My not-my-son is needing to get a reliable car, with VERY little money to work with. Does anyone have any suggestions for vehicles that are genearlly recognized to be good vehicles (he’s gone through getting one that turned out to be described as a sort of a nightmare for some people we’ve heard fro…

If you can find a Ford Crown Victoria that he can afford which looks and runs OK, that is the one.

Define Very Little Money. Forget about brand or model of car. Your not son needs the best maintained car he can find. I suggest looking at unpopular models, like an early 2000s Chevy Cavalier, Ford Taurus, Chevy Malibu that was maintained meticulously by an older driver. Look for a car with repa…

+1 to what jtsanders stated. A make and model that is supposedly a reliable choice will absolutely NOT be reliable if it has not been maintained properly. When buying a “cheap” car, the maintenance that it has received from its previous owners (there could have been many) is the most important fac…

For more car for the dollar, buy from a private party. At a dealer you’re paying prep, profit. and commision. If he’ll concede to putting in the elbow grease he’ll save on the cash side initially, then he can add the work it may need as he can afford it. Thing like tires, tuneup, and fluid changes…

The quickest way to devalue a car is let it’s appearance deteriorate. Unfortunately, rust or a minor accident can provide a very cheap but mechanically reliable car. I would look for a used compact pick up whose bed is badly rusted and in need of replacement or one with sheet metal damage. Be very …

A friend of mine has had good luck buying used Saturns for around $1000. They have timing chains, instead of belts that need more frequent replacing. He’s never had to make any major repairs and has gotten a lot of mileage out of them.

No matter what you buy, a good rule of thumb is the interior. If it is torn up, then the vehicle has probably been abused. On the exterior, look for evidence of repaint or a lot of small dents, again indicators of abuse. A single, minor dent on an older vehicle would be acceptable at a reduced pr…

Also avoid anything with a rebuilt engine or transmission. It will be having other problems, that is why the owner is getting rid of it.

@jtsanders Yeah, and my county is auctioning off one that is listed as mechanically sound but it has rust holes all over the underbody… yet they won’t let you get a mechanic’s inspection prior to purchase, so it’s going for $204 right now at auction. It’s a good place to look, @EyeRytStuf , but if …

Very little money, but need a reliable car

General Discussion

jtsanders July 18, 2012, 3:40am 6

Here’s another possibility: Are there any volunteer fire companies near you? The one in my in-laws town auctioned a cherry 2003 Ford Taurus SE a month ago. It sold for $4001. That’s a great price for one guaranteed by a dealer, and it was owned by a nice old lady, too.

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Very little money, but need a reliable car

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