Dead Reckon

Just a thought, what do you expect when you buy a car for about $1,000 or less. Also, what are the good and bad experiences you've had with cheap used cars?


Personally? I expect to have to spend $500 on it including a set of tires before it's a great car, I expect no luxury features, like AC. I just expect a bare bones, running, possibly once considered luxury car.


I got a bit lucky with mine though, solid 350, aside from some irritating lifter noise, smooth and strong TH350 transmission, no options 'cept the map light, "Mist" feature on the wipers, and AC. Come to find out today, the AC works! $650 car, with a 350, new radiator, remanufactured alternator and starter, good tires, and working AC? Couldn't care less about the bad shocks, rear brake work, or terrifyingly un-sticky rear tires at this point. I went out to run the car for a bit today, thought, "Hey, let's see what happens when I kick on the AC.", engine kicked down like the compressor came on, then, BEHOLD! Cold air! I'm really excited, my family never had a car with working AC growing up, no more 2/55 air!


I also bought a 2001 Chrysler Sebring back in 2010, wouldn't run because of a bad sensor, camshaft position sensor, I think? I don't remember, bought it for $30, put it in, sold the car for $2,500.


Three other great purchases I know of that my father bought where a $800 Chevrolet Camaro, 1992, V6, automatic, wound up needing a HEI coil, exhaust, tires, and a transmission mount. Bought in 2011, and he still has the car.


The other one was a $200 1986 Subaru GL, which, had a coolant leak from a seam on the engine block, but some of that stop leak stuff stopped that. That car ran like a top, had push button AWD, and we thought it was junk because my father didn't think to check the neutral safety switch after a year and about 12k miles where put on it. Bought in 2007, junked in early 2009.


Not to mention the '86 Olds Custom Cruiser wagon, which was bought for $500, and had about $1,700 put in it for the engine and trans rebuild, and then was solid for $2,200, and repossessed because $300 was still owed on it. Car paid for its self. Bought in 1994, sold in 2013.


So, feel free to share your experiences, good and bad, with cheap used cars.

oldstata

Most of my daily drivers have been 1000 dollar cars

I just bought a 99 century fully loaded leather for 100 bucks with 139k bought had a knock from intake leaking bought a motor installed detailed out the door 900.00 bucks and four hrs if my time

Just sold my 99 caviler bought for 800 drove for 2 years just did water pump and pads slapped sold it for 1500 and a four wheeler lol 150k when sold
Bought a 96 3/4 truck this year 1200.00 needed a fuel pump has 170k

So basically I expect some work needed but I do expect a lot from my 1000.00 beaters

I have had many , but the one that stands out the most was
I bought a 87 honda accord for 800.00 parked it in front if my house and some girl slammed right into it! The insurance gave me 2400 for it . I shopped around and got it fixed for 400.00 bucks drove it for four years ,sold it to a friend on payments for 800 he drove it for 4 months gave it back to me when he bought a new car and said is it okay I give it back and not pay it off said sure sold it again for cash for 1200 to some random guy

billmerbach

Bought an 87 Plymouth gran fury in 2009 for 800 only had 43000 ,miles on it never had a problem out of it until this year haha but now I can't get to work so I'm pretty mad

oldspackrat

A pastor at my church gave me a '89 Accord last year with 189,000 miles on it. He knows I'm a mechanic & didn't want to sell the car to anyone for fear of the handful of little issues it had. I replacee a front upper control arm, fixed a power window, replaced a hose, & just a couple days ago, had to put front pads on it. The AC still works as do most of the other vital items. I'm not a foreign car fan, but do drive it quite often especially in the snow & salt.

A couple years ago I spied a '88 Chevy 1 ton van looking abandoned in a customers yard. My intention was to buy it & drive it straight to the scrap yard to make a quick buck. But on the way home I discovered it was really a pretty good van. It has a reman. engine & will haul or tow about anything. The AC does not work, but for $250.00 I can't complain.
A former coworker had a pretty good theory. He said fore every $1,000.00, a car should last a year. So $2,000.00 & you should expect a couple years from it, 3k, 3 years, etc....

