Possible to get a running reliable car for sub 1k?

yup. hell an oem tdi alternator cost about the same or more than my cousins new engine for his 97 civic ex (300)

 

I've got an s10 I didn't pay anything for and after $300 of work it ran fine. That being said, I'm a mechanic and have to remove 1/2 the intake setup in the winter when I start it or it floods.

 

My first car was $950. It ran good only thing I ever replaced was a starter. It had a fair amount of hail damage though. Was a Saturn.

 

I don't get it

 

hunt CraigsList. stay away from ads that seem like they were posted up by a 5 year old. look for simple spelling and grammar, i wont look if there is no pictures. i seen this one ad on CL, the guy put pictures of the car at a gas station with the nozzle still in. like he was getting gas one afternoon and just decided, "You know what, im gonna sell my 93 Grand Am."

 

Running? yes
Reliable.. Thats iffy.


All the regulars here know what Im going to suggest....





Cheap to buy, own, run, and repair. Safe, comfortable, powerful, reliable, not too awful to look at, and big enough to carry more than a single green grape. Gets ~25MPG (FYI The Mercury Grand Marquis and the Lincoln Town Car are all the same platform and offer varying degrees of luxury, or the lack there of.)
I really, for the life of me, cannot comprehend why anyone would buy some shitty, tiny, little, econo-death-box over one of these
I guess people like being cramped and uncomfortable, in poor looking, poor performing, and dead in a minor accident cars, all in order to save 5-10 mpg.
Sorry its not worth it to me.


Whatever you get, bring a car guy with you to look at it. Someone who KNOWS cars, not just an alley wrench. Someone who knows what to check at why.
Ask questions. "When was the last oil change? Brakes done? Tires? Transmission service? Water pump original? Alternator original?"

These are all things you'll likely need to have done yourself, so keep that in mind when bidding.


Thats my $.02
Good luck

 

look for a car that is stock under the hood. crappy after market parts means 75% chance a D-bag owned it and it was his ''race car''.

 

Take a look at auctions...agencies put their cars out to pasture at certain points despite still having a fair amount of life left in them. Pricing will depend on who shows up to bid with mid-week sales being better deals in many instances. Storage auctions are another option, although you are having to look at several factors since you won't get to actually drive them prior to bidding...


I got my ex's kid an old 200SX for $200 that only needed a battery and some replacement fuel line hose to be functional. It had some front end damage but everything worked and it passed inspection. That purchase was about 10 years ago...but same sort of deals still exist.

 

I am being to like you more and more. I was just looking at a Mercury Marauder the other day.


Op you can find plenty of cars for that price range and even cheaper you just have to face the facts that you might just have to do some work on it yourself. My kid bought at the beginning of summer a Jeep Cherokee for under a grand and had to do the breaks but it seams to run okay.


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Heres the deal:
You're going to spend $1500-$2000 on a decent, RELIABLE, used car. Bottom line. Either buy a shit box for $500, and put the other money into it over time, or spend the cash up-front, and maintain it properly. Most people are getting rid of a car because they havent maintained it, and now it needs "too much work", so they get rid. And they're right to do it, because shops cost a fortune. A simple tune-up can cost well over $500 at a shop. Add tires and brakes, and you're gonna spend a few thousand.


So what do you do if you're on a budget? Parts are cheap, install them yourself for a quarter (Many times even less) of what a shop would charge. Spend a few bucks on a decent tool set, and watch a lot of youtube vids. Join a vehicle specific forum to help diagnose any problems. I just did a tune-up on a buddys Blazer (FUCKING POS CHEVY... Who the FUCK thought burying the distributor in the lowest part of the back of the fucking engine was a good idea!?!??!?!! FORD FTW!!!! ) Plugs, cap&rotor (Wires were fine) for less than $100. I still gotta toss a $25 vacuum actuator switch at it for the 4WD (That dude thought was shot). He picked it up last month for $500, and he's put another $500 into it. It needed brakes, and a new brake line ran..., oil change(s), and a tune-up. The thing runs like new now (Well not really, still needs the O2 sensor and gotta find a EVAP leak, but...) and the guy who sold it is kicking himself.

 

It'll take some real looking but yeah its possible.

 

As the joker said buy some tools and watch youtube videos. Just dont buy a used BMW or some shit like that. Learn how to spot head gasket problems. That will be your biggest money pit on a running car.


EDIT: If you find a nice cheap car that you want talk to the owner(he may come along) and take it for a long test drive. If you can 30 minutes or longer. If its going to over heat or someting you need to test drive more then just around the block.

 

GREAT advice... I made the mistake of not letting my last TownCar warm up all the way (I just started it and made sure there were no major ticks, taps, or knocking)... It wasn't until the ride home that I realized the plastic intake was cracked
Luckily the upgraded metal intake was only ~$225, and about 4 hours of my time

 

My 1999 jeep Cherokee and 1995 pontiac Grand Prix were both bought for 900 usd. Only thing I've had to replace was the alternator on the jeep but I got a used one form a pick and pull for 15 bucks. But tot answer your question do a lot of research on the car before buying. Look online for common problems and repairs that happen to the car. And keep us posted on your soon to be new ride