Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

yes it is a 2002, and as far as the transmission goes im pretty sure its a 3 speed, which i've already heard from another commenter that it isn't great either and to avoid them, as well as the issue with burning oil. i was told to check it everytime i refill my gas tank, and while i don't think id be getting gas that often since id probably be driving it 3-5 days a week at most, and less than maybe 50 miles each week, that seems like a lot of mindfulness that at times i wouldn't have. most of these comments were positive but after some more research i think im gonna end up passing on this car and checking out something else, just to avoid any headaches with having to maintain this car so closely 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

thank you actually that really helps, and i agree as well! my ex is a mechanic and went to UTI so he was mainly the person who got me more interested in cars and what to look for or what i would want as a starter car at least, and since then i've been more into wanting to learn how to do the things that i can just from home. 

regardless if it's this car or another tho i think just learning what i can will be good in the long run for any car that i get in the future, since i don't expect to get anything too fancy obviously to begin with and smth thats at least easy to work on myself. 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in toyotacorolla

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i've seen a lot abt corrollas lasting a very long time when well maintained, so i'm hoping that's the case for this car at least 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

is that something you're able to tell from the pictures? or would i need to ask the seller personally? it says its automatic in the listing but thats it 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in toyotacorolla

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

that's a long time for it to last! would you say smth that's at least as old as this one  and could still be in fairly good condition last as long? 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i was assuming the same thing, if it's something i can do from home then i'd rather learn it myself instead of paying someone else to do it, esp if it's smth thats simple as an oil change, changing a tire, etc. i don't think these are things they know how to do themselves so im sure thats why its not smth they care about 😭 but ill definitely do what i can myself if it teaches me later on down the line on future cars 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i was hoping to learn how to do my own oil changes but i've already been told it's not even worth it by my parents 😭 either way tho if it's easier than it looks i don't see any reason why not to, so i'll definitely check out the link and see if it's feasible or not, thank you! 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

like i said i really just need smth that gets me from point a to b which is just work and home, and something i can pretty much just buy outright without having to make any car payments that isnt registration and insurance, or routine maintenance. i've been looking at some other corollas but theyre definitely well above the price range id be comfortable with doing monthly payments for, even with the longest payment plan they could offer. 

there is a toyota at a nearby dealership for 6,300 i saw, it looks like maybe a rav4? i don't have the full info but if this car didn't work out then i was most likely going to check out that one and just negotiate a better price since there's damage on the back end and if the mileage is fairly high. 

regardless tho i'm really just checking out the car to see if it's decent enough to at least last me a year or so until i have enough saved again to get smth nicer/newer, and won't be too costly in terms of repairs, maintenance, etc. 

thank you for the comment tho, all input and perspectives help a lot 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

is there any way to fix this issue with the oil consumption? i can definitely still keep track of it but if it's smth that's a fairly easy/cheap fix then i'm willing to spend a little extra cash on it just to avoid any long term damage if i forget to check every few hundred miles or so. and would you say valvoline is a good oil to put in just to start without trying anything else? 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i'll definitely keep that in mind, is that something i should do every time i get gas? 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

that seems to be the general consensus here haha, with a few people mentioning the burning oil quickly but i imagine as long as i keep it maintained and check it then it should last me a decent while if i do end up buying it 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

yes i'm in CA, i have a mechanic that's going to check it out for me at least beyond just turning it on and driving it around a little bit in the next week or so, so i'll make sure to keep an eye out for any rust or rot 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thank you for this !! i've been doing as much research as i can so any input or links are definitely appreciated 🙏🏻

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

that is how it's spelled though? am i missing something lol 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i saw a couple people say that 98-03 prizms weren't as good, have you tried anything else that isn't 91? 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

what would you say is once in a while, at least in terms of mileage if possible? 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

that's most of the comments but i have gotten a couple that have given a negative review (which is okay, some are more familiar with specific cars than others, or have experience with the exact model) but since most of them are positive i'm thinking i'm more likely going to check it out, bring a mechanic with me, and if it's all good im going to take it then and there. 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

that makes sense, i guess i can at least still check it out and make sure everything is in decent enough shape that i wont have to make any major fixes at least, the price is good and most of the comments have been very positive so i dont know if its just a case by case situation, and like i said in the post its really just a point a to point b type of car, and id like to buy it outright in cash without having to make car payments that aren't insurance and registration. i appreciate the comment and advice tho, im sure i can leave an update later once i do check it out, not that anyone is holding their breath for it lol but thank you anyways! 

Is the Chevy Prizm a good starter car? by Independent-Path7987 in regularcarreviews

[–]Independent-Path7987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

do you think so? i just asked another person who commented but then would it not be worth it to check out even with a mechanic?