if I work fulltime without leaving work early or taking any sick time off for each month.

 

My credit rating is is bad since I do not use credit cards and I filed for bankruptcy in 2019 since I was between jobs and could not pay off a car I owed on.

My current car I want to get rid of since I had an accident and the repairs would cost more than it's worth.

What do you recommend for a good vehicle to live in?

I can and am willing to pay no more than $400 per month for my car bill, not counting insurance which I pay for annually.

Is new or used better?

I am leaning on buying new, simply because I do not want the hassle of car repairs (current vehicle is nearly 300,000 miles) and a warranty would be nice.

 

Thoughts and any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

Any vehicles you recommend? I know Toyota is good, but they are also more expensive.

 

Downside of an new car and benefit of an new is that value drop fast the first years so an 4 year old car tend to sell for half of a new one. Yes at this time warranty has mostly run out but the savings could make up for lots of the lost value. 
After 8 year value is down to 1/4 but you still save half the cost. 
But you miss the new car feeling and if you plan to keep the car for a long time things even out. 
 

[James Kerman]

I'm sorry to hear about your situation @Spacescifi. 

I'm an ex trukkie and a car guy and I've lived in vehicles for a lot of my career. Firstly, check around your dealerships, often last years model is available under the same warranty conditions as current and usually at a significant discount. A longer wheelbase van is ideal for camping but the cargo section needs to be as long as you are for a good sleeping base, bed on one side, gear on the other.

Online: for around $1,200 to $1,500 you should be able to get a 'house battery' (lead acid deep cycle) with an inverter, a cheap engine charger and mobile refrigerator.

For an extra $200 you can get a mobile gas hot water system (also needs power) or you can find truck stops in your area. In Australia it's usually free 

It's a lot cheaper to set these systems up yourself and I have a lot of experience with 12V DC so if you need help please feel free to PM me.

[Spacescifi]

29 minutes ago, James Kerman said:

I'm sorry to hear about your situation @Spacescifi. 

I'm an ex trukkie and a car guy and I've lived in vehicles for a lot of my career. Firstly, check around your dealerships, often last years model is available under the same warranty conditions as current and usually at a significant discount. A longer wheelbase van is ideal for camping but the cargo section needs to be as long as you are for a good sleeping base, bed on one side, gear on the other.

Online: for around $1,200 to $1,500 you should be able to get a 'house battery' (lead acid deep cycle) with an inverter, a cheap engine charger and mobile refrigerator.

For an extra $200 you can get a mobile gas hot water system (also needs power) or you can find truck stops in your area. In Australia it's usually free 

It's a lot cheaper to set these systems up yourself and I have a lot of experience with 12V DC so if you need help please feel free to PM me.

 

So you are suggesting a van? I was thinking of that too, ir maybe a mini-van. I have never driven a van or mini-van before though.

[James Kerman]

Just now, Spacescifi said:

So you are suggesting a van? I was thinking of that too, ir maybe a mini-van. I have never driven a van or mini-van before though.

There are many length and height options and if I were to live in it I would want the most volume, a longer wheelbase just means you need to properly follow lines when turning - going wider than you would with a passenger car (parking at some malls/supermarkets or in the city can be an issue). Recent commercial vans should all come with reversing cameras. In Australia truck stops offer showers and laundry (although some places charge a parking fee) however the spaces are meant for road trains so the mother of all of vans will definitely fit.

[Spacescifi]

45 minutes ago, James Kerman said:

There are many length and height options and if I were to live in it I would want the most volume, a longer wheelbase just means you need to properly follow lines when turning - going wider than you would with a passenger car (parking at some malls/supermarkets or in the city can be an issue). Recent commercial vans should all come with reversing cameras. In Australia truck stops offer showers and laundry (although some places charge a parking fee) however the spaces are meant for road trains so the mother of all of vans will definitely fit.

Thanks!

