tips for buying a cheap car

Poststructural Pub
1

I have been saving money for three years and I finally have a little bit of money (by little bit I mean slightly under $2000 dollars). I am looking for a cheap automobile so that I can get around town and do things like grocery shop and laundry which I can’t do on my bicycle, walking, or public transportation. For the past three years I have used taxis but they have recently almost doubled their in-town price due to gas increases, and it now costs almost $200 to go back and forth to Lexington (where I have a doctor’s appointment once a month) in the taxi, and I currently find myself in the situation where I am taking money out of my car savings to afford the taxi rides, so I figure I should start looking for a car.

I don’t feel like $2000 is enough money to buy a car that will work, though. What do you think? I have never owned a car. I will be using it to learn how to drive. I am planning on taking out loans to afford insurance and maintenance, because that’s really my only option.

I have a former boss who is willing to sell me a 17 year old Sedan for $450, but that seems ridiculously cheap so I suspect her, whether or not I should…

Advice?

2

You ought to be able to get an okay used car for $2K. A 17 yr old toyota camry, suburu or other Japanese car could be fine. Generally with older cars look for low milage (average no more than 12K miles a yr or so). And I would not be surprised to find one for $450.

Google Kelly bluebook or Edmunds (same people) and learn more than you ever wanted to know about used cars. Check the web for auto trade and similar search engines in your area. Get a knowledgable friend or friendly mechanic to look it over before buying anything. Ask around to find a trustworthy local mechanic. You’ll become their regular customer. You want someone comfortable with older cars. Generally new car dealers and chains are more expensive than independent local mechanics.

3

craigslist…just check it out…there is a local Lexington one near you…

stay with either a Honda, Nissan, or Toyota…

I searched under cars with a max of $1800 and it turned up about 4 pages worth of stuff…

90’s Mazdas have bad front rotor problems…stay clear of those, IMO…

Subi’s last awhile and are reliable…good for all-year weather including snow…


Good luck, Jack!

4

no Chevy’s or Fords!!!

Especially Fords…don’t fall into an Escort or Taurus…those are the crappiest old vehicles on the road…even if it drives ok, you will have serious problems when it comes time to smog it(although, I’m not versed in the Kentuky smogging laws…)

5

Add Honda to that list of reliable cars that can be bought cheap if they’re old enough.

I’d also look for local mechanics who sell cars on the side…not only will they be able to fix it for you (since they likely fixed it to sell it), but there is a bit of pressure for them not to sell anything that isn’t running well (be sure and tell them when buying it you’ll be a customer for any repairs).

Eric

6

Thanks everybody! I will definately take this all into consideration.

7

Not to disagree with our NCal friend, but 90-93 Ford Festivas can be bought dirt cheap and will run forever…in many ways they were like 70s Honda Civics - no thrills, but reliable. I know several mechanics who swear by these cars. They were made in partnership with Kia and Mazda and have a Mazda engine.

Eric

8

hey, no prob!

I just know that the Escorts and Taurus’ are crap… :slight_smile:

9

I agree with you about the escorts. I own a 2001, and I really don’t like it. My wife does like it, so we’re driving around with our only car being an 01 escort with 115,000 miles. The engine has run poorly since we bought it in 2002 - always rough, and no one has ever figured out why, the check engine light is on (indicating some form of vacuum leak - which no one has ever found), and it has a good $600 repair about every 8 months.

About the only things I like about it are the low insurance costs and that it’s paid off.

Eric

10

Find a senior retirement community, preferably gated and check the classified ads because they most likely have their own paper (like the one that I work at). You are likely to get a car, albeit scratched, that has been garaged or is being dumped for convenience, not profit. That’s how we find cheap cars here for friends and employees in the retirement community where I work.

PS. Beware of Taurus’s!!!

11

What exactly is a senior retirement community?

12

Jack -

Just remember, there is an ongoing expense to cars.

You are a guy. And unmarried. And under 25 yet, correct (I forget - time flies, you know!).

You won’t be able to do multi-car discounts, you won’t get good grade discounts (too old) and I don’t know about the discounts one usually gets for drivers ed, etc. since you are just getting your license now.

Your insurance, depending on the car, could easily run $100 a month.

I also have NO idea what the limitations are on temps for an adult in KY. Actually, I don’t know in Ohio - since everyone I know has gotten a license under the age of 18. But in Ohio, you must have a licensed adult in the car with you when driving with your temps when you are under age 18, and the license is a graduated license.

I don’t think KY has e-check or any other EPA restrictions currently. They were going the MtBE route in gas, but they stopped that several years ago. When Ohio had e-check, that was $19.50 every 2 years.

I think the license fee is in KY is based on the value of the car, not a flat rate as in Ohio. Ohio is running about $53 per year for a passenger car per year.

I don’t think KY does safety checks, but if they do - that’s another fee.


No matter what car you are looking at, sign up with CarFax (I think that’s the name of it) and run a report on the VIN number to make sure it’s not been wrecked, in a flood, etc. Some dealers will do this for you.

Agree also with looking on Edmunds or such for opinions on long term reliability. Do NOT get a late 90 model GM with a V6, they blow head gaskets and warp the heads (yes, I found out the hard way).



And, of course, there’s the ongoing expense - gas, oil changes every 3 months, parking, and on and on.

Not trying to discourage you - but only remind you of all that you have to look “forward” to if you take on the wonderful world of car ownership.

13

Huh? Oil changes every three months?? :boggle:

14

yeah…and we bathe in it too, Shaw…you should have known that!! We’re Americans!! :laughing:

3 months or 3,000 miles…

how often do you change your oil?! :confused:

15

My father refused to let me get a car before I was well into college,
because he did not want me to be, as he called it, “car poor”. Now
I know what he meant!

If any of your friends knows a mechanic they trust, see if the dealership
or seller will let you take the car for a pre-purchase checkup. That
can alert you to any impending expensive repairs that you might not
be able to see on the surface. Should only cost about $100, depending.

16

Thanks again everybody.

Missy, I turn 24 this year. :slight_smile:

17

Call me Steve or nothing. :imp: Oil plus filter change every year, approx. 12000 miles. That’s our Honda Jazz. My little diesel car, every 8000 miles or thereabouts. 3000 miles is ludicrous!

18

3000 miles keeps my 100,000 mile warrentee good (Hyundai).

19

I’m with Steve in this - 3000 miles is ridiculous - a modern car here would get it’s oil changed at it’s service - that is every 12500 miles ( in the case of my little ford diesel) and can be up to 20000 miles for some cars.

missy - Hyundai in the UK recommends service intervals of 10000 or 12500 miles depending on the car - is this different in the US?

David

20

From what I’ve seen, yes.