Cheap But Quality Car?

Question

I am a college student and I need an inexpensive car (say around $1000) that i can use on an everyday basis. But quality and safety is also a concern. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.

Answer 1

Dear College Student,

Your best bet would definitely be a state auction. On such a small budget, there will not be much that you'll be able to get your hands on especially if you're wanting it to be safe and reliable.

State auctions are a brilliant choice because often they are auctioning off beautiful and sturdy cars for literally a handfull of dollars. I will include a link to a state auctions site at the bottom.

Also, you need to think about maintenance and repairs. Because you are a college student and most likely aren't bringing in massive amounts of income, it's important to go with a car that won't cause you heartbreak and headaches. I suggest an older Honda. Honda has been well known for their reliability and their longevity. My boyfriend's mother's car is now up to 300,000 miles and still runs beautifully. She also maintained it very well with regular check-ups and oil changes which are both VERY important. The parts (if you get them through a parts dealer and NOT THE HONDA FACTORY) are relatively cheap and simple to work on. You're cutting costs especially with the "easy to work on" part because many mechanics charge $65-$85 an hour for their labor. By making the job simpler, you're ensuring the bill won't be out of the ballpark.

Don't be afraid to go with a car that has a few dings or dents, either. Remember, you're getting your education and no one expects you to drive a Lexus. Further down the road when you're a gazillionaire you'll be able to buy something far better.

One last thing... another good investment BEFORE you buy the car is to run a car report on it. CarMax is my personal favorite. You'll need to obtain the VIN number from the seller in order to run a report. By running this report you'll be able to see any previous damage that has been done to the car. This proves key in buying and can let you know what you're willing to pay for the car.

Good luck!

Answer 2

For $1000, this is your best bet: Try looking in the paper to see if any retirees are selling cars. Older owners tend to take care of their cars better. Only downside to this is that the car will likely be like a Buick or Oldsmobile so you can't be too picky.

If you want a little more style, try mid-90s Honda Civic or Accord. Those seem to run forever, but again, at $1000, you're looking at old and a lot of miles. There are plenty of sludge lots that sell cheap cars, but they often have 100,000+ miles, 4-5 owners, and who knows what's been done to them.

Answer 3

In that price range first thing stay away from Chrysler products because they are going to usually have bad engine problems.
also stay away from Toyota's because most people keep Toyota's until they are falling apart for them to be in that price range.

You might think about looking at what is called reconstructed cars. Those are cars which have been totaled by insurance companies but have been bought and repaired.
In older cars something as simple as a fender bender can total it as far as insurance companies are concerned because of the prices of new body parts.

You might also think about checking in on city sales of their police cars and city cars. They have a set number of years they keep their cars before replacing them. Can find a bargain there if you are careful.

And like one of the other answers said Hynda are pretty good cars but they do not have any resale value.

In addition to what has been mentioned there is the Ford Taurus or however it is spelled. And Mercury. Mercury is the same car as Ford but it does not have the resale value of a Ford.

Answer 4

Look for Hyundais used. Good quality car with low resale so you can find one.

Also look into a Buick if you dont mind. The older GM cars like Pontiacs and Buicks and even a Chevy Cavalier in that price range are easy to fix if something goes wrong, parts are very readily available and keep them maintained, they will run good.

For the price range you are looking in, try to find a family friend or co-worked who is selling a car and go that route.

for an idead of what kind of cars you are looking at go to www.edmunds.com or www.bargainnews.com

Answer 5

I'd look around for an older Volvo. They're fairly robust, safe, and you can probably find one for around 1k if you're willing to put up with some minor body damage. The engines are pretty hard to wear out. Just make sure to get it inspected before you buy - the money you spend on an inspection by a mechanic will be worth it in peace of mind alone.

Answer 6

i have an 88 chevy caprice my and have had it for 5 years.. total money repairing the car in the 5 yrs is abt $400 thats including oil changes and tune ups and tires etc.. i always say try for old skoo because there easy to fix and pretty much anyone who knows about cars can fix them so instead of going to a shop and paying $170+ for something like an altenator someone u know that fixes cars will probably do it for abt $40

Answer 7

Cheap and quality don't mix. We cannot relate usd prices for cars in US to here. Same like when politicians claim that our fuel prices cheaper compared to other countries we know it is complete b.s. Like and like only. Not apples to oranges.

Answer 8

Dude avoid Korean Cars... They're bad bad. Look for used Volkswagens like Jettas or Golfs

Answer 9

90 - 95 toyota camry or corolla
90 - 95 honda accord or civic

I'd go with one of those because they have good prices and they are good strong cars i should knwo i own a older toyota and a new honda civic

Answer 10

Nissan... they aren't that sporty but...they have the air bags, gas to millage is great and the price for a USED one is under 5,000 for 40k or lower... Also, low maintenance