How to buy a cheap, driveable used car
Auto experts say the minimum price for a reliable used car is about $2,500. But they quickly noticed that for every $1,000 increase in the budget, you would get a new car with a shorter mileage. There are diamonds outside, but finding them requires a lot of leg work. Of course, if you know how to make the most of the Internet and your phone before actually checking any cars, the process is much easier. If you want to find a car with a slight flaw, such as faded paint, you can buy more cars for $2,500, which will lower the price, but will not affect the mechanical properties.
Set your expectations
With a limited budget, you should look at cars that have been at least 10 years old - models before 2006 - and have traveled at least 100,000 miles. Although this sounds like a lot of miles, because if a car has 100,000 miles, it is done. Now you have to go to 100,000 miles to replace the spark plug.
Where to look
By carefully filtering the search for the used car list on the Internet, you can find what you want, usually with photos, nearby. More and more vehicle history reports are available free of charge.
Set search terms
Price: Set a maximum of $3,500. You can lower the price of some sellers to your price range.
Distance: Start from the local, if you can't find what you want, expand your search.
Mileage: Set a maximum of 150,000 to start and then increase as needed.
Model: Do not make choices at the beginning, just look at the pop-up content. Then narrow down this area by choosing a brand that is known for reliability.
Looking for bargains
First search for Japanese cars because they have the highest J.D. dynamic satisfaction. However, it was awarded “Toyota or Honda Tax”, which is an additional bonus to these top Japanese brands because they are known for their reliability.
If you are willing to buy an American car, you can buy a bargain. You can buy a Ford Focus with a cheaper price than a Japanese car, which is a very reliable model.
Cars to avoid
Do not use European cars due to high maintenance and repair costs. Also, don't expect to buy an SUV because everyone wants one now. Avoid using cars with salvage names, which are cars that have experienced serious accidents, floods or fires. Although such a car may have been completely repaired and functioning well, there are a lot of troubles when reselling it.
First look at the overall look of the car and how the current owner maintains it. If there are hamburger wrappers everywhere, they may not have changed the oil. It's especially important to look at the tires, because a new full set of tires is easy to cost $350.
If the car passes the inspection, spend $50 to $100 for the mechanic to check. I hope this store can recommend a long list of repairs to avoid liability and to attract business. When negotiating, you can use some repair advice as a leverage with the seller.Finally, don't spend all your savings on buying a car, just in case you need new tires or other equipment. Remember, registration and insurance also require money.