by "mkbruin, Atlas VP" (mkbruin)
Published 12/19/2017 at 11:00
by "mkbruin, Atlas VP" (mkbruin)
Published 12/19/2017 at 11:00
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STARS: 0
Looking for a new car for my best friends daughters boyfriend who is the pastor’s son at my church. He managed to kill Chariot’s $200 1992 Celica in about 6 months, and now has $650 to play with.
There are any number of rusted out quarter million mile shitboxes available for $650, but I’d like to get him into something safe, reliable, and that’s going to both last and provide him the opportunity for profit if he wants to flip in the spring/summer.
So far his options are a late 90's Saturn SL, late 90's Blazer, a 99 WJ that’s just outside his price range, a ridiculously high mileage 03 Bravada... Or a 96 MX6 coupe.
Finding a good running car for under a grand is hard...
"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
12/19/2017 at 11:19, STARS: 12
Honestly, repairing that celica is probably best bet. Also would teach him that he needs to own up to his doings and not rely on his gf’s father’s best friend’s cousin’s mother to find him a 600 dollar car when he fucks his own up.
"Die-Trying" (die-trying)
12/19/2017 at 11:23, STARS: 4
pastors son? there should be any number of old ladys/guys lined up to give away an old heap and earn thier way into heaven.......
$650 isnt much scratch to get rolling with..... but those blazers/bravadas are still laying around, so replacement bits can be found. go with the bravada.
slap him across the back of the head, and tell him to keep track of the oil/water/trans fluid next time.......
"fintail" (fintail)
12/19/2017 at 11:29, STARS: 3
All that for under a grand was asking for a miracle even 20+ years ago. $650 might require some prayer from the congregation :)
Must it be local? A lot less rust out west, but stronger economy inflates prices a little.
"CobraJoe" (cobrajoe)
12/19/2017 at 11:38, STARS: 0
Not sure if there are many for sale in your area, but Panthers are often available in the sub-$1k category around here. (Granted, getting down to the $600 category means it’ll be rough or have title problems).
They’re pretty reliable if you can fix minor things (Even blowing out a spark plug can be fixed with a $20 helicoil kit). But they’re more than reliable, they’re tough. They can take a beating and keep on driving like nothing’s wrong.
"Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now)" (bman76-4)
12/19/2017 at 11:40, STARS: 2
Un bicicleta
"Manwich - now Keto-Friendly" (manwich)
12/19/2017 at 12:03, STARS: 0
I suggest not focusing as much on the purchase price, but focus on the total operating costs. And that means getting something small, basic, with a reputation for being at least somewhat reliable and isn’t highly sought after
For that reason, I suggest avoiding any old SUVs. They might be cheap to buy, but the extra size and weight, along with the 4wd parts will mean higher fuel costs as well as parts/service costs that are likely to be higher.
If the Saturn isn’t burning oil and if the Mazda MX6 is a 4 cyl one, then they merit some consideration.
But I also suggest specifically looking for an old Toyota Tercel.. they’re simple, reliable, cheap to buy, cheap to run and usually cheap to insure.
And since they are old, so basic and undesirable, you can get a somewhat decent running one in the sub-$1000 price range.
Here are some on Craigslist:
https://newyork.craigslist.org/que/cto/d/toyota-tercel-1997-for-sale/6401671918.html
https://newyork.craigslist.org/brx/cto/d/great-starter-college-student/6431037915.html
https://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/d/1997-toyota-tercel/6408161800.html
https://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/d/1997-toyota-tercel/6408161800.html
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/cto/d/1992-toyota-tercel/6420377879.html
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/cto/d/1992-toyota-tercel/6429039040.html
https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/d/toyota-tercell/6429206879.html
https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/1996-toyota-tercel-2d/6423244608.html
"LOREM IPSUM" (lorem---ipsum)
12/19/2017 at 12:06, STARS: 0
He’s obviously not responsible enough to own an automobile, so...
"Rico" (ricorich)
12/19/2017 at 12:46, STARS: 0
You should chip in some money to get him over the hump, definitely easier if the budget is $1k even.
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
12/19/2017 at 13:53, STARS: 1
If you want to take Tavarish’s advice, then MX6.
https://thegarage.jalopnik.com/here-are-five-reasons-why-you-need-to-buy-a-mazda-mx-6-1688214343
I can’t imagine trying to find a car for $650 that was supposed to have any kind of extended usable life.
"punkgoose17" (punkgoose17)
12/19/2017 at 15:07, STARS: 0
It is. I bought a car for $1,200 and am thinking I should have spent more and got something else. I drove it for 2 months now I have put $300 in parts into it and it has been not on the road for 5 months. (It should be on the road, but a lack of time and money slow things down.)
https://bloomington.craigslist.org/cto/d/1985-gmc-15-sierra1000obo/6383484406.html
https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/d/2003-kia-rio-5-speed/6430330197.html
https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/d/99-issuzu-rodeo/6427633867.html
https://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/cto/d/1950-dodge-3-window-coupe/6396505300.html
https://terrehaute.craigslist.org/cto/d/manual-98-2wd-chevy-10/6404166448.html
These all seem like decent choices. I was looking for something worse but still running like a 4 speed Tercel with dents in every panel and no matching paint.
"Manwich - now Keto-Friendly" (manwich)
12/19/2017 at 15:16, STARS: 0
Oh... just came across this 2009 Toyota Yaris... for only $600
https://muncie.craigslist.org/cto/d/2009-toyota-yaris/6430427692.html
The catch is that the front end is bashed in. But it looks DIY repairable.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
12/19/2017 at 15:28, STARS: 0
$650 for a running, safe car? Does he require a title with it? Average scrap price for a car is around $300. I once picked up a one owner ‘91 Loyale for $800. Engine was ticking loud and the owner didn’t know anything about it. Ended up being the valve lash giude. A few gaskets later and it was purring. Drove it for a year then sold it for $2,500. Should have kept it. For $650 I’d look for a motorcycle. It’ll probably be safer.
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
12/19/2017 at 20:24, STARS: 0
Living in the Northeast, $600 ussually means approaching the scrap value of a lot of cars.