Warranties are a gamble at best. You are betting things will break and the dealer or warranty company is betting they won't. The dealer is the "house" and they will almost always win because they know and adjust based on the odds. In over 40 years of driving I've NEVER had a car under 100,000 miles need a major repair, and only a couple that needed one under 200,000 miles. Warranties are nice to have, but I'm perfectly OK self insuring on that.

A good credit score is only necessary if you decide to go into debt. It's an easy game to beat.

Just my 2c, IDK if it will help. :iono:

I bought mine used from a big car brand dealership. This was also my first self-owned car.

-Just as a family tradition, we always buy used cars from dealerships because they usually give it a full inspection and prep it like stock. Gives a better feel rather than buying private sale where you are really trusting the previous owner about the car. Some dealerships may have warranty included, which doesn't hurt.

-In hindsight, a lot of the FRS I found at dealers were lemons, ding'd up, chipped, repainted and repaired for various accidents. Mint ones are not easy to come by. I did some post-searching for private sale cars and some of them seem could just be as good of a deal if not better, so don't count them out. Also, dealerships tend to sell high... and some dealerships are quite shady!!! (even big name dealerships)

-When you see the right car, you will know it. You can tell when the car has been cared for. As much as you want the twin now, don't let the eagerness affect your purchase decision and be patient. Don't settle for a lesser car.

-My car was not mint, but for 2013 it was in really good condition and repaired pretty well. As long as you can accept it, take the risk go for it. My car has had absolutely 0 issues. You obviously want to be extra wary of things like bumpers repainted/unmatched, panel deformations, missing parts of car, bring someone who can really detect that sort of stuff for test drive.

-You will want to MOD this car when you get it. And this is coming from someone who likes the stock look. Stock allows you to appreciate the car even more as originally engineered and will make modding even more rewarding. If you buy a pre-modded car, you may feel like the car is not your own. If you don't mind that though, pre-modded car will save you $$$.

Debt is basically choosing to enslave yourself to the current banking system. Debt is never ever a good thing for a normal person. Unless a person knows how to earn money off of debt there is never a reason for anyone to choose to be in debt. It is really really easy to play the system to have a good credit score without becoming a debt slave.

There is very little differences between credit unions and banks at this point. I would assume anyone would look for the best rate they can find. That is basic common sense.

Warranties are overrated. Sorry but even on a twin the odds of using a warranty is slim to nothing. The stock touchscreen is garbage. A $300-$400 basic radio mp3 player from walmart will be better sound quality. The navigation is total garbage. I literally never use it, even crappy navigation apps on my phone are better. Not to mention anything that actually does break the dealer will fight tooth and nail not to cover. This isn't an six figure luxury car, 2015 and after cars are all on the solid side.

Certified used is the biggest scam going. Most dealers that are honest will tell you they have to charge you $1000 more on the same car to get that package, and the odds of needing the warranty are slim, they aren't going to certify anything that has any issues or any models that have a history of issues. Unless it is an expensive tech filled german car it is basically burning cash. Any actual good dealer does the same inspection on every used car on their lot.

Funny how you think you are the only one that could possibly know anything about anything.

Do you own a house and did you pay 100% up front?

If no to the first half, then you are wasting money on rent that you will never get back, unlike a house payment which has at least some portion you get back (home equity) If no to the second half, then you took on debt.

If yes to both, then you either paid rent longer than you needed to, or were born rich AF and shouldn't be telling normal people what to do.



The point is that properly managed debt is a very useful tool in many cases (including transportation). You have to spend money to make money and not everyone starts with money to spend. Banking, investment, and debt are capitalism's solution to social mobility.

A grand, is this true? You can grab a slick Sony headunit with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a larger and higher resolution screen for $300 nowadays.

Depends on the HU and what features it comes with, it can get up there in price. Usually if you wanted something with built in nav that would push It to the upper tier. If you don't and just want to rely on android auto/apple carplay you can save yourself a few bucks. The inconvenience of having to plug in the phone to get the nav function may be worth the extra cash to some.

OP sounds like someone on a fairly tight budget with no credit. Being fiscally responsible when you're first starting out is solid advice.

Correct on the warranty/ not needing it....great!!! You helped my point out on that.

Your bank account / loan idea is a great credit building tool. Often first time buyers have not saved up the money to do that, especially with a car 15k+ used.

First off, Certified cars ARE a good deal. All certified Toyota cars and trucks are as new. Right down to the brake pads and rotors. Everything is inspected, and if not perfect, made perfect. Sure, you can get a inspection done, and that is great. But things do break. I see warranty claims on 16,17 model cars all the time. And most people don't want a aftermarket radio. I don't. Your the same guy, who when offered a warranty, refuses, then calls back when something major breaks, and bitches. I see it ALL THE TIME! And while I don't know everything, I do know a little about certain things. And cars are one of those things. To each his own.
:thumbsup:

There's a huge difference between borrowing money for an appreciating asset and a depreciating one. Apples and oranges @Spuds (or would that be onions and potatoes?)

My point was that the statement that debt was NEVER a good thing was not true. It also applies to cars. If you don't have reliable transportation, it's hard to have a job. Reliable transportation is not cheap. Unreliable transportation, though less expensive, may even cost more in the long run than interest on a car loan, and expenses aren't as predictable. The whole connecting having a job to affording a car thing should be obvious.


Not defending the whole buying above one's means to pay back deal, just providing the counter-argument to 'debt is bad'.

Semantics, but I would say it is never a good thing, but may be a necessary evil at times, and getting a reliable car doesn't necessarily mean spending enough money you need a loan, (car prices are more a function of age then reliability, there are reliable $1000 cars and unreliable $50,000 cars) but I do understand your point.

Be very careful buying a used FRS. This is a great car but abused by idiots very frequently.
https://reddit.app.link/QXLMVbsOFP

It's a great car, do it.

It probably won't feel like it at first, but it's a buyer's market for these cars. Take your time, avoid cars with "stories." Definitely finance through a local credit Union. Check underneath for rust.

Good luck!

Uh...a buyers market? For now maybe in the next 3-6 months


With interest rates on the cusp of rising and an auto tariff coming. It's best to buy new now if you're going to before that all hits harder...