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My current car, a 1996 Dodge Intrepid, was bought for $700.
When bought the back brake pads and rotors were shot, tires need replacing, serpentine belt was dying, air filter was crap, has a leak, battery died in three days, and front brake pads need replacing.
I just need to fix the leak, get new tires, and replace my front brake pads. Currently the cars pretty good enough. But it's only meant to last me at least up to February. So one year.
I got my Mom's 74 Montego in 03 and my Grandmothers 74 Impala the same year for free. Both ran. Cheapest purchase was $50 for a 78 Pinto Cruising Wagon in Iowa Park tx back in 01. I still have all of 'em.
About two years ago I bought a 1998 Olds Intrigue for $400. Apart from the air conditioner not working, everything else did. Ran like a champ. Sold it about a week later for $1,000 to a college kid who drives it a good 30 minutes to and from campus to this day. I was told he put it in a ditch once and got $1,300 in insurance money for the fender and hood... and never fix it. It's still on the road.
Around that time I also bought a 2000 Buick Regal for $475. It even came supercharged. I had lots of fun busting ricers and civics in my old Buick. And the air conditioner even worked. Sold that car to a friend from college not too long after that... it's still on the road too.
Many years ago...1950 Pontiac coupe. 3 speed stick on the column, 6 cyl. motor.
Within the first month I painted the whole car using many spray cans of flat black. It lasted about 3 months as I learned to drive a stick and speed shift the old gearbox...which by nature didn't power shift well. The trans gave up...
Then I upgraded to a Turquoise and white 1954 Buick Super coupe with Dynaflow automatic trans (look that baby up...it drove like today's CVTs...felt like one constantly varying gear). IIRC it cost $400 and lasted about a year. It was a tank.
Many years ago...1950 Pontiac coupe. 3 speed stick on the column, 6 cyl. motor.
Within the first month I painted the whole car using many spray cans of flat black. It lasted about 3 months as I learned to drive a stick and speed shift the old gearbox...which by nature didn't power shift well. The trans gave up...
Then I upgraded to a Turquoise and white 1954 Buick Super coupe with Dynaflow automatic trans (look that baby up...it drove like today's CVTs...felt like one constantly varying gear). IIRC it cost $400 and lasted about a year. It was a tank.
There were many more...
Ooops...I neglected to say the Pontiac purchase price was $50
Bought an 8 year Alfa Romeo sedan for $213.50 ($200 plus 12 tax and 1.50 battery fee). Towed it home for $50.
Car was complete, no damage other than a crack in the windshield. Got it home and hooked up the fuel pump (the wire was laying in next to the battery) and drove it around the block! Then it got a master cylinder, then valve cover gaskets, then tires so with this much already into it I spent $2500 on paint to make it perfect. So shocks/performance springs and a few more misc. parts I was rolling my $5000 car which I sold to the first real offer of $2500 and was thrilled to see it go as I needed the money more than the extra car in the garage!
New owner was extremely broke, wife was arguing as she dropped him off that she didn't approve of this purchase. He then totaled the car on the way home....something about an on ramp, too much speed and a guardrail. Luckily he paid me cash and I didn't worry all weekend about a bounced/stop payment check!
Bought a truck from a guy for $150 in college. That would have been winter 1988-9, as I recall. It was a Chevy LUV. The engine was great. It was black, sort-of, and the heater worked in an on/off dip switch sort of way. The brakes were shot but it did stop, nor did I have it over 35mph ever. Sides streets of College Town, MI, it was snowy but flat and I never got into any real situations I couldn't get out of.
One day, it smoked a rotor and destroyed the caliper. I took it to the Midas or whatever in town for a $59 brake job. Nuh uh: the goofball mechanic went on and on in a monotone about what it would cost to fix, line item. I listened a bit, then started laughing when he rolled through $300 and just kept on going, keeping in mind we're talking 1989 dollars. He was pretty offended. I said, "hey, chief, I'll go hit the ATM and we can get started on the job. Leave it on the lift, I'll be back in an hour."
Cash only living yet you mention an ATM circa 1989?
My first car was a family hand-me-down in the 1970's. I've only ever bought new cars.
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