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24/7 hardtimes - 9/24/2008 6:37:03 PM   
boundinside


Posts: 56
Joined: 6/7/2008
Status: offline 		So it seems that a simple break is hard to find now days.  I am constantly having set back after set back right now and one of them being I haven't had a car for the lasttwo months.  So I'm asking anyone who is reading this for help or advice.  I got laid off from my job after two years, and I'm not asking for money so don't worry.  However money is very tight, to say the least.  Anyways, if anyone knows of a legitimatemethod in which I can buy a car for a reasonably low price...meaning under a thousand. Oh and it has to run with all for wheels lol.  But any helo would be appreciated.  Thank you
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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/24/2008 6:47:54 PM   
NuevaVida


Posts: 6707
Joined: 8/5/2008
Status: offline 		Car auctions, CraigsList, your local "PennySaver" or whatever classified paper comes in the mail....Good luck!!

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(in reply to boundinside)
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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/24/2008 6:48:35 PM   
OneMoreWaste


Posts: 910
Joined: 8/24/2008
Status: offline 		Watch the classifieds and Craigslist. I've seen cars in the $500-$800 range that were runners, at least in my area. Older is better than newer (older cars are simpler), and avoid anything that seems too good to be true, especially if it's somewhat exotic (BMW, Cadillac, or God help you, Jaguar)

Now, if you've got *inspection* where you are... try to hook up with a chick who drives.

Oh, and consider a motorcycle. A small-displacement Japanese bike at the bottom of its depreciation curve, like a Honda parallel twin from the late 70s-early 80s, is dirt-cheap to tag and insure, tough to kill, and gets 50+ mpg.


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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/24/2008 7:01:54 PM   
corysub


Posts: 1492
Joined: 1/1/2004
Status: offline 		Craigs list is a great idea.  Just make sure you "Carfax" the vehicle to make sure it wasn't a victim of a flood from a hurricane. Normal wear and tear is to be expected, but watch out for the "real bargain" car that looks like a deal too good to be true....it might be an expensive sponge.

(in reply to boundinside)
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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/24/2008 7:08:58 PM   
stef


Posts: 10215
Joined: 1/26/2004
Status: offline 		The previous posters had good ideas for finding such a car, but be careful. There's usually a reason people are selling cars for such short money. Chances are it's because a huge repair bill is coming around the bend and they're getting rid of the car because they're putting that future repair cost into something newer or less of a bucket.

If you can check it our and/or repair it yourself, that's a good thing, but if any problems are going to be sending you off to a mechanic you'll be better off saving up for something a little less risky.

~stef

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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/24/2008 7:25:15 PM   
mistoferin


Posts: 8284
Joined: 10/27/2004
Status: offline 		There are public auto auctions at least a couple of times a month in every state. Most of these cars are the cars people trade in at auto dealerships when buying a new car but for whatever reason....usually mileage or age....they automatically get wholesaled to the auto auction. You do have to be careful and really look the vehicles over well, but generally the lots are open for you to browse and inspect the cars for several hours before the auction starts. Find out where the ones in your state are and go.

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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/24/2008 8:27:05 PM   
Termyn8or


Posts: 18681
Joined: 11/12/2005
Status: offline 		Buy something broken if it is clear cut what is wrong with it. I bought a car, put some windows in it and a fender, and sold it for twice what I paid. Cars that have been in fender benders, but are still safely drivable are a good option for the low budgeted. As long as the drivetrain and suspension etc are good, if you need to get around, in most states you are allowed to drive cars with dents in them.

Some states have stringent inspections, you will have to see the criteria. In some cases you can't have a cracked windshield, and I heard that in PA you can't have any rustthrough on the body. There are many differences state to state, you will have to check with the local yokels. The main thing is to really test drive the car (or truck). Full throttle acceleration, where there is no traffic of course. You don't have to go 100MPH, but then make sure it runs smoothly. Also a panic braking. This you can do on a sidestreet, you only have to do about 25 MPH, but slam the brakes on HARD, it should not pull to one side and all four wheels should lock up unless it has ABS. Then some hard cornering, when do the tires begin to squeal ? This tells you how accurate the front end alignment is, and if the thing is rickety, you will hear noises. Also take it down a bumpy road.

Do all of this BEFORE you buy, and even if it's not pretty, it should be relatively safe.Don't forget the usual either. Do all the doors open and close properly ? Does the defroster work ? Is the seat wrecked and rocking around or is it solid ? Do the lights work, I mean all of them, brakes, directionals, parking lights, both high and low beam headlights. All of the normals.

