Drive $500 car until in breaks - repeat

[Trebor English]

Florida is test free.  : )   Most counties in Texas are test free.

 

[ArtW]

In most states cars that are older than or so 20 are exempt from smog tests
New cars are not exempt from breakdowns, they may be less likely than the clunker you bought and haven't maintained, but they do break
The older car you've refreshed and kept maintained is very reliable, too, if you know what you're doing

 

[Theadyn]

I've been driving my $1500 clunker over 2 years. Although, I know it's on it's way out (cylinder 1 failing), I'm hoping it will keep going until I can find my next one (yes, another van ). Been lucky so far, only couple front tires and decided to fix the cruise control (not needed, definitely wanted), she hasn't left me walking. That's won't always be the case, but like others have said, it's a roll of the dice. For me, it's my only option.

 

[Trebor English]

. . . if you know what you're doing

That is key. If you understand the machine you can go many miles at low cost. If knowing stuff is too hard you will pay more.

 

[mothercoder]

I've owned new (mistake) and older. My current ride is a 19 year old Nissan Sentra. When I bought it, it had 47,000 actual miles. It still has less than 55k on it. Our county's public school has an automotive program. They have cars donated to them, they fix them stem to stern (except body work) and then sell them. I happened upon this Sentra which was a one owner that literally belonged to a little old lady who lived in a retirement community and she rarely drove it. It had new tires and I knew that they had worked on every part of that car since that was the teaching experience. I got it for $3k. Was it priced higher than valuation sites said it was worth? Yes. But it has been a steady, reliable little drive. I will never buy new again. The trick is to be able to wait until the right vehicle comes along and then take care of it. If you're in a hurry, it's easy to end up with something that is a money pit. I will hate to part with this great little car. But now my eye is on a 1999 Chevy Suburban LT 4WD that will be my tow vehicle. It has more miles than I'd like but it has a new transmission and looks to be very well cared for.

 

[ganchan]

Whichever high-mileage minivan I select, I plan on hedging my bets by focusing on keeping it going a couple of years, moving on to another one as soon as big problems start defying my best care and maintenance efforts. This gives me a little more leeway about purchasing a less-than-stellar vehicle.

If I were willing to burden myself with years of monthly payments, I might get a gently-used vehicle instead. But I'm really trying to put a stop to the whole perpetual-debt thing.

 

[ArmorAbby]

I paid $400 for my 1996 Buick six years ago. Nothing major has gone wrong with it. Currently there seems to be a throttle or idle issue...? gives high RPMs sometimes... but I'm just gonna let it go... I trust it. this is why I am ok with starting off in my Buick LeSleeper for a bit before I can afford a van. I hope the van I choose is just as reliable.

 

[GotSmart]

Years ago, when I was studying Economics, I came across a paper where the thesis was that buying a clunker for the cheapest price possible and then putting NO maintenance or repairs into it and just replacing it when it breaks along with the minimum PLPD insurance, resulted in the lowest cost per mile of any other form of private car ownership. My thought though was they weren't factoring in all the non monetary costs such as the hassle of breaking down, disposing of the vehicle, getting a new one, etc.

I have had landlords that thought that way.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

6 years out of a $400 car is phenomenal. The Buick LeSleeper, Buick should use that in their promotional material! My first car was a 1986 Buick Park Ave, great car. Lots of adventures in that thing.

 

[ArmorAbby]

6 years out of a $400 car is phenomenal.  The Buick LeSleeper,  Buick should use that in their promotional material!  My first car was a 1986 Buick Park Ave, great car.  Lots of adventures in that thing.

Part of me is tempted to see just how long it will last... but another part of me knows I really need the space of the van. Maybe I'll feel different once the bed is installed... Maybe I'll give it up to another desperate dweller when I upgrade to a van.

 

[Oaknollbaby53]

Here is an interesting REDDIT discussion about buying a cheap car. And just use it until it breaks. Kind of makes sense financially.

Considering just buying $500 cars and driving them until they break, rather than spending 15k on a late model




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I have a '97 Geo Metro, bought it used in '08 with 142k horrible, no love miles on it for 1,800 bucks. Changed the oil 3 times at 500 mile intervals with Mobile1 & now I have 320K miles, & I'm outfitting for camping & it is all original, engine, trans, clutch, etc. 
I would not be afraid to do it again. Still on second set of tires, Plugs, cap, rotor & wires every 75k miles, timing belt with cam & crank seals & tensioner every 100k plus 10 cents a mile is a good deal.
Good hunting.

Steve

 

[ArtW]

Geo Metros got no love from the American market, but they are super reliable and economical cars, I have know only 1 person who bought one and regretted it, and the one he bought had been treated absolutely horribly

 

[USExplorer]

$500 is really on the low side in the US, most cars at that price are barely worth more than the value of their scrap metal. Even the absolute POS cars that barely meet the most basic definition of roadworthy go for about $1000.

 

[Alcatraz]

I bought my present Van, a 1994 E-150 conversion van 2 years ago( 1 owner in mint shape).
All leather, every option tv ,vcr, game mode connections for a game console, 3 separate stereos- 2 with private listening headphones mode only, including a push button seat that converts into a bed a small fridge. Everything in great shape, except for the fiberglass fender flares running/step boards thingys- they were cracked and just barely hanging on.

It had less then 1700 miles on a new 5.8 crate engine . new u-joints, driveshaft freshly balanced, new brake job, rebuilt transmission, rebuilt differential.
I got it for 1700.00.
The PO could not find the source of a noise that sounded like the driveshaft had busted loose and was tearing the bottom of the van out.
So he gave up on it. It only made that noise after applying the brakes and slowing down or when going down an off ramp or down a steep incline.
He made me aware of the noise before I bought it, and the first time I heard it it scared the heck out off me.
I did find the source.
It was the "L" brackets on the running/step boards, several had become loose and pounded on the bottom of the van making it sound like it was falling apart.
Best deal I ever got.

 

[wagoneer]

Yah I would do that love the adrenalin rush