Your best bet in a used car will be a well-maintained American car. I don't want to get into the U.S./rest of the world "discussion" being held on other threads. I'll just say that proper maintenance has more to do with a car's trouble-free operation than where it is made. Right now, there are some decent American cars out there, but perception has not caught up with the reality, so American cars suffer more depreciation than many foreign cars. As a buyer of a used car, you can take advantage of that. Some of the cars you might want to look at include the Ford Taurus, or just anything midsize or larger from GM. I'm guessing that, since you got to the age of 16 without being a "gearhead," you mostly want a comfortable, reliable car. These will do the job. They shouldn't cost a fortune for insurance, either. Mikie is right -- even if you're paying for your own insurance, it will be cheaper to piggyback on your parents' policy than it will be for you to go solo. Ask about discounts if you get good grades in school or are willing to drive only a certain number of miles per month, etc. Finally, what else I wish I'd known about cars at your age? Having a car is a joy and a privilege -- and a responsibility. As a teenager, you have the benefit of quick reflexes and (I hope) formal training. You can be an excellent driver. But there's no substitute for experience -- especially at night in the rain and on icy roads. I knew how to steer out of a skid -- until the first time I found myself in one and narrowly missed a fence as I spun into a farmer's field. It's different when it really happens. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you're immortal (every teenager thinks so; so did I). You're in control of almost two tons of metal and glass and plastic, so be careful. When I was 16, nobody had cell phones and we were lucky if the car had an FM radio, nevermind multi-channel stereo systems and iPod links and the like. I know teenagers are better at multi-tasking than they used to be, but you still have one primary task in a car -- driving. Don't be distracted by fiddling with the stereo or talking with friends. It's okay to concentrate on driving. Professional auto racers do. Have fun! Getting my first car was a blast. I hope you find one you really like and have many happy miles with it.

These are not "shady" deals, but I think that all 3 favor the dealership, and not the auto owner. 1. Extend the warranty from 5 to 7 years for $1480 and get the money back if no claims. This is a free loan of $1480 to the dealer for 7 years and it probably does not cover much, maybe just the drive train. These parts are already warranteed for 5 years. What happens if the dealership changes hand, goes out of business, or re-incorporates before the 7 years is up? These days, auto dealerships are very fluid and a long term, fixed business arrangement for 7 years is more rare than new dealerships. Do you thnik you will own this vehicle for 7 years? What happens to your money if you replace this vehicle within 5 years? 2. Rust proofig for $848 or more option at $1248. The time to add rust proofing to a vehicle is when it is new and the surfaces are clean. This one is a maybe. Some sources say it is wasted money. It all depends on what is done. If it merely duplicates the coatings already placed by the manufacturer, it is not very helpful. It may offer some protection if you live on a gravel road where the undercarraige gets pelted with stones on a regular basis. If they add coatings to the interior of the doors, be careful here. Too much in the wrong place can gum up the workings of electric door locks; It can plug door drains. If you live in the "rust belt" where road salts are used extensively, it may some added value. This one is a judgement call. 3. Accident and health insurance. This is assurance (to the dealer) that you'll have cash to pay off the loan in case of debilitating accident or sickness to you. Very likely, it will be written to the effect that in case of accident or illiness, the car loan is the first item to be satisfied. If you are employed, have adequate health and life insurance, this is not needed. For a long trerm loan, say 5 years, the dealer (and loan agency) is very anxious to make sure that the loan covered.

fern - That clause seems to be rather made up by your agent rather than a provision in the policy - I would clarify that directly w/the insurance company A homeowners policy is in effect for the date on the declaration page typically a one yr span and can only lapse if you are not in good standing (payments) at which time they legally have to give you notice that you will be dropped unless you have your payments w/in a certain time period - Plenty of people are away from their primary home for various reasons for extended periods of time - how on earth can an insurance company prove or disprove a period of time and whether it was vacation or not - please ck w/you co. good luck

Alisande, you're giving them praise for talking you out of using their service that you had already paid to use? They were real happy with you too, believe me. You could have gotten the same info about the nearby service station from a map on a gps device or a smart phone. (When I called the State Farm dispatcher as described above, they said "Do we have permission for one time use of the locator system for your phone, so that we know where you are?" I said yes, and they came back and said "OK, we see your position". I didn't have to tell them.) Sushipup, so a truck that stocks and sells replacement batteries drives up, "checks your battery", and tells you what you need is a new battery? I'm not sure I would have fallen for that. Maybe they were on the level, but hmm... I would have limited the service to a jump start and then gone to a garage to have it checked.