So I got a little problem

[terrible one]

Man  I just had to jump in here! So many similarities!

You sound like you are in the same boat as me. I agree completely with everyone about waiting until you have more money. The reasons have been listed over and over,  but I'll even take it a step further and say wait until you are 17-18 and have had a few years to save all of your money and forget about 3,800 or whatever . . . save $12k or $15k and get yourself something that isn't going to need much at all! BELIEVE ME this is the BEST time to save money because you don't have bills to pay yet!

I heard this same argument when I was 15 and I went and got myself a Charger anyways (granted it was a second gen that needed lots . . . at least this one you're looking at runs and drives) I truthfully funded the $3,600 by myself thanks to my parents forcing me to learn about saving money, but that was it. I didn't have any money left for anything. And the car was a long ways from driving or even being complete. All of that money spent and none left to fix the car!

Fast forward 5 years later and the car is still not on the road. I've held down a job since 16 and have the records I've kept myself to prove that on top of that $3,600 I've put about $9,000 more into the car. It probably wouldn't take everyone that long to get this far, but if I was going to have to spend 5 years without getting to enjoy the car anyways, I should have just waited until I could buy a better example. All that time and money and I haven't been able to enjoy it yet.

The way I see it, if I would have waited until I was 18 or 19 and had saved all of that money in one lump sum, I would have had near $15k and would have been able to have a NICER car SOONER!

I don't deeply regret what I did or anything like that . . . it's been a great learning experience. But, IF I COULD do it over again, I would just stack my money up until I had enough to buy at least a nice one  

[Axels73Charger]

"1974 Dodge Charger SE. 318 ci 2bbl auto trans with center console. Rally gages. Power steering and brakes. Complete Car runs and drives. 3800 obo"

This is from the thread on craigslist. But I think Im gettin the picture that MAYBE I should wait. Read what it says and well if you guys still think I should wait then what can I do?  Oh wait I can wait???

[Ponch ®]

"1974 Dodge Charger SE. 318 ci 2bbl auto trans with center console. Rally gages. Power steering and brakes. Complete Car runs and drives. 3800 obo"

This is from the thread on craigslist. But I think Im gettin the picture that MAYBE I should wait. Read what it says and well if you guys still think I should wait then what can I do?  Oh wait I can wait???

That's the rub when it comes to these cars. If you don't buy it, it may forever be "the one that got away". Or you'll buy it and it'll be the money pit you wished you'd stayed away from. You never really know...

[Axels73Charger]

The worsed thing that could happend I guess Is we go look at it and its got to many rust problems or bondo or something. Or he doesnt wanna play the haggling game...

[Lennard]

My dad doesnt like loans. He trying to teach me to not rely on them and to earn money first...

Your dad is a wise man! Go to the seller and pay him the $2000 you already have and put in writing that you payed that amount towards the Charger and will pay the rest within a certain time. You both sign it and after a month or so you pay him the balance and the car is yours.

[Vainglory, Esq.]

You asked for opinions so here goes...

Wait. Why?
1. There are lots of cars and the market appears to still be falling.
2. Cars will be cheaper in the fall after cruising season when the market gets saturated.
3. You're not technically even old enough to drive yet.
4. You don't have enough money to purchase the car so how do you plan on paying for everything it needs once you get it?
5. You have nothing personally invested in this particular car so don't go out of your comfort zone or make a poor decision for it.
6. It it were such a great deal it would already be gone. There has to be a reason no one is buying and the seller is willing to come down that far on price.

I can probably come up with more but the key in this situation all comes down to managing money. You're already aware of the limitations that you have to work around which puts you about 10 steps ahead of the rest of America. Don't "bite off more than you can chew". Another piece of advice I always give to the youngsters: your first car should be a cheap beater. If you can also afford your "dream car" buy it as well but don't buy it as your only car! When I was in high school my only car was my 68 Charger. I absolutely had to have it to drive to school and work so, when it broke, I either had to fix it on the weekend or slap it together ASAP. This led to a lot of "shadetree mechanic" type of repairs that I still regret. If the car could have sat for a few days or a week while I gathered the correct parts the car would have been a lot better off. On the other hand, when you have no choice it's amazing how quickly you can get something back on the road.

Troy

Yes!  Yes!  A million times yes!

I bought mine with all the money I had at age 17.  Guess what, when I got it I had no money left.  Guess what else, Chargers need money!  They run on $$$ more than gas.

In the end I spent 10 years, 5x more than I had planned, and about 60x more than I could originally afford to get the damn thing done.  Do you know what it's like to wait 10 years for a car you've barely ever driven?  Of course not, you're 15 and you probably don't remember anything from 10 years ago.

You need to wait, save up, and buy one that isn't guaranteed to give you a decade's worth of heartache. 

[Supercharged Riot]

I ran a cross some really good deals when I first started saving for my Charger.
However, I did not have enough money.
I didnt want anyone paying for it neither did I want to pull a loan or borrow money
If it aint the right time for you to buy it.  Just keep saving up
There will be one sooner or later.
It took me 6 yrs, but I finally earned it.