rjohnson442

Ya win some you lose some. Right now I got a 94 trooper with 304K for 250 bucks. Oil pressure is a little low but thats it. PO bought new timing belt, tires, water pump, and then the starter died. they bought a new one put it in didn't start ALL PAID SHOP work too!.... So I bougt it as is. They didn't want to invest anymore money into it. Bump started it home (stick) took the starter off and the bushing from the old starter was stuck in the block. about 10 min later had a new truck that starts every time. so far im 550 bucks into it with a new windshield and and oil change. I've also bougt cars for two grand and have had radiators blow up on the way home, fuel pumps die one the way home, even a drveshaft blow up one the way home(Jeep converted to FWD on side of highway) and made it home. I'm about at a 50/50 win/lose ratio right now.

kitfoxdave

Well, I bought a 4 door 72 cutlass back in 1997 for $1000, ran great! a true little old ladies car! had 43K original miles, looked like nobody ever sat in the back! wife drove it for 53K miles. Now I am pulling parts off it to fix up my convertible... Salvaged way more than $1000 in parts! over the years put in a radiator, water pump, and the usual brakes and tune up maintenance stuff....

tru-blue 442

I have had several over the years.
The one that stick out in my memory was
a 76 Chevelle that was left at the WTSU
parking lot in Canyon. Did a little research and found the
girl who had it, offered her $100 for it and got the clear
title with it too. It had a botched underhood wiring job
going to the starter, replaced the fusible link, got rid of
the extra wiring and good to go. Drove it as a daily for
5 yrs or so, sold it to a friend on payments for about $600.

Jedidiah

I bought my 72 Supreme for $100.
Wasted too much money and time trying to make it pretty, but it runs good enough.
Cheap cars are great so long as you do proper maintenance to get them safe and running.

jensenracing77

X2
This is how I have done it since 2000 when Melissa and I got married. We have been lucky though... We paid $3000 for a Cutlass Ciera in 2000 and it went 6 years. We paid $6000 for the van and that was 7 years ago. It don't owe us a dime. Made it 13 years for 9K total.

Vehicles are the worst investment you can make so I buy used and pay cash.

66luvr

To answer the question, not much.
But sometimes you make a good score.
I bought this 2 weeks ago, including tax and title and insurance I have $900 in it. As you see I do believe in making a buck when you can :-)


http://huntington.craigslist.org/cto/4248249147.html


Mike

Dead Reckon

Are you saying you got a car marketed for $3,000 for $900? If you did, you did well. Around here that Buick would be worth about $2,000 tops, even with the low mileage. But I suppose they are more common this far south.

I plan to invest money into my car, I mean, $650, I paid for the 350, TH350, the new radiator, and that's it. I don't even care about the four shocks, rear brakes, or other piddling things it needs. New true dual exhaust, some sway bars, new centerlink, tie rods, idler arm, few other odd and end things, it'll be a real fun car. Keep in mind, it's a Caprice's cousin, and the cops loved those for good reason.

rustyroger

I wouldn't expect much for $1000, but I would hope to get lucky.
I'm still driving the Baby Nissan I paid £200 for three years ago, costs so far; £38 for a fan resistor, insurance, gas, an oil & filter change plus required taxes. No tires, brakes, bulbs or even wiper blades yet.


Roger.

Professur

I expect to do tires and brakes, and the 60K maintenance whatever it may entail. Plugs, wires, fluid exchanges, etc.

Sampson

A headache

oldcutlass

x2, I would expect to spend probably another $4k, to catch up on maintenance and wear items. There is a reason why it's $1k car.

oldstata

Or you just get plain lucky and people either can't fix it there self and was quoted to high from a shop or they bought a new car and just want it gone

NHolds

When I was younger, all my cars were under $1000

My 72 Olds Supreme was $950

My 78 Olds was $250. Blew out the trans, and put a 455 in it. Dragged it for awhile, but it had crappy gears and no posi. Don't remember what I sold it for.

I also had a Toyota Celica GT I paid $100 for. Total pc of ***** but worked while I commuted back and forth to college. Sold if for $200 a year later.

Still have the 72.....

tru-blue 442

NH, funny you mention the Toy GT.
I got a 79 model hatchback for $75, put a clutch in
it and drove the crap out of it. A little 20R
engine I believe. It was a good one though.