T

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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/24/2008 8:39:42 PM   
TheHeretic


Posts: 19100
Joined: 3/25/2007
From: California, USA
Status: offline 		        Do you have time, and some tools?  Can you read a repair manual?  I've picked up runners out of junkyards for $150-250, used cheap and dirty fixes, and had them last as long as six months.  I've also had 5 cars like that in a year. 

      

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That's why people with no sense of humor have such an inflated sense of self-importance.


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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/25/2008 9:54:55 AM   
bipolarber


Posts: 2792
Joined: 9/25/2004
Status: offline 		Call your local police station, and find out when and where the next auction of impounded vehicles is going to be. I bought a VW bug this way some years ago for $350, plus $50 for having a key made, and $100 to have it towed home. All it needed was to have the battery charged up, and a fuel line fixed. It ran for me for a good six years before I sold it for more than I paid for it initally.
($750) But, if you go this route, be sure to KNOW what you are buying. They always sell some good vehicles, but a lot of them are junk too. Careful inspection will usually tell you all you need to know.



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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/25/2008 10:33:07 AM   
slaveboyforyou


Posts: 3607
Joined: 1/6/2005
From: Arkansas, U.S.A.
Status: offline 		I saw that you lived in the Los Angeles area, so I looked on Craiglist.  I did a search with $900 as the maximum price.  I got back 1241 results.  A lot of them have photos, and I looked at a few.  From first glance, a lot of them look like they're in decent shape.  Of course, you'd have to go look at them yourself to see if they are mechanically sound.  You just need to take your time when you're shopping for a cheap car.  If you can, it's good to take it to a mechanic and have it looked at before buying. 

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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/25/2008 11:36:56 AM   
popeye1250


Posts: 18104
Joined: 1/27/2006
From: New Hampshire
Status: offline 		What Term and Slaveboy said.
Also, you might consider using that $1,000 as a downpayment on a car at a dealership that warrantees their cars, that way if something goes wrong with it you don't get stuck with a huge repair bill.
That way depending on the price you can keep your payments low.
A few years back I traded in my F-150 "King Ranch" on a new Mercury Grand Marquis at a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealership and I went back about 3 days later to get some paperwork and I saw my old truck on the lift and I talked to the mechanic working on it.
He said they were putting new brakes on it and new front struts along with a new fuel filter and front end allignment and a few other things.
He said they go right through any vehicles they take in as trades.
So, a reputable dealer will do work on vehicles before they put them out on the lot so that they don't have problems later.

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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/25/2008 11:52:57 AM   
bipolarber


Posts: 2792
Joined: 9/25/2004
Status: offline 		Um... I wouldn't go for any kind of loan right now, if I were you...

Chances are that A) no institution will be willing to loan someone money who's currently unemployed.

and B) Even if you were to get a loan somehow, the banks are so volitile that they could end up calling in the loan prematurely.

Pay cash on the barrelhead, if you can.

(in reply to popeye1250)
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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/25/2008 3:15:54 PM   
boundinside


Posts: 56
Joined: 6/7/2008
Status: offline 		Thanks everyone for the advice.  As for popeye's idea, that was my original plan (to put a certain amount of money down on a car from a dealership).  However unfortunitely I have somewhat bad credit, so I wouldn't be able to do that without at least $1500 down.  As to everyone else, I plan on checking craigslist out, a few have told me to do so already but I haven't got around to it yet.  And I try to stay away from pennysaver, a lot of junk in there in my opinion.  But whatever it takes to get me around right, thanks everyone

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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/25/2008 4:51:23 PM   
Lockit


Posts: 11292
Joined: 5/7/2007
Status: offline 		There are agencies that will often times help you get a car so that you can be employed, but at the moment I cannot remember the names of such.  I would call social services if you have um's, as they sometimes will help.  Then there are non profit agencies that will be given cars, for this purpose.  Get into your community phone book and look for non profit's or helping agencies... dial 211 which gets you to the united way and they might be able to help you find someone.  Being unemployed there are helping agencies out there, you just have to dig to find them.  I have never done this, but I know some who have.  Good luck...

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RE: 24/7 hardtimes - 9/25/2008 4:55:21 PM   
daddysliloneds


Posts: 1351
Joined: 6/28/2006
Status: offline 		a used 650cc motorcycle could be bought for about $750 and no need to worry about cadalytic convertors and the cost of getting it to pass your smog laws.  don't you guys have decent enough public transportation for you to be able to rely upon until you can get on your feet financially?

(in reply to boundinside)
Profile   Post #: 15
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