OK, having been a 17 year old and having had a couple of 17 year olds, here’s exactly what will happen in the future …
- It’s your first vehicle and due to inexperience you will have an accident, hopefully just a fender bender.
- Your rates will immediately go up to something looking like the National Debt and if your on a relatives policy, so will theirs.
- The one time you decide to “go fast” or “see what it will do”, you’ll discover that you did it at the only speed trap in the whole darn State
- And whatever vehicle you’re driving, if you go off road you’ll quickly find the only rock in 500 miles and that rock will find your crankcase or transmission.
My point is that your first vehicle is your “learner car” so you need something that is Safe, Reliable and Cheap to insure and repair. Probably an older but well maintained family sedan.
Dents? Scratches? Semi ratty interior? The sex appeal of white bread? Don’t worry about it, you’ll only have it for a couple of years.
Yeah, I know that sucks but assuming that you haven’t trashed your driving and insurance record, after you’re done your fire fighter’s training and landed your “first real job”, you’ll be able to afford your “first real car” and then all the waiting’s worth it.
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We just bought my daughter a 2015 Mazda 3. It’s a fantastic little car, and didn’t have as much of a price premium as a Honda or Toyota.
I don’t like asking people for help either. But make sure you’re not getting a vehicle you “might” need 5% of the time…because you’re paying for it 100% of the time.
You can always rent or borrow a truck if you need one…or pay for delivery. This is a valuable lesson I learned when I hit about 30.
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Brother you just got some of the best advice I’ve ever seen anyone receive. Please be open to what you were just told. The combined life experience that produced this advice is well over 100yrs in the making and I’m tellin you again…you got some excellent advice.
I will second the notion of getting something older, less complex etc…esp in the truck realm. You can learn a treasure trove of vehicle knowledge this way.
Your first car is always subject to abuses that you cannot see coming…and they happen, often…best you can do is to try to keep these mishaps minor in nature.
I like the idea of an older Jeep or Toyota 4x4 to go exploring the desert, you will learn a ton of useful things mechanically as well as many items related to vehicle control on the street…yes…from off roading and keeping control on loose ground, you will learn fast.
Reread everything above my useless post…and try to follow as much advice as you can. You hit the advice jackpot here.
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You mention fire fighter training, as soon as you can head on over to your local volunteer fire department and ask to sign up. Many depts have juniors (16/17 yr old) who can provide support but not enter buildings etc. But there will be members who will mentor you both as a fire fighter and as a teenager. They all have been there done that. They have seen auto accidents and know when to clamp down on a reckless member but also know how to have fun. If you take this path you will be rewarded with lifetime, friendship, support and training.
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I am trying to think what advice I would have given 17 year old me. There isn’t any. At 17 I thought I knew everything so you are far ahead of where I was.
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Every town has at least one mechanic. Locate one in the town where you’re going to see the car. Check his ratings on Yelp. Bring the car to his shop for the inspection. If the seller doesn’t agree to this, say “see ya”.
My advice to 17 year old me would be something along the lines of “any time you have to make a decision go ahead and make it. Then do exactly the opposite of what you decided to do.”
Is there a local dealer or used car lot? Talk it over with them and see what they suggest. Small town dealers and car lots depend quite a bit on having a good reputation and will try to put you in wheels that will suit your needs.