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I am looking for a good car

11 by Arson Smith_Archive
greg wrote:Does anyone know where I can find a decent used car (working) for around a 1000 bucks?

Brian Henneman wrote:Thousand dollar car, it ain't worth nothin'.
Thousand dollar car, it ain't worth shit.
Might as well take your thousand dollars
and set fire to it.

Thousand dollar car ain't worth a dime.
You lose your thousand dollars every time.
Oh why did I ever buy
a thousand dollar car?

Thousand dollar car's gonna let you down
more than it's ever gonna get you around.
Replace your gaskets and paint over your rust.
You'll still end up with something that you'll never trust.

Thousand dollar car's life was through
'bout fifty thousand miles before it got to you.
Oh why did I ever buy
a thousand dollar car?

Thousand dollar car ain't even gonna roll
until you go at least another thousand in the hole.
Sink your money in it, and there you are,
the owner of a two thousand dollar, thousand dollar car

If you've only got one thousand dollars,
you ought to just buy a good guitar.
Learn how to play it, it'll take you farther
than any old thousand dollar car.

If a thousand dollar car was truly worth a damn,
then why would anyone ever spend twenty five grand?
Oh why did I ever buy
a thousand dollar car?

I am looking for a good car

15 by scott_Archive
For that price, I would buy a Honda Civic with minor body damage. Cosmetic damage is something that works in your favor when you're looking to get a non-garbage car for so little money.

Out of curiosity, have folks ever had luck with buying a super-cheap car and not ending up in a position where it cost more than the price of the car to service it and keep it running for more than just a year or two?
"The bastards have landed"

www.myspace.com/thechromerobes - now has a couple songs from the new album

I am looking for a good car

16 by Hiwatt_Archive
scott wrote:For that price, I would buy a Honda Civic with minor body damage. Cosmetic damage is something that works in your favor when you're looking to get a non-garbage car for so little money.

Out of curiosity, have folks ever had luck with buying a super-cheap car and not ending up in a position where it cost more than the price of the car to service it and keep it running for more than just a year or two?


Yeah I bought an '83 bmw 533i for $1200.00 bux about 7 years ago. One small spot of rust on the rear quarter panel, A/C blew ice cold, ran like a fucking scared rabbit for years. After 70/80k I replaced the fuel pump (Bavarian Auto mail order $89.00)and nothing else after that. I fucking loved that car. Forget it "rice boyz", yer getting schooled at this and every other fucking light. That car burned rubber in 1st AND 2nd gear (if ya wanted it to). 130 mph on I94? No problem. I was lucky and bought it off some lawyer that needed cash bad. He maintained that car and had all the paperwork on it. He was sad when I drove off in it.Too bad I got hit by a hotel laundry truck about three years later. After that I got a '88 535is for around 5k. Nothing wrong with that car either, I still liked the 533 better.

I am looking for a good car

17 by Arson Smith_Archive
I had a 1993 Saturn SL2 that was running like a champ right up until I got rid of it just a few months ago. Was getting near 200,000 miles on it, and I did not exactly pamper it (but I always did oil changes at 3,000-4,000 miles). They're super easy to work on, I thought (and I am no mechanic).

The only main things I ever did to it were
-replacing the water pump once (totally easy),
-replacing the alternator once (slightly less easy due to cramped space)
-replacing the serpentine belt twice (due to the water pump & alternator)
-replacing the upper engine mount due to the old rubber dry-rotting
(also easy if you have a good floor jack available to you)

Well anyhow my point is that I still see a lot of these on the road from that time period (early 90's), and all the things I listed above were same-day fixes with cheap parts from Auto Zone, accomplished by a non-mechanic like myself.

I am looking for a good car

18 by endofanera_Archive
scott wrote:Out of curiosity, have folks ever had luck with buying a super-cheap car and not ending up in a position where it cost more than the price of the car to service it and keep it running for more than just a year or two?

All cars require maintenance and repairs. I think a better question would be to ask whether the cost of keeping it on the road was ever even remotely close to the cost of monthly payments on a new car. Only new cars have warranties that might cover dramatic repairs.

I spent about a grand on my Honda five years ago. It was pretty golden for the first two years. Occasional minor repairs, but nothing that made me curse it.

In its worst year for repairs (2004 -- exhaust problems and clutch replacement) I spent less than half what I would have paid in monthly payments just for the favor of owning a new Civic with a 1000 dollar downpayment and the rest financed.

That year was also the only in which the cost of any needed repairs exceeded the original cost of the car. It was not a good year for le Honda.

2005 has been golden again, although the left CV joint is making some noise. The boot's in perfect shape, but it may just be time to say goodbye to my little friend.

The car has still been a good purchase. Most of my cars have been (VW busses, BMW sedan, Ford hatchback, Chevy van, etc). None have been new.
"You get a kink in your neck looking up at people or down at people. But when you look straight across, there's no kinks."
--Mike Watt

I am looking for a good car

19 by hench_Archive
traded in the black beetle today... it was getting old ('00 model, 76k miles)... dealership was in good spirits - gave me $7k tradein value even tho the car was only worth $4800... got an '03 beetle (dark gray cause i'm distinguished like that) with all the goofy shit that i don't need for $40 more than i was paying for the old car. even a sunroof! and the heaty seats too!

fyi, auto barn in mount prospect -- highly recommended. so non hardsell that the most beauiful girl in the world & i had to walk in the building, walk out, walk around the lot, walk back into the building before they asked us if we had any questions. none of that goofy old school "i'll talk to my manager" bullshit... unlike the hyundai dealership out on grand -- those guys are major assholes.
henchmusic
hench-av
silver wonder

I am looking for a good car

20 by RFF_Archive
I'm looking for suggestion on a used car/suv/mini-van for my sister. She has 4 kids and is on the bigger size. The budget is around $5000. Maybe what I'm looking for is impossible, but I'd like to buy her a late 90s bigger reliable car with under 100,000 miles. I thought it would be easy to find, but all I'm finding are super high mileage dodgy looking cars or obvious fake ads. I'd like this car to last her a 2-4 years without a lot of maintenance expense (who doesn't?). I'd be willing to go a little higher for a Japanese or European make and a little lower for an American (budgeting for higher repairs). Anyone have really good luck with specific makes or models or any ones to stay away from? I was thinking a ford windstar (price, availability, size), but the reviews are terrible on it. A crown victoria type front-wheel drive car I think would be perfect- I fear a rear-wheel drive car would be the death of her in a Chicago winter- but I'm not sure who even makes a bigger front-wheel drive. Any help or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.
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