Tax fraud. Chances are nobody cares, but then again you probably shound not announce that publicly.

true if thats what getting a little extra on the side is but makes sense but can we get on topic?

as to what would be a good idea when i figure out where i am and i am settled

See how basic goes and where you end up getting stationed. Then buy a car that isn't brand new with a ton of payments since it'll still be temporary (or keep your current car). The same general sentiment has been said numerous times already.

Its your life, do what you want. Just keep us posted :)

.....w/all the prev tickets you stated you've had in the past just call up your insurance co and see what full coverage is on a 2010 ss in your age bracket.....you don't want to be one of those kids spending 500/month on the car and 500/month on the insurance that puts regular in it.

can we try out wsex's idea and shoot a 400 into a smart car when i get back from basic

OK, I'll give you a long winded, very preachy, straight answer.

And this comes from two places:

1.) Finance guys who do this type of thing for a living, or in other words tell people what to do with their money so they have a lot more of it later in life/can retire. They make their $ only when they give other people good advice about handling $.

2.) Hanging around on forums where younger guys buy hot cars

lest you think I'm just making this **** up off of the top of my head.

• Don't buy a new/newish/expensive hot car until you are somewhat settled and have an idea of what your expenses will be in the future. It will sit and depreciate while it's sitting there. I have lost count of the number of younger guys I've seen buy hot cars/start huge HP builds only to see them A) sell the car in a year or so, or B) sell off all their parts as soon as they need to get married, buy a home, or are slapped in the face by reality.
  
• Cars are not good investments. In the purest sense of the word investment.
  
• Do not set yourself up to live paycheck to paycheck. Unforseen things like injuries, car accidents, loss of employment, etc will be a death sentence to your finances then.
  
• Live well within your means. You make great money for a guy your age, but in the grand scheme of things that's nowhere near enough to be wasteful in today's climate. Many people overextend their finances thinking they "have the cash" but they don't. That's why there are so many personal bankruptcies and foreclosures. It is so bad that mortgage companies will not write you a mortgage past a certian % of your earnings for your own safety.
  
• Avoid taking out a payment on a toy like it was covered in a bucket of AIDS. Why somebody would take out a loan for something that is not 100% necessary has never made a lick of sense to me. Banks will NEVER say "Sir, you can't afford that" as they want your money, and own your ass when you default.
  
• Quit smoking. At $7 or whatever a pack, and a pack a day, that's $50 a freaking week, $200 a month. If you saved that for two years straight you could buy an LT1 car to play with.
  

and so forth.

The short of it?

Join the Air Force, find out where you are stationed, drive a beater until you are out of the service, have a real job, and have your life set up. Then re-evaluate and see what you can afford.

Another thing to think about is how long you plan to serve. If you plan to make the military a career than this doesn't matter, but if you are going to do a three or 4 year thing and then get out you probably don't want a six year loan as you won't know your income the last part of it.

bill that was solid thanks ive always believed that if you dont have the money you dont need it thats why i am saving befor i do anything

/thread

Even though the "/thread" has been thrown I'm just going to throw my opinion out there, and pretty much echo the sound reasoning stated above. A reliable, fun car can be had in the $5000 range. Pay cash for something you can afford and save your money. You have the rest of your life to buy your dream car.

I made the mistake of buying a "hot" car when I was 18 and even paid cash, but it was still a big mistake. It ended up being a money pit, and I learned my lesson. I say this having made the mistake myself, give yourself a couple of years at least.

The basic rule for myself is, don't take out loans on toys. A good friend of mine just went out and financed a new 2013 garage queen Challenger R/T @ over $1,000 a month (MSRP 40,000+) and I couldn't help but shake my head. He works like crazy to be able to afford the new house he just bought, two other new cars, and keep up with 2 used cars. This is who I strive to NOT be.

Somtimes i just like the entertainment.

How many on this site are older than 30?

more than you think. most of them just shy away for such antics

Many more than you'd think. As Scott said, they just don't post much. We have a seperate lounge for that group as well.

I can't even spell ! lol

Over 30 lounge?

A lot of us have lived this and are telling you from experience.....I rocked a new is300 when i was 24..bought new w/half down living in my parents house...now i rock a 1993 silverado but its parked in my driveway of my home. I have toys but nothing w/a payment besides the wife's car.


Rule of thumb when your over the age of 28.....The value of your car shouldn't exceed whats in your 401k....and to think most of my friends still dont' have health insurance or a nest egg in the mid 30's is unconsciousable.

28 and up.

mike - i was going to start with 6 and prob stay for the 20 if all goes well and nothing that i can't turn down doesn't pop up ill be in for the ride

91chevywt - this is like what i said if you don't have the money you don't need it i don't want to rush into something i want to wait till I'm going to be comfortable and not have any financial worries and be set and ready to handle what I'm getting into

1320B4U - i always loved the is300's wanted one for my 1st car and they would still be considered as an option i jus want something that i will enjoy have they power to have fun and would look nice doing it along with being a nice looking car my z was like the beauty and the beast ugly as sin but performed beautiful when it unleashed

I think you missed several points here. Or maybe I did :-?

i understand what everyone is saying

Understanding the words, yes.
Comprehending the point, no.

keep in mind i am talking from experience.

i served 4.5 years active duty. my ss i had bought 6 years prior sat in my parents garage with a freshly built drivetrain . i wasn't gonna keep it in upstate ny with the horrible winters.

i bought a Saturn sky redline 8 months before deployment. it sat a year then. i drove it for 4 more months then started regretting buying it due to its impractical size. since it was such a specialized car and low miles, i owed less on it than it was still worth. i got very lucky there when i traded it in on my cts-v. now i have a more practical 4 door car. im getting engaged by the end of the year and will soon be looking at starting a family. safe and useable vehicles are taking a on a whole new meaning to me.

i planned on making the army a career but after being in it less than 2 years i knew i couldn't deal with the stupidity. however, the air force is different and have it easier. but if you DO join, work hard and be motivated. don't try to get out of work and be lazy like many are. i do not put up with that and any soldiers under me learned that real quick.

if you MUST get a newer car, make sure the loan term is shorter than your contract length. at the same time, through mypay, set up automatic allotments to pay directly out of your income monthly. do the same with insurance. get usaa too.

paul what are all the benifits and uses of usaa i heard alot but am confused and i was stongly leaning towards a wrx due to that fact 4door and awd make it a usefull are year round and i always get compliments at work about how hard i work bc i started when i was 15 bc my dad told me i had to work if i wanted to drive

og i both understand and comprihend

:bertstare:

just because the wrx is awd doesnt mean it can barrel through 5inches of snow with no problem, its still a sports car, its still low to the ground and the power split is no where near that of a truck/suv. i think maybe 20/80 front to rear where a truck is 40/60. with some snow tires it would be decent and better than and rwd car. so still your best bet for a year round beater. goooood luck