Cars for under $1000 in Austin (Riverside: buyer, live, price)

[Riverside2012]

What type of car could you buy for a $1000 in Austin.

could you get one from a Car Dealer ?

[Trainwreck20]

Check Craig's list...they will be high mileage, at the very least, probably with body/interior issues of some sort. You should be able to find one that was functional enough, though not pretty...

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Riverside2012

What type of car could you buy for a $1000 in Austin.

could you get one from a Car Dealer ?

I dont think you can get a car worth having for 1000. I would recommend you save and at least get into the 3K range.

You would be taking a lot of risk @1000 that something expensive will go wrong very quickly.

For 1000 I might be inclined to get a bike or even a motorcycle instead. A motorcycle is simpler, less things to break etc.

[Don in Austin]

Originally Posted by Austin97

I dont think you can get a car worth having for 1000. I would recommend you save and at least get into the 3K range.

You would be taking a lot of risk @1000 that something expensive will go wrong very quickly.

For 1000 I might be inclined to get a bike or even a motorcycle instead. A motorcycle is simpler, less things to break etc.

Agreed. As the owner of a car repair shop that does buyer's checks, I have to say that the overwhelming majority of cars under $1000 need $2000 or more in repairs to have a service life expectancy, reliable, state-inspected and safe, of more than the next 3 months.

Once in a blue moon somebody gets lucky. If so, it will most likely be a vehicle purchased from a coworker or relative, NOT from a used car dealer.

Don

[Tarzanman]

The motorcycle will require investing in a helmet, safety gear (jacket, boots, etc), tools, and training if you haven't ever ridden before. It will also make going to the supermarket very interesting.

[mesmer]

I bought an old Honda for under $1000 five or six years ago.... it had the tendency to sputter out and die while I was driving it (carburetor issues - yes, it was that old). Almost all cars in that price range are going to have issues, possibly expensive ones. That said, I saw that same Honda driving around town in the last six months or so, so somebody has kept it running. If you're handy, you might be able to find a good deal.

[Eastcoasting]

If you are really lucky and know how to work on a car you might be able to find something at an auto auction.

I wouldn't even look at anything that didn't say Camry, Civic or Corolla.

[Eastcoasting]

On Craigslist right now. Run don't walk!

1989 Toyota corolla - $950 (Round rock)

[Moonlady]

Remember, cash for clunkers took a lot of old vehicles off the road and drove up the demand for low cost used vehicles. So, a few years ago you could probably buy a relaible car with some body damage or a trashed out interior for less than a grand, but today, those vehicles are hard to come by and the value is inflated.

[CptnRn]

Look for a private owner selling an old Honda or Toyota they are known for having very long lives.