I want to buy my first car but I have a limited budget?

I got my license about 8 months ago and have been begging my parents for a car ever since. My parents have a strong belief that teenagers should be responsible for buying their own first car and that handing a car to a teenager is an accident waiting to happen. Therefore, I have to use all my money if I ever want to buy a used car in the near future. Is there anyplace where cars are cheaper? I've tried looking on websites such as eBay and Craigslist but I'm concerned about the reliability of the cars sold. I'm happy with any type of car but I prefer reliable and safe cars such as Hondas, Toyotas and Subarus. Any suggestions for a cheap and reliable source to buy used cars?

My first car was "given" to me in a trade for a summer of cutting grass. I used HIS mower, HIS gas and he even (well the wife) gave me lunch, water, and such. Never got to (legally) drive it. I was 13, and we moved cross country.

I learned from that though that as long as I don't set my sights higher than my finances, I can always have a car to drive! I bought a VW once for $15.00 and drove it home! I have bough many vehicles for less than $500.00, drove them a while cleaning, repairing or painting, then selling for much more than I paid!

You just need to keep looking. Deals are out there.

For a first car I would stay away from eBay its better to look in person and hear it run. And don't look at night it won't look the same the next day.

Your parents are very smart and actually have good reason for their concerns. Kids who work and buy their own cars have greater appreciation for their hard-earned possessions and take better care for them. They also know that teens who are inexperienced and overconfident about their driving skills cause the most accidents, as insurance companies well know.

So that in mind, you can find the best deals when buying from private sellers, not dealers, and even better from people you know.