Dead Reckon

Not exactly, some people just realize they have a car that isn't worth much, but is good enough to sell. For instance, yeah, I expect this thing to drop the transmission in about a year, so what? TH350's are cheap, and the engine has a lot of life left in it.

As I said, I got a good engine, and transmission, new radiator, new alternator, new starter, good tires, and they all happen to be in a good body, so, I'm gonna have some fun. I expect a beater which will give you many memories, good and bad. A car you will laugh about many years later, and maybe still be driving.

76olds

The wreckers are paying up to $1000. for scrap up here, so I would get a pile of scrap for that !

Olds442redberet

I paid more for my parts car.

rjohnson442

X2 Thats how I got my current DD

eric66

I paid $200 for my delta 88 . I ended up with a bad case while I here disease. I started out with the front suspension. To a new paint job and buying a used 403 to replace the 307.Only reason my wife puts up with delta 88 disease is that I tell her I could working on her replacement with the money I spent on the car. She laugh said if she leave I would have to sleep in the delta.

drjimz

"A thousand dollar car ain't worth s##t. Not unless you put another thousand into it". Thousand Dollar Car - The Bottle Rockets

oldstata

Disagree

99 suburban bought with 150k very well maintained had a year only oil changes so far 1300.00
45721CCE-EEE8-454B-84C1-9B615DF6BC7A.jpg
2k for the cutlass behind it yes I am in that beast oh 4k now but when done under 10k build

oldstata

Here one I just bought 100 bucks 500 it put a motor in plus4hrs of my time ever oil change and service done on time just a fluke why it got a engine knock

Dead Reckon

I also disagree, take the Subaru and Camaro my father bought. Take my car, for example. I mean, yeah it might only last a year before the transmission goes out, my car that is, but who cares? Lasts a year, swap in a $800 transmission, lasts ten more years? Worth every penny.

And yeah, my father had to change the differential, and transmission on his '83 Dodge Ram within 6 months of getting it for $1,000, but he knew both of these would be problem points, and already had parts sourced. He got a free differential, and a free rebuilt transmission. You know the right people, you can get a nice car, truck, SUV, or van for very cheap, that is in all honest, a really good car. Sure it may be lacking features like AC, seats may be a bit worn, it may even smell funny for a while. But that's like complaining about a gift when you do minimal work and the car just keeps going.

Perhaps it's different regionally, I failed to consider this before, but Virginia isn't an expensive state to live in. Nor do our cars rust out, so the value on them isn't very high. So, living here I expect a lot for $1,000.

MDchanic

'71 Celica, bought for $450, put a coat of paint on in ($35 a gallon), wrecked it, got an insurance check for $1,200.

'70 Chevelle SS, bought it for $550, needed an exhaust manifold ($10 at the junkyard), drove it as my DD for 10 years, did usual maintenance, still have it.

'68 Mercury Colony Park wagon, bought it for $25, visited junkyards for tires, wiper arms, a few other minor things, drove it for 2 years, scrapped it for $250 after it was rear-ended.

'70 Cutlass convertible, got it free with a blown transmission, got a new one at the junkyard for $75, drove it for 2 years, blew the engine, scrapped it.

'72 Skylark convertible, bought it for $550, everything that bolted onto the engine was new, bondo'd it up, painted it, installed heavy sway bars, replaced top and tires, drove for 2 years, then drove it across country, after that nose was wrecked, lost interest, let it sit 2 years, sold it for $350.

'68 98 4-door, bought it for $350, did a tune-up, drove it for a year, cracked rings, scrapped it.

'68 Delta 4-door, bought it for $900 from original owner, 80,000 miles, dealer maintained, put new tires on it (bias plies didn't handle too well), drove it like I stole it for 2 years, sold it for $650.

'70 Monte Carlo, bought it for $375, brakes, exhaust, tires were all brand new, needed nothing, drove it for over a year, wrecked the nose, sold it for about $1,200.

'90 GMC diesel 3/4 ton Pickup, bought it for $550, changed ball joint, starter, patched rust, fixed bad accessory bracket. Have driven it for 6 years.

'73 Delta convertible, bought it for $900, running and driving fine. Have swapped motor, added swaybars, shocks and tires, Jeep steering box, fixed various little things, painted it with rattle cans.

