____asdfghjkl

I don't know where to start. Probably not new.

Is it even possible to find a decent car at $2,000? I don't know anything about cars really, other than just driving it, changing the oil, checking the oil, putting gas in it. lol. I don't know how to drive stick! I don't have a lot of experience driving different models except for honda and toyota. They are nice but kinda meh for me.

StupidlyBrave 

My daughter bought a 1999 Chevy Prizm for $2k last year. She has only put gas in it and changed the oil, as far as I know.

BTW, Chevy Prism is basically a Toyota Corolla (built at the now closed NUMMI plant).

Also, learn to drive stick.

spry

Would this be a get-away car?
Go with the old muscle cars from the 70's I cut my teeth on.

____asdfghjkl

I just need a car to get to work!

it woudl be nice to have a muscle car and i like the idea of having a truck if i ever wanted to move things.
also, i think my dream car is a subaru forester but when i drive it I feel like everything in my periperhial vision looks warped.

StupidlyBrave 

Today, I wish I had a truck.



BTW, both of the cars in the picture were purchased in your price range. But VWs are very risky ventures in the reliability department...

spry

Ruben claims to have an "extra car",whatever that is.

*Beware of any strings attached to that car.

Taerom

I bought my current car for $1300. Hasn't failed me...yet.

gman26

Maybe not a muscle car, however, you can still get a classic daily driver, if you're willing to put some work into it...
Much easier to work on and no smog requirements.

jccaclimber

A late 80's F-body with a 350 in it is still a cheap car, but is likely to need either paint or engine work (Anybody want mine?). It isn't exactly a classy or efficient car though.
More to the point, a Honda or Toyota is still generally the best bet, unless you find a 1993+ 4-cyl Ford Probe in decent shape. I've seen a couple of those put through hell more than once, and still come in at 30+mpg with good reliability. That only applies to the manual transmission ones though. Old Subaru models tend to be good as well. VW's have a habit of falling apart after 100k miles even if you maintain them, much like early 90's GM products (full size cars excluded). You really should learn to drive stick though. I fixed that with my fiancee by simply replacing her auto that died with a stick. She swore and tortured the car for 3 weeks, and has been fine ever since. Learning to drive stick well is like learning to ride a bike. If you want to do it, it'll be bearable and only take a couple weeks. If you don't want to, it'll suck and you'll never get it down.

1nterceptor

I'm surprised nobody recommended going by bicycle.
This is BIKEFORUMS after all

bigbenaugust 

Can not wait to see something rolling out of there again... it is the last auto plant west of the Mississippi, you know.

(drove a 2000 Tacoma)

apclassic9

Look at used Subarus from private sellers - a well maintained Subie will keep going for about ever... had a 95 bought new, put over 200,000 miles on it & gave it to my son, who drove it for 3 years. He tired of it, and I sold it to a friend's kid for $500. He drove it until last fall, when he broke an axle while doing "drift" manouvers in a hay field. HE sold it to one of his friends for $400, and it's been fixed and is on the road - I imagine it has over 400,000 miles on it by now. Had a 2000 outback that my other son wrecked in 2009 (it had 356,000 miles on it) - the front was mashed in, and I felt it was not worth fixing. Sold it to the same kid who bought the 95, he fixed it, and uses it for his family car.

Lots of people sell high mileage Subies cheap. Same thing with older Hondas. An example of what's out there:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

jsharr

i have an acct at Consumer Reports. They list used cars by budget. If you are interested in checking it out, pm me and I will give you my username and password.

Flying Merkel

I bought a pristine 2000 Camry with 115,000 miles on it for $2,000. Girl was going to trade it in at a dealer. They were going to give her around $500.00. Best car to own. Been stone reliable. Had to replace the radiator. Cost me $105.00 and took an hour including getting beer. Still have it with 186,000 miles.

jsharr

Here is the under $4000 list from Consumer Reports
Acura CL '01
Chevrolet Prizm '01-02
Ford Crown Victoria '01-02
Honda Civic '01
Hyundai Sonata (V6) '03-04
Infiniti G20 '02
Lincoln Continental '01
Mazda Proteg '01-02
Mercury Grand Marquis '01
Mitsubishi Lancer '02
Toyota Corolla '01-02; Echo '01-03; Prius '01

eofelis 

+1 on the older Subies.

I'm on my 3rd Subaru now (2001 Outback). Plan on keeping it for several more years, at least.

I've seen CL ads for mid 1990s Subies that if I needed an inexpensive car that I would have gone to look at. They hold up well.


A few years ago I sold my 1991 Subaru Legacy wagon with 165k on it. Still ran very nice but had body damage (drunk imbicle hit it while it was parked) and a/c didn't work. I sold it for $1200.

spry

I can retro fit that puppy with an 8-track player,STP window stickers,steering knob,foot shaped gas pedal,and a 383 engine from a 69 SuperBee.

RubenX 

My Hyundai Accent is currently valuated at $500.00 which is like 1/2 what I've paid on my road bike. It takes me places, but I have to put up with the occasional waka waka puff wacka.

AEO

but it is a hyundai.

oh well, at least it's not a kia

spry

Where is the "extra car"I helped you renovate?
Thought you might sell it to Alphabet-Girl?

AEO

the older kia and hyundai cars were quite terrible.

RubenX 

I think you are talking about the Taurus that was stopped for a year. I had to fix it up and give it to my ex (court order). She sold it and got a minivan, and a monthly car note. Some people never learn.

I also had a Cherokee some months ago, but I sold it when my office announced we were going to be outsourced. Now is just the Accent. The cohabitant has her own car, Hyundai too, Elantra... 6 years younger than my Accent.

Siu Blue Wind

Toyota and Ford are joining forces for hybrid technology. Didn't think I'd ever see the day.

bigbenaugust 

Well, it all started when Ford accidentally designed an almost identical hybrid systems and licensed Toyota's tech (with a little sharing the other way, too) to keep the lawyers away. At least, that's what I read in a magazine a few years back.

banerjek

For $2K, it's possible to get a good car. I had a friend who bought a rather excellent Subie that served him many years for $1800 and I've personally sold vehicles for less than that in excellent mechanical condition (though they were old)

However, you'll be taking a risk as most cars known to be good/reliable won't be that cheap and it sounds like you might not have the skills to evaluate the vehicle yourself or repair it if something goes wrong. The trick to getting a good cheap car is that they must have been maintained well and driven gently. But since you won't know that, it's always a bit of a crapshoot.