From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Be patient, do research when buying a car

By Jennifer Pritchard
Cooper City High

April 24 2008

One of the best tickets to teenage freedom is getting your first car.

This major milestone in life is a decision that you're going to have to live with for a while, so researching a car to fit your needs is a must. Sure, the Ford Mustang looks nice, but what's under the hood is what will matter in the long run.

Before you begin your car search, it is important to determine your price range and what type of car you are looking for.

"When I went shopping for my car, I was looking for quality for price. I knew I had a set spending limit, and I had to make sure I could find a reliable car," College Academy @ BCC junior Zack Stevens said.

Once you've figured out which type of car would best suite you, it's important to decide who you're going to buy your car from.

"I bought my 1999 Dodge 1500 for through a private dealer because I don't trust the dealerships. They'll hike up the price way too much," McArthur High junior Sean Patterson said.

If you plan to buy a pre-owned vehicle, keep a few things in mind. The first and most important factor is the mileage.

According to the insurance industry, a used car shouldn't have logged mileage of more than 12,000 miles a year. If you come across a car with high mileage, it means you're likely to spend more money on repairs sooner rather than later, so be patient and keep looking.

You should also ask the seller for a detailed vehicle history report. These can give you an insight on internal problems the car has had or will be having. These reports include any and all car accidents or repairs the car has received.

If a dealer seems hesitant about sharing the vehicle history report, he is probably trying to hide something, which raises a red flag.

Remember, buying your first car is an investment. Make sure you do your research and keep your patience, or else you might end up with a lot of costly problems on your hands.

Students' Top 10

Aiding in the car search, Consumer Reports has identified the 10 best new and used vehicles for teen drivers.

These 10 best include:

Ford Focus (2002 to present)

Honda Accord EX four-cylinder (1998 to present)

Honda Civic EX

Mazda 3

Mazda Protege ES (1999-2003)

Nissan Altima 2.5 S four-cylinder (2003 to present)

Subaru Forester 2.5X

Toyota Camry XLE V-6 and LE four-cylinder

Toyota Corolla LE (1999 to present)

Toyota RAV4 (2001 to present)