<prompt> Human: Hey,So im finally a senior in high school. I want to buy a car. I dont want to ask my parents for money because it doesnt feel right since they dont have tons of money either. I make around 1,300 per month. Im looking for a car that costs me around 1,000 - 1,500 since this is my first car and need experience driving more and until I secure a good paying job, I will switch up to newer versions. I dont want to pay in loans or non of that stuff; I just want to pay with cash and full. My thing is... I dont know shit about cars and what to do to make a successful purchase. I dont know where to search for used cars in that price range, etc. Can someone help a fella out here?  <response>: Being able to buy a car is different than being able to afford a car. Gas, insurance, tax, registration, and upkeep are all additional expenses. I have two cars. I wish I had no cars. I dont want to poo on your parade too much, but do some research on how much all of this will cost you. Just some napkin figures you can start with:Gas 100monthInsurance 120 to 300month this depends on your gender, your premium could be much higherRegistration 100 per year Dependent on stateUpkeep ??? A new set of tires is at least 400, wipers are 20, anything with engine and transmission is more than your current budget, last month i spent about 800 on a variety of upkeep things like flushing my transmission and getting a couple of belts replaced.I would wait to get a car before you absolutely need to, and the opportunity justifies the cost. The first car I got was because I landed a job that paid about double the average for college students, but it was across town. Even then Im not sure if it was a no-brainer financial decision, I dont regret it but there may have been better financial options. 