Good morning, Tuscani. Did you miss my responses to you? Just in case: I had read your post that you linked to. 
Also, this is her second car. I will keep you all posted. Thanks.
Also, this is her second car. I will keep you all posted. Thanks. I like this idea, too; and suggested she do the same, but she wants/needs a car now. The university she attends is near 30 miles away. What scares the tarnation out of me is adding a car payment to her credit card debt, and especially when she won't be making as much money this coming year, as she interns. Even a HELOC or a Parent Plus would take a couple of weeks. Sigh. Thanks, Kevin. Have a great day!
Kevin, when I bought my '07 Ford Fusion in Sept. '06, Ford was also offering 0% financing through Ford Motor Credit. My scores at the time were all at 680-687 respectively with no baddies, no rent, and a monthly income of $3900. I did not get approved through FMC. 
MercyMe, it sounds like as every day passes you need a car for your daughter more. I say you take her to a name-brand associated dealership, work with their special financing department, and see what they can do for you. My girlfriend was in the same situation over a year ago when she totalled her car. She walked away with a $14000 car loan, even though the interest rate was 17%. What I'm saying is, most dealerships have special financing for people like your daughter, whether she's a student, has variable monthly income, or bad/poor/no credit. She can get a car loan today, but just keep in mind it might be worth refinancing once she gets that teaching job FT and pays down some CCs.
You all have been so good to share your experiences and expertise. The Credit Union seems to be our best bet, as does a used car, through a dealer. There are several dealerships here that work with students, as well. I'm sure she'll find something she can live with for a while, at a price she can afford and I can help with, if she runs into trouble. I'll keep you all posted!
I'll keep you all posted!Have a 
me
Here we go, guys! The insurance paid out $3000 today, and my daughter's out car shopping with her older brother who "wheels" and deals --haha! He owns his own auto repair shop. 
) But anyway, I spoke with someone at Bright Stars (Credit Union) today and because she's an Elementary Education major at FAU, and about to enter her Senior year, I was referred to two dealers who deal directly with the Credit Union! All she needs to do is find a car she can afford and likes, let her brother haggle the price (he told her to be prepared to walk out, tonight, promising her they will start hounding her tomorrow) and then arrange financing through the CU! Sometime tomorrow, though, she will have to go to the Credit Union and open either a savings or checking account; but that won't be a big deal. She just got paid, so she has a few bucks to spare.
) But anyway, I spoke with someone at Bright Stars (Credit Union) today and because she's an Elementary Education major at FAU, and about to enter her Senior year, I was referred to two dealers who deal directly with the Credit Union! All she needs to do is find a car she can afford and likes, let her brother haggle the price (he told her to be prepared to walk out, tonight, promising her they will start hounding her tomorrow) and then arrange financing through the CU! Sometime tomorrow, though, she will have to go to the Credit Union and open either a savings or checking account; but that won't be a big deal. She just got paid, so she has a few bucks to spare. She would have had a few hundred, but after listening to me, all of these many weeks that I've spent on these boards, she paid down her credit card debt by $400, last night. She didn't know it would take about 30 days to reflect this on her reports/scores. Hey, she's learning a whole lot sooner than I did! And again, thanks to all of you! And so hey ... since she listened to me, even as I listen to you, and put most of her pay check into paying cc debt, you don't suppose, do you, that she could borrow gas money from the lot of you (rather than me!) to tide her over for a week or two? It is, afterall, your own fault that she's becoming so much more smart! Haha.
It is, afterall, your own fault that she's becoming so much more smart! Haha.I'll keep you posted!
Welcome, Lindy! I'm new to this forum, as well, and just can't seem to stay away, for all that I learn each and every time I log on. There are so many knowledable people here -- most of whom have their own experiences -- successes and failures -- to share, and from which we can glean information that so oftentimes helps us to clean up our own credit messes. You, most certainly, have much to offer those who are, now, where you have been. Of course I say this having read your previous post. Congratulations on doing that which so many of us have yet to do ... survive the hard times. Your experience will be most appreciated, by many, I am sure.
