ru03j

hello
i am going to be a senior in high school and i am considering to buy a car. I really like the Scion TC. I live in california and will probably end up going to UCBerkley or UCLA. However, I know that most freshmen wont need the car. (the car must go because my family is currently overseas and I dont want the car to depreciate too much in the empty garage without doing anything)
Can you guys estimate what the resell value is going to be around june 08?
Also should i considering buying a 08 model or the 07 model? what will maximize my resell value?
any suggestions for my situation will be greatly appreciated
thanks!

xIxAMxHOLLYWOODx

thats hardly a year, not worth it imo. But tc's seem to hold their value very well...

why keep the car and take it with you, even if you dont need it every day, it will be nice to have.

ru03j

because it cost alot to pay for the parking space.

ru03j

so any ideas of how much i will be able to sell it for and also if i should get the 07 or 08 model for better resell value?
thanks

xIxAMxHOLLYWOODx

why even worry about buying a car then if you're worried about parking costs. A car is going to present many more monetary challenges than just parking spots...

Ride a bike your senior year...

ru03j

ahhhhhhh...
can you guestimate or think of other solutions?
also how long is the tipical wait to sell?

xIxAMxHOLLYWOODx

ummm, its hard to say, especially if you finance. You denerally want to have a chance to build some sort of equity in the car. So I would say 2 years is they least. Depending on down payment and how much you pay monthly. Unless you pay cash, then you dont have to worry about equity.

As far as how much you'll lose, thats hard to say, esp since the new 08's came out. Ive heard stories of used tc's selling for more than what the dealer is asking for a brand new one. But I would anticipate on losing anywhere between 2 and 5 thousand on the deal...

amdforever

Why are you thinking of buying one if your going to turn around and sell it soon? I think I'm confused as to why you'd want to get rid of it after you buy it. Oh, and since when did 37yr olds become seniors in HS Some people are getting about 13-14k back from dealerships...it depends on the area and how nice the car has been kept.

ru03j

hahhaa i just filled in a random age or i can be really dumb...lol
anyways. the reason why i am buying it is because I will need a car to get around since my family/ parents are overseas.


Any more suggestions? any would be good doesnt even have to include buying a scion.

ru03j

sorry if my special situation seem sort of confusing

amdforever

nah, its all good. Well, I saw the tC the first year it came out, right before I joined the military, after I got settled into my new job and stuff I got my tC. 07, and She just had her 1st birthday, yesterday now :D. I was thinking of doing mods to her when I got her, but then decided against it as I was thinking of trading her in, in a few years. Back in March I totally changed my mind, decided to keep her, started modding her, now have even bigger plans. It's one of the best things I could have bought really. I couldn't find another car for the same price point that had the same specs and all the standard things that come with it that aren't options as other car brands make them. Plus it has the safety/reliability of Toyota. So my heart is content with her and she won't be going anywhere as of right now Now in your case. You say you don't want to drive it to college b/c of parking. Does that mean you wont drive it at all, or just like on the weekends? If not at all then I say just get a little beater car to get you around in. If you plan on keeping it then get the tC, who knows you may fall in love with it like I did and decide to keep it. Fore warning: Once you start modding it, it becomes an addiction and you start to become one with the car and you cant stand to think of the day that you will part with it . Oh, and I add this too. Get something that you truly like and are very satisfied with. You don't want to regret getting a vehicle with this price tag just to realize you don't like it and want something else. I knew I liked the tC since the first time I saw it, so I just kept reading up on it and went to the dealership one day to get one...was expecting an 06 so the payment was just a tad lower, took one out for a testdrive, did paper work, he called me back and said my 07 was ready, I couldn't have been happier :D Oh, and an 07 will give you better resale IMO b/c it will be "older" than the 08s but have WAY less miles than all the other 07s. But the 08s come with standard iPod connection and side/curtain airbags if those are of any importance to you at all.

ru03j

hum alirght. thx for the long reply. Right now the car that I need I will have to be driving it ALOT. since I use it to get food, movies, school, basically EVERYTHING since I live by myself.
And when I am at school I probably will not be driving it at all. Well at least to such a small extent that I dont think it will be worth keeping the insurence and everything. Also the parking is going to be a huge problem.

Maybe a beater car. However, I do want something nice that I can enjoy and have fun with. So i guess what I am saying is that is it worth it? If I try to sell it on online like on cars.com or auto trader how much do you think I will get? Also how long does it normally take to get the car sold? (I live in California)
again thanks for such a detailed reply

locondcoco

for just a year? get a beater. you'll lose $3-5k, GUARANTTED if you get a new car. on top fo that, you're going to want to get full coverage on insurance (since you're going to sell it in a year). but if you get a beater for $5k, and just get the least coverage that you can. should last you a year, and then you can sell that (and lose what, $1k?), and buy yourself something new later on when you need it again. thats just IMHO.

GarmaZed

That would've been something close to my advice. If you are only buying a new car for a year, you're going to lose atleast $3-4k alone when you sell it. I'd suggest either buying a used tC (if you really want a tC) for somewhat cheaper ($14-16k?, compared to $20-21k), or some other used car you may like.

But most importantly, when buying a used car, shop around. Don't buy the very first one you see and like, and when you find two or three get them looked at by a local garage or mechanic (if you can). I know that you may not know the area too well or anything, but it's always good to get a second opinion on a used car before you buy it.

I hope that helps your decision, and good luck in college (3 years in)!

smellythongs

If you live in California, having a car is a necessity. Even though you're in LA you still need a car and especially up in Berkeley. We do not have the same transportation as some big cities like NY, Chicago, etc. I just finished my first year in NY and I live here in CA and having a car here and there is a lot different. But then again I plan on shipping my car to my school this semester. If you're not able to financially help yourself in a brand new car, don't go for it. Stick with the car you have now and bring it up for school.

sciondrgn

Maybe look aroudn for a short term lease on a car if you want a new one.?

SengTC3

bum rides off friends or get a bike, I don't think its a good idea to buy a new car if you only plan to keep it for a year, tC resell value are usually high though I would say around 14k-16k, but if you were to get a tC, go with 08 if you want to maximize it's resell and keep it stock as possible I guess.

Go buy a little beater car, I just sold my bimmer for $2500 so theres a lot of cheap cars out there especially if its for a year, Lets say you get a new tc for 20K out the door, and able to sell it for 17k or around there, so you basically lose 3k, why not just spend that 3k on an used car (integra, golf, 240, etc....) and beat the hell out of it or something and sell it to someone for like 2K? Then you just lose 1k and will be able to have fun driving and not worrying so much about damaging it. But thats just my 2 cents.

ru03j

haha you live in fremont. i live in sanjose
anyways.. i guess i just want a car that i sort of like.


anyways wouldnt i get a better price for the 07 right now because they are clearing the lot? since the 08 is coming out?
Also did you guys all purchase with the sticker price?
know any website or company that i can get short term lease?
thansk

B_tC

Just get a beater car. Craigslist.

sciontC

Your def better off not going new, I see no reason for you to. And how much can parking be??? If that worries you having a used car might be hard too lol.