When can I get a 20k car?

[Mad Jack]

One of many reasons I did not and could not go into a surgical specialty

Even if you're not in a surgical subspecialty you can end up with some early and off-hours days. And god forbid you've got call and can't get an Uber for something that needs you in-house.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Oso]

Even if you're not in a surgical subspecialty you can end up with some early and off-hours days. And god forbid you've got call and can't get an Uber for something that needs you in-house.

This is exactly why everyone should have an emergency horse. Trained to haul ass at odd hours.

 

[Neopolymath]

The issue is that you don't have time to work on or worry about a car as a resident. Once I'm done with residency I'll have fun adding some forged internals, a twin turbo (the sound of superchargers gives me a literal headache, unfortunately), a PCM tune, and upgraded suspension. But I don't have money and won't have time for that right now.

I would argue that this depends on what specialty you are in among other factors. I know several friends that find plenty of time to work on cars as interns and now residents. They are not surgeons though of course. As for money, yeah if all you care about is very new cars or putting $3000 wheels on your vehicle to "mod" it then I could see money being an issue. No argument there.

Correct. Also when you’re showing up to work at 4am you can’t count always count on Uber to bail you out if the car won’t start. You need reliability.

The difference between a Random German Car and a Camry is mandatory preventative maintenance if you want zero downtime. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that for most people a car isn't an A to B appliance and that they should care about anything other than gas mileage/safety/cheap parts, but no one is talking about an old 8 series or a maserati bi-turbo. You buy an M3 and you replace some aspects of the cooling system at 100k, 160k, etc... Anecdote, but I have never personally been stranded in any number of "unreliable" BMWs or Porsches. I have never had a friend let down by one either. I do know someone with a Ford Focus RS that is essential new with a blown head gasket and other myriad newer cars with asinine things that will legitimately strand you. That was a long way of saying that if you either pay for or replace some basic items yourself every few years you aren't risking reliability any more than the dude in his domestic truck that has a reverse head gasket leak.

 

[DoctwoB]

I would argue that this depends on what specialty you are in among other factors. I know several friends that find plenty of time to work on cars as interns and now residents. They are not surgeons though of course. As for money, yeah if all you care about is very new cars or putting $3000 wheels on your vehicle to "mod" it then I could see money being an issue. No argument there.


The difference between a Random German Car and a Camry is mandatory preventative maintenance if you want zero downtime. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that for most people a car isn't an A to B appliance and that they should care about anything other than gas mileage/safety/cheap parts, but no one is talking about an old 8 series or a maserati bi-turbo. You buy an M3 and you replace some aspects of the cooling system at 100k, 160k, etc... Anecdote, but I have never personally been stranded in any number of "unreliable" BMWs or Porsches. I have never had a friend let down by one either. I do know someone with a Ford Focus RS that is essential new with a blown head gasket and other myriad newer cars with asinine things that will legitimately strand you. That was a long way of saying that if you either pay for or replace some basic items yourself every few years you aren't risking reliability any more than the dude in his domestic truck that has a reverse head gasket leak.

Obviously regular maintainence is key and any car can break down, just saying that even if you have time to wrench, we have a job that demands punctuality and dependability. If money isn’t an object, then that newish bmw or benz will be plenty reliable. But if you have 10k to spend a moderately used Toyota is probably a safer bet then the beater 3-series or old corvette you can buy. Or for 20k the new mid size will beat the mid life Beamer, and so on.

I love beautiful cars and when I have the attending salary I’ve got my eye on a beautiful Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio, reliability be damned. But you need to recognize that for what it is, an impractical choice, that you may not have the liberty/money/time to make as a resident.

 

[Mad Jack]

I would argue that this depends on what specialty you are in among other factors. I know several friends that find plenty of time to work on cars as interns and now residents. They are not surgeons though of course. As for money, yeah if all you care about is very new cars or putting $3000 wheels on your vehicle to "mod" it then I could see money being an issue. No argument there.


The difference between a Random German Car and a Camry is mandatory preventative maintenance if you want zero downtime. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that for most people a car isn't an A to B appliance and that they should care about anything other than gas mileage/safety/cheap parts, but no one is talking about an old 8 series or a maserati bi-turbo. You buy an M3 and you replace some aspects of the cooling system at 100k, 160k, etc... Anecdote, but I have never personally been stranded in any number of "unreliable" BMWs or Porsches. I have never had a friend let down by one either. I do know someone with a Ford Focus RS that is essential new with a blown head gasket and other myriad newer cars with asinine things that will legitimately strand you. That was a long way of saying that if you either pay for or replace some basic items yourself every few years you aren't risking reliability any more than the dude in his domestic truck that has a reverse head gasket leak.

A twin turbo, PCM swap, forged internals, suspension upgrade, etc etc aren't cheap for those of us that actually enjoy modifying vehicles, and the cheaper options often end up costing you in either performance or reliability. So it depends on what kind of car person you are. A lot of things can take multiple days of work, however, which makes them impractical while working as an intern/resident. Repairs also can take time to diagnose, source parts for, and perform, time which is short during training. Finally, it just isn't worth having the uncertainty of "is my vehicle going to work today." Piece of mind is priceless.

