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I should probably take Click and Clack's advice and that is whatever you have saved up to buy a used car with, spend half of it on the car and the rest on repairs.
My dad always said... expect to put in $1500 worth of repairs into any used car bought, to make it right. And he told me this back in the mid-1980's. Not that I've ever needed to, but I see his point. Also, knowing that, it's never made me surprised or annoyed, when I've put work into any used car.
For most of my adult life cars were affordable to even the poorest, go to any used car lot and they would have a few cars (in the back of the lot) that you could drive off for a few hundred bucks.
in the last 30 years the cost of a new car has gone up a little, and if you adjust for inflation a new car is actually cheaper than it was in the 80's. But the entry point to buying a used car has increased dramatically. So gone are the days of being able to buy a hooptie after a few days of doing odd jobs and having that to drive around in until you can save up enough to get something nicer.
No more dirt cheap, "butt ugly but still runs" cars in the thrifty nickle or Greensheet(free papers).
For example my first car was $150 my second car was $350 and my third was $700 all within a 6 year time frame, most of the cars I would own in the next 20+ years after that ranged from $500 - $600(only bought a new car once and was stressed the whole time, since its not yours until the last payment) but most of my cars looked great (after I fix them up over time). and it was not until the 2003-2010ish that the starter cash car prices jumped dramatically. from 1976ish - 2000ish the starter cost for a running used car was the same $400 - $600 then overnight(it seems) the bottom average cost became around 2K - 6K.
And most "used car" lots have switched to being "pre-owned" dealerships, and the section in the back of the lot with the "Good deal's" is a thing of the past.
How did that aspect of American life all but die?
Here is your new source of cheap cars. A passenger car sells on ebay every 90 seconds.
Next links is cars that have recently sold cheap many of which for under 500 dollars.
A lot of people get rid of cars due to mechanical problems that are too expensive/difficult to fix. So if you have the skillz and the time, you can get a great deal on a cheap vehicle this way. So long as you look it over, understand what's failed and how to fix it.
One example was that 1996 Olds Achieva I mentioned a few posts back. But I've bought several vehicles this way.
One of my favorites was a 1985 F150 I bought in 2000. Short bed, single cab, 300 I-6, 4wd. Perfect size truck for what I needed at the time. The owner never mentioned mechanical problems, but I noticed pretty quickly that there was slack in the drivetrain and noise from the rear axle. Looked under it and saw that the pinion seal was leaking. Grabbed the yoke and found that it was loose.
He sold the truck for $1000... because people are afraid of repairs like that. I took it apart... bearings and gears were fine. I got a seal, crush sleeve, and a yoke from the junkyard. The repair cost me about $50. I drove that truck for 12 years
I still miss that truck. One of my favorite vehicles I've had. But it eventually got so rusty that it just wasn't reasonable to keep fixing it.
A lot of people get rid of cars due to mechanical problems that are too expensive/difficult to fix. So if you have the skillz and the time, you can get a great deal on a cheap vehicle this way. So long as you look it over, understand what's failed and how to fix it.
One example was that 1996 Olds Achieva I mentioned a few posts back. But I've bought several vehicles this way.
One of my favorites was a 1985 F150 I bought in 2000. Short bed, single cab, 300 I-6, 4wd. Perfect size truck for what I needed at the time. The owner never mentioned mechanical problems, but I noticed pretty quickly that there was slack in the drivetrain and noise from the rear axle. Looked under it and saw that the pinion seal was leaking. Grabbed the yoke and found that it was loose.
He sold the truck for $1000... because people are afraid of repairs like that. I took it apart... bearings and gears were fine. I got a seal, crush sleeve, and a yoke from the junkyard. The repair cost me about $50. I drove that truck for 12 years
I still miss that truck. One of my favorite vehicles I've had. But it eventually got so rusty that it just wasn't reasonable to keep fixing it.
Funny you should mention that. Cheap cash cars are a phenomenon of the South and the West, not the Midwest and certainly not the Northeast. Because rust.
Not a car but a bike that I kick myself for not nabbing - an old 2-stroke Kawasaki 750 triple. Made a damn awful rattling, knocking sound at idle. Another guy bought it and the whole problem was just the clutch. Bike was really minty otherwise, than that noise.
Another awful rattle was on a buddy's 4.0 Jeep Cherokee automatic. Sounded like all 6 big end bearings were shot. What actually happens on these is the flex plate to torque converter bolts tend to back out. So the actual repair was just to take the dust cover off and tighten about 8 bolts.
Rear end problems with pickups and other front engine rear drive rigs - the max any repair should cost you is a good rear end from a boneyard. Check the (drum) brakes and either DIY or have a shop do them up, don't scrimp, put in NEW wheel cylinders (never mind how I know that). A dab of anti-seize compound applied to the bleed valves now will pay dividends next brake job. Also check, personally, that the "pumpkin" is full of lube, before you drive off in triumph, particularly if you have a shop do this. Take the opportunity to put in some new U-joints, get good ones like Spicer, get the ones with grease fittings. But take the ends off and put some grease in each one, good grease like Chevron SRI-2, don't rely on the grease gun to get all 4 bearings good and gooey. Pay attention to how the grease zerk needs to be oriented so you can reach it with the gun with the shaft in the car. Put it all together, then live long and prosper!
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A passenger car sells on ebay every 90 seconds.