45 minutes ago, James Kerman said:

There are many length and height options and if I were to live in it I would want the most volume, a longer wheelbase just means you need to properly follow lines when turning - going wider than you would with a passenger car (parking at some malls/supermarkets or in the city can be an issue). Recent commercial vans should all come with reversing cameras. In Australia truck stops offer showers and laundry (although some places charge a parking fee) however the spaces are meant for road trains so the mother of all of vans will definitely fit.

I am not sure whether I should buy new or used.

If I buy new I won't have to worry about repairs and by the time I do need them I hope to have an actually place to stay.

If I buy used I will have to repair it and when this is my main place to live it means overnight leaving car in shop is a no go unless I rent another car. Expensive.

[linuxgurugamer]

14 hours ago, Nuke said:

its just disturbing how little i know about cars. you think learning to drive would be a right of passage. but how the hell can i be 42 and have the possibility of vehicle ownership turn into an existential crisis. im gonna have to talk to my shrink about that. 

A lot of Driver's Ed classes don't bother teaching anything about what goes on under the hood.  I still remember having to go out into the parking lot and opening up the hoods of cars to discuss and examine a number of different engines.  This was probably 20 years before you learned, however, it seems things have gone downhill since then (no pun intended)

[James Kerman]

21 hours ago, Spacescifi said:

I am not sure whether I should buy new or used.

If I buy new I won't have to worry about repairs and by the time I do need them I hope to have an actually place to stay.

If I buy used I will have to repair it and when this is my main place to live it means overnight leaving car in shop is a no go unless I rent another car. Expensive.

Commercial cargo vans over here often get treated poorly and do major mileage. I'd get a reputable mechanics report on any second hand vehicle I'd buy.

New, you're covered by a warranty and often other services like factory supported roadside assistance. You can also get a lot of value from the dealership when negotiating for a new, or new older stock vehicle. Things I always ask for and get are full fuel tank, factory dash and floor mats and in Australia I ask for a 1 year registration instead of the usual 6 months (I'm not sure if this is relevant to your area). Things to avoid are any additives, insurance or coatings offered by the dealership. A diesel engine is more efficient and affordable when moving weight and requires less maintenance than a gasoline powered variant.

[Nuke]

22 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

A lot of Driver's Ed classes don't bother teaching anything about what goes on under the hood.  I still remember having to go out into the parking lot and opening up the hoods of cars to discuss and examine a number of different engines.  This was probably 20 years before you learned, however, it seems things have gone downhill since then (no pun intended)

never had any of those. 

[steve9728]

Considering living in the car, I'd recommend considering a purely electric touring sedan if someone is in China - as the difference between gas and electricity costs in this country is pretty huge. I just don't know how the US is doing in that regard.

Probably a fuel-efficient van for long-distance travelling and your "HQ", with a bicycle (or a Honda motorcycle, that thing is cheap and fuel-efficient enough) for short would save more money on that?

Edited September 5, 2023 by steve9728

[StrandedonEarth]

On 8/25/2023 at 1:50 AM, James Kerman said:

a 'house battery' (lead acid deep cycle)

Lately there are Chinese-made LiFePO4 12v batteries on Amazon for around $400 Cdn. They can last for at least 3k-5k cycles and can be discharged much deeper, giving more power for the same amp-hour rating. Big savings in the long run; I want one for my RV

 

On 8/26/2023 at 12:45 AM, James Kerman said:

diesel engine is more efficient and affordable when moving weight and requires less maintenance than a gasoline powered variant.

Heavily dependent on brand; an oil change for the Ram diesel V6 is about triple the cost of the gas V8, (from memory; glad we bought the gasser) not to mention other expensive maintenance we heard horror stories about

[Jones1991]

I'd recommend an old Toyota Corolla or Camry. Reliable and affordable for everyone. When checking, go to a service station, they will look at the condition of the engine and running gear. The money spent is worth it

[StrandedonEarth]

12 hours ago, Jones1991 said:

I'd recommend an old Toyota Corolla or Camry. Reliable and affordable for everyone. When checking, go to a service station, they will look at the condition of the engine and running gear. The money spent is worth it

My 09 Yaris has been doing pretty good too, although the mileage is only at 282Mm so far. Seems to go through a lot of headlights though.