 

[Poit]

2nd year med student and dropped 30k on a new 320i. 0 regrets, great gas mileage, sweet 4 liter turbo has all the power I need. Had 300 hp cars before but I'm not 16 anymore and very unlikely to ever use half of them again.

That said, I'm going back to an SUV. I miss indiscriminately going over stuff.

How did you get the funds to drop 30k as an M2?

 

[Weirdy]

How did you get the funds to drop 30k as an M2?

"Please sign on the dotted line."

 

[SpartanWolverine]

... I would buy a decently priced reliable car that will last through residency at least and won’t be a maintenance hassle. Why spend money on a nice car when most of your time in it will be be spent going to and from the hospital

Right with you there. Got a several year old AWD manual transmission car with 38k miles for $10k. So pretty nice, low-mileage, reliable, pretty fun, and awesome on snowy roads. Financed for 36 months @2.2% works out to about $200/month and then I'll own a decent car outright for the last half of my training. Hoping it'll take me the 6-7 years through fellowship.

... Definitely was tempted to go the @Mad Jack route and nearly dropped a fair bit on a new C300.

 

[Mad Jack]

Right with you there. Got a several year old AWD manual transmission car with 38k miles for $10k. So pretty nice, low-mileage, reliable, pretty fun, and awesome on snowy roads. Financed for 36 months @2.2% works out to about $200/month and then I'll own a decent car outright for the last half of my training. Hoping it'll take me the 6-7 years through fellowship.

... Definitely was tempted to go the @Mad Jack route and nearly dropped a fair bit on a new C300.

I figure I'd rather go more lean to have a car I can enjoy for the next 4-7 years. Like, I had a rough day last week and the second I was on the road, instantly felt better. A car you love is downright therapeutic

 

[mehc012]

Every time I click a car thread on SDN I'm disappointed to find no legitimate "car people" in the threads. Every time I am surprised and I don't know why because it is the same thing over and over. Does anyone else here actually know how to work on their own cars or own a vehicle that isn't either new "cool" (but really a numb slushbox) or a beater?

OP, buy what makes you happy when the math makes sense. It's not rocket science and you can either afford something or you can't. Also, learn to work on your car and you can buy a hell of a lot for low 20k. Don't be a chicken **** about mileage either for a variety of reasons.

I mean, I dunno how you classify 'beaters' but my current car is at least younger than me and the newest I've ever owned. And yeah, of course I work on it myself; I'm too broke to drop $500+ on a repair that I can do myself for <$100.

 

[mehc012]

I figure I'd rather go more lean to have a car I can enjoy for the next 4-7 years. Like, I had a rough day last week and the second I was on the road, instantly felt better. A car you love is downright therapeutic

I actually agree with this 100%, only for me any car that goes highway speeds counts so long as I can install a decent head unit and blast my own tunes. Used to replace the speakers, too, but most cars these days come with pretty decent ones stock.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

I figure I'd rather go more lean to have a car I can enjoy for the next 4-7 years. Like, I had a rough day last week and the second I was on the road, instantly felt better. A car you love is downright therapeutic

I get that 100% and will definitely have thing during residency that I'll splurge on. For me it'll probably be more space in an apartment/house vs. a nicer car (or if I have moments of sanity I might throw it all at loans).

But my affordable manual workhorse right now is certainly a prelude to something a bit more fun (911 Carrera?) when I can reasonably afford it.

 

[Neopolymath]

Obviously regular maintainence is key and any car can break down, just saying that even if you have time to wrench, we have a job that demands punctuality and dependability. If money isn’t an object, then that newish bmw or benz will be plenty reliable. But if you have 10k to spend a moderately used Toyota is probably a safer bet then the beater 3-series or old corvette you can buy. Or for 20k the new mid size will beat the mid life Beamer, and so on.

I love beautiful cars and when I have the attending salary I’ve got my eye on a beautiful Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio, reliability be damned. But you need to recognize that for what it is, an impractical choice, that you may not have the liberty/money/time to make as a resident.

I can't disagree other than to say that if you do almost any work yourself the ownership costs of a BMW for example are not much different than an Accord and much more rewarding/enjoyable in my opinion. It's really a myth that these cars cost more to maintain these days.

A twin turbo, PCM swap, forged internals, suspension upgrade, etc etc aren't cheap for those of us that actually enjoy modifying vehicles, and the cheaper options often end up costing you in either performance or reliability. So it depends on what kind of car person you are. A lot of things can take multiple days of work, however, which makes them impractical while working as an intern/resident. Repairs also can take time to diagnose, source parts for, and perform, time which is short during training. Finally, it just isn't worth having the uncertainty of "is my vehicle going to work today." Piece of mind is priceless.

