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I couldn't get the above post to show the quoted stuff vs. my replies above...
Anyway, thanks for the great responses everyone. It really DOES seem like there are fewer used cars out there right now. Everyone is holding onto their cars it seems. Maybe some new car buyers will come out for a Sunny Saturday to do car shopping and get some more used cars on the lots.
I just LOVE to research stuff on the web, so I'm just a helpful Mom who passes along useful information to my car buying son. (Some people like to pass along piano playing cats or jokes - I love trivia.) It just seemed there are fewer decent cheapo cars for sale right now.
Thanks, again, city-data folks, for the suggestions.
Hi folks! I'm in the same position -- I need a $2,000 - $2,500 car to commute 40 miles round trip here in Rhode Island. My question is, how important is it to bring the potential car to a mechanic, and how much does a mechanic charge for a quick evaluation? How many miles are acceptable? I've just moved to RI from Manhattan, and at 47 have never owned a car, so I'm totally in the dark as to what kind of car to look for, how to handle to seller, etc. Here's an example of what I'm looking at -- comments?
Any suggestions on brands or anything of help would really be appreciated.
A Mazda Protege might be in that range, though I believe the small wagon was only made for a couple of years. IIRC it was a Protege 5, although it might be closer to $3k for a 2002-2003 vintage. However, you never know what you might find locally, as there are areas where you can find a more reasonably priced vehicle. The sedan sells for a bit less, and was made for a longer time, so that would be closer to $2k.
Any car with many miles on it, however, is going to have issues, no matter the brand. Some have fewer than others, such that I would not say to run out and buy the first Land Rover you came across for $2k because it would need $5k in work in the next couple of weeks/months. Ditto for a Mercedes station wagon in that price range, though once said issues are sorted certain Mercedes wagons are very good vehicles.
If you can find one in your area, the Acura Integra was a very good small hatchback. However, they were popular with the tuner crowd, so if there is anything that has been modified on the vehicle, walk away. You should be able to find a reasonable one around $2k, but need to know if the timing belt has been changed. Honda engines are interference engines, meaning that a broken timing belt will cause significant engine damage. If the timing belt has not been changed, or it is an unknown, that needs to be factored as an immediate repair. The same would hold true for a Civic as well, with the timing belt.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Hi folks! I'm in the same position -- I need a $2,000 - $2,500 car to commute 40 miles round trip here in Rhode Island. My question is, how important is it to bring the potential car to a mechanic, and how much does a mechanic charge for a quick evaluation? How many miles are acceptable? I've just moved to RI from Manhattan, and at 47 have never owned a car, so I'm totally in the dark as to what kind of car to look for, how to handle to seller, etc. Here's an example of what I'm looking at -- comments?
Any suggestions on brands or anything of help would really be appreciated.
TIA.
That vintage Camry can be prone to engine sludge with the 4-cylinder engine. Also, that particular example, I would give a wide berth. The bumper is scraped, car looks dirty, and the pictures in the ad are not good, such that there might be more work than appears from the face of the vehicle. If the body work is that neglected, what about routine maintenance and mechanical repair? That's why you need to evaluate the car and find a good mechanic in the region to look at the car, especially if you can find a specialist in Toyota. You might spend $100-$150 at the higher end of the range for an inspection and test drive by the mechanic, but that can alert you to problem areas that you then use to negotiate on price, or walk away to find another vehicle.
Some independent mechanics are also excellent sources of vehicles because they may know of vehicles for sale, and would like to retain the vehicle on their books, which would likely be the case if you sought their advice during the purchase.
If you are not a mechanic, or an expert on the vehicle that you will be evaluating, always factor the cost of a good inspection as that will help to save you money with respect to immediate issues. Evaluate yourself, first, but then look to the mechanic on vehicles that look promising.
Some models to consider for a 4-door sedan:
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Honda Civic
Toyota Corolla
Acura Integra (there was a 4-door as well as the coupe)
Acura TL (early years, avoid anything that was 01-03 no matter the price as there could be a transmission problem, hence lower price)
Acura RL (early RLs should be in the $2-$3k asking range for a 96-98)
Buick LeSabre/Park Avenue (3.8L V6 engine)
With Hondas, timing belts are critical, so be sure to have that evaluated, either through proof of change, or factoring an immediate service because you need to service at a regular interval in order to have it on the maintenance schedule during your ownership. Toyotas, like the Corolla, tend to use timing chains which offer more longevity, however, are not 100% maintenance-free -- a good mechanic can let you know if there's an issue with that. The Camry, uses a timing belt, so again, you need to check that out. With the Buicks, the intake manifold gaskets can be a problem, but that's the only flaw in the later examples of the 3.8L engine used, and like the timing belt, if it is fixed, you should not have a problem.
Subaru can offer great winter traction with the AWD, but older models are not very fuel efficient for their size, and can have head gasket issues as mentioned above. Some Volvos can be very good as well, but they are more specialized, and the parts/labor tend to be more expensive. However, in New England, you should be able to find a good independent Volvo mechanic without too much fuss, so you could consider an 850 sedan or a S70 sedan. The S60 can also be reliable as well, but I don't think that series would be priced in the $2-$3k asking range for an example that did not need a good amount of work. Volvos have to be maintained to the letter, or the car can be problematic, unlike Hondas that are very reliable, overall.
The key with any vehicle is to look at its current condition, maintenance history, and evaluate the seller if buying private party. Walk away from any transaction that does not sit right with you, be it the condition of the car or just not thinking that the seller is someone with whom you want to do business.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Small truck, ford ranger, etc... Trying to load a hatchback like a truck is going to kill it quickly once he gets around to actually doing the repairs on the house. I have a subaru forester that I used as a temporary stand in before buying a truck. Even though it has good cargo space it was easy to max out the payload with just a single load of lumber.
The local municipal auctions are getting $8-10k for a retired police cruiser with 100k+ miles. Depending on the local police agencies (and they do vary), those vehicles are in OK shape ... or beat to heck.
What I am trying to say (based on personal experience), is that $2000 vehicles MIGHT get you around for a few months OR might leave you stranded on the road more often than not. It is NOT a vehicle that I would want to rely on for a 40 miles commute in one direction each day
I would get a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis. Those things are bullet proof and are easy to fix if something goes wrong, which is rare since they were mostly unchanged mechanically since 1992. My dad had a 1992 that had 150k miles on t when he traded it in on a 1997 Crown Vic that also had around 150k miles on it when he traded it in on a 2001 Crown Vic that had about 220k miles on it when he traded it in on our current 2008 Grand Marquis that currently has 105k miles on it.
Of those the only one that had any problems was out 2001 that had some a/c problem and the oil gauge wasn't working right the last 30k miles or so. Our Grand Marquis survived being hit in the left rear wheel area at 45mph, so there's the safety aspect that is better than most cars out there (the Grand Marquis had a 5 star crash test rating something like 15 years in a row). Although because of that wreck it does periodically leak transmission fluid. And with 20 cubic feet of trunk space you will seldom run out of room.
The local municipal auctions are getting $8-10k for a retired police cruiser with 100k+ miles. Depending on the local police agencies (and they do vary), those vehicles are in OK shape ... or beat to heck.
What I am trying to say (based on personal experience), is that $2000 vehicles MIGHT get you around for a few months OR might leave you stranded on the road more often than not. It is NOT a vehicle that I would want to rely on for a 40 miles commute in one direction each day
Umm not is every Crown Vic is a police car and even if it was, there's always the Grand Marquis.
Umm not is every Crown Vic is a police car and even if it was, there's always the Grand Marquis.
That is correct. Only about 80-90% of them.
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