'00 Jeep Cherokee, bought for $450, needed tires, brake lines, 1 caliper, 1 wheel cylinder, crank sensor, tune-up. Runs great, cold A/C.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I think it's silly to pay more than $1,000 for a car. You're just going to wear it out or wreck it.

forgot one (at least):
'67 Valiant 4-door, 170 slant six, bought for $500, had a bad M/C, brought a new one with me ($15) and changed it in the 20° weather when I picked it up. Got too hot, so replaced radiator with radiator, shroud, fan and clutch from a '77 Aspen for $35 from a junkyard, otherwise needed nothing. Drove it for 3 years, was rear-ended in same parking spot as Colony Park wagon was, sold it to a buddy for $100.

- Eric

oldstata

Man Eric your list looks like mine but wow if you would of kept half those cars just think you could retire

Dead Reckon

"Should'a, Would'a, Could'a", too late, too bad, now you're never gonna.

Carshinebob

I've been wanting to post to this thread from the start. Most of my DD cars have been "low cost" cars. However this has reminded me how much the value of a used car has changed in my lifetime. My first car was purchased in March of 1974 for $400.00. It was a 68 Impala custom coupe with 50,000 miles. Now if you were to buy a six year old 50,000 mile impala today it would be $10,000. or something like that. Edmunds listed the average price of new cars sold in 2013 at $32,800.00. My guess is the average price in 1974 would have been somewere between 3,000 and 4,000. So in forty years prices go up by, say .... ten times? yikes! So therefore my $400. dollar car would cost $4000. dollars to get a like car today? Most likley alot more. I'm just trying to put things into perspective. So a $1000. car today is like getting a $100 car forty years ago? I think I'm still mixed up. Cheers! ~BOB

MDchanic

According to the inflation calculator, the $400 you spent in 1974 is equivalent to $1,900 today.

Edmunds says that a 2007 Impala with 50,000 miles and high-end trim should sell for $7,700 in a private sale, which is about 4 times the inflation-adjusted amount you paid for a car with similar age and mileage in 1974. Kelley says it's worth $11,000, which is almost 6 times more, so it looks like your gut feeling is right - used cars do cost a whole lot more now than they did then.

Incidentally, the MSRP of your '68 Impala coupe (which weighed only 3,600 lbs) was $2,968, which equates to $19,900 in today's dollars, while that of the 2007 Impala was $26,435, or $29,715 today, so, even new, the car cost half as much in real dollars as a car today.

If you had that Impala today, in #3 condition (which is probably about the condition it was in when you bought it in 1974), it would be worth $7625, which shows good appreciation from the adjusted $1,900 you paid for it forty years ago, but if you figure in a very conservative $200 annual cost to store it in a safe, clean, dry space, all of that appreciation is erased.

- Eric

oldcutlass

You are right Bob, back in 70's I bought a lot of nice cars for $500. In fact my first car a 67 Cutlass 2dr hardtop was $500 and pretty nice with 60k miles. The one I bought in 2009 cost $5k.

Carshinebob

Thanks Eric (MDchanic) for putting more numbers into the mix. I must be getting old because I'm beginning to sound a lot like my Grand parents and Parents when they used to talk about how much stuff costs. To put another angle on it. Two years ago I bought a 2000 Blazer with 155,000 miles for $3,000. This purchase sure felt like the equivelant (as far as what you can get in basic transportation) to what I got in 1974 for $400. ~BOB

Charlie Jones

The cheapest car I ever bought was 56 Mercury convertible for $10.
I was stationed at Davis -Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ in 1969. This sergeant was getting transferred to Vietnam. He was trying to sell it to his friends and was down to $10 and still nobody wanted it. I told him "I'll give you ten bucks" and the sale was made!
It was a "ragtop", literally. The first improvement was to fold what was left of the top into the well. In Tucson you don't need a top because it only rains one or two days each year and it never gets cold. Then I got the water hose and washed it, even better now. I went to the BX and got a can of car wax and it looked darn near mint. To top it off I found all four hubcaps in the trunk, cleaned them up and put them on. I drove it all over southern AZ for 6 mos and then sold it for $50 before shipping out for Thailand.

oldcutlass

In 79 I was stationed at Andrews AFB in MD. I bought a 57 Chevy Belair ragtop for $375 with frozen wheel bearing. I replaced the bearing and sold it for $750 and thought I made a killing.