I know all too well the cost of modifying vehicles as I had a track-only 911 until recently. You are right on delays and whatnot. That's where excellent planning comes into play. I replaced rod bearings over a weekend a couple years ago on my only car at the time, but I don't expect some regular hobby mechanic to do that nor own a car that needs that done. With the internet and diagnostic software, there really aren't any problems that no one has seen or knows how to fix.For example, I plug my laptop in, drive car, and see that rear wheel speed sensor is not responding correctly. I use multimeter to confirm resistance abnormalities. I order a new sensor. That took 15 minutes including washing my hands and finding my wallet.

I mean, I dunno how you classify 'beaters' but my current car is at least younger than me and the newest I've ever owned. And yeah, of course I work on it myself; I'm too broke to drop $500+ on a repair that I can do myself for <$100.

I think of a beater as a car with no enthusiast market with tons of miles and is old. There is nothing wrong with owning a beater. It has its use and they are great. I would rather own one than pay for a new car that isn't even a better product. I'm all about saving money that way. Bent valve stem is $100 for the part and 2k for labor. Not in my house lol.

I get that 100% and will definitely have thing during residency that I'll splurge on. For me it'll probably be more space in an apartment/house vs. a nicer car (or if I have moments of sanity I might throw it all at loans).

But my affordable manual workhorse right now is certainly a prelude to something a bit more fun (911 Carrera?) when I can reasonably afford it.

Trust and believe, the cayman is better.

 

[mehc012]

I think of a beater as a car with no enthusiast market with tons of miles and is old. There is nothing wrong with owning a beater. It has its use and they are great. I would rather own one than pay for a new car that isn't even a better product. I'm all about saving money that way. Bent valve stem is $100 for the part and 2k for labor. Not in my house lol.

I guess it just seemed as if you didn't consider owning a beater and maintaining it as 'knowing cars'?

 

[Neopolymath]

I guess it just seemed as if you didn't consider owning a beater and maintaining it as 'knowing cars'?

Nah, I just don't consider them enthusiasts I suppose which is what my first post was getting at. Plenty of people who hate cars know how to work on them out of necessity if nothing else. I applaud those people either way.

 

[Weirdy]

Nah, I just don't consider them enthusiasts I suppose which is what my first post was getting at. Plenty of people who hate cars know how to work on them out of necessity if nothing else. I applaud those people either way.

Located on West coast.

Shop wanted to charge 150 to replace an air intake hose on wife's 2010 Sentra.

Screw that.

Pliers, socket wrench, and Youtube.

To give them credit, the guy taking a look told me to just buy the part and do it myself.

 

[mehc012]

Nah, I just don't consider them enthusiasts I suppose which is what my first post was getting at. Plenty of people who hate cars know how to work on them out of necessity if nothing else. I applaud those people either way.

I love working on cars...I hate obsessing over cars like they're anything more than a utility. Maybe if the upgrades were things that actually improved my day to day experience, but I've never honestly cared about performance specs and my idea of a 'cool' car is one that can fit everything I own into it, play good music, and won't mind if the weather or the roads get bad. Motorcycle upgrades are more fun, but then I care more about the ride on a motorcycle, not the overall utility.

It's the same as computers...I'm not about to trick out a gaming rig from scratch or anything, because frankly I have no use for one and I hate desktops. But I enjoy programming to the extent that it improves my setup (making hotkeys for commonly used functions, like 1 button to rearrange all of my windows into ideal note-taking arrangement while opening OneNote, or a quicker screenshot utility), and if anything breaks I fix it myself.

So I guess you're right...I'm not a car enthusiast. But I'm a big believer in self-sufficiency. I guess I'm more of a DIY enthusiast in general, where it's not the end goal that excites me, but the fact that no matter what it is, I find a way to get there myself. Which also happens to save me money, bonus!!

 

[Neopolymath]

I love working on cars...I hate obsessing over cars like they're anything more than a utility. Maybe if the upgrades were things that actually improved my day to day experience, but I've never honestly cared about performance specs and my idea of a 'cool' car is one that can fit everything I own into it, play good music, and won't mind if the weather or the roads get bad. Motorcycle upgrades are more fun, but then I care more about the ride on a motorcycle, not the overall utility.

It's the same as computers...I'm not about to trick out a gaming rig from scratch or anything, because frankly I have no use for one and I hate desktops. But I enjoy programming to the extent that it improves my setup (making hotkeys for commonly used functions, like 1 button to rearrange all of my windows into ideal note-taking arrangement while opening OneNote, or a quicker screenshot utility), and if anything breaks I fix it myself.

So I guess you're right...I'm not a car enthusiast. But I'm a big believer in self-sufficiency. I guess I'm more of a DIY enthusiast in general, where it's not the end goal that excites me, but the fact that no matter what it is, I find a way to get there myself. Which also happens to save me money, bonus!!

Nothing wrong with that. We could certainly use more young people who know how to do things that even 30 years ago every adult knew how to do. It's pretty pathetic these days, but then again, the useless Boomers created this generation in their own image. Honestly, I get why some people don't work on things themselves (time is valuable), but people should at least understand their homes/cars/computers so they don't get ripped off by the countless grifters in the automotive and contracting industries.

 

[Treebeard]

1) Pay off loans
2) Buy whatever the hell you want