You, most certainly, have much to offer those who are, now, where you have been. Of course I say this having read your previous post. Congratulations on doing that which so many of us have yet to do ... survive the hard times. Your experience will be most appreciated, by many, I am sure.Ahhh, so you have a 21 year old daughter, as well, huh? I trust she's as productive and sensible as you seem to be. Perhaps, like my daughter, she's far more wise than you were at her age? Thus far I've been fortunate in that mine doesn't hesitate to learn from my mistakes. ) She's a super young woman who works very hard, and has, for a very long time. She's been at her job for a little more than 5 years, to be exact. She puts in 30-35 hours a week, as an instructor at a place called Little Gym, substitute teaches on occassional Fridays, and goes to school full time, besides. Right now she's attending summer classes in order to get a few classes behind her that will be necessary for her to take, as she intends to persue her Master's in Elementary Education. She does nothing half way. If you've read my previous posts you know that she's entering into her senior year at FAU, is and has been on the Dean's list.
) She's a super young woman who works very hard, and has, for a very long time. She's been at her job for a little more than 5 years, to be exact. She puts in 30-35 hours a week, as an instructor at a place called Little Gym, substitute teaches on occassional Fridays, and goes to school full time, besides. Right now she's attending summer classes in order to get a few classes behind her that will be necessary for her to take, as she intends to persue her Master's in Elementary Education. She does nothing half way. If you've read my previous posts you know that she's entering into her senior year at FAU, is and has been on the Dean's list. She's a super young woman, as I said, and I couldn't be more pleased -- but yes, she does indeed seem to be a clothesaholic these days, but I attribute that to all of those really rough years, after the birth of her disabled brother, that found us at Salvation Army and various consignment stores, when she needed something. Now that she makes her own money, and pretty much pays her own way, never having complained in the past about what she didn't have, I don't say too much when she comes in with a new pair of jeans. But why these young women need 5 different bathing suits and 6 different kinds of shampoo, is beyong me!
Welcome, anyway! And I look forward to reading your posts!
The next post from me will be all about my daughter's car shopping adventure!
Have a happy!
me
Message Edited by MercyMe on 06-06-2007 05:56 PM
Ha! She did it! She bought a car, and was able to do so without a cosigner! THANKS TO ALL OF YOU, and all I've learned in this forum, not only did she get a car, she got a really good price and a decent interest rate, besides! I'm laughing (to myself, now) as I mention the interest rate, because I was on the phone with my daughter-in-law who was at the dealership with my son and my daughter, all three of whom were haggling with the salesman about the price of the car -- a 2005 Scion tC, complete with spoiler and alloys, that had a sticker price of $17,500. (Don't choke. Not yet.)
According to my daughter-in-law, my daughter picked no bones about how much she was willing to pay, monthly, and how much she had to put down. Her brother, who went to help her haggle -- because he's good at that, could hardly get a word in edgewise, because she'd listened to her mother for the past few days go on and on and on about such things as keeping her credit scores to herself and auto-enhanced credit scores and what not, and wouldn't you know, it all came in awfully handy, like when the salesman was asking for her social security number so he could pull her scores she flat out told him that she knew what they were, making sure he knew that she knew all three of her FICOs, so there was really no need for him to take the time to pull them, unless he wanted to pull her "auto-enhanced" score, she said, because she had no idea what that score would be, and that's pretty much when the you know what hit the fan! I was listening to all of this, over my daughter-in-law's phone.
My son said that the moment his sister mentioned the auto-enhanced score the salesman's face went lily white! He stammered and hemmed and hawed and tried to tell her that there was no such thing as an auto-enhanced credit score, and that's when my son stepped in and asked to speak to the manager, who would no doubt know what it was and could pull it. The salesman, from what I heard and understand, was reluctant to call the manager over, but my daughter-in-law was not, and called right out to him, asking him to come over to them, and when he asked if there was a problem, my daughter told him that before she would buy anything she wanted to know what her auto-enhanced credit score was. She told him that she knew her Ficos, and had copies of her reports with her to show him, if he cared to see them, but that she understood, because she'd purchased a car prior, and never paid late, that her auto-enhanced score might well be higher. She got her score, by golly, and a 7.5 interest rate too boot! Her brother haggled the price down to $14,480, which put her payments right at where she wanted them, and without ever having asked for her credit reports or running her Ficos, she drove home, last night, in her new (but used) car, that's still under warranty for another 24,000 miles, and that only has a bit more than 13,000 miles on it! Now did they get a good deal or what!
Ha! I just LOVE my kids! And you guys too. THANK YOU!!!!!
Message Edited by MercyMe on 06-06-2007 06:37 PM