What is best way to buy a cheap used car?

Damn, we had a 1986 Nissan Sentra we sold last week.....$200....no airbags, no power steering, no a/c, 155 tires on 13 inch wheels.....but it only had 93k original miles, dad was owner for whole life....they're cheap cars, get decent mileage, and are pretty peppy if u can find one

 

Autotrader.com says there are 79 cars within 100 miles of Camas for $1000 or less.

I'd recommend a $900 vehicle and a $100 set of tools.

 

I had very good luck buying and selling near a college campus. Many students realize they need $$$ to pay the bills and dont really need a car on campus. Oh, and they forget to check the actual value of the car they are selling; the idea of instant cash and a quick sale is more important.

Altho you are not looking to sell a car, I'd like to add that I put my Saturn for sale (KBB value= $3100) and it sold for $3900 four days later.

 

buy from a mechanic. being tied to the business (really, you never completely leave) we find absolute STEALS in cars and fix them up really nice for a family car. then we sell with a little profit to make up for the time he spent on the repairs and everyone wins.

we only do 1-2 a year if that, depending on the year, but it's a good deal all around. then you know a mechanic who knows your car in case the car needs some work down the line, too.

we deal almost exclusively in camrys. 1987-1991 were exceptional years for that car, we have had several of them with very few problems. one needed a fuel pump once, but mostly they were profit machines for us. buy one on the cheap, stick a couple hundred into it, drive it for a year, sell for more than the cost + parts from a year back. they're plentiful, cheap, easy to fix, and reliable. just don't bother with the v6 engines. the 4bangers are bulletproof. they can be found for under $1000 if they're high mileage and need a little work, the really nice low mileage ones go for a lot more.

 

that's the market. try selling an suv lately?
we've got a camry wagon that's going to go for over kbb value shortly. they're rare and people want them instead of minivans.

 

That is what the $100 tools are for. He can get a good craftsman automotive starter set for ~$60 if you watch for their sale they have every couple of months. YHe'll also need to spend $20 for a Clymer service manual. Wheel bearings only cost about $10 to $15 each. If he is only working 20 hours a week he has way more time than money.

I recommend the Ford Contour. They are a good reliable car and mid to late 90's models can be found for $1000. Stay away from the V6, the I4 is a much better engine. The manual is also better than the auto.

Protege's are good cars but the Ford Escort is the same car for less money. Only get the 16 valve GT, the 8V engine is not as good.

He could get a Geo Prism. It is a Toyota Corolla with a different badge.

The Geo Metro is also a good choice. Basic transportation and quite reliable. It was built by Suzuki and is the same car as the Suzuki swift.

S-10's or GMC S-15 are also pretty reliable and are really easy to work on. The parts are cheap too. Stay away from the 2.8L V-6, the I4 or 4.3L V-6 are good.

I would look in local classifieds and Craig's list. For example my local paper has a section "Cars under $3000" that always has some sub $1000 cars.

If your friend is looking for cheap and reliable transportation I would recommend a scooter. You can get new or slightly used scooter for $1000. 70 to 100 mpg Billions of people all around the world can't be wrong right. Just stay away from the cheap Chinese crap. Honda Metropolitan or Ruckus; Yamaha Vino or Zuma; Any Genuine Scooter.

 

I would buy an old Japanese car (preferrably Toyota/Honda) that has basic features (nothing more than A/C). Forget about power window/doors/locks, etc. Just a basic Toyota/Honda with lower mileage.
Less gadgets, less chance of expensive repair.

 

I agree on the less gadgets, but not on the Japanese only thing. Any car over 10 years old, with a 100k+ miles on them has the potential of developing problems from their age and wear. Those start becoming more of a factor than the car's make. My friend's father used to have an 80's Tercel. It was still running when he gave it away in the 90's, but the body was rusting out.

Used Toyotas and Hondas also have the brand premium. The Geo/Chevy Prizm is a Corrolla, but sells for less. Plus, around here, it seems impossible to find an unadulterated Civic.

If he can drive one, get a manual. They tend to be hardier than an auto. They also have greater potential for hypermiling.

Along with jhinton's suggestions, I've heard good things about Saturn S2's. The I4 Ranger isn't a bad choice either. Except for fuel economy, the V-6's aren't bad. Finding any known trouble areas for a car model isn't hard with the internet.