Unreasonable price for car? Please Help!

Question

The car I'm soon to be getting will be my very first car and I will be using it to drive to school, pick-up my brother up from school, visit friends... etc. My parents are adamant that the car be a used car that will cost them less than 2,000 dollars.

I have volunteered to give-up my birthday/christmas presents to help pay for the car, but they won't budge on the price. In addition to that when I show them these crappy (but within their price range) cars, they are too often than not like, "Oh that car doesn't look safe." or "it has too many miles on it." Things like that. Any excuse as to why I can't get it.

I can't pay for a car by working, because they don't want me getting a job during the school year ( I have 4 AP classes and they want me to keep up my 4.0 GPA)

I'm at my wits end! I have to have a car before school starts or I won't be getting to school! ( My friends haven't had their licenses long enough to carpool me, and I can't take my cello on the bus.)

Do you think my parents are being unreasonable about their price range? What can I do to get them to up it a little, so that I can get a decent car?

Help me! :)

Answer 1

There are other expenses related to driving they have to pay as well. New drivers cost a lot of money to insure, fuel and maintenance cost money, too. You should be grateful they will get you something to drive at all.  

Answer 2

what i would do is get a junkyard car and put it on the show Pimp My Ride - but seriously try going on ebay or craigslist there is always a diamond in there somewhere

Answer 3

If they are firm on the price, there isn't much you can do about that, i guess they are allowing for what they can afford, or what to pay out for a car, believe it or not you can get some great cars in that price range, it just takes a while to come across the one, i know you dont have much time, but keep checking online ads and classifieds, and you will find something, don't worry about the miles sometimes the best cars have many miles and still work like the day it was purchased. If a car can pass inspection, it's guaranteed to be fine. Don't fret it will work out, and it's your first car $2,000 is reasonable for that price to you will find something that wil get you where to you need to go, and you may think for parents are being unreasonable with the price but with a car comes Gas, Maintenance to keep it on the road tires, etc and the big expense CAR INSURANCE, most teens only get to borrow their parents car so be happy that they will actually give you something