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• Reputation: 2677 Q&A: 45 2 29 1206 139 18 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Follow Following 2 soundslikepuget

  6 0 Look for a late '90s to early 2000's American car. Saturns, in particular, are a great bargain. Good running Saturns can be had for $2000 - $4000 and they run for a long, long time. Chevy Malibu and Ford Escort have also been good cheap runners, in my experience. Visit your local library and check the Consumer Reports reliability ratings for various used cars from about 1997 to 2004. Your library may also offer the ability to log into the Consumer Reports website through the library's website. Also, all things being equal, look for a car with manual everything. Manual transmission, manual windows, manual door locks, manual seats. The fewer electronics there are, the fewer things there are to break. Some people will tell you the downside of a manual transmission is that you'll have to replace the clutch every once in a while. This is true, but a manual trans will basically last forever. Automatics all have a limited life span, once the Torque converter goes (and they all go at some point), you've got to replace the whole transmission. Also, tell people around your community that you are looking for a car. Do you go to church? Tell people at church. Do you take a Yoga Class? Tell people at Yoga Class. Does your employer have a company message board? Post a message saying you are looking for a car. People are always willing to help out a friend by selling their extra or unwanted car at a lower price than they'd expect from Jon or Jane Q. Public. Good luck! soundslikepuget answered in Cars & Motorcycles 10 months ago | Report 2 comments by Ed B and soundslikepuget… 0 0 I haven't read the magazine for a few years, but if I remember correctly CR also offers reliability ratings specifically for used cars, as well as lists of the best and worst used cars. Ed B commented 10 months ago | Report 0 0 @Ed B, that is correct. They also tightly guard their content, so you need to either subscribe or visit your local library, either in person or digitally. soundslikepuget commented 10 months ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  3 0 Have you considered Zipcar? With all of the associated costs of insurance, upkeep, repair (inevitable on a cheap car), parking hassles, etc. Is it worth it to own just to make infrequent trips? Russ Campbell, NWEBS answered in Cars & Motorcycles 10 months ago | Report 1 comment by Jesica… 0 0 Sorry, I should've mentioned that. We're Zipcar members, and we love it, but in our neighborhood it's just not practical. The closest car is nearly a mile away, which is no big deal until you add a baby and all its crap to the mix. Jesica commented 10 months ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  3 0 The best way to buy a used car is from a private seller, but if you need financing, and it sounds like you do, you'll probably have to go to a dealer. Get the most boring, even dorky, car you can find; boring = cheap. Good gas mileage is important, but if you're going to be using it only for "weekend jaunts", and very few miles, then you might want to go counter to expectations and avoid the best-mileage cars, because they come at a premium these days which exceeds what you'll save at the pump if you're only driving a few thousand miles a year. If you drive more, then mileage matters. For rock-bottom prices, I would look at once-popular but boring late-nineties sedans, like a Ford Taurus or something. With a kid and a lot of stuff, a minivan is useful; minivans are unhip on the resale market. I greatly prefer Japanese or Korean models but so does everybody else; the price will be higher. Bear in mind also that crappy domestic sedans will cost less to fix, too. Go to the library and get an Edmunds guide and study it, so you know what's out there and what to expect to find. Before you go shop, find a mechanic in the area who will do a pre-sale inspection, and take it there from the dealer. The dealer will understand (if he doesn't, run away). The inspection will cost you $100 or so. It's worth it. At the very least take a friend who knows cars -- REALLY knows cars, not an idiot like me. You want to know if the frame is bent, if the engine is sound, if the transmission is sound, the suspension is sound, if the brakes work. Listen to the car when you drive it, at different speeds, and run away from funny noises or smoke. The dealers along Aurora are, shockingly, not all sleaze merchants, though they will try to screw you a little on price, but they have a lot of good deals available. They will be cheaper than the big new-car dealers out on Lake City, because they tend to deal in older cars, which is what you probably want if you're poor. When you go to buy the car, if you want to negotiate for a better price, don't listen to anything I have to say. I'm the worst negotiator in the world, and you'll end up paying twice Blue Book for something that will explode the first time you take it on the highway! Fnarf answered in Cars & Motorcycles 10 months ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  1 0 Have you considered a Yaris? Cheap, reliable, good on gas. Black Beetles in Amber answered in Cars & Motorcycles 10 months ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 I would recommend a car with a diersel engine! I know many will disagree with me on this one, but diesel engines are not popular even though they are very reliable. Meaning if you can find one your local mechanic can check out and recommend, you will have a good car that will be somewhat underpowered, but reliable with really GOOD fuel economy! A Volkswagen Rabbit diesel for instance can still be found in good condition and you can expect clost to 50 mpg out of these. Do not expect tire screeching acceleration however and if it equipped with a working Air Conditioner, you shouldn't see much of a drop in fuel economy, but accelerating into traffic requires some planning ahead! Good luck to you. Diesels have no spark plugs or convetional ignition system meaning they can be very economical in matters besides fuel efficiency. You can also connect with other biodiesel users as well to help cut your fuel costs. Biodiesel burns much more clean than fossil fuels which is good for the environment as well! Oreilly7 answered in Cars & Motorcycles 10 months ago | Report 1 comment by Oreilly7… 0 0 Sorry about my mispells! Oreilly7 commented 10 months ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 You cant go wrong with a Honda or a Toyota. I personally would stay away from a American made car. Whatever car you are considering to purchase make sure to get it checked out. Have a pre-buyers inspection done before you purchase any car. It is money well spent. Jim Peters at Hilltop Service Station answered in Cars & Motorcycles 10 months ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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