Small chuckle from student driver

Joined
Aug 19, 2010
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Location
Champlain/Hudson Valley
I met a friend's grandson, 16.5 years old with learners permit, in the grocery store parking lot.
Grandma takes him on drives.

The lad told me he's looking for a car for under $3,000.
I told him I'd keep my eyes peeled but also that he should hold onto every penny he earns.

What really stinks is that newspapers have so few private sales listed.
It's going to be tough for the kid to find anything in Northern New Jersey because the population is so dense, people see everything.
An idle car brings knocks on your door.

No point to this post but that.
 
No point to this post but that.
Post makes a very valid point...... the challenges teens may have wanting their first car but nothing affordable to a teen for sale. Even hoopdies are selling fast. There has not been an issue getting hoopdies over the past 20 years. Your post implies there may be one now.

Good point that hasn't been discussed- lack of availability of beaters for teenagers wanting their first car.
 
The best chance is excessive high mile 200k+ vehicle owned by a friend or worker of family and maintained. Happened a few times for daughter friends and they are driving old V70, Lexus and a Camry.
 
The best chance is excessive high mile 200k+ vehicle owned by a friend or worker of family and maintained. Happened a few times for daughter friends and they are driving old V70, Lexus and a Camry.
That was my Miata. 230k ish miles and a new head job. Hoping for many miles of happy motoring for my nephew.
 
Oh how times have changed.

My first car was a creation from 2 non-running versions of the same model that came from different salvage yards. I was fortunate to have understanding parents, and a retired mechanic whom lived up the street from me who helped me through the process of assembling one good vehicle from the two. I was also working at a gas station that had service bays, and where the business owner allowed me to work on the car after hours. The youth today do not have access to many of these resources even if they had the desire and know how to attempt what I did when I was at that age. To me this is sad situation overall as we have moved from a repair it and make it last society to one that promotes obsolescence and convenient replacement.
 
It was easy to help our first two kids (who are now 30 and 28) with their first cars. Wasn't hard at all to find cars that were safe and reliable. They had higher mileage and some cosmetic wear, but were cheap, perfect for a first car.
It was much more difficult for our third kid, who is a recent high school grad. Looked at several crappy cars over a couple of weeks that were priced much higher than I thought they were worth, it was frustrating. Got lucky with what we did end up buying for our daughter for $5000 last summer. 2011 CRZ, 140,000 kms, dealer serviced from new. Turned out the owner is a high school teacher, and knew all of our kids. He gave us a good deal. It has been a great car for her so far, good fuel economy is a big plus these days.

tempImagenIoner.jpg
 
I remember the late 60's when a knew a grocery bagger that earned enough to buy a new $3k Plymouth Roadrunner. I bought a 70 Toyota corolla for $2400 which wasn't much cheaper, but a fun car. I was noticing the failing of US cars in especially rust control, and have always done something different. I had a nice 97 Dodge stratus with 94k miles, but in great condition and sold in about 2010 for only $2600. The $500 beater that runs for years is done for sure.
 
Can one shop FB without signing up? wife has an account so I could send her a link. But I don’t seem able to get in anymore, wants me to log in.

you can, but only for major cities :sneaky:

In NH, you can use Boston.
facebook.com/marketplace/boston

The OP would use New York
facebook.com/marketplace/nyc
 
you can, but only for major cities :sneaky:

In NH, you can use Boston.
facebook.com/marketplace/boston

The OP would use New York
facebook.com/marketplace/nyc
Bummer, Boston is a bit of a drive to check out hoopties. Which are likely truly on their last legs, city miles and all.
 
Bummer, Boston is a bit of a drive to check out hoopties. Which are likely truly on their last legs, city miles and all.

you won't only get ads from within Boston city limits. There will be ads west of Boston, also Maine, Vermont, NH, etc. It will cover at least the Boston metro area, possibly a little more.

Sadly, the one for Portland is the other Portland out west.
 
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