I'm 17 years old. What would you say if I drove a...?

Question

It's way too hard for me to choose a car because I have a budget of $6000 and all the cars that I've seen online are pretty nice. There's a blue Ford Taurus that I'm looking at particualrly though! Taurus's are pretty big and I like that; I would be able to fit a lot of my friends in there. The one I want also has a DVD/TV in it and PS2 connected to it, so when I drive, like, my little brother to school, he won't feel so alone and bored in the back while I'm talking to my friend in the front seat or something. It's also great, if I have to wait somewhere and need to kill time. Oh, and there's also a rack on top so when it's time to go up to the mountains or something, I'd be able to put my board up there...so what do you think? Is this a good car? If you were one of my peers would you see me pull up in it and be like, "uh, gross" she should've gotten the jetta/acura/civic or something..? (well, maybe not like that, but basically:) does this car sound good to you? Thanks for the input!

Answer 1

The Taurus is not a bad car, but it's definitely not "hip" in the way that a Jetta/Civic/Acura might be. Although a basically solid design, the Taurus does have some weak points: they are prone to problems with transmissions (very expensive problems, mind you) and to front end problems (tie rods in particular).

If you have $6000 at your command, I'd go for something a little jazzier. I'm sure you can find a good used Jetta, Corolla, Civic, Audi A4, or similar small/medium sized 4 door sedan or small wagon. Lots of these come with racks and similar goodies as well, which makes them handy for skiing, road tripping, etc.

Take your time. Don't rush into buying a car! Do some research, and take a lot of test drives before you shell out your cash. There are plenty of good used cars out there for the amount of cash you have. Good luck!

Answer 2

The most important thing for someone starting out, I would say safety would be a pretty big issue. You should make your friends ride in the back also, because being young you are likely to get distacted by what is happening next to you. I have done this and I know you don't want to be where I was when I was 17.

A taurus isn't a bad choice, but it is kind of like an old mom car. I think they make some nice aftermarket bumpers and side flares for them though, so if you save a little more you will be able to make it look like a young'ns car.

I wouldn't be thinking about tv's and dvd's, I'd be wondering if the car was mechanically sound. You should take the car to a mechanic before you give any money or sign anything for it, and have them inspect it for problems such as leaking fluids, bad brakes, does it need tires? things of that nature.

Never buy a used car just because it has neat features. You want something that will give you a few years of service before you have to sink some cash into it.

Answer 3

How old is the car? How many miles are on the odometer? What does the body and interior show for wear and tear? Go to your bank and ask them to look up the Blue Book value. Have a mechanic perform a safety check and compression test and test drive the car. A Taurus is a better snow car than the little ones you mentioned, plus the fact that it is bigger means more metal between you and the other guy. It is also a very popular car so finding repair parts is not painful. Choosing a large car shows good judgment on your part, Lorelei.

Answer 4

In my experience Fords and Mercurys (which are from the same makers) are lemons. The best kind of cars are Pontiacs and Toyotas. Saturns are also nice. If you get a used Saturn you can use the money you saved to add some of the stuff the other one has. I know, I had a Mercury Sable, it is the more expensive equivalent to the Ford Taurus. It had been well taken care of by the previous owner but I still had to get a new battery, brakes, tires and bulbs for the lights every year. Why don't you go look at it, tell the person to hold it for you if possible, get VIN and check it out on CarFax.com.

Answer 5

Have it inspected by a mechanic. Make sure the brakes and engine are all checked out and the transmission too. If you can get the owners to show receipts of all maintenance and any work it may have done. You can also do searches to see if it's been in an accident in the past. Accidents can damage the frame of the car and cause to drive funny and unsafe. You have to have the serial numbers to do a search on it.

Answer 6

That sounds like a pretty good car. I personally don't really care for the Tauruses that much (I'm into Subarus), but they are supposed to be good cars. And it sounds like that one is cool with all the extras. And since it is a little bigger it also probably a little bit safer. I think that's a pretty nice car for a 17 year old. Have fun! And drive safely. :)

Answer 7

Taurus? too big, too clumsy, too out of these times

You'll be a laughter for all of your friends. Get something classier, nicer, smaller, cuter i.e. Jetta, Civic, Austin, BMW, Hyundai, Toyota. There is a batch of a Chinese made small and medium cars scheduled to arrive in America next month. Be the first to make a trend.

Answer 8

i dont like ford taurus becase they have a tendency to blow engins real easy and i am a ford guy i have a ranger and the tv/dvd they do not cost that much you should look around i would think a toyota,honda becase they are built to last you should look for mileage and how much things are becase say if you got a car in 2005 ford tuaras the sale back is not anything they are not the kind of car to buy...

Answer 9

Taurus seems too hefty and pricey for a 17-year old. Your insurance is also another factor. Go one size lower. Having a DVD/tV and PS2 in it are distractions, especially for the younger driver. You need to concentrate on your driving instead of talking to your friends.

Answer 10

the bigger the car the better in 1996, i was 16 and got a 1980 caprice classic HUGE car at first all my friends laughed, but now 10 years later they still talk about all the fun times in that car! Everybody fit in it!