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2006 Volvo S40 a good car for a teen?

Im 20 years old. Im planning to buy a Volvo S40. A dealership is selling one for $10,800 80,000 miles (2006). Its all clean, I test drove the car and loved it.

So heres my question: Can I afford this car?

I make about $850-$900 average. They estimated I’ll be paying $244 a month.

Just wondering how much is it to keep a Volvo in shape (necessary changes).

Also would it be cheaper for insurance? Because its a top safety pick.

Also I mostly need it for school and work commute. I dont really pay anything around the house.

    James Dean
    Posted 3 months ago

    ask the dealer for the list of maintenance requirements on the car. Volvos need a bit more attention than most other cars to keep running properly, and this adds up to a decent bit of cash. the repairs themselves are also going to put a decent hole in your wallet when the time comes, just giving you a heads up. and $244 a month is way too much for a car that costs $10k, i’m paying $200 a month on a brand new Civic that cost about $16k and i’m only 3 years older than you. 10 grand is a decent bit of cash, you can get something with a lot longer lifespan. this thing already has 80k on it, don’t be seduced by the quality of the interior and the nice rims. save your cash, get something cheaper. you’re still young and have the rest of your life to be making car payments.

      Hank Scorpio
      Posted 3 months ago

      Answering your questions and your questions only:
      1)No. 300 a month for the car + full coverage insurance + gas + maintenance/repair buffer will eat into all your money. You’ll be eating ramen noodles.

      2)Doesn’t matter. These cars are not well built and you can tell by the selling trends on craigslist and ebay. People sell a car when it starts developing problems. If you look at ebay half of the cars for sale have under 50k miles which is a very bad indicator of longevity.

      3)Insurance is based on your driving record, the engine displacement/performance, and the cost of repair more so than the safety of the vehicle.

      4)You shouldn’t be financing anything at this stage. You’ll be burdening yourself with a long term note on a used vehicle that might not last the note duration trouble free. Buy a car with the cash you have on hand. If you don’t have cash on hand then wait a couple months.

        Stupid Flanders
        Posted 3 months ago

        It’s a Ford Focus with a Volvo badge.
        It’s fine, but honestly, you can’t afford it if you are only bringing home $900 a month.
        You also have the figure in gas and insurance. Being a top safety pick helps when comparing it to other vehicles that are not top safety picks, but insurance is still going to be very high for any 20 year old for a car this new.

          boomshoom
          Posted 3 months ago

          You probably CAN afford it. but you’ll end up paying everything you make to keep the car. Also, why don’t you just wait a year and buy it then? you’ll hecka overpay but taking out a loan. Just buy a used one from a *private owner* and take it to a shop to see if it’s in great condition. KBB value for that car used it MUCH lower then 10800.

          I never had a volvo, but i do hear the service for those is kinda pricy. sounds silly, but call around, ask how much it is to do oil change and stuff.

          Insurance would be crazy pricy. You’d have to have full coverage, and unless you’re a horrible driver, i dont see point for full coverage insurance.

          Another thing you should consider, volvo loses market value kinda fast, and it’s very hard to sell a volvo. My uncle ended up losing money on it because he couldn’t sell it and wanted it gone.
          BUT. i like how they drive. all fast and stuff.

            AnthonyCarpenter
            Posted 3 months ago

            It sounds like a good option, just remember to figure in the cost of insurance. Normally the liability insurance component of the police is much higher for teens.

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